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Why Does Global Warming Harm Our Earth?

 The Greenhouse Effect Our planet has gases that are currently trapping gases from the sun, such as, water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. This is making our earth rise in temperature. If we didn’t have these gases, heat would escape back into space and our earth could drop 60 __ º __  F. Our earth is like a greenhouse. Greenhouses get sunlight and trap the heat inside to grow plants in the winter. That’s how the green house effect heats our earth. If we didn’t have the greenhouse effect we could freeze. Our population could possibly wipe out.

Global Warming: The Big Picture Global Warming is the bad part of the Greenhouse Effect. When the greenhouse gases trap the sun’s heat, and too much of it and it can hurt the animals and plants. The plants and animals on earth can not always adapt to the heat. So, they die. Also, the oceans can rise which causes the small islands to get flooded. During the floods, the plants die and then the animals have no source of food. Then the animals die and the island is completely gone. This is called a break in a food chain.



Global Warming: The Contributing Factor  There are many contributors to Global Warming. You may not believe that one of the biggest ones is cows. Cows gave off a lot of methane which is one of the greenhouse gases. The methane stays in our atmosphere which traps more heat. We also take a big part in Global Warming. We create a lot of carbon dioxide by heating our houses and other things. Carbon dioxide is another greenhouse gas so it traps more heat. Solid waste that we make is a bad contributor to Global Warming. Every time we throw away plastic or paper or aluminum we create solid waste. Solid waste sometime won’t decompose for a long time. Then that solid waste goes into a landfill and gives off more greenhouse gases in production and other things. The more solid waste the more heat is trapped. So what can you do to try and stop this?



Global Warming: Local Effects

The five deadliest effects of Global warming are spread of disease, warmer water and hurricanes, increase of probability of heat waves, economic consequences and polar ice caps melting. The spread of disease will occur because disease carrying insects will start spreading around and get everyone sick. Warmer water and hurricanes will occur because in 2004 and 2005 when it was very warm, scientists noticed that when the water got warm the hurricanes got more frequent. Heat waves will happen more frequently because of the heat, but heat waves are much worse. Animals will die of thirst and rivers will dry up. Economic consequences are when countries have to pay for the damages of hurricanes. The more hurricanes, the more economic consequences. Lastly, the polar ice caps will melt because of the heat where it is supposed to be freezing. The oceans will rise and land can get covered in water, like Boston or the US. What would you do if you could stop our land from getting drowned. There are actually many ways.



What Can You Do to Stop Global Warming?  There are so many things you can do to stop Global Warming. The more helpful things you do, the better chance it will stop sooner. So, let’s begin with the solid waste issue. Every time you get fast food or even use paper cups, plates, or bowls, you increase the solid waste. So, instead of getting fast food go to the restaurant. It’s the same food but with out the packaging. Instead of using paper utensils use the glass plates, cups, and bowls so you don’t need to throw away the paper things. Every time you throw away that stuff it goes to a landfill. The things in the landfill are biodegrade. Biodegrade needs oxygen to break down and when the landfills are so tightly packed the biodegrade doesn’t get any oxygen to break down. Also, all the production of getting the trash into the landfill gives out more methane, a greenhouse gas. The fumes that come off the landfills are also harmful to animals and human. Your trash could be responsible for killing little animals. Another thing that shows up in the landfills a lot are water bottles. You know the individual water bottles that you always use for sports? Well next time try using the hard plastic ones that you can reuse. If you need to use the individual ones always recycle them.



Summary

In summary, our earth needs our help. The more we prevent the excess of greenhouse gases, methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrous oxide, we will not have to worry about Global Warming. We have too many of these gases and traps to much heat in and causes us a lot of trouble addressed earlier. If reduce our solid waste, by recycling and using less paper products, landfills will give off less methane by production. Less animals will die and we will have easier, care-free lives.



Watch a great video to help you go green! []

Bibliography!!!!!!

http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/landfillgas.htm

Simmons(if given). "5 Deadliest Efeects of Global Warming." Enviromental Grafiti 2009 (look at the bottom of the page). June 3, 2009 < http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/5-deadliest-effects-of-global-warming/276>

Novi Elementary school(if given). "global warming." Protecting the Home We Live In: Environmental Issues 2002 (look at the bottom of the page). June 1, 2009 < http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/global_warming.htm>

Author's name(if given). "Greenhouse Effect." __Climate Change Kid Site__ October 23rd, 2006 (look at the bottom of the page). June 1, 2009  