Global Warming

            Global Warming and the greenhouse effect are words that have been discussed in great detail constantly for the past twenty years. They have generated many debates and forums by people trying to get a handle on what exactly they are and what it is that they mean to the general public. "Some of the primary sources of pollution include automobiles, municipal waste (garbage and sewage), agriculture pesticides, and industrial processes- (Barbour 48). If what scientists are saying about global warming and the greenhouse effect are true, is that all there is? The three main reasons people don't understand global warming are just not understanding the definitions of global warming and the greenhouse affect, how global warming affects them, and the cover up the government uses to convince them. .
             First, we need to get into the two terms a little and find out what they mean - exactly. According to the EPA's web site on global warming, "Global Warming is described as the progressive gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns- (EPA Global Warming Site). This is a long definition with a simple meaning; in short, global warming is the rise in average temperature for the planet due to the greenhouse effect. .
             "Greenhouse effect is the effect produced as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent part of the outgoing infrared radiation from the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space- (EPA Global Warming Site). This process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 59 degrees F warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect.
             How does this affect the general public? The concern is that if we do not fix these problems then our children will live in a horrible place that will not allow them to play outdoors without SPF 200 lotion.