In our effort to use SceneryApparel to draw attention to worthy topics, Meltdown has emerged.
The greenhouse effect is unquestionably real and helps to regulate the temperature of our planet. It is essential for life on Earth and is one of Earth’s natural processes. It is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere (called greenhouse gases because they effectively ‘trap’ heat in the lower atmosphere) and re-radiation downward of some of that heat. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). So, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect by the emission of greenhouse gases through fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.
Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100. Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and severity of storms and other severe weather events.
It is no exaggeration that the planet is warming and the earth is melting. Just days ago, almost eight square miles of ice broke off of the Canadian ice shelf. It’s time for us to make a statement before the temperature climbs out of control. To find out more about what you can do to help, please visit one of the following sites:
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm
http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/gsteps.asp
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Action-to-Reduce-Global-Warming
http://www.squidoo.com/HowToPreventGlobalWarming
