What is Global Warming
Global warming is the slow increase of the atmosphere's temperature, this is caused by the green house effect which is the increase of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants.
How Global Warming Effects the planet
With our atmosphere gradually heating up to an unnatural level, the Earth's global or regional climate patterns have begun to change drastically. Glaciers have began to melt, sea level's have risen, cloud forests, which is moist tropical or subtropical forest that has low level clouds, are dying, and the animals are caught in the middle of it all. Additionally, climate change has introduced extreme weather events that affect both animals and humans alike. Wildfires, hail, high winds, down bursts, tornadoes, blizzards, and cyclones are occurring more and more often, and it all leads back to global warming. So what causes global warming?
The greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from the earth’s atmosphere warms the planet’s surface to a temperature above what it would be without the atmosphere. It’s called the greenhouse effect because well, it works like just like a greenhouse! The greenhouse, Earth, stays pretty warm inside despite a colder temperature outside. This is because the sun shines into the greenhouse and the walls, the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, trap the heat and warms the inside. Because humans are pumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, too much greenhouse gasses can trap more heat, which causes earth’s temperature to rise abnormally.
So how can we help?
More things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint are: drive less or use other modes of transportation like walking or a bike when you can and use less plastic products. We also need to dispose of pollutants and hazardous waste correctly. This means things like -- get ready here comes another list -- automotive products like fluids, motor oils, gasoline, and more domestic things like batteries, light bulbs, household cleaning supplies, paint products, garden chemicals, and swimming pool chemicals. Not disposing of these materials find their way into storm drains and into our oceans. This is an important factor of water pollution, something the blue whale is being affected by. These pollutants can hurt marine animals, and leave the water dirty and less safe. You can get rid of these harmful products by using a home pick up service, going to a drop off facility, or just simply recycling. There’s a highly likely chance that there’s somewhere near your home to go and use these services.
You can also eat more plant based, by supporting animal agriculture aka the meat industry, you are unknowingly contributing to global warming. Animal Agriculture is one of the major contributors to climate change, the mass production of livestock is what I like to call the silent killer. Not just because the methane is being shoved into the atmosphere and breaking down the ozone layer, but also because all that animal waste is being moved into rivers, which moves into oceans.
The agricultural industry actually covers 13 percent of total global emissions, according to World Resources Institute, and emitted 6 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2011, which is a LOT of gas. Forbes Magazine states, “...livestock in 2011 were responsible for roughly 120 million grams of methane.” That 120 million grams of methane is the same as 264,500 pounds.
You can also eat more plant based, by supporting animal agriculture aka the meat industry, you are unknowingly contributing to global warming. Animal Agriculture is one of the major contributors to climate change, the mass production of livestock is what I like to call the silent killer. Not just because the methane is being shoved into the atmosphere and breaking down the ozone layer, but also because all that animal waste is being moved into rivers, which moves into oceans.
The agricultural industry actually covers 13 percent of total global emissions, according to World Resources Institute, and emitted 6 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2011, which is a LOT of gas. Forbes Magazine states, “...livestock in 2011 were responsible for roughly 120 million grams of methane.” That 120 million grams of methane is the same as 264,500 pounds.