When the world thinks about global warming, it could probably be split in half. Some will say it is a real dilemma and we should be careful, others will say that it is a made up concept by environmentalist and the proof is not there. A couple of years ago I took an environmental science class and this was one of the major topics learned. Co2, the greenhouse effect, melting glaciers, and ice caps were factors that were stressed in that class. If global warming is a made up concept then would it be reasonable for students to be learning these subjects in school?

The earth’s atmosphere is warming and our biggest piece of evidence is ice. The whole arctic atmosphere is being put into danger. The Glacier National Park in Montana is home to many ice glaciers surrounded by beautiful scenery, which is why President Taft made this spot a national park in 1910. Since then, the park has changed drastically and for the worst. When the park was first established, there were an estimated one hundred and fifty glaciers with fewer than forty remaining today. That’s about a 73% decrease, and it is predicted that the glaciers will be completely absent within this decade. Although this cannot fully be blamed on global warming, climate will never be consistent, it is a leading contributing factor that will continue to grow as population increases and time goes on. Ever since the industrial revolution, there has been a huge command for the burning of fossil fuels. Not to mention most people in the world need transportation through their day-to-day lives which means a lot of gas being burned. In places like Japan, Korea, and China, you will see that people wear surgical masks to prevent themselves from breathing in toxic air pollution. Others can say that earth’s ice melting is a coincidence, I say I see the evidence.  

Some might say “why would this matter? Don’t we like warm weather?”. Yes, if you’re anything like me, sunny and 75 is a godsend. It’s nice for humans at least, but not for the thousands of arctic animals that thrive off of freezing climates. Polar bears, penguins and all the cute critters that call the icelands home simply cannot survive in warmer climates. Every animal has different adaptations based on the activities of the animal and where they live. Arctic animals have thick coats of fur, skin or feathers that keep them nice and toasty through the year-round winter. Imagine wearing three layers of clothes in the spring here in North Carolina, sounds like a heat stroke. This will be equivalent to how the artic animals will feel if the warming continues. Furthermore, these animals all walk, eat, and sleep on ice. What are they expected to do when there is no ice left? This might not be something that we will have to worry about in our lifetime but we are definitely huge contributors, and I’m not saying this should be everyone’s biggest concern or a 24/7 thought. Though our earth warming should be recognized and stopped before further progressed. We only get one earth, let us treat her well and keep her icy.