GLOBAL WARMING AND IT’S INFLUENCE ON FAMILY LIVING IN VICTORIA ISLAND ETI-OSA LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AREA IN LAGOS STATE NIGERIA.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of Study
According to Roach (2006), global warming is the
situation whereby the sustained average temperature of
the earth atmosphere increases, human activities
contributes to this change through the build up of heat
trapping, green house gases overtime. This increase
may be sufficient to cause climatic changes, including
rising sea levels, altering precipitation patterns and
changing water supplies and crop yields. Markham
(2006), contributed that global warming occurs when
the earth heats up and temperature rises, this takes
place when the green house gases such as
carbon(iv)Oxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide and
methane traps the heat and light coming from the sun
in the earth’s atmosphere which in turn increases the
temperature.
The green house effect is as a result of the
temperature rising when the heat and light from the sun
gets trapped within the earth’s atmosphere. It is similar
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to the heat that gets trapped inside a parked car.
Markham (2006) gave illustration that a family that has
a large number of children in the house intend to emit
carbon (iv) oxide in the atmosphere thereby resulting to
global warming.
This brought about what is called green house
effect. The carbon (iv) oxide released cannot escape
freely, thereby increasing the risk of conducive
atmosphere and high temperature.
In a hot afternoon a car parked out will get hotter
as it stays our in the parking lots, it’s rise in
temperature brings about the heat and light coming
from the sun which gets into the car through the
windows, it enters and cannot escape from it, and so
the temperature rises.
According to Burke (2008), global warming will
affect people’s supply of food, (food insecurity) and it
has effects on important areas of our lives, our families,
children, economy, communities and health.
In our families and children: food insecurity can be
very stressful, parents especially, can be anxious about
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having enough food for their children and being able to
give them food so they can grow up strong and healthy,
some families can become preoccupied with food;
worrying about whether there is enough food for the
next day, this kind of stress can be bad for our health,
stressed and insecure can lead to depression, anger,
diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also make it
hard for people to fight off infections like cold and flu.
Poor nutrition in childhood can affect the
development of both the body and mind. Food insecurity
leads to poverty, inequality and unemployment in our
communities, and leads to its breakdown. Also in our
environment, global warming affects the methods used
for growing and gathering food due to climate changes
and this affects the environment in so many ways, there
is loss of natural vegetation some kinds of plants are
being wiped out, the quality and amount of land
available for growing food is declining. Topsoil, the
living fertile part of the soil is blowing and washing
away pesticides and bacterial (for example E.coIi) are
contaminating.
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Global warming also affects water supplies, changes in
climatic pattern particularly precipitation, it will affect
basic aspects of every one’s way of living such as power
supply, Agriculture and body change.
Stow (2007), commented that agriculture is
dependent on the climate, so global wa impacts the
food and water supply, heat waves, droughts and
flooding, It presents barriers to effective agricultural
production.
Consequently farmers may have to relocate to
geographic location that have more agreeable climate
conditions for the types of crops they are farming,
which can affect the types of crops available through
various seasons, with rising temperatures, certain crops
that do well in the heat will have a longer production
season, while other crops may have a very short season
which will lead to shortage of certain corps source
according to Mora (2006), the increase in ocean water
temperature will affect the fishing industry, harsh
weather conditions will have threatening effects on
overall health and safety.
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Also according to (Barnette 2007) family planning
should be imposed on various families to improve good
family life, so as to avoid over population. It is know
that the concept of family planning and global warming
is not new in many advanced countries of the world
especially Nigeria, this concept and it’s practice is not
yet widely accepted mostly in the Northern parts of
Nigeria like Kaduna, Kano, Borno etc. According to
Barnette, investment in family planning for families
globally could prove one useful wedge among many in
any overall strategies to slow global warming In family
living
surveys demonstrates that there is a large unmet needs
for family planning in both developed and developing
regions.
Averting a birth by improved access to
contraception and safe abortion would significantly
reduce carbondioxide emission.
According to Deweerd. S (2007) over population is
one factor that influences the family negatively, by
definition, over population is the condition whereby the
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number of organism exceeds the carrying capacity of
their habitat. We are facing the effects of
overpopulation in our daily lives. It implies scarcity of
resources and economic inflation, these are the
monsters that can make life miserable. Living through
the negative effects of overpopulation, have made
people realize serious problems associated with it.
Anyone with commitment to human right will
recognize that population growth is one factor linked to
environmental changes. Meanwhile, family living has to
do with the way different people reason to live their life.
It involves their life cycles and stages, and also how
they meet and contributes to their various needs and
comforts, family living deals with the activities of
humans, their survival and involvement in improving
the advancement of the nation. The earth may suffer
form heat and cold waves while natural calamities such
as storms and tornadoes can destroy people’s homes
and can cause heavy human casualties, diseases and
infections will rise as disease carry insects will adapt to
the hot or wet conditions.
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According to West (1998). Diseases are likely to
spread more rapidly due to global warming. These
diseases that are carried by certain insects or vectors
can survive most effectively in warmer climate and are
inhibited by very cold weather, they are more likely to
flourish in a warmer world. The diseases are malaria,
yellow fever, Dengue fever; Westside virus, skin cancer,
meningitis and soon. These are diseases that are
caused due to global warming, global warming affects
the number of mosquitoes at higher elevations, this is
because the tops of mountains are cooler than the base
of mountains. As the world warms, the warmer
temperature will creep up the sides of the mountains
and that would allow mosquitoes and other insects that
want the warmer weather to crawl up to higher
elevations and this leads to the increase of malaria.
Also people may die from malnutrition as the
production of food decreases due to flood or drought,
when there is changes in climate it affects people and
animals. According to Galley (2004), Global warming
expedite the extinction of animal life on the planet,
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because most animals and plants are adapted to live in
the climate in which they evolved, and it’s certain that
we are losing a lot of species due to global warming.
Gore (2006) emphasized that global warming effects are
real, global and measurable.
The causes are mainly from climates and humans.
The human races and the effect on us will be severe.
Global warming has various causes and effects on
human life and living it causes deforestation especially
tropical forest, for wood, pulp and farmland also
increase in the usage of chemical fertilizers on crop
lands. It has effect on the rise of sea levels worldwide,
due to melting of two massive ice sheets
in Autarcia and green land, especially on the east o of
he United Stat.
According to McCarthy (2007), many nations round
the world will experience the effect of rising of sea
levels, which could displace millions of families. Also
families due to global warming could be affected
because of massive crop failures. 90% chance three
billion people world wide will have to choose between
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leaving their families to milder climes and go hungry
due to climate change within 100 years.
Climate change is expected to have the most
severe impact on water supplies shortage in future,
which is likely to threaten food production, reduce
sanitation, hinder economic development and damage
ecosystems. It causes more violent swings between
floods and drought. In order to live a healthy family life,
there is a lot to put into consideration for instance,
some appliances people use for comfort in their homes,
leads to carbon foot print which leads to the inhibition
of carbon (iv) oxide.
According to Doughman (2007), carbon foot print is
a measure of the amount of green house gases that we
put up by the car people drive, the home we heat, the
air conditioning we use and the generator we use when
there is no light also the appliances we plug in.
In Nigeria most electricity is produced by burning
fossils, that is (i.e) coal or natural gas.
Our carbon foot print measures how much the
electricity we use in our home causes carbon moon
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oxide in a power plant to go up into the atmosphere,
our carbon foot print measures the amount of influence
we have on carbon (iv) oxide (co through our air travel.
Brigham (2006), opined that through a carbon foot
print one can get the cumulative picture of the affects
of global warming and how to reduce it. Recent
research has demonstrated that among the strategies
that needs to be brought to reduce global warming,
there is another basically free way one can do to stop or
reduce green house emissions and lower our carbon
foot print in a big way, it is simply the avoidance of beef
in homes. It’s consumption increases one’s carbon foot
print. It is known that constant belching and flatulence
from cattle produces enormous quantities of methane, a
green house gas which is 23 times more potent than
carbon (iv) oxide therefore it is advised to quit or eat
less of saturated fat.
The future is not somewhere we are going it is
something we are creating. Everyday we do things that
makes some future more probable and others less likely
Bogdonoff (2004). Global warming already disrupts
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millions of lives daily in the form of destructive weather
pattern and loss of habitat.
What is already happening is only the tip of an
iceberg. If
nothing is done it’s our children that will suffer the
effects. Gelspan (2007) made known that hundreds of
millions of people may be exposed to famine, water
shortages, extreme weather conditions and 20-30% loss
of animals and plant species. If we do not reduce green
house gas (GHG) emission.
Reducing our carbon and green house gas emission
will not only make our personal and family living space
more sustainable, but it will also save us money in both
the short and the long term, and make our environment
a nice place to live. Global warming is occurring more
rapidly than it was originally expected forty years ago,
the big worry was global cooling. If we remain a cynic
however and disagree with the consensus of scientist,
we will benefit from reduce pollution, a more healthy
life style and increased savings.
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Statement of Problem
The issue of global warming in Nigeria has to be
put into consideration due to the fact it has brought
many problems in families and societies. Global
warming affects human, if proper solution is not applied.
If the problem of population, food supply,
agriculture, water pollution diseases etc. are not fully
addressed it would lead to acute poverty in a state or
country, the rate of diseases will increase since
sickness are easily gotten.
Death rate will increase at a geometric rate and
almost everything will go wrong. Meanwhile the heat in
Lagos is so suffocating now that when you go out during
the day it seems one would just melt let alone the
northern part of Nigeria.
This is because when sunlight reaches the earth’s
surface some are absorbed and warms the earth.
Adeyemi (2011) in a keynote address said that Nigeria
has the least capacity of technology to effectively tackle
an emergence response incase of any great quake.
Speaking further he said that ignorance is the main
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problem of climate changes, and that should be the
focal point of awareness, as people in the rural areas
still see the obvious effect of climate changes.
Despite the fact that Nigeria is signatory to the
1992 protocol and the creation of the special climate
unit in 2006, under the federal ministry of environment,
much has not been done and no concrete step has been
taken on our vulnerability to climate change induced
diseases.
The question now is: “What adaptive measures do we
have on ground as we all know that climate changes is
here and lives with Nigerians”? Also how do we manage
it?. The rescue terms of lands and properties were lost,
leaving a sore taste at the throat of those left behind to
mourn.
Nigeria needs to strategize even on how to grasp
this opportunity of the green climate fund established
to address the impact of climate change, which could
affect many things that are vital to human lives. So it
would be best to focus on the solution and prevention of
global warming and it effects.
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Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is the influence of global
warming on family living.
Specific purposes are
1) Influence of global warming on food security in
families
2) Influence of global warming on over population in
families
3) Influence of global warming on family health
4) Ascertaining ways of reducing global warming in our
homes
.Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will be of most value to
families government, society, plants and animals. This
will help families in avoiding some practices like
overpopulation which leads to food insecurity in the
society and it also implies scarcity of our resources due
to global warming. Also it will be of more benefit
purposes to humans, this will guide them in dictating
places to reside in. Places like the north could just be
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avoided because of the harsh weather, mean while cold
weather does not only cause sinusitis and pneumonia,
however it forces people to spend more time indoors,
enclose contact with other people and with limited
ventilation. This is an ideal environment for diseases to
spread from one person to another, with these
knowledge families are prepared to give up things that
would affect them.
The finding will equally be of important value to
the society and the government. This will help the
society to have increase in water and food supply.
Alarmist will tell you that global warming endangers the
world’s food supply. This is because they do not have a
basic understanding of the a agronomic production,
there are three things that crops need more than any
thing else to grow and produce high yields, heat, co2
and moisture in most cases, the increase in water could
end drought in developing countries and alleviate water
restrictions at our various homes. Increase temperature
will increase yields, with these, starvation will be
reduced automatically, there will be less net global
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energy requirement for humans. This result will aid the
government because, it will help in improving energy
efficiency in the society and also reducing of gasoline
consumption for transportation for people.
Finally this findings will also help our plants and
animals, they may not need to migrate so far for water,
there will be longer growing seasons for all plant life.
Also increase in carbondioxide absorption rate for plants
and more bountiful food for animal life.
Research Questions
1. What are the influences of global warming on food
insecurity in the family?
2. What are the influences of global warming on
overpopulation in families?
3. What are the influences of global warming on family
health?
4. What are the possible ways of reducing global
warming in our various homes?
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Scope of the Study
The study is entitled to the influence of
overpopulation and food insecurity on family living as a
result of global warming, disease that are likely to
spread more rapidly and ways of reducing global
warming in various homes for people in Nigeria,
specifically Lagos state. From observation from
researcher, states are suffering from the effect of global
warming. Such as, diseases like meningitis and heat
rashes mostly in the north. Droughts or flooding which
has damaged people’s home in the west, lack of some
food products mostly in the east and finally in the south
where there is oil spillage which affects people’s plants
and water.
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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter on review of related literature is
organized under the following sub headings.
i.) The meaning of global warming
ii.) Causes and effects of global warming
iii.) Diseases gotten through global warming
iv.) Global warming in Nigeria and government solution
towards it.
v.) Ways of preventing global warming in our various
homes.
While many organizations and governments use
the term global warming, there is no universal definition
for general understanding of what the term references.
According to the natural resource defense council
(2010) global warming is any increase in the average
temperature of the earth’s surface. This increase may
be caused by natural occurrences within the earth s
atmosphere or by man made influences. According to
(Hafsa 2010). Global warming is.. an increase in global
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average surface temperature due to natural or
anthropogenic climate change. Global warming is
closely linked to the enhanced green house effect which
is an increase in the concentration of green house gases
in the atmosphere leading to an increase in the amount
of thermal radiation of the earth’s surface.
Most scientist agree that the enhanced green
house effect is leading to rising temperatures referred
to as global warming and other changes in the
atmospheric environment known as climate change. The
encyclopedia of American history have made known that
gases created through human industrial and agricultural
practices (primarily carbon(iv)oxide from burning fossil
fuels and wood, as well as methane, nitrous oxide and
chlorofluorocarbons). Increase the heat reflecting
potential of the atmosphere thereby raising the planet’s
average temperature. According to Spencer (2006),
global warming is caused by an increase in green house
gases which occurs within the atmosphere at levels that
are not detrimental to the environment. The earth does
an outstanding job of balancing each of its processes. In
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order to keep everything in check. However, when
mankind’s effort to improve life interfere, the balance is
interrupted. The environmental protection agency
(2005) reports that intergovernmental panel on climate
change (IPCC), predicts that global temperatures will
rise as well as sea levels, with the increase in green
house gas emissions. Additionally, precipitation
patterns are predicted to change. What is not known
however, is the extent to which the earth will warm.
How fast this will occur, and how the earth will be
affected, including climate systems and storms
according to Weir (2002). One thing is definite, the level
of carbon(iv) oxide (C0 , it’s build up and other green
house gases (GHG) is the result of human efforts to
better life by burning fossil fuels and industrializing
society.
From 1906-2005, It’s documented that the earth
warmed 1-17 degree Fahrenheit (1-17°f). The green
house gases in the atmosphere right now are predicted
to remain there for decades to centuries. This will cause
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the potential build up of more gases over time, causing
even more global warming efforts.
Causes of Global Warming
According to Pidwirny (2007). There are different
causes of global warming which are split into two
groups.
Natural causes and man-made or anthropogenic
causes
These natural causes are created by nature which
may take the form of the release of methane gas form
the arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a green
house gas which traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere
another major natural cause, is the effect of the earth
going through a cycle of climate change lasing about
forty thousand years. (40,000). Another cause is Radon,
which is a colourless, tasteless and odourless gas, is by
far the main source of naturally occurring ionizing
radiation. It comes form the decay of uranium found in
nearly all soils. Anabela (2007) made known that radon
gas usually moves from the ground up into dwellings
where it tends to become trapped unless the house is
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well ventilated. The other source of natural occurring
cause of global warming is the aspect of ionizing
radiation which includes the radioactive element with
the earth’s crust. (Thorium and potassium) and even
radiation form the outer space. Man-made causes of
global warming in Nigeria probably causes more
damage than it’s natural cause. There are list of man
made or anthropogenic causes of global warming. And
they include;
Pollution: Pollution which is one of the biggest man-
made problems, comes into so many shapes and sizes.
Burning of fossil fuels is one major causes of pollution in
our homes and environment, these fossil fuels
composes of organic matters or materials such as coal
or oil when burnt, they give off a green house gas called
carbondioxide responsible for global warming.
Population: The rate of increase of population or rather
population growth constitute a bulk of leading causes of
global warming. According to Amjad (2009). Population
growth means more food, more methods of
transportation, meaning more methane production more
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burning of fossil fuel and more agricultural practices. A
major source of methane is our agricultural manure, due
to population growth more foods are required, and
expected manure is limited and utilized in our modern
days agricultural practices. Other associated factors like
transportation, plays the role in increasing population,
more cars are produced and these cars play roles in
polluting our environment. Since carbon(iv)oxide (CO 2)
contributes to global warming, the increase in
population makes the problem worse because we
breathe out carbon dioxide. According to Boykoff (2006)
he made known that plants and trees that converts
carbon (iv) oxide (C02) are being demolished because,
the lands are used for our homes and buildings, the
trees are not replaced and this has an effect in our
ecosystem.
Hence, constantly our natural resources are taken
for granted and nothing is given back in return however,
certain industries might expose people to high
concentration of radiation either occupationally or as a
result of accidents. The activities include mining, the
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use of materials with high national level of radioactivity
such as (phosphate fertilizers).
Nuclear power generator, weapons nuclear
medicine. Fitz (2004) said that the most notable
exposure to radiation. Man-madely are the atomic
bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, in 1945 and recently, the nuclear accident
Chernobyl in the Ukraine. It has been made know that
Nigeria is also exposed to such radiation due to the
bomb dropped on the police headquarters in Abuja
According to NTA news (2011).
Global warming is affecting seasons this is because
the very timing of the seasons are changing such that
the food sources for some insects and birds are not in
the places they are supposed to be and so the very
timing to nature and the season is being upset by global
warming. Brown (2011) said that places in the desert
like fringes will go into extinction due to warming
because of the harsh. weather, thereby making it
difficult for plants to grow. Also the use of forest for fuel
(both wood and for charcoal). Leads to deforestation.
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But in the first world, our appetite for wood and paper
products were high. People’s consumption of livestock
grazed on former forestland, and the use of tropical
forest lands for commodities like, palm oil plantation,
contributes to the mass deforestation of our world.
Forest removes and stores carbon (iv) oxide from the
atmosphere and this deforestation releases large
amounts of carbon as well as reducing the amount of
carbon captured on the planet. Another cause of global
warming according to in Weart (2006), is the increase in
usage of chemical fertilizer (as opposed to the historical
use of animal manure). Has risen drastically. The high
rate of application of nitrogen rich fertilizers has effects
on the heat storage of crop land and the run-off of
excess fertilizers creates dead zones in our oceans
which is harmful to human health.
In conclusion, efforts are needed reduce to global
warming. What can practical be done is just efforts to
reduce it as it can not be completely eliminated. If all
countries join their hands together for the betterment of
the mother planet, it is possible that these diseases and
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environmental changes can be brought to a
considerable control.
Effects of Global Warming
According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(2008). There are two major effects of global warming,
which are the increase of temperature on the earth at
about three percent (30%) to 5°C (celicius) then 5-4°f —
9°f (Fahrenheit). by the year 2100. also the rise of sea
levels by at least 25m (metres) 82 feets by there year
2100.
Broad changes of sea levels caused by increased
global temperature are rising due to thermal expansion
of the ocean. In addition to melting of land ice amounts
and patterns of precipitations are changing. According
to Hilson (2002). changes in temperature and
precipitation patterns increases the frequency, duration
and intensity of other extreme weather events such as
floods, droughts, heath waves and tornadoes. Other
effects of global warming includes higher or lower
agricultural yields and also diseases like malaria are,
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returning into areas where they have been extinguished
earlier.
Although global warming is affecting the number
and magnitude of these events, it is difficult to connect
specific events to global warming. According to
Satterthwatt (2009). He opined that continue shifting of
the climate has a number of impending effects that are
dangerous towards humans, animals and our
environment.
Rising temperature: The average temperature are
rising as a result of global warming.
According to Langer (2006), more heat waves and
fewer cold spells are predicted to occur for instance, in
the united state, Chicago Illinois will see a 25% increase
in heat waves by the end of the century. Such extreme
temperatures can have an impact on human health and
may become dangerous to those who are vulnerable like
the elderly ones, young children and individuals with
health conditions. Global warming affects our families
by decreasing the shortage supply of water. Bodies of
water around the world are negatively impacted by
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global warming the planet may experience a reduction
in available water resources, since hot temperature will
increase the evaporation cycle, thereby creating a loss
in water supply. Areas of the world that experience
average amounts or less of precipitation will not be able
to make up for the water resources that are loss.
Ecosystems: They are impacted by global warming.
Many species are valuable to dying off due to arid
climates, lack of water and reduction of organisms.
Ecosystem rely on everything within the system to
survive, so if a particular animal or plant becomes
extincted, it can have lasting effects on the members of
the ecosystem. Easterling (1989), commented that one
of the biggest issues facing us is the effect of global
warning effects on animals, humans and agriculture,
and its effect on human population are even scarier,
meanwhile it is known that poor families can improve
their livelihood by increasing their numbers and this
brings about the emission of carbon (iv) oxide. The
effect of global warming has caused a widespread on
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the extinction of species, thereby exposing humans and
animals to hunger.
Diseases gotten through Global Warming
During global warming there are disease that are
likely to spread more rapidly.
According to Zell (2008). Diseases are carried by
certain insects or vectors. They can survive most, in
warmer climates and are inhibited by very cold weather
they are more likely to flourish in a warmer world. Some
of the diseases gotten through global warming are
malaria, yellow fever, skin cancer, meningitis, hanta
virus, and so on, all these are serious health risk of
global warming.
Malaria: Malaria is a disease that will increase during
global warming it is one of the earliest recorded human
diseases and is spread by the bite of a female mosquito.
The top of the mountains are cooler than it’s base
as the world warms, the warmer temperatures will creep
up the sides of the mountains and that would allow
mosquitoes and other insects that heeds the warmer
weather to crawl up to higher elevations. Mosquitoes
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breed in warm, wet place with the increase of rain and
warmth. During global warming, the population of
mosquitoes will increase making the risk of getting this
disease to increase also.
According to Epstein (1998) Malaria means bad air
in Italian referring to the time when people thought it
was caused by gases around the areas, where
mosquitoes thrive. When an individual is bitten by an
infected mosquito, it sends parasites into the person’s
blood stream. These parasites keeps reproducing,
making the disease more devastating. It’s symptoms
are fever that comes and goes, headache, weakness
and enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen could rupture
or require surgery to remove people can live without a
spleen not
having one, increases the risk of infections or other
problem
Hanta virus: is a deadly respiratory disease carried by
wild
rodents, with global warming the population of rodents,
will soar, because there will be long- periods of
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droughts followed by warm, rainy season, and rodents
thrive in these climate condition.
Epstein (2008), opined that if any individual comes
in contact with a rodent or if an individual breathes
anything that contains their waste, could get the virus.
Dogs and cats are not known to carry the hanta virus,
people most likely get it, and it is those people that
work in the fields or install, or fix things in basements
where rodents can nest.
Some symptoms may be flu like symptoms with
fever and chills. One may have dry cough, nausea,
vomiting diarrhea, the person experiences fatigue and
have a hard time breathing because the person’s lungs
is filled with fluid. Garry (2006) there is it’s cure in Asia
for that type of virus. In Nigeria it’s more devastating
and we have treatments that enables survival, but if
only the victim seeks immediate treatment.
Skin cancer: Skin cancer is one of the main cancer as
far as the world is concern when global warming hits.
The skin cancer people get most is melanoma.
Though melanoma is the most common, it is also the
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most curable and can even be prevented. Earlier
discovery is very important. If one has moles that is
bothering the person, the person experience weird
things like change of size, shape and colour, or they
bleed constantly, a doctor needs to be consulted as
soon as it’s discovered. To prevent skin cancer the
persons should wear sunscreen and stay in the shade,
one should wear light colour clothing and so that their
head and body can stay safe.
Meningitis: This deals with climate change, especially
when the weather is so hot, it happens mostly in the
northern part of Nigeria. It’s a condition in which
organisms such as fungi bacteria and virus are inflated.
It causes fever intense headache, intolerance to light
and with rigidity of muscles.
Bird flu: As the earth warms up it speeds easily, the
United Nations study (2010) found that global warming
in concert with excessive development is contributing to
an increased loss of wetlands, around the world. This
trend is already forcing disease, carrying migrating
birds to land and animals farm where they mingle with
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domestic poultry, rising the spread of disease from
animals to humans temperatures could lead to the
extinction of more than million species and because we
can’t exist without a diverse population of species on
Earth.
Climate change now represents at least a great threat
to the number of species surviving on earth as habitat
destruction and modification.
For a long time it has been believed that the effect
of global warming on Agriculture and food supply is
going to be a positive one, this is because the rising
level of carbon dioxide resulted for global warming will
help the greenies for photosynthesis. Thus; there will be
a rise of agricultural production -and food supply.
Report on global warming has predicted that Nigeria is
going to have more drought, floods and storms.
Agriculture is dependent on the climate, so global
warming impacts the food supply, heat waves, droughts
and flooding presents barriers to effective agricultural
production. Consequently, farmers may have to relocate
to geographic locations that have more agreeable
33
climate conditions for the types of crop they are
farming which can affect the types of crops available
throughout various seasons with rising temperatures.
Certain crops that do well, the heat will have a longer
production season, while other crops may have very
short season which will lead to a shortage of certain
crops a new government report says global warming
could lead to an increase in both cancer and mental
illness world wide, and it calls for federally funded
research to determine how that might happen.
Cancer: High ambient temperatures caused by global
warming will have an effect on cancer rates, probably
pushing them higher. There are potential impacts on
cancers both directly from climate change mitigation
strategies. The reporter said that this increase exposure
to toxic chemicals, caused by global warming
connection with heavy ranging and by increased
volatilization of chemicals under conditions of increased
temperatures. Another way that global warning will
cause more cancer is through increased exposure to
34
ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is known to cause skin
cancer.
Another direct effect of climate change is the
depletion of stratospheric ozone, which will result in
increased ultra violent radiation exposure. It increases
the risk of skin cancers and cataracts.
Mental health: It is caused by natural disasters, which
already occurs but will be more catastrophic as the
earth warms, it causes stress and anxiety which can
lead to mental illness. The people are likely to be
affected by global warming mental illness are those
already susceptible to it; especially stress induced
mental illness. The report states that extreme weather
events such as flooding wildfires and hurricanes can
create increased anxiety and emotional stress about the
future, as well as create added stress to vulnerable
communities already experiencing social, economic, and
environment disruption. Individuals are already
vulnerable to mental health disease and stress related
disorders are likely to be at increased risk of
exacerbated effects following extreme weather events.
35
Other public health effects of global warming includes
respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, heat-
related check-disease deaths, human developmental
efforts, neurological diseases, water borne diseases,
weather related deaths, and infectious disease.
Global Warming in Nigeria and Government Solution
Towards it
According to Akpati (2008), Nigerians ecosystems
are bartered by global warming, this is because Nigeria
has a variety of ecosystems from mangroves and
rainforest on the Atlantic coast in the south, to the
savannah in the North, bordering the Sahara, whether
dry or wet. Those ecosystems are being battered by
global warming. While excessive flooding during the
decades has hurt farming in coastal communities,
desertification is ravaging the sahel. Rainfall in the
sahel has been declining steadily since the 1960’s the
result has been the loss of farm lands and conflicts
between farmers and herd men over decreasing land,
many differ communities, including, fishermen, farmers
and herdsmen are now confronted with difficulties
36
arising from climatic change. People’s livelihoods are
being harmed, and people who are already poor are
becoming even more impoverished. Climate refugees
are being created as dangers which makes some land
unlivable and affects water supplies which is
uncondusive for family life and living.
Nigeria is not a major contributor of green house
gas emissions when compared with industrialized
countries. But it is a major supplier of oil and gas to
countries with high green house gas emissions. The
exploitation of gas and oil for export, from the Niger
delta contributes to global warming and it damages the
environment and hurts communities living near these
projects. According to Bola (2010). Oil fields in Nigeria’s
Niger delta contains crude oil mixed with very large
amounts of gas, major oil companies operating there,
separates the oil from it’s associated gas at flow
stations, where the gas is simply burned off serving no
useful purpose and contaminating the air and lands of
local communities. Nigeria’s coastline is besieged by
global warming currents. New research is sounding the
37
alarm. Predicting that climate related sea level rise is
likely to put 80% of Nigeria’s coastline at risk of being
swept away by the surging waves of the atlantics ocean.
In a research study entitled “perception and
reality”. By Akpati (2008). Assessing priorities for
sustainable development in the Niger delta.”
Two European scientist, D& Moffat and Cl linden
wrote that the coastline is in danger of being washed
away because of it’ low elevations. It was also made
known that the most threatened coastline in Nigeria is
on the victory Island off Lagos coast, where many of the
country’s wealthiest people lives. Coastal erosion has
been a perennial problem for the island, which only
became habitable after it’s marshland was drained in
the 1930’s and 1940’s. It has assumed or worrisome
dimension in times. As the Atlantic ocean rises between
600,000 and I .5million people on the Island and
adjourning areas could be displaced. Some bridges in
the areas are already in danger of collapsing due to
erosion. The effect of global warming has lead many
families to loss.
38
The recent Tsunami in Japan is a great lesson for
our country Nigeria to learn. As the world’s third largest
economy, Japan. struggles to overcome a disaster of
great magnitude with more than 10,000 (ten thousand)
people dead. The question is: How is Nigeria prepared
for such an emergency? The fact is that global warming
affects all parts of the world, likewise Nigeria and other
African nations, which are the most vulnerable countries
of the world. Developed countries of the world, have
witnessed the consequences of climate change in
monumental proportion and frequency of disaster
around the globe have been increasing in an
unprecedented manner.
Banire (2010) said that at independence Nigeria’s
forest reserve stood at 30% today. It has been depleted
to a paltry 4% (four percent) due to the advent of oil
boom in 1970 which resulted in construction frenzy.
Today Nigeria is known to be one of the vulnerable
country to climate change disaster, like states in the
north namely, Kano, bomb kastina, Kebbi, Adamawa,
Zamfara, Sokoto Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna and Gigawa
39
states are increasing in loss of vegetation which has
brought about intense heat resulting to meningitis, heat
rashes and heat waves.
States in the west are inundated by flooding while
those around the Atlantic ocean like Lagos, Osun, Edo,
Ondo, Delta, rivers, Cross river and Akwa ibom states,
have been grappling with coastal erosion and flooding.
Soil erosion occasioned by heavy rainfall is terribly
degrading lands in the south-east, causing gullies and
destroying
lives and properties.
According to Aminuh (2011). It was be recalled that
in the year 2010 the ancient city of Sokoto was engulfed
in a devastating flooding of the year, which claimed
lives and properties of many people, while many houses
and villages submerged according to eyewitnesses in
Goronyo village, dead bodies of both humans and
animals littered the town exposing the lives of the
citizens, explaining the cause of the flood in sokoto
state, According to Dalami (2011). The climate change
phenomena caused the increasing water levels in the
40
dam in the recent time. The flood was not an annual
ritual, rather the dam has a capacity of 942 million
cubic metres during the rainy season, where there is
incoming water from upstream, gradually the capacity
of the dam gets filled spilling out and there is a
schedule for the release of water from time to time.
Government Solutions to Global Warming
(Zango 2010). Government can take several steps to
reduce the threat of global warming.
First and foremost: Nigeria and other industrial
nations must use less of the fossil fuels, especially coal,
oil and gasoline that produces carbondioxide, the most
significant heat-trapping gas. (co2). Industrial countries
are responsible for the largest share of world wide
emissions of heat trapping gases, but these nation also
have a great ability to switch to cutting edge energy
technologies that produce fewer of these emissions.
Secondly: the nations of the world must negotiate a
climate change threat with legally binding limits on
emissions of heat-trapping gases.
41
According to Ukali (2005). Nigeria can reduce it’s
carbon dioxide emission through four (4) principle
strategies. Making use of new energy technology
Improving energy efficiency) Developing renewable
energy resources such as, solar and wind power,
reducing gasoline consumption for transportation and
switch from coal and oil to natural gas.
Improvement of energy efficiency: The less energy we
use, the less carbondioxide we will produce. Over the
past twenty years Nigeria’s industry and consumers
have begun to switch to more efficient motors, vehicles,
appliances, windows and manufacturing processes. This
switch save considerable energy and money, but much
greater efficiency is possible. Developing renewable
energy: clean, safe renewable sources such as solar,
wind and sustainable grown biomass (plant matter) can
provide us with energy. But do not contribute to global
warming these technologies are ready to be deployed
much more widely, but Nigerian government policies
must encourage their use.
42
Reduction of gasoline consumption for transportation:
Cars and buses consume over half of the oil used in
Nigeria, highly efficient gasoline, powered cars and
alternatively fueled vehicles such as fuel cell cars and
buses, can reduce carbondioxide emissions, by using
less, and to use alternatives to single passengers
automobile trips, such as bicycles, and public
transportation.
Switching form coal and oil to natural gas:
Although natural gas is a fossil fuel, it produces
less carbon (iv) oxide than either coal or oil, changing
from coal to natural gas for generating electricity and
from oil to natural as a quick fix, even these switches
alone cannot reduce carbon dioxide emissions nearly as
much as necessary. Reducing Nigeria use of oil and
gasoline would start to address the global warming
threat, but other steps such as transferring technology
to developing countries, preserving forests, decreasing
atmospheric methane, continuing to phase our
chlorofluorocarbon and slowing down population growth
are also important. They can provide benefits in
43
addition to reducing global warming, forest preservation
for example would protect endangered species. It
makes it easier to supply adequate food for the entire
world’s people.
Transferring technology to developing countries.
African businesses like that of Nigerians, the
government and international transition need to find
ways to transfer advanced energy technologies to
developing countries, so that those nations can build
their economies without having to use the older
polluting fossil fuel technologies that the Industrial
countries are now trying.
The preservation of plants and forest: Trees takes
in carbon dioxide and use it to grow. Deforestation
especially in the tropic where many of the largest most
important forest are located, Contributes significantly to
global warming. Efforts to preserve forests and to plant
trees on deforested land are essential not only for
preventing global warming but also for preserving
biodiversity decrease of methane in the atmosphere.
Although methane contributes much less to global
44
warming than carbon dioxide, it is still responsible for
about 15% of the problem, amongst other steps to
decrease methane emissions, the nations of the world
can prevent leaks form natural gas pipelines, cut
methane emissions from land fills ad reduce beef.
Phasing out CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons)
Because CFc’s (chlorofluorocarbons), are
responsible for depleting the protective ozone layer, the
nations of the world have agreed to stop using them.
These chemicals also trap heat, so vigilance in
enforcing the international agreements to phase out
their use will help slow down global warming and as well
slow down population growth:
Technological and economic changes can reduce
per capital emissions of heat trapping gases, continued
large population will make it hard to dramatically
reduce total emissions. Reduction in population growth
rates will make the task of slowing global warming
easier. There are different causes of over population
which is now a threat to our family life and living, and
also increases the rate of global warming.
45
Rise in birth rate.
Migration: Immigration is a problem in some parts of
the world, if the inhabitants of various countries
migrates to a particu!ar part of the world and settle
over there. The area is bound to suffer form the ill
effects of overpopulation. The country becomes over
populated, crowding of immigrants in certain parts of
the world, results in the density imbalance of
population.
Lack of education: This is another cause of
overpopulation. Those lacking education fail to
understand the need to prevent excessive growth of
population. They are unable to understand the harmful
effects that overpopulation has. They are unaware of
the easy to control population. Lack of family planning
is commonly seen amongst the illiterates, this is one
major factors leading to overpopulation, due to
ignorance, they do not take to family measures, thus
contributing to a rise in population. Great number of
people requires greater number of resources, mean
while not every nation is capable of providing it’s
46
people with the adequate amount of resources. The
over increasing population will eventually leave no
nation capable of providing its people with the
resources they need to thrive. When the environment
fails to accommodate the living beings that inhabit it,
over population becomes a disaster. In Kenya according
to Malcom (2009) as a result of diminished focus on
family planning the projected population in 2050 has an
increase form fifty four (54) to 83 million. An increase of
this magnitude may lead to food scarcity and crumbling
infrastructure and potentially to violent conflicts.
According to Micheal (1996), over population is one
of the most serious threat to mankind, it’s high time
people identify and under stand the effect of over
population and take good steps toward it’s prevention.
Population influence our family lives negatively, this is
because it increases.
Food shortage: If there is not enough food, diseases
are easily spread, there will be increase of malnutrition
and hunger, under nourished children are more likely to
get sick, and this leads to death.
47
Water shortage: When overpopulation increases,
farmers needs more water to irrigate their fields so that
they can produce more crops. If there is no water for
the masses and for the manufacturing of goods, it leads
people to untimely death and poor untimely death and
poor production of goods in the society. Overpopulation
in a community can also limit space for housing.
Health problems: Food shortage, overcrowding, poor
water supplies and environmental pollution affects the
health of the people, particularly the children. Poor
environmental sanitation is a major cause of diseases
such as diarrhea, typhoid and cholera. Dirty insects
such as flies and cockroaches contaminate food with
disease causing germs. Many children who play barefoot
in dirty areas and do not wash their hands before eating
become infected with worms. Some respiratory diseases
such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and bronchitis are
worsened by pollution due to over crowding. However,
communicable diseases can easily be transferred form
one person to another in an overpopulated area .
48
Environmental Degradation: More people generate
more waste, solid wastes such as plastics, on cans and
bottles, when not properly disposed of, became
eyesores. Garbage and sewage, if left untreated can
pollute the water supply. Global warming will affect our
food security if proper care is not taken. Government
should aid in the security of food supply. This is
because food insecurity has effect on our lives, families,
environment and health.
In our environment, some kinds of plants are being
wiped out. Fish stocks begins to run out, there is a loss
of natural vegetation.The quality and amount of land
available for growing crops declines due to global
warming. According to Ukali (2008). Several things can
be done by Nigerian governments to deal with global
warming. One answer is to stop making carbon
dioxide ,it can be done by switching from oil, coal and
gas to renewable energy. The second solution is to plant
more trees. Trees absorb carbondioxide and produces
oxygen (o2) which is not a green house gas. Third idea
is to use less energy, and recycle more products. If we
49
use less energy and are- more environmental friendly,
the earth temperature may not rise so much.
In conclusion, making small changes now in the
way we live, means avoiding huge changes in the future
both individuals, governments and scientist must work
together to overcome this serious threat according to
Adeneiyi (2009), he emphasized on the need for strict
penalties measures and environmental laws to be taken
against the common practice or habit of bush burning
deforestation and desertification. Many of which are e to
human due activities in many parts of the country.
Speaking recently at Ibadan Prof Ukali (2010) frowned
seriously on those who takes delight in setting bush and
forest ablaze, just because they want to kill bush
animals for their own commercial purpose, and also
warned people who invade game reserves and forest to
fall tress and for some other reasons, adding that such
people are not only enemy of progress, they are also
saboteurs and catalyst of global warming.
Prevent of global warming in our homes
50
According to Brown (2011). Learning how to prevent
global warming in our various families or home is
simple. He opined that the first thing to do is to
understand which area to focus on. The gases in most
homes comes form heating, cooling, recycling, driving
and electrically, use of appliances and lighting.
Therefore the preventive ways of reducing global
warming is by reducing heating and cooling;
Preventing global warming in our homes requires
using less energy to stay warm in the winter and cool in
the summer, (rainy, dry and harmattan seasons). Which
means the individuals needs to find the place that leaks
air and plug those holes in his/her home places that one
would find leaks around windows and doors, which can
easily be fixed with a little bit of weather stripping
making this the easiest way to help prevent global
warming in our various homes. The windows causes a
lot of heat loss and cooling loss because windows are
less insulated than the walls, and this could be
remedied with thermal curtains. This helps in keeping
temperatures mode rate at all times.
51
The recommendations above will help reduce our
various home contribution to global warming a little bit.
But if someone wants to make a big dent on his carbon
foot print then he or she should consider doing more
significant modeling on his or her home to increase the
situation in the walls and roofs, and to incorporate
passive heating and cooling using the earth and the
sun.
By using less electricity:
Using less electricity is simple if we are willing to
adjust some changes in our daily life. The first thing to
understand is that anything that heats up by using
electricity requires a lot of energy and its best to find
alternatives. Some examples of the kinds of appliances
that should be avoided are toasters, irons, oven dryers,
dishwashers, hair curlers etc, most of these kinds of
technologies are easy enough to do without for instance
you can hang your clothing’s as soon as you are done
washing it, and you will eliminate your need to use a
dryer. Turning of and appliances when they are not in
use is also a very simple and basic act that helps
52
prevent global warming. It is advice able to put up signs
around the house to enable people to turn things off
when they are not in use. Also many appliances like
DVD players still draw electricity even after it has been
turned off, because of the light on or some sort of
digital display. To deal with this, you can get power
strips, then its assured that power is going, to light a
digital display.
Also the use of compact fluorescents bulbs. They
use a fraction of the electricity of a regular bulb. It
eliminates pounds of green house gases and they will
save us money over the long term.
Buy energy-efficient products: home appliances now
come in a range of energy-efficient models, and
compact florescent bulbs, avoid products that comes
with excess packaging especially molded plastics and
other packaging that can’t be recycled, if we can reduce
our household garbage by percent 10%, we can save
1,200 pounds of CO (carbon dioxide) annually. Planting
of frees: During photosynthesis, trees and other plants
absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an
53
integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle
here on earth, but are few of them to fully counter the
increase in co caused by automobile traffic,
manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree
will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide
during its lifetime encouraging others to conserve”, it’s
wise to share information about recycling and energy
conservation with friends, workers ad neighbours and
also take opportunities to encourage public officials to
establish programs and policies that are good for the
environment. With all these mentioned above it will
take an individual a long way towards reducing energy
use and monthly budget, and less energy use means
less dependence on the fossil fuels that creates green
house gases and contributes to global warming.
It is also the best option for Families, to have a good
and wise family planning this will help reduce the threat
of global warming on over population.
54
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter discussed the procedure used in
carrying out this study, it is discussed under the
following subheading.
Research design
Area of study
Population of the study
Sample/sampling techniques
Instrument for data collection
Validation of instrument
Method of data collection
Method of data analysis
Design of the Study
The design of the study was descriptive survey
according to Abonyi, Okereke, Omebe and Anugwo
(2006), viewed descriptive survey as a design that
consist of those studies in which the data is collected
from a small sample of large population to enable the
researcher describe in a systematic manner and
interpret things that exist. The design was used at
55
investigating the influence of global warming on family
living in Victoria island, Eti Osa local government area,
Lagos state Nigeria.
Area of the Study
This was carried out in Eti-Osa Local Government
Area in Victoria Island of Lagos State.
Population of Study
The population of the study is centered on families
in Victoria Island of Lagos state, the population chosen
for this study is four thousand five hundred out of the
population of Eti osa local government area which is
two hundred and seventeen thousand three hundred
and sixty two people (217, 362) according to the
National Population Commission (2006). Lagos state.
Sample and Sampling Technique
Simple random sampling technique was used to
draw four hundred fifty respondents of which all of them
are residents in Victoria island. Mean while the sampling
was gotten from ten percent (10%) out of the
population according to Uzuagulu (2007), the targeted
population was draw from different areas in Victoria
56
Island Lagos of which they are randomly selected for
the study, the areas selected Adeola odeku Saka tinubu,
Adeola hope well, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Awoloroad Road,
Kofo Aboyomi, Akin Adeola, falomo bridge. Sand field
area.
Instrument of Data Collection
The instrument used for the data collection in this
study was structured questionnaire designed by the
researcher. It was based on research question to
request from the respondents in relation to the topic of
the study. The questionnaire developed, consist of
section A and B. section A was used for personal data of
the respondent while section B which consist of four sub
sections were used for the main questionnaire
instrument. Each sub-section of the questionnaire
instrument consist of ten questions to form a total of 40
questions that dealt with the research questions
formulated for that purpose
Therefore the number of response category used
were
Strongly agreed - SA
57
Undecided - U
Agree - A
Disagreed - D
Strongly disagreed - SD
58
Validation of Instrument
Three experts in the department validated the
instrument to ensure face and content validity. Their
corrections were reflected by the researcher before the
final draft of the questionnaire.
Method of Data Collection
The questionnaire was administered to the
respondents by the researcher who equally explained
and also gave the respondents sufficient time for filling
the questionnaire, four hundred and fifty questionnaire
were x distributed to these area’s mentioned above.
Method of Data Analysis
The data collected was analyzed using frequency
and mean to answer the research questions.
Any item with a mean of 3.0 and above is regarded
as accepted while those with less than 3.0 were
rejected
59
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter deals with the presentation and
analysis of data collected for the purpose of answering
research questions used in the study. The analysis is
presented based on the research questions.
Research Question 1:
What are the influences of global warming on food
insecurity in families?
Data needed to answer these research questions are
presented in table 1.
60
Table 1: Responses on the influence of global warming on food insecurity in families.
SN ITEM STATEMENT SA A U D SD N FX Decision Rule
1 It leads to malnutrition 100 150
150
20 30 450 1620 3.6 Accepted
2 Food insecurity increases poverty both in families and in the society
150 200
20 80 - 450 1770 3.9 Accepted
3 It reduces food supplies 200 100
50 50 50 450 1700 3.7 Accepted
4 It leads to inequality and unemployment in our communities.
- 200
- 150
100
450 1200 2.6 Rejected
5 Easy access to disease contamination
156 124
30 120
20 450 1626 3.6 Accepted
6 Non-availability of certain crops due to its extinction
250 100
- 20 80 450 1870 4.1 Accepted
7 low production of crops for consumption.
320 40 1 10 79 450 1862 4.1 Accepted
8 Disease circulation due to food poisoning
48 52 250
50 50 450 1348 2.9 rejected
9 Reduction in exportation and importation of food items.
300 150
- - - 450 2100 4.6 Accepted
10 It hinders food selection - 180
- 20 250
450 1010 2.2 Rejected
The analysis presented in Table 1 indicates that items
1,2,3,5,6,7,and 9 whose mean where
3.6,3.9,3.7,3.6,4.1,4.1 and 4.6 respectively, indicated
that global warming leads to food insecurity on families
thereby increasing malnutrition, poverty, low production
of crops for consumption and shortage of food supplies
for families and also it encourages the extinction of
certain crops and reduces importation and exportation
of food items. While items 4,8 and 10 whose mean were
61
2.6, 2.9 and 2.2 respectively indicates that global
warming does not lead to food insecurity in families.
Research question 2: What are the influences of
global warming on over population in families?
Table 2: mean responses on the influence of global warming on over population in families.
SN ITEM STATEMENT SA A U D SD N FX Decision Rule
11 Lack of family planning 200 150
- 80 20 450 1860 4.1 Accepted
12 Illiteracy 55 65 100
80 150
450 1045 2.3 Rejected
13 People’s condition due to poverty
50 100
50 100
150
450 1150 2.5 Rejected
14 Shortage of water supply. 200 120
30 50 50 450 1720 3.8 Accepted
15 There will be shortage of food supply
48 52 250
50 50 450 1348 2.9 Rejected
16 discomfort of people due to over population
250 100
- 85 15 450 1835 4.0 Accepted
17 Effect of heat due to inadequate ventilation
150 200
50 20 30 450 1770 Accepted
18 Scarcity of resources 300 120
30 -- - 450 2070 4.6 Accepted
19 Conflict among people 60 40 100
100
150
450 1210 2.6 Rejected
20 Easily spread of diseases from one person to another
450 - - - - 450 2250 5.0
62
From the presentation in Table II it was observed that
items 11,14,16,17,18 and 20 whose mean were
4.1,3.8,4.0,4.6 and 5.0 respectively indicated that
global warming influences overpopulation in families
due to lack of family planning, it hinders some
resources thereby making it scarce, also there will be
crowdedness in the home and this could lead to
discomfort, bad ventilation and also easily spread of
diseases from one person to another.
While item 12, 13, 15 and 19 whose mean were
2.3, 2.5, 2.9 and 2.6 respectively disagreed that global
warming influence overpopulation in families. Illiteracy
and conflict among people cannot influence global
warming on families.
63
Research question 3: what are the influences of
global warming on family health?
Table 3: mean responses on the influence of global warming on family health.
SN
ITEM STATEMENT SA A U D SD N FX Decision Rule
21 The threat range from emerging tropical diseases to life-threatening temperatures to an increase in allergies and asthma
- 200
- 150
100
450 1200
2.6
Accepted
22 As temperature rise, higher elevations become more hospitable for mosquitoes, and more risky for local inhabitants
220
180
- 35 15 450 2085
4.6
Accepted
23 Due to harsh weather, family members suffer from heat rashes
180
180
40
50 -- 450 1840
4.0
Accepted
24 There is increase in malaria 200
120
30
50 50 450 1720
3.8
Accepted
25 Devastating heat waves increases meningitis on people’s health
300
150
- -- - 450 2100
4.6
accepted
26 Skin cancer affects people 200
100
50
100
- 450 1750
3.8
Accepted
27 When there is sea level rise it causes flooding that kills people
150
200
50
20 30 450 1770
3.9
Accepted
28 Increase of pollution from vehicles and power plants
180
100
20
100
50 450 1610
3.5
Accepted
29 Easily spread of cancer due to heat
220
130
- 30 70 450 1750
3.8
Accepted
64
30 Concentration on the green house effect
75 25 - 50 300
450 875 1.9
Rejected
In Table III, its presentation noted that items
22,23,24,25,26,27,28 and 29 with mean scores of
4.6,4.0,3.8,4.6,,3.8,3.9,3.5 and 3.8 respectively agreed
that global warming affects the family health of people
thereby increasing the spread of different diseases like
heat rashes, skin cancer, meningitis and malaria, also it
affects people’s health because it can lead to death due
to flooding. While items 21 and 30, disagrees
respectively that global warming cannot affect family
health through the contamination of asthma and
concentration on the green house effect.
Research Question 4: What are the ways of
reducing global warming in our homes?
Table 4: Means responses on ways of reducing global warming in our home.
SN ITEM STATEMENT SA A U D SD N FX Decision Rule
31 Taking progressive action now, to cut global warming pollution
200 100
50 50 50 450 1700
3.7 Accepted
32 Health care system participation for families and communities protection as temperatures rise
220 130
- 30 70 450 1750
3.8 Accepted
33 reduction of green house gases and toxic pollution
250 100
- 85 15 450 1835
4.0 Accepted
65
34 Conservation of energy by using a compact fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent bulb
250 100
- 85 15 450 1835
4.0 Accepted
35 Use of less electricity 310 60 40 40 - 450 1990
4.4 Accepted
36 Reduction of heating and cooling by using less energy in our homes
296 75 75 - 4 450 2009
4.5 Accepted
37 Being informed and understanding the areas to be focused on
100 300
30 20 - 450 1830
4.0 Accepted
38 Encouraging conservation 305 95 40 5 5 450 2040
4.5 Accepted
39 Participation in recycling 450 - -- - - 450 2250
5.0 Accepted
40 Planting of trees 200 150
- 80 20 450 1860
4.1 Accepted
From the analysis in Table iv we will notice that all
the respondents from table 31-40 whose mean were 3.7,
3.8, 4.0, 4.0, 4.4, 4.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 4.1 respectively
accepts that the following ways are the solution in
reducing global warming in families, with all the items
stated it is believed that necessary precaution should be
made by each family to reduce global warming in our
homes.
Major Findings
The following are the findings arising from the analysis
of data.
1. It revealed that global warming can affect families
income and food supply through food insecurity.
66
2. Global warming influences overpopulation in scarcity
of resources and loss of biodiversity ad ecological
stability.
3. Diseases are likely to spread more rapidly due to
global warming and its major effect of global warming
on family health.
4. Participation in recycling and encouragement of
conservation by people can help in reducing global
warming effects.
Discussion of findings
The findings of this study were analyzed using mean
to answer the questions, the questions have been
organized and discussed according to the four
research questions. They were discussed as follows.
1. The findings of this study revealed that global
warming has great influence on food insecurity in
families, according to Burke (2008). Food insecurity
affects people’s supply of food, thereby leading to
its shortage and also have effect on important areas
of our lives. This is because food insecurity leads to
malnutrition and extinction of certain crops which
67
could leave a family to starvation, it is independent
of the climate so when global warming occurs it
presents barriers to effective food production. Burke
emphasized that poor nutrition due to global
warming can affect both the body and mind thereby
leading to poverty inequality and unemployment in
our communities also in our environment global
warming affects the means of growing and gathering
food due to climate changes and this affects the
environment in so many ways, there is loss of
natural vegetation some plants are being wiped out
and the quality and amount of land available for
growing food is declining. With all these global
warming will affect basically every one’s way of
living disease contamination can easily spread and it
device the means of exportation.
2. The finding of this study is that global warming
influences over population in families through many
ways, for instance a family that lacks family
planning due to illiteracy can give birth to many
children and this involves the excess use of
68
electricity, scarcity of resources which could lead to
death, also crowdedness of people whereby they
emit carbon dioxide due to inadequate ventilation
and it also leads to their discomfort. It increases
expenses made by parents on heat rashes and
insufficient food supply due to poverty. According to
Micheal (1996) he opined that the best option for
families is to have a good and wise family planning
because it will help reduce the threat of global
warming on over population. Meanwhile population
influences our family lives negatively thereby
increasing food and water shortage this is because if
there is no enough food, diseases are easily are
easily spread and there is increase of malnutrition
and hunger and it leads to death, when
overpopulation increases families needs more water
to irrigate their fields so they can produce more
crops. If there is no water for the masses it leads
untimely death and poor production of goods in the
society. Micheal also commented that
overpopulation can lead to food shortage,
69
overcrowding, poor water supplies and
environmental population and all these affects the
health of people and also increases the spread of
diseases.
3. This study also revealed that global warming has
influences on family health, global warming means
guarantees easy access to disease. Diseases are
likely to spread more rapidly and it increases
rapidly. Such diseases are malaria, fever, skin
cancers, meningitis and so on, this is because as
the temperature rises, higher elevations becomes
more hospitable for mosquitoes and more risky for
local inhabitants and due to harsh weather family
members suffer from heat rashes and devastating
heat waves increases meningitis on people’s health.
According to Zell (2008), diseases are carried by
certain insects or vectors, they flourish more in a
warmer world, and this increases the spread of
diseases like malaria, which is how killing millions of
people. Malaria won’t be abolished easily because
global warming increases it’s reproduction and
70
thereby making disease more devastating according
to Epstein (1998). There are other public health
effect of global warming they include respiratory
diseases, weather related diseases, cardiovascular
diseases and soon. When there is overpopulation in
a community it leads to scarcity of resources
therefore increasing the rate of hunger and different
atrocities.
4. In addition, the finding of the study confirmed that
participation in recycling and encouraging of
conservation by families can assist in reducing
global warming threat. Also there are other ways of
preventing global warming in our homes, such as
cutting down pollution and also health care system
participation of families and communities protection
as the temperature rises, use of less electricity is
very vital for all family members this will help in the
reduction of heating and cooling. Meanwhile
according to Brown (2011) there are ways of
reducing or preventing global warming in our various
families, the first thing to do is to understand which
71
area to focuson. Brown opined that the gases in
most homes comes from heating, cooling, driving
and so on, therefore prevention of global warming in
our homes requires using less energy to stay warm.
By using less electricity, also the use of compact
fluorescent bulb because, they save us money over
long term (they last longer) and the eliminate
pounds of green house gases. Planting of trees is
very vital in reducing global warming because they
are the integral part of the natural atmospheric
exchange cycle here on earth.
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CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter deals with the summary of research
problem, purpose of the study, its methodology. The
principal findings, conclusions, recommendations, and
suggestions for further reference are also presented.
Restatement of the Problem
The issue of global warming in Nigeria has to be
put into consideration due to the fact that it has
brought many problems in families and societies. Global
warming affects human if proper solution is not applied.
If the problem of population, food supply agriculture,
water pollution and diseases are not fully addressed it
would lead to acute poverty in a state or country. The
rate of diseases will increases, sickness are easily
gotten. Death rate will increase at a geometric rate and
almost everything will go wrong meanwhile the heat in
Lagos is so suffocating now that when you go out during
the day it seems one would just melt like alone the
northern part of Nigeria. This is because when the
73
sunlight reaches the earths surface some are absorbed
and warms the earth.
According to Akpati (2008), in a keynote address
said that Nigeria has the least capacity of technology to
effectively tackle an emergence response in case of any
great quake. Speaking further, he said that ignorance is
the main problem of climate changes that should be the
focal point of awareness, as people in the rural areas
still see the obvious effect of climate changes. Despite
the fact that Nigeria is signatory to the 1992 Tokyo
protocol and the creation of the special climate unit in
2006, under the federal ministry of environment, yet
much has not been done and no concrete step has been
taken on our vulnerability to climate change induced
diseases.The question now is “what adaptive measures
do we have on ground as we all know that climate
changes is here and lives with Nigerians? And also how
do we manage it? the rescue terms of lands and
properties were lost, leaving a sore taste at the throat
of those left behind to mourn. Nigeria needs to
strategize on how to grasp this opportunity of the green
74
climate fund established to address the impact of
climate change which could effect many things that are
vital to human lives. So it would be best to focus on the
solution and prevention of global warming and it’s
effects.
Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this
study includes the following:
1. Assessing the influence of global warming on food
insecurity in families.
2. Assessing the influence of global warming due to over
population in families.
3. Ascertaining the influence of global warming on
family health.
4. Ascertaining ways of reducing global warming in our
homes.
Principal Findings
On the basis of the data collected and analyzed,
the following findings were made.
1. The respondents indicated that due to the influence
of global warming on food insecurity there will be
75
shortage of food supply and the income of the family
will be affected which causes poverty.
2. It was observed that the influence of global warming
on overpopulation in family leads to scarcity of
resources, loss of biodiversity and ecological
stability.
3. Respondents indicated that diseases spread more
rapidly due to global warming and it destroys human
health.
4. Respondents revealed that non participation in
recycling and encouragement of conservation by
people increases global warming effects,
Implication of the Study
The findings of the study will be useful to the
community or area in respect to population size, food
supply and also the government is taking steps to
prepare the public health system and promote solutions
that will offer added health benefits by reducing both
green house gases and toxic pollution. The health care
system is active and the communities are protected as
temperature rises.
76
The findings of the study will also be useful to
families because it prepares them to give up things that
would affect them. Like places to reside due to climate
change. Finally it will help our species like plants and
animals not to migrate far and also carbondioxide
absorption rate for plants and bountiful food for animal
life which will be safer for man.
Conclusion
The study was aimed at finding out the influence of
global warming on family living in Eti-Osa local
government area, Lagos state.
It was found out that people that live in Lagos
specifically Eti-Osa local government area can create
awareness on the risk of global warming on family living
by encouraging conservation and planting of trees.
Government should give laws for participation in
recycling and in taking progressive action to cut global
warming pollution. Government can achieve this
principles by awareness creation and working hand in
hand with the community and ministers in charge of
environment so as to reduce green house gases and
77
toxic pollution. People are meant to be informed
because some of them don’t know what global warming
is all about, therefore there is need for it’s broadcast
which is very vital.
Recommendations
The following recommendations were made based
on the finding of the study.
1. Government should increase the capacity of media
art to correspond adequately to global warming
prevention and control not only in Lagos but entire
Nigeria.
2. Demolishment of chlorofluorocarbons(CFC),
because they are responsible for the depletion of
the protective ozone layer, the nations of the
world have to stop using them, and vigilance in
enforcing the international agreements to phase
out their use will help slow down global warming.
3. In Lagos cars and buses consume a lot if oil,
therefore reduction of gasoline consumption for
transportation is advisable and also the
improvement of energy efficiency for homes.
78
4. Government should set up regulations for every
family to attend family planning in order to control
population growth and also setting up good health
care centers for people’s health.
Limitation of the Study
The research work was carried out appropriately by
the researcher through the researcher encountered
many problems which limited effective development of
the research.
Secondly the researcher encountered the problem
of time and financial instability which also hindered the
research development.
Suggestion for Further Research
The following areas are recommended for further
investigation and research.
1. Effects of global warming on the economy.
2. Global warming and the government issues and
prospects
3. The resultant effect of overpopulation on the nation’s
economy due to global warming.
79
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