Introduction to Global Warming and this Blog

I was never any good at the English language. There was a point in my life where I stopped trying to get this reading and writing thing. I didn't care for it. Luckily for me, I've had a few teachers who didn't give up on me. Teachers who have taught me the value of writing. To be straightforward and to the point, I hear them all say “introduction!” I need to catch your attention and I need you to continue reading this post and hopefully this blog. So, here's to you making it this far.

My intentions for this blog are simple; to get the word out on global warming using simple explanations and visual illustrations. I will be writing about what global warming is, recent scientific developments, about opponents of global warming, what we can do stop the warming, the myths and facts.

Global warming refers to Earth's increased average atmospheric, ocean and landmass temperature that causes changes in climate (climate change). This increase in temperature has already caused floods, droughts, spread of disease, extreme weather change and extinction of ecosystems and living things within them. This is an issue we cannot ignore as it will not correct itself. Ignoring this issue will only cause more devastation to this planet and loss of life.

Global warming is a threat to everything we hold sacred in our lives, our children’s lives, and our children’s, children’s lives. There are many things that cause our world to warm up. Some causes are burning of fossil fuels, driving vehicles and cutting down of forests which in turn produce and/or increase greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and Nitrous oxide. Theses gases trap Earth’s natural escaping heat in the atmosphere and reflect them back to earth. In future posts, I will dig further into greenhouse gases and where they fit in global warming.

Global warming can be slowed down. We all can do something to decrease greenhouse gases. Al Gore said it best; what is at stake is

our ability to live on planet Earth, to have a future as a civilization… It is your time to seize this issue; it is our time to rise again, to secure our future.”

References
Kirby, T. (2006, December 8). Extreme weather: When a tornado struck London. The Independent. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2055593.ece

Thomson, A. (2006, December 8). Bird flu has deadly friends, health experts say. Reuters. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L08749393.htm

Revkin, Andrew C. (November 25, 2005). Rise in Gases Unmatched by a History in Ancient Ice. New York Times. "Shafts of ancient ice pulled from Antarctica's frozen depths show that for at least 650,000 years three important heat-trapping greenhouse gases never reached recent atmospheric levels caused by human activities, scientists are reporting today."

"Global Warming," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

An Inconvenient Truth. (2006). Davis Guggenheim. Perfs. Al Gore. Documentary.