Global Warming, (In class Essay)

Global Warming

Global Warming is described as the progressive gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature thought to be caused by the alterations to the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns.

The greenhouse effect is the absorption of energy radiated from the Earth's surface by carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to become warmer.

This whole process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 59 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect.

The most recent scientific data confirms that the earth's climate is rapidly changing. In the beginning, all climate changes occurred naturally, however, the Industrial Revolution brought about a massive change in the world's atmosphere.

We began altering the climate and environment through agricultural and industrial practices. The cause is a thickening layer of carbon dioxide pollution, mostly from power plants and cars that traps heat in the atmosphere.

Global temperatures increased by about 1 degree Fahrenheit over the course of the last century, and will likely rise even more rapidly in coming years. Natural variations in temperature could be caused by variations in the earth's orbit, or variations in the sun's output (Sunspots), or several other factors including sulfur dioxide emitted by volcanoes.

Human caused warming is by increased concentrations of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, Methane and a CFC's.

Humans have also emitted sulfur dioxide, which has a cooling effect and has tended to mask the warming effect of rising carbon dioxide for much of the last 100 years until the mid-1970's, when clean air acts became operative.

This planet is losing its forests, 34 million acres each year through burning and cutting. The destruction of tropical forests alone is throwing...