Just recently, the E.P.A finally announded that greenhouse gases are harmful to our health. There have always been many claims and speculations that they were harmful to humans, but not it is official that they are imperil to health. This announcement was ment to coincide with the recent Copenhagen conferences in regards to global climate change.
” The E.P.A.’s administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, said that a 2007 decision by the Supreme Court required the agency to weigh whether carbon dioxide and five other climate-altering gases threatened human health and welfare and, if so, to take steps to regulate them.” From the scientific evidence, it was evident that human activity was largely responsible for the large increase in global climate change. After a large amount of scientific studies, it was declared that global warming is real, and that if something is not done about it soon, our Earth is in great danger. The E.P.A is unsure how bad it will get if they do not react soon enough.
Although carbon is very harmful to our Earth, limiting the amount of emissions would be very tough and next to impossible because so many companies and industries depend on it and use it. It would be very complex and cost the economy large amounts of money.
Since the Obama administration, it was signaled that there was an intent to investigate dangerous greenhouse gases other than carbon. Including,methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. Many steps have been taken to further explore and investigate this idea, and to find the dangers of other kids of greenhouse gases, because all are very harmful to the environment. The government is say that if lawmakers do not act to control the amount of greenhouse gase emissions there will be consequences. The president and his environmental aides are working towards a major step in the legislative process.
Discovering the engangerment of greenhouse gases will put a large dent on the economy. Many people will lose money and jobs if there is a halt or hold put on the amount of emissons. Many industries depend on resources such as these. Although it make take a hard hit to the economy, the after effects of a cleaner earth are much more beneficial. It may take a long time to clean up the messes it may leave beind, but the final product is extremely helpful for our Earth and for many other reasons in the long run. It is all about what will happen in the future, than working away from the present.
I think these discoveries are very important to our environment and can make a big impact if there is something done about it. Now that there has been an official announcement and evidence proving, it will be a wake up call to many.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/science/earth/08epa.html?ref=earth
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December 14, 2009 at 8:11 am
peppersprouse
If one of the concerns is that many people will lose their jobs, more opportunities should open up for employment in alternative energy source production and maintenance. That is something that counteracts the negative aspect of cutting emissions. The more time and energy we invest in finding ways to help the environment, the more jobs will be created in those areas. I hope this shift becomes the trend in the next few years.