Global warming is to the environment like what cancer is to humans. Slowly it is destroying our earth. Unlike cancer, we already know how to cure this mostly man-made disease made up of car emissions of toxic gases, deforestation of important areas, and large amounts of garbage flowing through the oceans. Global warming can be reduced by recycling, preserving the environment, and by decreasing carbon footprint.

There’s one big cause of global warming: greenhouse gases or the greenhouse effect. The earth gets incoming solar radiation beaming down to its surface which reflects back to the earth’s atmosphere, and gets caught in the invisible greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and nitrous oxide (Woodward 8-9). The heat gets trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere and changes the Earth’s temperature.

An article on global warming by Andrew C. Revkin clearly states that’s scientists learned long ago that the earth’s climate powerfully shaped the history of the human history- biologically, culturally, and geographically. Not only that, but in the last few decades, scientific research revealed that humans can be a powerful influence on the climate as well. The hottest years measured by our modern day technology are 1998 and 2005. However, the hottest years ever recorded are in order 2005, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 recorded by NASA( Revkin). Scientists are indicating the two main factors of global warming: emissions from unfettered burning of fossil fuels and the razing of tropical forests (Revkin). That’s the kind of activity that adding an invisible blanket of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere trapping heat like “greenhouse” gases.

A massive issue that adds on to world pollution is garbage incinerators. In a book called Issues in the Environment, Patricia D. Netzley stated that garbage incineration is successfully done and produces 10 percent of electric energy, but many people do not agree with the incineration process. The environmental group Greenpeace quoted that waste incineration “threatens to become the leading contributor to the degradation of human and environmental health.” Also according to Greenpeace, incineration tends to create one of the most toxic chemicals like dioxin, which can cause cancer and birth defects. Garbage incinerators used less if people recycle more than creating garbage. “Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator” (“How Recycling”). Recycling aluminum, glass, grocery bags, paper, and motor oil will help prevent Global Warming. “Recycling one aluminum can save enough energy to run a T.V. for three hours.”(“How Recycling”) Also, for every ton (2000 pounds) of paper people recycle, they “can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water.”(“How Recycling”). This is one way Global Warming can be prevented.

Another way global warming can be reduced is by preserving the environment. One way preserving the environment can help global warming is by stopping deforestation. Trees have a major affect on helping reduce greenhouse gases. The special thing that most people don’t know about trees is that the soil of trees and trees itself absorb and store carbon dioxide. When deforestation comes into action, the carbon is then released back into the atmosphere increasing carbon emissions in the air (“How does”). A second way preserving the environment can reduce global warming is by using less hot water. If people buy low-flow showerheads they can save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Also if people wash their clothes in warm or cold water that can reduce their use of hot water and the energy required to produce hot water. “That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households” (West). So by using less hot water, people are saving more energy and decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. These are only two effective ways to help preserve the environment.

An additional way to help reduce global warming is by diminishing people’s carbon footprint. “Carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce” (“What is”). One cause of carbon footprint is the major usage of vehicles. People can prevent that cause by driving in carpool lanes with more than one person or taking public transportation like local buses, trains, or light rails. Another cause of carbon footprint is gas, oil, and coal. Gas is used to power up just about everything, but the main thing gas is used for is cars. All that cars are doing is releasing poison into the air we breathe. “Oil provides 40–43% of all energy used by the world” (“Global Warming”). Oil is responsible for 40% of global and US carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels. In comparison, coal is currently responsible for 40% of global emissions, and 34% of US CO2 emissions. There are many solutions to preventing gas, oil, and coal usage. People can start riding bikes more often, that’s why there are bike lanes on the roads now. People can also start driving more hybrid electric cars which are more efficient and eco friendly to the environment.
On the other hand, “A new Gallup poll finds that 41% of Americans think global warming news reports are exaggerated” (Yarrow). This theory is false because it’s very clear that we’re the ones causing this issue by our carbon footprint, deforestation, and by not being able to be responsible enough to recycle. We created all the greenhouse gases that are floating in the atmosphere as well as cows do to by releasing large amounts of methane into the air we breathe. So who are those 41% of Americans to say that this issue is being over exaggerated?
In conclusion, when I graduate from high school I want to go to Washington State University. It has one of the best engineering programs in the nation and I want to major in the engineering field. I was thinking more in the lines of a mechanical engineer or an architectural engineer. When it comes to global warming I think my career can have a good affect on carbon footprint because I was thinking, someday I can get a team of builders and design eco friendly homes with solar panels on the roofs absorbing the sun’s energy to have the homes running, instead of wasting so much electric energy and fuels. Also, I would like to construct a device or some type of high tech air filter to install in polluting industrial buildings, heavy load vehicles (semi-trucks or tractors), cruise ships, trains, and shipping boats. I feel like ideas like that would help prevent a lot of the climate change and the pollution issue could be diminished. One more thing I would like to add is, I would like come up with a genius idea do something about the whole garbage situation. According to marine biologists, we have a continent size garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean two times the size of Texas called The Giant Pacific Garbage Patch (Berton). The ones responsible for dumping garbage like that in the ocean are really egoistic and not thinking about what’s living in the waters and how life in the waters is being affected by it, but I guess that’s just there job. The only thing people have to do to avoid massive creations like the garbage patch is to start recycling, it’s not that hard.

The project I decided to do is an art piece, and how it correlates to my issue is by demonstrating the effects and causes in my art piece. Also by learning a lot from one of the world’s issues and from what’s its based on, I feel that’s its going to help me guide the way I live my life like conserving more energy, recycling even more, and teaching other people out there by letting them know what they can do and how they can prevent global warming from getting worse than what it already is. It will also give me ideas on how I want to work out my future career in architecture by designing eco friendly homes and other devices. This project is a great choice for me because I learned so much out of it, more than what I knew before and it can also impact me in my future career. This would be a remarkable thing to share with my community because I can get the kids and adults involved in recycling trash or cleaning the community more often and painting murals that have a strong and an inspiring meaning into it that other kids and adults would be motivated to continue on doing these great things to helps others than just themselves and help prevent global warming causes.
I think this whole issue relates to our Foster community by being one of Tukwila’s major worries at the moment which is the upcoming flood of the Duwamish River. The part that global warming takes in the cause of the flood is the rise of water levels. Enormous polar icecaps melting from our carbon footprints has a big impact all over the world with rising sea levels, but in this case, its the rising waters of the Duwamish River and the dam not being able to maintain the amount of water its holding off. Our community has been informed by the City of Tukwila’s Emergency Management Director to prepare for the flood and what you can do to help you prepare yourself. This situation has also been commercially shown to inform not just the people of the community but the whole state of Washington. If or when this does happen a lot of people in our community will be affect by the flood because what it can do it destroy houses, business, and the community center of Tukwila which is located just right in front of the Duwamish River which is also located in Allentown, the heart of it all. Tons of students that attend my high school live in Allentown and could be majorly affected by this horrific to be flood. Thankfully, this problem can be solved by being willing to do the hard work of recycling, carbon footprint, and preserving the environment. The only way to avoid the futures disasters is by educating the people to have the power to move forward in making better choices for the future.