Global Warming

Estefania Negrete

Marque D. Lethenstrom

7-9 am

14/04/2014

Ecuador vs. Global Warming

Global warming is a term used to refer to the increase in the average Earth’s temperature that is caused by the increase of greenhouse gases that retain heat in the atmosphere. (1) After thousands of years living on the same planet, people are seeing the consequences of industrial processes and contamination due to the consumerist lifestyle that they have adopted during the last few centuries. During the last few decades, the production of gases shows little sign of slowing and has actually increased with the high demand for fuel and food. Global warming, as it states, is a world problem and every single country should face it, and try to do something about it. Besides, it is a responsibility of each person too, who must change quickly to acquire eco-friendly habits. It is necessary that people change their lifestyle and preferences when buying something like food or clothes. However, many people still believe that this phenomenon is a fiction or something invented to frighten people. For this reason, many of them are continuing to pollute without restraints. Therefore, human beings are losing the battle against global warming and its consequences can be seen in every country, even Ecuador.

First, only a few countries are responsible for almost all global warming. The majority of first - world nations only care about moneymaking and do not have, as a priority, the conservation of the planet and the well-being of all the people and animals. Indeed, industrial activities of some countries, like the United States and China, are causing the most damage to the environment because they are at the top of list of the largest polluters. Furthermore, this damage also affects other countries that have little gas emissions like Ecuador. Consumerist countries have huge quantities of waste that is disposed of in landfills. This waste produces greenhouse gases, especially organic wastes, such as uneaten food, which decomposes and releases methane. Also, due to the food demand, farmers require a huge number of cattle in order to satisfy this demand, yet cattle wastes produce methane, which are twenty three times more harmful than carbon dioxide. (2) Thus, some first - world nations must change their way of living and producing goods and services to reduce global warming.

Ecuador has experienced a variety of consequences because of the global warming. First, the snowcaps are the most important water sources for Ecuador and for the functioning of hydroelectric companies. However, Ecuador has lost thirty percent of its glaciers in the last fifty years. In fact, if climate change continues as it is at the moment, they are supposed to disappear completely in seventy years. (3) In addition, the climate phenomenon "El Niño" and "La Niña" have been occurring with more frequency and intensity due to an increase in the ocean temperature. (4) Finally, the consequences are not only happening in Ecuador but in the entire world. Summers are warmer, winters even colder than ever, and seasons do not occur on definite dates as it used to be in the

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