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= The Greenhouse Effect vs. Global Warming: Are You Helping or Hurting? = =THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT = The Greenhouse Effect is the reason we don’t freeze at night and the reason we don’t burn during the day. It involves natural greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere, such as water vapor, that keep the sun’s electromagnetic radiation inside. The atmosphere is used as a sort of blanket, keeping the heat in and letting some harmful rays out. Some rays bounce off of the surface of the earth and some are radiated off of the earth, while others don’t even make it through the atmosphere. The Greenhouse Effect is a good thing and keeps us alive. Without it, the Earth would not be warm enough for us to live.



GLOBAL WARMING: THE BIG PICTURE
==The Greenhouse Effect has been drastically increased by the Earth’s climate change. This increase in the average temperature on Earth is called Global Warming. The man-made gases that are major contributors to Global Warming are carbon dioxide and methane, and the natural gas that is a major contributor is water vapor. Global Warming is dangerous because as the earth is warming up, polar ice caps are melting, causing sea levels to rise around the world. This rise in sea level is slowly washing away towns, cities, and entire islands. Land is eroding, and people are becoming homeless and losing money. Massachusetts, being on the coast, will suffer from land erosion, making our state smaller. Cape Cod has a risk of being washed away completely. Global warming is not just happening because of the atmosphere. We, as humans, are greatly contributing to the destruction of our planet, which we call home. ==

 [[image:Global_warming_diagram.jpg align="center"]]
The Greenhouse Effect is important and keeps us warm enough to live on Earth, but Global Warming involves man-made gases that are making the climate of Earth have an increased, and possibly unsafe, temperature. This is what makes Global Warming a bit different from the Greenhouse Effect. There are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that are trapping the heat from the sun inside. One major producer of these harmful gases, contributing to Global Warming, is industry. There are factories burning gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These gases are trapping more heat inside the Earth’s atmosphere than necessary. Don’t think it’s just these factories causing the problem, though. Cars burn harmful gases, also known as fossil fuels, in order to run. It’s not just cars, but any form of transportation vehicles that burn fossil fuels, such as trains, planes, and boats. While these other forms of transportation do contribute to Global Warming, they are better alternatives to cars because they can transport more people at one time, rather than everyone using their own cars and therefore, burning more gas. Hybrids are also a good alternative to gas-guzzling cars. Also, electricity causes Global Warming. Electricity from homes, businesses, etc. draws energy from power plants that are burning gases. Aerosol sprays also contribute because they contain chlorine which is released into the atmosphere. Under certain conditions, involving ultraviolet radiation and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFLs), it has potential to destroy large amounts of the ozone layer. Another main contributor is animal waste. A cow's gas contains methane, which is one of the harmful gases involved in Global Warming. Cow manure also releases methane. All of these contributors hurt our planet greatly.
 * GLOBAL WARMING: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS **

Global Warming affects us all. It causes temperatures to rise, for example. This can affect animal and plant life. Animals, as well as plants, evolved to be able to live in a certain environment. Evolution takes hundreds of years, and at the excellerated rate of Global Warming, they would not be able to adapt fast enough. Also, the sea level is rising, because the polar ice caps are melting, causing erosion of the land. Less land means fewer habitats for animals and plants. For example, more and more polar bears have been drowning because of how far they need to swim. The rise in sea level is causing their swimming distance to grow from each strip of ice, and they can’t make it that from one strip of ice to the next. As stated above, Massachusetts, being on the coast, will suffer from land erosion, making our state smaller. In addition, Cape Cod has a risk of slowly being washed away. Another effect is the increase in the intensity of some storms. When the ocean is warmer, it results in more intense storms. Locally, Global Warming is also affecting an increase in energy prices. Energy prices are predicted to grow even more in time because of the reduction of fossil fuels and the high amount of energy being required.
 * GLOBAL WARMING: LOCAL EFFECTS **



** WHAT YOU CAN DO DIFFERENTLY ** Everyone can contribute to saving the planet, and the time to change is now. If you want our planet to be safe for future generations, there is no time to waste. One simple improvement in your life, such as turning off electronics when not being used, can make a huge difference. How many times do you leave a room and leave the lights on? Everyone is guilty of this, but whether it is an act of forgetfulness or an act of carelessness, it’s time to start caring. Did you know that even just leaving electronics plugged in wastes energy? Electricity is still being delivered to a device plugged in, even if it’s off, which is a waste. I’m not saying that using electronics is bad, but it is important to be considerate about how much excess energy you use. This will not just help the environment, but it will help your wallet too. The cost of electricity has increased greatly over the years, as there has been a decrease of fossil fuels needed to stimulate power plants, where the electricity comes from. With the demand for electricity growing and the amount of fossil fuels shrinking, the cost of electricity is estimated to go way up in the years to come. “… a 3-year period during which average fossil fuel prices for electricity generation increased a cumulative 30.2 percent. As fuel prices increased 30.2 percent, the National average retail price of electricity increased 17.0 percent from 7.6 cents per kWh in 2004 to 8.9 per kWh in 2006. Fossil fuel prices increased an additional 7.0 percent in 2007, contributing to the 2.6 percent average retail electricity rate.”* So, just turning off the lights when leaving the room and being more careful about unplugging electronics when they are not being used can make a huge difference in saving the planet and saving your money. How can you go wrong? One simple act of thoughtfulness can help you //and// everyone around you. So, turn off your electronics and do your part to keep our planet safe.

** SUMMARY ** Global Warming is important to stop. Everyone is affected. So, do what you can to help the planet. Recycle (reduce landfills), buy a hybrid car (less gas), use solar panels (saves money in the long-run), use renewable energies (saves money), and/or turn off and unplug electronics when they are not being used (saves on electric bill). These simple things are easy to do and will benefit you in long-term and short-term. By doing all or even just a few of these things, you can save lives and the planet. Don’t make future generations suffer from our selfish acts. So, do your part, go green, and SAVE THE PLANET!

[] 6/1/09
 * BIBLIOGRAPHY **

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Massachusetts Global Warming Legislation: Economic Drag or Stimulant? – 7/21/08 [] 6/3/09 Electric Power Industry 2007: Year in Review Overview [] * 6/4/09 [] 6/8/09 [] 6/8/09 [] 6/8/09 [] 6/8/09