SRI-RTP

The debate over greenhouse gases and global warming is an ongoing one. The general scientific consensus when it comes to global warming, is that the increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases is largely due to human activity since the start of the industrial era, and that the observed warming cannot be satisfactorily explained by natural causes alone. Human caused unnatural global warming has been around ever since factories and modes of transportation have been emitting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. This has been happening for around 200-years now. CO2 is a leading contributor to the greenhouse effect. It is responsible for around 50 of the greenhouse gases that are destroying the planet. Other greenhouse gases include methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and nitrous oxide.

Methane is a gas we cannot live without producing. This is because it is released during coal-mining activities. These activities are the main source for agriculture development, which keeps our civilization going. The main problem with the methane and the earth is that the world’s population continues to grow, which in turn causes the practice of these activities to increase. Since the 1960s the amount of methane in the air has increased by 1 per year. Given the amount of years this increase has gone on this increase is quite alarming.

The other greenhouse gas, CFC’s, is found in common household items, such as air conditioners and refrigerators. These gases are one of the best at contributing to global warming. There may be lower concentrations of CFCs in the atmosphere than other gases, but they trap more heat. Thinking about global warming on a long term scale also shows that it is these gases causing the problem. This was not a problem 300-years ago or 400-years ago. It is the new technology and advancements that have allowed our civilizations to thrive that have set off global warming.