How we are the cause of global warming and climate change (pt 2). A seven minutes read.

Greenhouse gases ghg trap the sun's radiation within the Earth's causing continuous warming. Humans contribute to the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases like the methane, carbon-dioxide,water vapour, nitrous oxide e.t.c through deforestation,  vehicle emissions,  energy production and waste disposal. 

Several things used everyday in your home produce gases like those that contribute to global warming. Certain lights has been thrown to this subjects in the last post, we will try to elaborate on what has been said and more.

photo credit: e.education.psu.edu 

The Air condition system

Cooling your home uses energy in the form of electricity or natural gas. Your air condition contains refrigerants like the chlorofluorocarbons CFCs, that if allowed to escape into the atmosphere; which eventually happens, contributes heavily to global warming by depleting/damaging the ozone layer, depending on the age of the unit. 

Let me explain this! when CFCs goes into the stratosphere( a layer in the atmosphere ), it is broken up by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and when this occurs, chlorine is been release that catalytically destroys the ozone layer; it does this by creating hole in the stratosphere that allows excess ultraviolet rays to find its way to the earth surface. Hence, increases chances of skin cancer, irritation and skin burns-----mostly with individuals low on melanin.

Light

Electricity use in houses in Nigeria/Africa contribute its own quarter to global environmental crises, as many are dependent on ac generators, as a result of lack of supplied electricity. Nigeria reliance on industrial and household ac generators, if recorded, causes so much environmental imbalances like the: noise pollution, sooth, carbon emissions and health disadvantages. The more we use more energy consuming bulbs and appliances, the more load we hand to the generator, which in turn, works more and emit more. Now! replacing this energy consuming bulbs with the energy saving ones can significantly reduce home electricity use and save you money while simultaneously making a positive impact on the environment. Also, if more can be done for the importation and promotion of solar power ( renewable energy ) against the use of ac generators mostly in Nigeria, as this can also go a long way in reduction of environmental degradation. This change would be in the hands of policy makers and government, as the average man would prefer to keep blind to the use of solar, because he/she believes the ac generators are more cheaper compared to the solar panels in Africa/Nigeria. 

Waste

When household waste ends up in a open landfill/dumpsite like the ones we have in big cities like Lagos      ( epe, ewu elepe, olusosun, solluos 1,2 and 3 waste dumpsites ). It decomposes and produces greenhouse gases including methane from manures of both man and animals. Reduce, reuse and recycling of waste are ways the people can help the environmental issues of today. 

There is also the need for the government to put infrastructures, awareness and set departments that would be responsible for this type of sustainable waste management, and also the need to educate everyone on domestic waste topics like difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste; to assist in reaching this environmental objectives. 

photo credit: dailypost.ng 

Note: if you have notice in my post, i use global warming with climate change in a way that it seem like am referring to both topic/problems as one. although both represent separate problem that fuels each other. 

Global warming is the environmental problem that occurs and still occurring as a result of the atmosphere been occupied with large amount of gases ghg that absorbs excess heat, and later extend it to earth surface continuously, when there exist no way for such heat to escape the earth surface  

 ( our environment ). ------ causing warming.

Climate change is the aftermath of global warming, as the earth keeps warming and getting hotter, the climate keeps changing.  The hot climate keeps causing evaporation increase( increase rainfall ), melting of glaciers and the ice-caps, which were so much thicker many years ago. It is feared that by the year 2o4o these ice might completely melt--------i guess you are asking how the melting ice-caps and glacier concerns you, relax let me explain.

Sea level around the world has been increasing as a result of global warming, this has been a major contributor to flooding as water from the sea come closer to shore and settlement( people's houses ) around and beyond. During intense rainy season with addition to the increasing sea level, flood becomes inevitable. 

The melting of ice caps and glacier in the north pole keeps dissolving and adding to the already existing sea level by increasing it's height, that is not the only cause of rise in sea level. The warming climate increases evaporation rate by channelling water vapour from the planetary surface( Land/Earth ) to the planetary atmosphere ( the skies ); hence, it continues to increase the sea level--------causing flooding, which displaces people from their houses, and cause ill health and environmental problems.

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cfcs  ---- are chlorofluorocarbons is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine and fluorine.  It is widely used as a refrigerants for refrigerators, because of the damages it causes to the ozone layer, and has been replaced with hydro-fluorocarbons hcfs, although so many are still using the old refrigerators and other product that uses cfcs.

glaciers  ---- a dense body of ice that is constantly moving under its own weight as it forms accumulated snow.  Below are pictures to show .

A melting glacier
Photo credit: beforeitsnews.com

Ice cap
Photo credit: Climate change guide

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