Singh 1

Harman P. Singh

Mrs. Brower

Advanced Composition/Research

14 November 2018

Position Essay

“It’s not that the world hasn’t had more carbon dioxide, it’s not that the world hasn’t been

warmer. The problem is the speed at which things are changing.” These words by the infamous

Bill Nye, better known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” signify the importance of the rate at

which carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Acknowledging that carbon dioxide traps

heat, Bill Nye recognizes that temperatures are increasing at an alarming rate. Carbon dioxide

emissions from the burning of fossil fuel have been an exemplary heated topic in politics since

the industrial revolution. Modern scientists would agree that global warming is an issue that

seeks attention in order for humans to survive over millions of years to come forth. Global

warming-called climate change is a major issue in which humans need to take action because of

carbon dioxide levels rising, polar ice caps melting, and weather patterns changing.

As humans continuously and extensively burn fossil fuels, carbon dioxide levels increase

tremendously throughout time. More carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere results in a

build-up of heat molecules in the form of infrared radiation (Carbon Dioxide Absorbs). Carbon

dioxide molecules vibrate at high frequencies in the atmosphere (Carbon Dioxide Absorbs).

Something to catch resulting in infrared radiation from the sun within the carbon dioxide

molecule itself (Carbon Dioxide Absorbs). The more humans release carbon dioxide emissions

through the burning of fossil fuels, more blankets pile on top of the earth’s atmosphere to trap
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heat (Campbell; Carbon Dioxide Absorbs). Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide,

and ozone all are Greenhouse Gases that trap heat so the environment would be sustainable for

life to prosper (Carbon Dioxide Absorbs); however, temperatures vigorously rising are affecting

all organisms native to planet earth (Polar Ice Melting).

Carbon dioxide levels continue rising is a major reason why humans need to take action

upon global warming/climate change. For example, “One recent report… concluded global

emissions from fossil fuels will double in just 21 years, not 53, previously thought… the safe

upper limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 350 parts per million. The current

concentration; over 380 parts per million. Observers point to the rapid melting of Arctic ice as

evidence” (Campbell). This a significant piece of evidence that shows us that carbon dioxide

levels have increased with such rapid growth that the current concentration is 30 million parts

per million over the safe upper limit. Humans have emitted so much carbon dioxide into the

atmosphere that we have passed our sustainable limit for the environment (Campbell; Gelbspan).

Also, carbon dioxide levels will now double quicker in just 21 years than the expected 53 years

showing extensive levels at which humans are burning fossil fuels (Campbell). Effects such as

the Arctic ice caps melting is a major example that represents the outcomes of global warming

through the emissions of carbon dioxide (Campbell; Polar Ice Melting).

Humans have released such extensive quantities of carbon dioxide that it will take

decades and maybe even centuries to fix the issue. For example, “If everyone in North America

drove hybrid cars tomorrow, it would give just a fraction of the overall reduction needed to cut

global emissions 50 percent by 2050” (Campbell). This shows that humans have released so

much carbon dioxide that it will take the entirety of North America to only cut off half of the
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layers of carbon dioxide that we as humans have put on the earth. Evidence such as this shows us

that global warming/climate change is so serious that it will take decades to remove a proportion

of the carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. With only a 50% reduction by 2050, extinction

of certain animal species is a major outcome (Campbell; Impacts Global Warming). is a severe

possibility. Humans are continuously adding layers of carbon dioxide on top of the earth as the

years pass by. Now getting rid of these massive layers of carbon dioxide will take extreme

quantities of time (Campbell; Impacts Global Warming).

Another reason humans need to take action upon global warming/climate change is that

the polar ice caps are melting at astonishing rates. For example, “the rate of sea-level rise has

been 25% faster than previously thought. Even an inch of additional sea level represents 2

quadrillion gallons of water that can threaten coastlines” (Kluger). Due to rapid increases in

carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels, more heat can get

trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. This is clear since more heat results in temperatures to

increase in quantity, polar ice caps are melting at alarming rates. The atmospheric temperature

melts the polar ice and transforms the polar ice into water and enters the open sea (Kluger; Polar

Ice Melting). As high temperatures add more freshwater into the sea, sea levels rise and posses as

threats to nearby coastlines in the form of flooding (Kluger; Polar Ice Melting). Flooding of

coastlines will cause massive property damage, and the land flooded could be unsuitable for

humans to live upon (Kluger). The rate at which the polar ice caps are melting suggests that one

day there will be no polar ice caps present as a habitat for multiple organisms (Kluger; Polar Ice

Melting).
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The melting of the polar ice caps not only affects coastlines, but it is also affecting

animals that live there as native species. For example, “Unusual current of warm water off the

Antarctic Peninsula have deprived Adelie penguins of their major food source — small

cold-water hill shrimp… Parent birds, returning to find their chicks dead, are leaving the island”

(Polar Ice Melting). The once cold frozen polar ice is melting at extreme rates is even affecting

ecosystems that live on these polar ice caps (Kluger; Polar Ice Melting). Global warming/climate

change turns cold fresh water surrounding the polar ice caps into the warm water due to the polar

ice caps melting at high temperatures (Kluger; Polar Ice Melting). Due to massive heat added in

the sea in the form of warm water, effects on animal habitats are catastrophic. (Kluger; Polar Ice

Melting). Small cold-water hill shrimp are falling as a species and this is resulting in their

predators to a decrease in size as well due to lack of food resources (Polar Ice Melting). Here,

Adelie penguins are decreasing in size due to lack of their major food source, small cold-water

hill shrimp (Polar Ice Melting). Major keystone species such as the Adelie penguin falling will

cause the food web to go unbalanced and might affect other animals nearby (Impacts Global

Warming; Polar Ice Melting).

Changes in weather patterns make it compulsory for humans to take action upon global

warming/climate change. For example, “Droughts in the Southwest and heat waves everywhere

will become more intense, and cold waves less intense everywhere” (Global Climate Change).

This shows that due to carbon dioxide levels building up in the atmosphere, weather patterns in

the Southwest will change. Droughts will decrease most plant life living in the Southwest

(Global Climate Change; Impacts Global Warming). Resulting in a decreased measure of oxygen

from plants from photosynthesis for humans to breathe in (Global Climate Change). Also, these
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drastic heat waves will cut the quantity of precipitation, making it unbearable for humans to live

on such soil soon (Global Climate Change; Impacts Global Warming). Lack of water will make

humans move to different locations. Extensive heat can cause wildfires that will burn down the

forest and release even more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Global Climate Change). One

simple reaction can cause a chain reaction to occur, such as forest wildfires.

Massive storms show humans that action upon global warming/climate change is

necessary. For example, “The intensity, frequency, and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes,

and the frequency of the strongest (category 4 and 5) hurricanes have all increased...

Hurricane-associated storm intensity and rainfall rates will increase as the climate continues to

warm” (Global Climate Change). The evidence explains that the accumulation of carbon dioxide

levels in the atmosphere through excessive fossil fuel burning has resulted in massive storms.

The projected massive hurricane storms will get bigger and stronger as temperatures increase

(Global Climate Change). As more warm water is being added to the sea from the melting of the

polar ice caps, water currents will also change (Global Climate Change; Kluger). This results in a

massive buildup in the sea and could cause potential catastrophic hurricanes and storms (Global

Climate Change). The intensity and frequency of hurricanes have exploded since the 1980s

(Global Climate Change). Category 4 and 5 hurricanes are increasing in quantity due to global

warming/climate change (Global Climate Change). If humans don’t do something about global

warming, the earth won’t sustain life anymore because humans could not make adjustments in

their day-to-day lives.

Although most people would say that global warming is just a strategy of the Democratic

party to pile up votes, the polar ice caps melting and sea levels rising while bringing danger to
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coastlines tells a different story. More carbon dioxide molecules being released into the earth’s

atmosphere due to fossil fuel burning results in build-ups of heat in the atmosphere (Campbell;

Carbon Dioxide Absorbs). Blankets of heat pile on top of the earth’s atmosphere as time passes.

As global warming/climate change traps more heat in the earth’s atmosphere, polar ice caps melt

at alarming rates (Kluger; Polar Ice Melting). Cold ice water turning into warm water affects the

organisms that survive in cold water environments (Kluger; Polar Ice Melting). The melting of

the polar ice caps can cause habitat destruction and affect organisms that rely on cold water

organisms as a food source (Polar Ice Melting). Warm water being simultaneously being added

into cold freshwater will disrupt water currents and result in catastrophic storms to occur near

coastlines (Global Climate Change; Kluger). Category 4 and 5 hurricanes are occurring more

often than usual (Global Climate Change). Global warming is a major issue in which humans

need to take action because of carbon dioxide levels rising, polar ice caps melting, and changing

weather patterns. The following words by Algore bespeak that humans must take action now or

never, “The warnings about global warming have been clear for a long time. We are facing a

global climate crisis. It is deepening. We are entering a period of consequences.”

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Works Cited

Campbell, Colin. “What It Will Really Take to Stop Global Warming.” Maclean’s, vol. 121, no.

13, Apr. 2008, pp. 42–46. EBSCOhost.

“Carbon Dioxide Absorbs and Re-Emits Infrared Radiation.” ​The Water Cycle | UCAR Center

for Science Education,​

scied.ucar.edu/carbon-dioxide-absorbs-and-re-emits-infrared-radiation.

Gelbspan, Ross. “A Modest Proposal to STOP Global Warming.” Sierra, vol. 86, no. 3, May

2001, p. 62. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=4345982&site=ehost-live.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 16 July 2018, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

“Impacts of Global Warming.” ​Wildlife & Environmental Conservation Organisation - WWF -

WWF-Australia​,

www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/climate/impacts-of-global-warming#gs.Fx8CG2A.

Kluger, Jeffrey. “Troubled Waters.” Time, vol. 185, no. 3, Feb. 2015, pp. 16–17. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=100559533&site=ehost-live.

“Polar Ice Melting; Penguins Dying.” Earth Island Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, Spring 1995, p. 16.

EBSCOhost,
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search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9505051465&site=ehost-liv

e.

“Wise Old Sayings.” Global Warming Sayings and Global Warming Quotes | Wise Old Sayings,

www.wiseoldsayings.com/global-warming-quotes/.