One might think that a few bubbles in the arctic may not be such a big deal, but if you ask any permafrost expert around the world they would tell you there is nothing that could affect you more. These bubbles being released in hot spots in the arctic are composed of methane from the decomposition of ancient plants once frozen in the permafrost. While the growth and decline of permafrost areas is not all that uncommon, the rate at which it is occurring in the arctic is what has scientists worried. Scientists blame this increased decline on humans increased release of greenhouse gasses. If nothing is done to stop the methane from being released into the atmosphere it could eventually reach up to 30% of the total greenhouse gases being released. This has been labeled a major issue any yet there are still not as many people working on the issue as there should be. These bubbles could have a major affect on our everyday lives and we should do anything we can to prevent the methane from being released into the atmosphere even if it means cutting back on your everyday power usage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/science/earth/warming-arctic-permafrost-fuels-climate-change-worries.html?pagewanted=all
This is a very interesting article. It's sort of funny because it basically means that greenhouses gases cause global warming, which melts the ice and releases more greenhouse gases. It's sort of like a vicious cycle. You're right- more people do need to work on this issue. This means we definitely need to do our part to cut back on our own greenhouse gas emission, since nature emits its own as well.
ReplyDeleteIt’s scary to think that not only is the Arctic ice melting but also releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere. We have to reduce green house emission and keep this harmful gas in the ice.
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