Global Warming is Real: Wake Up and Smell the Ashes!

Yes, the title may seem harsh with the current situation in Southern California but I needed a headline that can catch people's attention and point them to the problem at hand: Global Warming.

I've first heard about global warming when I was in grade school. Our teacher drew the earth on the blackboard, covered it in what looked like smog and then she drew another circle around the earth which she said, represents the ozone layer. That was when I became aware of global warming, of CFCs, ultraviolet rays, thinning ozone layer, polar caps melting, etc. No, that discussion didn't make me an environmentalist, but I knew that the earth was changing and that I may not feel it then but I know that time will come that I will.

That was sixteen years ago. Back then, the only effects of global warming on me is I have to slather on an awful lot of sunscreen before my mom allowed me to frolic in the beach. Now, sixteen years later, global warming is manifesting itself all around us and yet I'm still surprised that some people just brush it off as natural change in the environment.

The thing is; if global warming is such a natural change in the environment, its effects should also be natural. However, this year alone, several record breakers have been noted that seem to point out that the change and its effects is not at all gradual.

Just last month, a study by the US National Snow and Ice Data Center showed that the arctic sea ice is at a record low. Because of the thinning sea ice, a shipping route between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean that spans from Russia along the north coast of Canada to Europe, can now be navigated without an icebreaker. The melting of the sea ice also has its effects on wildlife. A recent US Geological Survey reports showed that two-thirds of polar bears could be lost within the next 50 years because of reduced sea ice. Alaska's Walruses, which could usually be found in the arctic sea ice has now found a new habitat on the rocky shores of Alaska.

Global Warming also causes warmer waters and warm waters can give more energy to a tropical storm to make them more intense and more destructive. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the United States and is said to be one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. According to an article in National Geographic, a study in the journal Nature found that hurricanes and typhoons have become stronger and longer-lasting over the past 30 years which correlated to a rise in sea surface temperatures.

The most recent manifestation of global warming is the Southern California wildfire. According to a San Diego fire spokesman, Southern California is experiencing its driest condition in 200 years. That combined with the Santa Ana Winds made a recipe for disaster.

While all of the above conditions or what we are currently experiencing now may be easily chalked to "natural disasters", we can't ignore the facts and the evidence. This isn't about political affiliations or religious beliefs; this is about preserving a future for the next generation. Stopping Global Warming doesn't have to be limited to supporting a particular political party; it doesn't even require that you change your religious beliefs, stopping global warming starts with each of us. Whether you choose to help by buying an electric car, car pooling, choosing energy efficient lights for your home, voting for a particular Senator, petitioning a bill to your Congressman, or buying environmentally friendly products, the important thing is you do something! If each of us can contribute just one thing to lessen global warming, that added up could mean a better future for our children.