What is Global warming? The dinosaurs or even the mammoth might have something to say about that as the definition really does not explain the event in enough detail. "Global warming is an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate," according to the Collins English Dictionary This is very basic. The term has changed to climate change due to it being too basic. The causes and how the event occurs are a lot more complicated.
Ozone
The atmosphere of Earth is a multilayered ocean of different gases having different effects on the incoming electromagnetic rays of solar energy constantly bombarding our little blue planet.
One of the most important gases is an oxygen-based atom called ozone which has three atoms of oxygen. This gas forms a protective layer over the atmospheric surface preventing many rays passage through the atmosphere.
Carbon Dioxide
Another important gas is carbon dioxide which forms a part of the atmosphere and helps the planet maintain its temperature at a nice range for the life on our planet to thrive. This same attribute of carbon dioxide and its sister gas carbon monoxide, are partially what cause global warming.
Greenhouse gases
Other gases produced during farming and industrial production such as methane displace oxygen in the lower atmosphere causing the composition of breathable air to be changed.
Contributors to climate change
According to Climate NASA, all these things contribute to this phenomenon. Human activities such as industrial production, farming, and internal combustion engines release trapped carbon into the atmosphere. Coal and petroleum are the remains of millions of years of global animal life at a time when the world supported many times the living carbon base it now can support.
These deposits are being mined and released into the atmosphere in decades rather than millennia. The consequences of this may be disputed by the corporations and politicians, but the results are obvious. There is no disputing the climate of the planet has changed over the last 100 years and continues to change.
Mitigation of this catastrophe
Ways to reduce our carbon load on this planet are quite extensive. Using public transportation rather than multiple vehicle families is one way. Converting to solar-powered vehicles, and homes is another way to affect change in this area. Reducing the amount of processed foods, plastics, and synthetic chemicals used in the home and workplace is another set of changes to reduce carbon load on the planet.
Reversal
Reducing impact is not enough. Humanity has already produced a carbon load that this planet is struggling to support. Reversal is now required. The screams of reason from the scientists fall on the deaf ears of corporations and politicians, so the changes must come from the consumer.
Protecting old growth forests all over the world from deforestation, planting and replanting in areas already deforested, growing food and meat at home and buying naturally grown food rather than depending on big business agriculture to provide the world's food are a few of the things the consumer can do. Something that seems to be forgotten in this world is social responsibility. In addition to reducing the gases we emit to the atmosphere, we can also increase the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere.
Plants and trees absorb CO2 as they grow, sequestering carbon naturally. Increasing forest lands and making changes to the way we farm could increase the amount of carbon we're storing.
Corporations have lost all culpability in the race to gain the almighty dollar. The people of this world need to force those actually in control to clean up their acts by returning to world health conscious practices such as returnable bottles in the soda industry.
Support of corporations that actively reverse the carbon impact of their actions with responsible practices is obvious. Boycotting against those who are not responsible are other ways to make this effort work on a more global scale. Education of the people to actively work together to twist the arm of the corporate world to make responsible use of the world's resources is one of the most important steps to controlling this coming crisis.
