Global Warming and Possible Solution for This Growing Problem

In this essay, I will be discussing global warming and a possible solution for this growing problem. Under normal circumstances, when light enters the atmosphere the earth soaks it up and releases it as a different form of energy, heat, into the atmosphere. Once the heat reaches the atmosphere gasses like carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, etc. (called greenhouse gasses) keep some of the heat trapped inside the atmosphere to warm the earth. This version of the process happens in circumstances where the level of greenhouse gasses, the majority of which is CO2, is less than 300 parts per million (this is the way that it should stay). However, in the past 70 years the level of carbon dioxide in the air has spiked from around 320ppm to about 410ppm. Under these circumstances the greenhouse gasses let less heat out than they would usually, causing the overall temperature to rise within our planet causing warmer summers and hotter temperatures. This process is called the greenhouse effect because this is much how a greenhouse works. The result is what we call global warming which has been a problem for many years now and is only getting worse.

The rising temperature in the earth is a problem for humans, animals and the whole ecosystem. For instance, it is causing certain habitats to forever change and displacing many animals. This is also a problem for humans because as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (commonly known as NASA) sates on their website: ‘By the end of this century, what have been once-in-20-year extreme heat days (one-day events) are projected to occur every two or three years over most of the nation.’ One of the ways in which extreme heat affects humans is outlined in a report by The Scientific American explaining what heatwaves can do to the human body. ‘Heatstroke is more severe [than heat exhaustion] and requires medical attention—it is often accompanied by dry skin, a body temperature above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, confusion and sometimes unconsciousness.’ Some people are more susceptible to heatstroke than others these people are: elders, children, and dehydrated people in the sun.

We know that this is a serious problem because we have recently had the hottest summer on record in march of 2016 when most countries had higher than average temperatures and some even beat their record highest temperatures.

Another way that global warming is a problem is that it is fast approaching. Some countries and nations are already experiencing the negative effects of global warming. One of these nations is The Marshal Islands who are a small set of islands in between America and Oceana. They are seeing the sea levels rising onto their islands. The people in these islands are moving away at an alarming rate. 1/3 of the population has already left the island in search of new homes. That’s already 20,000 people displaced by global warming from one country, imagine what would happen if for example a third of The USA was displaced from their homes.

Humans are the main source of these gasses as stated by Holly Shaftel ‘Carbon dioxide (CO2), as described an important heat-trapping (greenhouse) gas, which (remove which) is released through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions.’ Besides burning fossil fuels, another way humans cause global warming is growing lots of animals for our large meat industry. This industry is a cause of global warming because the animals like cows or pigs that we grow respirate releasing carbon dioxide into the air whilst their passing gas releases methane another greenhouse gas.

One of the possible solutions to combat global warming could be using hydro energy to create electricity to power our houses and other objects. This is because hydro-energy is a renewable energy and can be used and used but will never run out because unlike burning fossil fuels you could just create a loop cycle where a single amount of water runs through the system forever creating more energy and using minimal water. Through using less water we create less harmful gasses because we don’t have to use energy to transport the water. So, if we switch to hydroelectric power sources we could end up creating less harmful gasses, wasting fewer resources, and saving the environment.

Some hydroelectric power plants use dams where the water is stored in a reservoir behind a dam. The water is then put through a water intake which is like a purifier where there is course, medium and fine screens to help filter the dirt from the water to stop any unwanted blockages. From the intake the water is then pushed through a penstock from which it spins the turbine blades once it goes through the wicket gate. The spinning of the blades intern rotates the turbine-generator shaft, spinning the rotor and generating power. This power then moves to the transformer to be then transported to the powerlines to help power someone’s home, whilst the rest of the water flows back into an outflow river of another water source.

In my opinion, this is a very good solution to the looming threat of global warming. I think this because, hydroelectric power sources have the following pros: water is easier to utilize then sunlight because we don’t have enough space to keep all of those solar panels exposed to sunlight, and they are eco-friendlier then the fossil fuels that we currently use because they release less greenhouse gasses.

Even with all of these good points there are still a few downsides to this solution one of them being a social concern that: many indigenous groups might be displaced due to this solution because we might be using a river or stream near their homes and therefore we might impact their way of life by ruining their fishing grounds to scaring away wildlife that they would usually rely on to feed themselves and their tribes. Another social problem might be that some people think that it is not right to disrupt or disturb the natural flow of the water on the earth by blocking it with dams because this is how god created our world and if we change or disrupt the flow of it we are disrespectful and ungrateful for what he gave us telling him that what he gave was not good enough for us. This thinking might then evolve into something far more dangerous to these projects for example: destroying them in spite, disabling them, or casing riots or political movements to stop them.

CITATION Gre18 l 2057 (Greenhouse gas: Britannica school: encyclopedia Britannica)Greenhouse gasses are any gasses that have the property of absorbing infrared radiation, otherwise known as heat energy, that is emitted from Earth’s surface and then radiating it back to Earth. Some major greenhouse gasses are: Carbon dioxide, Methane, and Water vapor. In our atmosphere there are more than these three types, some of the others being: Ozone, different types of Nitrous oxide, and Fluorinated gasses.

Works Cited

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3. How Hydroelectric Energy Works. n.d.
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5. Kimbryan. The Countries most Vulnarable To Climate Change Are Leading The Way. Here’s How:. 2018 йил 19-November.
6. Microhydro Intake Design. n.d.
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14. Woodman, Robert. How hydroelectricity works. 28 September 2008.