Global warming is simple to understand if it is explained simply. The easiest way to comprehend it is to pick a nice sunny day and stand in a greenhouse that has not yet had the glass installed. Notice that it feels no different to standing outside the greenhouse. Now install the glass, wait a little while and then go and stand inside it again. Notice how it is hotter inside the greenhouse than it is outside. That is down to the
greenhouse effect.
The
greenhouse effect is one of the dynamic systems that makes this planet habitable because if it did not exist all of the heat received from the Sun would radiate back out into space. Planet Earth would not be able to support life as we know it. Fortunately for us, our atmosphere contains various gases that create a bubble around the Earth analogous to the glass on a greenhouse. These gases allow radiation from the Sun to pass through but heat radiation reflected from the Earths surface, being at different wavelengths from the original source radiation (i.e.
from the Sun) is not
all allowed back out into space. That way the planet is kept nice and warm for all the plants, fish, animals, and us, etc.
Global Warming is a consequence of the effect that some of these gases, particularly Carbon Dioxide and Methane, have in the atmosphere. In a nutshell, these gases stop
too much of the Sun's radiation from bouncing back into space, so
more of the heat originating from the Sun's radiation stays within the atmosphere and the Earth warms up. Hence the term
"greenhouse gases" and as
The Earth is oft' referred to as
The Globe and, because it sounds much more dramatic and scary than
Earth Warming, the Eco-Boffins call it
Global Warming.
There. Simples.
With regard to the
Sheep. Well there is a tired repost to the Eco-Boffins that the livestock that we farm for food, milk and clothing, etc.
fart and burp a lot and that the Methane that is expelled is responsible for
way more Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere and therefore
way more Global Warming so it must be
natural and therefore
harmless. Unfortunately, as veggie peep's and vegans will remind us, if we humans didn't farm these animals they would not exist in such large numbers and therefore that's human-kind's fault as well! Blast. It should also be remembered that
the Great White Shark is
natural but you wouldn't want one as a pet!
In my next discourse, I will discuss the ramifications of
positive and
negative feedback in Global systems such as the
North Atlantic Conveyer, the
Jet Stream,
La Niña and El Niño, in relation to the collapse of
ancient civilisations.
