The Greenhouse Effect
 
         The greenhouse effect occurs when gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, 
 nitrogen oxide and CFCs trap heat in the atmosphere  by acting as a pane of 
 glass in a car.  The glass lets the sun light in to make heat but when the 
 heat tries to get out the gases absorb the heat.  Holding this heat in causes 
 heat waves, droughts and climate changes which could alter our way of 
 living.  
         The main  gases that cause the greenhouse effect are water vapor,  carbon 
 dioxide (CO2), and methane which comes mainly from animal manure.  
 Other gases like nitrogen oxide and man made gases called 
 chloroflurocarbons get caught in the atmosphere as well.  The decay of 
 animals and respiration are two main but natural sources of carbon dioxide.  
         In my opinion we people of the whole world should try and slow down the 
 emmission of greenhouse gases and/or find ways to balance the  gases so the 
 climate doesn't change so rapidly.  If it did we would be forced to adapt to 
 the new climate that we brought upon our selves.  If we had a international 
 cooperation to put a damper on the production of chloroflurocarbons and 
 slowed down the use of fossil fuels it would dramatically slow down the 
 process of "global warming."  
         Over the last 100 years the global temperatures have been increasing slowly 
 but steadily.  Since 1980 the temperature has risen 0.2 degrees C (0.4 degrees F 
 ) each decade.  Scientists predict that if we continue putting the same 
 amount of gas into the atmosphere by the year 2030 the temperature will be 
 rising as much as 0.5 degrees C (0.9 degrees F ) or more per decade.  Over all 
 the global temperature could rise anywhere from 5 to 9 degrees over the 
 next fifty years.  
         If the temperatures do rise as predicted several things could happen.  The 
 increases of temperature could alter the growth of crops in areas near the 
 equator due to insufficient rain and heat.  This could really hurt countries 
 that rely on imported food.  With the high temperatures the polar ice caps 
 could melt and cause the sea water level to go up 1 to 3 feet.  This increase 
 could take out small islands, coastal cities and some shallow rivers.  The 
 Everglades in Florida would be almost if not totally wiped right off the map.  
 The Everglades is the home for many animals and plant life.  If it did get 
 flooded,  they would all have to move northward across very dry land 
 which they will not be able to endure for very long.  When the hot 
 temperatures do spread southward and northward, tropical disease will 
 spread with it.  Disease that were down in Mexico will maybe  occur in The 
 Carolinas or eventually Vermont.  These new diseases will be hard to deal 
 with causing many more deaths and illnesses than before.  The financial 
 problem with this is, that the flooding will cause dams to be built and cities 
 to be reconstructed.  The shortage of food will cause the price of the food to 
 go up and with all the diseases we will need more medical supplies and 
 workers.  All of this combined could and will cost a lot of money if we don't 
 do something about it now.  
         The computer models cant predict exactly what the climate is going to be in 
 the future, but they can come close to what it will be like down the road.  
 Scientists proved this by predicting with computers what the climate was in 
 the past.  Then by looking back in records, they found that the predictions 
 were close to being right.  
         The "Topex" (Topographic Experiment) satellite has been collecting 
 information on the changes of the sea level, and temperatures across the 
 globe and the amount of gases emitted into the atmosphere.  Each day the 
 satellite makes 500,000 measurements, each at a different place on the earth.  
 Measurements are all made between 66 degrees north and south latitudes.1  
         The Cretaceous occurred over 100 million years ago.  It was the warmest 
 period we have knowledge of yet.  There was so much carbon dioxide in the 
 air that the oceans rose many meters.  North America was flooded and split 
 apart into two pieces.  The temperature then was more than fifteen degrees 
 greater than the average temperature today.  
         Scientists believe that the tilt of the earth's axis changes to tilt the opposite 
 way every 10,000 years like a cycle.   While going through this cycle it will 
 change the climate of areas.  Right now it is moving so that North America 
 is going to be close to the sun in the winter.  Seasons become more extreme 
 when the opposite happens.  This controls the cycle of ice ages.  Volcanoes 
 when they erupt, send clouds of dust into the air blocking sunlight.  This 
 would cool the earth off more.  Oceans are known to absorb CO2 because of 
 the ocean currents and the action of plankton.  There is some evidence that 
 there is naturally rapid climate change between each Ice Age, which 
 confuses the whole global warming and idea.
         I think every human being should take part in the fight to stop  global 
 warming.  The government is the key to this and they better do something 
 soon or it will be too late.  First, the American government should sponsor 
 a meeting between the nations of this world.  They should establish a 
 committee for handling the money, politics, and scientific research in order 
 to help cut back the emission of gases into the atmosphere.  Every country 
 will contribute by donating money.  Each country would be required to give 
 0.01 of their GNP to this committee.  If they refuse they will be boycotted and 
 nothing will be sold to them by the participating countries.  
         Global warming is a big threat to our nation and the world.  If we do not act 
 now, it may be too late.  Of course, there is no sure way of telling if there 
 actually is a greenhouse effect, but lets not take any chances.  Look at what is 
 happening to this world, and you will see that there is a pollution problem.  
 There are steps being taken at this moment to reduce the gases put into the 
 air but it still isn't enough.  We need to cut back more by taking a few easy 
 steps.  Plant a tree,  or take a bus to work instead of driving your own car.  
 Those things may not seem like a lot, but if more and more people do it, it 
 will make a difference.