Global warming! Start thinking today!
Earth has warmed by about 0,6º C over the past 100 years!
Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate.
Average (keskmine) temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast as they are elsewhere in the world. Arctic ice - the world's largest supply (tagavara) of freshwater - is getting thinner, melting and rupturing (murdub). Snow and ice usually form a protective (kaitsev), cooling layer (kiht) over the Arctic. When that covering melts, the earth absorbs (neelab) more sunlight and gets hotter. Images from satellites show that the area of permanent (püsi-) ice cover is contracting (tõmbub kokku) at a rate of 9 percent each decade (aastakümme). If this trend continues, summers in the Arctic could become ice-free by the end of the century. The melting of ice is already affecting native (kohalikele) people, wildlife and plants. Polar bears, whales, walrus (morsk) and seals are changing their feeding and migration patterns (mudel), making it harder for native people to hunt (küttida) them.
Even a little extra warming may cause problems for plants, animals and humans. When past climate changes happened gradually (järk-järgult), natural systems had time to adjust (kohaneda), plant and animal populations were able to extend (laiendama) their ranges to more suitable(sobiv) areas. But when climate changed suddenly, many species (liigid) became extinct (surevad välja).
Global warming is likely to affect people's health in a many ways. People might suffer (võivad kannatada) more often from heat-stroke, and more may die from heart attacks. The heat in some hot-weather regions may become unbearable (väljakannatamatu), forcing people to migrate. As global warming shifts (muudab, vahetab) climate zones, disease-carrying insects (haigusekandjad putukad) would migrate toward the Earth's poles (pooluste poole).
When scientists talk about the issue (problem) of climate change, their concern (mure) is about global warming caused (põhjustatud) by human activities. They think that the greenhouse gases people produce are making the Earth warmer. The Earth's temperature will probably continue to rise as long as we continue increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
When do you send greenhouse gases into the air?
Whenever you ...
• watch TV
• use the air conditioner
• turn on a light
• use a hair dryer
• ride in a car
• play a video game
• listen to a stereo
• wash or dry clothes
• use a dish washer
• microwave a meal
... you are helping to send greenhouse gas into the air.
The biggest cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels - like oil and coal - are burned for energy. The more we burn, the faster the global climate changes.
Fortunately, we can take action to slow global warming. To reduce (vähendama) the emission of heat-trapping (kuumustpüüdvaid) gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides we can curb (kärpida) our using of fossil fuels, use clean cars that run on alternative fuels, and protect the world’s forests.
The most important thing we can do every day is save energy. Technologies exist today to make generate electricity from wind and sun, modernize power plants (elektriseadmed), and build air conditioners and whole buildings that use less power. So when you save energy, you fight global warming.
These are solutions that will help to reduce global warming, and you can be part of them.