The Worst Thing Ever To Happen To The Planet Earth

We all know what Global Warming is. It is the concept that the pollution produced over decades and centuries by humans is warming up the planet. This goes hand in hand with Climate Change, the concept that human actions are effecting the Earth's climate drastically. The only thing is these aren't concepts, their facts.

People often try to insist that Global Warming and Climate Change don't exist. This however is ridiculously incorrect. According to studies conducted by NASA 2005 was the warmest year in recorded history, worldwide. It tied with 1998. In fact the past nine years are all among the top twenty five warmest in known history.

This warming is caused by the massive CO2 emissions in the air around us. this comes from our cars, homes, industrial and commercial facilities and more. Between the year 1800 and the year 2000 carbon dioxide level in the air went up 31%. From 280 parts per million to 367 parts per million in the air. The shocking thing is by the year 2100 the number is expected to be 970 parts per million.

Then once face with the statistics people sometimes say, 'Oh well so the Earth has warmed up a bit, big deal'. Well it is a very big deal. Annually thousands of people die, directly and indirectly because of Global Warming and Climate Change.

One thing that factors into this that surprises most people, is hurricanes. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms are partly formed by reactions having to do with heat over large bodies of water. So as the CO2 emission warm up the air, hurricanes and tropical storms become increasingly more likely. In the last five years the amount and intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms has risen over 100%. As we all know these storms destroy homes, property, and even injure and kill people.

There is also the factor of the melting Glaciers we often hear about. A United States Geological Survey suggests that by the year 2030 there will be no glaciers left in Glacier National Park. Also a Arctic Climate Impact Assessment concluded that over four-hundred thousand square miles of Arctic sea ice have melted.

This melting of sea ice and glaciers has risen the sea level. In the last few years the sea level has risen 20 centimeters. It may not seem like much, but if this melting of the ice forms continue cities such as New York (US), Venice (Italy), and Miami (US) would all fall below sea level and be flooded. New Orleans, the city recently flooded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (the hurricane also arguably the result of climate change) would permanently sink underwater.

There is even more shocking statistics though. By 2050 an estimated 15-37% of all plant and animal species will most likely die off due to pollution and climate change. The United States although home to only 5% of the world's population, produces 25% of the worlds pollution. Finally, climate change, directly and indirectly made 37.4 million people homeless in 2007.

So after reading all these facts, do you think we can ignore Global Warming and Climate Change?