‘ The world is burning..’ goes the lyrics of a song by the famous ‘POETS OF THE FALL’ , different reason of course but what brings home the fact after i hear the words is the consequence of rising temperatures, the mounting levels of carbon dioxide … the increasing methane clouding the atmosphere. Global warming is indeed a huge problem that has been affecting the earth for quite a while now. The drastic changes in the weather making so many places uninhabitable, air getting more polluted with every second, aerosol cans, littering, smoke and cars all factors are leading to dire situations causing the ‘world to burn’ and definitely not making it a better place to live in.
However, if this acts as some form of a respite for all the environment freaks, humans are not the only ones adding up to the ‘warming’. The idea that man made pollution is responsible for global warming is not supported by the historical fact that the period known as the Halocene Maximum approximately 7500-4000 years before present- the time before the industrial revolution or aerosols or smoke fumes or factory wastes is considered to be the hottest period in the human history. Another interesting fact is that earth is not the only planet to be experiencing climate change in our solar system. Infact, astronomers have announced that Pluto has been experiencing global warming too. NASA been recording massive climatic changes on Saturn and also on Neptune’s largest moon Triton whose surface once made up of frozen nitrogen is now turning into gas. Also the satellites that measure the temperature of sunlight have been recording an increase in the sun’s temperature meaning that the sun is warming up.
One of the natural causes of global warming is the regular climate change cycles, which occur over a period of around forty thousand years. Since the creation of earth, it has been experiencing alternate cycles of cooling and warming which continue even today. But this definitely doesn’t mean that the global warming skeptics are correct in suggesting to the world not to worry about it.
Methane gas that contributes the maximum in global warming is released from many areas of the globe, from animals like cattle as well. Also the wetlands and the tundra geography contribute to the condition that release this gas in the atmosphere and traps it causing the global temperature to rise. Large volcanic eruptions can throw so much dust in the sky that the dust acts as a shield to solar radiation and causes a cooling trend in the atmosphere
Also the changes in the earth’s solar radiation levels can have some impact on the earth’s climate. Increased activity can cause short-term warming cycles on earth. A NASA funded study in 2003 found that, “Changes in the solar cycle -- and solar output -- are known to cause short-term climate change on Earth.” Another significant cause can be the wobbly shape of the earth. As the earth spins, it does not achieve perfect rotation. It wobbles slightly, thereby alternatively exposing the northern and southern latitudes to more or less solar radiation. The wobble in the earth’s rotation has been causing changes in temperature of the atmosphere for many millions of years
Now that we understand the natural causes, its important to understand the human causes as well and prevent them if complicate eradication seems to be an an uphill task. While the alternative warming and cooling cycles, change in the solar activity and rotation of the earth are natural events that have been occurring for a millennia, the scientific consensus clearly says that humans are a part of the problem. Immediate action to combat these effects is the call of the day. We cannot afford to wait as the well being of us and our children is at stake. It’s up to each of us to take responsibility for our actions. And yes!!! Don’t despair.. you have much more power than you think. If you can create a ripple, it has the potential to become a wave…
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