Global Climate Change
BJ Jefferson
Rio Salado College
ENG102 - First-Year Composition
Professor Beech
December 2, 2016
All life on earth is dependent on the weather. If the weather on earth is too hot or too cold, life on earth can cease to exist. Through natural sources of greenhouse gases, the earth's axis, earths specific orbit around the sun, life on earth has been able to survive by adapting or moving to areas where the climate was livable. Every now and then something happens that can throw the weather into chaos. Normally this is done by an act or nature, but now life on earth is facing this change through the actions of humans. This dramatic change in weather is called global climate change. If humans are the cause of the current climate change, then the reverse could also be possible!
Dramatic change in weather caused by an external force. Weather can stay at one type of climate globally. Seasons can become more extreme. Winter can become colder and produce record snowfall year after year. Summer can become hotter and drier. This could eventually cause global droughts. Wildlife can become affected. Animals can start to migrate to places more suitable to live. Some species, like the polar bear, may die out. Economic loss can also happen due to climate change. Ski resorts that rely on snow can be affected by drought. Fishermen may see a drop in marine life from water temperature changes. Fish may migrate to areas more suitable to live (The Nature Conservancy, 2015.)
Certain human activities create and release certain greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases include: Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, and Methane. Carbon Dioxide contributions by humans are from the use of fossil fuels in transportation and energy production. Emissions from vehicles and coal based power plants are the major contributors. Nitrous Oxide contributions by humans comes from the use of fossil fuels in transportation, Agriculture practices, and the production of certain fertilizers. Methane contributions comes from production, processing, storage, transmission, and distribution of natural gas. Animals manure usage and storage is also a contribution. Landfill from waste humans make is also a factor (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014).
Nature can also contribute in the creation on global climate change. Extreme volcanic eruptions, a large meteor strike, a change in the earth's orbit, or a shift in earth's axis can contribute to global climate change. Extreme volcanic eruptions like an eruption from Yellowstone, would result in large amounts of super-heated ash to be thrown into air. It would then blanket the causing global temperatures to drop. A large meteor strike has happened in the past and caused global climate change to the extent that it killed off the dinosaurs. A change in earth's orbit or axis can cause the intensity of the season to change. Travel to close to the sun and summers become hotter. Travel to far and winters can become colder. Also seasons can switch if conditions are right.
Acts of nature cannot be stopped. All that can be done is to prepare for whatever changes may come. Human causes can be reversed. Technological innovations have been made in the efforts to help reduce greenhouse gases through transportation and energy Production. Toyota has created a car that runs on hydrogen. The exhaust emits water vapor while driving. Safety features such as a carbon fiber fuel tank and auto emergency shutoff valves have been created to minimize the possibility of an explosion (Toyota, 2015). The increased use of greener energy such as solar and wind can also help reduce greenhouse gases created by power plants. One of the biggest issues with green solutions is the price tag. Trying to go green is an expense not everyone can afford.
References
"A Student's guide to Global Climate Change". Environmental Protection Agency.
"Climate Change: Threats and Impacts". The Nature Conservancy. 2015.
"Mirai: The Toyota FCV". Toyota. 2015.
What You Can Do. Environmental Protection Agency.
BJ Jefferson
Rio Salado College
ENG102 - First-Year Composition
Professor Beech
December 2, 2016
All life on earth is dependent on the weather. If the weather on earth is too hot or too cold, life on earth can cease to exist. Through natural sources of greenhouse gases, the earth's axis, earths specific orbit around the sun, life on earth has been able to survive by adapting or moving to areas where the climate was livable. Every now and then something happens that can throw the weather into chaos. Normally this is done by an act or nature, but now life on earth is facing this change through the actions of humans. This dramatic change in weather is called global climate change. If humans are the cause of the current climate change, then the reverse could also be possible!
Dramatic change in weather caused by an external force. Weather can stay at one type of climate globally. Seasons can become more extreme. Winter can become colder and produce record snowfall year after year. Summer can become hotter and drier. This could eventually cause global droughts. Wildlife can become affected. Animals can start to migrate to places more suitable to live. Some species, like the polar bear, may die out. Economic loss can also happen due to climate change. Ski resorts that rely on snow can be affected by drought. Fishermen may see a drop in marine life from water temperature changes. Fish may migrate to areas more suitable to live (The Nature Conservancy, 2015.)
Certain human activities create and release certain greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases include: Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide, and Methane. Carbon Dioxide contributions by humans are from the use of fossil fuels in transportation and energy production. Emissions from vehicles and coal based power plants are the major contributors. Nitrous Oxide contributions by humans comes from the use of fossil fuels in transportation, Agriculture practices, and the production of certain fertilizers. Methane contributions comes from production, processing, storage, transmission, and distribution of natural gas. Animals manure usage and storage is also a contribution. Landfill from waste humans make is also a factor (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014).
Nature can also contribute in the creation on global climate change. Extreme volcanic eruptions, a large meteor strike, a change in the earth's orbit, or a shift in earth's axis can contribute to global climate change. Extreme volcanic eruptions like an eruption from Yellowstone, would result in large amounts of super-heated ash to be thrown into air. It would then blanket the causing global temperatures to drop. A large meteor strike has happened in the past and caused global climate change to the extent that it killed off the dinosaurs. A change in earth's orbit or axis can cause the intensity of the season to change. Travel to close to the sun and summers become hotter. Travel to far and winters can become colder. Also seasons can switch if conditions are right.
Acts of nature cannot be stopped. All that can be done is to prepare for whatever changes may come. Human causes can be reversed. Technological innovations have been made in the efforts to help reduce greenhouse gases through transportation and energy Production. Toyota has created a car that runs on hydrogen. The exhaust emits water vapor while driving. Safety features such as a carbon fiber fuel tank and auto emergency shutoff valves have been created to minimize the possibility of an explosion (Toyota, 2015). The increased use of greener energy such as solar and wind can also help reduce greenhouse gases created by power plants. One of the biggest issues with green solutions is the price tag. Trying to go green is an expense not everyone can afford.
References
"A Student's guide to Global Climate Change". Environmental Protection Agency.
"Climate Change: Threats and Impacts". The Nature Conservancy. 2015.
"Mirai: The Toyota FCV". Toyota. 2015.
What You Can Do. Environmental Protection Agency.