Sunner’s just around the corner, but it’s heating up all over the planet. Today’s page looks at global warming and the threat to all of us on planet Earth.
Global warming and its ensuing destruction can be directly linked to the greenhouse effect. The Earth experiences a natural greenhouse effect without which temperatures would be too low to sustain life. The greenhouse effect occurs when energy from the sun passes through the clear atmosphere, with the radiation being absorbed by the Earth’s surface. The Earth, in turn, radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases, such as water vapor, trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat like the glass panels of a greenhouse.
The problem now lies with the rising concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from cars and methane and hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) from factories. The buildup of these gases increases the Earth’s heat-trapping capability, causing an overwarming of the surface.
Global warming poses a serious threat to the survival of the Arctic polar bear and the Antarctic’s centuries-old ice shelves. It may also prove perilous to us if we don’t pay attention to the consequences of the greenhouse effect.
At the other end of the Earth, scientists have been worried for decades that the Antarctic ice sheet was shrinking. Pictures taken from space reveal evidence that the South Pole’s ice sheet is melting 10 times faster than the rate of snowfall. Satellite pictures show that 7.5 cubic miles of ice have eroded from a key area of the Antarctic in just eight years.
A clear and alarming sign of global warming is the recent breakup of several major ice shelves, including the Ross Ice Shelf.
An ice shelf is formed when ice spreads from a land mass into the sea. The Ross Ice Shelf is the world’s largest, measuring between 600 to 3,000 feet thick and 600 miles long, about the size of France. Recently, the largest iceberg on record broke free. Also, both the Larsen B and Wilkins ice shelves have shown significant signs of disintegration, with thousands of small icebergs breaking free from their masses.
Recent warming has led to greater amounts of ponding melt on the shelf, weakening it. According to Ted Scambos of the University of Colorado’s National Snow and Ice Data Center, “Melt water at the surface acts to increase the extent of fracturing in the ice. The weight of the water forces the cracks open, so a relatively small amount of climate warming can destroy a large, centuries-old ice shelf.”
With Antarctica holding 70 percent of the Earth’s fresh water, the ice meltdown could lead to catastrophic rises in sea levels around the world.
The beautiful polar bear is the undisputed king of the Arctic. Securely perched at the top of the food chain, the polar bear has no natural enemies – except man.
The largest land carnivore in the world is especially well suited for its icy home, with black skin, lips, nose and tongue to retain heat, white fur to camouflage it in the snow, and vacuoles, which act as suction cups on the soles of the feet to make it less likely they’ll slip on the ice. Powerful shoulders, webbed-paws and thick, oily fur make the bears excellent swimmers. They can paddle hundreds of miles at a time in the frigid Arctic waters.
The polar bear now finds itself in serious trouble. Global warming poses a threat to its habitat. The melting ice means less terrain to cover and a diminished food supply. The warmer temperatures result in unstable dens that collapse, suffocating newborn cubs and their mothers.
The bears find themselves venturing closer to man in search of food, only to end up attacking and even killing the humans in their way. Orphaned cubs have almost no chance of surviving on their own. Wildlife organizations are racing against time to find ways to save these majestic animals.
Summertime is fun time as Classroom Extra kicks off another great summer reading series.
This summer, follow the adventures of popular TV twins Maya & Miguel from the PBS Kids TV series. Be sure to read closely because at the end of the series, there will be an essay contest where you’ll have the chance to win a trip to Puerto Rico or Mexico.
Teachers, get the Classroom Extra Summer Reading Series for your class. For more information contact Pete Reilly at 212-801-0040 or fax your request to 212-801-0040. Be sure to check the Post daily for the sign up coupon.