Global Warming Begins to Cause Life and Death Situations
The link to the actual article is here.
Last week, the International Polar Year launched. It is a plan where scientists from up to 60 countries will study and learn about the two poles and their climate changes. An isolated island in Alaska called Shishmaref, is being destroyed by climate changes caused by global warming. Because of global warming, glaciers are melting, causing sea levels to rise. Additionally, the island of Shishmaref was built on frozen ground known as permafrost which is now softening causing their land to disintegrate like sand. The island is also coming closer to the freezing waters of the ocean. An islander guesses that the tide moves up about ten feet closer to their island each year. Two homes from this island have already fallen into the seas as their land melts and others are just balancing over the edge. The village has decided to relocate to save their lives even though it could mean giving up who they are. The temperature these days are -30°C whereas before it was -40°C with a low of about -60°C. Furthermore, the winters here are getting warmer and shorter with longer summers. The impact of global warming is also affected the animals who inhabit nearby areas. Icecaps that polar bears are using as homes are melting, forcing them to come further inland to find food. By coming inland, the polar bears make themselves easier targets for local hunters. An estimate suggests that up to 180 villages in Alaska are being affected by global warming and are blaming most of their problems on US energy policies and their role in adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
This event is important to the locals of Shishmaref because global warming is forcing them to find a new home since their lives could be in danger. This is because of rising sea levels and the fact that their village was built on ice which is softening because of the temperature change. Furthermore, this is important to us and the world because it’s showing us what global warming can do on a small scale. This event also proves that global warming is having deadly affects on people forcing them to flee their current homes to stay alive. If we continue on this path, this scale of global warming will be magnified to the entire world causing panic and havoc. Land masses will sink beneath the oceans leaving humans without anywhere to stay unless we find a new home or way to live. Finally, this shows that people like ourselves shouldn’t cause global warming unnecessarily since it can and most likely will become a problem in the future.
Social Studies H |3 Responses to “Global Warming Begins to Cause Life and Death Situations”
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Well, it seems that global warming is starting to really take action. I enjoyed the way you choose and article that spoke about such a small scale to interpret glbal warming. This makes people realize the effects of global warming in specific places. Wow, I couln’t believe that two houses had fallen through the ice and that the temperature had increased by 10 degrees celcius. A ten degree gap is humoungous, outstanding and unbelievable, but by the way Shishmaref is looking, it seems their gonna have to start packing up. Actually, I’m really interested in global warming and it’s deadly effects on everything, including us. I just hope that some presidents will take into sonsideration the fate of the world by trying to lessen the massive amounts of energy released and use them effectively. All this is very complicated in all aspects anyways, so good job and I also really liked the pictures. Great job on the last paragraph, sounded like you were really into it.
Hey adrian
I think this article is very important because right now the global warming is our serious problem and its even getting worse. it suprised me that the global warming destroyed an island in alaska. And its really surprising that the island moves up about ten feet closer to their island each year. its also an concern that the temperature these days are -30°C whereas before it was -40°C with a low of about -60°C. also that winters are getting shorter but summers are getting longer. because of the global warming, animals die out and soon it will also affect us, humans. but cause of the global warming is us, humans. we shouldnt cause the global warming. anyway, nice pictures and the map and awesome summary. Steve
Hey Adrian
I really think this article is really important
because global warming is starting to change the environment
It’s really shocking to know that global warming destroyed an island.
Temperatures are crazy,
the winter is shorter and the summer is longer.
Anyways, good jod(: