The term “global warming” is probably something you’ve heard for quite some time now. Whether it’s on the news, in an article or even talking with friends, just about everyone has heard the words “global warming.” That’s all fun and good, but do you actually know what global warming means?
NASA describes global warming as “the long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere.” Pretty much, pollution is trapping certain gasses into our atmosphere and the planet is experiencing a temperature rise because of it.
In the past 50 years, the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate ever recorded. An article published by NRDC mentions how since the beginning of the pre-industrial period, human activity has increased the average global temperature by 1.8°F; an average of 0.36°F per decade. All but one of the 16 hottest years have occurred since 2000.
Carbon Dioxide is a huge contributor to global warming. It lines the atmosphere and blocks gases from escaping. This event is called the greenhouse effect. In the United States, burning fossil fuels is the biggest contributor to CO2 emissions. The United States alone produces 16 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions.
Some of the effects of global warming are extreme. Global warming can cause longer heatwaves, more droughts, heavier rainfall and powerful hurricanes. In Antarctica, 134 billion metric tons of ice are lost each year. Some other effects are increased risk of wildfires (as seen in California), coastal flooding due to rising sea levels and higher allergen counts during allergy season.
Everyone can think of a moment or few moments where they’ve been affected by global warming. If that makes you uncomfortable and/or upset, you can make a difference. Research how to reduce your carbon footprint, buy energy star appliances, look for cars with high gas mileage and low emissions but most importantly, voice your support. There are handfuls of organizations that are doing their part to slow the effects of global warming and make this planet a home for future generations to come.