CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is a term used to describe a series of disruptive worldwide climate changes that threaten the stability of a variety of ecosystems, ranging from the polar ice caps to the plains of the central United States to the South American rain forests. It is generally accepted that byproducts of human life and industry are the main causes of the issue. However, it should be noted there is still debate among the scientific community about whether global warming is real.

CARBON DIOXIDE

A large cause of global warming is carbon dioxide released from human made devices. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, which means in large and unnatural amounts it can trap heat inside the atmosphere and disrupt solar light. Power plants, automobiles and airplanes are major producers of carbon dioxide. Power plants use fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas and oil, to create electrical power, and are responsible for 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. Automobiles burning gasoline are responsible for around 33 percent of the country's carbon dioxide emissions, while aviation around the word accounts for between 3 percent and 15 percent.

DEFORESTATION

Carbon dioxide levels have also been affected by deforestation. Trees are natural combatants of global warming because they are able to process carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as sustenance and return it to the air as oxygen. However, the commercial destruction of the world's tree population has diminished one of the key deterrents of global warming.

METHANE

Methane is another naturally occurring greenhouse gas that has abnormally increased in amount due to human behavior. Methane is commonly released in flatulence from cows as well as from soil bacteria in rice paddies. The huge growth in both the bovine and rice industries over the past 100 years have resulted in the exponential increase in cattle farms and rice paddies, which have helped shift methane levels in the atmosphere to unheard of levels. Methane is also a byproduct of many of the techniques used to harvest and control fossil fuels.

WATER VAPOR

An increased amount of water vapor in the atmosphere has recently been identified as contributing to global warming. As greenhouse gas levels have grown and increased the mean atmospheric temperature, they have created ideal warmer temperatures for water vapor and humidity to form. Like carbon dioxide and methane, water vapor has the ability to stop heat and other gases from leaving the Earth's atmosphere, perpetuating the destructive warming cycle.

NITROUS OXIDE

nitrous oxide, also referred to as laughing gas, is a contributor to global warming that occurs both naturally and in response to human activity. it is released during the production of nitrogen based products, like nylon, fertilizers, catalytic converters and nitric acid. nitrous oxide is also released when organic matter is burned, such as leaves or wood.