Global Warming Causes, Effects, and Controversy

By Angela Ralano

image: depositphotos

Living things are able to survive on Earth because of its atmosphere. Without it, there would be no life and Earth would be just another inhabitable planet like the other planets of our solar system.
Because of our atmosphere, greenhouse gases are able to trap in heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. In many ways, this is a very good thing because we don't want the Earth to be too cold. However, the problem is that due to pollution from burning fossil fuels, car exhaust, and other chemicals we use, we are building up too much of the greenhouse gases too quickly for the Earth's biosystem to remain stable.

The greenhouse gases are:

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Water Vapor (H20)
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous Oxide (N20)

Carbon Dioxide
Scientist have reported an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide due to our reliance on fossil fuels. Plants help to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere because they use it during photosynthesis and then release oxygen.
However, not only have humans been busy driving their cars (car exhaust is one of the biggest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions), but they've also been busy destroying the world's rainforests. If the rainforest continues to be destroyed at its present rate then there won't be enough trees and plants available to lessen the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from pollution.

Why We Shouldn't Use Fossil Fuels

By Pete A Harris

image: depositphotos

Fossil Fuels

Consumers are familiar and comfortable with conventional power sources. Power generated by fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, or petroleum (oil) is widely used across the world and many countries rely on these finite resources as the primary source of power production. According to the latest report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (2011a), fossil fuels are expected to continue supplying much of the energy used worldwide, with petroleum based fuels remaining the largest source of energy.

However, there are significant problems with relying on this type of energy. Firstly, fossil fuels are not considered a renewable energy. The formation of coal, natural gas and oil takes millions to billions of years; consequently these resources will be consumed well before they are renewed. Experts have suggested that the world is currently at the peak of oil production, with only another forty years of oil reserves available and sixty five years of gas remaining. With population growth continuing to rise and the nature of economic growth and consumption, undoubtedly these fossil fuels will become very scarce and eventually unavailable.

It is reasonable to expect that as these resources become further reduced, the cost of power will increase and it will become less affordable for many people. This is a scary prospect, especially for future generations.

Whilst there are very legitimate concerns about the future availability of fossil fuels, another problem is the environment impacts of using fossil fuels for our principle energy source. Fossil fueled power stations are major emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas considered one of the major contributors to global warming within the last century. For example, the burning of brown coal emits three times as much CO2 as natural gas, and black coal emits twice as much CO2 per unit of electric energy generated. Unless new technology can be developed to make energy production 'greener', regulations to reduce CO2 emission will certainly impact the consumer, whether this is by higher prices due to carbon taxes or a limitation to the amount of energy available.

The impact of burning fossil fuels on human health is also a major concern. For example, exposure to particulates released from coal power plants has been proven to increase death through respiratory and cardiac problems (Grahame and Schlesinger, 2007). These particulates irritate small airways in the lungs, which can lead to increased problems with asthma, chronic bronchitis, airway obstruction, and gas exchange (Nel, 2005). Uranium, thorium and other naturally occurring radioactive isotopes are also found in low levels within coal. Whilst they are in low concentrations, there is enough coal being burnt that there is a significant amount of these substances being released, causing radioactive contamination of the environment. Other damaging side effects of burning coal are the contamination of waterways. Research has shown that the coal ash produced by coal-fired power plants dumped at sites across America has lead to the contamination of ground water with toxic element, including dangerous poisons such as arsenic and lead (Schoof, 2010).