The big debate that many people talk about: is global warming real? The answer is yes; global warming exists and is very much affecting our planet. The seasons are changing; every season is a little warmer than the year before. Dramatic weather changes, such as unpredictable rainfall and more tropical storms, hurricanes and even volcano eruptions are occurring more and more every year. Another thing that is being affected is that animals are suffering. Scientists speculate that polar bears will go extinct within the next 100 years due to ice caps melting and waters warming. So, what does all this mean and how can Blackburn help decrease global warming?
It is clear to anyone, whether they believe in global warming or not, that every month is warmer than it was the year before. According to NASA’s website, in 2016, scientists charted that the months between January and September were the warmest recorded months ever. So, how does one explain the warming seasons to a non-believer? Well, I would point out the fact that the remaining glaciers and ice caps are melting. Ice just doesn’t melt in the cold; everyone knows that.
According to the same website, between the years of 1993 and 2016, Greenland lost around 281 billion tons of ice, while Antarctica lost around 119 billion tons during the same time period. As for the glaciers, in places like the Alps, Rockies, Himalayas, Andes and Alaska, the glaciers are melting and retreating further every year. Another point is that snowfall is less, which then results in melting earlier, according to the website. So, how is all this happening?
The main cause for global warming is something scientists call the “greenhouse effect.” The greenhouse effect is pretty straightforward. The atmosphere traps in heat radiating from the Earth into space. The Earth’s atmosphere is composed of different gases, all of which allow a certain amount of heat from Earth to actually escape into space. Some gases that are in the atmosphere contributing to the greenhouse effect are water vapor (H2O), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).
Water vapor is the most abundant in the atmosphere; as the atmosphere warms, the amount of vapor increases, along with more clouds and precipitation. Carbon dioxide is a minor part of the atmosphere, but it is still effective to climate change. Through natural processes, such as respiration and volcano eruptions, carbon dioxide is released. Methane is produced naturally and by human activities. This includes, but is not limited to landfills; agriculture, specifically rice cultivation; and manure. Nitrous oxide is mainly produced by the usage of fertilizers and fossil fuel burning. All of these appear naturally, but through human activities, they are being produced at higher levels, affecting the natural greenhouse that the atmosphere makes. But how can Blackburn become part of the solution to this problem?
The act of reducing climate change, or global warming, is called mitigation. Mitigation is really just reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The ultimate goal is to reduce interference of humans. Blackburn has around 600 people on campus between the students, faculty and staff, give or take a few, so naturally, we need a lot of electricity, which burns fossil fuels, adding to the greenhouse effect. There are many different ways in which Blackburn can become part of the solution. To start, as students, faculty and staff, we can speak up about the issue at hand. Speaking up about an issue is the most effective way to get your point across. We have so many ways to voice our opinion: social media, peaceful protests and even talking to elected officials. But what can students individually do to reduce global warming?
Well, reducing water usage like turning off the water when we’re brushing our teeth, shampooing or conditioning, shaving and taking shorter showers would be beneficial. Another way students can help is to unplug whatever you aren’t using, like straightening and curling irons, coffee pots, lamps, fans, clocks and your phone or computer charger. Also, a big change that commuters could make is to find another commuter and commute in one vehicle. Blackburn can work together and become part of the solution rather than the problem. We only have this planet to call home; let’s make it last as long as we can.