Karen Dang

Professor Kim Sibson

English 231C

03/30/2017

The Negative Effects of Global Warming

on Plant, Animals, and Humans

Global warming has been the most controversial topic of the era. This very topic has

divided our world into two completely different categories: The avid believers and the skeptics.

As the years progress, the research and proof behind global warming will strengthen and the

divide upon society will continue to deteriorate.

Whether global warming is a real concept or not, there is statistical data that shows

drastic changes in the environment. The biggest complication this topic faces is the non-

believers. Due to conspiracy theories and industry trends, people who do not believe in global

warming become the main contributors. People either believe conspiracy theories because it goes

along with their prior beliefs or they see that the companies are coming up with products that

have a greener thumb. Therefore, they continue to contribute to the pollution of the atmosphere

subconsciously. Unfortunately, these people along with everyone else and animals are affected

by global warming. In this study you will learn that how global warming has affected the planet

and how it all ties back to it affecting us human beings. Further studies can help prove that

climate change is real and is slowly killing all living things. Researchers can implement what

they have found on a smaller and quicker scale so it would convince people sooner.

In my study I want to learn of how researchers first came up with the concept of global

warming. I want to learn who was the first researcher to start and coin the term global warming,
and why they chose to study the earth. Tracking earths normal habits is hard enough as is, so

what motivated scientists to study the new, irregular habits of earth. I want to learn how global

warming effects plants, animals, and humans in both positive and negative aspects. I want to

learn all about how humans contribute to the pollution consciously and subconsciously. Most of

all I want to learn in what ways does global warming affect us all. I want to be able to reiterate

all the physical, mental, or emotional way global warming impacts the human race. I want to

learn about the long and short term effects of global warming on humans and animals, and how

researchers came to that conclusion.

What triggered researchers to start studying the atmosphere and environment? Where do

scientists start in their research? Why should people take global warming seriously? What

position do humans play on global warming? How do we know that these changes are caused by

people? How can global warming effect the human race within the next couple decades? What

will happen to the population if the effects of global warming get out of hand? What are the signs

of global warming? How can people help resolve global warming without drastically changing

their everyday lives? Does global warming have the most impact in certain areas or does it affect

the whole world the same? Can an increase in plants and animals alone help global warming?

How do we know that it is humans affecting the planet and not the planet going through changes

in itself?

What percentage of college students actually believe that pollution has caused global

warming, and that it has become a real and serious hazard to living things? By random selection,

I found that only a handful of college students at Old Dominion actually believe in global

warming. Many students know that it exists but do not put in the effort to help limit the pollution.
 Global warming has been one of the most controversial yet underestimated topics since

the early 2000s. Over the years as global warming continued to emerge into todays society, the

more intrigued society became. More scientists began to research for an answer as to what was

causing the planet and atmosphere to act out in these harsh ways. They found that not only does

global warming drastically effect the atmosphere, but it also effects humans, plants, and animals.

Scientists have reported that global warming could lead to various types of cancer, respiratory

illnesses, and cardiovascular mortality (Patz, Campbell-Lendrum, Holloway, Foley, 2005).

Typically, articles about global warming do not tend to analyze the effects on plants and animals.

Scientists have proven that animals are exposed to similar health risks which could limit their

numbers or even bring them to extinction (Bradshaw, William, Christina M. Holzapfel, 2006).

Carbon emissions, garbage, and other pollutants are causing these drastic changes within

our atmosphere. The main source of global warming is carbon emissions and the main source of

carbon emission stems from automobiles and factories. The two main parts that contribute to

global warming is gasoline and the engine. The car burns through gas then releases carbon out

the exhaust pipe. The majority of society believes that idling your car, rather than turning the

engine off then back on, saves gas which essentially reduces the amount of carbon release from

their car, but researchers behind global warming have proven this to be a myth. Leaving a car

idle for 15 seconds actually wastes more gas then cutting the engine off then back on (Hayden,

2009). This article by Hayden, only briefly discuss the role of factories and garbage in carbon

emission therefore making it a one-sided article. This article goes straight to the point and does

not allow an explanation for the audience. This can cause confusion for the audience and can

lead to misconstrued points. Pollutants such as perfume/cologne, hairspray, Lysol, and improper

disposal of trash, play a smaller yet lethal role in global warming as well (MacMillan, 2016). The
only downfall from this article has to do with specificity. It talks about what contributes to the

pollution that goes on but does not specify how these items are contributes. This article does not

discuss what happens to the air and spray once it is activated and in the atmosphere. There is also

no comparison to other pollutants. This could leave the intended audience to wander if these

minor pollutants really matter which could cause them to become careless.

High amounts of pollution in the atmosphere causes a vast change in the climate. Most

people believe that global warming is when the weather is warmer or cooler than expected, but it

extends beyond that. Global warming is a bubble of trapped gasses that causes severe changes in

weather patterns. Global warming has been linked to melting ice caps, sea levels rising,

acidification, more powerful tornados and hurricanes, heavier rainfall, and droughts (MacMillan,

2016). All the effects of global warming connect with one another. An example of this would

include warmer climates in the artic region causes ice caps to melt which then causes sea levels

to rise (MacMillan, 2016). Researchers have found that the ocean has absorbed anthropogenic

carbon dioxide emission which causes the water to become more acidic (Davis, 2007). In recent

years scientists have found that warmer oceans are causing harsher hurricanes (Hopkin, 2006).

These three articles have a solid foundation and the only problem that arises from them is a clear

explanation. All articles provide solid and reliable data to back up their claims, but lack a clear

explanation. For instance, with the hurricane scenarios, the data behind climate changes and

changes within the ocean but does not lay out how both interact and cause a more powerful

hurricane.

When researching global warming, many people, including scientists and researchers,

overlook how climate change can effect plants and animals. Plants and animals play big,

functional role in our ecosystem. Plants thrive in certain whether conditions: Some plants thrive
in the cold and others thrive in the desert-like climate. Scientists have reported that seasons are

coming in earlier than expected and causing changes in plants and animals. These changing

weather patterns effects the nutrients and development of plants. Warmer winters on the

mountain means less snowfall to keep the soil warmer and insulated which results in the death of

roots and runoff (Walsch, 2008). This then creates dead zone where no plants or animals can

survive. Various forms of algae are the main source of nutrients for underwater creatures, but

warmer waters are causing these algae plants to die along with these underwater species

(Thomas, Cameron, Green, Bakkenes, Beaumont, Collingham, Erasmus, Siqueira, Grainger,

Hannah, Hughes, Huntley, Van Jaarsveld, Midgley, Miles, Ortega-Huerta, Peterson, Phillips,

Williams). Unusual weather patterns are also affecting animals who live on-land. An example

would be deer fertility. Deers whose reproductive instincts are determined how long days are

and birthing is determined by the blooming of flowers are decreasing in numbers (Cho, 2015).

When the season changes 36 days prior to their expected, it causes a contrast in food availability

and birthing times (Cho, 2015). Other species have been reported to come out of hibernation

before their food source becomes available (Walsch, 2008). In this section of study there is a gap

that does not cover the main group of plants and animals. In the plant section of this study, there

is no specific plant that was studied. This leaves room for the audience to question if global

warming effects the plants that play a role in peoples everyday lives. This also extends to the

animal portion of this study. People are interested the plants and animals that play a role in the

ecosystem daily, and not random plants and animals. This data also lacks statistics. Although

there is data and proof of a decline in animal and plant populations there is no percentage or

number that reveals the true extent of global warming.

 Drastic climate changes can also cause major health problems ranging from to increase

chances of an asthma attack to heat-wave related death to cardiovascular mortality in humans.

This century alone has presented an elevation in heat-wave related deaths (Pruitt, 2017). Strokes

and dehydration are more heat related instances that have occurred more frequently. Many

factors come into play when talking about linking climate change to respiratory problems. These

problems all start off with the air that we breathe. Majority of the air the people breathe is

congested with different pollutants. Pollen, greenhouse gases, and allergens pollute the air that

we breathe causing respiratory diseases and asthma to multiply in number of people effected

(D'Amato, Gennaro, Cecchi, D'Amato, Annesi-Maesano, 2014). Another main source of

respiratory problems stems from rapid fluctuating temperatures (D'Amato, Gennaro, Cecchi,

D'Amato, Annesi-Maesano, 2014). Society believes that pollution only occurs outdoors but the

truth of the matter is that pollution is everywhere. Light, noise, and talking a minor factors of

pollution that can add up over time (Pruitt, 2017). Although this article provides visual data and

statistics to back up their claims, it does not directly address the health risks. These articles did

not specifically state how pollution and global warming causes these illnesses but provided the

data that shows an increase in health problems.

Methods

I am starting my research off by researching the answers for my initial research questions.

With this search I will find the basic answers of global warming that will address the most

common questions and myths about global warming. After this data is gathered I will then use

Google Scholar or the Old Dominion library database to dig further into my topic. Before using

these articles, I must check their sources for credibility purposes. Using these articles will help

my research in two ways. The first way it helps, is that it will provide my research paper with
credibility. Secondly, it will explain my initial questions in detail as well as adding on to that area

of my research. In the case that there is any conflicting data within my research, I would further

look into their sources and what method they used to get that data. As soon as all the data is

gathered I will summarize each sections of study and incorporate it all into my paper.