| Global warming refers to the untoward rise of | | | | the advent of industries, particularly the |
| temperature near the earth's surface due in | | | | indiscriminate use of fossil fuels; chemicals |
| effect to the accumulation of greenhouse | | | | such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC for |
| gases. This phenomenon was observed as early | | | | air-conditioners, aerosol propellants, etc.); |
| as the 18th to mid 19th century in view of | | | | grass fires during the dry season; oil-field |
| the rapid industrialization in developed | | | | fires during the Iraq war in the 90's; rapid |
| countries. This activity, which employed | | | | deforestations from Asia to South America or |
| heavy machinery and compounded by the use of | | | | even methane derived from rice fields in |
| fossil fuels all contributed to the massive | | | | Southeast Asia are all instrumental to the |
| build-up of the atmosphere's greenhouse | | | | increase of greenhouse gases. This scenario |
| gases. In an ideal setting (just before the | | | | will raise global temperature from 1.44 to |
| industrial revolution) short wave light from | | | | 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit by year 2100, as |
| the sun enters thru the thermal blanket | | | | reported by the World's Inter-government |
| (greenhouse gases) which is a compound of | | | | Panel on Climate Change. Some concerted |
| water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous | | | | global effort will have to be initiated in |
| oxide and ozone. The short wave light is | | | | order to avert the ill effects of global |
| reflected by the earth as infrared radiation | | | | warming or Mother Earth will experience a |
| back to the atmosphere; but only a fraction | | | | continued rise in temperature thereby causing |
| is retained by the thermal blanket and is | | | | the polar ice caps to melt; sea water to rise |
| returned to the surface to sustain an | | | | considerably inundating the lowland worldwide |
| environment where plants can grow, man and | | | | and erasing some of the habitable islands. |
| beast can live and tame our climatic | | | | This could lead to the extinction of species |
| patterns. Because of man's neglect, the | | | | due to the loss of natural habitats and the |
| accumulation of greenhouse gases eventually | | | | erratic climatic behavior. In fact polar ice |
| reached irreversible proportions to damage | | | | cap melting has already begun; 30 years ahead |
| the ozone layer, the earth's shield against | | | | of the projections made by experts in the |
| harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. With | | | | field. |