Global Warming Rough Draft Environmental Sciences Essay

Global Warming Rough Draft Environmental Sciences Essay In recent discussions on the topic of Global Warming, a controversial issue has been whether the facts support this as a real issue and that the worlds temperature is in fact warming or one of this being a myth and the planets overall temperatures are not raising any more or less than in any other time in history. On the one hand, some argue that patterns of climate change have always existed in history and that does not show that the planet is warming at all. From this perspective, many factors can effect climate change and the planet has a cycle of warming and cooling that has continued throughout history. On the other hand, others argue that the use of fossil fuels such as (oil, gas, and coal) have created excess Co2 in the atmosphere creating a greenhouse effect that has helped to raise temperatures of the planet substantially. In the words of most reputable scientists, one of this views main proponents, Al Gore author of the inconvenient truth, states global warming is indeed a serious issue in our world and is not just a myth. According to this view, climate change is an excepted fact and the planet is indeed warming as a result of human beings burning fossil fuels. In sum, then, the actual issue is whether global warming is real or a myth. Most scientists agree that this is not debatable and see it as more of fact. The dispute of global warming can be narrowed into two parallel debates. One is scientific, which focuses on the analyses of complex data that is hard for the lay person to understand and the other political side which is addressing what the proper response governments should take to a hypothetical risk. To add to this complex issue, large energy companies are lobbying against global warming in an effort to manipulate the truth, making even more grey areas and casting doubt on its veracity. Each side of the debate provides abundant scientific evidence that attempts to prove there point. Proponents of an instantaneous and all-encompassing regulatory response insist that the scientific debate has long been settled. Some scientific skepticism can be beneficial for scientists to challenge themselves to improve the understanding of the science behind global warming. Thus far this is not what materializes with climate change denial. Disbelievers dynamically censure any evidence that supports the issue that human beings are the main cause of global warming and yet embrace any argument, article, study, or blog that proposes disproving global warming or the affects individuals are partaking on global warming. The deniers and skeptics have used similar deceitful schemes that they have used for years. They continue to attack the messenger, proposing that a worldwide plot of officials and environmental scientists are trying to safeguard their funding using a one-sided portrayal of the IPCC process. Their attempts are to highlight any specific downgrade in the predictions and lift that out of context to suggest a less dire overall picture. Casting a fortified doubt and confusion, following the model of th e experts employed for years by the tobacco industry to debunk the effects of smoking direct relation to cancer. This is why Global Warming still has many controversies surrounding the topic that draw attention away from the real issue. Global warming still has many controversies surrounding the topic that draw attention away from the real issue. One example would be the resent Climatgate scandal where scientists were accused of manipulating and possible destroying data on climate change. According to an anonymous hacker with the pseudonym FOIA hacked into email accounts gathering over 1000 personal emails. The hacker then leaked small details of the emails in a way that at first looked like two chief researchers had manipulated or omitted parts of the data in order to present their findings. They later found the researchers did nothing wrong in the research or no evidence was found of foul play or manipulation. This shows the ongoing struggle at what lengths the individuals are willing to go to debunk the research. Many discussions still continue on the topic of Global Warming with both sides taking a stand on whether the facts support this as a real issue and the worlds temperature is in fact warming or one of thi s being a myth and the planets overall temperatures are not raising any more or less than in any other time in history. According to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the product of hundreds of leading scientists from around the globe, confirms that global warming is happening now and needs to be addressed quickly to avoid costly and difficult problems. Many consider human caused global warming to be a myth, just an excuse for the record temperatures and other weather patterns. There are two main sides to the argument of the cause of global warming; those who believe that global warming is just a natural phase in the climatic habits of earth, and those who believe humans are the direct cause through the burning of fossil fuels and other processes. In an article released by the Dept. of Commerce, NASA claims the solar increases do not have the ability to cause large global temperature increases greenhouse gasses are indeed playing a dominant role. As the leading global scientific institution of the US Government, NASAs point is highly accepted by the community. In the same article, the Dept. of Commerce says that only a quarter of the amount of global warming can be attributed to the sun. That one-quarter is the natural part of global warming; the rest is from human activity. Humans are the dominant force behind the sharp global warming trend seen in the 20th century. Natural factors like volcanic eruptions and fluctuations in the suns emissions, which were powerful influences on temperatures in past centuries, can account for only 25 percent of global warming. The rest of the warming was caused by human activity, particularly rising levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. According to author, Thomas J. Crowley a Texas AM geologist natural variability plays only a subsidiary role in the 20th century warming and that the most parsimonious explanation for most of the warming is that it is due to the anthropogenic increase in greenhouse gases. Crowley proposes the most direct link to date between people and the 1.1 degree Fahrenheit rise in average global temperatures over the last 100 years is due to something called the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by g ases trapped in the atmosphere. Part of this re-radiation is reflected back towards the surface and the lower atmosphere. This results in an elevation of the average surface temperature above what it would be in the absence of the gases. Increase in weather phenomena is another effect of global warming. One theory is that global warming may be contributing to stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic over the past 30 years. FSU geography Professor James B. Elsner, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor James P. Kossin and FSU postdoctoral researcher Thomas H. Jagger have used global satellite data to find that the strongest tropical cyclones are, in fact, getting stronger and ocean temperatures play a role in driving this trend. This is consistent with the heat-engine theory of cyclone intensity which is all a result of the warming of our planet. Drought As global warming increases it will alter many climatic patterns of the planet. As far as rainfall is concerned, it will rise equator ially in both polar and sub-polar regions, and decrease in subtropical areas. This change in precipitation pattern will generate a drought in certain areas, while floods in other areas. Warming of the atmosphere will escalate the temperature in the planets seawaters, which will endure continued elevated temperatures for centuries. Warm water will lead to frequent natural disasters like hurricanes. Overall, the planet will experience extreme weather conditions, characterized by flood and droughts, heat waves and cold waves, and extreme storms like cyclones and tornadoes. A rise in global temperature will also hamper the lavish biodiversity of innumerable ecosystems. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on (IPCC), an increase in global temperature by 1.5 to 2.5 degrees will make 20 to 30 percent of species vulnerable to extinction, while a rise of about 3.5 degrees will make 40 to 70 percent species vulnerable to extinction. Climate change will result in loss of habitat for many animal species like polar bears, tropical frogs and coral reefs just to mention a few. More importantly, any alteration in the planets weather patterns will seriously affect the migration patterns of various species. Unstable patterns of rainfall will affect animals and humans equally. For humans, global warming will affect our foodstuff and water supplies as well as our health conditions. Changes in precipitation will affect basic necessities such as agriculture, power production etc. Increase in the temperature of ocean waters will hamper fisheries. The sudden change in climate patterns will have a hazardous effect on the human body which wont be able to endure the extreme conditions, a hint of which can be seen in form of frequent heat waves and cold waves. Upsurge in natural catastrophes such as storms, will lead to substantial human casualties. Communicable illnesses will rise to a noticeable degree as infection transmitting insects will adapt more quickly to extreme conditions carrying with them many diseases. Many people will die of malnutrition as food production will decrease due to frequent droughts and floods. The ever increasing stress it will have on our system will create less aid for those that rely on our kindness to feed themselves. As a nation, we are attributed as the leading cause of global warming, with the most greenhouse emissions anywhere in the world. As the most influential country in the world, we can choose to sit by and watch it happen, or we can decide to become a more environmentally aware population, setting an example for the entire world to see. The debate of the causes of global warming should not matter, because the fact is that we are contributing to global warming through our activities, adding on to any natural climatic phase that the earth is experiencing. By not releasing so much greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, we can end the global warming scare, and end the most debated environmental topic of the world today. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC), estimates are that it will take $1.375 trillion per year to keep the effects of climate change at a sustainable level keeping the global temperature increase to less than two degrees Celsius (3.6 Degrees Fahr enheit). Having a well-coordinated tax on co2 emissions will benefit the world as a whole and help to sustain countries by allowing them to purchase tax credits from underdeveloped countries which they can then use for an innovative and more sustainable future. A carbon tax is a pay as you go plan with carbon credits and being traded in an open market for current polluters to have time to retool for a sustainable energy source. Trade caps would invite civil war between the extreme groups of polluting nations and those that are more environmentally conscious. Monitoring of large pollution sources is already in place with a satellite and checks in surveillance and fiscal and economic policies. By taxing a relatively small number of large sources we can move forward to a cleaner more sustainable earth. Maybe add something on Sustainable Biofuels find alternatives to fossil fuels and Carbon sinks to reduce the effects of Co2 emissions from burning carbon based fuel. To summarize the mos t significant scientific findings of the preceding few years, scientists have added extensively to the vast body of evidence that demonstrates heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide that are fashioned primarily from the burning of fossil fuels are most certainly changing the global climate, rising temperatures and unsettling environments around the earth. My own view is that Global warming does exist and that humans have caused this increase due to the use of fossil fuels creating a greenhouse effect. Though I concede that specific variations of climate change can be on a cycle of the earths history, I still maintain that recent increase in climate changes are caused by an excess Co2 emission. For example, the burning of (oil, gas, and coal) is causing Co2 to build up in the atmosphere creating a greenhouse affect trapping gases that would not normally be there. This is rising the overall temperature of the earth and we are unsure of the negative side effects this may be causing for the future. Although some might object that the earths climate has a history of cycles and with no clear data as to what effect it will have on humans lives, I would reply that more research is needed and that we need to start looking for innovative ways to lesson our use of fossil fuels and look for renewable sustainable energy sources with less emissions. The issue is important because we all only have one planet and waiting until it is to late would not really be a viable option.

Capital Punishment and Societys Views Essay -- Death Penalty Capital

Capital Punishment and Society's Views â€Å"The question with which we must deal with is not whether a substantial proportion of American citizens would today, if polled, opine that capital punishment is barbarously cruel, but whether they would find it to be so in light of all information presently available.† -U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall According to the American Society of Criminology, each year there are about 250 people added to death row and 35 executed in the United States. The death penalty is the harshest form of punishment enforced in the United Sates today. Once a jury has been convicted of a criminal offense, they go to the second part of the trial, the punishment phase. If the jury recommends the death penalty and the judge agrees, then the criminal will face some form of execution; lethal injection is the most common form used today. Capital punishment is a difficult issue and there are as many different opinions as there are people. In H.L. Mencken’s â€Å"The Penalty of Death†, and Anna Quindlan’s â€Å"Execution†, both sides attempt to persuade the reader to the their viewpoint of capital punishment. However, after reading the two essays, I found Anna Quindlan’s â€Å"Execution† had a stronger argument according to the guidelines in Joseph Trimmer’s â€Å"Writing With A Purpose.† Anna Quindlan had a more classic argument whereas H. L. Mencken’s argument resembled persuasion. Although both authors support the idea of the death penalty, Quindlan is mo...

Liberty vs responsibility

Liberty v/s Responsibility Liberty is the most valued and sought after outcome of any political society. It is a mark of a productive and prosperous society where people enjoy a set of fundamental rights for e. g. :- right to free speech, fair trial, etc. On the other hand social responsibility towards others and oneself unites the community and increases social well-being. Various political philosophers have come up with different ways to prioritize one over the other and some have believed to strike a balance between the two.This leads to an interesting political debate that at what point we draw a line etween liberty and responsibility, where in we have maximum liberty and minimum responsibility. In this paper I assert the libertarian political thought which resolves this debate by striking a fine balance between liberty and responsibility. To support my argument, I apply the ideas of John Locke who was a 17th century classical liberal philosopher (for first reason) and much of li bertarian political thought is inspired from his works. For second reason I apply the ideas of libertarian philosopher Friedrich Hayek.Towards the end I discuss the principles of libertarianism which clearly address this conflict. The first reason is the primary reason why people have desire to loot or plunder and that reason is scarcity. Scarcity is also the main reason why we have to follow a set of rules and act responsibly. If there were no scarcity, then there would be a surplus of goods and resources for everyone and any person's wishes and desires would be fulfilled no matter how unlimited they were and his/her actions would have no consequence on anybody else. But we do live in a world where there is scarcity and that cannot be avoided.So, we have to interact and exchange goods with one another and that involves a set of rules for social conduct. In this context, John Locke believed in the rightful accumulation of property (scarce good) by mixing labor with natural resources (Nozick 175). He didn't believe in accumulation of property via coercion, fraud or theft. As far as the extent of accumulation is concerned he believed that too much property should not be consumed that very little is left for others because that would hinder someone else's right to accumulation of private property.Nozick had given this a term â€Å"Lockean Proviso† (Nozick 175). Applying the Lockean proviso to the conflict between liberty and responsibility, in the presence of carcity, there has to be a certain set of responsibilities that people need to fulfill (mentioned above, Locke called them â€Å"natural laws† (Korab)) mainly including the one where they don't over-consume resources so that less is left for others and at the same time enjoy the liberties granted by the social contract. It's important to note that the responsibilities are optimum that if there are more or less responsibilities there will be less to no liberty.The second reason is that responsib ility is important for liberty to exist is that it encourages good decision making by making people accountable for their actions. Friedrich Hayek in his book â€Å"Constitution of Liberty' said that a free society depends more than any other on people being held responsible for their actions (â€Å"American Spectator†) Applying his idea, in lite it one is awarded tor achieving a set ot goals by the proper use of resources he/she was provided with, then that person should also not be helped and made to suffer the consequences of making a bad decision.In the long term, this suffering will help him make better decisions. Additionally, if the person doesn't suffer the consequences, he/she will develop a propensity for xcessive risk taking which wouldn't be good for the society. Another implication of not taking responsibility is that someone else ends up taking responsibility for it and then that person has a right to curb the latter's freedom. For e. g. :- if the government de cides to bailout a firm which didn't make right decisions, then the government will force the company to take some hard decisions which might go against the interests of the people in that company.So, learning to take responsibility from bad choices increases self-ownership and thereby upholds one's liberty. It also improves one-self hich is always beneficial towards society. Libertarianism has two main principles: the non-aggression principle and the preservation of individual rights and private property (â€Å"Libertarianism†). According to Libertarianism these are the only two responsibilities the person owes to other people in the community. He/she ought not to show aggression and encroach upon any other person's rights in the community.Any responsibility more than that comes at the cost of liberty. Based on the reasons that I gave, Libertarianism strikes a fine balance between liberty and responsibility by not placing laws that achieve a specific outcome unlike a eviatha n government. At the sane times the laws that it places are minimal and only lead to a further expansion of liberty among all. One doesn't want too many laws because that leads to a powerful government where there is no liberty and one also can't manage not having any laws because scarcity and greed will lead to a state of war of â€Å"one against all†.Libertarianism gives a solution that is somewhere between those two extremes. To conclude, libertarianism believes in the importance of individual liberty which can be found in the fundamental rights that people enjoy and duties/responsibilities hich people are obligated to follow. It's important for fundamental duties to exist because without which liberty won't exist. However, responsibility wouldn't have any meaning in the absence of liberty and that it derives its existence from the presence of the latter.

Gender Inequality And Gender Equality - 1673 Words

Gender inequality Women are one-half of the world population they deserve equal opportunity as men because at the end gender equality is part of humanity progress. Many women around the world are treated less favoured than men not only in countries that have traditional gender role but even in societies that believe in equal right for both male and female. Gender inequality means unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It results from differences in socially constructed gender roles. Inequality is an issue that has a negative effect on both the individual and society. This essay will outline some of the issues that women face in different societies devoted and devolving like inequality in education, work and violence and it will also highlight some of women rights that able the women to have more power (world Economic Forum, 2014). The last global gender gap report in 2014 that studied the gender gap , reported that 30 percent of 142 countries that was monitored is this report are losing the gains they have made on education (world Economic Forum, 2014). Opportunities for education are often denied for women and girls in the devolving countries. Low exist to education limits prospects, decreases family income reduces health, puts women and girls at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and limits the economic advancement of the entire countries. The education of all global monitoring report 2014 studied gender inequality in educationShow MoreRelatedGender Inequality And Gender Equality1685 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender.† According to united nations population fund â€Å"gender equality is a human right. Men and Women are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom from want and from fear. Gender equality is also a precondition for advancing development and reducing poverty: Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities, and they improve prospects for the next generation†Read MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1667 Words   |  7 PagesGender inequality is the state in which access to rights or opportunities is affected by gender. Gender inequality is an issue not just nationally but globally. This issue is portrayed by the mistreating of individuals, mainly women, and not valuing everyone as one. This presentation will illustrate the exploration of gender equality, propose a solution and why that solution will produce a better future for a better world. Gender inequality is a very important issue common in our world today thatRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Inequality921 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the dictionary, the definition of gender equality is the state in which access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender. Gender inequality is happening, where women have less control over resources, less power than males, and fewer opportunities across social, economic, and political life. Gender inequality is happening because of women’s physical difference in education, work pay and job opportunities, family and culture, religion, and government. This is due to the stereotypicalRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1725 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent shades of green, with copious amounts of peace and tranquility. Gender equality, however, is something that seems to be left out of the typical picture of the ‘perfect society’. It is ironic that in the nation where ‘all men are creat ed equal’, there are so many restricting gender roles woven intricately into society, and from those restrictions come discriminations based solely on the gender of another human being. Gender roles have been suffocating seven billion people since the beginningsRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Inequality979 Words   |  4 Pages Throughout the past few decades, the gender inequality discourse have became a dominant feature of international, national and local policy debate on the subject of economic development. This policy concern has emerged as an area of scholarly research which seeks to show that improving gender equity leads to economic growth. Gender Inequality in Australia: According to the data published by Australian Bureau of Statistics in May 2015, the full time average earnings of women is $284.20 or 17.9%Read MoreGender Equality And Gender Inequality1255 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"You can’t do that because youre a girl†. When I was younger gender inequality would start with these certain statements that corrupted ladies and brought down their confidence into supposing they couldnt do certain things, since it was seen as a mens activity or wasnt sufficiently ladylike. Now that this is a worldwide issue our a nation has decided to pass a law were women and men are treated fairly in having equal opportunities, responsibilities and are equal regardless of their sex. ThisRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1367 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: Gender has and continues to be a contentious issue within the legal profession. Despite Anti-Discrimination legislation and diversification of the supply side, women still account for only one-fifth of Partner positions. So whilst the glass ceiling may have been shattered to an extent, the â€Å"pipeline to power remains elusive for most women†. Engagement with gender can assist in explaining this paradox. When coupled with consideration of other social classifications such as race andRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality Essay1540 Words   |  7 Pagesabout gender equality. It isn t a reality yet. Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working woman earns only seventy-seven percent of what the average working man makes. But unless women and men both say this is unacceptable, things will not change† stated Grammy Award winner, Beyoncà © (Knowles-Carter 34). Although in the twenty-first century, women are still fighting for equality t o simply be paid the same amount as men. The main causes of this gender inequality includeRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1387 Words   |  6 PagesStudies made me understand gender as a social construct used to differentiate between the sexes. Even how gender-roles played a role in women’s absence in education and the workforce, this systematic exclusion still takes place in Iran and highlights the privilege some men have over women. Even a nation as rich and powerful as the United States, equal opportunities for women are still lacking, most notably, the wage gap inequality. AAUW’s article The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, states thatRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Inequality2137 Words   |  9 PagesHistorically, women have always been seen as the subordinate gender. Considered weaker, more emotional, and less intelligent or capable than their male counterparts, women have been trying for decades to overcome adversity and get to a point where they can be taken seriously in a patriarchal world. Though progress has been made, there is still a long way to go until true gender equality is established. In America today, women are still predominantly seen in professions that have been traditionally