HOW TO CURB GLOBAL WARMING?

By PRERNA PANDEY

Global Warming is the gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally
attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other
pollutants. The rise in the temperature of the surface of the earth has been resulting in warmer
environment and melting of ice caps and glaciers. 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 warming is the greatest threat the planet is facing today and we are close
to passing the tipping point of irresistible climate change. Thus it’s not a prediction; it is happening.
There are numerous causes to global warming, some are natural while others are because of humans.
The main cause of global warming is the increasing level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. There
has been a rapid increase in the level of greenhouse gases since the 20th century because of the
increasing population, economy, use of energy and the invention of automobiles. Industrialization is
another cause off the rising level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Industrial processes are
responsible for the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and Sulphur dioxide in the
atmosphere. The rate of their release in the atmosphere has increased by 10-fold. Methane is another
greenhouse gas release in the atmosphere by the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials. Other
greenhouse gases are like oxides of nitrogen (nitrous oxide), halocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
chlorine and bromine compounds, etc. Carbon dioxide and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere
and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally, this
radiation would escape into space—but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the
atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. This is known as the greenhouse effect.
Another human generated cause of global warming is the release of chlorofluorocarbon gas which
results in the formation of holes in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Increasing use of chlorofluorocarbon
gas in industries and in refrigerators is the cause of this problem.
Ozone layer protects the Earth’s surface by not allowing harmful sun rays to come to the Earth.
Gradually declining ozone layer is one indication of the rate at which global warming is happening today.
The hole in the ozone layer has become twice the size of Antarctica according to recent statistics.
Other processes like burning of fossil fuels, use of fertilizers are also the reasons of global warming. The
ultimate causes of such reasons are the technological advancement, over population, increasing
demand of industrial expansion, deforestation, priority towards urbanization.
The effects of global warming have been very clearly visible in the recent years and will be even more
clearly visible in the coming years. Increasing level of Earth’s temperature creates lots of problems like
sea level becomes hotter and higher, glaciers melt, flood, strong storms, lack of food, diseases, etc. It
has been measured that year like 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1991 as the warmest six years of the past
century. Due to the rising in the Earth’s temperature out of 150 only 25 glaciers are left in the
Montana’s Glacier National Park in the United States of America. Melting of glaciers and ice caps has led
to a very steep decrease in the population of polar bears and other animals that live in cold climates.
This is clear indication towards the level of threat that global warming is. Global warming results in many
natural disasters like Cyclones, Tsunami, etc.
NGOs, private sectors and government agencies have run and implanted various programs for
awareness about global warming, stricter laws have been made which do not allow factories to dispose
harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Some consequences of global warming cannot be solved
by this method, like melting of ice caps, but still awareness and stricter laws are a great way to deal with
global warming. Everyone should try their best to reduce global warming, planting trees in the
neighborhood, and carpooling to work are some of the solutions to reduce the human causes of global
warming. Instead of using electrical energy we should use clean energy like solar energy, wind energy
and geothermal energy. Instead of petrol people should switch to cars that use compressed natural gas.
Reducing the level of coal and oil burning, use of electrical devices, use of transportation means etc.
may reduce the global warming to a great extent.