Candra Jumper Blog 6 Global Warming: Raising Awarness 3/21/14 12.27am

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate. Global warming has been a concern and the topic of debate for several years.

 Global warming can no longer be ignored or placed on the back burner. Over the years scientists have worked hard to prove that the planet is indeed warming. Scientific evidence indicates that since 1950, the world’s climate has been warming, primarily as a result of emissions from the constant burning of fossil fuels and the destroying of tropical forests.  Since the industrial revolution till this day, there is a constant emission of the carbon into the atmosphere and almost everything we do we are known to leave a carbon footprint behind. It is because of man-made conditions that we are threatened today by global warming.

These conditions are the main reasons that there has been an increase in greenhouse gases that are produced by burning fossil fuel and deforestation.  The four main contributors to the greenhouse gas effect are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. Mining for coal and oil releases methane in the atmosphere. The seepage from natural gas fields and landfills are an additional source of methane.  Excessive cutting down of trees is another factor that causes global warming. When deforestation occurs, the efficiency by which carbon dioxide is stored and oxygen released by the green plants is decreased greatly. This in turn causes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide which leads to an increase in the greenhouse gas effect and ultimately an increase in global temperatures.  

According to the current event, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, this is the world’s largest general science society; has put together a public information campaign called “What We Know.” The motivation behind it is not so much to be a compendium of facts, but instead to “present key messages for every American about climate change” as a way to hopefully show peoples the reality of what we’re doing to the Earth.

 http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/03/20/what_we_know_aaas_campaign_to_raise_public_awareness_of_global_warming.html