Are we in need of some planetary sunblock?
Recent studies by the UK-based Catlin Arctic Survey and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) indicate that an area of ice in the Artic Ocean is first year ice. This is important because it reflects a rapid melting of ice in that area; so much so, that the ice in that area is only one-year old. As the ice gets thinner, it becomes more susceptible to melting. The WWF predicts that the Arctic will melt in the summers in as little as ten years. In 20 years, the Arctic will melt during the majority of the warmer months.
Several things happen when the ice melts. First, the Arctic ice helps reflect sunlight back into space, reducing planetary heat. As the surface of ice decreases, less heat is reflected and more is absorbed, increasing overall heat. As the ice melts, sea levels increase. A recent article of a global-warming opponent said that if all the ice melted, the water would rise only about 200 ft. Imagine what 200 feet above you looks like. Many, if not all, of America’s coastal and port cities would be completely submerged in that event.
In Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth, he pointed out that when fresh water is introduced into a salt-water current, the system changes. This could affect many other things as well, such as where hurricanes form off the coast.
Research seems to indicate that we are on a bit of a slippery slope. As the planet loses more heat-reflective properties, more is absorbed, causing the heat to rise. Opponents of global-warming arguments say that these few degrees are not substantial, but it really doesn’t take much to melt ice, thus increasing the heat absorbed.
At this point, it is no longer a matter or whether or not global warming is real, but if it is an issue. However, this is all speculation based on scientific experiments and hypothesis, so it is really up to the individual to determine whether global warming is a threat or not. It is hard to argue that we shouldn’t at least take steps to reduce our impact on the earth though.