Reducing US Carbon Footprint (Research Paper Sample)

Name
Course
Institution
Date of submission
Reducing US Carbon Footprint
Thesis statement
The United States government ought to speed up the process aimed at mitigating the devastating effects of carbon dioxide emission, failure to which will result in negative implications.
Introduction
The pangs of climatic changes are felt virtually everywhere in the world calling for the appropriate responses aimed at saving the universe. The main cause of the deterioration in the climatic conditions has been attributed to carbon dioxide emissions. This comes from a number of activities that man undertakes in their endeavor to create wealth which may include fumes from vehicles, gases emitted from the green houses and mines. As a result, the whole world is in eminent dander of a green house effect that has already resulted in a number of complications. The devastating effects of the carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere include the increase in the number of skin diseases and cancer, and also the rise in respiratory complications. The following discussion will focus on the reduction of the United States carbon footage.
Global warming and green house effects have been the major causes in the changes of weather patterns in the world today (Tyler, 23). This has been as a result of the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because of the destructive activities tat man undertakes. The whole world is experiencing the devastating effects of the climatic changes causing the governments to look for alternative means of mitigating the effects. Carbon dioxide is the gas that is commonly released when fuels are burnt to produce energy.
The world currently grapples with the challenges that have already hit it due to the effects of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (Seppanen, Fisk and Mendell, 23).The United States which is said to be the greatest emitter of the same is no exception. It has facilitated many conferences yearly which are meant to prevent excess emissions of these poisonous gases. However, the whole process has not been successful due to lack of consensus between the White House and the Southern States.
For instance, it is said that the White House has passed several bills that are meant to bring the climatic conditions at normalcy, but it has always been inhibited by lack of good will from specific states. Those are states owning mines and are therefore trying to protect their own interests at the expense of deterioration of the climatic change. Though such states are justified in the protection of such mines due to the number of people employed, there is still need to emphasize on the reduction of carbon emission by such states.
The greatest setback is however said to be the bush administration for the failure to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. This kind of an agreement aimed at requesting the greatest contributors of the carbon emissions such as the United States, China and other industrialized nations to cut down the volume of gases released in the atmosphere. However, due to the failure by the government to do so has caused the general public to relax and take issues of conservation for granted. The private sectors including the businessmen have taken the advantages of the loopholes in the government administration. For that reason, they have been running their businesses without the knowledge of the damages caused in the atmosphere.
However, in his statements, President Obama has declared that his administration is committed in the process of control of emissions in the atmosphere (Michael, 12). There have been various calls to seek alternative means of energy such as electricity and wind power to be employed in the industries instead of coal and other petroleum products which increase the chances of air pollution. This will be achieved through the federal Renewable Energy Standards which stipulates the actions to be taken against anyone who maliciously releases such fumes in the atmosphere.
It is said that the implications of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are devastating and has caused a number of health issues. It is noted that the number of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses is on the increase. These are sicknesses that include pneumonia, coughs and colds (Seppanen, Fisk and Mendell, 23). Apart from that, quite a large number of people have been ailing from skin diseases a condition that has been as a result of harmful rays of the sun reaching the earth. The experts indicate that the main reason why this is the case is because the presence of the poisonous fumes in the atmosphere has interfered with the ozone layer. This is the layer that protects the universe from the intrusion by the harmful radiations that cause several skin irritations. The government has therefore been forced to increase its expenditure in the ministry of health to meet the cost of the new infections. This therefore has forced the White House to intervene for the sake of preventing any further damages and lose of important people.
Apart form illnesses, the changes of the atmosphere have resulted to unpredictable weather conditions. There are a number of catastrophes experienced as a result of the change in whether patterns. The increase in the amount of carbon dioxide is said to cause the melting of the polar ice (Seppanen, Fisk and Mendell, 23). This on the other hand causes the rise in the level of oceans and the seas. The implication of this is that there is a possibility of tsunamis which have been so disastrous causing death of people and lose of valuable resources. America has in the recent times been hit by the worst tsunamis which have left many people dead and a lot of properties destroyed.
The reason why the American government has to control the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the fact that her emissions are said to affect other countries. The research indicates that while some countries have been able to contain the situation, they still suffer the devastating effects of the global warming. This is because when the atmosphere is affected in one part of the world, it might affect others indirectly. For instance, the African continent has been experiencing one of the worst climatic changes which have resulted in their suffering.
It is known that African economies rely heavily on Agriculture for their surviv...