| Carbon dioxide or CO2 and other air pollutants that | | | | the risks of drought and floods all over the world. |
| are collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening | | | | Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts |
| blanket, trap the sun's heat and cause the planet to | | | | will cause more dramatic water shortages in the |
| warm up. For the past 200 years, the burning of | | | | American West. Warmer sea surface temperatures |
| fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and deforestation | | | | will fuel more intense hurricanes in the Southeastern |
| have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping | | | | Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Significant storms are |
| "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in our | | | | already on the rise. Sea levels have risen between 4 |
| atmosphere. These gases, mainly carbon dioxide, | | | | and 10 inches in the last century. The destruction of |
| prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like | | | | beaches and wetlands are also taking place around |
| the glass panels of a greenhouse. Carbon dioxide has | | | | the world. |
| increased by leaps and bounds in our atmosphere by | | | | Deadly heat waves will be more common. 669 people |
| as much as 30 percent in the last 100 years! With | | | | died from heat exposure in the summer of 1995, |
| estimations of increases of temperatures of | | | | followed by 250 deaths in 1999. |
| between 2.5 and 10.5 degrees by the year 2100, | | | | Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new |
| global warming is a cause of grave concern. | | | | pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. Infectious |
| Causes of Global Warming | | | | diseases that were not known to be a problem in |
| Coal-burning power plants are the largest source of | | | | the United States before have reared their ugly head. |
| carbon dioxide pollution in the United States. They | | | | Malaria has been reported as far north as New York, |
| produce 2.5 billion tons every year and account for | | | | New Jersey and Michigan. |
| 36 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and 32 | | | | Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine |
| percent of mercury emissions. Automobiles, the | | | | meadows could drive many plants and animal species |
| second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of | | | | to extinction. |
| CO2 annually mainly with the use of fossil fuels. | | | | Shifting ranges of infectious diseases-Diseases that |
| Consequences of Global Warming | | | | were not known to be a problem in areas such as |
| Rising sea levels will lead to increase beach erosion | | | | the United States have shown their ugly head. Malaria |
| and flooding from coastal storms on the Eastern | | | | has been reported as far north as New York, New |
| seaboard, in Florida and in other areas, such as the | | | | Jersey and Michigan. |
| Gulf of Mexico. | | | | Evidence of global warming has begun. |
| Precipitation changes are inevitable, which will increase | | | | |