Global Warming: A Natural Process Earth's current CO2 level is 393.84 ppm (CO2now, 2013). This is the highest of the highest levels of the last 450,000 years. Excess carbon dioxide in the air is believed to keep temperatures constant and contribute to the greenhouse effect that causes global warming. Scientists believe humans add CO2 through burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and livestock farming, to name a few. Natural processes also contribute to CO2 released into the atmosphere, including forest fires. Two sources on Earth remove CO2 from the atmosphere: trees and the ocean. Deforestation can contribute to global warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide, and when trees are removed the Earth loses its natural carbon reserves. Phytoplankton consume CO2 through the process of photosynthesis and transport it from the ocean surface to the depths. These sources remove 30-50% of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Global Warming For decades, scientists have argued that the Earth is experiencing global warming caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels. However, one can look back in history to see that global warming is a natural cycle. The Earth regularly goes through a cooling and warming process. Approximately every 100,000 years there is a documented peak in temperature on Earth. Historical data indicates that when this peak occurs there is an increase in CO2 levels. The Earth has been going through a period of warming over the past 30 years, indicating that a cooling period is about to occur. There are several factors that contribute to climate change, including rising temperatures such as the tilt of the Earth, changes in tectonic plates, and volcanic activity. Shit... middle of paper... like tectonic plate collisions, volcanic activity and forest fires. The planet has also been equipped to naturally absorb or dissolve CO2 levels from the atmosphere. This includes trees and other plant life as well as the process of photosynthesis in the ocean. In conclusion, there is too much historical data on the natural cycles that take place on the planet not to believe that global warming is a natural process and not due to human activity. Works Cited Accuweather. (2010). Winters of 2012, 2013, 2014 could be freezing http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/combination-of-factors-could-m/36990 Maasch, K. (1997). What triggers ice ages? Nova. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/cause-ice-age.html NOAA. (2013). Astronomical theory of climate change. Retrieved from: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/milankovitch.html