Global Warming: Doing Your Part
Global warming is the rate at which the Earth’s surface temperature is rising. This rate is increasing quickly and with disastrous results. Global warming can be blamed for many of the tragic weather anomalies recorded in recent times, and is seen by many as a curse that will cause the end of life as we know it. This may seem overly dramatic to some, but take a look around you. How’s the weather?
Even in areas that are used to peculiar weather patterns, we are seeing very strange changes. Seattle Washington, where it is common to have spring temperatures at a comfortable 60 to 70 degrees recently experienced a springtime heat wave that was responsible for several deaths. People in this area don’t generally have air conditioning because the temperatures don’t warrant them, but during this heat wave retailers couldn’t keep air conditioners in stock. Cities along the Mississippi River are experiencing devastating floods resulting from excessive rainfall. This rainfall can be contributed to the rising temperatures in the atmosphere.
We’ve seen earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and strange volcanic activity as a result of global warming in recent years. Large ice formations are melting into the oceans causing the sea levels to rise. It is believed that if this keeps up, countries around the world will lose their coastal communities.
Can anything be done to stop global warming? Experts say yes. People are responsible for the rate of global warming by using up energies as fast as they can, which increases the amount of carbon and greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, directly affecting the rate of global warming.
Consumers can look for ways to go green by utilizing alternative energy sources such as sunlight, water and wind. Solar energy can be as simple and inexpensive as installing outdoor lighting that is powered by the sun. Windmills and turbines can be used to create energy for an entire community, you can talk to your politicians about this. Even water is being utilized as a power source in some locales. If you live near a large source of water, get involved in an effort to convince your community to go green.
Simple changes like slowing down on the highway to save gasoline and turning off lights to reduce your energy costs will help in reducing the energy that causes greenhouse gasses and effectively assist in slowing down global warming. Recycle to reduce the amount of new packaging that has to be produced every year for the products we buy, and buy recycled products.
Every little change we make can have an impact on global warming. Make sure to make changes for the good, not for the bad, and you could play a part in saving our planet for our children and their children. Knowing about global warming is not enough. Doing something about global warming, and convincing others to do their part is something we all need practice.
