Global Warming is an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere. It is primarily caused by greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere and almost 100 percent of the observed temperature increase over the last 50 years has been due to this reason. The biggest contributing factor of greenhouse gases is the burning of fossil fuels which leads to the emission of carbon dioxide. Vast concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide, acts like a mirror and reflects heat energy back onto the earth raising the temperature. This increase of temperature causes sea levels to rise due to thermal expansion of the ocean, along with melting glaciers. Pattern and amount of rain and snow are changing. Hurricanes are now more intense and occur more frequently along with unpredictable tornadoes, floods, droughts, and heat waves. Other consequences of global warming include higher or lower agricultural yields and in most extreme case, species extinction. Also malaria is showing up places thought to be extinguished previously. Petroleum and coal are two of the main reason of carbon dioxide emission. Transportation fuels, residential, commercial, and power plants make up for half of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

In order to reduce the effects of global warming, mainly it is crucial that we reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere along with all the other harmful heat—trapping gasses like methane. We must use cleaner forms of energy rather than electricity from coal—burning plants. We need to come up with a replacement for petroleum due to the amount of pollution it causes. We need to utilize and incorporate wind, water, and solar energy more into our lives. We need to stop destroying our rain forests. We can’t wait for our governments to step in and make changes. We need to be responsible and make changes individually since it affects all living things on this planet. It is vital to our survival that we change the way we live and do things. Everyone can make positive progression by doing something simple as using energy efficient appliances, using fluorescent light bulbs, using less hot water and taking showers instead of baths, recycling, reducing waste, buying fresh foods instead of frozen, buying more organic foods rather than processed, eating less meat, maintaining our vehicles so it emits less harmful gasses, buying more fuel efficient cars, and spreading awareness of the impending dangers that we may face one day. Every positive little thing we do adds up in the big picture. Earth will continue to get warmer as more greenhouse gasses are released into the atmosphere. It is a test for our species as conditions begins to worsen, to adapt to the ever-changing Earth.