Introduction
Global warming is a global problem that has raised a lot of concern. This issue has attracted attention of many researchers with the aim of finding ways of address it. The environment is vital for human survival. Both plants and animals entirely depend on the environment for growth and development.
Casper (2010, p. 94) argues that since the days of industrial revolution, the environment and its resources have greatly been threatened. Industries have been reported to affect the environment at a very high rate. This is because of the high levels of greenhouse gases emitted from these industries. This situation is worsened by the fact that now many nations are developing and there is a rising level of industrialization.
The concentration of greenhouse gases in the environment is increasing on daily basis. Carbon sinks have been cleared with the increase of the high demanding population across nations. Epstein (1990, p. 121) points out that effects of global warming are evident and felt with serious damages to nations. For example, many nations are suffering from frequent floods, droughts, tornadoes, poor and unequal rainfall patterns, and many other effects resulting from global warming.
Among the developed nations, the United States and China lead in emission of the greenhouse gases and hence frequently suffer from the effect of the same. The developing countries are equally emitting high levels of greenhouse gases in their quest to develop. These emissions however produced from different nations have a global impact.
According to Ramseur and Yacobucci (2008, p. 112), the environment as said earlier is very useful for sustaining human life. For people to continue enjoying the environmental resources the environment should therefore be conserved and its resources harvested sustainably. This paper seeks to explore the ways in which greenhouse gases can be reduced to curb global warming.
Discussion
With an effort to address global warming, many suggestions and ways have been raised to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and avoid global warming are not a one man’s or one nation’s duty. There is need for nations to collaborate.
A participatory approach where every member of the society is involved can be very effective. Many ways can be employed to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. The governments should enact and implement policies that are geared towards reducing emissions of the greenhouse gases. These policies should strictly encourage a Zero emission of greenhouse gases. If an industry has to emit either of the greenhouse gases, a fixed level of emission that is harmless to the environment should be stated.
The government should ensure that such industries, companies, and businesses report publicly on their carbon emissions. This will make the companies to be extra careful not to emit or exceed the required emission levels. Low- carbon technologies should be encouraged in all sectors to reduce greenhouse gases emission.
This may be achieved by the government offering some donations to its citizens to install low-carbon technologies like use of solar energy. A nation may also apply principles like the polluter pay principle where a company or an individual pays a certain fee for polluting the environment. Industries may be forced to pay equally to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the environment.
This will help in making the companies and the public to be more responsible and careful in handling their emissions and other wastes. According to Casper (2010, p. 78), Carbon sinks such as forests have been cleared for agricultural purposes to provide for the needs of the daily increasing population.
Nations should create awareness to the public on the need to have small families. The importance of forests should as well be explained to communities. By so doing, these communities will consequently conserve the forests.
This will highly contribute in reducing the concentration levels for greenhouse gases. There is need for nations to encourage companies and people within the communities to practice recycling and re-use of items. Things like polythene bags may be recycled. This reduces the accumulation of such polythene bags into the environment thereby reducing the amount of emissions when they are burnt as wastes in the environment.
According to Ramseur and Yacobucci (2008, p. 78), there are many other ways although not put into consideration by many nations that can help in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases effectively.
These may include holding energy management awards, rewarding companies with zero or less emission, promoting carbon-trading, rewarding communities with well-conserved forests among others. These factors motivates companies and communities to work hard towards ensuring that they do not ,engage in ,activities that in any way leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. All these factors when applied results to a greenhouse gases free nation, thereby curbing global warming and its impacts.
Conclusion
The discussion above clearly points out that environment is a source of livelihood for many lives. Reducing greenhouse gases is very important in ensuring that this environment is protected in order to ensure its sustainability. The greenhouse gases have serious negative consequences to the environment. The impact is long lasting and devastating. If not addressed properly, this issue may create a permanent negative impact on the environment.
List of References
Casper, J 2010, Greenhouse gases: Worldwide Impacts, Facts on File, New York.
Epstein, J 1990, Controlling the greenhouse effect: Five global regimes compared, Brookings Institution, Washington.
Ramseur, J & Yacobucci, B 2008, Greenhouse gases: Management, reduction, and impact, Novinka Books, New York.