Global Warming: Causes, Consequences, Solutions Essay

Since the early days of the greenhouse debate, scientists have been interested in the impacts of global warming. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has initiated a comprehensive on the impacts of climate change for the country. The public’s increased attention to such problem is not anymore surprising as it threatens every creature with potentially devastating consequences, which has put global warming in the lime light (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5; Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). Nevertheless, attempts at a monetary quantification of these impacts – despite being classic application of environmental economics – have started to emerge just recently (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). Many scientists believe that our planet has been experiencing a warming trend over the last 200 years- and that our activities are responsible for this global warming. It started with the industrial revolution, around 1750 (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5; Kursunoglu et. al. , 2001 p. 151). People began to use machines in more and more areas of life and daily functioning, from heating, to building, and manufacturing, to transportation. The machines were powered by burning fuels, such as wood, coal, oil, and natural gas (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). If these fuels burn, they emit carbon dioxide and other waste products into the atmosphere, which is the layer of air that covers our planet (Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). Fossil fuels provide about 85% of the world’s energy, sustaining the world’s standard-of-living and providing the power for transportation. These fuels are inexpensive, transportable, safe, and relatively abundant. At the same time, their use contributes to problems such as air quality and acid rain that are being addressed through various control efforts and to the problem of global warming, which is now being considered by governments of the world (Kursunoglu et. al. , 2001 p. 151). Scope and Limitation The study involves mainly the issues of global warming in terms of its cause, consequences and solutions implicated. The study shall incorporate various theoretical explanations in order to address the subject criteria of the problem imposed. The scope of the study shall coincide mainly on the environmental issue of global warming. Mainly, the study shall scrutinize the details of the review of related literature patterned to the primary components imposed in the latter of the studies. Analysis and interpretation of data present shall involve clear and accurate depiction of the study utilizing the present and gathered data of the review of literatures. The following shall be the objectives of the study in this research paper: a. To be able to critically analyze the primary components imposed in the study, particularly the presenting phenomenon and the cause-effect relationships of global warming b. To be able to provide necessary data analysis and implication utilizing mainly the references, data gathered in review of literature and the analysis of latter studies proposed in order to provide primary depiction of the actual status of the environment in terms of global warming. Review of Related Literature Global Warming: Overview The basic principle of global warming can be understood by considering the radiation energy from the Sun that warms the Earth’s surface and the thermal radiation from the Earth and the atmosphere that is radiated out to space. On average, these two radiation streams must be balance. If the balance is disturbed, it can be restored by an increase in the Earth’s surface temperature (Houghton, 2004 p. 14). The gases nitrogen and oxygen that make up0 the bulk of the atmosphere neither absorb nor emit thermal radiation. It is the water vapor, carbon dioxide, and some other minor gases present in the atmosphere in much smaller quantities that absorb some of the thermal radiation and causing the difference of 21 degrees Celsius or so between the actual average surface temperatures on the Earth of about 15 degrees Celsius. Such blanketing condition is known as the natural greenhouse effects and the gases are known as greenhouse gases (Houghton, 2004 p. 16). The greenhouse gases are those gases in the atmosphere which, by absorbing thermal radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, have blanketing effect upon it. The most important of the greenhouse gases is water vapor, but its amount in the atmosphere is not changing directly because of human activities. The important greenhouse gases that are directly influenced by human activities are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and ozone (Houghton, 2004 p. 28). Normally, carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere in small amounts-just enough to keep temperatures on Earth at a comfortable range for our planet’s living things. The burning fuels, however, has been increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Houghton, 2004 p. 28; Silverstein et. al. , 2003p. 5). So far, global warming has not been substantial, increasing the average temperature of Earth by only about 0. 6 degrees Celsius in the last century. This change is so small that some scientists argue that it is just a natural fluctuation and not a trend. Other scientists state that there is a great deal of evidence to support global warming: Summers are getting hotter and winters are getting milder, glaciers are melting, and sea levels are rising, but these signs are only the initial phase of global warming phenomena. The warming trend is expected to speed up and produce even greater effects (Silverstein et. al. , 2003 p. 6). Warming did not occur evenly around the world, and some scientists wondered whether the changes in observed temperature might simply be a result of the growth of cities near weather stations. Urban areas form heat islands; pavement and rooftops absorb more heat than soils and plant leaves, so cities have warmer climates than rural areas. Climatologists admit they do not fully understand Earth’s climate system. For decades, however, they have agreed that signs of global warming would be most noticeable in cold regions (Pringle, 2001 p. 17; Silverstein et. al. , 2003 p. 6) – particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, because it holds less heat-absorbing ocean water than the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists have predicted that areas such as Alaska, Canada, and Northern Russia would harm more than Earth as a whole (Pringle, 2001 p. 17). Historical Overview: Development of Agencies and Organizations It has been known for about 175 years that the presence in the atmosphere of â€Å"greenhouse gases† such as carbon dioxide that absorb in the infrared part of the spectrum leads to a warming of the Earth’s surface through the greenhouse effects. The first quantitative calculations were made by the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius in 1896. In the 1960s, Charles Keeling and his colleagues began a regular series of accurate observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. Such studies showed increasing values as a result of human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1; (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16). By the 1980s, as the rate of increase of carbon dioxide concentration became larger, the possible impact on the global climate became a matter of concern to politicians as well as scientists. The report of a scientific meeting held at Villach, Austria in 1985 under the auspices of the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) began to alert governments and the public at large to the potential seriousness of the issue. Estimates were made that the carbon dioxide concentration could double before the end of the 21st century. In 1896, three multinational agencies, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ICSU, who had co-sponsored the Villach conference, formed the Advisory Group of Greenhouse Gases (AGGG), a small international committee with responsibility for asserting the available scientific information about the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the likely impact (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1). After the assembly of these well-known organizations, and formations of small groups, such as the AGGG, discoveries and widely assessments have been made regarding the issues of global warming. Private and public sectors in the United States and Europe have gathered (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 27), including those from other nations such as Japan, South Korea, etc. , in order assess possible etiologies, evaluate impending causes and provide critical support-based solutions (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1). Measurements of Global Warming Even a few years ago, the acceptance of global warming was not as widespread as it is today. Global warming is difficult to prove as temperature records do no go back very far. Furthermore, the old records are primarily land based, are not representative of large areas of the world, are mostly from urban areas, and are not always collected with precision. Existing records, however, were collated, processed and standardized by P. D Jones and T. M. L Wrigley (1990), and their formulation of standardized data indicates a slow warming trend since the last century with occasional periods of cooling (Hester and Harrison, 2002 p. 1; Gupta, 1998 p. 86). The deviations from the general trend may occur due to three reasons: sunspot cycles; volcanic eruptions producing large quantities of fine ash in the air; the occurrence of El Nino Southern Oscillation. Correcting for all such factors, Jones and Wrigley estimated that the earth has become 0. 5 degrees Kelvin warmer since the 1880s (Gupta, 1998 p. 86). Evidence of global warming also come from other sources. In recent years, glaciers on mountains, particularly tropical mountains, have melted faster than before. The temperature of the top hundred metres of sea water off the coast of California shows an increase of 0. 8 degrees Kelvin over the last forty years. The data from the ice cores of Antarctica also indicate a warming trend (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Gupta, 1998 p. 86). These cores through the ice indicate snowfalls of number of years in sequence, which later has turned into ice. As this happens, tiny air bubbles trapped in the ice, and these bubbles can be investigated to determine the composition of the air at the time of the snowfall and also the temperature. The latter is determined by examining the ration of the two oxygen isotopes, 16O and 18O 9 (Fankhauser, 1995 p. 16; Gupta, 1998 p. 86; Houghton, 2004 p. 28). The ratios reflect the ambient global temperature. A number of very hot years, in fact eight of the hottest on record, happened between 1980 and 1992. Apart from indicating the trend, this put global warming in public’s attention. Etiologies of Global Warming Currently, there are three theories about the cause of global warming; however, most of the scientists believe that the cause is an increase of greenhouse gases. Svante Arrhenius of Sweden in 1895 demonstrated the linkage between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and temperature (Gupta,1998 p. 86). Carbon dioxide is the prime etiology involved in global warming causation. In fact, without any carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the earth would be much colder place to live. The global mean temperature would be below 0 degrees Celsius instead of being close to a comfortable 14 degrees Celsius. Most carbon dioxide comes from the decomposition of dead plants and animals, and the respiration of living animals, including humans, and plants. For thousands of years, there has been no problem with this because the oceans absorbed much of this carbon dioxide; hence, taking it out of the atmosphere. In addition, plants carrying on photosynthesis also absorbed a great deal of the atmospheric carbon dioxide (Tomera, 2001 p. 113; Gupta,1998 p. 86). However, with the advent of modernization, auto engines, power plants, industrial mills, and home and business heating systems burn coal, oil, or natural gas (Gupta, 1998 p. 86; Houghton, 2004 p. 28; Tomera, 2001 p. 113). Such accounts for 98% of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere, while the other 2% id due to the increased deforestation and mining (Tomera, 2001 p. 113). Another theoretical issue imposed is in the use of fossil fuels and burning materials that release CFCs. The first relatively successful calculation of how much the human use of fossil fuel could warm the planet published in a paper 1896 by Arrhenius. With the conceptual framework of carbon dioxide as the primary source of global warming, various theoretical concepts have formed. In the late 1930s, G. S. Callendar, an English chemist, argued that human activities were causing an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide and that this might have already started global warming. Despite Callendar’s concern, and although the scientific community has known about the pot4ential of human-induced warming to raise the earth’s temperature since the early 19th century (Tomera, 2001 p. 113; Brown, 2002 p. 14), global warming received little attention from the scientific community during the first half of the twentieth century, which centered mainly on human causations of carbon dioxide increase (Brown, 2002 p. 14). In 1957, two scientists with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Roger Revelle and Hans Suess, found that much of the carbon dioxide emitted to the earth’s atmosphere is not absorbed by the oceans, as some had assumed, leaving significant amounts in the atmosphere that could eventually warm the earth (Brown, 2002 p. 14). With the current advent of environmental discovery and climatic technological advancements, there are now environmental impacts of the chemical substitutes that are now being developed by industry. These factors all into two main groups: hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which have limited ozone depleting potential, and HCFCs, which have no ozone depleting potential. Unfortunately, both groups of chemicals are greenhouse gases, both groups of chemicals are greenhouse gases, not as powerful as the fully halogenated CFCs but nonetheless significant (Marks and Plewig, p. 13). Such causation has been linked to the issue of ozone depletion wherein HCFCs are the prime depletors, and the end outcome contributes to the global warming. Since the stratospheric ozone or ozone layer is almost depleted by stratospheric chlorine, which depends on, for example, CFC emissions. CFCs are greenhouse gases, which account for approximately 25% of the global warming effect. Freon 11 is given a global warming potential of 1, which indicates the characteristics of a major contributor. Because of the dangers proposed by CFC use, there is great commercial interest in replacing such materials with substances, which have less ozone depletion potential (Whelan, 1994p. 73).

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Buddhism - Essay Example From the holy book, chapters 16–20 are devoted to nirvana and the path to enlightenment (Buddharakkhita 6–23). According to the teachings, the events that a person is subjected to are an outcome of the thoughts he or she has formed. Hatred should not lead to hatred, for it never causes hatred to cease but only by love. It is important to control one’s senses, and not only seek controlled pleasures or be immoderate in one’s food since such behavior will only cause Mara the Tempter to overthrow such person. Whether one is a monk or a householder, it is important to remove evil and sinful thoughts. Ethics seems to be a strong point in the teachings and drive home the benefits of good and sinless living, as compared to sinful living where one only has evil thoughts. The evil doer always thinks of the evil he has done, and these thoughts continue to haunt him even in his sleep, and deprive him of the simple pleasures in life since he is always thinking about ev il, retribution, and the acts that others would take on him. A person who is free from such thoughts would be free from evil intentions and subsequently be free from hatred, desire, and evil (Buddharakkhita 30–63). According to Lord Buddha, a wise man does not pass arbitrary judgements but reaches them after deep thought. To be called an elder and not just a vain old man, one must show truthfulness, restraint, self-mastery, virtue, and inoffensive behaviour, and should be free from defilements (Buddharakkhita 64–65). Lord Buddha also says that a person must be watchful in using his speech, control his mind and not commit evil. Lust, affection, and desire are bondages that tie a man to sin and wrongdoing, so they must be cut off. The evil embodiments are defined by craving, or the mother, self-conceit that is the father of evil desire, eternalism and nihilism that are the two warrior kings, and sense organs and objects that are the country. Once these evils are destroye d, the person is ready to be on the road to salvation. Disciples of Gotama are those who happy and non-violent, who practice mindfulness of the body, who have the qualities of the sangha, dhamma and Buddha, and those who constantly meditate (Buddharakkhita 66–75). A wise man must come to realize that by renouncing a lesser happiness, one can achieve a greater happiness. One should avoid being entangled by bonds of hate since cancers of the mind only increase for people who are arrogant and heedless. It is important that one always be on guard since opportunity can slip by, and it is better to walk alone if the company that one finds is not made of virtuous people. The current of craving flows everywhere and includes sensual pleasure, annihilation, and continued existence. It is essential that one free himself from these cravings (Buddharakkhita 78–87). How Do Moral Expectations of a Buddhist Monk Differ from the Morality of a Lay Buddhist? The Buddhist monk is one who has given up all worldly pleasures and seeks nirvana, or the path of salvation. The laity, or the lay Buddhist, is one who still has a family and looks after his household. While the rules for the monk are strict and need stringent self-restraint, those for the laity are more of behavioral nature. Differences are given as below. A monk must practice restraint and show extreme control in his actions and attitude. Accordingly, the monk should restrain oneself in the eye,

Stragetic Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stragetic Planning - Case Study Example In that respect, it would be important for the mayor to convince him and seek amicable approach towards the public job cut if the proposal is to sail through. Claudia Alvaro: Is a professional in public financial management with sound knowledge on macro and micro-economic policies. This means Alvaro holds central role in evaluating and assessing the best alternative among the proposals that will be raised towards economic streamlining of central town. The pertinent issue in this case is the crumbling economy of central town as result of mass immigration of its residents. This means that the tax size has significantly reduced and can barely support the town in terms of public workers wage bill and efficient provision of essential services. The mayor is making efforts to restore economic sanity by proposing privatization with subsequent job cuts among public workers. This has drawn mixed reactions from the town with workers through their union opposing the move while the public support. Sources or causes of each problem; Privatization is seen as possible public employment cut down with considerable economic loss to the workers and this is the point of concern. On the issue of awarding tender, the mayor seeks to reconcile quality with cost hence the critical evaluation process. There are potential obstacles for the central town political leadership in its effort to implement the macro-economic proposal of privatization and public job cut. The legal battle is likely to work against it since the workers union seems strong and ready to drag the authorities to court in this matter. The financial and budgetary allocation procedures require support of other political leaders who are likely to support different factions to the dispute in question. Laying off workers will paint the government on wrong side of being unethical in considering the welfare of the job cut victims. This will in turn degenerate to possible political

Joining and Fastening Processes (Manufacturing Engineering Processes) Term Paper

Joining and Fastening Processes (Manufacturing Engineering Processes) - Term Paper Example These engineering materials in their raw form are extracted from their ores. These raw materials from ores are transformed into molten form through refining and reducing processes. The molten material is process through molds to produce commercial or industrial castings called ingots. These ingots are then processed through rolling to transform these into billets, rods and slabs suitable for marketing. These materials then undergo various manufacturing processes to obtain useful products in diverse range of sizes, shapes and forms desired by end user. According to Singh, these manufacturing processes are classified into six major categories: primary shaping processes, secondary shaping processes, metal forming processes, joining and fastening processes, surface finishing processes and processes to change characteristics and properties of materials (17). In this report, we would be focusing on joining and fastening processes required to assemble or join different parts of a product. T he process where two or more parts of the product are put together to achieve desired shape and function is called assembly, not to be confused with joining and fastening processes. In joining, different parts of the product are joined together to obtained desired function. ... A unique advantage of this process is the focus of heat in welding area ensuring less spread of heat thus reducing welding defect like warping and buckling. In addition, this concentration of heat increases the depth of welding and increases the welding speed of the process. Arc welding process consists of a heat source, shielding and a filler metal. The heat is produced through the electrical arcing between the two metals under contact (Zeilke 4). The power source is referred to as welding machine which may be electrical or mechanical. Shielding gas, fluxes or coatings are used to prevent the welding area from surroundings during the welding process. Generally, arc welding is divided into ten main types called Carbon Arc Welding, Submerged Arc Welding, Stud Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Electro-slag Welding, Plasma Arc Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Atomic Hydrogen Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding and Electro-gas Welding. In Carbon Arc Welding, a pure graphite rod is us ed as non-consumable electrode to generate arc for producing heat. The welding can be made without or with introduction of filler metal. It can be further classified as single or twin carbon electrode welding. In Shielded Metal Arc Welding, a flux coated electrode is used to produce arc where the flux on the coated electrode fads off due to heat. In Submerged Arc Welding Process, a bare electrode is used as consumable electrode with flux feeder tube. The arc, electrode and molten pool remain submerged under granular flux to achieve homogenous welding across the structure. In Tungsten Arc Welding, a tungsten electrode as non-consumable electrode covered by shielding of an inert gas to prevent these from surroundings is used for welding.

Marital relationship of Stanley and Stella in Streetcar Named Desire Essay

Marital relationship of Stanley and Stella in Streetcar Named Desire (film) - Essay Example Evidence can be sought in the play in that, firstly, Stanley opts to stun the evil approaches from Blanche for his wife Stella in a dramatic unfolding that nothing but reality of love can explain. It appears that Stanley’s character should seemingly have allowed him to fall prey to Blanche’s fabrications but instead settles for a sober decision to remain faithful to his wife. This is despite the fact that Stanley sends contradictory signals of abuse and torture against his wife. It is therefore clear that evil desires fail severally when they rise against goodness. Stella cares for her husband when she talks to him softly, â€Å"...where are you going...,† (123HelpMe.com). Secondly, the fact that Stella manages to overcome her adversaries in the hands of her brutal husband and opts to stay in their marriage is indication of what good can achieve. It is evident that Stanley assaults severally to the extent that she runs for her safety yet she maintains her position in the relationship. Stella affords to stay in such a relationship due to the strength upright intentions have to surmount evil (Sparknotes.com). Thirdly, Stella’s strong character presents her in a position to tolerate the difficulties presented to her by her husband and her sister like any strong woman would do. Stella protects her husband by rejecting any external force likely to cripple their marriage, however implicating it might be. The relationship emerges victorious in turbulent unfaithful moments since Stella chooses to forgive her unfaithful husband and allow good trample over evil. "Come to think of it-maybe you wouldnt be bad to-interfere with..." (Galloway, 1). In conclusion, it is difficult to state how Blanche’s and Stanley’s characters feature in a romantic relationship, if not to indicate how evil can permeate into a

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 55

Summary - Essay Example It is argued secondly that hope is caused by merits, and therefore doesn’t qualify as a virtue. However, Aquinas contends that the occurrence of hope in itself is not based on merits but instead on the desire for happiness, which is virtuous. The last stated problem with hope being a virtue is the imperfect nature of hope, explained as a wish for something that is lacking. Aquinas states that while the desire is imperfect, hope is perfection in that it is reflective of faith in God’s rule and influence. The second article questions if eternal happiness is indeed the object of hope. Objections include denial that humans need to hope for eternal happiness since it is a constant state of the soul, examples of hope being for things other than eternal happiness, and the suggestion that hope deals with many difficulties other than eternal happiness. The replies to these issues state that eternal happiness is veiled and thus not experienced as a constant state by humans, prayers should not be for things other than eternal happiness, and all other desires should seem small in comparison to eternal happiness. In article three, Aquinas discusses the possibility of one person wishing for the eternal happiness of another. He argues that this is not possible since hopes for another person are not acts of hope at all, but are instead acts of love. Article four investigates the lawfulness of being hopeful in another person. The author’s position is that hope may be placed in a person as long as it is not believed to be virtuous hope, which is reserved for God. Discussion of the fifth article is very similar to the first. In response to arguments against the nature of hope as a theological virtue, Aquinas relates several examples that are meant to relate hope as being divinely based regardless of its superficial appearance. The distinction of hope from other theological virtues is the topic of article six. It is suggested that this

Tourism Industry Trends Article Research Paper Essay

Tourism Industry Trends Article Research Paper - Essay Example Of this, the Taiwanese outnumber the mainlanders whose families fled from the mainland due to communist take over.Taiwan comprises of mainly, the Minnan speakers, Hakka speakers, Japanese speakers and other native languages. The Taiwan people are distinguishable from the mainlanders (Hsiau & A-chin, 2005). Taiwan has a marine tropical climate with the Northen experiencing rain throughout the year, whereas the southern experiences dry winters. Most of the population is concentrated on the west coast, which has plains and considered to be safe, unlike the east coast that has a high risk of typhoons. Taiwan experiences a wide range of cultural activities that really form the beautifulness to intermingle with the locals. They as well share several taboos with the Asian nations, making it more compatible for the Asian people to visit Taiwan in large numbers. Taiwan also offers programs like exchange of agreements with other foreign universities, teaching the Mandarine language to the foreigners as well the writing systems. Martial arts are very rampant with the majority of the visitors enjoying the art of Kung fu and other visual arts. All these practices greatly boost the tourism sector and enhance development and economical growth (Urry & John, 2003). Tourism industry is greatly booming every year as the percentage of tourists rise. According to the World Economic Forum’s survey, places likeTaiwan is ranked fourth in Asia’s best tourist destinations implying that, its capability to handle and accommodate tourist is high and the returns are tangible. This trend is expected to rise in the future touring sector as Taiwan depicts the capability in developing sustainable tourism industry. On the same note, Taiwan’s security is guaranteed to make it a secure place both at night and during the day (Yates & Stephen, 1999). The success of the tourism industry has been enhanced by the government policies