1.

0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Nowadays, global warming became worst year after year. The earth is
already showing many signs of worldwide climate change. Evidence of global
warming are very clear where there are many natural disasters occurring such as
floods, landslide, drought and the changes in the ecosystem. Average temperatures
in certain parts of the world have increased 1.4 degree Fahrenheit (0.8 degree
Celsius) since 1880 – much of this in recent decades, according to NASA’s
Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Most part of the earth that experience global
warming is Artic where the ice started rapidly disappearing, and the region may
have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040, according to United Nation’s
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). All of these facts might be
ignored by others but if they still not concern about it, global warming will become
their nightmare, day by day. So, we have to be concerned about global warming
where the solutions of the problems are already available with new scientific study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem is how awareness UTM students about global
warming. We want them to think wisely about global warming. We can make
people be more concern and take action to decrease the global warming. So we
need to know how far their awareness about global warming by distributing the
questionnaire to the respondents. In our research, we also try to find the effective
solutions to overcome the global warming.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to find out the awareness of UTM students about
global warming.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

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 The objectives of the study are to:

1) Identify the causes of global warming

2) Identify the effects of global warming
3) Identify the solutions of global warming

1.5 Research Questions

Our research questions are:
1) What are the causes of global warming?
2) What are the effects of global warming?
3) How can UTM students help in decreasing global warming?

1.6 Significance of the Study

From the research, this study will:
1) Help giving awareness among UTM students to think wisely about global
warming.
2) Make people to be more concern and take action to decrease global
warming.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of this research is the second year Civil Engineering students of UTM.

2.0 Literature Review

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 2.1 The Issues of Global Warming
Recently, climate change around the world become worst and many disaster
phenomenon occurred that effect and affecting certain countries. Issue of global
warming and climate change has been characterized during the period of 1992 through
2005 by the Houston Chronicle—the largest regional newspaper in the Texas coastal
region. Global warming is defined as the increase of the average temperature on Earth.
As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods are getting
more frequent (UN Climate Change Report 2007). The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) concludes “most of the observed increase in globally
averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the
observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations”. And
Union Concerned Scientist (UCS) had state that global warming is caused by
emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that are emitted primarily
by the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests. These gases remain in our
atmosphere for decades or even centuries. In 2002 about 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide
emissions stem from the burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity
generation. Coal accounts for 93 percent of the emissions from the electric utility
industry (US Emissions Inventory 2004 Executive Summary p. 10). E.P.A's 2000 Fuel
Economy Guide had reported that a new Dodge Durango sports utility vehicle (with a
5.9 litre engine) that gets 12 miles per gallon in the city will emit an estimated 800
pounds of carbon dioxide over a distance of 500 city miles. Besides that, according to
the IPCC, Methane is more than 20 times as effective as CO2 at trapping heat in the
atmosphere. After carbon emissions caused by humans, deforestation is the second
principle cause of atmospheric carbon dioxide (NASA Web Site). Deforestation is
responsible for 20-25% of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, by the
burning and cutting of about 34 million acres of trees each year. For the solutions,
UCS had include that people must using energy more efficiently and moving to
renewable energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and bioenergy). Otherwise, reforestation
also can reduce these problems. We can’t avoid all the consequences of global
warming, but committing ourselves to action today can help ensure our children and
grandchildren inherit a healthy world full of opportunity.

3.0 Research Methodology

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3.1 Introduction.

This section discusses the methodology of the research. The purpose of the research

is to find out the awareness of UTM students about global warming. To assess and

evaluate the awareness of UTM students about global warming, second year UTM

students were chosen. All data for the research was collected through questionnaire.

3.2 Instrument of the study.

This research utilized the quantitative research methodology. The instrument that we

used to collect the data was questionnaire. A set of questionnaire containing 10

questions were divided into two sections which were Section A and Section B.

Section A contained 3 questions while Section B contained 7 questions. We used

different question types such as ranking, yes-no, and open ended. All these were used

in our questionnaire.

3.3 Respondents of the study.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai have a large number of students. In

our research, we just focused on one faculty only. The respondents of the study were

second year Faculty of Civil Engineering students.

3.4 Research Procedure.

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 On 3rd of September 2008, a total of 30 sets questionnaire were distributed to the

respondents in tutorial room and hostel. We gave them about one hour to complete the

questionnaire. There was no problem in collecting the questionnaires. The respondents

also do not have any problems during completing our questionnaires. Of these

numbers, 23 were male students while the other 7 were females. Besides that, 26 of the

total respondents were Malay and the rest were Chinese students.

3.5 Data Analysis

After we sorted out the data, we analyzed the data. In analysing the data, we used the

main point of the each selected question as the heading of each analysed data. Then,

all the analysed data was present by using one way in presenting the data. We used pie

chart as our presentation of our data. We analysed data by using percentage. We also

further described what information we gained from other resources such as newsfeed,

internet, and books including journals to obtain more statements that can support our

findings.

4.0 Findings and Discussion

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 The purpose of the research is to find out the awareness of UTM students about global
warming. After sorted out the data, we do the data analysis. In analysing data, we used
the main point of the each selected question as the heading of each analysed data. All
the analysed data was present by using pie chart and percentage. This section discusses
about the causes, affects, and solutions of global warming.

4.1 Causes of Global Warming

Figure 1: Country contributes most to global warming

Figure 1 shows that from four countries that had been focused (China, United States of
America, Malaysia and South Africa), the countries that contribute most to global
warming are shown in Figure 1. The largest percentage of the respondents choose
United States (76.67%) followed by South Africa (13.33%) and China (10%). While
Malaysia, the respondents had concluded that Malaysia did not contributes most to
global warming unlike the other countries (0%).

There are lot of causes of global warming which involving some countries around the
world. United States of America for example, emission of harmful gases from
factories and vehicles made the air being polluted and with their population,
deforestation had taken for development. The same situation also had been in China.
In addition, in China the development of agriculture making chemical fertilizer being

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 produced in large amount. Interestingly, respondents had stated that Malaysia not
contributes to global warming due to its population. In facts, articles from WWF and
UCS got proves showing Malaysia are the one included although there are less cases
about effects of the global warming. For example, in the data analysis on countries
contribute the emission of harmful gases (like C02) made by UCS, Malaysia had
contributes about less than 0.5 tons per capita. Due to industrial growth, this country
may increase the rate of the emission of CO2.

4.2 Effects of Global Warming

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 Figure 2: Major effects of global warming

The major effects of global warming are shown in Figure 2. 42% of respondents chose
melting ice and glaciers. The next major effect is climate change around the world
(36%), followed by the changing of ecosystems (16%). The smallest percentage of the
major effect is spread of diseases (6%).

From the findings, mostly respondents thought that global warming was effected by the
melting ice and glaciers. But in our research article, it was stated that climate change is
the major effect of global warming. This is because climate change will lead to the other
effects like melting ice, spread of diseases, changing of ecosystems, and others. This
strongly supported that climate change was the major effect of global warming. On the
other hand, fewer respondents chose spread of diseases as the main effect because
maybe they did not know well or not confirmed about the diseases that lead by the
global warming.

4.3 Solutions of global warming

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 Figure 3: Ways in Solving Problems of Global Warming

Figure 3 shows the percentage of respondents in their way of choosing the solution of
global warming. The largest percentages categories are make a campaign and others
(23%) which including reduces the usage of transports, improvement of rule about
environment, decreasing pollutions and many more. While the next largest percentage is
stop the green house effect (20%). Reforestation and stopping open burning are shown
in same percentage which is the lowest percentages (17%).

Doing campaign, gain awareness and give information about global warming is the best
way in making people realize and change their way of life to be more concern about
environment. Government, world’s society and others are responsible in ensuring the
effectiveness of the campaign. It also can make people know the causes and try to
minimize as much as they can such as emission of gases from vehicles and avoid
pollution. Stopping open burning and reforestation is two things that can be related
which is protecting the ecosystem in the process of decreasing the air pollution from
heat trapped by emission of gasses and preventing nature problem such as flooding and
rising earth temperature.

5.0 CONCLUSION

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 This research investigated the knowledge of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2nd year
of Faculty Civil Engineering students about global warming. Primary data were collected
by randomly distributing questionnaires to 30 students. In introduction, it was stated that
the purpose of the study was to increase students’ awareness about the global warming
phenomenon.

From the study, we can make the conclusion based on the findings that we have done
before. Firstly, our research has shown that students (respondents) had chosen United
States as the largest contributor for causing the global warming. Secondly, melting ice and
glaciers are the most affected due to the global warming problem and lastly, the most
effective solutions that were chosen by the respondents to overcome this problem are
organizing campaign and others. The results of the study indicate that knowledge about
this phenomenon is an important factor that will influence students’ choices about their
awareness about the global warming problems.

5.1 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

These findings are only true for Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2nd year of Faculty Civil
Engineering students and cannot be generalized to other university students or people
among the society. A similar study needs to be conceded on students from other
university to see if there are any similarities with the factor that influence students
choices in solving the global warming problem.

6.0 RECOMMENDATION

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 The following are several recommendations based on the findings and conclusions of the
study:

1. Students should use public transport like bus regularly rather than use their own
vehicle like motorcycle or car.

2. Students need to be more concerned about global warming crisis nowadays.

6.1 FUTURE RESEARCH

Since the study had only focused on Universiti Teknologi Malaysia students, it is
recommended that further studies should be carried out on members of the public or on
other students from other universities. It is also possible that further studies be carried on
lecturers or workers in UTM to see if there are any similarities in the findings.
Furthermore, further research can explore the main causes why global warming still
exists. Besides, it could also explore further how to decrease the global warming effects.
Lastly, we cannot stop the global warming from occurring, but we can decrease it by
helping all humans in this world. Before we end our project, we would like to invite all
people to take actions in order to save our world.

References

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- Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): website www.ucsusa.com
- Houston Chronicle’s publication: Texas
- United Nation (UN) Climate Change Report,2007
- NASA Web Site
- Center for American Progress Action Fund’s Mic Check Radio
- www.causesofglobalwarming.net
- IPCC First Assessment Report,1990
- IPCC Second Assessment Report,1995
- IPCC Third Assessment Report,2001
- Science of Climate Change: National Academy of Sciences,2001
- Global Temperatures Change(2006) : Proceedings of the NAS, 103 (39), pp. 14288-
14293 – adapted at www.scopus.com
- National Geographic Society (1996-2008) Web Site

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