Our planet is suffering a process of global warming due to the atmospheric pollution produced by the industry emission of gases. A great threat for the planet is global warming producing what is known as the greenhouse effect. By global warming we understand “The increase in earth temperature produced by the burning of fossil fuels and other industrial processes that lead to the accumulation of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (water steam, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and CFC)”. Of all gases that produce the greenhouse effect, (carbon dioxide) CO2, is the main responsible and is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels (carbon, petroleum and natural gas) to obtain energy. Each year, more than 7000 millions of tons of carbon dioxide are sent to the atmosphere, 2/3 of which are from the combustion of fossil fuels, while the rest is produced by deforestation and combustion of wood. Since 1896 it is known that carbon dioxide helps to avoid that infrared radiation escape to space, and this makes that a relatively warm temperature is maintained in our planet (greenhouse effect).

Sometimes it is used the name of climate change, that designates any weather change or anthropogenic climate change, where the direct influence of human activity is implicated. Global warming and greenhouse effect are not synonymous. The greenhouse effect enhanced by pollution, can be, according to most theories, the cause of global warming observed since the middle of the twentieth century, when there was and end to the stage know as the little ice age.

And what can we do to avoid global warming?

Of all possible things the easiest are:

• Walk or use a bike instead of a car.
• Consume only what is necessary, you can reduce in an important way the impact to the productive chain to the environment.
• Recycle garbage
• Reuse all we can, such as clothes, books, toys, etc.
• Reduce consume of electric energy.
• Regulate to comfortable temperature in winter and summer, for heating and air conditioners.

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There is a lot of noise about global warming, but very little true understanding is reaching the public. While we are focused on immediate concerns, we might be ignoring a looming future catastrophe. It is important to transcend our obsession with short-term gains (that’s what forced the world economy into a tail-spin, after all) and carefully consider long-term consequences.

What are the actions of today that will affect the world of tomorrow? Because of our current behavior, what will our descendants be dealing with? Let’s separate fact from fiction and face the very real effects of global warming and the extremes of climate change.

Recently there have been extensive revisions in the assessment of climate change issues by many scientific organizations. Greenhouse gasses are increasing dramatically due to huge industrial growth in China and India. Plus, with the thawing of the poles, rising sea levels are eminent (possibly 55 inches by the end of the century) and this puts the highly populated coastal areas in danger.

Changes are happening, but how do we know what they are?

Of course, our planet has been experiencing weather’s ups and downs and highs and lows for billions of years. What makes us think the climate is changing more drastically now, and what could be causing it?

Considering known cycles of the past, some say we are overdue for another ice age. Research suggests that the earth’s magnetic field has been diminishing lately, and this could be a sign that a magnetic shift is eminent. The North and South poles might actually flip, causing catastrophic upheavals that could rearrange continents and severely shake up all forms of life. We know that such things have happened in the past, and they are sure to happen again — but when?

We depend on the planet’s magnetic field to protect the surface from deadly solar radiation. If it is currently becoming weaker, that won’t help us much if the sun starts blasting us with extreme killer flares. Records indicate that our old reliable sun has recently been behaving in radical, unexpected ways, and it could fry the entire planet at any moment!

There are also more exotic views of upcoming earth changes…

Many researchers insist that ALL of the planets in our solar system are heating up, and climate change is not just a local condition, it is a far reaching cosmic development. There are those who speculate about a buildup of hyper-dimensional electromagnetic forces that will influence not just our own planet’s weather, but the future evolution of our entire solar neighborhood.

There is also a growing movement of doomsayers who insist that the world will endure some sort of significant transformational event on December 21, 2012, as suggested by the famed end of the Mayan Calendar and the puzzling prophecies of Nostradamus, as well as other metaphysical sources.

Yikes, it looks like fun times are ahead for Planet Earth! But before we get too stressed out, let’s settle down and confine ourselves to reliable, factual information. With the current emphasis on non-ideological scientific inquiry, we are getting a flood of new studies that must be seriously considered. Clearly, we need to deal with this matter now… along with all the other problems that can no longer be ignored.