Submitted by: Submitted by allwyn88
Views: 407
Words: 3017
Pages: 13
Category: Other Topics
Date Submitted: 06/09/2010 07:06 AM
Natural Causes of Global Warming
You are probably wondering if global warming is caused by natural cycles. You're right, there is some truth to that, but it's of critical importance that you understand the whole picture to avoid devastasting consequences to your future.
Naturally Occurring Warming
and Cooling Processes
First, you should understand the primary natural causes of global warming:
Volcanic Eruptions
Large volcanic eruptions can throw so much dust into the sky that the dust acts as a shield to solar radiation and causes a cooling trend in the atmosphere. You probably can't remember such an eruption as they are rare and infrequent occurances.
Sunspots
Changes in the Earth's solar radiation levels can have some impact on the Earth's climate. Increased solar activity can cause short-term warming cycles on the Earth.
The Wobbly Earth
As the Earth spins, it does not achieve perfect rotation. It actually wobbles slightly, thus alternately exposing the northern and southern latitudes to more and less solar radiation. This wobble in the Earth's rotation has been causing changes in the temperature of the atmosphere for many millions of years.
HUMAN CAUSE
The Most Significant Cause
The buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mainly from your fossil fuel emissions, is the most significant human cause of global warming. Carbon dioxide is released every you burn something, be it a car, airplane or coal plant. This means you must burn less fossil fuel if you want the Earth's climate to remain stable! And unfortunately, we are currently destroying some of the best known mechanisms for storing that carbon-- plants.
Deforestation increases the severity of global warming as well. Carbon dioxide is released from the human conversion of forests and grasslands into farmland and cities. All living plants store carbon. When those plants die and decay, carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere. As forests and grasslands are cleared for your use,...