| If the greenhouse effect has again been currently in | | | | Global warming involves increase in the average |
| the news, it is probably because it is once again being | | | | temperature of the earth's atmosphere near its |
| blamed for causing global warming. Stronger | | | | surface. While global warming is nothing new to our |
| hurricanes, periods of extreme weather, heat waves, | | | | planet (it has occurred over long periods in the earth's |
| the frequency of the El Nino phenomenon, these are all | | | | 4.5-billion-year history alternating with ice ages), it is only |
| attributed to global warming. But how does the | | | | now when its drastic changes on a global scale has |
| greenhouse effect figure in all these? | | | | dire consequences not just for human kind but also to |
| What is the greenhouse effect? | | | | the millions of species that depend upon the earth for |
| The greenhouse effect is the ability of our planet's | | | | sustenance. |
| atmosphere to trap and contain heat. This heat is | | | | A famous example of the effect of global warming is |
| sourced from the sun and is reflected back towards | | | | the increase in sea level, brought about by the melting |
| the atmosphere. Certain gases are responsible for this | | | | of glaciers. This is a problem not readily seen nor felt in |
| entrapment and they include carbon dioxide, nitrous | | | | countries or regions that lie on higher ground, but for |
| oxide, methane, fluorinated compounds and water | | | | many areas, this could mean land (and subsistence |
| vapor. Other man-made chemicals are also capable of | | | | opportunities) lost to sea. A 0.3-meter increase in sea |
| retaining heat within the atmosphere. | | | | level for example, can eat up about 15 meters of |
| In itself, the greenhouse effect is not essentially evil. In | | | | beach. |
| fact, it is this very phenomenon that has produced life | | | | As temperatures rise, countries that have agricultural |
| on earth as we know it. Think of the greenhouse | | | | practices firmly dependent on the regularity of |
| effect as a natural thermal blanketing for our planet, | | | | glacier-melting will suffer greatly. For many regions in |
| maintaining a surface temperature that is just right to | | | | the world, the melting of snowpacks from the |
| encourage organisms to grow and survive. Without | | | | mountains means water for plant irrigation and |
| this blanketing, the earth's climate would be too cold - | | | | electricity. If the melting occurs at a bad time, the |
| about 59F lower than the average - for our planet to | | | | planting and harvesting of crops will be significantly |
| be able to sustain life successfully. | | | | disrupted, causing problems in the economy on a local |
| How does the greenhouse effect contribute to global | | | | and national level. |
| warming? | | | | With global warming, abrupt weather changes may |
| For more than 4 billion years, the greenhouse effect | | | | also be experienced, such as heat waves that last |
| has kept our planet's temperature at a friendly level. | | | | longer and occur with more frequency, stronger |
| Gases found in the atmosphere act to trap heat and | | | | storms and hurricanes and even changes in the |
| keep our planet insulated, able to sustain itself. | | | | behavior of the winds. Warmer climate will also |
| Problems only began to arise when scientists noticed | | | | contribute to the displacement of plants and animals, |
| that certain practices and human activities contribute to | | | | as those who depend upon lower temperature regions |
| the modification of this process. | | | | to survive will need to move to higher elevations and |
| When the Industrial Revolution began, we also devised | | | | latitudes. For plants and animals who cannot adapt, it |
| many ways of using fossil fuel for oil, coal and gas. | | | | could mean extinction. |
| The only way to utilize these fuels was by burning. As | | | | Healthwise, diseases that right now are currently limited |
| industrialization continued to expand, so did the practice | | | | by the location and living habits of their carriers have |
| of fossil fuel burning, thereby releasing gases into the | | | | the possibility of invading areas that didn't have a |
| atmosphere. The only problem was that these gases | | | | problem with them before. An example of this is |
| had nowhere else to go and have continued to build up | | | | malaria, along with other diseases caused by |
| over the years. | | | | mosquitoes. |
| By building up, they cause the atmosphere to become | | | | Mosquitoes thrive in tropical settings and as more and |
| more efficient in trapping heat, causing climates to turn | | | | more regions become warmer, mosquitoes will expand |
| warmer. This unnatural or man-made result is referred | | | | their range. They will now be able to go to areas that |
| to as global warming. | | | | they usually do not inhabit because of the temperature. |
| How global warming affects us | | | | This exposes the formerly unexposed population to |
| We have been experiencing the effects of global | | | | the health risks caused by mosquito-borne diseases |
| warming for the past years and most of these are felt | | | | that also include dengue and elephantiasis. |
| through changes in the climate. However, it's important | | | | Facing global warming |
| to note that climate change is brought about by other | | | | The balance of life and competition among species |
| factors and not just as an indirect result of the | | | | may also be disrupted, in more ways than are |
| greenhouse effect. Some of these factors include | | | | currently foreseen. In fact, with global warming, certain |
| changes in the circulation of the oceans, changes in | | | | lifestyles and animal behavior that we have enjoyed |
| our planet's orbit and even changes in the intensity of | | | | so far may also disappear, unless we do something to |
| the sun itself. | | | | try to correct and arrest the problem. |