Article 1 : Environmental

Global Warming "Very Likely" Caused by Humans, World Climate Experts Say

News article http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070202-global-warming.html

On the 2nd of February, 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a resounding statement that we, humans are the main cause of the observed increase in temperature of earth and atmosphere, simply known as global warming.

In the modern world today, we are using more and more of earth’s natural resources to aid us. Burning of such resources results in toxic gases being released and they cause the earth to heat up, which results in global warming. In the end, it all boils down to the selfish, inconsiderate and ignorant part of man

Statistics from the article will tell the terrible effects of our doing. For example, due to global warming, the Artic sea ice will disappear in the late summer by the later part of this century. However, I know that we humankind will not change its ways. Despite imminent disaster, people engage in illegal activities like burning of forests, or using illegal products with CFCs that harm the environment. Such cases are simple acts of selfishness. People are also ignorant and inconsiderate, for example not disposing CFC products properly, or insisting on using CFC products. As an ordinary person, I feel that such people are detestable and are the real criminals of environmental abuse.

However, as ordinary people, we might feel such actions are horrible. But think of it, can we do without burning of fuels for electricity? Can we do without land-use change? Definitely not. We can never stop such actions for we need such processes to live in this world. Put yourself in the shoes of others. For example, would Indonesia stop the cutting down of trees? This industry is one of their major sources of income as they have large amounts of forests. The oil-rich Dubai will never stop its exportation of oil and fuels. We may deem this as selfish, but can they, or even we, do without all these resources? The cold hard fact is that despite the harm caused all these; we cannot stop it, for such processes form the livelihood of many people in the world. The irony of this is that we need the Earth’s resources so much that we are destroying it to survive; but yet, we are walking into our own death.

As I read this article, I can’t help but think that I have contributed to such a result. As an individual, it might appear that you are not causing much harm, but a large group of people can cause a significant effect. I feel that it is too late to cry over spilt milk. We can’t stop global warming. Rather, we can minimize it. I could probably start by recycling, reusing and reducing. These very steps can prevent the need to use more of Earth resources. In conclusion, I strongly urge everyone just to make a little effort to minimize global warming in the earth, and unite in making sure that our earth will always be a beautiful place to live in.