There has been a debate over the last ten years over the effects of global warming. There is no doubt that according to data there have been increases to the gasses in the natural greenhouse effect of our world due to increase incarbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels. The question in the debate is whether these increases are indeed causing global warming, and if so, what can be done to stop global warming from getting any worse.
Effects on the Earth
Temperature charts do show that the earth has warmed over the last hundred years almost one degree on average. This does not sound like much, but it doubles the trend one hundred years previous to that time. Scientists are watching the polar ice caps and the trends do not show much of a difference from previous years in melting of these ice caps. Large storms also are supposedly not caused by the increased temperatures, although there is a debate on this issue. Large storms like the El Ninos or Katrinas are caused by warmer temperatures over the global sea surface, so global warming can contribute to those issues.
Since global warming is caused mostly by the increase in carbon dioxide emitted into the air, the most practical thing that people as a whole can do to find ways to stop global warming is to decrease these emissions. Due to the recent gas crisis, more work is being done in order to help decrease these emissions from cars and trucks by creating vehicles that run on alternative sources of fuel. Since car pooling does not seem to have taken popular hold of more progressive nations, changing the fuel for cars and trucks seems like the best way to help stop global warming. Unfortunately, unless carpooling becomes a government mandate, it does not seem likely that people will give up their independent car use in the near future.
There are also things being done by different industries to help lessen the carbon dioxide output in order to help stop global warming. Some plants are using recycled materials to burn rather than using new fuel sources. Other industrial plants are using more efficient filters on their output vents so that the carbon dioxide output is reduced to help stop global warming. There are some people that point to the amount of carbon dioxide that is released due to huge cattle ranches and the amount of meat that is eaten in the USA, and point people to eating a more vegetarian diet in order to help stop these emissions.
