Global Warming

Its time to consider the other possibilities of global warming.

Universal Pictures

Young man helps out at from global warming.

Layla Tippett

Global warming is the gradual increase of the Earth’s average temperature. It is primarily changed by human activities. The consequences of global warming include rising sea levels, more natural disasters and loss of biodiversity. I think it’s time to consider the other possibilities of global warming. There are multiple debates about the possibilities of global warming, but there are two that are most argued over. Is global warming bad or beneficial?  

The main concern of global warming is the destruction of our Earth. Global warming causes much more common and frequent natural disasters and greatly affects animals’ environments. One of the animals most affected by global warming is the polar bears. With rising temperatures (0.14 degrees a year), polar bear’s necessary ice is melting away. (Causing polar bears to go hungry and their prey, seals, to rise in numbers.) This completely unbalances the carefully constructed ecosystem of the Artic. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Earth will be 2.7 degrees hotter than now in 2050 and will be 7.2 degrees hotter by 2100. Climate Adaption Knowledge Exchange (CAKE) has been fighting back the consequences of Global warming, but most people believe that at this point, their attempt is futile. A student at this school says, “People just aren’t trying their best to fix this problem, we cannot give up and kill the living of this Planet.” Another student believes that at this point, global warming cannot be stopped and is meant to happen. The student says, “global warming has been happening since before humans became more advanced. So why should it matter?”  

That student Is right, global warming has been gradually increasing since the 1850s and has been around even before humans. Even though global warming has consequences there are good outcomes as well. According to Climate.gov, “Crops and other plants grow better in the presence of higher carbon dioxide levels and seem to be more drought tolerant”. An article called “The Spectator” global warming has made Earth have, “fewer winter deaths; lower energy costs; better agricultural yields; probably fewer droughts; maybe richer biodiversity”. And for polar bears suffering? It’s all happened before, millions of years before animals had to adapt to survive through the Ice Ages. Creatures either adapt or die, it’s as simple as that. If polar bears cannot overcome global warming, then natural selection or evolution has failed them. For some animals, global warming is beneficial to them. Some animals have expanded their hunting or grazing areas and grown in populations. Plants have greatly benefited as well from the increase of carbon dioxide and wet and sunny environments. If living organisms cannot overcome natural selection, then they are simply doomed. It is called “natural” selection for a reason. 

Global warming is a very important issue that affects the entire planet. Human activities have exceedingly sped up the amount of greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. The effects of global warming are being experienced all over the world and it is important that we work together to reduce our production of carbon.