Global Warming or Hell on Earth By Cristina Hamilton

The Effects of Global Warming

      Global warming is the unnatural increase in the earth's temperature resulting from the increase in the “greenhouse” gases. The earth surface naturally cools itself at night as the ocean's temperatures decrease and winds blows to cool the earth surface in the areas where the sun isn't shining as the earth revolves. Humans possess the need to interrupt the natural balance of the earth and its environment by burning coals and oils in power plants and industrial plants. Also many household appliances, such as air conditioners and refrigerators aid in distributing gases that pollute our bodies and our environment. These power plants produce gases and chemicals, such as carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons that infiltrate in to the air and when combined together they produce the greenhouse effect which works against the earths natural cooling system causing temperatures to increase in the ocean and on the earth's surface.

      The environmental effects from the greenhouse effect is global warming which is the increase in temperature on the Earth's surface. As more and more Carbon Dioxide enters the air and the chemical balance of the earth's surface temperature is interrupted by the greenhouse effect, the ocean's ability to adsorb Carbon dioxide will decrease and result in increase in the oceans temperature. If the gases continue to increase in the atmosphere, possible health effects in humans could result in breathing problems do to lung restriction, frost bite, asphyxiation, and possible kidney damage or coma. The end result could led to the earth's surface burning or being cover with water from the ocean as it begins to boil and rise and cover the land.

      A couple key solutions: recycling, using mass public transportation, walking, bicycling, and eating healthy. Below I have provided a visual to show you the sources from which these harmful gases are produced and the effects they can have on humans and the environment.

Air Pollution Chart:

Issue	Sources	Health/Environmental Effects
Carbon dioxide (CO2)	Burning of fossil fuels and deforestation	Produces the greenhouse effect that prevents the earth from cooling at night, Carbon dioxide is responsible for 57% of Global Warming, according to Tom Socha, 2007. Possible health effects if exceeds certain levels are asphyxiation, frostbite, kidney damage or coma.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)	Spray cans, discarded or leaking refrigeration, burning plastic foam products and air conditioning equipment	Contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming and the breakdown of the ozone which results lead to smog.
Ground-level ozone (O3)	Power plants and industrial plants that burn coal and heavy oil.	The ozone causes eye irritation, impaired lung function and damage to trees and crops.
Sulfuric acid (H2SO4)	Power plants and factories	Possible health effects is lung constriction sulfuric acids irritates the lungs making it difficult for human to breath. Environmental effects exist when emitted into the air sulfuric acid forms wet particles that descend to the earths surface in the form of acid rain or snow.

Note: Some pollutants may not have direct health effects.