Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect

Human Ecology -

Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect

The evolution of man on Planet Earth has created a life style that is destroying the environment that we inhabit at a rate that must be controlled. The leading indicator of such destruction is global warming. Over the past 30 years or so, global warming has become one of the most eye openings and well researched issues concerning the environment. Even though widely debated and publicized, I continuously hear people ask; what is the difference between global warming and the greenhouse effect? Simply stated, global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth's surface and in the troposphere (lowest part of the atmosphere), whereas, the greenhouse effect is a natural process, whereby certain gases in our atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane for example) retain some of the infrared radiation that is emitted by the earth. This natural process maintains the earth's average surface temperature at about 60Ð'o F, making life possible. Without it, the earth would be too cold for life to have developed here. Global warming occurs when the greenhouse effect increases in strength (more greenhouse gases emitted), causing the earth’s surface temperature to rise beyond our comfort zone. (Thesis) The increase in emission of greenhouse gases is caused mostly by human induced activities; the unlimited burning of fossil fuels are causing the earth temperature to rise (global warming) by emitting tons of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinate gases) into the atmosphere every year, which induces climate change.

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