"Global warming is obviously controversial, but the controversy is mostly about whether human activity is driving it (Michio Kaku)." For years, the suspect or suspects causing global warming remained unknown. Two of the alleged and controversial possible defendants balance on a slightly unbalanced seesaw with scientific evidence that confirms or refutes their degree of involvement in the crisis. There is evidence that global warming is taking its toll on the earth and will continue to further affect it significantly in the future. To begin preventing these future calamities caused by global warming, society must first evaluate whether human actions are causing global warming or whether it is a natural phenomenon. Future environments in some parts of the Earth have been predicted and global warming appears to be a major tipping point cause in it. The terms “global warming” and “rising global temperatures” have been a hot topic for years now, but what are they? Global warming is simply the gradual warming of the Earth. Climate change is also synonymous with global warming. The fact that the Earth is warming is nothing new; “Since 1951, Earth's climate has warmed by about 0.6 degrees Celsius…” (Spotts). However, before human presence, climate change occurred completely through natural causes such as changes in volcanic eruptions, natural changes in greenhouse gas concentrations, and changes in solar energy (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Nowadays, fossil fuels are a major source of energy worldwide. The carbon cycle exists to flow carbon through different aspects of the Earth's system, which includes water, air, land, etc. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is labeled a greenhouse gas because it contributes...... middle of paper...and without air conditioning. “The recent heat waves that occurred in the United States during the summer of 1999 had their heaviest costs in urban areas. Victims are usually people with heart disease or lung infections, as well as children and the elderly” (Martens). It is evident that most research suggests that global warming is caused by anthropogenic activities. The Earth has been warming since the beginning of life. However, the intensification of warming activities that began with the birth of the Industrial Revolution caused atmospheric greenhouse gases to increase so rapidly that the Earth naturally could not have done so on its own in the same time frame. It is clear that the little things we do, such as turning on the light, increase the heat in the environment. We have an effect on global warming as much as it will have an effect on society in the future.