Global Warming - by Rebecca

  Global Warming, why is it such a big deal? Is it actually such a big deal? What would you say?I think we need to prevent Global Warming from affecting the world even more because it increases average temperatures worldwide, it is starting to have drastic effects on the environment, and because plants and animals are in trouble because of Global Warming.

  One reason for why we should prevent Global Warming from happening anymore is because it increases average temperatures worldwide. For example, plants and animals such as the mockingbird are now being found in places much further north than where they are supposed to be. Also, the polar ice caps and glaciers are melting so sea levels are rising. Soon, whole cities and islands will be underwater. This  is because the polar ice caps keep the entire world cool. They reflect sunlight and heat. But if they melt, polar bears will lose their homes and the ocean absorbs the heat, also warming the land. This is starting to have drastic effects on the environment.

  Another reason for why we need to prevent global warming is because it is starting to have drastic effects on the environment. For example, oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, which makes it much harder for many sea animals to survive. Global Warming increases the strength of natural disasters and the average amount of money spent on natural disasters is $10.8 billion a year. Another thing is many species that used to live near the equator are now living much further north. This shows that temperatures are getting higher and higher. Those places animals are now living in will soon be out of resources and animals will be in trouble. Lastly, the greenhouse gases break the ozone layer in our atmosphere and more harmful UV rays are reaching the earth. Global Warming is starting to take a heavy toll on animals.

  The final reason for why we should start preventing Global Warming is because plants and animals are in serious trouble. For example, some animals are giving birth earlier and some plants are bearing fruit earlier. This isn’t natural so this isn’t good. Also, the changing temperatures affect the time animals migrate, and sometimes their food source is earlier or later but either way, the animals don’t have any food to eat so they starve. Now a lot more animals are in danger of becoming extinct. More species are being discovered and a lot more are  evolving. That means some well known and well loved species might change because of Global Warming. There are also plenty of problems under the sea. The seas are warming and becoming more acidic, which isn’t good for many underwater animals, but it is worse for coral. Coral reefs can’t support life if the oceans are too acidic, so the coral blanches, and they can’t support the entire underwater ecosystem that relies on them. These are only a couple ways plants and animals are affected.

  These are the reasons for why we should prevent Global Warming. Even if the average temperatures increase by 1.2 degrees fahrenheit, that is enough to make sea levels rise 3 times faster than before. It is also enough to affect the environment and put many plants and animals in trouble. This is why we should stop Global Warming.