Global warming in Canada

1. “Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the
health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our
emissions of heat-trapping gases by using the technology, know-how, and practical
solutions already at our disposal”.
Global warming is the warming of the Earth’s temperatures as a result of rising levels of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. “Greenhouse gases occur naturally in the
environment and also result from human activities”. Carbon dioxide, water vapor,
methane and nitrous oxide are some of those gases. Earth relies on normal amounts of
greenhouse gases to be present in order to maintain normal temperatures on earth.
However, when there is an increased concentration of these gases in the atmosphere, it
acts as an insulator and helps retain heat. This heat retention causes the Greenhouse
Effect. The greenhouse effect can be described as excessive trapping of heat energy in
the earth’s atmosphere which in turn, increases the overall temperature of the earth’s
atmosphere, oceans and land on Earth.
Interesting Fact
“Although climate models predict Canada will have a longer growing season because of
global warming, reports suggests that water may not be available to sustain crops that
depend on rivers that are fed from the snow pack in the mountainous areas of the West.”
The following 5 major areas of Canada will be affected by Global Warming:
• Prairies: global warming has already taken its toll on this region by evaporating
water into the air and forcing farmers to sell their farms and cattle. Due to rising
temperatures in this area, the soil is getting dried up and isn’t suitable for growing
crops. Global warming will destroy farmers because they will be running out of
food to feed their cattle and water to make crops grow.
• Skiing industries of Canada (Quebec and British-Columbia mostly). Winters are
already getting shorter, making the skiing season shorter. Eventually there will be
a shortage of snow because with increasing temperatures these areas will be
getting more rain instead of snow.
• Fishing industries in the east and west coasts will be impacted because of global
warming. There are certain fish like salmon for example who like the cold water
(where they spawn). If the water gets warmer and warmer, the salmon will just
keep moving upstream trying to find colder water. Eventually they won’t find it
or they will just die trying to find it. There are many water living animals that are
like that. It will definitively make it next to impossible for the fishing industry to
survive if our water keeps getting hotter and fish do not live.

2. • The Arctic in Canada is probably the area that will have most effect on the world,
not just Canada. Studies show that temperatures are increasing in the Arctic.
Rising temperatures melt the polar ice caps more rapidly; eventually flooding low
lying areas on earth (the breakdown of the ozone layer over the Arctic is certainly
not helping either). When the ice disappears so does many food sources and
habitats of people and animals living in the Arctic region.
• Our forest areas would be damaged by increased rainfalls and temperatures. The
vegetation regions would also be changed. “After global warming there would be
more forested areas than there are today but the distribution would be completely
different”. Towns that live near forested areas and depend on the forest industry
for their livelihood would have to look for other means of survival. Animals
would have to migrate to different parts of Canada in order to survive and many
may not survive.

3. Solutions
In order to change or slow down the effect o global warming, we have to remove some of
the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and we must also cut down on our production of
excessive greenhouse gases.
How do we remove carbon dioxide from the air?
By increasing our carbon sinks. A carbon sink is what keeps carbon in, such as
trees and plankton, in the carbon cycle. “Trees, especially young and fast growing-ones,
soak a great deal of carbon dioxide, break it down in photosynthesis, and store carbon in
new wood”. We must therefore preserve our forests by minimizing logging and we must
plant new trees, not only to replace the ones that have been cut down, but plant in excess
of what was originally there. We must also reduce water pollution in order to protect
plankton. “Warm ocean waters can absorb less carbon dioxide than colder water, so as
global warming occurs, the oceans will not be efficient carbon sinks”.
How do we cut down production of greenhouse gases?
We produce harmful gases when we burn fossil fuels and solid wastes, when we
drive vehicles, and generate electricity. Harmful gases also come from rotting wastes in
landfills and during the manufacturing process of certain products. In order to cut down
we must:
• Reduce our energy consumption by:
-buying more energy efficient appliances in our homes
-driving energy efficient cars, carpooling, use public transits, live closer to work
or school, and walk to places more often.
-reduce idling of cars
-turn lights off when you leave the house, turn computers off when not in use, use
programmable thermostat in your homes. Same applies to office buildings. Add
insulation to your house or replace old windows.
• Reduce the amount of garbage we produce and increase our recycling of paper,
metal, plastic, and glass.
• Encourage our government to invest money in research and development into
alternative energy sources that emit no greenhouse gases, exp: solar and wind
power. The goal should be to eliminate or reduce our use of fossil fuels for
energy.

4. In conclusion, global warming is not only a Canadian problem but a world-wide
obstacle that can in turn be very dangerous to our world. All the countries must
come together and find a solution to this problem and avoid any further damage to
the earth. As a team, I’m positive we can eliminate the greenhouse effect and
avoid global warming!
Cited Work
1. Clark, Bruce W and John K. Wallace. Making Connections, Canada’s
Geography. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 1999.
2. “Environment.” Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 18 Nov.2005.
http://ca.encart.msn.com.
3. “Global Warming,” Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 18 Nov.2005.
http://ca.encarta.msn.com.