Global warming is a significant problem all around the world. Global warming causes the average global temperature to get warmer (online dictionary), and has a worldwide impact on animals, our food, our health, and of course the weather of our planet. It is important to study and deal with global warming because we are responsible for damage to our planet and need to prevent it’s terrible impact on our environment.

Global warming is making the Earth heat up and have unexpected weather changes. According to nrdc.org, global warming is caused by human pollution. Air pollutants and greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and others get trapped in the atmosphere. While these gases are in the atmosphere, they collect solar and sunlight radiation, which makes the Earth become warmer.

Scientists have performed many tests to prove that global warming exists, although some experts disagree with their findings. For example, experts have been measuring the sea level for the past century, and noticed that the sea has recently risen 17 centimeters. Scientists have also observed that in the Northern hemisphere, snowfall has decreased over the last 5 decades. And, the snow is melting much faster than ever before. To top it off, there are more high temperatures being recorded than before. All of those recent and significant changes are strong evidence of global warming.

Temperatures across the country have risen. For example, over this past summer, the southwest had alarmingly high temperatures, which broke records set in the 1960’s! On June 19 2016, Phoenix, Arizona faced temperatures close to 122 degrees Fahrenheit! This high temperature caused one woman in Phoenix, who was mountain biking, to became unconscious. Firefighters tried to rescue her, but the attempts to save her failed, and she died later that day.

A statistic from Maricopa County Department of Public Health also shows that there have been 84 deaths caused by abnormal high temperatures. What does this mean for us? Estimations from Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) predict that in the future there will be thousands of heat related deaths per year! And, the number of deaths from the heat will continue to increase.

Global warming not only causes extreme heat, but also extreme cold! Marty Cippefied, a global warming expert, says “Despite the overall warming, you can get in places like the NorthEastern United States extreme cold events.” The freezing weather is caused when air pollutants get stuck in the atmosphere and makes the poles colder. The cold air then gets displaced somewhere else, making a polar vortex. Over the last few years the United States has experienced some dangerously cold weather! Some temperatures were even negative 60 degrees! Nine people died from the extreme weather and millions were affected. It also cost the government 5 billion dollars!

Another consequence of global warming is how it hurts the habitats of animals. With less Arctic sea ice polar bears habitats are suffering. According to National Wildlife Federation, polar bears are already feeling the impact and disappearing. With less ice blocks, there are dangerous swimming conditions for the bears. It also means that it's harder for polar bears to find their main prey, seals. Experts predict that by 2050 two thirds of the polar bear population will have vanished.

Global warming is even negatively affecting our food. The Environmental Protection Agency, (“EPA”) has announced that the climate change can affect our crops. Higher carbon dioxide can hurt the quality of the crops too. Lots of different types of weeds also thrive in hot climates and would cost farmers a lot money to try to get rid of them.

Since global warming has so many affects on us, we need to be doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint and pollutants we let get into the air. Experts say that it's best to use fluorescent light bulbs, turn the lights off, reuse, reduce, recycle, keep the fridge door closed, and don't leave appliances plugged in when you are not using them. We all have a responsibility to do our best to take these easy steps to reduce pollution.

Governments are also working together to attempt to reduce global warming. According to the U.N. Climate Change newsroom, the Paris Agreement “brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so.” The main goal is for all nations to work together to try to keep global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius and to report on their gas emissions.

I recently became aware of global warming when I went to Jamaica over Thanksgiving. We expected the weather to be warm and sunny but it rained every day and was very cloudy, which was unusual for this time of year. My dad told me that the rainy season should've been over by then. Also, the ocean was much warmer than it should have been. It was in the high 70’s, and caused fog. Global warming and bad weather can hurt the Jamaican people who rely on tourists for their economy.

In conclusion, global warming has a tragic impact on everything. Global warming affects the temperature of Earth, animals, our food, and many other things too. Since people are responsible for causing the pollution creating global warming, they must take steps to make it better. Global warming is something that should concern us, we should study it more, and find a way to fix the problems that are impacting the world.

Citations

USATODAY Greg Toppo. "Record-breaking Heat Scorches Southwest." USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 19 June 2016. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "Status of Ratification." The Paris Agreement - Main Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

3. "Climate Change: How Do We Know?" NASA. Ed. Holly Shaftel. NASA, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

4. "The Definition of Global Warming." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

5. "Global Warming 101." Video. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.

6. "Estimation and Uncertainty Analysis of Impacts of Future Heat Waves on Mortality in the Eastern United States." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2016.