WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

The issue of Climate Change and Global Warming is real. For over 25 years, scientists have been warning the world about this urgent problem. Global warming is an overall increase in the world temperatures caused by pollution in the atmosphere effectively increasing the greenhouse effect. Basically the Greenhouse effect is the warming effect cause by gazes in the atmosphere trapping the sun’s heat.

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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ?

Signs of the early damage from warming already are appearing, according to a growing number of scientists and environmentalists. "There's likely going to be an increase in droughts and floods," says Stephen H. Schneider, climatologist and professor at Stanford University. "We're just beginning to show that emerging," he adds, in the form of more intense, destructive and deadly storms.

Another problem with warming is the heat. By the end of the century, we could see heat waves in Los Angeles or San Francisco go from 12 days to 100 days, says Field. That heat also magnifies smog problems, meaning there are "more kids with asthma, more people who can't go outside," he says. "There will be a greater number of people who have air pollution-related health conditions." What's more, warming helps some types of ragweed, as well as bug-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, he says. So America could expect to see "more serious impacts from hay fever," as well as more malaria and dengue fever cases.

WHAT POSITIVE STEPS CAN I TAKE AS A CITIZEN OF EARTH TO RESPOND TO GLOBAL WARMING?
  • Live and Work Smart: Make sure your home and office are well insulated against drafts. Unplug unused electronics, which draw power even when off, and turn off unneeded lights. If you shut your PC off before bedtime, you’ll save an average of $90 worth of electricity a year.
  • Promote Healthy Forests: Plants absorb carbon dioxide, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. So plant a tree! Urban trees absorb more than rural ones. Advocate for protection of forests and other green areas, cut down on waste of paper products, and buy recycled fibers, which reduce pressure for logging.
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    SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO

    1.Ride the bus or the train when you can

    2.Open a window when it is not too hot or cool outside instead of the air-conditioner

    3.Turn of the lights every time you leave a room