Global warming, the most extensive factor of our everyday lives, will soon be the biggest reason for the melting of polar-ice caps, the demolishment of the Ozone Layer( which protects us from the sun), and a mounting rate for casualties all over the Earth. What seems like endless sources to its start, global warming has one main cause: Pollution. That we create.

Cars, airplanes, trucks, and SUV’s are all vehicles that emit pollutants-carbon dioxide and several others into the environment. SUV’s and trucks in fact were created for the pure reason of rough-terrain travel. When they are driven in the city(which they normally are), the literally kill the environment and the pollutants that they emit absolutely leave us vulnerable to the Sun. With thousands of flights all over the world per day, planes emit so many chemicals into the atmosphere that inch-by-inch the O.L. is dying away.

The chemicals that we release from our car emissions are mostly methane, Carbon Dioxide, and Water Vapor. These are present in the declining Fossil Fuels: coal, oil, natural gas. 33% of Carbon Dioxide emissions come from cars and the burning of gasoline from the internal-combustion engine. According to the 2000 E.P.A. rankings, the Dodge Durango sports utility car’s emissions were about 800 pounds of Carbon Dioxide in a mere 500 city miles. Carbon Dioxide is also emitted from the burning of coal at several power plants facilities.

Methane has been a growing reason for Global Warming throughout the last century. Methane is about 20 times as effective in trapping heat and falls second to Carbon Dioxide in the most principal greenhouse gas. The atmospheric levels of Methane have grown 145% over the last century-that’s a huge increase. It is derived from sources e.g. rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bog bacteria, and fossil fuels of course. When rice fields flood what happens is that the anaerobic conditions develop within the matter and as the soil decomposes Methane is released into the environment.

Water vapor, though hard to believe, is the most prevalent greenhouse gas on the planet, but its increasing presence is the result of warming caused by carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases, thus demoting it as a lesser greenhouse gas. Water Vapor holds about two-thirds-that’s 67%(about)-of all the heat trapped be the greenhouse gases. As the Earth heats up, humidity is able to increase which allows the atmosphere to hold more vapor and causing more heating.

The sources of Global Warming may seem infinite but the impact of it towards us is what is more important. Polar ice-caps are melting thus putting lives and the habitat of polar bears and other Arctic animals in danger. But to us is what global warming affects the most.

In Anchorage, Alaska conservation groups are continually fighting the Bush administration in their efforts to save the polar bear which is near extinction. The administration refuses to take steps in order to help save the Arctic polar bears. Polar bears are threatened with extinction in many areas because of the melting of their sea ice habit. The groups say that greenhouse gas emissions have led to rapid melting in the Arctic.

We are affected more than any other species by global warming. First of all, we would completely deplete the already weakened ozone layer and be left vulnerable to the Sun. Rapid temperature increases from 1900 to now have shown the effects of global warming on us-and they are not very pleasant results. When the ozone layer finally gives way and all the ice has melted, about 90% of the earth would be water compared to the current 75%. If you think properly, you will see that this is a very substantial increase-15% that’s the whole of Antarctica, Arctic, Greenland,etc.- and would most likely result in global flooding and many deaths all over the world. But fortunately we can stop it.

There are several steps to take in order to wipe out global warming for good and protect the weakened ozone layer to maintain the status of our planet. These steps are necessary precautions in order to forestall what could happen to us.

1. Purchase a programmable thermostat for your home. For periods during which you are not home, you can set your thermostat to be about two degrees cooler in the winter and two degrees warmer in the summer. This reduces the Carbon Dioxide emissions from your home.
2. Plant trees in your yard. Trees will shade your home, reducing the need for air conditioning. Trees also have an intake of 1 ton of Carbon Dioxide during their lifetime.
3. Reduce your driving speed from 65 mph to 55 mph on the freeways when you get to driving. By driving at 55 mph, you can optimize your car’s gas mileage and reduce your Carbon Dioxide emissions.
4. If you can, (though urban citizens can) buy local groceries grown by local farmers. This kills transportation of several goods and can both increase the business of the farmer and reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions.
5. Carpool as frequently as you can. Fewer cars on the road means less emissions of Carbon Dioxide and other pollutants.
6. Use cloth bags when shopping at the grocery store. Electricity is required to make plastic which releases Carbon Dioxide into the air more frequently.
7. Turn off and unplug all electronic devices in your house when they are not in use to reduce the amount of electricity needed for your home.

Just to let you know, several cars can help us stop pollutant emissions. Here’s a few that you should know about when thinking about buying a car and helping save the environment.

• Acura RSX
• Chevrolet Aveo
• Chevrolet Cobalt
• Ford Escape Hybrid
• Ford Focus
• Ford Focus Wagon
• Honda Accord
• Honda Accord Hybrid
• Honda Civic
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Honda Insight
• Hyundai Accent
• Hyundai Elantra
• Kia Rio
• Kia Spectra
• Lexus 400h
• Mazda Mazda3
• Mazda Mx-5 Miata
• Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• Nissan Sentra
• Saturn Ion
• Scion xA
• Toyota Camry
• Toyota Corolla
• Toyota Prius
• Volkswagen Golf Jetta New Beetle

For more information, the Prius is actually the most fuel efficient/green car with a stellar 55 gas mileage maximum. Global Warming will in about 40 years be the cause for the most fatalities on Earth. This intense warming is caused by the emission of several pollutants into the air which destroy our precious ozone layer which blocks off most of the Sun. But global warming can still be prevented from what could happen if we made a difference in our everyday lives. And remember: a small change could mean a better Earth for you.