Running head: Change

Change

Samantha Velazquez

Arizona State University

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Abstract

In recent years, global warming has escalated to a dangerous path for every person on earth.

Natural disasters have reached new records in destruction and it is all happening because of

human behavior towards the planet. Excepting that it is our fault is what we fail to realize.

Global warming is real and we need to change our ways before it gets even more out of control

than it already is.

Keywords: Global Warming, dangerous, disasters, records, human, change

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Change

Global warming has been become a reoccurring problem through the past centuries, but

especially in the most recent years. Through all of this time, there has been a constant debate

about whether it was real or not. With data and scientific facts, it can be proven that global

warming is in fact, real. Because it is real, those who dont believe in global warming are hurting

the planet with every day that passes by. Although there are many causes for global warming,

perhaps the first and most significant is seeing what role humans play in whether they believe in

global warming or not.

I have an aunt that lives in Mexico City, Mexico. She is one of the nicest people I know

and she is very loving and nurturing towards her family and friends. On September 19, 2017 a

7.1 earthquake hit Mexico City and she was affected by it. Her house was not completely

destroyed, but her home was affected by the earthquakes magnitude. It took my family a few

days to get in contact with her because they didnt have a phone. The last earthquake that had

this much of an impacted in Mexico City was in 1985. With multiple disasters occurring, this

means that it is happening all around the world and not just in one particular spot. Since disasters

are happening in various places, the likelihood that it will at one point or another affect someone

in your life or even you are very high.

Another disaster that occurred this past year was in Texas. I have a cousin in Texas where

Hurricane Harvey hit and he was affected by the disaster that was caused by it. His home was

flooded and this day he is still trying to recover from the aftermath of the hurricane. Not only

was there a hurricane in Texas, but also in other parts of the United States where thousands of

people were affected and left to recover from the destruction. The water was so high in Texas

that a lot of property was damaged and these are the results of a lack of caring. Right now,
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spreading awareness is one of the best things to do in order to stop the progression of global

warming.

I can only hope that by hearing the stories of family that were affected by these terrible

tragedies can make people understand the affect it is causing the world. In 2017 we had some of

the biggest hurricanes in history. It was devastating to hear what happened in these states, but

humbling to see all the support and donations given for those who were victims of the hurricane.

Seeing the aftermath of peoples flooded homes, the hurricane destroying their property and not

leaving them with much of their belongings when they return to their neighborhood is desolating.

Humans need to understand the reason natural disasters are happening is because of global

warming. Forest fires, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc. these are all because of the way

humans are treating the planet. People are polluting every single day, trashing the earth instead

of cleaning it. The gas we use in our cars pollutes the air, factories that burn oil are hurting our

ozone layer. Global Climate Change states, Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like

coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) (Global

Climate Change, 2017). Greenhouse gases have increased in concentration because of the human

activity of oil and coal burning. The earth will get warmer therefore, the glaciers will melt faster

and ocean levels will rise. If the glaciers melt, sea levels rise and hurricanes will be even more

disastrous. Not only will hurricanes be more dangerous, but islands will no longer exist because

they will be covered with water because of the sea levels rising at a fast rate.

Global warming has increased over the past years. According to the Earth Observatory,

Earth has experienced climate change in the past without help from humanity (Earth

Observatory, 2008). The Paris Agreement was started to see what each country was doing to help

protect carbon dioxide. As of 2017, the United States along with Nicaragua and Syria are no
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longer part of the Paris Agreement. Since we are no longer in the Paris Agreement, there has

been an uproar between those who do believe in global warming and those who dont. This has

definitely caused the American people to divide as a country over a very controversial issue. The

real problem with global warming is the traumatic affect it will bring to the planet if the majority

of people dont believe in it. If people dont believe in global warming or climate change,

disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes are not only going to continue to happen

more frequently, but they will get worse as a result of the changes that the planet is going

through. The destruction will be disastrous, the NRDC says, Allergies, asthma, and infectious

disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing

ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and

mosquitoes (NRDC, 2016). The human race needs to come together to find a solution for what

we are all going to do in order to solve this problem because the longer we wait the worse it will

be.

I believe in global warming because scientifically we can see that there has been a drastic

change in the planet in the past years. Ocean levels are rising; the temperature is rising much

faster than ever before, NASA explains, A change driven largely by increased carbon dioxide

and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere (Global Climate Change, 2017). Humans

are one of the main factors of why the earth is hurting, the chemicals that are released into the air

daily has an extreme effect on the planet. NASA goes on to explain, Most of the warming

occurred in the past 35 years, with 16 of the 17 warmest years on record occurring since 2001.

Not only was 2016 the warmest year on record, but eight of the 12 months that make up the year

from January through September, with the exception of June were the warmest on record

for those respective months (Global Climate Change, 2017). The earths temperature has risen
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2.0 degrees Fahrenheit and it will continue to increase in temperature if everyone continuous

with their regular routine. Changes need to be made in order to save what we can. Changes such

as spreading awareness or holding conferences with people of different age groups so that people

can hear from their own generation on the importance of changing our ways of living. As of this

very moment, we still have time to help the planet but we need to act now. Not only has the

temperature risen, but ocean temperatures have as well. NASA reports, The oceans have

absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) of ocean

showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969 (Global Climate Change, 2017). If

the water continues to rise, then all the ocean creatures are put in danger. Not only are they in

danger because of the heat, but we have seen how polluting the ocean hurts all the fish in it. We

throw a lot of waste into the ocean as well as a lot of oil leaks have occurred where the animals

are affected by it.

There are so many issues happening in the world at this very moment. With so many life

altering events, people tend to have their own opinions and perspectives on each subject. A lot of

issues such as gun control, womens rights, the government, etc. have been given a platform

where, in the end, there can hopefully be a solution. I feel that global warming has not been

given the attention that is needs. Not everyone believes in climate change, ocean water rising and

other natural disasters. There are people who dont believe these disasters are happening because

of humans. If people dont believe in the destruction of global warming, then we dont stand a

chance at what is to come.

The most important thing to all of us is family. A lot of people have family all around the

world. If we continue this way, our families are going to suffer tremendously and by then it

might be too late to do anything. Right now is our chance to correct ourselves before it is too
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late, we still have time, but if we continue this way it will only get worse for us and our family

around the world.

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References

Earth Observatory (2008). How Is Todays Warming Different from the Past? NASA Gov. Retrieved from
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GlobalWarming/page3.php

Global Climate Change (2017). Climate Change: How do we know? NASA. Retrieved from
https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

NRDC. (2016). Global Warming 101. Retrieved from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101