Long, lengthy arguments about global warming are not my forte. Here's the short form, if you don't want to read a lot about it. To be honest, a lot of people make excessively long and somewhat boring arguments involving global warming. Do you want to read an entire essay? No, you can get all you need to know about it, right here.
What is it? Simply put, it's an average global increase in the world's temperature. (Currently, estimates show possibly up to a 1 degree Celcius increase in the past 100 years.)
How does it happen? Solar activity (the sun), the orbit of the earth, volcanic activity. And, most relevant to humans, the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and trap heat, raising the temperature of the oceans and the atmosphere.
How do I know it really happens? Scientific evidence, including measurements made by scientists over the past 100 years, historical records of crop failure in the Middle Ages, and [sic] Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
How does it affect us? The possible implications include crop failure (plants can handle seasonal changes, but seasons have average temperatures too); rise in sea levels; more hurricanes/bad weather; spread of disease; extinction of species. Crop failure and hurricanes have economic implications, including food shortages and price rises.
What should and can we do? Encourage your politicians to support your country's adherance to the Kyoto Protocol; conserve gasoline and electricity within your own home; recycle as much as possible; take showers instead of baths; buy a Honda and carpool; and TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
Where should I go for more info? Go to Google.com, and search for "global warming." The first five or six hits are informative and useful; I especially suggest the EPA website.
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