...Global Warming- Myth or Reality Hailstorms in the Middle East and heat waves in the UK, talk about Climate change! I remember thinking, ‘these global warming conspiracy theorists are going to have a hard time explaining this’. And I was right. Utter nonsense is all over the internet, about how the earth’s magnetic field influences our climate. Most of us are the breed that get the concept of global warming, but don’t really care because we have other worries to deal with. What about terrorism? Or the starving kids in Africa? Do we help these causes or do we support a global phenomenon that we don’t even know is true? In the words of James Lovelock, ‘The Earth is about to catch a morbid fever that may last as long as 100,000 years’. By this, he means global warming. But just how plausible is this? Just as we turn green, just as people start to realize that we’re killing the earth, Mr Lovelock comes along and says, ‘Sorry mate, it’s too late now’. I wonder how that makes those Greenpeace activists feel; all their efforts gone to waste, all their hopes and dreams for our future generations gone down the drain. It’s a harsh reality. I believe Al Gore and James Lovelock had the worst job in the world. Like telling someone that their son was terminal. There is no way out. But before we ridicule them, let’s take a moment to look around. Lakes are disappearing, Glaciers are becoming rivers and ice shelves are cracking. Still not enough proof? Take all the water in the world, heat...
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...In the article “Warming, not!” and the blog “Matt Patterson & The New York Post Clueless About The Climate” the authors Matt Patterson and Jerrald Hayes are having very different opinions and points of view on the subject global warming and climate-change. Matt Patterson, the author of “Warming, not!”, is a conservative political writer and the article is published in New York Post. Patterson claims that the evidence for global warming has been exaggerated and is just plain wrong. He states that the climate-change theory is facing a sudden collapse, because of two recent arguments: The first argument being the observations that Monnett and fellow researcher Jeffrey Gleason made in 2004 - of four polar bears drowning after being forced to swim long distances in the open sea, because of the climate changes - are now being questioned and investigated. Monnett has now been put on “leave” due to integrity issues. The other argument being a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal ‘Remote Sensing’ by Drs. Roy Spencer and Danny Braswell. The two scientists had compared the predictions about what the atmosphere ‘should’ do and what satellite data actually showed during the 18 months before and after warming event. They found that the computer models vastly overestimated the greenhouse effect. According to the two scientists the Earth is far more capable of equalizing its own temperature than people might think. Matt Patterson closes the article saying that there is a huge discrepancy...
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...Myth or Reality? The last decades of 20th century are going to be referred to as the time of "environmental/politically correct craze" because during the course of this historical period, the enforces of lefty-wing agenda had succeeded in throwing milliards of dollars in the air, on the account of a variety of purely imaginary technological, environmental and health care-related scares. For example, we all remember public paranoia, associated with Y2K. Some especially 'progressive' activists used to refer to anticipated effects of Y2K as such that would result in the end of the world, as we know it. In her article Technomillennialism: A Subcultural Technomillennialism: A Subcultural Response to the Technological Threat of Y2K, Andrea Tapia states: "Predicted scenarios (on account of Y2K) ranged from a few days of inconvenience, similar to a bad snowstorm, to that of complete global shutdown and resulting chaos" (2003, 483). Yet, on January 1, 2000, it became clear to just about anyone that Y2K was nothing but a sham. As of today, public still remains unaware of what happened to the milliards of dollars, spent by Western governments to mitigate the expected effects of Y2K. A decade earlier, the anticipated 'end of the world' was being discussed within the context of thinning of ozone layer over Antarctica – thus, resulting in creation of 'ozone holes'. In its turn, the thinning of ozone layer was believed to have been caused by aerosol sprays as such that contain chemical...
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...Global warming Denzel D. Williams English 135/ Freshman Composition I Professor C. Small Global Warming In twenty to thirty years from 2011 the Polar Cap will be completely gone. There will be no sign that it was there or even existed with it goes all the animals that depend on the cap. For say the polar bears, the artic fox and many more. This is the first step to a chain of destruction and disbelief. Swaminathan, F. (2012, March 18). Global warming & climate change, The new York time, Retrieved from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html# Global warming has become perhaps the most complicated issue facing world leaders. Warnings from the scientific community are becoming louder, as an increasing body of science points to rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related greenhouse gases — produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and forests. Freeman, D, Horgan , J. (2011, January 07). The blog,. Scientific American, Retrieved from http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/2011/01/07/freeman-dyson-global-warming-esp-and-the-fun-of-being-bunkrapt/ “The Danger of Cosmic Genius" explores Dyson’s denial that global warming will wreak havoc on Earth unless we drastically curtail carbon emissions. Many scientist questions the computer models on which these scary scenarios are based, and he suggests that the upside of global warming including faster plant growth and longer growing seasons in certain...
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...Can Economics Solve the Problem of Global Warming? The potential negative effects of global warming are very serious. Even by just concentrating on economic factors, global warming has the potential to cause unprecedented costs to the global economy. Yet, despite the forecasted dangers and economic costs, there seems to be a disinterest in implementing necessary policies to avert the consequences of global warming. There are many reasons why it is difficult to deal with the issue of global warming such as the problem of “free rider”, externalities, intergenerational externalities etc. Global warming is by definition a phenomena which affects every country. Pollution may be caused by a small percentage of developed countries and yet those who suffer the most may be pacific islands who contribute nothing to global warming. When it comes to reducing carbon emissions there is a classic free rider problem. Countries can benefit from lower emissions by relying on other countries to make sacrifices and reduce their pollution levels. The problem is that countries can then become reluctant to start reducing emissions until other countries start reducing emissions as well. Why should a tiny country like Sweden make sacrifices in reducing carbon emissions, if the US continues to create a large part of the world's CO2 emissions? Global warming is to a large extent caused by externalities. When you drive an SUV, the contribution to global warming is an external cost which you don't...
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...Thesis statement: One of the most debated topics in America today is Global Warming. Regardless of whether or not it is fact or fiction, the American public needs to pay more attention to growing scientific evidence, and make a greater attempt to ensure a prosperous future. I. The Problem A. The Problems Are Just Beginning B. Man Is Having An Affect II. The Ecosystem A. The Domino Affect B. A Few Degrees Of Consequence III. Not Just Hot Air A. Crying Wolf B. Uninformed Public IV. The Real Problems A. Short Term Ideals B. Selfish Americans C. Religion D. Big Bussiness V. What Can Be Done A. Think Long Term Global Warming: Fact or Fiction? Most skeptics of Global Warming have said and will say again, “The earth has taken care of itself for millions of years. It goes through cycles from time to time. It doesn’t matter what humans do, Mother Nature is stronger than us all.” Although these opinions have some truth and relevance in the argument against the reality of Global Warming and its effects on the planet, it also seems incredibly short sighted to not explore the emerging data that has continued to grow in recent years supporting the idea that humans do indeed have an affect on how the planet and her inhabitants will continue to live and grow in the years to come. With advances in technology measuring these effects more accurately...
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...Global Warming The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Growing up I heard this phrase in folktales as a “wolf cry”-- a cry that is so ridiculous that nobody would believe it. Now that global warming is a major environmental issue, the saying doesn’t sound so out of place. Most people might say: what is global warming? That’s the question that was running through my mind when I first heard we were watching a documentary on it in my English 130 class. The film is Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and it is about the causes of global warming and what it is doing to our planet. Being an environmentally involved citizen and growing up with conservative Republicans as parents, I was torn between not really liking Gore and this extreme reality that I felt was an impending doom on Mother Earth. The day before my writing class my dad called me and I brought up the fact that I was watching Gore’s film; his reaction was, “I’m paying for you to do that?” I tried to tell him it wasn’t about Gore and when I brought up global warming he claimed it was a scheme to get money and that our wor... ... middle of paper ... ... Lynch, David. “Corporate America Warms to Fight Against Global Warming.” USAToday.com. 5 June 2006. 2 April 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2006-05-31-business-globalwarming_x.htm Martins, Pim. Health and Climate Change. UK: Earthscan Publications Ltd., 1998. Peterson, Anne Kristen, Jurg Rohrer. Time for Change: Cause and Effect of Global Warming...
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...activity, or event (Steg, 2013). Different aspects in an individual’s life like ethics, morals, and values might influence perceived environmental risk. Environmental risks are also known to affect individuals’ emotionally which can make unwanted stress happen, in regard to the effects of these risks on nature and humans. One of the most talked about environmental risk is global warming; this happens when the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and the oceans gradually increase. These increases are permanent temperature changes to the oceans and atmosphere, which result from vast amounts of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere from the continual use of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, this possesses a risk to the well being of humans and nature alike. There is no way to reverse the damage that has been done because of global warming, however the effects can decrease. Summary of Articles Two articles address global warming, the environmental risk; however the articles take two different stances on the issue and there are dissimilar views regarding the environmental risk. The first article “Global...
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...Coal Kills Different things can lead to global warming and most obvious issue would be vehicles causing smog. It's true, smog can kill and is very harmful to the environment. What about coal burning power plants? Coal fired power plants produce hazardous air pollution more than any other pollution source. With over 600 coal burning power plants remain, why are more being built when it is proven that it harmful to our environment as well as people. Perhaps, people should pay more attention to this threat, otherwise, someone close may be a victim. What exactly is coal mining? What makes it so valuable that it risk lives to obtain it. Reality is, coal produces a much higher amount of energy versus wood. In areas where wood in not obtainable, coal would be the best source to use as fuel. Many types of sources to obtain fuel, but compared to those alternatives, coal still remains an important energy source due to its low cost. The rich are getting richer, while the poor is getting sicker. In areas like Chicago, coal fire power plants causes about 40 deaths a year. People are dying from cancer and mothers are victims of miscarriages. Residents of a town called Inez, forces them to buy water. One resident mentions that they buy water for their coffee, soup, and even use purchased water to brush their teeth. People of Inez, cannot drink their water due to the contaminants from coal ponds. According to the CDC, the Appalachian region of Kentucky has the Highest Rate of cancer deathersin...
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...what happens to the atmosphere when greenhouse gases are being pumped into it faster than it can be absorbed. Many people believe that global warming is a problem that can only be solved by big companies and the government. What happens when the government is handing out millions of dollars in tax breaks to big oil companies that are polluting our earth and no one is doing anything to stop them? People do not understand the amount of damage just a single person can do to the air around us. Global Warming is a growing problem around the world and it cannot be ignored any longer. The earth is suffering from the abuse of humans and when it is gone it cannot be replaced. The question is not if global warming is going to get worse, it is when and what people are going to do to stop it. Global Warming is by no means a new or recently discovered issue throughout the world. However, it has taken many years for the issue to get the attention it deserves and so desperately needs. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, scientists discovered changes in weather in relation to global warming. However, people denied it saying it is a recurring pattern. “Nobody worried about the change. The meteorologists explained that weather patterns always did vary modestly, in cycles lasting a few decades or centuries. If the mid-twentieth century happened to be a time of warming, so much the better.” (Weart, 2003) The weather was getting warmer and more enjoyable so people reveled in it and did not see it as something...
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...before. Developments and inventions such as those of the Internet, hybrid cars and retinal implants for the blind, illustrate a significant advancement in man’s use of intellect and the environment around him. However, it is also true that this technological progress comes with a huge price tag attached to it. For instance, previously epidemics were restricted to those of a simple nature like jiggers and measles. Today, however, they are as relentless as those of Candida and Aids. The idea of a conventional foot war, that underlined much of the earlier history of mankind, is, in the present day replaced by a much more devastating and petrifying one, that of a nuclear war. Indeed, technology benefits mankind in a number of ways, yet, in reality it affects them adversely in even more. A common confusion that many have is that life without technology would have been very difficult and certainly quite boring. Things such as vehicles, computers and air conditioners can only after all bring more ease and comfort to a person. To even presume about living without these instruments is utterly impossible. Nevertheless, if one pauses to think at this moment, one can realize that they feel that such objects are necessary for living only because they are already being used for living. Had a ceiling fan or a microwave oven never been invented, then people would definitely never have missed not having them. Deeming such objects as crucial for life is thus not an objective argument but a mere...
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...Global Warming Global warming is one of the most concerning issues. Many scientists believe that our production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is having a heating effect on the atmosphere, and this could be very dangerous for human life (“Global…”).It is very important to be aware of the bad effects and damages of global warming. Otherwise the next generation will be in danger. Global warming changes poses and additional severe risks to food security and the agriculture sector. Agriculture is considered to be one of the most vulnerable sector. Global warming impact is particularly fraught with damage for smaller farmers in developing countries. A newly published report the WTO (World Trade Organization) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), states that in low latitude regions, even a small temperature increase of 1°C would lead to reduction of 5-10 percent in the yields of major cereal crops (“ how does…”). This is really scary for the future. If the world keep the same environmental rules by 2020 crop yield in African countries could fall up to 50 percent (“How Does”…). This shows how the poor countries agriculture sector is become a victim of the global warming. For example, the people of East Africa faced a drought in 2009 crops withered and failed from Kenya to Ethiopia, livestock drop dead and famine spreads (Biello 1). Another obvious disadvantage of global warming is the climate change. Our Earth’s average temperature has risen...
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...Global Warming: A Planet in Distress Marjorie Wixom Informal Logic PHI 103 Dr. McGowan November 17, 2013 Global Warming: A Planet in Distress Even though it could be argued that global warming is a hoax; the earth is unsustainable. Not only the impact humans have had on our resources but the impact that has been put upon our native flora and fauna is astounding, the rising acidity of our oceans due to the absorption of carbon dioxide, and when it is said that the Earth is no longer sustainable in terms of fossil fuels it goes beyond that. Once these resources are gone there is no replenishing them. In the end the use of our resources will wreak havoc on our planet causing our demise. It is our responsibility to our children to begin sustainable habits that will slow the inevitable. Planet Earth is unsustainable at our current consumption; humans are using and not replenishing. The definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Dylan.2012) The human race is notorious for greed and the way we use our resources is proof enough. Everything that is readily available to us is taken for granted. In the documentary “The Great Squeeze: Surviving the Human Project” Richard Heinberg explains that “1 gallon of gas should be worth 10-12 weeks of human labor;” at minimum wage that is roughly equivalent to $3,300 to $3,960 per gallon of gasoline. The reasoning behind this is the fact...
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...different as the people themselves are. This paper will address some of those issues and risks. This paper will summarize two articles that deal with the subject. This paper will also compare and contrast the risk factors in both articles while identifying the stressors that are related to the environmental risks. To sum up the two articles, one of the most interesting takes on this subject was that of global warming. There are many things that have been accredited to global warming. Many may wonder what exactly is global warming. Global warming is simply when too much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere and it acts as a shield shielding heat and warm air in the earth (Merriam-Webster, 2014). As humans burns through precious fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal as well as continuing to cut down trees have all important risks of global warming. Nevertheless, the two article both addressed the ever present environmental risk, global warming. Although they both addressed global warming, they happen to take a different stance on the matter. The first article, “Global Warming: the good, the bad, the ugly and the Efficient,” took the...
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...Earth is home to an abundance of astonishing, complex forms of life. We humans are constantly learning more and more about this planet. Earth has been humanity’s mysterious home since the origin of our species, but in the last century or so there has been an alarming trend taking place. We have experienced the Earth’s temperature rising. Global warming is the name of the phenomenon that has taken place over approximately the past 133 years, and according to NASA, it is an un-debated fact that the average temperature on Earth has increased one and a half degrees over this time period (NASA). There is a wide range of thoughts and opinions on the relatively recent issue of global warming. To some people, global warming is out of our hands. Therefore, it is a non-issue. Others feel that the opportunity cost of trying to prevent it is too high, especially because global warming isn’t blatantly causing any suffering on a daily basis. The perspective I have towards global warming is one that is bearing a more inconvenient, burdensome argument. This is that human activity is causing the temperatures of the Earth to rise at an unnatural pace with the widespread emission of greenhouse gases. The purpose of this argument is to raise awareness through scientific and statistical studies that humans are to blame for this trend in climate change, and that there could be significant consequences to not taking preventative measures. To absolutely prove that humans are to blame, we would need a...
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