Assignment: Global Warming

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose Statement: To inform my audience about global warming and its effects.

I. Introduction

a. Attention Getting Statement: How many of you know about global warming? Fun fact, if you type in "Global Warming" into the Google search engine you get 80,800,000 results.

b. Credibility Statement: I have always had a strong interest in learning about global warming/climate change and their effects. I have done my research in the topic in order to give this speech.

c. Need Statement: Its necessary to learn about global warming because it's a central topic in debates and it is a huge influence on our earth, and can therefore affect us all.

d. Purpose Statement: To inform my audience about what global warming is, what causes it, and the affects it has.

e. Thesis Statement: Global warming is the gradual increase in the earths atmospheric temperature, which can be caused by an increase in the greenhouse gases that has consequences on the earth.

f. Preview of Main Points:

i. First, I will discuss the definition of global warming and a main cause to get a basic understanding

ii. Second, I will discuss how global warming effects the earth and animals

iii. Finally, I will discuss the ways to minimize the temperature change from global warming

Transition: Now that I have told you about what we will be talking about, I will now discuss what global warming is and how it is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases.

Body:

II. Main Point 1: -- Global warming is the gradual increase in temperature of the earths atmosphere and oceans. One main cause is by an excess of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane building up in the atmosphere, which blocks heat from escaping.

a. According to Hansen's(2010)article Global Surface TemperatureChangethe "Earth's average global surface temperature has already risen 0.8 degrees Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880, and is now warming at a rate of more than 0.1 degrees Celsius (0.2 degrees Fahrenheit) every decade."

b. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2014,"In 2014, CO2 accounted for about 80.9% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities." the main cause inhuman activity that releases carbon dioxide is due to the burning of fossil fuels.

c. Burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil are used to power vehicles, machinery, and create electricity.

Transition: Now that we have learned about what global warming is and the greenhouse gases, I will discuss about the effects it has on the earth and inhabitants.

III. Main Point 2:Global warming is causing desertification, increase in melting of snow and ice, rise in sea level, and stronger hurricanes/cyclones. The most visible effect is seen in the Arctic where glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice are melting quickly.

a. The rise in ocean temperatures is causing the arctic sea ice to disappear for longer periods. Polar bears live and hunt for seals on arctic sea ice.

b. The National Wildlife Federation'sarticle Polar Bearsstates that the "The polar bears were the first vertebrate species to be listed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act as threatened by extinction primarily because of global warming."

c. Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion and melting of ice. According to Church's article (2011) Sea-Level Rise from the Late 19th to the Early 21st Century there has been a 21 cm rise in the earths sea level since 1880

Transition: Now that I have discussed the effects of global warming, there are some possible ways to help preventor reduce an increase in temperature in the earths atmosphere.

IV. Main Point 3:There are many ways to reduce global warming. Some ways to reduce global warming are to reduce waste, reduce fossil fuel use, and plant trees.

a. As discussed before, carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas. Plants and trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, then humans take in that oxygen and release carbon dioxide. By planting, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will decrease.

b. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (2015) book Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change"Since 1970, CO2 emissions have increased by about 90%."Fossil fuelsincrease carbon emissions in earths atmosphere, this can be can be minimized by using solar and wind power, these are nonpolluting energy sources.

c. Greenhouse gases such as methane are produced in decomposing waste in landfills. Recycling can lower the release of these gases.

Transition:These are some of many ways that can help reduce global warming

V. Conclusion:

a. Signal End: In conclusion, I have informed you about global warming

b. Restate Main Purpose/Thesis:Global warming is the gradual increase in the earths atmospheric temperature, which can be caused by an increase in the greenhouse gases that has consequences on the earth and animals.

c. Relist Main Points:I informed you on what global warming is, what causes it, the effects that it has, and ways to minimize it.

d. Final Remarks: Remember, long live the polar bears.

Reference:

Church, John A., and Neil J. White. 2011. Sea-Level Rise from the Late 19th to the Early 21st

Century.Surveys in Geophysics32, no. 4-5 (2011): 585-602.

EPA, A. 2016. Inventory of US greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990-2014. Environmental Protection Agency.

Hansen, J., Ruedy, R., Sato, M., & Lo, K. 2010. Global surface temperature change. Reviews of Geophysics, 48(4).

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2015. Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change(Vol. 3). New York (NY). Cambridge University Press. National Wildlife Federacy. n.d. Polar Bear.