Global Warming: For Dummies

The case of the environment is a difficult one, to say the very least.

Over the past century, since the birth of the industrial revolution, temperatures have risen by 0.8 Celsius, according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies as they conducted an ongoing temperature analysis study.

As stated by NASA’s ‘earth observatory’, “A one-degree change is significant because it takes a vast amount of heat to warm all the oceans, atmosphere, and land by that much.” Our earth is already feeling the effects. So are it’s animals, sea’s, icecaps, land temperatures, environments, and climates.

You could think of the earth as an oven, if switched off it’s harmless- life can still survive. But, with the dangers of Global warming setting in, our earth-oven will switch on and begin to heat up. It’s set on course to heat up to unhealthy temperatures. We can see it, feel it, and study it. We can predict it, too. By 2100 temperatures may rise up to 3.0c. 

As this begins, ice in our north and south poles, and anywhere else around the world, will melt, causing our seas to swell and swallow up land exposed by the coast. The world’s temperatures and seasons will be whack. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunami’s, and storms will viciously attack us. It will be a global catastrophe. 

As written by Zeke Hausfather for Global temperature, “Adding up the human sources of carbon dioxide- primarily from fossil fuel burning, cement production, and land use changes (e.g., deforestation) - one finds that only about half the carbon dioxide emitted as a result of human activities has led to an increase in atmospheric concentration.” “The other hand of the emitted carbon dioxide has been taken up by the oceans and the biosphere- where and how exactly is not completely understood: there is a “mission carbon sink.” 

Humans have massively impacted this change on our earths climate. We have begun something we must be prepared to handle if we want to make a difference before it’s too late.

So, if you’re concerned as I am, you’ll need to fight too. But first, in order to fight for our beautiful planet, you must have a grasp on what everyone’s talking about. 

And so, I bring you this. 

GLOBAL WARMING: For Dummies.

Firstly, we must appreciate the basic and comprehensive ‘short story’ of what’s happened to our environment and what is currently happening. 

Global warming is the gradual rise of the earth's climate system and related effects. It’s caused by, (among other things) the increase of greenhouse gases which traps toxic gases within the earth. The Ozone layer is where the gases are trapped, after rising from its source, either naturally derived or from human activity. Because of all the gases trapped within the earth's atmosphere, the ability for the suns hot rays to escape our climate is reduced. Rays once reflected back into space from our oceans and other sources are caught, trapped. And with more greenhouse gases within the climates mixture, the Earths surface temperatures begin to rise. only a small percentage is able to release into space.  Our seas swell from ice melting in the north and south pole and because of the heat causing its molecular make-up to expand. This growing beast-of an ocean which already takes up 71 percent of the Earths surface rises, striking areas exposed by the shores all around the world. According to the National Ocean Service: “Scientists have determined that global sea level has been steadily rising since 1900 at a rate of at least 0.04 to 0.1 inches per year.” 

This is just a brief explanation. Virtually everything on the face of this Earth is affected by global warming, its animals, ecosystems, its climates, weathers, oceans, lands, foods, and in turn, us- the human race.

Climate change: A long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth.

Global warming: Global warming (noun) a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants.

Greenhouse gasses: A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs infrared radiation (IR) and radiates heat in all directions… This increase in heat is called the Greenhouse effect. Common examples of greenhouse gases, listed in order of abundance, including water, vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and any fluorocarbons.

Ozone layer: A layer in the earth’s stratosphere at an altitude of about 10km (6.2 miles) containing a high concentration of ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth from the sun.

Ozone: Formed by oxygen, a toxic molecule which absorbs ultraviolet radiation. Unlike normal oxygen, (O2), is has three atoms in its molecule (O3). 

Anthropogenic Global Warming/Climate Change:  Climate change specifically caused by human activity, rather than changes that may have resulted as a part of the Earths natural process. 

Carbon Dioxide (CO2): A chemical compound. It is a primary greenhouse gas. Produced through animal respiration and absorbed by plants to fuel their growth.

Greenhouse Gas: Chemical compound found in Earths atmosphere. It is compromised of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and other human-made gases. According to, The Climate Reality Project, “The more greenhouse gas molecules there are in the atmosphere, the more heat is trapped and the warmer it will become.” 

Emissions: Gases released into the air. These can be formed by many activities including burning fossil fuels, creating something in a factory, having fireworks etc… 

Fossil Fuels: Derived from the buried remnants of animals and plants which have died and become oils or rocks like coals. These are used and burned as a source of non- renewable energy which is ultimately causing a catastrophic effect on our climate. 

Renewable Energy: Sustainable energy derived from natural sources such as solar, wind, water, and heat. These processes do not produce greenhouse gasses. 

Methane: A chemical compound. It is a natural gas which is a common fossil fuel source. It traps heat in our environment. It accounts for 10 percent of all US greenhouse gas emissions.

Mitigation: An act that will reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions. These can be planting more trees, reducing the amounts of emissions we emit, cutting down fewer trees, using and developing better, more sustainable ways.