What is global warming?

Global warming might have a cool name but it’s not a good thing. Imagine the Earth's temperature rising, the sun burning down, countries experiencing long droughts or continual flooding rain. Well this is just what scientists are predicting and this is the global warming effect unless we do something about global warming.

Over 4.65 billion years the earth has warmed and cooled naturally but now the earth is facing its match, humans. In the natural global warming process gases in the earth's atmosphere like water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, methane and ozone all act like a blanket. The suns rays come through the atmosphere hitting the earth's surface. The land, earth and water take the energy from the sunlight. They use it and send it back to the atmosphere once it reaches the atmosphere some of the energy escapes but most of it gets trapped due to the greenhouse gases.

However humans are upsetting the Earth's natural balance, we have introduced too many fossil fuels, these fuels are increasing greenhouse gases and causing global warming.

The effects of global warming!

Global warming will effect the Earth by increasing the Earth's average temperature. Small increases in temperature can have huge effects. Temperature increase will have many climate impacts, some areas will experience longer periods of drought.  Weather patterns will change and more severe storms may become evident.

Increased temperature will also effect the world's polar ice caps, causing them to melt.  It is quite possible that by 2100 that the oceans level may have risen by 50 cm. 

How can we stop global warming!

Just think when you are driving to work and the petrol light lights up on your dashboard, what do you don you go to the local servo. Well every time that gage on the petrol pump ticks over you are just making more greenhouse gases. Here are some helpful tips to cut down on greenhouse gases.

By minimally packed goods from the supermarket. The more packaging an item has the more fossil fuels have been used in its creation.

Say no to plastic bags when shopping. Plastic bags are made from petroleum and do not break down. They then add to our waste products and use a large amount of fossil fuels in their production.

Plant more trees. Trees help break down the carbon dioxide that is released into the environment, thus reducing greenhouse gases.

So when you turn on the light or TV you think your just running up the electricity bill, you’re doing that and you are also hurting the planet.

When you turn on something the electricity you're using comes from a power station. Power stations have to produce more electricity each year due to increasing populations and advanced technology which sees households using more energy based products like air conditioners. Power stations rely on water and coal to create their energy, in the electricity making process power stations give off pollution, excess carbon dioxide and the like. These products go into the air and increase some of the already existing Green house gases.