Global warming
Global warming refers to the rise in the earth’s temperature resulting from an increase in heat trapping gases in the atmosphere.
Wikipedia : Global warming refers to the increase in thetemperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans indecades and its projected continuation.
Global average air temperature near the Earth’s surface rose 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the twentieth century.
According to The Christian Science Monitor, climate scientists studying global warming now predict that it’s highly likely the world is undergoing significant, human-induced climate changes. They may result in more intense storms, droughts, sea-level rise, wildlife extinction, and other serious problems. But humanity is not a helpless victim. Much is being done to limit the effects of global warming, and more efforts are being planned.
Scientists have concluded that human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases. Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air.
The second most important source of greenhouse gases is deforestation, mainly in the tropics, and other land-use changes.
What we can do to slow global warming is to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases by:
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driving less and driving more fuel-efficient and less-polluting cars
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using energy-efficient appliances
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insulating homes
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using less electricity in general
Scientists predict that even if we stopped emitting heat-trapping gases immediately, the climate would not stabilize for many decades because the gases we have already released into the atmosphere will stay there for years or even centuries. So while the warming may be lower or increase at a slower rate than predicted if we reduce emissions significantly, global temperatures cannot quickly return to today’s averages. And the faster and more the Earth warms, the greater the chances are for some irreversible climate changes.