Reptiles Thank You for Global Warming
Adam M. Weiner-Aponte
11/9/12
Proff. Robert Flower
CHEM 90
Reptiles thank you for Global Warming
Humans are creatures of greed. They take, they eat, they consume, and they use with abandon. On a subconscious level people have become accustomed to ignoring the consequences of their actions because “that is just how the system works.” When it comes to the business of energy and energy consumption, they find themselves in a situation that is more than similar. We as a race use fossil fuels daily, with at least some knowledge on its affects on the environment, and we scarcely bat an eyelash. “How else can I get around?” or “How else can cities be powered?” are common questions when confronted with the idea of living without fossil fuels, as if there is no other way. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed” (Mohandas Gandhi). We have begun to trek down a dangerous path where we cannot help but rob the earth of its resources and riches without giving back. And despite the fact that there are ways to easily power this world without the assistance of these ancient carbon remains, it is not a viable option; this is because this requires much effort in the realm of change, and changing “the system” would be too costly. Before we can think of a way we can reverse this process and use this excess carbon dioxide to our advantage, people must stop it in its tracks. The human race must adopt biofuels, mainly because they neither contribute to nor take from the problem. Fuels made from Biomass will only release as much carbon dioxide as they absorb, to grow, upon combustion. If people continue on this path we will soon reach carbon-atmosphere levels equivalent to that of when dinosaurs roamed this earth; consequently, we need to stop immediately. To expand more on this example, lets remember that dinosaurs and reptiles are cold blooded. Today’s reptiles, very often, bask in the sun to keep their bodies at the necessary body temperature
11/9/12
Proff. Robert Flower
CHEM 90
Reptiles thank you for Global Warming
Humans are creatures of greed. They take, they eat, they consume, and they use with abandon. On a subconscious level people have become accustomed to ignoring the consequences of their actions because “that is just how the system works.” When it comes to the business of energy and energy consumption, they find themselves in a situation that is more than similar. We as a race use fossil fuels daily, with at least some knowledge on its affects on the environment, and we scarcely bat an eyelash. “How else can I get around?” or “How else can cities be powered?” are common questions when confronted with the idea of living without fossil fuels, as if there is no other way. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed” (Mohandas Gandhi). We have begun to trek down a dangerous path where we cannot help but rob the earth of its resources and riches without giving back. And despite the fact that there are ways to easily power this world without the assistance of these ancient carbon remains, it is not a viable option; this is because this requires much effort in the realm of change, and changing “the system” would be too costly. Before we can think of a way we can reverse this process and use this excess carbon dioxide to our advantage, people must stop it in its tracks. The human race must adopt biofuels, mainly because they neither contribute to nor take from the problem. Fuels made from Biomass will only release as much carbon dioxide as they absorb, to grow, upon combustion. If people continue on this path we will soon reach carbon-atmosphere levels equivalent to that of when dinosaurs roamed this earth; consequently, we need to stop immediately. To expand more on this example, lets remember that dinosaurs and reptiles are cold blooded. Today’s reptiles, very often, bask in the sun to keep their bodies at the necessary body temperature
Cited: * "E85 vs. Gasoline Comparison Test." Edmunds. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/e85-vs-gasoline-comparison-test.html>. * "Should You Switch to Biofuels?" - 04 May 2007. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/1801261/should-switch-biofuels>.