Fernandez 1

Omar Fernandez

Mrs. Dodson

English II

February 22, 2018

Climate Change

"The concept of global warming was created by and for the

Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive"-

Current U.S. president Donald Trump.

Now that it started with a good joke about climate change,

climate change is an increase in the average temperature of the

environment. It affects animals as well as humans. Many believe

in it, many do not, but what is certain is that it involves

everyone, as humans habitat the same planet. As Climate change

is a world problem that happens by natural and human causes , it

can be reduced by knowing what it is, the effects, and what can

be done to reduce it.

Climate change is a series of effects caused by

greenhouse gases that retain solar radiation and heat up the

surface. Or better explained by the National Aeronautics and

space association “Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and

warms the Earth’s surface. This heat is radiated back toward

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space. Most of the outgoing heat is absorbed by the greenhouse

gas molecules and re-emitted in all directions, warming the

surface of the earth and the lower atmosphere”(Climate NASA P1).

Life on earth depends on the energy of the sun, the greenhouse

effect is a natural occurring event (up to certain point). But

why does it affect the U.S.? And how does it affect the planet?

As nature has limits and cycles to all life, things are made to

keep a balance and that balance is being disrupted, as the main

reason for the climate change is: “Human activities are changing

the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of

fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration

of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2)”(Climate NASA P10). To which

the amount of retained heat is increasing the average overall

temperature of the planets’ surface. The amounts of CO2 present

in the atmosphere can be traced to know what the source is, and

the concentration changes all point towards human activities

involving fossil fuels and other pollutants. Therefore climate

change is a man made effect by the use of substances that

release pollutants that change the concentration of our

greenhouse layer, it was not created by the Chinese like our

“wise” president once said.

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So knowing what climate change is, what are its effects?

“We see climate change everywhere – in weather patterns, across

farmland, throughout plant and animal habitats.

Scientists are documenting the effects of these and other

climate-related shifts, which largely stem from global warming

caused by humans and are already affecting daily life. In fact,

2016 was the hottest year on record”(EDF.org climate). This

effects are only some of the many that climate changes brings

with it, as the sea level rises the average temperature changes

with it, as the sea absorbs part of the extra heat. Animals are

the ones who have the hardest time at the moment, considering

they have to adapt to their new environment some do not make it,

causing a drop in some species that puts them at a countdown to

extinction. As weather is getting more extreme “Heatwaves are

more frequent worldwide. The increased evaporation of water is

like fuel for storms, exacerbating extreme weather events, such

as hurricanes. Rising sea levels make storm surges capable of

much greater damage. In more naturally arid areas, droughts and

wildfires intensify”(EDf climate 2). Humans are also harmed by

the new weather patterns, as droughts and wildfires affect

farming, hurricanes and flooding are becoming stronger, taking

lives with them. One of the most recent hurricanes was the

hurricane Irma, with wind speeds of 185mph it took 134 lives

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with it, caused 64.2 billion U.S. dollars in damage, as the

evaporation rises because of the heat, stronger and stronger

weather events will come.

What can be done to help fight against climate change?

There are many things we can do, such as reducing vehicle usage,

even after it may prove to be difficult in larger cities there

is still something that can be done “if you can't go car-free,

driving an electric car is the next best thing. After all,

vehicles that run on fossil fuel emit carbon every time you

drive them. But if you live somewhere where the electricity

itself comes from a climatically dirty power source—like coal—it

might actually be better for you to drive a hybrid”(popular

science climate p12). Vehicles and factories are two of the main

sources of CO2 emissions, but as most can not change factory

norms and regulate emission standards we surely can help by

using our vehicles a little less. As well as less vehicle usage

being more energy efficient is also of great help, as heat

created by the use of electro-domestics and by the energy plants

will significantly reduce, something as simple as turning lights

off and unplugging devices that are not being used can help.”All

energy sources have some impact on our environment. Fossil

fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—do substantially more harm than

renewable energy sources by most measures, including air and

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water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat

loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions”(ucusa

renewable energy p1). The second solution apart from getting rid

or vehicles, pollutants, factories and many chemicals(which is

almost impossible since modern society depends heavily on most)

are the renewable energy sources, they are not a perfect energy

source and not the most dependable but compared to other energy

sources like fossil fuels, renewable resources are the nurse and

doctors that you wake up to in a hospital after almost dying.

These resources include wind energy, solar panels, geothermal

energy, hydro-power(water turbines in general) which all

combined can give a steady and dependable energy resource.

Climate change is a huge problem that humanity is facing

today, and everyone can all help by at least knowing what it is,

what are its effects and knowing some methods to help reduce, so

choose sides, help reduce the climate change or take all on a

trip to a countdown to extinction. As mentioned earlier climate

change is an event caused by the increase in greenhouse gases

which increase the average temperature of the planet. Its

effects range from an increased temperature, rise in sea level,

rise in humidity, stronger natural events (such as drought,

wildfires and hurricanes) and many more. And some ways to

contribute are using less electric energy, vehicles and

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pollutants, as well as using alternative energy resources. So

the question is, will people join and help the others? Or will

they remain blind to a truth that will end all?

Works Cited

“Climate change causes: A blanket around the Earth.” NASA, NASA, 10 Aug. 2017,

climate.nasa.gov/causes/. Accessed 02/19/2018

“Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies.” Union of Concerned Scientists,

www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts#.Wous0hZG01n.

Accessed 02/19/2018

“How climate change plunders the planet.” Environmental Defense Fund,

www.edf.org/climate/how-climate-change-plunders-planet. Accessed 02/19/2018

Pierre-Louis, Kendra. “Here's how you can actually help stop climate change.” Popular Science,

12 July 2017, www.popsci.com/how-to-stop-climate-change#page-4. Accessed 02/19/2018