You've heard it everywhere before, but do you really know what it means? Is it really as bad as people complain? I'm obviously talking about global warming. Global warming is dangerous and disastrous, but with enough effort we can stop it. You will discover all this in the following paragraphs. To begin with, what is global warming? Is it even real? Many believe that the Earth has not changed at all and that any science used to prove otherwise is completely false. (Magill) Despite these beliefs, the evidence shows that global warming is very real. But what is it? Global warming is exactly what it sounds like: the entire Earth is warming. This temperature change may appear to have increased by only a degree or two, but it is enough to melt ice and dry rivers. (Parry) This heat comes from greenhouse gases. In this case the greenhouse gas is CO2, or carbon dioxide. CO2 comes from the fossil fuels we release into the atmosphere. It is unable to escape into space and is reflected back to Earth. The Earth does this naturally on its own, however it never did so at such a rapid rate before humans started burning fossil fuels. (The History Channel) As mentioned above, rising temperatures can melt the polar ice caps and cause droughts elsewhere. This extreme climate will have devastating long-term effects. Drought means water shortages and water prices will rise. For farmers, this means a lower harvest. If the polar ice caps melted, there would be more ocean water. As the ocean rises, coastal cities and communities will be submerged underwater, causing many to die and be forced to relocate. Sure, it's not good, but how does this change us here in San Bernardino? First, the farmer's problem... middle of paper... steps that have no effect whatsoever, but what if the entire population of the United States alone did their best to reduce the use of fossil fuels fuel use, pollution would decrease significantly. So, in conclusion, global warming is real and is taking a toll on the health of the Earth. However, we, as a population, can stop it if we all work together. That's right, even if you think you're not doing much, you're helping. We can no longer simply wait, now is the time to act. Bibliography • A Global Warming, The History Channel, 2001 documentary • Parry, Wynne. “Living hotter: How 2 degrees will change the Earth.” LiveScience. TechMedia Network, December 8, 2010. Web. May 5, 2014.• Magill, Bobby. “Experts discuss moral and religious reasons for climate action.” Experts discuss moral and religious reasons for climate action | Central climate. Climate Central, 9 October 2013. Web. 05 May 2014.