Introduction
In the recent past, the increased release of carbon dioxide has been a very controversial issue in the world. This is due to the adverse effects of this gas to the atmosphere. Human activities have driven the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere upwards over the last 50 years. For instance, it is estimated that U.S. releases 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. The increased carbon dioxide has enhanced the natural 'greenhouse effect' causing climate change and global warming.
Thesis statement
We will explain the effects that are caused by the increased carbon dioxide emission, why the issue matters, and explore the two things that can be done to address it: carpooling and reductions of greenhouse CO2 emission.
Effects of Increased Emission of Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere
You will agree with me that, the main waste of all fuel products burned by humans is carbon dioxide. The first, main effect of this gas that has made it a global concern is because it is the main element in the steady rise of global temperatures of the last many years. This rise of global temperatures is known as global warming’. Global warming is one of the issues that have been of major concern in the recent past. This is because global warming has led to climate change. Climate change in turn has very significant effect on the water sustainability supplies. In a recent study, done by a consulting firm called Tetra Tech for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), global warming affects water demand and supply in many states of United States. According to this study, more than 1,200 counties in the world face a very higher risk of water shortages by the midcentury due to global warming. More than 300 of these counties face enormously high risks of water shortages (Businger 27).
Why emission of CO2 is a major, controversial issue today
Greenhouse is usually said to be the world. The main atmosphere role is to warm and protect the earth surface. The effect of greenhouse is not a new occurrence. The same human beings who have an increase the emission of gases that affect this greenhouse can still help lessen the increasing effect of greenhouse. Usually the atmosphere should warm and shield the earth. This is because all the entering solar radiation passes through the atmosphere. Certainly, some of these radiations are absorbed by the earth surface. However, those radiations that have not been absorbed by the earth surface are emitted back as infrared radiation. “At this point, carbon dioxide among other gases such as methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide absorb the returned infrared radiation” (Idso 34).
Because of the increased carbon dioxide emission, the effect of greenhouse on Earth has intensified. This is because, at this point, the inkling of global warming comes in. Despite the fact, that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are effective in Earth warming, many of them such as CO2 can also be very harmful. In fact, amplified emission of carbon dioxide in particular has led to increased global temperatures. This increase of global temperatures has in turn led to the melting of mountain glaciers and polar ice caps causing extreme rise in sea levels. This has put a very great harm to all people living along coastal regions and small islands, as well. Advanced global temperatures have also thrown off precipitation and thus causing new patterns of rainfall and extreme droughts, totally distracting the production of food in certain regions (Idso 43).
What can be done to address the increased CO2 emission
Humans are the main sources of carbon dioxide, and they can also help in reducing the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse effect can be reduced by decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide that is unconfined into the atmosphere. This can be achieved by reducing the infrared radiation that has been causing the effect of greenhouse. There are numerous ways of controlling the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. The first thing that human beings should do is taking advantage of the already existing train, bus, subway systems. This because these systems release small amounts of carbon dioxide as compared to other transport means (Ann 17).
The second thing that can be done to address increased CO2 in the atmosphere is carpooling. This involves filling gas tanks and cutting grass when the sun goes down. These two are additional ways of reducing the effect of greenhouse. Because the atmosphere is accountable for shielding and protecting the earth, it will be too late if there are no strategies in place to reduce the increasing effect of greenhouse. Excess emission of CO2 into the environment is very harmful, and if humans keep releasing more of this gas, they will only be making the greenhouse effect worse (Hansen 34).
Conclusion
This paper has expansively explored the increased release of CO2 into the environment. This has been a controversial issue in the recent past due to the adverse effect of increased carbon dioxide. The paper has shown why this is a problem, why it matters and the things that can be done to address it.
Work Cited
Businger and Robert. An introduction to atmospheric physics. International geophysics series (2nd Ed.). San Diego: Academic, 2000. Print
Idso, S.B. Carbon dioxide: friend or foe? : an inquiry into the climatic and agricultural consequences of the rapidly rising CO2 content of Earth's atmosphere. Tempe, AZ: IBR Press.1999. Print
Ann, M and Kendal. A climate modelling primer (3rd ed.). New York: Wiley, 2010. Print
Hansen and Stephen. "A slippery slope: How much global warming constitutes "dangerous anthropogenic interference"?". Climatic Change 68 (333): 269–279. New York: Academic, 2008. Print.
