Porter Cause and Effect Rough Draft: Too Many Effects

How important is it to learn about what is affecting our world?  Well, if the world would no longer be able to support the changes as things continue to change without the knowledge of each cause, then it is life changing important to learn the affects of our world. There are several factors that are causing the environment to be negatively impacted.  Although there are several factors that negatively effect the environment, greenhouse gases causes the most harm to the environment because the gases contribute to climate change, global warming, and pollution.

The average amount of weather over a long period of time in specific regions is known as climate. When the climate changes, the climate either increase or  decrease in precipitation or degrees.  Hopwood and Cohen explains, “Over the past century, the Earth has increased in temperature by about .5 degrees Celsius and many scientists believe this is because of an  increase in concentration of the main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons” (Hopwood and Cohen).  As carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere the climate is changing.

Moreover, as the climate changes so does the weather patterns. Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are occurring more frequently and ferociously. As different greenhouse gases change the climate they also threaten the health of humans. as the summers become hotter, breathing problems will increase and sickness from the heat will increase as well. Moreover, the climate has a system, the climate system consists of the atmosphere, land, ocean, ice, and biosphere. When any part of the system changes, it causes the whole climate to change little by little. The ecosystems are effected by the climate change system and animals or species have to move to another environment or either die off.

Similarly, global warming is caused by increased greenhouse gases in which causes the Earth to arm quicker than it normally would warm. As fossil fuels are being burned, it is also  giving off the life threatening rate of a greenhouse gas  carbon dioxide and other gases. Carbon dioxide is a gas that is apart of the greenhouse gases which contributes to the majority of the increase in global warming. Koshland further explains how: “Scientists have estimated the contribution to warming made by a range of gases, dust and solar radiation. They have a high level of certainty that greenhouse gases contribute the most to warming, with increases in CO₂ as the greatest contributor with about 1.4 watts/meter² and methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons making smaller contributions”(Koshland). This happens as gases are being trapped in the air and some of the energy is be converted back to the Earth which causes the planet to warm up. Also, majority of the greenhouse gases occur naturally.  Additionally, carbon dioxide is being breathed into the air by humans in return is not making the matter any better.

Furthermore, global warming is causing ice glaciers to melt which causes the level of the sea to rise. The Huffington Post describes how methane gas effects global warming by saying  “Methane, a potent global warming gas, is bubbling out of the frozen Arctic faster than had been expected. Methane had become trapped in the permafrost over time and a warming climate is now resulting”(The Huffington Post). The hot weather causes the gases and other particles from smoke to be prolonged in air and increase reactions from chemicals which makes other pollutants. Therefore, each effect of global warming is an effect on the environment and the society.

Trains, planes, automobiles, buses and are contributing factors of air pollution caused by humans. With these methods of transportation being used by the population it is distributing more methane gas into the atmosphere. Again, methane gas is one of the greenhouse gases that is contributing to the world’s air pollution. As the population increases so does the need for more food. An animal that is a great provider of food is a cow. A cow manures and manure puts out methane into our atmosphere as pollution. The more cows the world needs for food the more manure this world would have, which also means more methane gas as well as more pollution. With the air pollution increase the air quality decreases.

Pollution not only effects living things but also nonliving things as well. According to the article Air Pollution states that air pollution is excreted into the atmosphere by harmful gases. Therefore,  air pollution would not exist if it were not for the greenhouse gases.   As methane is released into the air it absorbs terrestrial infrared radiation which sneaks into space causing the air to be polluted.

In conclusion,while our nation continues to apply energy and accumulate the use of fuel then the increase of greenhouse gases will continue to grow. Since greenhouse gases cause the most harm to the environment then there needs to be a change. What is done today will affect tomorrow. The changes occur gradually and the problem will be fixed slowly as well.

Works Cited

“Air Pollution”.  Saving Our Environment. 2001. Saving Our Environment. 17

March 2010 <http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111401

/air_pollution.htm>.

“Global Warming is Happening.” The Online environmental Community.8

March 1998. Envirolink. 17 March 2010 <http://www.envirolink.org.

/prgs/edf/sitemap.html>.

Hopwood, Nick and Jordan Cohen. “Greenhouse Gases and Society.” 17

March 2010 <http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm&gt;.

Koshland, Marian. “Causes Of Change” Science Museum of the National

Academy of Sciences. 2010. The National Academy of Sciences. 17 March

2010< http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc

/causes03.jsp>.

“Methane Gas: A Growing Climate Risk?” The Huffington Post. 4

March 2010. Huffington. 17 March 2010

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/methane-gas-a-growing-

cli_n_487044.html>.

DRAFT Proposal Essay: Care to Share?

Support cost effective and environmentally sound modes of transportation at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Ridesharing, two or more people sharing a vehicle to get to the same destination, is a positive transportation alternative that is cost effect and environmentally sound. Between faculty, staff and students, UAF has approximately 4,000 commuters coming to campus on a daily basis. Although ridesharing is not currently popular in Fairbanks, the UAF Staff Council should establish a rideshare program because it would decrease campus parking issues, encourage sustainability awareness, and positively impact air quality concerns.

While there are multiple reasons to take advantage of ridesharing opportunities, one of the most attractive at UAF would be minimizing parking issues. A standard parking decal costs approximately $250 on an annual basis. Rideshare parties could agree to split that cost, saving $125 annually immediately. In addition, parking places close to offices and shuttle stops are few and far between. If even 10 percent of current commuters elect to ride share, 400 parking spaces will open up.

Sustainability is an immense issue. Again, by eliminating 10 percent of the vehicles that come to campus, 400 people will lessen their dependence on oil and gas and wear and tear on their vehicles. Each small savings is a step towards saving the earth.

Fairbanks has severe air quality concerns. Cold winter days cause an inversion that leaves a smog layer hovering over Fairbanks. Decreasing the amount of cars and exhaust on the road, and decreasing the number of idling cars will positively impact air quality.

In order to establish a successful rideshare program, Staff Council should form a small committee responsible for the set-up and marketing of the program. Committee duties would include either creating a web-page or joining an online ridesharing site such as eRideShare.com, continued marketing of the website and the benefits of ridesharing, and if the program takes off, lobbying for incentives such as parking priority or discounts on campus.

eRideShare.com is a national rideshare website that links potential rideshare matches. The service offers marketing materials that could be posted on every bulletin board on campus. UAF also offers many ways to disseminate information such as the electronic Cornerstone Newsletter and global emails to listservs that include all staff, students, and faculty. A request could be made to Parking Services to incorporate information on their web-page, and a link to the online matching service.

In order to implement this proposal, the first step would be to meet with the Staff Council and provide information on the proposed program and the steps necessary to implementation. Appointment of a small committee responsible for the start up and ongoing tasks necessary to implementation will be the next step.

Dissemination of information on ridesharing programs will also be helpful to answer questions concerning safety, appropriate procedures and rules, and the possible benefits of participation. Safety issues will need to be addressed upfront. While online matching is available, the committee will stress the necessity of meeting the potential rideshare partner prior to that first ride. Procedures and rules could include how much to pay, when payment is due, where rideshare partners meet, and how long to wait if a partner is late. Potential benefits would need to support of UAF’s administration, however the program can run sufficiently without potential benefits. Such incentives and benefits could include decreased pricing on parking decals, priority parking spaces made available to rideshare participants, and recognition of participants as those doing their part to save the environment.

A ridesharing program at UAF will be fairly simple to implement and will have large impacts on the individuals involved and the community at large. Less traffic, less smog, and less driving stress can only make UAF a better place to work, and Fairbanks a better place to live.

http://www.erideshare.com/?gclid=CN7o2LmtwKACFQpcbQod_nj7TA