Ever since the overall effects of global warming have been perceived by scientists and professionals, there have been numerous talks and discussions about the dangers or threats that the worldwide phenomenon have on the environment and human life. Apparently, the phenomenon that is global warming is harboring long-term effects on the physical condition of the environment and natural resources which will consequentially influence the quality of human life in the process. However, there seems to be opposing arguments regarding the issue which claims the contributions that global warming might enthuse to support the quality and ways human life. Reviewing an excerpt from Thomas Gale Moore’s written work will elucidate the claims on the matter.
What most people (and based on Moore’s texts, what Senator George Mitchell argues) claim to be dangers of global warming lie on its effects to meteorological disturbances which might endanger the lives of the people and the physical condition of the environment. For instance, violent and prolonged hurricanes or the extended period of dry spell or drought in some areas around the globe, will take effect on the survival rate of human beings. The increase in temperature that are fueled by trapped green house gases in the atmosphere changes meteorological patterns that leads to the formation of extremely chaotic and hazardous environmental phenomena. Mitchell also compared the gravity of global warming effects to that of the risks and threats associated with nuclear weapons.
However, through all these impositions, Moore remains to be positive about global warming emphasizing the benefits and contributions that human beings might obtain from the extreme and atypical meteorological conditions. Reviewing historical evidences, Moore pointed out that the unusually warm atmosphere due to global warming will not bring about extreme weather conditions. It was more than thousands of years ago that the earth experienced a warmer than usual atmosphere. Due to the weather condition, the constant evaporation of moisture from the earth’s atmosphere due to the heat caused the abundance of rainfall which consequently contributed to the profusion of various types of plants and fostered the growth and proliferation of animals, especially those that enjoy the presence of water. With this in mind, the primary contributions of global warming constitute the growth and development of agricultural, marine, and woodland resources.
Moore reiterated that dry spells are not possible when the heat from the atmosphere contributes to the evaporation of moisture from the earth’s surface eventually causing rains showers all over the world. The perceived threat of scientists and professionals regarding droughts are scrapped by the onset of frequent rains due to heat trapped in the atmosphere fueled by global warming. Moore seems assured that perceptions and expectations are opposite of facts and information. The warming of the earth will not result to dry spells which threatens the condition of agricultural lands, but rather nurture the growth of farming vegetation. In addition, the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is eventually released to the earth’s surface through precipitation will contribute to the fertilization of soil which then leads to the desirable growth of plants and other types of vegetation.
Global warming will not only contribute to the natural environment, but the industrialized milieu as well. The immunity of manufacturing and service industries and establishments make them less vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather conditions. The development of industrial countries will be less influenced by the damages that meteorological conditions might impact to environmental activities, such as farming or fishing, due to the capability of manufacturing and service industries to provide human needs and demands. Atmospheric heat will only contribute to the efficiency of these manufacturing and service industries or establishments by providing power and energy to be used up during production and operations.
The advantages of global warming to the environment and the quality of human life is undeniable. Whether nations rely on the environment or industrialization, the warming of the atmosphere remains to be beneficial to them. This is through the heat that speeds up the process of precipitation and the abundance of power and energy in the atmosphere that fuels production and manufacturing. After all, comparing the difference between global warming and its counterpart – cold climate – proves that man and the environment is more likely to respond and adjust to heat rather than cold which incapacitates natural processes that will cultivate sources of life, such as agriculture, animal life, and industrialization.
References
Moore, T. G. (1995). Why Global Warming Would Be Good For You. Public Interest, Winter 1995.