By: Nicole Baillargeon
Posted In: Opinion
Photo credit: MCT Campus
Meltdown: Experts say global warming from the burning of fossil fuels for energy raises many questions about the future of the Artic ice.
I’m walking peacefully along my neighborhood,
enjoying the scenery and taking in the gorgeous fall weather. It’s a great day, and I’m happy as I stroll to the beat of my own drum. However, occasionally something occurs that disrupts my Zen. A car drives by me. The driver rolls down the window and in slow motion drops a fast food bag out onto the street, a few leftover fries leave a greasy trail behind and the car whizzes off into the sunset. Hey, at least they are feeding the seagulls. I get irritated at this obvious display of laziness. Will it take the driver that much effort to hold on to his or her garbage until the destination is reached? I’m sure this destination has heard of the invention of a garbage can. Is it really that much of a burden to take those few extra steps to the barrel to toss the unwanted goods? Sloth is a deadly sin, but I think that littering should make the list as well. Global warming, whether you choose to believe it or not, is real and it’s happening now, and by actually throwing out your trash in its proper vestibules, rather than disposing it on Mother Earth, can actually make a big difference. According to an article on the National Geographic website, over 2,000 scientists have concluded that global warming has been caused by humans. Would you like a more scientific term? Global warming caused by humans is called, anthropogenic climate change (you can impress your friends!). Also, according to National Geographic, through excessive pollution, industrialization and deforestation, humans have been helping to emit large concentrations of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat near the earth’s surface. This means that we are emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb. So, right about now you are probably thinking who you should care about this issue so much. You like the warm weather, right? Well, global warming has some devastating effects on the planet. According to a report by the IPCC (that’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2007, global warming could eventually lead to shortages in food supplies for wildlife, as well as a rise in sea level between seven and 23 inches, which could cause major flooding in some areas of the world. Not only that, but glaciers are melting, also causing a rise in sea level and creating shortages of water. Therefore, say goodbye to those cute furry polar bears. Yep, they’ll be extinct.But, you don’t care about them, right? Maybe this will change your mind. It has also been scientifically studied that hurricanes,wildfires and other natural disasterswill become excessive on our planet. This is already happening, for example, the wildfires in Los Angeles. Therefore, I beg of you, before you mindlessly toss that Dunkin Donuts’ cup out of your window, think about all of the damage that you could be doing to the environment. It’s the little steps that will help make this planet a cleaner and better place to live.
