You hear about it on the television news. You've heard about it in newspapers and magazines. You talk about it with your friends and colleagues. Movies have even been made about it. The “it” is global warming. “Global warming refers to the increase in global average temperature observed over the past hundred years or more” (Spencer). Some experts say that global warming is the result of human activities, while others believe that the warming and cooling of the Earth's atmosphere is a natural cycle. Proponents of human-induced global warming point out that since the Industrial Revolution, we have released excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, a "greenhouse gas," into the atmosphere and increased Earth's temperature. On the other hand, some scientists claim that, based on ice core samples, the Earth has experienced several warming cycles over thousands of years (Barry, 2000). Despite the ongoing debate over whether "global warming" is a natural cycle or caused by human activities, there are steps individuals and nations could take to protect and conserve our environment. Before discussing possible solutions to combat global warming, I would like to present some general information about global warming. Plants, animals and humans are able to survive on this planet thanks to the natural greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is primarily composed of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, which reflect infrared radiation from the sun back to the Earth's surface (Barry, 2000). Therefore, an increase in these components of the greenhouse effect could result in trapping more heat and increasing atmospheric temperature. Bjorn Lomborg (2007, p. 10) states that with...... middle of paper ....... (November 8, 2007). How to stop climate change: the simple solution. In Z. Sharp (Ed.), Annual Editions: Environment 09/10 (pp. 209-211). New York: McGraw Hill. Spencer, R. (nd). Global warming: natural or man-made. Retrieved from http://www.drroyspencer.com/global-warming-natural-or-manmade/Top 50 Things to Do to Stop Global Warming. (February 5, 2009). Retrieved from http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.htmlUnited States Census Bureau. (2008, December). World population: 1950-2050. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/worldpopgraph.htmlUnited States Department of Agriculture. (August 12, 2009). Sustainable development. Retrieved from http://www.usda.gov/oce/sustainable/index.htmWallace, J.W. (April 26, 2005). Nuclear Energy Program 2010. In TA Easton (Ed.), Taking sides: Competing views on environmental issues (p. 220). New York: McGraw Hill.