The Problem of Global Warming:The Extinction of Earth’s Animals
If each an every human being would look around at what a glorious Earth we have been given and see all the wonders that live and thrive here, maybe we all would think twice about the things we do “for our own good,” because if it kills the other beings that dwell with us then there is nothing ‘good’ about it. The problems of Global warming are tremendously many, they stretch further than most would think possible. I have personally talked with some who believe that the problem will simply cause longer summers. This ignorance is the very reason that so little has been done until now. We, as the most intelligent species, should act as protectors and guardians to all those weaker than we are, and should reconnect with the earth and give a voice for all the inhabitants that can not speak for themselves.
Scientists say that polar bears and seals face the all too real threat of extinction in only a few decades because of global warming that the earth has been forced into. The fish that live in the icy waters of the Arctic are dying off at rapid rates which throw the entire food chain of this region off balance. These animals are literally starving to death because the Earth is withering away. Tonje Folkestad, a WWF climate change expert, says: “Polar bears will be consigned to history, something that our grandchildren can only read about in books.”
The Glaciers of this planet are disappearing at an alarming speed, they are melting on six continents and things are only going to get worse. At the rate this horrifying warming trend is going all glaciers in Glacier National Park could be gone by 2030 as the Grinnell Glacier is already 90% gone. The largest Glacier in North America, known as The Bering Glacier, has lost 7 miles of its mass. All of the rivers in the Himalayas that are caused by the normal amount of melting ice, and its inhabitants will cease to exist; there will be no more ice to melt thus creating a devastating land of death.
Melting sea ice is another problem that Global Warming is directly responsible for; it has shrunk by 250 acres. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the average thickness was ten feet of ice, and then when it was checked in the 1990’s in was reduced to an average of six feet. This simply means that there has been a loss of 40% of the Arctic sea ice in a matter of approximately 30 years. Broken down into another aspectâÂ?¦ it is shrinking at a rate of 14,000 square miles annually.
The melting may not seem like that big of a deal to some people who would still prefer to keep the misinformed idea that everything will be okay and ‘nature will work it all out,’ but it is a tremendous deal. This melting will raise the sea level and completely destroy all marine life indigenous to the Arctic, thus adding more extinct species to list, before ultimately our own.
As the oceans are warming rapidly it causes yet another problematic issue. In October, 2000 at the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium, it was announced that more than 25% of the world’s coral reefs have been completely destroyed by global warming through coral bleaching; this is a result of higher water temperatures heating the coral. The islands in the Indian Ocean have seen more than their fair share of this problem, as the coral reefs in that location have been 90% destroyed over the last two years. It just doesn’t seem right that the home to marine ecosystems and various species that should be flourishing are now dying after surviving for 2.5 million years.
Some scientists from around the world are also stating that they believe the harsh hurricanes have been brought on and intensified because of Earth’s condition. Some of professionals who stand firm in their beliefs are: Kerry Emanuel’ who published observational evidence , Webster, Curry and Chang from the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and G. Holland from National Center for Atmospheric Research according to Science Magazine. All of their reports have one thing in common the belief that things will get a lot worse in the years to come because of the warming trends.
All these things combined are barely scratching the surface of this global warming problem. Many are recognizing it now and are trying desperately to reconnect with the earth and find new ways to help fix some of what we have done to destroy it. Although most would say it is a lost cause but they fail to realize that if we don’t do anything at allâÂ?¦ the human race will be the next cause that is lost.
Highly confidential meetings have taken place; recently one took place in Greenland so that those present could see the damage first hand. The meeting was between environmental ministers from 25 countries, the place was obviously chosen because of the fact that the Arctic has been heating up twice as fast as the rest of the Earth as numerous reports from scientists and visual images show.
Despite the majority feeling that there is absolutely nothing that we can do to stop the damage that has already been done and the growing problems of global warming , there are ways we can slow the effects so that the nations of this planet can research more options so that we might save it before everything we know is gone. The list of extinct species will grow to mass proportions which in turn will throw off the food chain so that other animals will die as a direct result not to mention the world-wide economy will plummet. There is only one phrase that can best describe this entire situation and the effects of its wrathâÂ?¦. ‘domino or chain reaction’ When the planet starts to die then one by one all manner of life that inhabit it will begin to die as well until there is nothing left. We depend on every single life force on Earth to exist in one small way or another. These things are the very least we can do to help slow the devastating problems that we all now face:
� Urge your government to spend the time and money for researchers to develop a cleaner burning gas for our vehicles.
âÂ?¢ Use less electricity, lower your bills and the Earth’s problems at once, remember that you are not the only person living on this planet, if we don’t start using less of the things we take for granted, ‘discomfort’ will have a whole new meaningâÂ?¦ we must all do our part.
âÂ?¢ Drive lessâÂ?¦ use your car only when you have to. Walk or ride a bike. Becoming physically healthy and keeping our environment healthy should be at the top of everyone’s list. We have become so dependant on being lazy that other health problems such as obesity have become a wide spread medical issue throughout the human race.
� Replace the light bulbs in your home with energy saving fluorescent bulbs. Although it seems small, it will cut the electricity in your home to a fraction of what you are using now.
� Perhaps my favorite of the all. PLANT TREES! This will help tremendously! Planting them around your home will provide shade that will help reduce more energy that your house wastes and planting them anywhere you can around the Earth can cut down on pollution in the air.
� Use your water sparingly, this is a vital resource that too many of us are wasting.
� Buy energy efficient products for your home, and when you give gifts to loved one do the same for them. Save money and the Earth at the same time.
� Encourage others to do these things as well whenever you can. Inform clueless individuals who have no idea of the dangers that we all face.
All of these are just a few of the many things we can do. To find more ways to help, search online.
The sea ice had melted so badly that in September of 2002 it reached a record low. When the ice melts normally, the way nature intended, the ice would reform in the winter. However, this did not occur in the years 2003 or 2004.
We can’t go on pretending that this problem of global warming will go away if we ignore it, because the problem won’tâÂ?¦. life will.
