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Olivia Buonaspina
Mrs. Barnes
English 112
10 May 2017
Global warming is not a conqueror to kneel before- but a challenge to rise to. A
challenge we must rise to. Joe Lieberman, a former United States senator, stated this quote in an
effort to emphasis the growing need for action against the rising threat known as global warming.
Although there are various examples of ways global warming is affecting our atmosphere, Most
people are going to reject the notion that they are individually responsible.. (Interview). This
creates an issue in the way society views global warming, causing the topic to be pushed aside.
A rising effect of global warming that is being documented in various countries around
the planet is climate change, specifically temperature and precipitation levels. While the average
American citizen doesnt believe that this change could be occurring in areas away from bodies
of water, they could not be further from the truth. In Ohio alone, the temperature has been
constantly increasing by approximately 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, with the global rate
increasing by just a smidge lower at 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (interview). These changes are also
occurring in in the wintertime,often reaching an increase of around 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit, per
year! Precipitation in Ohio has also changed in the past 100 years, rising from only 37in of
precipitation in 1900 to around 41 inches of precipitation present-day. Please refer to the graphs
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below to see the stunning visual fluctuation. The first figure shows the change in Ohios
temperature throughout the years 1895-1914 while the second graph shows the changes in
Some of the most underrated natural resources that Earth provides us with are the ice caps and
sheets found in polar regions. These massive chunks of ice may seem useless, but in reality they
reflect sunlight, influence ocean currents, insulate the air, limit severe weather and support native
humans and animals (McLendon). With all these benefits, it is hard to comprehend why we are
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putting their destruction to the backburner. In the past year alone, arctic sea ice saw a record
low level for its average extent in January, according to the center - over a million square
kilometers smaller than the average ice extent seen from 1981-2010 ( Mooney, Chris). In fact,
Images from NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] satellites show that the
area of permanent ice cover is contracting at a rate of 9 percent each decade (Natural). The low
ice levels create a hotter atmosphere which then leads to a warmer climate, which eventually
causes more ice to melt. This vicious cycle has rapidly sped up throughout the years and will
continue to do so unless society does something to stop it! Along with creating a warmer climate,
the melting ice also results in a rise of sea levels. Researchers studying these effects are now
forecasting that sea levels could rise by up to ten feet as a result, threatening low-lying land
(Antarctica). The rising sea levels are dangerous for not only the Arctic, but the United States
too! In a recent study on sea level rising, scientists found that this increase would inundate some
22,400 square miles of land along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, primarily in
Louisiana, Texas, Florida and North Carolina (Natural). If actions arent taken against these
In a recent survey, over 85% of participants answered yes when asked if they believed
in global warming, yet there were very few responses when asked how to help prevent it. The
solution may seem impossible, but if every individual takes small steps towards creating a more
eco-friendly lifestyle, we can begin to see changes on Earth. Soon, the effects of global warming
will lessen their impact on the environment and humans and animals alike will begin to notice
Works Cited
"Antarctica's melting ice cap 'at point of no return'." Times [London, England], 4 Feb. 2016, p.
McLendon, Russell. "7 reasons why Arctic sea ice matters." MNN - Mother Nature Network.
Mooney, Chris. "The 'ridiculously' warm Arctic just set another ominous record." Washington
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Natural Resources Defense Council. "Global Warming Is Melting Polar Ice Masses." Is Global
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