 Global WarmingCarbon dioxide emissions can lead to global warming. Carbon dioxide rises into the atmosphere, where it screens sunlight. It allows the sunlight in but doesn't let heat leave. Ever been in a garden greenhouse? Heat gets trapped by carbon dioxide, like air gets trapped in a garden greenhouse, making our global temperatures increase. A stable amount of this greenhouse effect is necessary to keep the earth warm enough to sustain life. However, the vast amounts of carbon dioxide we are throwing into the air are knocking off the balance and could have detrimental effects. The results of global warming could be severe. Even a rise of a few degrees could cause ice caps to melt. Accompanied by thermal expansion of the sea, sea levels could rise. Some low-lying islands could even disappear! Climate patterns could change, disrupting crop growth. Weather systems could be extreme and erratic, with more storms and more droughts. Some areas could be extremely flooded leaving others barren and dry. Cultivation and habitation could be lost. Typically "tropical" diseases could find its way into other parts of the world as well. Trees serve as a "sink" for carbon dioxide, since they absorb it. Unfortunately this sink is diminishing with deforestation. Unless mass reforestation occurs, trees can only play a small role in absorbing the vast amount of carbon dioxide that our power plants and automobiles release. For more information on Global Warming and Climate Change, visit: |
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