Continuous Human Activities Towards Global Warming

The phenomenon described as global warming has been well studied and documented by researchers throughout the world for several years. It is a phenomenon that has the potential to destroy our planet and all life on it. This essay will briefly define global warming, provide evidence of global warming, outline the main causes of global warming and discuss both the known and potential impacts of global warming on the planet earth. Comments are also made concerning actions being taken as well as others that need to be taken to protect our planet from the potential catastrophic consequences of continued global warming. For thousands of years the earth has gone through many changes in climate. In the last decade however, the earth has experienced notable increases in temperature, resulting in rising sea levels, changes in precipitation as well as other climate changes. The earth has not experienced such dramatic climate changes before in it's history as it has in the last one hundred years. Some of these climatic changes have been blamed on global warming. What is this phenomenon referred to as global warming? Global warming is the term used to describe a moderate increase in the earth's temperature as a result of human activities. Examples include, the burning of fossil fuels and the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which build up greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a term used to describe the warming of the earth's surface due to the presence of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gases, which trap radiant heat at the earth's surface. Diagram 1 illustrates the greenhouse effect. The denser these gases the more heat that is trapped. Energy from the sun drives the earth's weather and climate, and heats the earth's surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy retaining heat. This is not unlike the glass panels of a greenhouse. (EPA 1) The increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from industries and cars causes energy to be trapped in the earth's atmosphere resulting in a rise of global temperatures. Without a little greenhouse effect though, life as we know it could not possibly exist on the earth. The natural greenhouse effect causes the mean temperature of the earth's surface to be approximately 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would be if natural greenhouse gases were not present in the earth's atmosphere. (The Greenhouse Trap, 1) However, scientists are worried that human activities are intensifying the greenhouse effect. Cairncross writes, â€Å"global warming is likely to be the result of the build-up of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide† (Cairncross 111). The three main greenhouse gases produced by human activities are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen gas. Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas produced by humans. It is responsible for over half of the increase in greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. This is primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels. Each year, the burning of fossil fuels releases 5. 5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. (footnote) The main sources of carbon dioxide include, electric utilities (35%), transport (30%), industry (24%), and the other 11% is produced by residential buildings (Brisbane Adventist College www. ozkidz). The graph below shows the dramatic increase in carbon dioxide gases in the atmosphere. It is believed that since the Industrial Revolution began about 250 years ago, atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased from a value of about 275 parts per million before the Industrial Revolution to about 360 parts per million in 1996, and the rate of increase has speeded up over this span of time (Hartmann). Scientists have determined this by measuring the carbon dioxide levels in the air that became trapped in glaciers, hundreds of years ago. They then compare this to the amounts of carbon dioxide in today's air. Global warming was first predicted in 1896, by a Swedish chemist named Svante Arrhenius. Arrhenius realized that the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere was increasing rapidly due to industrialization. Arrhenius predicted that doubling the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would raise the earth's average temperature by about 5 °C (Herring). Though no one really paid any attention to him, Arrhenius's prediction was surprisingly accurate. He was only off by about 2 to 3 degrees. This is very remarkable, considering he had to make the calculations by hand without the aid of scientific equipment. It was not until the 1980's that it was determined global warming was actually occurring, almost a hundred years after it was first predicted by Arrhenius. Global warming has already raised the average temperature of the earth's surface by about 0. 5 degrees within the last one hundred years (Bates 6). The top ten warmest days in recorded history have all occurred within the 1990's. Global temperature changes between 1861 and 1996 are outlined in Diagram 2. It has been estimated that global average temperatures will increase of as much as 9 degrees F (5 degrees C) before the year 2999 (6). Up until recently most of the carbon dioxide produced was absorbed by the world's oceans, trees and soils. The rest remained in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, now we are producing more carbon dioxide and our oceans, trees and soils are absorbing less. This is partly attributed to the fact that our forests are being destroyed. Research has been done to show that as many as 60 acres of rain forest are being destroyed, every hour, every day of the year. (The Rain forest Trust Inc. ) In the world, only 22% of the old growth forests are still alive. This is because more forests are being cleared to make room for farming and the trees are not being replaced. This destructive process is called deforestation. Deforestation has been going on since man began clearing land for agriculture and has increased substantially during the industrialization period. The dramatic decline in the earth's forested areas can be seen on Figure 1. Figure 1 shows that between the years 900 and 1990 the earth's forested area has declined from 40% to 20%. The rain forests of the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Their loss is very concerning because they do not grow back easily. Forests are important because they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen back into the atmosphere. Forests help reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. If current trends continue, the world's rain forests could disappear in the next few decades. As a result of the loss of these forests, global temperatures are rising faster than they ever have because less carbon dioxide is being removed from the atmosphere. Should global temperatures continue to increase at present day rates, scientists believe that there may be many negative impacts from global warming. For example, should temperatures continue to rise, polar ice caps and glaciers will melt, causing the sea and ocean levels to rise. Many beaches will sink beneath the water and many parts of low lying counties will be submerged below water. It is also possible that some coastal areas will be completely covered by water. The world's ocean levels have already risen about four to six inches since 1990 and it is expected to rise another six inches by the year 2100. (Leatherman) This could flood many coastal cities, leaving thousands of people homeless. Maps 1 and 2 show the potential impact of raising sea levels on North Carolina and Florida respectively. Another potentially disastrous effect of global warming is a reduction to the general health of people. There are some diseases that only affect people that live where the climate is extremely warm. As a result of a general increase in temperature there will be more people dying everyday because of heart problems related to heat exhaustion. Hospital admissions show that death rates increase during extremely hot days, particularly among the very old and very young people living in cities. Diseases in tropical areas, like yellow fever and malaria would be more common in areas like Canada and the United States should temperatures rise. This would cause thousands to die each year from these tropical diseases. Global warming trends will also change rainfall patterns. Some areas of the world will become wetter while others will become drier. Historical evidence suggests that the grain-growing areas of North America are likely to have less rain (Bates 19). This would result in the Great Plains becoming a grassland or desert and the corn belt would experience more frequent droughts. These changes in rainfall patterns will test the agricultural and water management skills of many countries. It is still possible for both industrialized and developing countries to stop global warming. To prevent serious environmental problems associated with global warming we will have to bring together widely different cultural, political and economic interests to pursue the majority of the world's people to make sacrifices for the sake of future generations. In December 1997, an agreement was made between 160 countries, in Kyoto, Japan, to cut greenhouse emissions by 5. % below 1990 levels by the 2008-2012 period. This means that the United States and Japan will have to lower their greenhouse emissions by 7 and 6 percent respectively. This reduction is to be accomplished by a blend of taxes and regulations, with some subsidies for implementing green technologies. (proquest article) Most companies are trying to work well ahead of the agreement date and reduce greenhouse emissions now. Should a company cut their emissions to the point where they reduce their emissions by more than 5. 2%, they can receive pollution credits, which can be sold to other companies. Stopping global warming will not be an easy task. There are going to have to be many initiatives taken to stop global warming. The only way we will be able to accomplish this is by getting the whole world to work together and reduce the production of carbon dioxide. This is especially true for the United States, a country which is the biggest polluter on the planet. The most effective way to prevent global warming is to stop emitting dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. A good way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is practice the three R's; reduce, reuse and recycle. Purchasing food and other products in reusable and recycled packaging can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 230 pounds per year, while recycling all household waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an additional 850 pounds per year (http://www. p2pays. org/ref/01/00183. htm). Less use of automobiles, greater use of bicycles and more reliance on walking would also help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. There are other gases like nitrogen and oxygen that have little or no effect on greenhouse warming. We need to find ways to replace the dangerous fossil fuels with these less harmful gases instead. We should immediately start implementing alternative energy sources like solar power, hydropower, and wind power. These sources of energy do not add to global warming but are very expensive to implement today. When we entered the 20th century, the human race did not have the technology to greatly alter the delicate balance of our planet. During the 20th century the human race quickly developed technologies and industrial processes that began to affect the balance of our planet. The problems related to global warming, which we face at the start of the new millennium cannot be separated into compact, well defined groups. The issues we face today are not just increased carbon dioxide levels, deforestation, increased sea levels, or increased polar ice melting. These issues are all interrelated and global in nature. They are also not just problems of science, they are political, economical and cultural problems. Global warming will only became a political and cultural priority when people see it as a serious problem which is likely to affect them personally. We first need to be able to understand clearly the direct impacts which global warming will bring before we will begin to change our values and lifestyles to one based on sustainable development practices. Sacrifices will have to be made from our current high standards of living in industrialized countries. While there does not appear to be any agreement on the scope and timing of the effects of global warming, we as a civilization face an uncertain future if we do not change our ways. Bates writes, â€Å"we stand at the edge of an onrushing catastrophe† (Bates 190). The human race needs to collectively act to avoid a global crisis. We as humans have the ability to change and adapt to change around us and to decide what our life will be like. Governments of the world will need to work together to stop global warming. There is only one planet that we can live on right now, so we need to respect it and protect it. We must stop destroying our only home. Are we as Canadians prepared to make the sacrifices needed to change our attitudes about our high standard of living and the pursuit of personal wealth in order to save our planet?

South Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

South Africa - Essay Example It is important to note that 1948 was an election year whereby there were two major parties competing; i.e. the National Party and the United Party (Worger, 2004). The United Party on one hand had a soft stand on apartheid as it tended to lean towards integration of all communities and races, which was believed to be unavoidable. To the majority whites, this meant that all South Africans would therefore enjoy equal rights under the leadership of the party and therefore, there were fears among the whites that the non whites would increase competition in the job market especially if they were allowed to migrate to the urban centers, which would have also meant that the cost of labor in the industries would have gone up as the whites utilized cheap labor from the non whites. The National party on the other hand utilized this fear and came up with a pro-apartheid policy which it vowed to establish once it was elected into power and which saw its winning the elections and therefore produc ing the first prime minister under the apartheid regime (Thompson, 2001). The events that followed can only be termed as the worst historical injustices in the history of South Africa.

Culture and Technology-Sheila Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Culture and Technology-Sheila - Coursework Example The distributed teams are also affected by these two in different ways. This paper is going to discuss the influence of technology and culture on the performance of organizations. A general definition of culture is that it is a shared platform of characteristics, beliefs and interactions. What this definition implies is all members of a particular culture have same behaviors, beliefs and way of socializing with others. The people forming a particular culture can be those operating in the same working environment, or those that are from the same geographical region. Workers of an organization usually have a culture that guides their operation in the firm. Therefore, they became members of this organization’s culture. Since they are operating in the same culture, these workers have similar traits and ways of operation that are connected to the organizational culture (Daim, 2012). The culture in which a team or organization carries out its activities would always influence the performance of this team or firm. There are various ways through which the team performance can be affected by culture. Even though most of the effects are positive, some of them are negative effects. One way in which culture influences the performance of a team is by creating a specific code of conduct that would regulate the operations of team members or employees in an organization. The restriction on what people can do in the firm is very important when it comes to maintaining relevance among team members as they work. If members are always participating in relevant activities within the group, the performance of the team is expected to go up (Wai On, 2013). A good organizational culture is also responsible for teamwork and collaboration among team members and stuff in a business firm. A good culture will always advocate for members to work together towards achieving the goals of the team. Teamwork is one factor that contributes so much to the performance of the

Intercultural communication class- Intercultural learning report Essay

Intercultural communication class- Intercultural learning report - Essay Example Apparently, proficiency in the host culture language is a prerequisite for any intercultural communication. The theory seeks to establish whether unique attributes or group memberships define individuals from an individual culture (Communication for Governance & Accountability Program 1). Moreover, the theory explores whether individual achievement and gratification are more important than unity a cultural group. Apparently, collectivism culture is more useful than the individualism culture as seen in international universities where international students from China record higher grades compared to American students. The theory has developed my knowledge on cultural diversity where I have been interacting with people from different cultures with the aim of understanding such cultures and borrowing the best cultural values. The theory compares minimum status differences with the preference for strict social hierarchies (Communication for Governance & Accountability Program 1). It relates to the acceptance of unequal distribution of power by the less powerful (The Hofstede Centre 1). The theory was significant in my project since it helped me to understand the powerful effect of Thailand culture on communication (College of Marin 1). For example, I established that Thailand people respect their King. Indeed, my Thailand project investigated the degree to which Thailand people consider themselves masculine or feminine. Thailand depicts a feminine society that respects women and allows them to work for a living (The Hofstede Centre 1). Cultural shock is very popular among international students who experience the American culture for the first time. The cultural shock relates to the immediate need for knowledge of American culture and English proficiency. However, I started to understand the new cultures since I wanted to belong to the environment. I established the good and bad things about the American and Thailand culture that

Communication and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication and Culture - Essay Example To begin with, the prosecutors in both cases have tried to present the videos as pieces of evidence, while the defense has tried to present the videos as an assault on privacy. In this case, an important question to be asked is whether or not looking is an acceptable social practice. The portrayal of truth in this case is the basic premise upon which both cases have been built. For the wrongdoer, it might be a much needed act but for the onlooker, it might be an unnecessary one. Therefore, in case of looking, truth has two dimensions. These dimensions had been played upon by the prosecution and defense respectively, where the defense tried to make the police look like the victims. (Goodwin, 1992) If Marita Sturken and Lisa Cartwright's book titled Practices of Looking, is to be believed, then the concept of looking has great ideological implications. These ideological implications are a part and parcel of the basic mental makeup of any society and finally, the law that governs it. Th is concept as described by Cartwright et al, works at a dichotomous level as far as the parties go - i.e., the spectators and the participants. Therefore, this is an important concept to follow as far as the definition of looking is concerned in the world of emerging visual culture. This visual culture is a by product of the theories revolving around the emerging field of communication techniques. These theories come in the form of how one chooses to express himself or herself apart from those theories that demonstrate what a person wants to learn and how he or she wants to enjoy. (Cartwright et al, 2001) The Rodney King beating video and the Simi Valley LAPD video have also shown the power of expression which is a close by product of the practice of looking. In this regard, the book titled Look, A Negro, by Robert Gooding - Williams, the author relies mostly on the demonstration of how race and ethnicity continue to be a source of amazement to some people. (Williams - Gooding, 2005 ) According to his theory, it is important to be able to draw a line so as to make people comfortable. This has a wider context in today's global village where boundaries are shrinking and people of various ethnicities settle in lands far from their homes. If Williams Gooding is to be believed, then the concept of looking has both positive as well as negative dimensions in context of who is being looked at. According to Judith Butler in her book titled Endangered/Endangering: Schematic Racism and White Paranoia, the act of looking at a person for the color of his skin, or the clothes she is donning shows that there is a certain amount of ignorance which is demonstrated by their expressions and how they discuss or regard such situations. According to her, this calls for more progression in society and a form of 'controlled looking' wherein, looking is practiced for the sake of catching and punishing wrongdoers or for a strict social causeThese means of expression define the society a t large and steer the way for social practices. According to Butler, looking is a practice that requires a state of complete focus and concentration, especially when in public. (Butler, 2004) References: 1. Cartwright, Lisa; Sturken, Marita. "Practices of Looking - An Introduction to Visual Culture." (Jan, 2001) Oxford University Press. 2. Butler, Judith.

Impact of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Impact of Crime - Essay Example Furthermore, as reiterated earlier, it can have financial, social, psychological, physical and spiritual consequences. And although there isn’t very accurate information available about the problems and challenges that victims face in coping with the eventual aftermath of the crime, his/her ability to cope with crime is dependent on several factors (Harris, 2001). When there is a history of psychological and mental health problems and the onset of a new crime, the trauma is augmented, especially when there is a history of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. The incidence of violent crime and sexual abuse attacks in the United States decreased from 1994 to 2004 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2006); however, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (2006), violent crime increased in 2005. Rape was the only violent crime that showed a decrease. Americans are still concerned about becoming crime victims. Americans’ fear of becoming a victim of a crime affects more people than crime itself (Dominguez, 2011). Majority of the households in the United States, around 14 percent went through the experience of violent sexual attacks or had a member -12 years or older who underwent the experience of violent crimes. There has also been research done which shows that Alaska Natives and Native Americans are prone to violent crimes and sexual abuse attacks a lot more than other people. American Indians have undergone the experience of violence that of the U.S resident population. Also, on an average, American Indians are more prone to violent crimes, especially age 12 or older (Astbury, 2005). With the development of the field of victim services, the comprehension of the multi-faceted impact of crime on families, victims and communities has also developed greatly. The victims of both severe and not very severe sexual abuse attacks can face a myriad of problems because of the

Creative Play Essay Example for Free

Creative Play Essay Creative development is provided within settings through role play, music, dance and messy activities. Creativity can stem to a range of other things to, such as problem solving, knowledge and understanding of the world, Personal social and emotional development and physical development. When creative activities are set out for children they can gain a great deal of satisfaction and it can increase the child’s confidence and self esteem. Children do not necessarily have an end product in mind but they may just want to explore and enjoy the creative materials they are using. Children are learning all the time and we as practitioners need to make learning fun and enjoyable. It is important that we provide enough opportunities for children to develop creatively we can do this by providing resources that they may not have access to at home and offering support in exploring these materials. As practitioners we are good observers and reflectors and should encourage children to reflect on their experiences to. From children’s reflections you can then look at where an activity should go next and how you can adapt that activity to support the individual child’s learning. Children can learn from as young as newborn. They begin to learn skills such as grasp, facial expression, textures, smells and sounds. The first sign of a child’s creativity begins with exploring sounds and listening to familiar voices around them. They may link these sounds to key people such as their parents, siblings, grandparents or carers. The process of a newborn is to become familiar with its surroundings and to sense a gain of belonging. They can gain this from bonding with its parents. As the child gets older they begin to learn new skills and have more opportunities in which they are able to explore. They become more inquisitive and like to have free flow of activities within the setting they are in and practitioners need to encourage them to explore the surroundings without taking charge of their play. For babies we offer opportunities for them to explore a wide range of materials and resources such as musical and light toys and natural ‘holistic’ objects such as brushes, wool, saucepans, utensils, wood, sponges and a range of different textured fabrics. Babies use the senses to acquire the skills of play they explore by using their hands and eyes. Children gradually learn to understand the properties of the objects that they played with – whether they are hard or soft, or big or small; whether the have a ight or a wrong way up; whether their shape changes or stays the same; whether they taste or smell good, and so on. Babies learn so much from exploratory play and we as practitioners provide them with a safe and secure place to do this. We let the children take risks which they may not be able to do at home such as having out blunt cutlery, pasta and other exciting and interesting objects in which they can play with and learn from. Children are more likely to l earn through play if you make it exciting for them and you help in supporting their play. When supporting children within their play you should aim to provide minimum intervention in children’s play activities while keeping them safe from harm. You should support rather than direct their play and help create a play environment that will stimulate their self directed play and provide maximum opportunities for them to experience a wide variety of activities. You can show support within children’s play by providing flexible planning and enable them to choose from a broad range of play opportunities both indoors and outdoors. You should support their play by giving the child a choice of whether or not they wish to be involved in the play activity. By giving the child plenty of space to play especially when they are taking part in physical and imaginative play and to provide challenging play opportunities to avoid boredom; risk taking is part of the enjoyment of play. Creative play allows children to express their feelings through art, music, role play, singing and story telling. It is important that as practitioners we introduce new concepts of play to children in order to expand on their existing knowledge. When supporting a child in creative play practitioners should not stress that they are to produce an end product, and that there is no competition to who produces the best piece of work as children develop at different levels and stages. Practitioners should support the fact that the child has had a learning experience whether they have just explored the resources and materials or they have reached the end product. All children should be praised for the efforts they have made and feel pride in what they have achieved and learnt and we should support children in not being disappointed in their efforts of creative play. Children’s creative development is broken down into 4 sections these are responding to experiences, expressing and communicating ideas, exploring media and materials, Creating music and dance and developing imagination and imaginative play. Children need the opportunity to explore and investigate and have a sound knowledge of where they want to go in life. Creativity can give your child a chance to experience and develop new skills and sharing their knowledge and skills with others It is a way in which children explore and develop an understanding of the world. Through creative play children develop social, material, and imaginary worlds and their relationships with them, they elaborate all the while a flexible range of responses to the challenges that they may encounter. Creativity plays a part in all the learning areas within the foundation stage for example; Personal, social and emotional development, creativity builds upon a child’s curiosity and encourages a positive approach to new experiences.