Notebook 10

6f. Return to an essay you have written. Revise the essay, making some kind of major adjustment—
reworking your thesis, starting with the conclusion, changing the narration (in the memoir or profile),
cutting it by a third, etc. Or translate it into a PSA, audio essay, video essay, graphic/hypertext.

There is a lot of talk about global warming, some if it's even real. Well it is, very real to the point

where it's drastically affecting all living things. Humans, plants, and animals are all being altered in their

day-to-day lives. However humans are the cause of the incline of climate change. There are multiple

reasons built up that contribute to global warming but I think there are three key ones to narrow it

down to. Climate change is shown everywhere - in weather patterns, drastic temperature changes, and

in the environment. Scientists are studying and keeping track of these changes that are likely cause from

global warming. So far our hottest year on record has been 2016.

With that record of the hottest year to date, it's apparent the additional warmth is affecting

climate conditions and weather structures. Increased heat adjusts glaciers, weather, and oceans.

Glaciers known as the frozen water on Earth, the cryosphere is swiftly melting which is playing a part in

sea level rise. The melting of polar ice sheets also causes obscure ocean water which takes up more

sunlight than ice which causes the speeding up of the heating and melting cycle. Weather is getting

more intense, causing natural disasters and stunting the natural resource we all need to survive - water.

Heat waves are more periodic and the inclined evaporation of water is key to leading to storms, such as

hurricanes. In some areas it even causes droughts and wildfires. With the ocean water absorbing such

excess heat it's causing them to increase in size and become more acidic. An estimated third of carbon

dioxide emissions end up in the ocean causing a spark and sea life to die off and deteriorate.
 Human daily lives are suffering, our health, environment, and livelihoods are at stake. Humans

are however the cause of global warming. Not everyone contributes to it though, so why should the rest

of us have to suffer? Climate and weather change are a major threat to agriculture. How, when, and

where we grow our crops varies specifically off of weather and climate patterns. Crop growers all over

the world are struggling with the changing weather and the uncertain water supplies. With these given

causes farmland is prone to weeds and diseases attacking the crops reducing yield. When the air is

warmer it causes ground level ozone to increase better known as smog. Polluted air aggravates asthma

attacks and is harmful to the lungs. Wildfire smoke additionally adds to the pollution in the air. Heat

waves in the hot of the summer cause people to overheat and result in death. When the fresh water is

warmer it's easier to spread disease and cause bacteria to grow and contaminate our drinking water.

Heat waves, flooding and other weather occurrences such as natural disasters can disturb our

transportation ways.

As mentioned earlier sea life is dying off because of the carbon dioxide that's released into the

ocean but animals and their habitats on the land are being effected as well. There is risk of some

ecosystems being destroyed and with the habitat loss animals are unable to live there being forced out

and even taken over by other animals. With glaciers melting the animals that depend on ice are

disappearing. Polar bears and other mammals are at risk and the polar bear was actually added to the

endangered species list because of global warming. Coral reefs and tide pools are extremely sensitive to

any slight changes in the oceans temperature. Warmer water dissipates the algae that nourishes the

coral reef that produces it's vibrant colors. The coral is then "bleached" when the algae leaves the coral

starves. Not only are tide pools and coral reefs homes for themselves but they're also homes and hiding

places for fish. This would destroy the ocean ecosystem shells will deteriorate and everything else such

as coral and shellfish won't have enough calcium to grow. Again with more acidic ocean water it's going
to be toxic for all ocean life species. Shorter winters and longer summers are a threat towards forest

trees because it prolongs droughts and weakens the trees. With active insects and weak trees causes

they to die off. Deforestation is also a cause to global warming and habitat loss to many already extinct

animals.

Global warming is real and it's time people realize that, and realize it's because of them! The sad

thing is, most people won't. I feel like after doing my research global warming is always going to be an

issue but it can always be reduced! With the right education and action being taken it can easily be

fixed. Even putting laws and regulations into place would force people to participate in saving the

planet.

Sources:

“How Climate Change Plunders the Planet.” Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org/climate/how-

climate-change-plunders planet?

gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkrjg_b_J2QIVBJ7ACh3y4gPMEAAYASAAEgKnZfD_BwE&utm_campaign=edf_clim

ate-change_upd_dmt&utm_id=1518122681&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 3 Aug. 2017, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

“Climate Change.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/climate-

change/.

“Climate Change.” NRDC, 22 Dec. 2017, www.nrdc.org/issues/climate-change.