The Impact of the Human Factor on the Expedition of Climate Change

All humans have their own biases. My bias is that I believe that most of the damage caused to our planet (such as climate change) is due to humans. In this essay, I will discuss some of the practices humans actively use which can expedite climate change. These processes that I discuss will range from deforestation to greenhouse gasses and the percentage we need to cut back on these emissions.

Climate change is known as a change in climate or regional patterns.

It’s common to blame climate change purely on carbon dioxide (otherwise known as greenhouse gasses) and the usage of fossil fuels. However, although these are aiding factors to climate change they are very broad.

If you look under carbon dioxide alone you can see that simple processes such as agriculture, deforestation, and even aerosols cause carbon dioxide levels to rise. Little emissions do add up quickly and cause a huge impact.

The greenhouse is gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Greenhouse gasses are any gasses that add to the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses affect the climate by trapping heat from the sun in the atmosphere and making the climate temperature increase (EPA, 2013). In our assigned reading it is stated that we need to reduce by 50-85% in greenhouse gases (Miller, 272).

I cut back on my carbon dioxide emissions by cutting meat completely out of my diet.

Fossil fuels are non-renewable fuels that were created over a long pperiodfrom animal remains. Fossil fuels consist of oil, coal, and natural gas.

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Fossil fuels are usually used because of their low price Miller, 189). It has been shown that burning fossil fuels can expedite the climate-changing process by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide when being burned (NWF, 1999). Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy and are starting to be replaced by renewable sources of energy such as solar energy.

Aerosols are particles that are dispersed in air or gas. Some aerosols are naturally occurring in our ecosystems and others are manmade. For example,e aerosols are released when a volcano erupts such as ash which is naturally occurring. Other aerosols consist of dust, sand, and soot.

Aerosols have direct effects on the environment such as radiation reflation and absorption depending on the type of aerosol particles (NASA, 2010). Last we have deforestation. Deforestation – the process in which a forest is cleared of trees for plain flat land. Trees turn carbon dioxide into sugars the plant uses to grow in a process known as carbon fixation. When trees are cleared away the carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere adding to the greenhouse gas emissions in our atmosphere which results in a thicker layer making the climate warmer (Livescience,2015).

Now we have discussed the factors let’s discuss what we can do to lessen our effects on climate change. First, calculate your carbon footprint and look at what areas you need to improve on. You don’t have to make huge changes these can be simple lifestyle changes such as going vegetarian or vegan or even walking/riding your bike instead of driving your car. Public transit or ‘carpooling’ with your fellow students or co-workers not only saves money but can lessen your carbon footprint as well. Buying locally from businesses that are lessening their carbon footprint not only supports the business financially but shows that you support their values as well. (Miller, 272)

References

Bradford, Alina. “Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects.” LiveScience. Tech Media Network, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 16 July 2016.

“Global Warming Is Human-Caused – National Wildlife Federation.” Global Warming Is Human Caused – National Wildlife Federation. NWF, 1999. Web. 16 July 2016.

“Greenhouse Gases.” US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, 3 Mar. 2013. Web. 16 July 2016.

Miller, G. Tyler, G. Miller, and Scott Spoolman. Sustaining the Earth. 11th ed. Stamford: Cengage Learning, 2015. Print. (pg: 272, 189)

Voiland, Adam. “Aerosols: Tiny Particles, Big Impact: Feature Articles.” Aerosols: Tiny Particles, Big Impact: Feature Articles. NASA, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 16 July 2016.