Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create,

share, exchange and comment contents among themselves in virtual communities

and networks. Social media or "social networking" has almost become part of our
daily lives and being tossed around over the past few years. It is like any other
media such as newspaper, radio and television but it is far more than just about
sharing information and ideas. Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr
and Blogs have facilitated creation and exchange of ideas so quickly and widely
than the conventional media. The power of define and control a brand is shifting
from corporations and institutions to individuals and communities. It is no longer on
the 5Cs (e.g. condominium, credit cards and car) that people once talked about.
Today, it is about the brand new Cs: creativity, communication, connection, creation
(of new ideas and products), community (of shared interests), collaboration and
(changing the game of) competition. Social media has devalued the traditional
definition of "friend" where it means trust, support, compatible values, etc. Although
we get to know more people, we are not able to build strong bond with all the
people whom we met as our available time is limited. Hence, there is an upcoming
social trend of people with wider social circles, but weaker ties (people we don't
know very well but who provide us with useful information and ideas).The effects of
Global Warming

Global warming is the long-term, cumulative effect that greenhouse gases, primarily carbon
dioxide and methane, have on Earth's temperature when they build up in the atmosphere and trap
the sun's heat. It's also a hotly debated topic. Some wonder if it's really happening and, if it's real,
is it the fault of human actions, natural causes or both?
When we talk about global warming, we're not talking about how this summer's temperatures
were hotter than last year's. Instead, we're talking about climate change, changes that happen to
our environment, atmosphere and weather over time. Think decades, not seasons. The term
global warming itself is a bit deceptive because it implies we should expect things to get hotter -not necessarily stormier, drier and even, in some instances, colder. Climate change impacts the
hydrology and biology of the planet -- everything, including winds, rains and temperature, is
linked. Scientists have observed that the Earth's climate has a long history of variability, from the
cold climes of the Ice Age to temperatures as hot as an Easy-Bake oven. These changes are
sometimes noted over a few decades and sometimes stretch over thousands of years. What can
we expect from a planet undergoing climate changes?
Scientists studying our climate have been able to observe and measure changes happening
around us. For example, mountain glaciers are smaller now than they were 150 years ago, and in
the last 100 years, the average global temperature has increased by roughly 1.4 degrees F (0.8
degrees C) [source: EPA]. Computer modeling allows scientists to predict what could happen if
the climate pattern continues on its current course, projecting, for instance, that temperatures
could rise an average of 2 to 11.5 degrees F (1.1 to 6.4 degrees C) by the end of the 21st century
[source: EPA].

In this article, we'll look at 10 of the worst effects of climate change, including some immediate
effects observed and some hypothesized through climate modeling.
Climate change will have a significant impact on the sustainability of water supplies
in the coming decades. A new analysis, performed by consulting firm Tetra Tech for
the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), examined the effects of global
warming on water supply and demand in the contiguous United States. The study
found that more than 1,100 counties -- one-third of all counties in the lower 48 -- will
face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of glo

Related NRDC Webpages:

Press Release - Report: More than One Out of Three U.S. Counties Face Water Shortages
Due to Climate Change
National Water Shortage News Conference (mp3)

Related Websites:
Evaluating Sustainability of Projected Water Demands in 2050
Agricultural Carbon Market Working Group - Science

bal warming. More than 400 of these counties will face extremely high risks of water
shortages.\

Changes in weather
Heat and heat waves
Rain, snow, and drought
Stormy weather
Changes in ecosystems
Polar and mountainous regions
Plant life
Wildlife

The Effects Of Global Warming (sample essay)

Abstract

Global warming is a dangerous phenomenon that has been aggravated by human activity. The
environment as a result, has changed for the worse. The effects of this phenomenon are global,
and affect everyone regardless of geographical location. Below are some highlights about the
devastating effects of global warming and in some instances, their root causes discussed in brief
detail.

The Effects of Global Warming

Global warming is an international disaster. Its effects and control have dominated
virtually all facets of modern human life. It is not uncommon to find even groceries listing
themselves as being eco-friendly in a bid to attract the environmentally conscious customer.
The effects of global warming are not just about blowing hot air in the pursuit of delivering
chilling information. This phenomenon has devastating consequences for all, regardless of
geographical location. One of the most commonly known effects is the heating up of the
atmosphere. Scientists have shown that there is a direct correlation between the increase in
carbon dioxide levels and an increase in the temperature of the earth. As a result, warmest years
since 1992 have been experienced in recent years according to the IPCC report (2007).
This heating up has caused the melting of the ice caps at the poles (Gore, 2006). This has
several effects on the earth. First, it causes the rise of the ocean level. Glacial melting would
contribute to about 230 feet rise in the ocean level if it were to happen at once (NCDC, 2008).
Sea levels have risen by an average of 1.88mm per year since 1961 but have increased to 3.1mm
per year from 1993. These figures seem small but if the ocean rises by just 3 feet, lower
Manhattan could be submerged and sections of Miami would be lost. In Bangladesh and India,
close to 23 million people live within this elevation of three feet (IPCC, 2007). That level of
population displacement and loss of property would have serious economic and social effects.
It is not just the loss of land; effects on biodiversity should also be considered. Data
shows that melting glaciers change the chemical composition and temperature of water in the
areas served by the Gulf current (IPCC, 2007). What this means is that sea life that cannot adapt
to the new water conditions will have either to migrate or die. Coral life, for example, will be
wiped out if the temperature and height of water changes. In addition, mammals such as the polar

bear and penguins will die out because their icy habitat is shrinking and already their numbers
are on the decline (National Geographic, 2012).
The third effect of melting ice caps is the increase in greenhouse levels (Gore, 2008, p.
8). Science proves that there is a considerable amount of carbon dioxide, methane and other
greenhouse gases trapped in ice bodies around the world (Phys.org, 2012). As these bodies melt,
they release these gases into the atmosphere, which in turn results in an increase in the rate of
global warming. Additionally, these ice bodies contribute to what is referred to as the albedo
effect (Ashton, Tyrell, Spalding and Gentry 2012, p. 130). They use this to directly refer to the
reflectivity of a geographical feature. Ice bodies reflect back more sunlight, thus contributing to
the cooling effect of the earth. As they melt, instead of reflective ice, there occurs dark, heat
absorbing water masses. This also increases the temperature of the earth. Both of these effects
compound the global warming problem.
Apart from increasing temperature, there is the oxymoron of global warming causing
temperature plunges. It may sound off to blame global warming for this effect, but it does. Cold
waves are an unusually large and rapid drop in temperature over a short period of time
(Merriam-Webster, 2012). These cold encounters cause temperature drops of as low as -62
degrees Centigrade and are very destructive (Mani, 2010, p. 118). They freeze power lines,
destroy pipes and cause transportation problems. Many people have died of hypothermia, and
large areas of crops have been destroyed by cold waves around the world (Maslin, 2007, p. 59).
Cold waves are created by changing climatic conditions related to melting ice caps and ocean
currents. The seas absorb more heat and polar winds are redirected due to melting ice causing
this phenomenon (IPCC, 2007).

Global warming has caused changing weather patterns, ensuring that weather phenomena
have become extreme (IPCC, 2007). Of recent concern is the increase in the number and
intensity of storm weather reports. Where there is usually wet weather, the storms have increased
in intensity and rainfall amount, causing floods and violent thunderstorms. Also, in areas where
there is drought, these drought conditions have become prolonged. In some parts of the world,
the violence of thunderstorms has increased by a staggering 100% (Environmental Graffiti,
2012). In addition, the heating up of oceans has seen the rise of violent hurricanes and cyclones
(National Geographic, 2012).
Another interesting effect relates to geology. Global warming has been linked to
increased volcanic and tsunami activity. The glacial masses put considerable pressure on the
earths crust. As they melt and become lighter, they cause unexpected movement within the
earths crust which in turn causes volcanic and tsunami activity (IPCC, 2007). As the earth
warms up, some pests and diseases thrive more in new warming up areas. Mosquitoes that spread
malaria, yellow fever and dengue have migrated north to new countries (National Geographic,
2012; Mani, 2010, p. 49). Pests such as the spruce bark beetle have wreaked havoc on spruce
trees in Alaska on an area of about four million acres (Ashton, 2012, p. 88).
These deadly effects will only keep on getting worse the more global warming continues
to exert its toll. This calls for fast measures to be undertaken from all stake holders to come up
with a quick remedy to global warming. Failure to do so will see more adverse effects arising
because of global warming. With all that is taking place as a result of global warming, it is sad to
see how major policy makers are not taking these warnings as seriously as they need to be.

References
Ashton, M., Tyrell, M., Spalding, D., & Gentry , B. (2012). Managing forest carbon in a changing
climate.Roterdam, Netherlands: Springer.
Gore, A. (2006). An inconvenient truth: The planetary emergency of global warming and what we can
do about it. New York, NY: Rodale.
IPCC. (2007). Climate change 2007: Synthesis report. Retrieved from:
http://www.theglobalwarmingstatistics.org/global-warming-statistics-ipcc-report
Mani, C. (2010). Effects of global warming. London, England: Oxford Book Company.
Maslin, M. (2007). Global warming: Causes, effects and the future.