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Essay Name       : 980.txt 
Uploader         : Caleb Tucker
Email Address    : calebt@goeocities.com
Language         : English
Subject          : Environmental Awareness
Title            : Greenhouse Effect
Grade            : 95/A
School System    : High School
Country          : USA
Author Comments  : none
Teacher Comments : very good report
Date             : 9-12-96
Site found at    : Friend told me about it
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The Greenhouse Effect

        The greenhouse effect occurs when gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, 
nitrogen oxide and CFCs trap heat in the atmosphere  by acting as a pane of 
glass in a car.  ³The glass² lets the sun light in to make heat but when the 
heat tries to get out the gases absorb the heat.  Holding this heat in causes 
heat waves, droughts and climate changes which could alter our way of 
living.  
        The main  gases that cause the greenhouse effect are water vapor,  carbon 
dioxide (CO2), and methane which comes mainly from animal manure.  
Other gases like nitrogen oxide and man made gases called 
chloroflurocarbons get caught in the atmosphere as well.  The decay of 
animals and respiration are two main but natural sources of carbon dioxide.  
        In my opinion we people of the whole world should try and slow down the 
emmission of greenhouse gases and/or find ways to balance the  gases so the 
climate doesn't change so rapidly.  If it did we would be forced to adapt to 
the new climate that we brought upon our selves.  If we had a international 
cooperation to put a damper on the production of chloroflurocarbons and 
slowed down the use of fossil fuels it would dramatically slow down the 
process of "global warming."  
        Over the last 100 years the global temperatures have been increasing slowly 
but steadily.  Since 1980 the temperature has risen 0.2 degrees C (0.4 degrees F 
) each decade.  Scientists predict that if we continue putting the same 
amount of gas into the atmosphere by the year 2030 the temperature will be 
rising as much as 0.5 degrees C (0.9 degrees F ) or more per decade.  Over all 
the global temperature could rise anywhere from 5 to 9 degrees over the 
next fifty years.  
        If the temperatures do rise as predicted several things could happen.  The 
increases of temperature could alter the growth of crops in areas near the 
equator due to insufficient rain and heat.  This could really hurt countries 
that rely on imported food.  With the high temperatures the polar ice caps 
could melt and cause the sea water level to go up 1 to 3 feet.  This increase 
could take out small islands, coastal cities and some shallow rivers.  The 
Everglades in Florida would be almost if not totally wiped right off the map.  
The Everglades is the home for many animals and plant life.  If it did get 
flooded,  they would all have to move northward across very dry land 
which they will not be able to endure for very long.  When the hot 
temperatures do spread southward and northward, tropical disease will 
spread with it.  Disease that were down in Mexico will maybe  occur in The 
Carolinas or eventually Vermont.  These new diseases will be hard to deal 
with causing many more deaths and illnesses than before.  The financial 
problem with this is, that the flooding will cause dams to be built and cities 
to be reconstructed.  The shortage of food will cause the price of the food to 
go up and with all the diseases we will need more medical supplies and 
workers.  All of this combined could and will cost a lot of money if we don't 
do something about it now.  
        The computer models canıt predict exactly what the climate is going to be in 
the future, but they can come close to what it will be like down the road.  
Scientists proved this by predicting with computers what the climate was in 
the past.  Then by looking back in records, they found that the predictions 
were close to being right.  
        The "Topex" (Topographic Experiment) satellite has been collecting 
information on the changes of the sea level, and temperatures across the 
globe and the amount of gases emitted into the atmosphere.  Each day the 
satellite makes 500,000 measurements, each at a different place on the earth.  
Measurements are all made between 66 degrees north and south latitudes.1  
        The Cretaceous occurred over 100 million years ago.  It was the warmest 
period we have knowledge of yet.  There was so much carbon dioxide in the 
air that the oceans rose many meters.  North America was flooded and split 
apart into two pieces.  The temperature then was more than fifteen degrees 
greater than the average temperature today.  
        Scientists believe that the tilt of the earth's axis changes to tilt the opposite 
way every 10,000 years like a cycle.   While going through this cycle it will 
change the climate of areas.  Right now it is moving so that North America 
is going to be close to the sun in the winter.  Seasons become more extreme 
when the opposite happens.  This controls the cycle of ice ages.  Volcanoes 
when they erupt, send clouds of dust into the air blocking sunlight.  This 
would cool the earth off more.  Oceans are known to absorb CO2 because of 
the ocean currents and the action of plankton.  There is some evidence that 
there is naturally rapid climate change between each Ice Age, which 
confuses the whole global warming and idea.
        I think every human being should take part in the fight to stop  global 
warming.  The government is the key to this and they better do something 
soon or it will be too late.  First, the American government should sponsor 
a meeting between the nations of this world.  They should establish a 
committee for handling the money, politics, and scientific research in order 
to help cut back the emission of gases into the atmosphere.  Every country 
will contribute by donating money.  Each country would be required to give 
0.01 of their GNP to this committee.  If they refuse they will be boycotted and 
nothing will be sold to them by the participating countries.  
        Global warming is a big threat to our nation and the world.  If we do not act 
now, it may be too late.  Of course, there is no sure way of telling if there 
actually is a greenhouse effect, but letıs not take any chances.  Look at what is 
happening to this world, and you will see that there is a pollution problem.  
There are steps being taken at this moment to reduce the gases put into the 
air but it still isn't enough.  We need to cut back more by taking a few easy 
steps.  Plant a tree,  or take a bus to work instead of driving your own car.  
Those things may not seem like a lot, but if more and more people do it, it 
will make a difference. 
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