Essay, Research Paper: The Biggest Environmental Problem

The Biggest Environmental Problem

The environmental problem that must be considered as the biggest, is the Global Warming. Temperature is slowly increasing all over the world. To understand this better it is also important to explain the greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect in a summary: Sunlight radiates from the sun, through space, to earth's atmosphere. The sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits the earth. Some of it turns to heat energy in the form of infrared light. The heat absorbs by surrounding air and land, which, in turn, makes it warm. Infrared rays, that are remitted into the atmosphere get trapped by the greenhouse gases. When the infrared light tries to leave the atmosphere, some of it will be absorbed by the greenhouse gases and is remitted back to the earth. The Infrared light that is remitted back to earth then warms it more. Some of the naturally occurring gasses in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide and methane. This is the way the earth keeps itself warm enough for human habitation. The problem is that more and more carbon dioxide are added into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for power, transportation, and producing mass quantities of goods in factories. As if this were not enough, thousands and thousands of trees are cut down for lumber, making them unable to take carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with oxygen.

One effect of Global Warming would be rising sea levels. If Global Warming rise the temperature at the ice caps, great amounts of ice will melt, letting all the fresh water flow into the ocean. Tons and tons of ice will melt if the temperature rises high enough with the cause of sea levels to dramatically rise. Another effect of Global Warming would be severe weather. A change in temperature would mean a significant change in weather, in many places. As the weather grows warmer and more tropical, so does the weather. Many areas are experiencing changes in the weather as an effect of Global Warming intensifying winds, rains and storms.

Not only considering mankind as the victims of the Global Warming also must the animals be considered. Many animals may become endangered or extinct because of the climate change is, that are happening rapidly. Animals will find their homes disappearing when trees are cut down or dead because of drought. Drowning might also be a consequence when animals are over taken by water when rivers and streams rise. This will force people and animals together even more in an overpopulated world. With the fact that the greenhouse effect also will provide drought in certain areas forcing people and animals even more together and with less food than today. It is very easy to understand that people and animals will starve to death.

The Global Warming does not only have a casual effect it also have affects on other things such as inflation. Because of crops being destroyed prices will rise, and in some areas it could mean prices rising so high that only a few would be wealthy enough to buy food. Global Warming also have an effect on the world's economy and it could mean costs that mankind never could dream of. Action must be taken now before it is to late.