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Ethan Hubbell

Nicholas Joslin

Mr. Gross

English 12 A (1)

16 November 2018

Global Warming

Space is infinite, going on for what is seemingly forever. Earth may reside in the vast

nothingness but is limited with what resources it has. The natural resources that are contained

within the Earth will eventually run out, leaving mankind with nothing to pollute the atmosphere

with. The planet is changing, whether liked or not, due to mankind's’ lack of care for the

environment and the planet around them. The leading problem is the carbon footprint humans are

leaving behind, effectively damaging the atmosphere. Commercial human emissions have been

the major cause for most if not all the warming since the mid-1900s. Scientists have confirmed

that the Earth’s warming is primarily due to the amount of carbon that is being pumped into the

atmosphere. To help combat global warming mankind needs to invest in more vehicles that

provide a better alternative. Mankind is tempted to use these resources, due to it being one of the

few cheaply reliable ways to gain energy, however, mankind will need to change in order to keep

the planet alive.

Cars are one of the most common modes of transportation in today's society, however,

most of these cars pump out harmful exhaust constantly. Car exhaust is such a big issue that,

“Collectively, cars and trucks account for nearly one-fifth of all US emissions, emitting around

24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of gas” (“Car
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Emissions and Global Warming” 1). On the surface, it seems hard to believe, yet it makes sense,

cars are used in the everyday life of Americans pushing these numbers to the extreme. The

greenhouse effect is “a phenomenon that traps heat in the lower parts of the Earth’s atmosphere”

effectively trapping the planet in a boiling pot (Papiewski 1). Vehicles release carbon dioxide

into the Earth's atmosphere, causing the heat to stay trapped on Earth with unhealthy radiation.

The outcome of this is seen in Los Angeles, California where the rates of asthma have gone up

due to the particle pollution in the ozone, according to The American Lung Association, 1 in

every 5 people have asthma (“American Lung Association” 5). The commercial emissions do not

account for the industrial grade pollution being produced from factories.

The Earth is being polluted by its inhabitants and in turn, it has lost a part of itself to

mankind. Scientists in the Mid-1980s discovered a hole in the ozone layer over the South Pole.

The hole was found to have been formed by multiple chemicals contained within everyday

products. Chemicals such as fluorine, bromine, and chlorine which are used in refrigerators, hair

sprays and fire extinguishers are among the main causes of the formation of the hole (Rose 1).

With the continued use and production of products, mankind is creating chemical trails that are

being placed into the environment. The impact of these chemicals has affected the ozone “In the

lower stratosphere -- closest to the surface and close to the equator -- increased CO2 is slowing

the production of new ozone, especially in the spring” (Rose 1). However, there are ways to help

and or prevent the world from continuing on the current path it is on.

Of the multiple ways to help improve life on Earth, finding an alternative to gasoline is

among the easier options. One way mankind can lower the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is

by using more fuel-efficient vehicles. While it is almost impossible to fully eliminate all
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emissions, “Cleaner fuels produce fewer emissions when they’re burned. Some fuels—such as

those made from cellulosic biofuels—can reduce emissions by 80 percent compared to gasoline.”

resulting in a much cleaner environment (“Car Emissions and Global Warming” 2). Taking it

one step further, electric vehicles could virtually eliminate emission. Electric cars and trucks use

electricity as a fuel, resulting in “fewer emissions than their conventional counterparts. When the

electricity comes from renewable sources, all-electric vehicles produce zero emissions to drive”

(“Car Emissions and Global Warming” 2). To help the planet and stop global warming, people

need to take actions and look further into electric and fuel efficient vehicles before there is no

planet left to pollute.

Global warming affects the entire world, but the real phenomenon is how people can still

debate over what causes it. Claiming that people are the cause of global warming is one thing;

however, it does not account for things like unprecedented warming. Unprecedented warming is

caused by the sun getting hotter due to the off balance of nuclear fusion happening within the

sun, which causes more radiation and heat to be released. This is explained by Sean S.

Biddeford, an astrophysicist at NASA, who stated, “As the Sun ages, it slowly grows hotter due

to the accumulation of residual energy emitted by these core reactions. Initially, the Sun was

only about 70% as luminous as it is today” (“Alerts” 1). Sean goes on to explain why people

today will not be affected by this by insisting, “The Sun is becoming increasingly hotter or more

luminous with time. However, the rate change is so slight we won't notice anything even over

many millennia, let alone a human lifetime”(“Alerts” 3). Sean talks about how the sun is getting

hotter and could kill everyone, however, such an event will not happen for millenniums to come.

The harsh reality is that there is no other way for the climate to change as it has naturally, it is
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caused by human decisions and can only stop by human decisions.

The main cause of global warming and climate change on the planet are the inhabitants

that reside on it and the carbon footprints’ mankind is leaving behind. The invention and use of

motorized vehicles have polluted the Earth's atmosphere since they were invented. Chemicals

that pollute the air and cause a hole in the ozone layer are major contributors to Earth’s global

warming. However, with the implementation of more fuel effective and electric vehicles,

mankind could help fight the Earth’s warming. The sun may be hot but is only a tool of

destruction using the chemically induced holes in the ozone mankind has plagued the earth with.

The world is melting and all mankind is concerned about is whether gas is cheaper down the

road.
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Works Cited

“Alerts.” ​Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources | USM Libraries | University of Southern Maine,​

usm.maine.edu/planet/sun-getting-hotter-if-so-why-will-earth-eventually-become-too-hot-lif

e.

“Car Emissions and Global Warming.” ​Union of Concerned Scientists​,

www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/car-emissions-and-global-warming#.W-WZwYFKi00.

“Car Emissions and Global Warming.” ​Union of Concerned Scientists​,

www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/car-emissions-and-global-warming#.W-4T12hKi00.

“Los Angeles.” ​American Lung Association | State of the Air 2015,​

www.stateoftheair.org/2013/states/california/los-angeles-06037.html.

Papiewski, John. “How Does the Release of Car Exhaust Fumes Cause Global Warming?” ​What

Students Learn From Dissecting a Cow's Eye | Education - Seattle PI​, 21 Nov. 2017,

education.seattlepi.com/release-car-exhaust-fumes-cause-global-warming-3682.html.

Rose, Kasandra. “Does CO2 Deplete the Ozone Layer?” ​Sciencing.com,​ Sciencing, 13 Apr.

2018, sciencing.com/co2-deplete-ozone-layer-4828.html.