Global Warming: A concern triggered by pollution - Research Paper Example

Global Warming: A concern triggered by pollution Introduction: The term global warming initially surfaced in an American scientific Journal “Are we on a brink of pronounced global warming” (Broecker, 1975) and later became the catchphrase for general public in 1988 after its official use by NASA Scientist James Hasen in the senate to signify climatic changes around the globe. However, global warming literally refers to increase in the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and in its troposphere, which results in the change of worldwide atmosphere. Hence, this change in the atmosphere of Earth can be a result of natural and man created causes. Thus, global warming is commonly understood as a term which refers to pessimistic climatic after-effects caused by emanation of toxic gases in the atmosphere due to manmade commodities. In the twenty first century Global warming has been the prominent issue contemplated by the scientists all around the globe. However, it is not just a scientific issue, it has been affecting the global society in large as well. Thus, its affects are limitless, which swathe economics, politics, sociology and geopolitics. The main contributor in the aggravation of global warming in the past 1000 years is excessive release of carbon dioxide and disruption of greenhouse gases equilibrium in the atmosphere due to fossil burns (Maslin, 2008). Another main reason in this regard would be deforestation, which was supporting the ecological system of Earth. Therefore, global warming is mainly caused by humans through pollution and it endangers the existence of Earth along with all the living creatures on it. Global Warming and its effects on Earth: Scientists have been studying its effects on human beings for long, thus they have especially; determined its drastic affects through change in climatic patterns on fresh water, agriculture, food, ocean, marine life, forests, wildlife and on humans the most. However, its consequences are much more lethal and swiftly destructive than its slow caustic affects around the globe for instance natural hazards like storms, earth quakes, hurricanes, droughts, floods, increase in the water level of oceans due to liquefying glaciers, land sliding, sinkholes, volcano eruptions, blizzards or limnic eruptions, heat waves, wildfires and epidemics can cause severe and hefty damage in less time (Aalst, 2006). What are greenhouse gases? The Sun transmits ultra violet rays towards Earth which pass through the greenhouse blanket layer and reach the Earth in its mildest form. However, not all the rays are transmitted and absorbed by Earth, but some are returned back to the space due to the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases comprise of carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, water vapours and nitrous oxide. Thus, these gases balance the temperature of Earth and keep its level of warmth to an average tolerable level of 35 °C (Maslin, 2008). Natural Causes of global warming: Global warming also occurs due to a natural process of climate change, which happens after every 40,000 years and it also transpire due to discharge of methane gas from arctic tundra or wetlands (Kusky, 2009). It also happens due to change or increase in ultra violet rays transmitted from the sun, these are usually known as sunspots and it increases the short term temperature of the Earth. The rotation of the Earth is not perfect as it spins it receives more and less solar radiations at its different parts, which is also becoming a cause of change in global climate for many years. Rare volcanic eruptions fill up the atmosphere with a lot of dust, which forms impede ultra violet rays to reach the Earth atmosphere and gradually changes the Earth’s climate. However, this is an infrequent incident, which does not leave a long lasting effect, but is hazardous for humans due to its nature (Welch, 2009). Human’s induced Causes of global Warming: Pollution has been determined as the prominent cause of global warming. Hence, it is subdivided into three categories for instance air, water and land. Thus, the synthetic commodities produced by humans have long lasting detrimental effects; these commodities have become inevitable for human lifestyle and therefore, their production would neither stop and nor the process of pollution. The consumption of energy in the twentieth century has increased, which has triggered the global development reliance on it. Therefore, this energy consumption expansion has build-up the rate of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Air pollution: The emergent use of energy due to development of economy has expanded greenhouse gases in the atmosphere during the twentieth century. Through the growth of industries accumulation of greenhouse gases have changed the radiative equilibrium of the environment. Thus, air pollution simply implies to the rapid increase of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of Earth. The production process of synthetic materials emits chemical waste in the form of gas and liquid. Thus, the smoke induced from the factories due to production process is also known as smog. This smog contains a large amount of carbon dioxide, PM particles and other detrimental gases, which imbalances the rate of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Gurjar et al., 2010). In the mining process for coal and oil, the Earth is dug deep, which also stirs the natural gases stored deep under the Earth crust. Hence, due to this excavation methane gas emanates from the ground, which consequently influences ozone layer. The air pollution caused by automotives has increased by leaps and bond and almost half of the air pollution is due to these automobiles. The production of auto vehicles is inevitable to humans of this era, thus, it has consequently increased carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide in the air. Hence, their detrimental effects would result in polluted air with reduced oxygen level, which is an essential gas for preserving the life on Earth. Automobiles emit (Particulate Matter) PM these smallest particulates form murky coloured smog and injure human lungs in the most noxious way. Other gases which emit as a result of automotives are carbon mono oxide hydrocarbons, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide and other toxic gases, which have increased the rate of greenhouse gases and have also resulted in many incurable diseases like cancer. According to Environmental Protection Agency in 2008, half of the cancer patients suffer the illness due to air pollution (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2008). Carbon dioxide is a natural gas which emits in many natural processes. For example natural forest fires, decay course for dead plant life and volcanic eruptions causes large emanation of CO2. Thus, nature has its way to utilize this natural release of carbon dioxide; hence, it is majorly absorbed by oceans and plant life. The ecological system of the Earth balances it, but its excessiveness cannot be supported by the natural balancing factors, which prominently are plant life and oceans. Water Pollution and its effects on Earth: Life on Earth is dependent on clean water. Therefore, human life, marine life, plant life and wildlife cannot survive without clean water. Thus, the aforementioned term implies to the pollution which is caused by humans in the oceans, sea, rivers, lakes and pond water. The contaminated toxic fluids disposed by factories, ships, and through fracking process pollutes fresh water reservoirs and oceans thus, it causes severe catastrophes on Earth. Fracking process contaminates fresh water resources, emits lethal volatile organic compounds resulting in polluted air and acid rain. The rainwater which flows from the land embraces all the toxicity before finally falling into river or lake. Subsequently, the clean water becomes contaminated and detrimental to life on Earth. Thermal plants cause a different type of water pollution. It changes the property of water due to alteration in water temperature, which affects the marine life and their food chain. Thus, change in temperature of water causes death of many aquatic species and micro organisms. The rise in sea level is due to water meltdown of glaciers and polar ice caps in the Arctic region and Antarctic Ice sheets. The meltdown is because of global warming, the greenhouse gases aim to alter the intensity of UV rays from the sun, but since they are altered by human advancements, their efficiency is also reduced. Therefore, more intense sun rays fall on Earth increasing its temperature and consequently melting the ice. This melted ice from the glaciers turns into water and raises the water level in the oceans and rivers. The increased sea water level is a threat to human life. In 2009 the raise in sea level has been accumulated as 11cm due to a meltdown of glaciers. According to the scientists of University of Innsbruck, raise in sea level in 2100 will be approximately 15 to 22 cm, which also depends upon the emission of greenhouse gases. Thus, the raise in sea level due to melting glaciers is dependent upon greenhouse gases release directly (Marzeion et al., 2012). Land Pollution: The term land pollution refers to the degradation of Earth’s terrain by human race. Thus, it includes the non-green activities which pollute the environment of Earth. Domestic sewage, use of fertilizers and pesticides in farms, industrial activities, urbanization and deforestation are some main aspects of land pollution, which influence the ecological mechanism of Earth and consequently become a cause of global warming. Litre disposal through landfills causes degradation of land and soil, thus, it affects natural habitants of Earth (plants and animals) and produce toxic agents like methane gas, which affects their quality of life and survival. In cultivations process synthetic pesticides and fertilizer are used, which release numerous chemicals to kill the pests and to enrich the soil (Yaron, 2012). However, these synthetic chemicals like DDT, Nicotine and compounds of arsenic have adversely affected humans through food consumption of that land and disrupted the natural habitat of microorganisms in the soil. Population and deforesting: Due to rapid increase in population over the few decades, humans have cleared the surfaced of Earth from forest mainly due to urbanization and agricultural purposes, thus, the rapid pace of chopping down the trees have caused climatic changes. Forest trees wedge the sunlight in the day time and generate heat at night time; this natural process if disrupted can cause severe heat waves which are especially, detrimental to animal and plant life. The surface of the forest is usually damp, thus, trees preserve this dampness and help the water vapours to return into the atmosphere. Thus, this water cycle enables the land to be moist and impede soil erosion. On the other hand, in the case of deforestation the land due to direct sunlight on its surface would become dry and barren in a short time. Trees impede floods and deforestation of rain forests can cause severe alterations in climatic patterns. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for all the living species, hence, carbon dioxide is a major contributor in greenhouse gases. Thus, the increased amount of fossil burns and deforestation causes increase in the level of greenhouse gases. With the increase amount of greenhouse gas emissions and less number of trees, the global warming becomes more inexorable. The greenhouse gases protect the Earth from ultra violet rays of the sun subsequently; these gases act as a shield against them and reflect back the excessive heat into the space (Spilsbury, 2010). Thus, the temperature alters according to the reflection of these rays. The inexorably increasing population on Earth has called for disruption of natural milieu. The current world population is 7,136,591,374 an approximate of 7 billion people residing on Earth (PRB, 2013). The rapid increase in population requires more natural resources like water, food and shelter along with these, more energy is needed for them to attain survival. The need for increased energy and synthetic commodities like mode of transportation causes air pollution. Moreover, due to large number of people the rate of carbon dioxide breathes out would naturally enhance in the atmosphere. Population means more domestic sewage and more landfills of litre, which emits toxic agents either in soil or in atmosphere and it aggravates the global warming to a greater extent. Industrial, agricultural and deforestation activities adapted by humans trigger global warming to a high level as well (Boongarts, 1992). Conclusion: Pollution caused by human beings has triggered the global warming to a massive extent. Thus, if pollution rate is reduced along with deforestation and minimal industrial activities the balance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be retained for the survival of Earth and all the living creatures on it. References: Aalst, M. K. (January 01, 2006). The impacts of climate change on the risk of natural disasters. Disasters : the Journal of Disasters Studies, Policy and Management, 301, 5-18. Bongaarts, J. (January 01, 1992). Population growth and global warming. Population and Development Review, 182, 299-319. Broecker, W. S. (August 08, 1975). Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?. Science, 189, 4201, 460-463. Gurjar, B. R., Molina, L. T., & Ojha, C. S. P. (2010). Air pollution: Health and environmental impacts. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Maslin, M. (2008). Global Warming: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP Oxford. PRB. (2013, 4 19). Population reference bureau. Retrieved from http://www.prb.org/ Kusky, T. M. (2009). 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