Solutions for Critical Matter of Global Warming: Analytical Essay

General Statement

In this essay, we will examine the hottest topic of the last decades. Global Warming. We are going to analyze, break down, define and see solutions for this critical matter that involves us all.

Definition

In order to solve a problem, we must first understand it. A simplified definition of Global Warming is when Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants are gathered in the atmosphere, causing absorption of the sun’s rays, keeping a lot more of the solar radiation and heat inside our atmosphere than normal. By having a clear atmosphere, the sunlight just bounces back to space. The result of this is a gradual increase of the overall temperature every year.

Background Info

The first talk of global warming and the greenhouse effect started as early as the 19th century. Scientists suspected that human emissions could cause climate change and ultimately destroy our planet. Even Thomas Edison proposed and supported renewable energy back in 1930.

In the 18th and 19th centuries in North America, when industrialization started and deforestation started, floods started happening and rainwater could not be held back. It was clear that humans could in fact, harm the planet.

In 1960, global warming was a reality and the increase of the average global temperature was already beginning.

Controversy

There is a group of people that debate if Global Warming is directly caused by humans. The argument of this group is that as we have the micro-seasons (4 per year), we also have the macro-season (4 seasons per thousands of years). The ice age was the “winter” of the macro-seasons.

They also state that global warming is a conspiracy theory, created by governments in order to profit on the new pollution tax economy.

Thesis Statement

The million-dollar question is: Can global warming be stopped? Is it reversible?

In my opinion, yes. It can be stopped. But we are running out of time. Evidence of this, is the extreme weather conditions all around the globe.

Records show that out of the 2 billion tons of CO2 pollution globally, 1.7 billion tons of CO2 is from the transportation sector. We need to focus on renewable energy sources (solar energy, wind farms, hydroelectric, geothermal, ocean energy.)

Essay outline

Problem

The most obvious issue is the increase of the temperature of our planet.

Temperature data shows that, not only the temperature increases every year, but the rate of the temperature rising also increases.

Another effect of global warming is extreme weather. Not only do we experience record braking temperatures every summer, we also experience record breaking low temperatures on winters. This phenomenon is called the polar jet stream. The braking of the boundary of the warm equatorial air and the cold North pole air brakes, and as a result we get a decent of the north pole cold weather towards the south.

Other than extreme temperatures, we also see a very large number of other weather conditions such as intense hurricanes, floods and a multitude of forest fires. There is also an increase of 50% in lightning, due to global warming. To add to that, we also have a very large increase in the numbers of heat waves, droughts, blizzards rainstorms and the list goes on and on.

The consequences of the increased heat are many. If the ice in both poles continues to melt in this rate, in 110 years New York, Mumbai, Osaka and many more metropolitan cities will all be 1,5 meters underwater.

Solution

Global warming is a problem caused by us, so it can theoretically be solved by us as well. We need to know that in order to fight global warming, it will require a plethora of solutions.

One solution would be to start changing our own lifestyle. Start recycling, drive less, avoid products with a lot of packaging, lower your thermostat (2 degrees lower in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer could save up to 2000 kilos of CO2).

Although it is absolutely needed to change our lifestyle, it won’t solve the problem on its own.

Another solution is to stop deforestation entirely. The losses are massive every year. It is estimated that we lose 33 million acres of forests every single year. The whole procedure of cutting down trees adds up to 1,5 billion tons of CO2. That’s 20% of the gas emissions.

Although it is a very good solution, again, its not a game-changer.

In my opinion, the best solution is to cut down on fossil fuels. It sounds easier than it is in reality. Removing fossil fuels from our lives will save our planet, but we need to change the way we live, because oil products are in our a very big part of our lives. In order to achieve this, we need to change the way we eat, the way we sleep, the way we use transportation. There is oil involved in all of the above.

In order to achieve this, we need governments to work together to achieve common guidelines and common solutions for our planet’s problem.

Transportation needs to go 100% electric (in Norway, 50% of private owned vehicles are electric), manufactories and big production plants also need to switch to renewable energy sources.

In order to power all of the above, we need to harness the energy of our planet. Solar energy, geothermal, Aeolic are becoming easier and easier to use, but the secret , in my opinion, lays in the sea. 70% of our planet is covered from water and the sea has a lot of energy hidden in its waves and currents. This solution, teamed up with research in higher capacity batteries will ultimately give us self-sustainability.

Academic conclusion

The truth is in front of our eyes. Temperature is rising faster and faster each and every year, the sea level is also rising every year. Big cities are getting drowned and choked from the smog. The problem is real, we need to make the solution real as well.

Research have shown us that global warming is a reality. It’s a real problem that we cannot run from it nor ignore it. We are going to hit a wall sooner or later and the cost to pay will be of the highest value. Our planet…

“25 years ago people could be excused for not knowing much, or doing much about climate change. Today we have no excuse” – Desmont Tutu