Unfortunately, the activity of burning or combusting fossil fuels releases various kinds of hazardous substances and pollutants which eventually leads to changes in the environment; such as climate change, global warming, and changes in environmental health. Let us start with the change in climate or climate change. For over the past 150 years, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in our atmosphere. These gases prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. It would change our climate, but it would not bring us close to the level of uninhabitable Venus.
Because they reflect solar energy back into space they have a cooling effect on the world. The greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide is also produced however the CO2 produced is insignificant when compared to emissions created by humans. (see also featured article - Do Volcanoes cause climate change) Ocean current - The oceans are a major component of the climate system. Ocean currents move vast amounts of heat across the planet. Winds push horizontally against the sea surface and drive ocean current patterns.
Polar bears may disappear as the sea ice continues to melt. Thus, scientists intend to figure out why the global temperatures have risen, but that thus far they have not found the solution for global warming. A few scientists think global warming is natural; however, the majority of plentiful scientists think global warming is manmade because of emissions from transportation, air conditioning and
“The increase in the mean temperature of the earth due to excessive emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen.” ( Green) These extra gases are making it hard for heat to escape the Earth’s atmosphere resulting in warmer temperatures. Here is a model of the Greenhouse Effect retrieved from http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/greenhouse.html. Ethical Issues on Global Warming There are many causes of Global Warming to include Carbon Dioxide from power plants, cars, airplanes, and from buildings. “In 2002 about 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions stem from the burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation.”(Ayres) 93% of electricity generations is produced by coal. 33% of the carbon dioxide comes from vehicles.
The sun radiates solar energy towards earth. Some of this energy gets absorbed by the earth’s surface and some energy is radiated back into space as long wave energy. Certain gases in the atmosphere prevent this reflected energy to pass; they trap the energy and thereby warm the atmosphere and the surface of the earth just like in a greenhouse. Therefore, those gases are known as greenhouse gases (GHG). The main GHGs within the atmosphere are Carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O).
Endangered Polar Bear Envision a world with an increased water and food scarcity, stronger hurricanes, melting glaciers, wildfires, rising sea levels, heat waves, and catastrophic effects on wildlife. Global warming is when the earth’s temperature heats up which is caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor that traps heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere making it hotter than usual. The effect of the high temperatures leads to a decrease in the existence of plants, animals, and humans. Polar bears were listed as endangered species under the United States endangered species act (ESA) in May 2008. Why are polar bears endangered?
Due to the increase in greenhouse gases less solar energy is reflected back into space and more solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth causing the increase in ice and snow melting (Main & Ahlenius, 2011). With this background information the change of climate conditions such as, snow, rain, winds, and temperature is continuously happening all around the world and will continue to worsen in the future. A good indication of climate change is to look at the melting of glaciers and the Polar Regions as the Arctic is one of the fastest warming regions of the world. However, since the Polar Regions are so big and cold it would be impracticable for humans to live and carry out research there. Therefore, by using applications of remote sensing we can easily observe inaccessible areas from satellites to effectively monitor and map snow and ice cover in Polar
The Extinction of the Polar Bear What Greenhouse gases are, how they work, and why they are threatening the very existence of the polar bear. “If a warming world melts nearly all sea ice during summers, as computer models predict will happen by the end of the century, scientists warn that the polar bear is unlikely to survive as a species.” Jordan Sherry 05-30-06 The Problem Carbon dioxide is what’s know as a “greenhouse gas” meaning it is able to keep the Earth warm by trapping some of the heat it produces within the Earth’s atmosphere. But if too much of the gas is trapped in the atmosphere it can get too hot, and according to scientists that is what is happening now. Starting during Industrial Revolution to concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by nearly 35 percent, which is more than the Earth has experienced in more than 650,000 years and more than the natural variability would allow. This in turn has cause the average temperature over the past century to raise about 1 degree, and another 4 degree increase is expected during the 21st century.
Causes and Effects of Greenland’s Ice Melt Scientists have been in debate for years over the existence of global warming, arising on the forefront of scientific concern at the turn of the century. Recently, however, many have been unable to deny the existence of the continual warming climate worldwide, and humans have been the cause. Greenhouse gases, which we continue to admit (ignoring the warnings from scientists) trap the sun’s heat and cause the glove to heat and a level faster than any before. Who cares? Global warming not only affects the darker suntan you get each summer, but the winters, the sea level, and the natural environment delicately teetering on the current balance of temperature.
As Williams E. Rees states in his book “Our Ecological Footprint”. This is shown in the Climate Change view because our pollution results in temperatures rising. Due to this increase of temperatures the Arctic sea ice is melting, glaciers are retreating and sea levels are rising. At the top of the food chain are the producers. In society’s case the producers are the natural resources.