Global warming and the Greenhouse Effect as the cause of it Essay

Many people moan throughout the winter season. I know I do. Alot of people around the world hate shoveling snow and worrying about whether thier pipes will freeze. But we all understand that snow and cold temperatures are just a part of life. But will they be forever? News about global warming has dreadful predictions about the future. Global warming is not a scary myth that scientists made up, but a real natural condition that is affecting the world more and more every day.
Global warming is the warming of the earth's surface. The Earth's normal temperature is slowly rising, causing short and mild winter seasons in different countries around the world. But understanding global warming is almost impossible without also having basic knowledge of another phenomenon, the Greenhouse Effect. Greenhouse gases are building up in our planet's atmosphere and are acting like a blanket trapping in heat that would be released out into space.This is why global temperatures are rising.
There are many gases in the Earth's atmosphere, but many are natural and harmless. Carbon dioxide on the other hand, is not healthy for the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere longer than other gases and traps in heat well. Even a small increase in carbon in the atmosphere can cause significant increases in global temperatures. Most carbon comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Cars and other vehicles can produce up to 1.5 billion tons of Carbon, and coal burning power plants can produce 2.5 billion tons. The United States burns the guy most fossil fuel than any other place in the world. Even though the United States is doing its best to help this problem by lowering their emission rates, other countries are doing the opposite.
What affect does global warming actually have on the environment and humans? Does an average increase in temperature less than a degree make an impact in daily life? Yes it does. Global warming has been related to increase in floods and wild fires. It has been seen as the cause of rising sea levels and stronger hurricanes. Heat waves in Europe in 2003 led to the death of 20,000 people and over a thousand people in India. Int he arctic polar ice caps are melting at a rate of nine percent each decade. Animals such as polar bears, are losing their habitats and may become extinct.
Thankfully, there are solutions to global warming. Governments and scientist are working together to create more green alternatives to daily life. People don't have to give up their vehicles, but when they buy new ones, they may decide to buy hybrid cars instead of cars that run on fossil fuels. Wind mills and other renewable energy sources can prevent burning coal, which is a major culprit of producing carbon dioxide. Global warming is not a problem that cannot be solved, but it's a problem that governments and people need to be aware of to protect the human race, animals, and habitats of our planet earth.