Global Warming is the effect on climate change brought about by human impact on the environment. Just one degree increase in the average global temperature could have a big impact on our world. Three of the more common sources of Global Warming are; the burning of fossil fuels, industrial pollution, and urban sprawl.
Fossil Fuels are carbon based compounds like coal and gasoline. When these fuel sources are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other air pollution particles into the air that absorb heat. When a lot of these particles are combined together they work like a blanket to trap the sun’s heat and make our planet warmer.
Industries release pollution that can react with ultra violet light, which is the highest in the light spectrum, to create lower level ozone. Ozone increases light as a heat source, meaning that more heat is trapped on the earth's surface. This heat contributes to Global Warming.
The growth of big cities has an impact on Global Warming. It isn’t only that forests are removed from the environment when a city grows, but that concrete and asphalt has replaced the forests. Concrete and asphalt gather and store heat more than trees and grass. Also, trees and grass help retain moisture in the soil and then return water vapor into the atmosphere, without this important part of the water cycle, forests would become deserts.
There are many contributing causes for global warming, these are just a few. When all of the individual causes are combined, they work together to create a cycle called global warming. There are things we can do on a global scale to reduce the effects of global warming. We can use the sun, wind, or water as sources of energy, and we can limit the effects of urban sprawl by protecting our green spaces.
Sources 1. “Global Warming Basics." What Is Global Warming. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp?gclid=COGMvsvr168CFUJo4Aod4CwR_g>. 2. Deforestation." National Geographic. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/>. 3. "Ozone Pollution." - Environmental Protection UK. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/air-quality-and-climate/air-quality/ozone-pollution/>.
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