Humans Will Thrive on it

Written by: Matthew Pagel

Global warming is defined as an increase in the earth’s temperature caused by human activities, such as burning coal, oil, and natural gas. The burning material releases carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The gases then trap the sun’s heat near the earth’s surface, thus increasing the planet’s average temperature. I have thought a long time about global warming. It is a topic I enjoy discussing with friends when we have the time. We all agree that global warming is a concept that is definitely happening. We also all agree that global warming is generally a bad thing. What if we are wrong? Maybe global warming could be a good thing for the human race. I have come up with four benefits to the human race from global warming. First, plants would grow faster. Next, global warming will save money. Next, we will have an increase in diversity on the planet. Finally, recreational opportunities will greatly increase.

Plants will grow better and faster. The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere will be a bounty of food for plants. Farmers will enjoy a longer growing seasons which will increase the output of food that they produce. Some areas that couldn’t grow certain crops, because the growing season was too short, will be able to grow new crops. Antarctica would melt and reveal a new land for settlement. The faster growing plants could be the answer to our dwindling rainforest problems. If plants are growing faster time will regenerate these forests.

Global warming will save both consumers and corporations money. The increase in food will draw prices down, and consumers will see this savings at the supermarket. The increased corn being produced will be used for fuel, thus bringing fuel prices down. The melting of the North Pole will make crossing the Atlantic Ocean a snap. The main savings to corporations will be from less fuel being consumed. Heating fuel will become cheaper because you won’t need to heat your house as much.

The diversity of the planet will not change much, and will probably even increase. A few species may die out, but these species will be replaced by species that can adapt to the changing climate. Most of these new species will be insects. The increase in insects will be a bounty to fish and song birds, which will thrive. Global warming will be pushing evolution. Evolution may be accelerated enough that we see changes in just a few thousand years instead of millions.

Recreational opportunities will vastly increase. Summer will not technically be any longer, but there will be additional warmer days. There will be more days to hike, more days to swim, and more days to bicycle in the sun. The new vacation destination might be the sunny beaches of Alaska.

These are the good qualities of global warming, but are they worth it? The plants will grow better, but with what water? Without water no amount of CO2 will make plants grow. Are the loss of the polar caps and the death of the polar bears worth saving a little money? The greatest diversity today is in the insect world. That diversity will increase at the expense of most other species. Lastly, summer days may be more plentiful, but who is going to recreate when they are getting burned by UV rays? Global warming is happening. Global warming isn’t all bad, when looking at it from a human point of view. When looking at it from the planets point of view, I don’t think it cares. I do, and it is worth saving.