Michael Rodrigues
Persuasive Essay
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is the increase in the mean surface temperature of the Earth. There is little doubt that the planet is warming. Over the last century, the planets temperature has risen by around 1 degree Fahrenheit. The United Nations panel on climate change projects that the global temperatures will rise 3-10 degrees fahrenheit by the century's end - enough to have the polar caps all but melted. If the ice caps melt, a vast majority of our countries borders will be under water. Monuments and great buildings, as well as homes and lives will be under water, including New York City. A study, by scientists at the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that 154,000 people die every year from the effects of global warming. These numbers could almost double by 2020. The big reason of global warming is because of the green house effect which the sun heats the Earth.
Much of that radiated heat is reflected back into the atmosphere. Particles in the air trap this reflected heat sending it back to Earth. Global warming makes the sea rise, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands. This is a big problem for many of the plants, animals, and people on islands. The water covers the plants and causes some of them to die. When they die, the animals lose a source of food, along with their habitat. When the plants and animals die, people lose two sources of food, plant food and animal food. They may also lose their homes. As a result, they would also have to leave the area or die. This would be called a break in the food chain, or a chain reaction, one thing happening that leads to another and so on.