Global warming is gases that get stuck in the atmosphere. These gases let all the sunlight in and only some out.
Causes
Global Warming is caused by many things. The causes are split up into two groups, man-made or anthropogenic causes, and natural causes.
Natural Causes
Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth's atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years.
Man-made Causes
Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-made causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems.Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape.How does it escape?Methane is naturally in the ground. You have to dig up the earth a little to mine oil and coal. When you dig up the fossil fuels, you dig up the methane as well.Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population. More people means more food, and more methods of transportation, right? That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. Now you are probably thinking, "Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by Global Warming, but now you're saying agriculture is going to help cause Global Warming?" Well, have you ever been in a barn filled with animals and you smell something terrible? You're smelling methane. Another source of methane is manure. Because more food is needed, we have to grow more food. Animals like cows are a source of food which means more manure and methane. Another problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. Also, many people have more than one car.Since CO2 contributes to global warming, the increase in population makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO2. Also, the trees that convert our CO2 to oxygen are being demolished because we're using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees (an important part of our eco system), so we are constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving nothing back in return.
Prevention
-Recycle newspapers, glass bottles, tin cans, and magazines.
- Reuse your shopping bag plastic instead of getting new ones each time you go to the market.
- Place a brick or something heavy into a plastic bag and place it into your toilet drum. This will cause it to fill faster and use less water each time you flush.
- Donate your unwanted clothes.
- Turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth.
- Turn off electrical devices (lights, fans, tv, computers, etc.) when they are not in use.
- Use “Energy Efficient” appliances. They will save you about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort
- Check for leaks (toilets, faucets, pipes, irrigation systems, etc.).
-Install a low flow shower head
- Ride a bicycle instead of driving if is short distance.
- Have showers instead of baths.
- Plant native and/or drought tolerant plants. Some grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees do not need to be watered as frequently.
Consequences
If global warming happens ,the temperature all over the world will rise and the ice around the North and South Poles may melt.This will result in more water in seas and it will lead to rising sea level.
Contributed by Cheryl
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