Global Warming is caused by the sun. Myth or Fact?
The answer: Myth. Yes the sun warms the planet, but it is not the cause for warming temperatures we’ve experienced in the past decade. Data from NASA reports the current solar cycle is headed for its lowest level since 1750. This marks the lowest energy output from the sun in 270 years (VoLo Foundation, 2022).
Background
Climate Change—Real. Global Warming—Real. Global Warming refers to the planet’s average temperatures that have indeed been rising throughout the years. Since the 19th century Earth’s average temperature has risen 2F°. The cause is increased carbon dioxide emissions into our atmosphere as well as many common human activities. Another contributor to climate change are greenhouse gasses that get trapped in Earth’s atmosphere preventing heat from leaving which then stays and warms the planet. The primary greenhouse gasses trapped in Earth’s atmosphere are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.
Note*: data used in this post are collected from Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2021 & National Centers for Environmental Information.
Introduction
Global Warming (GW) is a real life world phenomenon. It is an ongoing crisis that needs to be continuously addressed until effective action is taken to the point where we start to see change happen. Each and everyone one of us is contributing to GW in one way or another. We can see it negatively affecting our planet from small scales to big scales. Worsen severe weather storms are an effect of rising temperatures. Hurricanes and tsunamis are getting stronger as the oceans are getting warmer. We can also see the polar ice caps starting to melt as a result of GW. Within the last three decades, we are all familiar with the photo of a polar bear standing a float on an iceberg.
Since then, there have been numerous more photos circulating the news, media, and the world representing one thing—climate change; and more specifically, global warming.
Due to rising temperatures, coral reefs are losing their beautiful colors. They are becoming bleached and as a result, are disappearing. The documentary Chasing Coral that came out in 2017 does a deep dive into the vanishing coral reefs around the world brought on by the heat and stress of climate change. It’s predicted by 2034 there will be severe bleaching as seen in the coral every year, and by 2050, 90% of reefs could be extinct (Exposure Labs, 2017).
Longer fire seasons are also getting longer as a result of global warming. Essentially, there are too many greenhouse gasses trapped in our atmosphere.
Main Causes
The burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas to generate heat and electricity are huge contributors to emitting global emissions. Manufacturing goods such as steel, iron, plastics, clothes, electronics, cement, and other goods are producing emissions as well into the atmosphere that get trapped causing the greenhouse effect. Deforestation and farming are a couple of other competitors contributing to the emissions of CO2 and other gasses into Earth’s atmosphere.
Global Warming is bad and global warming is negatively affecting our lives right now as well as our future. We are essentially killing our planet. There is no better time than the present to start taking effective action towards change to see a greener future. Not only should the current generation care, but also anyone out there who thinks climate change is not real. What we do now affects future generations and life as we know it on Earth.
Data
From the National Centers for Environmental Information, I was able to collect data on average U.S. temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit from 1895 to 2022 using an annual time scale. Depicted below is a time series graph showing trends in U.S. average temperatures throughout the years. It’s clear to see some spikes and of course some troughs. Between December 1895 to December 2021, the minimum average temperature recorded was 50.05F° in December of 1917. More than a century later, the U.S. average temperature in Fahrenheit has climbed to a maximum average temperature of 55.28F° in December 2017. Generally from 1895 to 1935 U.S. average temperatures have fluctuated and have managed to stay below 55F°. From 1935 onwards, average temperatures have been unsteadily increasing. But starting from 1975 to the present, we can see a bit of an increase in average temperatures in the U.S. which is a result of global warming.
From using the Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2021 data, I ran several tests to analyze and understand the data better. For example, I compared the percentage of people who think yes global warming is happening versus the percentage of people who don’t think global warming is happening. There is a significant difference between the two. 70.11% of the U.S. population think that global warming is happening while only 16.23% of the U.S. population said no they do not think global warming is happening. The difference between the two numbers is significant because the 70.11% supports the argument that climate change is real and so therefore global warming is real, as 4/6 of the US population would think, which it is. Overall all states think ‘Yes’ that global warming is happening compared to ‘No’.
Similarly, the states that say “% Yes global warming is happening” also happen to also say that humans are causing global warming compared to the percentage who say ‘% No Humans Do Not Cause Global Warming’. In the graph below, most states have significant differences between whether or not they think humans are the cause of global warming. For example, the state of Maryland has very opposite opinions on whether humans are causing global warming. As for North Dakota, the opinions are pretty equal of Yes and No opinions of whether humans are contributing to the cause of global warming.
Maryland
% Humans Cause Global Warming 63.802
% Humans Do Not Cause Global Warming 25.162
Difference 38.640North Dakota
% Humans Cause Global Warming 43.759
% Humans Do Not Cause Global Warming 40.768
Difference 2.991
Generally with the Yale Opinions Maps data from 2021, the percentage of people/states saying ‘yes’ or agreeing have a higher percentage than the alternative outcome. Again this proves that climate change is real, not only because the majority of ‘Yes’ opinions are greater than the ‘No’ opinions, but we also have the records and statistics to prove that global warming is currently happening and continues to happen.
Overall, average temperatures have been rising since 1895 to 2021. The graph on the left is the Top 5 Average Minimum U.S. Temperatures ranging from 50.34F° to 51.99F°. More than a century later and the average temperatures are rising. The graph on the right is the Top 5 Average Maximum U.S. Temperatures ranging from 54.40F° to 55.28F°. From these two visuals it’s clear to see that the average temperatures have in fact increased over time as a result of global warming.
In the graph above, it depicts the frequency of average U.S. temperatures from 1895 to 2021. Although the max frequency of average temperatures occurs between 51F° and 52F°, that doesn’t mean temperatures have been not increasing throughout the years. Everything to the right of 52F° shows an increase in average temperatures which supports the claim that global warming is real and it is happening.
Analogies
Remember, global warming is a melting ice cream cone (Ben & Jerry’s Ad). By just increasing the U.S. average temperatures by 2F° only then will the ice cream cone melt. In other words, with just as little of a 2F° increase in Earth’s average temperature can have a massive impact on our environment.
Another analogy in regards to climate change is ‘climate change resembles a house on fire’. Our planet is heating up and that is no good, the longer we allow our planet to burn up the more we are killing mother nature and essentially ourselves.
Actions to Take
In order to help stop global warming, there are various actions that can be taken. Everyone can help limit climate change by saving energy at home such as turning off the lights while not in use and unplugging applications/electronics while also not in use. Switching to LED light bulbs, using energy-efficient electric appliances, and washing your laundry with cold water are a few ways to reduce electricity and heat power sources. Traffic is a huge contributor to global warming, so a few ways to reduce the burning of diesel and gasoline is to walk, bike, and/or take public transportation more. Walking or biking reduces greenhouse gasses and are also good for your health and fitness. Eating more vegetables, whole grains, fruits, seeds, less meat and dairy can also significantly lower environmental impacts. Plant-based foods generally require less energy, water, and land. Throwing away less food will reduce the methane that is produced from food being thrown away into landfills. Try composting your leftovers. Last, but not least — recycle, reuse, reduce, and repair (United Nations).