Global warming is an issue that everyone knows of, and it could potentially lead to the downfall of humanity as we know it. According to NASA, the simple definition of global warming is, “the long-term heating of the Earth’s surface”. 

 

Why does this happen?

What’s caused this international predicament? The simple answer is human activities, which have led to a whole host of other problems also related to global warming. The main problem is carbon dioxide emissions, which causes the Sun’s heat to get trapped in the atmosphere and, in turn, heat the surface of the planet. The cause of this extra carbon dioxide is from the following: gas-powered cars, manufacturing facilities, burning of fossil fuels, and much more. According to NASA, the Earth’s temperature has been raised approximately 1.1℃(~1.8℉) since the pre-industrial period, which is between the 1850s to 1900s. 

 

What are the consequences?

There are many other problems that revolve around global warming. There is mainly one, though: the ice caps are melting. If the Earth’s temperature keeps getting hotter, the ice caps and Antarctica will end up melting away. This will lead to sea level rise and the flooding of coastal cities, towns, and villages. According to John Englander in his article “Florida is Not Going Underwater, at least not all of it”(6/22/20), Englander writes that by 2040, Miami Beach, Florida, will be under about 2-3 meters of water, and Palm Beach, Florida, will be under 3-5 meters of water. But, that’s not the worst part.

 

Bacteria in Icebergs?

According to The Conversation in their article “Ancient pathogens released from melting ice could wreak havoc on the world, new analysis reveals”(7/27/23), a website that goes in depth about many issues we have today, in 2003, samples from the ice cap on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau were taken from the ice core. The ice at the core was over 750,000 years old. The samples were melted and revived bacteria that had been frozen for the past 750,000 years. The website details, “In 2014, a giant ‘zombie’ Pithovirus sibericum virus was revived from 30,000-year-old Siberian permafrost.” Furthermore, “Estimates suggest we can expect four sextillion (4,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) microorganisms to be released from ice melt each year. This is about the same as the estimated number of stars in the universe.” 

 

How Do We Stop it?

Well, we can’t exactly stop it at this point. We can, however, try to slow it down. Here are some easy ways to help reduce global warming at home, according to the United Nations:

 

• Instead of using a car, use a bike, walk(if it’s close enough), or public transport

  • Cars burn lots of diesel and gasoline. Using an alternative to cars will help reduce greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions while also bringing health and fitness benefits.

 

• Clean your environment

  • Many people today throw garbage out into the streets without a care in the world. What they may not know is how it can potentially harm the surrounding wildlife. 

 

• Plant trees and other native plants

  • Plants create their own food through a process called photosynthesis, in which the plant absorbs carbon-dioxide and releases it as oxygen. More oxygen means less greenhouse gasses means reduced global warming.

 

• Speak up about it!

  • Talking about the effects of global warming with community members and officials is a great way to help out your community and find a way to reduce greenhouse gasses.

 

If we created this problem, then we need to find a way to fix it. 

Works Cited

"Actions for a Healthy Planet." United Nations, www.un.org/en/actnow/ten-actions. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.

Bradshaw, Corey J. A., and Giovanni Strona. "Ancient Pathogens Released from Melting Ice Could Wreak Havoc on the World, New Analysis Reveals." The Conversation, 27 July 2023, theconversation.com/ancient-pathogens-released-from-melting-ice-could-wreak-havoc-on-the-world-new-analysis-reveals-209795. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.

Englander, John. "Florida Is Not Going Underwater, at Least Not All of It." John Englander, 22 June 2020, johnenglander.net/florida-is-not-going-underwater-anytime-soon/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.

NASA. "What Is Climate Change?" NASA, Anya Biferno, climate.nasa.gov/what-is-climate-change/#:~:text=Global%20warming%20is%20the%20long,the%20term%20%22climate%20change.%22. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.