Bouziane, Alissander

Chem.docx

Alissander Bouziane

Global Warming Essay Assignment

The Greenhouse Effect is a phenomenon that causes the Earth to become warmer each year which in turn causes climate change that we have never seen before. Human activity causes an increase in GHG molecules which trap UV rays that would usually escape. Those UV Rays are then trapped below the earth's atmosphere causing global warming. CO2, Methane, Sulfur Hexafluoride, and Nitrous Oxide are the most important greenhouse gasses because they cause the biggest impact towards earth's temperature increase. CO2 comes from us burning organic materials and is the biggest contributor towards global warming because of its high abundance and how long it stays in the atmosphere. Methane comes from many places some including oceans, swamps and marshes it also happens to be the most harmful towards our atmosphere. Sunlight in the atmosphere breaks down Nitrous Oxide. Sulfur hexafluoride has a long lifespan in our atmosphere which is very dangerous because small amounts can last year's sustaining global warming and the negative effects that come with it.

Small concentrated amount of greenhouse gases can have a big effect because although they represent a small amount of the atmosphere they are a major absorber of infrared light in the atmosphere which contributes to the greenhouse effect. The main focus for carbon and CO2 comes from the fact that CO2 is co common and lasts for thousands of years prolonging the greenhouse effect and turning it into a problem for us to overcome for years. The huge consumption in fossil fuels which release enough CO2 for millions of years in just a few causes the abundance of CO2. We have too much CO2 in our atmosphere and this is the most looked at GHG. 403 ppm with a fluctuation of 8-9 ppm a year is the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 increase in the atmosphere can we confirmed in many ways. We detect increases from bubbles in preserved in ice cores and also from tree rings. Since the late 1950s scientist have measured gasses present in the atmosphere using different instruments and collected data from those methods all pointing towards an upward spike in CO2. CO2 has increased a lot over the last 200 years. The I.R. began the consumption in fossil fuels. Those fossil fuels were carbon sinks that absorbed carbons for many millions of years but are now being utilized for sources of energy and that stored carbon has been released within a few years. The abrupt release in carbon has led to an increase in CO2 levels up to 38% since pre I.R. times. The further back in time you look the more of a change in CO2 levels you can see. We now know that humans are an impact on global warming because of an increase in concentration in GHG’s from deforestation, fossil fuel burning and certain agricultural practices. Concentration of particulate matter is rising due to similar factors. Deforestation and similar changes in the earth's surface are contributing to the lowering reflectivity of the earth. Radiative forcing is one way we measure human impact on global warming, it is the change of flow in radiant energy from natural and human influences. Data shows an increase in global warming by burning of fossil fuels and human deforestation. This causes an increase in floods, tropical storms, and droughts to name a few. Carbon Cycle is where a carbon atom moves around between natural reservoirs and carbon is being continuously exchanged between the reservoirs. The three natural reservoirs are the oceans, terrestrial biosphere and fossil fuels. They all act as if a heat sink is a source. Oceans areole of the largest sinks because they are a majority of the earth's surface. Fossil fuels have carbon because of their organic matter. Terrestrial sinks are the largest sink because they contain human life. Carbon is released back into the cycle and atmosphere. Fossil fuels are important because they are the biggest cause of GHGs fossil fuels store carbon that was absorbed millions of years in the past but humans have allowed for release of the stored carbon. Fossil fuels held carbon from thousands of years ago but we are releasing the within a span of only a few. This is causing an overload in the atmosphere which is having meteorological effects such as floods, heatwaves and droughts. There are alternatives to fossil fuels like solar, nuclear and wind powered energy. Solar is the most important because it is becoming increasingly reliable and accessible. Many countries are adopting solar power because of the accessibility to the sun especially in third world countries. CO2 is affecting the acidity in the world's oceans. The ocean is a carbon sink because it absorbs large quantities of CO2 and carbon. The CO2 reacts with water producing an acidic solution and the pH of the ocean is changing causing the end of coral reefs and differences in the patterns of fish to name a few. Oceans do have a maximum limit of CO2 that they can absorb but since the earth is getting warmer the polar ice caps are melting making more water ready for CO2 absorption. The earth will sadly continue have people suffer catastrophic events and it will keep warming up.

The average American household's carbon footprint is around 80 tons of CO2 per year. My family spends around 73.2 tons of CO2 per year. For travel I can lower my CO2 footprint by continuing to carpool and take public transit as often as possible. I can also try taking the bike places instead of asking for a ride. We have an electric car that we should drive more often than we do. For housing we need to consume less energy and we can do that by turning off lights around the house and try investing in a solar system for the house. We can also try being more energy smart and not leaving the air conditioner or heater on for long periods of time or when we really don't need it. For food and diet I should try eating less meals that need to be cooked such as salads or cold sandwiches. I also can start eating out less because the CO2 it takes to go to a restaurant and if I do go somewhere I should ride my bike to a close by place to eat. When shopping I can reduce my footprint by taking transit or biking to places I'm going. I can also buy only what I need and get stuff I know my family members need so they don't have to go out to get it. I can increase awareness by letting people know that global warming is a real threat and by saving energy. I can also drive electric and fuel efficient cars. When I get my license I can also start carpooling people to school and maybe even participate in an Earth Day march. I should also suggest my family invest in solar power for our house and that will also save energy in charging our electric car. In should also spread awareness in the benefits of solar power and suggest it for public institutions and local city hall meetings in my community.