What time is it? Aren’t you awake yet?…
Think about the Earth years ago. For sure you will picture a pollution-free environment, abundant trees, plants and animals adding color and life to this planet. For it is written in the bible, in Genesis 1:31, that every thing God has made was very good.
Now, think about the Earth today. The amount of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases significantly increases. Sheets of ice in the Arctic Sea and Greenland continuously melt causing the sea level to rise. Intense heat waves, drought and tropical cyclones take thousands of lives and leave families vulnerably calling out for help.
Aren’t you alarmed by these situations our world is experiencing? These are just some of the effects global warming brings, a phenomenon that none of us should ignore.
Greenhouse effect is the role the atmosphere plays in keeping the Earth’s surface warm. When heat from the sun reaches our planet, some of it penetrates the atmosphere and reaches the ground, and some is just reflected back to the outer space. Those that penetrated will then be trapped by “greenhouse gases” like carbon dioxide to sustain enough warmth for us to survive. Indeed, this is a natural process; God created greenhouse gases to keep us, humans, alive!
However, along with the development of human’s thinking is the transition of the environment where it belongs. But these changes were not brought by natural processes; most of them were caused by human’s activities, technological advancement and industrial revolution.
The cars, buses and trains we ride everyday give off carbon dioxide. In fact, the pollution from vehicles is one of the causes of the great amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Every time we burn coal, oil and natural gas, the composition of the atmosphere is altered therefore resulting to climate change.
However, carbon dioxide is not the only gas which causes global warming. The nitrous oxide, which is also harmful to the environment, is involved in the process of making nylon. And nylon is being rampantly used in making clothes and other human needs. Methane is one of the most important of the greenhouse gases. By rice cultivation, cattle and sheep ranching, decaying materials in landfills, methane is produced. These human activities have then increased the composition of methane in the atmosphere by more than a hundred percent.
We must realize that the Earth now is not the same as it was before. We are responsible for it. The bible says people have the capacity to destroy the earth (in Revelations 11: 18, (”And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”)
And the science itself proves it! According to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 19th century and the rate of warming is continuously increasing.
This phenomenon will have serious impacts on the environment and on society. The rate of global warming is faster than most plant and animal species will be able to cope with. Some will adapt but others will suffer and may become extinct.
Water resources will also be affected because some reservoirs may dry up. Rising sea levels may pollute fresh groundwater supplies with salt water.
It will also affect human health. There may be more heat-related illnesses in hotter summers, and increased breathing problems as higher temperatures increase air pollution in cities, reducing air quality. The malaria mosquito may also be able to spread to other regions of the world where it is currently too cold to survive and breed.
More extreme weather is also expected in the next few years. And sad to say, the poorest people in society will unfortunately be those least able to cope with the impacts of global warming.
We are bombarded with so many facts, sad and inconvenient truths. Would you just watch the earth being destroyed by your own race?
Do you realize how urgently humans must respond on this alarming phenomenon?
Again, what time is it?
It is high time for you, for all of us to take part in gradually healing our planet’s wounds. As part of the youth sector, we must have the initiative to take actions, to have sense of responsibility on taking care of this temporal home God provided us, and to lead the others in doing the same campaign.
Imagine if all the youth will sacrifice a day to plant more trees or not to use air conditioners. Imagine if we will all speak our voices and say that we must prevent illegal logging and burning of plastics and fossil fuels. Our own little ways and our own little voices will make a difference, with God’s help.
So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to spread the word and be involved!
