We are living in the midst of a great chemical experiment, and some serious consequences are becoming apparent to scientists. More than two billion pounds of chemicals are spewed into the air each year. These chemicals are brewing a disastrous stew, resulting in an atmosphere crisis. The greatest consequences of the atmosphere crisis may be global warming and the ozone depletion. If humankind wants to survive well into the next millennium, than we must stop this horrid destruction of our own environment.

Global warming, as the term implies, is the increasing temperature of earth. A factor that is believed to play a part in this is the greenhouse effect, which is the effect in which greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide allow incoming solar radiation to enter into the earth’s atmosphere, but prevent part of the infrared radiation from the earth’s surface, and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. The greenhouse effect, makes it possible to live on earth, as without it, life as we know it would be impossible. The temperatures here on earth would be too low for survival. However, with the greenhouse effect, the earth’s average temperature is 60 degrees fahrenheit.

However, the global warming problem lies in the greenhouse effect, many believe. As the amount of “greenhouse gasses” in the air increases, so will the power of the greenhouse effect. The major greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. For instance, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air since the beginning of the industrial revolution have increased 30%, with nitrous oxide concentrations increasing as much as 15% in some areas. Believers of global warming fear the effects global warming can have on society. They fear that the warming will eventually cause the ice caps to melt, with the sea levels rising.

As a result of these other effects in earth, the fear lies in the fact that along with these effects, there is an excellent chance that with this, a widespread outbreak of disease in both humans and animals will occur. These serious disasters, scientists believe, is reason enough to be alarmed by global warming. However, some people still feel there is nothing to be alarmed by. We call these, the skeptics. The skeptics of global warming believe that the ice caps and coast-lines are by no means, in danger of melting away or disappearing. They feel that the earth’s warming is nothing to fear. Climate models of global warming are believed to be mis-represented by the skeptical point of view. The skeptics are also knowledgeable of the temperature fluctuating throughout time. Another thing that may be contributing to the global warming scare is that the temperatures are read mostly in cities, or airports. In both places, temperatures have potential to be much higher.

Society can not ignore the evidence that proves our world is slowly being destroyed. The temperature has definitely increased in the places that it has been measured from, and the sea level has risen. In the end, even though some scientists believe global warming is not a problem, many scientists believe that global warming is a serious problem, and can not be ignored. Society need to come to a state of realizing how our bad actions could result in destruction of the environment and the world.