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Charlie Macchia

Professor Morales

English 101

6 December 2020

Global Warming: The Challenge of the 21st Century

Global Warming is an existential threat to our society and the world. Whereas the major

challenge to America in the 19th Century was the war between the states, and the challenges of

the 20th Century were the world wars. If we do not overcome the challenge of Global Warming,

we will cease to exist. So what is Global Warming? How does it affect our world and how can

we stop it?

Global Warming is created when fossil fuels like coal emit carbon dioxide, which collects

in the atmosphere and absorbs sunlight and solar radiation. This results in what is called a

greenhouse effect. This process occurs when greenhouse gases trap sunlight and makes the Earth

more hot and humid. We are also emitting greenhouse gases at a higher rate than anything seen

in recorded history. The general consensus of the world’s scientists is that the Earth’s climate has

been warming at an exponential rate, and the most common factor causing this rise is man-made

carbon dioxide (The Basics Of Climate Change).

There are many industries that create carbon dioxide. The largest producer of greenhouse

gas emissions is the transportation sector at 28.2 percent. These emissions come from burning

fossil fuels from our cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes. Electricity produces 26.9 percent of

greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 63 percent of our electricity comes from burning

fossil fuels, mostly coal and natural gas. General Industry is responsible for 22 percent of
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emissions. Commercial and residential industry causes 12.3 percent. The agriculture industry,

which utilizes cows, agricultural soils, and rice production causes 9.9 percent of greenhouse gas

emissions and land areas and managed forests can absorb carbon dioxide emissions and produce

11.6 percent of 2018 greenhouse gas emissions (Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions). So what

are the major issues preventing us from dealing with Global Warming?

One of the major issues preventing us from dealing with global warming today is that the

American public denies that the concept of Global Warming even exists when it is scientifically

irrefutable. There are many misconceptions about Global Warming. The first thing that people

get wrong about Global Warming is not knowing the difference between weather and climate.

Whereas weather changes daily, climate happens over extremely long periods of time. Secondly,

it is accurate that the Earth’s temperature did rise and fall over many eras, but people forget that

these changes led to many catastrophic ecological disasters like mass extinctions. Some people

argue that there have always been carbon dioxide emissions throughout the history of the planet,

however, the amount of carbon dioxide has nearly doubled over the last 50 years. Carbon dioxide

emissions from cement and burning fossil fuels have increased by nearly thirty percent between

the years 2000 and 2009 (Carbon uptake has doubled over the last 50 years- but where is it

going?). Thirdly, it is wrong to say that scientists disagree about the reality of global warming

because they are working increasingly hard to solve this predicament, and to them, global

warming is irrefutable (Isn’t there a lot of disagreements among scientists about global

warming?). Fourthly, it’s wrong to consider that plants and animals can evolve in time to combat

the challenges made by Global Warming because the changing climate is happening at such an

accelerated rate that the life on Earth doesn’t have time to adapt to the radical changes to the
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environment that Global Warming is making (6 Claims Made by Climate Change Skeptics- and

How to Respond). But what is the most significant proof that Global Warming is real?

Fig.1, “Global Warming 101”, MacMillan, Amanda,https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-

warming-101

One of the phenomena that the scientists point to as proof that Global Warming is real is

that the ice of the Antarctic Sea is rapidly melting. The Antarctic sea ice level of 1979 covered

3.1 square kilometers and the Antarctic sea ice level of 2018 was 2.3 square kilometers

(Compare Maps of Antarctic Sea Ice). NASA has observed this phenomenon and stated that the

sea levels are rising at an accelerated rate (Rising Waters). They project that the seas will rise

and result in catastrophes from the extreme weather like hurricanes and tsunamis.This means we

could have multiple Hurricane Sandys or tsunamis on our hands. Hurricane Sandy caused 50

square miles of New York City to be flooded (Hurricane Sandy:Facts, Damage, Economic

Impact) and the Christmas Day Tsunami of Thailand killed 227,898 people (Tsunami of 2004
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Fast Facts), and this shows that our disregard for the environment means we are also

disregarding the lives of our fellow human beings. But what do the rising sea levels mean?

Fig.2, “Are the Effects of Global Warming Really that Bad?”, Denchak, Melissa,

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad

The sea levels are rising rapidly and exponentially, meaning that this will flood the Earth,

leaving no dry land for anyone to walk upon or any cars to drive upon. Melissa Denchak, a writer

for the National Resources Defense Council (Are the Effects of Global Warming Really that

Bad?), states that warmer climates cause atmospheres that can collect, trap, and drop more

moisture, shifting weather patterns to a point where moist areas will become increasingly more

moist, and dry areas will become increasingly more dry (Global Warming 101). When sea levels

rise more rapidly, islands will erode, causing global warming refugees to move to areas not
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flooded out. The inhabitants of these dry areas will not accept unwanted people coming to their

country which will create competition for resources. Rising sea levels will also cause wetlands to

flood, agricultural land will be contaminated with salt, causing crops to wither and die.

Thousands of people will be left starving. Millions of fish, birds and plants will lose their

habitats, dooming them to extinction (Sea level rise, explained). As you can see, global warming

is not a threat to be taken lightly. It is a significant threat to many animals and people that

deserve to be protected. So how do we fight global warming?

We must fight global warming by developing renewable energy sources to make sure that

Earth is still habitable for future generations (Effects of Climate Change). But what is renewable

energy? Renewable energy is energy from resources found in nature that restore themselves

without using up Earth’s other resources (Why Renewable Energy?). One example of renewable

energy is solar power because undeniably, the sun is a very powerful unlimited source of energy

(Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy). One solar farm of interest is still in its infancy

and is located in San Diego. It is going to make power available even when the sun isn’t shining

and it will produce 22 megawatts, and it will also serve 250,000 households (Another solar farm

is coming to the California desert) . But the sun is not the only source of renewable energy. What

is another example of renewable energy that can be used?

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Fig.3, “Solar energy”, Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy

Another example of renewable energy is wind power. Here’s the basic concept: You take

a turbine, wind blows the blades around a rotor, which spins a generator, and then you get

electricity (Solar energy). Notably, the first wind farm in the United States was completed off the

coast of Rhode Island (What is a Wind Farm?). It’s called Block Island Wind Farm, and it

produces 2900 megawatts of power. It can also serve 17,000 households (US wind projects).

Another wind farm is still in construction off the coast of New Jersey. Called Ocean Wind, it will

produce 1,100 megawatts of power, but it is unknown how many people it will serve (America’s

Largest Offshore Wind Farm is Set To Rise in New Jersey). So, as you can see, many sources

exist within nature that are never-ending and can be used wisely to power systems better. But

how does it affect me personally?

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Even though global warming is a universal problem, it also affects me on a personal level

because I get very irritated by people like Donald Trump and the majority of the Republican

party who claim that global warming is a hoax. I was shocked and appalled when I heard that

Trump pulled out of the “Paris Accords”. If you don’t know what the “Paris Accords” are, let me

explain: they are a collection of articles that address crucial areas of global warming . Their

central aim is to strengthen the global response to dealing with global warming by keeping this

century's global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and then

make the effort to lower the temperature even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius (The Paris

Agreement?) . The current global temperature is 1.16 degrees Celsius (Global Climate Report)

and pre-industrial levels were from the 1830s (What is a pre-industrial climate?). Another way

global warming affects me is because it causes massive heat waves which can give people heat

stroke and exhaustion which can lead to death (Climate Change is The Greatest Threat To

Human Health in History). Also, you should know that I am 18 and I am only starting to get

involved in the world. If global warming persists, myself and future generations to come may not

have a future. So if the older generation continues to allow global warming to get out of hand,

there won’t be a world for the generation of today to live in. I will tell you of one person who is

consistently proclaiming that.

Greta Thunberg, a 17-year-old Swedish girl who has entered the media’s eye as an

environmentalist, has proclaimed that the world needs to take global warming as seriously as the

current Covid-19 pandemic (Climate change as urgent as coronavirus). She has led many strikes
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against climate change in many locations like Switzerland and San Francisco (Greta Thunberg is

now 17. Here’s how she started a climate movement). One of her most famous protests was in

August of 2018, where she held a sign that said “School Strike for Climate”, outside of Swedish

Parliament, and, as a result, her protest went viral on social media (Greta Thunberg:Who is she

and what does she want?). I massively agree with her that climate change should be dealt with

and it must be dealt with now. We all should be doing our part to save this planet for it is the

home of everyone you have ever known or will know. So what can you do to reduce carbon

emissions and reverse Global Warming?

Some ways to do your part to combat global warming are to do these things: Firstly,

speak out against those who consider global warming a hoax and inspire the citizens in your

hometown and tell them to make a change in the world. Secondly, conserve water and electricity

so as to not run out of them (Here Are The Five Best Ways to fight Climate Change, Ranked by

Scientists). You can also recycle water from your shower, turn off lights in rooms that are not

occupied, and turn out lights when you leave your house. You can also fight global warming by

changing the kind of car you drive, like a Prius or an electric car, so as to reduce carbon

emissions. A major effort you can do to combat global warming is to support the Green New

Deal. What is the Green New Deal, you might be asking? Well, the Green New Deal is a

congressional resolution that lays out a final plan for tackling global warming. It says that the

entire world needs to get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which means that the same

amount of carbon would have to be absorbed as released into the atmosphere (What is the Green

New Deal?).
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Fig.4, “How You Can Stop Global Warming”, Denchak, Melissa,

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming

So, in conclusion, global warming is the greatest threat to the planet in the 21st Century.

If we find sustainable ways to make Earth a habitable, prosperous, bountiful planet that will be

inhabited by our descendants for years to come and will not be despoiled, we will survive this.

We can solve this problem by using solar and wind energy, driving electric cars, going back into

the Paris Accords, and supporting the Green New Deal. If we stop denying its existence, we will

be doing the world a favor and make a better future for those who are still to come because if we

keep taking our planet for granted, our race may cease to exist in the future. I hope you will be

one of the many people to join the fight against global warming and speak truth to power.
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Works Cited

“The Basics of Climate Change”, https://www.nap.edu/read/25733/chapter/5

“Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions”, https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-

greenhouse-gas-emissions

“Carbon uptake has doubled over the last 50 years-but where is it going?”,

https://www.carbonbrief.org/carbon-uptake-has-doubled-over-last-50-years-but-where-is-it-

going

MacMillan, Amanda,“Global Warming 101”, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101

Herring, David, “Isn’t there a lot of disagreement among climate scientists about global

warming?”, https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/isnt-there-lot-disagreement-

among-climate-scientists-about-global-warming

“6 Claims Made By Climate Change Skeptics--and How to Respond”, https://www.rainforest-

alliance.org/articles/five-common-claims-made-by-climate-change-skeptics

Ramsayer, Kate, “Rising Waters”, https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3030/rising-waters/

Nunez, Christina, “Sea level rise, explained”,

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/sea-level-rise/

“Compare Maps of Antarctic Sea Ice”, https://scied.ucar.edu/interactive/sea-ice-extent-maps-

compare-antarctic

Denchak, Melissa, “Are the Effects of Global Warming Really that Bad?”,

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad

“Effects of Climate Change”, https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/effects-of-climate-change

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“Why Renewable Energy?”, https://resource-solutions.org/why-renewable-energy/

Vourvoulias, Aris, “Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy”,

https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy

Roth, Sammy, “Another solar farm is coming to the California desert.”,

https://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/science/energy/2018/08/13/california-desert-solar-power-

los-angeles-orange-county-joshua-tree/819930002/

“Solar energy”, https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy

“How Do Wind Turbines Work?”, https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-

work

“What is a Wind Farm?”, https://www.inspirecleanenergy.com/blog/clean-energy-101/what-is-

a-wind-farm

“US wind projects”, https://us.orsted.com/wind-projects

Coen, John, “America’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm is Set to Rise In New Jersey”,

https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/ocean-wind/

“The Paris Agreement?”, https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-

paris-agreement

“Global Climate Report-March 2020”, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/202003

King, Andrew, “What is a pre-industrial climate?”, https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-pre-

industrial-climate-and-why-does-it-matter-78601

Introcaso, David, “Climate Change Is The Greatest Threat To Human Health In History”,

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20181218.278288/full/

Rowlatt, Justin, “Climate change ‘as urgent’ as coronavirus”,

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53100800
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Woodward, Aylin, “Greta Thunberg is now 17. Here’s how she started a climate movement.”,

https://www.businessinsider.com/greta-thunberg-bio-climate-change-activist-2019-9

“Greta Thunberg:Who is she and what does she want?”, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-

europe-49918719

Kurzius, Alexa C, “Here Are the Five Best Ways to Fight Climate Change, Ranked by

Scientists”, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ucla-study-ranks-five-ways-we-can-

reduce-climate-change-180951667/

Denchak, Melissa, “How You Can Stop Global Warming”, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-

you-can-stop-global-warming

“Hurricane Sandy:Facts, Damage, and Economic Impact”,

https://www.thebalance.com/hurricane-sandy-damage-facts-3305501

“Tsunami of 2004 Fast Facts”, https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/world/tsunami-of-2004-fast-

facts/index.html

“About Solar Energy”, https://www.seia.org/initiatives/about-solar-energy

Friedman, Lisa, “What is the Green New Deal?”,

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/climate/green-new-deal-questions-answers.html