According to the Patt Foundation, every day, more than 70 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere, and the result of these emissions is global warming (“Facts About Global Warming.” pattfoundation.org). Temperatures in the United States have increased by 1.5 degrees in past 200 years because of global warming (“Global Temperatures since 1800s.” ucar.edu), which is more than temperatures have risen over the past two centuries before the Industrial Revolution (“Earth is Warmer since Industrial Revolution.” dailygalaxy.com)! This is clearly the most pressing issue humans face today, as according to the Dailymail, a prominent Australian microbiologist predicts that humanity will be wiped out in the next 100 years by increasing temperatures, increasing sea levels, and precipitation changes (O’Callaghan. dailymail.edu). We have a moral obligation to protect our children, grandchildren, and future generations from this natural apocalypse, but to contribute to the resistance, one must understand what global warming …show more content…
According to a Guardian report in 2012, climate change kills 400,000 people yearly, destroys 4 million tons of food, and costs the world $1.2 trillion (Harvey. guardian.com). This economic harm deeply impacts developing countries, where it affects 11% of their GDP (Harvey. guardian.com). In addition, the Union of Concerned Scientists adds that the average sea level is rising because glaciers and other ice structures are melting in the ocean (“Global Warming Impacts.” ucsusa.org). This puts coastal communities at risk of flooding, and big cities like Miami have an even greater threat because they have a large population, which means more people would be affected by the floods. Furthermore, polar bears and other marine animals are put at risk because their habitats are altering daily, which is too fast to allow for adaptation. The Union of Concerned Scientists furthers that wildfires around the world will increase due to a higher probability of brush spontaneously catching fire in higher temperatures (“Global Warming Impacts.” ucsusa.org). Scientific American estimates that each major wildfire costs more than one billion dollars in damages, can cause more than five hundred deaths per strike, and ruin local communities (Fiscetti. scientificamerican.com). The favorite attractions at places like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge or Miami Beach will not exist after a major wildfire