Global Warming is the phenomenon of annual rise in atmospheric temperature all over the world. This rise in temperature has been mainly seen in recent times; more over recent 50 years. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. Major reason identified is the greenhouse effect of the rising pollution and massive tree cutting. In a greenhouse, heat from the sun enters the glass. The heat in the form of infra-red light bounces and heads back up towards the glass. The glass then allows only some of this heat to escape, but reflects back another portion. This heat remains within the greenhouse. In the case of planet Earth, there is no glass, but there is an atmosphere which retains heat or releases heat. In the prehistoric times, the Earth had no problems, since the composition of the atmosphere remained RELATIVELY constant, so heat was released or retained in a regular manner. However, with humans came technology, technology to build big polluting machines. These machines, in the burning of fossil fuels quickly added carbon monoxide and dioxide to the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide readily retains heat. With more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, more heat is kept in the Earth, and a warming trend begins.
Both, increase in pollution and massive tree cutting are the major problem of developing and developed economies. The urban civilization in its race for development and progress has completely neglected the environment of our earth. Large number of pollution generating factories has been established over a small period of time and never ever has the governments or factory owners realized that the chemicals emitted from these factories into our atmosphere can be so dangerous that finally they will result in global warming. Since the trees were also cut at the same rate as factories were established, so it has created a more dangerous situation because though trees can pure atmosphere by their natural photosynthesis process but since their number has reduced so atmospheric air cannot be cleaned by the natural process.
Global warming has resulted in many disadvantages like rise in water level, polluted air, ozone hole, droughts , excessive rains, change in temperatures and weather globally, less fertile soil, less growth of crops, decrease in underground water level , scarcity of drinking water to name a few. Though many of these problems are not directly related to global warming but they are indirectly related to global warming; like soil erosion and washing away of nutrients in soil by excessive rain result in less fertile soil and finally less growth of crops.
Though urbanization was for the good of mankind but unplanned and rapid civilization has resulted in great danger for entire mankind. When today developing and under developed countries have to fight against poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, they also have to face the challenges posed by global warming thus increasing their problems by twofold and hampering their development rate by manifolds. Even today mankind has not learnt the lessons and 90% of the population over the world is unaware about global warming its causes and its effects. This is the moral responsibility of each and every individual today to learn the lesson from their mistakes and make an effort towards fighting against global warming. There is not much of effort required and this problem can be faced and dealt with very easily if each human being understand his role in environment conversation and does his bit to help converse trees, water, oil and every available natural resource. Consuming electricity, water oil efficiently and cautiously, using alternate forms of energy like, wind, water, solar e, and Planting more and more trees. Taking every effort required towards recycling of non degradable components like plastic. Small steps taken today shall surely reap good fruits in future to create a world where mankind can live in harmony with MOTHER NATURE.
References
- Department of Energy. 1997 Fuel Economy Guide. Also Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- Colburn, Cleo. Co-author of "Our Stolen Future." Taken from March 22, 1996 interview by Michael Krasny, Forum, KQED-FM in San Francisco.
- Keeling, Ralph, Stephen Piper, Martin Heimann. "Global and hemispheric carbon dioxide sinks deduced from changes in atmospheric oxygen concentration" Nature,Vol.381 May 16, 1996.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Climate Change 1995. Impacts, Adaptations and Mitigation.