Global warming seems like a far-off, nebulous sort of problem. It somehow never enters the Hopkins world of studying for the MCAT, getting along with roommates, and choking down the dining hall food. But 20 years from now, when Hopkins students are flung all across the nation, global warming will indeed rear its ugly face. The future that looms ahead is filled with dimness and uncertainty, but it is not too late to seize it and fill it with brightness and promise. This process starts with reversing global warming.
Global warming starts with sun rays reaching and warming the earth. Carbon dioxide, which human activity emits through driving, using electricity and manufacturing, is an absorber of heat. Carbon dioxide absorbs the sun's heat and traps it in the atmosphere, instead of letting it travel back out into space. A thick blanket of heat now envelops Earth.
According to the National Climatic and Data Center, the atmosphere today contains about 32 percent more carbon dioxide than the pre-industrial atmosphere. The NCDC also states that the temperature of the earth has increased by 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 25 years.
All this extra carbon dioxide spells out disaster on a long-term global scale. Water expands in heat, and the excess heat melts the polar icebergs. Oceans are slowly rising.
According to Dr. Kaitlin Szlavecz, an earth and planetary sciences professor, global warming "has serious economic consequences on cities built close to sea level," such as Baltimore. Rises in temperature will wreak havoc on farming and the food supply, and global warming jeopardizes the health of all members of society.
It may seem like modern mankind is slowly strangling itself and that nothing can be done. However, a few small changes in lifestyle would have a positive impact on the fight against global warming.
The first change is simply to turn off dorm lights during class time. Secondly, refrain from using the school dryers. A simple drying rack is easier, cheaper and saves a lot of energy. According to Penn State's numbers, opting for a drying rack over an hour in the machine will keep about 10 pounds of carbon dioxide from polluting the air.
Also, try to minimize purchases of bottled and canned drinks. An outrageous amount of carbon dioxide is emitted from the production of those dinky, single-use products.
Lastly, change paper-using habits. Manufacturing paper decimates the forests and emits a great deal of carbon dioxide. For those pesky e-reserve printouts, print on both sides of the page. The same goes for note-taking in lectures.
Halting a phenomenon that threatens all life on earth feels like an impossible task, but like many seemingly insurmountable challenges, the path to success begins with a few simple changes.
