Global warming is referred as the climatic change as a result of increased temperatures on the earth surface. This climatic change is caused by two factors, which include human activities on the environment, as well as the natural effects. This has resulted into adverse effects, thus calling for the environmental sustainability which can only be achieved from the sustainable development.
Human activities, which are referred as anthropogenic factors are the major causes of global warming as the natural factors are not known to account to the greater effects. The following discussion comprises of the effects of the global warming as well as the mitigating measures to be put in place (Houghton 20).
The global warming increases the temperature in the sea which in turn results to rising of the sea level. This effect result into flooding leading to the destruction of properties, vegetation, land, and loss of habitats to the wildlife and the displacement of people which increases the number refugees. Due to the high release of greenhouse gases such as chlorofluorocarbons, sulphur oxides and methane among others have resulted into depletion of the ozone layer (Union on Concerned Scientists18).
This has in turn led to direct reach of the ultraviolet rays into the earth surface where there have been increased cases of skin cancer. The vegetation has dried up in many areas thus causing desertification and also continuous occurrence of prolonged droughts thus starvation and loss of lives. Excess evaporation of water from water surfaces has increased due to increased temperatures thus lowering the water quantity and drying up of these sources (Weart 42).
The above effects can however be reduced through practicing environmental sustainability by every person. This can be done through promotion of reforestation in the cleared forest as well as increase of tree plantation in private land. Trees are known as natural carbon sinkers thus they reduce the carbon in the atmosphere which leads to reduction of green house effect by the carbon oxides.
Carbon oxides emissions from the fossil fuels and charcoal burning can be reduced by use of natural sources of energy such as solar and wind energy. Electric power can also be used on vehicles instead of using the fossil fuels and, promote use of bicycles and walking in small distances instead of driving (Weart 45).
Waste should be reduced as in its composition there is production of methane which is also a green house gas. Reduction of this waste can be done through recycling of materials for instance used newspaper as tissue papers. Waste can also be reduced by use of materials which are reused more than once. There should be minimization of equipments that emit chlorofluorocarbons like refrigerators in our houses, less use of sprays and air conditioners which are used to cool building during summer seasons.
This can be done by adding insulators in the buildings such as ceilings as well as building of thick walls to reduce the amount of heat getting onto the buildings. Human population should be controlled by family planning. As a result of population increase people have engaged themselves in clearing of the forest in search of settlements, (Houghton 54)
In conclusion, there is a need to promote environmental awareness on the environmental conservation. This can be done through carrying out of environmental education programs where people are exposed on causes and effects of global warming. Through this they should be taught on the various ways of reducing these effects.
Environmental policies should also be put in place like the polluter pay principle where individuals or industries are supposed to pay for their emission of the green house gases. To avoid this cost they will therefore prefer use of materials that are green house free (Union on Concerned Scientists 36).
Works Cited
Houghton, John Theodore. Global Warming. London: Cambridge University, 2004. Print.
Union on Concerned Scientists. Global warming: Global warming 101. New York: Union of Concerned Scientists, 2006. Print.
Weart Spencer. The Discovery of Global Warming. New York: Harvard University Press, 2008. Print.