Global_Warming

Name: Ong Jialin Class: GWS 111 The Haiti earthquake and the Iceland volcanic eruption are a few of the many recent natural disasters that have caused much disruption and damage and have left a very deep impression on people. Yet, many people are still oblivious to the increasing damaged environment, making no effort to slow down global warming or even contributing to it. Global warming is certainly a cause for concern and it is important to educate people on it so that action can be taken to save the environment. Firstly, the increasing number of disasters occurring at unprecedented numbers in recent years will only serve to threaten human lives and the world economy. The Haiti earthquake which occurred this year has taken a toll on thousands of lives and it has certainly caused widespread damage to the area. Besides threatening human lives, we have seen how the recent Iceland volcanic eruption has caused the European economy to decline to an all time low. The increasing rate of global warming will only serve to trigger more natural disasters which may eventually cause the extinction of the human race. Secondly, the rising heat and the melting polar ice caps have caused the increasing rate of extinction of species on this planet. According to a major international study, Global warming may drive a quarter of land animals and plants to the edge of extinction by 2050. For example, evidence has been found by scientists that the melting of the Arctic ice caps due to climate change are causing polar bears to drown. Every organism has a vital role to play in the ecosystem and any disruption in this ecosystem balance will threaten the earth’s environment and human’s existence. Lastly, it is undoubtedly the doings of man-kind that has resulted in the increasing rate of global warming causing the high numbers of catastrophic disasters. To keep up with our increasing industrialization and development, we have released much toxic gases into the atmosphere, caused much more waste to pile up and pollute our natural resources. Wild habitats have been taken over, forcing animals and plants into smaller and smaller areas, until some of them have become extinct. We have seen evidences of how man-kind is doing self destruction and it’s time to pay more attention to the environmental crisis – global warming. The increasing rate of natural disasters and animal extinction cannot be ignored because they threaten the survival of the human race. It is ironic that we are the cause of our own destruction and only we have the ability and power to help ourselves. At the rate the polar ice caps are melting and the rate and magnitude at which natural disasters are occurring, human’s sustainability is badly threatened. It is time we humans take a look at what we have done to contribute to global warming and our own sufferings. It is time to take action to remedy our actions so that we can ensure the continued existence of our future generations.