Evidence of Climate Change

Technologies are created to make our living easier. That is true. With the help of these technologies our work becomes less complicated. But what we have known, these technologies have also contributed to the greatest problem the earth is facing today. The climate change or commonly known as global warming. There are many evidences of global warming today, we just have to look around and we see the greatest changes that are happening in our planet. I have found an article on the National Geographic site that talks about some facts of global warming posted just last December 16, 2008. Facts about global warming stated there are:

"Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies."

"The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia, according to a number of climate studies. And the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850."

"The Arctic is feeling the effects the most. Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average, according to the multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report compiled between 2000 and 2004."

"Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910. In the Northern Hemisphere, thaws also come a week earlier in spring and freezes begin a week later."

"Coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature, suffered the worst bleaching- or die-off in response to stress- ever recorded in 1998, with some areas seeing bleach rates of 70 percent. Experts expect these sorts of events to increase in frequency and intensity in the next 50 years as sea temperatures rise."

"Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss."

"An upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms, is also attributed in part to climate change by some experts."

We don't have to go anywhere else in the world just to see these facts in reality. Locally we can also make and prove to ourselves some facts about the climate change. Me personally, I cannot go out in the house without having my umbrella with me inside my bag. I always bring it with me wherever I go. Because of the so much heat of the sun today, I cannot stay for more than a minute staying in the sun. Before, maybe 8 or more years ago I can still survive staying outside unlike now. This is just a simple fact that I can share based on my own personal experience. There are still many evidences of this global problem in our community.

Reference:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html