Global Warming Facts, Causes & Effects of Climate Change

Global warming has been a hotly debated topic over the last several decades among researchers, environmentalists, conspiracy theorists, and skeptics.

As more and more pollution and carbon dioxide enter the atmosphere, the earth’s ecosystem is continually and gradually being negatively affected, which has caused some individuals and groups to take a deep look at the possible causes and impacts our behavior is having towards contributing to the declining health of various populations and habitats.

Because of this, increasing amounts of research are being dedicated to understanding the possibilities of global warming, the greenhouse effect, pollution, and other forms of contamination that may be plaguing our earth.

Whether the threat of global warming is real, one thing that can be agreed upon among those that believe or disbelieve the idea of global warming is that improvements in the health of our environment (mother nature) can lead to a better, healthier, and cleaner world.

This article will provide you with information on global warming, the possible causes, effects, and consequences of global warming. It also explains how to minimize global warming and provides you with plenty of additional global warming facts.

The Definition of Global Warming

Global warming is the persisting rise of the earth’s average climate temperature over time. Global warming can be calculated by measuring the air and sea temperature of the earth’s surface.

Since the 1900s, and particularly the last several decades, researchers see a continual rise in the earth’s climate temperature, with around 90% of the increased energy storage being contained in the earth’s ocean.

How global warming works

Since the beginning of time, the world has been known to fluctuate in temperature from the ice ages to warmer and more tropical seasons, however, over the last century, researchers have observed unnaturally high variations in temperature, and since the last century, the climate has spiked an average of 1.2 – 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

This abnormal increase in temperate has led scientists and environmentalists to speculate and conclude that human activity is the cause of this increase in temperature.

During the rise of the industrial age, power plants, factories, and other resource buildings began burning fossil fuels to power their operations. Over time automobiles became more common, adding to the use of fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

The creation of these toxic fumes releases carbon dioxide and other potentially harmful gases into the air and atmosphere. These gases get released and contained near the earth’s surface through a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect begins with the energy the sun releases towards the earth.

A portion of the energy released from the sun gets absorbed by the earth. However, the other portion is reflected away from the earth and back towards outer space. As the non-absorbed energy begins to travel away from the earth’s surface and towards outer space, a portion of that energy is reflected towards the earth from natural gases in the atmosphere.

These natural gases help keep the earth warm and maintain a certain heat level throughout the year. However, the creation of additional gases from automobiles, power plants, and other fossil fuel burning technologies contributes to the atmosphere’s natural gases. Further, it prevents the sun’s energy from escaping the planet.

The additional gases that are created amplify the atmosphere’s natural warming effect, which leads to increases in the earth’s natural temperature, which leads to the creation of global warming.

Global Warming Causes, Effects, and Consequences

As more and more information is gathered about the causes and effects of global warming researchers, have become increasingly assured that the primary causes of our increasing climate are due to greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, which has significantly increased due to deforestation, the reduction of marine life such as whales, fossil fuel emissions and the contribution/alteration of other carbon-producing/releasing materials.

The continual increase in the earth’s temperature has led to continually increasing sea levels, leading to decreases in available landmass and cause changes in the earth’s precipitation levels.

Researchers estimate that hot climate extremes appear to be on the rise, which can cause weather abnormalities such as heatwaves, increasing wind speeds, extreme storms, stronger rainfall, and longer droughts.

These changes in the earth’s temperature and atmosphere can have detrimental effects on crop production/healthy crop success rates, habitat formation, and the availability of various food sources.

Other areas may see reduced ice levels and snow accumulation, which is especially important to the survival of marine mammals, ocean-dependent animals, and other oceanic life.

In fact, one possible impact of global warming that is frequently seen and talked about focuses on how increasing temperatures are decreasing various parts of the polar hemisphere where polar bears, penguins, and other ocean-dependent animals are finding it harder to sustain living in their environment.

In areas where ice makes up part of the region’s landmass, the amount of available land may continue to shrink, making it difficult for some animals to remain in their habitat. The climate changes may also scare off essential food sources that these animals rely on to stay alive and healthy.

Destabilization of food resources may increase scarcity, further endangering some animal species or forcing them to move to new regions to find/maintain their food supply. The decline of icebergs/glaciers and other ice-formed lands contributes to endangered marine life. It causes rising water levels, which declines the amount of landmass available in other areas that affect the living space of non-aquatic animals.

Estimations of the effects global warming may have on our future vary from slight climate changes and relatively little risk for future generations to increases in weather abnormalities, decreases in water and food supplies, and even war over particular natural resources. Regardless of the risk, we can all agree that changes need to be made to protect ourselves and those that inhabit this planet after us.

Minimizing global warming and improving the environment

As scientists and researchers learn more about global warming and the causes associated with the unnatural increases being experienced on the earth’s surface, methods of minimizing or even eliminating the creation of fossil fuels and other contributing factors have been studied and implemented. Large-scale fossil fuel producing companies are being educated on producing fewer fossil fuels and/or using renewable energy to power their operations.

Both government agencies and organizations are stepping in to help educate and promote healthy energy alternatives such as renewable energy, lower emission producing vehicles, forest conservation, and protection policies, and habitat development and reconstruction.

In addition to this, scientists are also looking at ways to remove fossil fuel gases from the atmosphere and store them in safe underground containers to be managed properly.

The implementation of reforestation can also help improve our ability to deal with global warming by replanting trees, plants, and other natural resources that can help offset carbon emissions and the production of other unnatural fossil fuels. While these ideas and strategies are being taught and implemented, it is not without its struggles.

Various economies would have to agree to make large-scale changes in their operation. Implementing such strategies is extremely costly and likely to pressure certain households that are already stretching their incomes. Strict laws against pollution, large-scale deforestation, and hunting animals can all aid in improving the status of the environment.

How the effects of global warming can be minimized or even reduced

There are several ways large scale companies and organizations can reduce the use of fossil fuels and create a healthier future for everyone, such as:

• Using renewable/alternative energy sources that include solar energy, wind turbines, biofuels, hydropower, and other nature-friendly energy sources
• Reducing the amount of fossil fuel emissions being generated by coal, gas, and other fossil fuel producing materials/technologies
• Finding more effective and power-efficient ways to create their products, technologies, resources while minimizing energy usage
• Creating more power-efficient and eco-friendly consumer products with recyclable components
• Working with eco-friendly power plants, manufacturers, transportation companies, and other contractors
• Educating customers and employees about global warming and promoting healthy energy alternatives
• Recycling plastic, glass, and paper materials instead of throwing them in the garbage can or dump
• Assisting with the creation of reforestation projects to replace trees and plants that were cut down, lost, and used

As you can see, numerous steps can be taken to minimize the use of fossil fuels and possibly even reduce or offset global warming by implementing these and other strategies. While companies, government agencies, or organizations can play a large role in improving the health of our earth and ecosystem, individuals such as you and I can also play a role in creating a healthy environment.

How you can help

As an individual, you can help improve the health of our land and oceans by implementing some simple steps and educating others about the effects of global warming. Some of the things you can start doing to minimize the usage of greenhouse gases includes:

• Turn down your thermostat, lights, and other dives to reduce energy usage when they are not needed
• Conserve hot water usage and use low flow showerheads and fixtures to minimize the amount of water being used
• Use energy-efficient light bulbs that help lower the amount of greenhouse gases that are created from regular bulbs (this also helps you reduce your utility expenses as a bonus)
• Purchase water filters and heat your water instead of buying water in plastic cans to reduce waste and the use of plastic materials
• Stop using air fresheners that release aerosol pollutants into the atmosphere and instead focus on improving the airflow of your home, use essential oils, create your own potpourri, use petroleum-free candles and odor absorbers
• Turn off and/or unplug unused electronics to prevent them from releasing unnecessary carbon into the atmosphere
• Use eco-friendly fabrics and cloths such as hemp to reduce the amount of negative, polluting fumes that get released from
• Reduce unnecessary mail and instead opt-in for email and direct deposits/withdrawals to reduce the amount of paper being used which helps limit the number of trees being cut down to produce paper
• Consume local foods that help reduce the use of transportation that release carbon and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
• Reduce, recycle & reuse your glass, plastic, and paper to minimize waste and get the most out of your materials
• Maintain your vehicle and limit your travel whenever possible or carpool to save gas, money, and the release of carbon into the atmosphere (Hybrid and electric vehicles are becoming a nice alternative to modern-day gas consuming vehicles)
• Recycle old clothing that you can give away to shelters or re-sellers rather than throwing them out
• Use solar energy and/or other renewable sources of energy if you can

As you can see, you can do several things to improve the environment and limit the amount of greenhouse gases you release every day. Even if you can’t afford to implement all of the strategies, following 2 or 3 of them can make a big difference in cleaning up our earth and minimizing greenhouse gas usage.

5 Thought provoking global warming facts

1. Global warming is the increase of the earth’s temperature over time, largely caused by human involvement and the release of greenhouse gases from created and used products and/or services.
2. Increases in global warming can lead to heavy rainfall, longer droughts, severe storms, and decreases in ice formation in and around the arctic waters.
3. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the creation of factories, power plants, large buildings, and automobiles have contributed largely to the creation and disbursement of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere causing more of the suns energy to remain trapped at the earth’s surface.
4. Researchers estimate that the earth’s current carbon dioxide and methane levels are the highest they’ve been in the last 400,020 years.
5. Over the past 3 decades, the average global temperature has risen .9 – 1.5 degrees or around .3 degrees Fahrenheit per decade.