Global Warming and How It Affects Us

Have you been feeling a little too hot for comfort recently? You’re not alone! Temperatures have been rising all across the globe due to the rapid acceleration of global warming. Here’s what’s happening.

Global warming has been a rising concern since the mid-1900s, but its effects are becoming more noticeable as technology continues to advance. As its name suggests, global warming is a rise in temperature across the globe. The release of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)) traps heat from the sun in the atmosphere, greatly contributing to global warming. These gases can come from a variety of man-made objects, such as vehicles, factories, and household appliances. For instance, in South Asia,  temperatures reached 42ºC, leading to many deaths from heatstroke and dehydration. Global warming can also lead to environmental disasters due to climate change, such as hurricanes and flooding from torrential rains in China.

Humans have been searching for a solution to global warming for decades, but the answer may have been right in front of us the whole time. Plants not only absorb and filter carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, but also cool down the Earth through evapotranspiration, where plants slowly release water vapor in the atmosphere. Additionally, the ozone layer is naturally healing itself through the Chapman Cycle; UV radiation from the sun splits oxygen gas (O2) into separate oxygen atoms, which collide to create ozone (O3) in the atmosphere. Here are some ways you can help as well!

Signing off,
Carmen, Daryna, and Jacob