Global warming: A myth or stark reality? - Delhi Newsline

Posted: Aug 27, 2012 at 0033 hrs IST

What is global warming? The rise in the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere is known as global warming. It is also known as Greenhouse effect.

According to me global warming is not a myth as the temperature is increasing. The summers are becoming longer and warmer and winters are becoming shorter and colder than ever.

The main cause of this is increase in carbon dioxide. But how is this increasing to an extent that it is harming our environment? This is the result of the imbalance in ecology created by us. We are recklessly cutting trees, burning fossils fuels like wood and coal unwisely, driving more vehicles on the road. There are many such reasons for the increasing carbon dioxide in our environment. Many other gases contribute to global warming. These are nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas; chlorofluorocarbons used as propellants; methane used as cooking gas. All these gases are collectively known as greenhouse gases.

There is an urgent need to protect our environment. If we don't, then very soon the environment will not suitable for life. Some simple ways by which we can protect our environment are:

-Taking public transport whenever possible, rather than using private cars.

-Using alternative fuels rather than fossil fuels, in vehicles.

-Solar power, which is usually generated by solar panels or a solar tower.

-Wind power, which is usually generated by groups of wind turbines.

-Biomass energy, which is derived from urban wood waste, forest and agricultural residues and other feed stocks as well as waste from factories and landfills.

-Geothermal energy, which is derived from steam and hot water, found deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

Rishabh Negi

The world in which we live is full of reality in one side and myth on the other. Both have their own concepts. The world looks mythical because of its changing pattern or instability. But when we see it through the eyes of “Science and Technology” it looks like a real world, where the things change their aspects with the passing of time. An example of a myth is: iron is black but after heating it gives a golden look. Everything is adjustable with the physical phenomena. For example: If water is condensed, it becomes ice and if it is heated it changes into vapour. Global warming is the best example of the harmful effects of excessive greenhouse gases like carbon-dioxide and ozone in the atmosphere. The climate gets warmer and has a bad effect on ice-capped mountains, resulting in its melting which causes rivers to flood, but if we pay more attention towards afforestation, these harmful greenhouse gases are trapped by trees and the effect of global warming is minimised. Only our efforts to contain global warming can make it a myth. As of now, it is a looming disaster.

Kashish gupta, X Hillwoods Academy, Preet Vihar

The universal truth is that all planets cannot exist eternally. Earth is no exception. Nature will take it’s own course and, therefore, the climate change. But human beings are guilty of expediting the destruction of our planet by aiding climate change. Whenever we acted against nature, it has punished us. This is global warming.

Global warming has changed the picture of nature and will keep ruining it if the situation continues. Our negligence has led to the destruction of many habitats. The white Himalayas are not white anymore. Glaciers are considered among the most sensitive indicators of climate change, the huge glaciers have turned into small ice rocks, leading to devastating effects.

Deforestation is one of the major causes of global warming and it makes thousands of animals homeless and effects the balance in nature. Plastics, fossil fuels, man-made toxic gases, etc are other evils encouraging rapid climate change and destruction of Earth.

According to me, global warming is definitely not a myth, because its effects can be seen everyday.

Shibangi Nag, XIth A St. Mark's Sr. Sec. Public School, Meera Bagh

Whether global warming is a myth or not is really a big question. But according to my view, global warming is complete balderdash. And I am very sorry to say this.

Nature has created us. We are completely insignificant in front of the vastness of nature. So how do we claim that we have made such a big change in the working of nature, and the rest of the gibberish? Nature can and should only end if its creator, whoever and whatever he/she/it is, wants it to. We are mere actors, we cannot change the plot.

Now for some facts and figures. According to Wikipedia, 13th of September 1922 has been recorded as the world's hottest day ever in Aziziya, Libya at 57.8 deg C. The highest recorded temperature in North America is 56.7 deg C in Death Valley, California, on 10th August 1913. In Spearfish, South Dakota, the mercury rose by 27 deg C in just two minutes on 22nd January 1943. So do these scientists want to say that global warming had started then? In 1913?

So I wish to conclude my write-up by saying that global warming is totally a myth created by humans. So there’s no need to panic the next time you feel hot in December.

Sagnik Bhattacharya ,VII-C Tagore International School,

Vasant Vihar

Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. Warming and related changes vary from region to region around the globe. It is expected to be the strongest in the Arctic and cause retreat of the glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. It is widely accepted that humans play a big role in the cause of global warming. And it is not unusual to see posters stuck on walls warning us about global warming and convincing us to contribute towards a better future by helping to reduce pollution levels. According to experts, rise in temperature will slowly result in extinction of all living species. Yes, the temperature on the Earth is rising. But the perception that the Earth is warming due to human negligence and so life on earth will soon end is incorrect.

The main cause of global warming, as we all presume, is human emission of green house gases- mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), which is produced out of everything â€" from factories and cars to barbecue grills. In fact, we even emit CO2 when we breathe. But here is a fact many are unaware of â€" less than 6% of all the CO2 is produced by human activity. So even if we wipe ourselves out along with everything modern (i.e. cars, air conditioned, refrigerators, etc) from the surface of the Earth, there will be no noticeable change in the rising temperature of the Earth. And throughout the 20th century, temperatures have been rising in other planets in our solar system, including Mars and Jupiter. Well, I don’t think you will find many people driving SUVs there. This clearly points out that humans are not to blame for the warming.

And besides, why are we creating such a fuss? The estimated one degree increase in temperature in the next 100 years is not possibly going to melt down all the ice caps. Scientists from 1970s predicted that by 2000, increasing CO2 would cause ice age. And today, in 2012, they say that all the ice will melt. Well, they ought to make up their minds fast. However, the warming we have been experiencing actually benefits us; making winters more moderate, decreasing deaths from cold, decreasing the need of heating and increasing food supply. So, if global warming is not man-made, not an impending disaster, and actually good for Earth, why are so many people claiming the exact opposite?

The global warming is not a natural disaster but a natural solar change. And it won’t harm us. So we don’t need to worry so much about it. Global warming is a reality, but global warming: the rising disaster is a myth.

Snigdha Bose, IX-B DPS R K Puram

Global warming is a process which causes the Earth to heat up. It happens when there is increase in the production of gases like carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide and methane, which are known as greenhouse gases. these gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere and causes global warming. Because of global warming, the areas on the earth which were suffering from droughts and floods have doubled since 1970. Over 1,50,000 million deaths are caused every year on the globe, because of heat waves droughts, floods, etc. it affects us in many ways, like it results, in increase of temperature, causes the ice to melt. As the ice melts, sea levels and oceans rise and as the temperatures of sea rises, different types of animals became a part of the endangered species. The weather change is also one of the effects of global warming. They can destroy many lives of unharmed and peaceful people. The increase in temperature can also cause different diseases. By seeing all these factors of global warming. I think that we should save our Earth from the harmful effects of global warming as an individual we should plant as many as trees we can, reduce the use of electrical appliances should try to reduce pollution, should eat more organic food should use less paper etc, to slow down the process of global warming. In this way, we can save our planet.

Keoysha Nanda; Apeejay School, Pitampura, New Delhi

“The good news is, we have everything we need now to respond to the challenge of global warming. We have all the technologies we need, more are being developed... But we should not wait, we cannot wait, we must not wait.” These lines by Al Gore, former vice president of USA, warn us about the ill effects of global warming and the need to tackle it immediately with present resources. But in the minds of the common man a question arises: Is this global warming simply a fact or plain fiction? Well, scientific data released by these ‘global warming alarmists’ claims that the ozone hole is increasing at an alarming rate, sea levels are rising annually at rates which may cause permanent flooding of Bangladesh and parts of West Bengal and Assam. The primary culprit, they claim, is human emissions of greenhouse gases â€" particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), belching out of everything from our cars, to our factories, to our barbecue grills. These global warming alarmists who recently won a Nobel prize for their scientific model omit important facts while releasing their data. For example, they hide the fact that the southern hemisphere of the earth has been cooling for the past fifty years and also the hide the prime reason for breaking of glaciers i.e. the gradual increase of ice cover in North Pole and South Pole. Having said that I would agree with the alarmists in saying that we can, at least, reduce CFC emissions by reducing the usage of air conditioners and refrigerators. To conclude, I would say that all data should be released to the public and people should decide whether global warming is fact or fiction.

Siddhant Patra, X-A Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan

If you think that global warming is a myth, then you are probably one of those people who are living in a perfect little world of their own and who think that if something doesn’t affect them, it doesn’t exist! Sorry to break your bubble, but global warming is a reality which is going to swallow up our beautiful planet. Polar caps are melting, rivers flooding, polar bears disappearing and seals out of sight. In no time, many of the species will start facing extinction. And yes, human society (if not you) is getting affected by droughts, floods, failure of crops and famines. So wake up, look around, stop contributing towards global warming and start preserving our planet. Global warming is very soon going to affect you. Then we’ll see whether it’s a myth or a reality!

Kaveri Rawal, X-C Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

Throughout its long history, Earth has warmed and cooled time and again. Climate has changed when the planet received more or less sunlight due to subtle shifts in its orbit, as the atmosphere or surface changed, or when the Sun’s energy varied. But in the past century, another force has started to influence Earth’s climate: humanity.

“Global warming” in itself is not a myth â€" there are areas around the globe that are experiencing average temperature increases largely due to the “greenhouse effect”. It has shown disastrous effects. It is a grim reality.

With the present rate of carbon emissions, I don’t think that we’ll be able to survive more than a century on this planet. It’s been rightly said by Mahatma Gandhi, “We have not got these resources from our ancestors, but we have borrowed them from our future generations.” Keeping this in mind, we should start the initiative of saving our mother earth from the grip of this unbeatable monster.

Shivangi Arora, X-A St. Mark’s Sr. Sec. Public School, Meera Bagh

In my view, global warming is a myth. Climate research has become politicised in favour of one particular hypothesis over the last two decades and enthusiasm for global warming ensures that heatwaves make headlines. As we can see and hear, everyone has understood that the Ozone layer is in serious danger, CO2 causes climate change, and that Earth cannot withstand higher levels of CO2. But scientists have not been able to validate this despite efforts. According to years and years of research by scientists all over the world, the ozone layer is holding steady over inhabited parts of the world. It has also been said that more than CO2, water vapour is the main cause for climate change. Atmospheric water vapor levels â€" like natural CO2 emissions from volcanoes and animals â€" rises and falls with changes in solar activity and climate change is a natural process evolving over a long period of time and environmentalists will do well not to create panic in the minds of people.

Harshini Ravi,VIII B Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar

Homo sapiens evolved on Earth about 75,000 years ago and since then they have been discovering and inventing a whole lot of things we have around us today. The early man started with the discovery of fire; fire which is blazing higher day by day and is heating up our atmosphere. This is the fire of increasing pollution and excessive use of toxic gases which won’t take long to transform this land of beauty into dreadful sooty ashes. Global warming is indeed a reality and this has been proved over the years. The pattern of change of seasons has completely changed over the course of time and is becoming worse day by day. The use of greenhouse gases which are trapping heat produced by the land has made it almost impossible to mitigate the effects of global warming. This reality, if not looked into, may turn out to be huge man-made calamity whose effect will be uncontrollable.

Sheryl Kuttickal, XII-H

St.Mark’s Sr.Sec.Public School,Meera Bagh