Understanding Carbon Dioxide Emissions

By Environmental Editor

Methane and carbon dioxide are both naturally occurring gases that meet some specific needs in the natural order of the planet ...

When discussing the greenhouse effect it is important to keep in mind that things like methane emissions and carbon dioxide emissions have been around for longer than humans have. Methane and carbon dioxide are both naturally occurring gases that meet some specific needs in the natural order of the planet. The problem is that, since the industrial revolution, we have been producing them in larger quantities than the planet can handle. Naturally, these gases then hang around in our atmosphere waiting to be processed and in the meantime they absorb heat. That is why greenhouse gases are dangerous and that is how they are contributing to the problem of global warming.

But unnatural carbon dioxide emissions, methane emissions, nitrous oxide emissions and other chemical byproducts or emissions can really put a damper on the ecosystem. It is the sheer volume of that has been created and unlike our previous thoughts on humanities affect on the environment was too small to make a difference, we are quickly being proven wrong. Greenhouse gases are out there in such great amounts that they are throwing off the balance of the environment.

The fact that there are carbon dioxide emissions and methane emissions isn't the biggest part of the problem. Every human being produces carbon dioxide when they breathe and a herd of cows produces enough methane in a year to power an entire house. The problem is that we now create so much of these emissions. It's simply more than the environment can naturally process, and this leaves the excess gases just hanging around in the atmosphere absorbing heat. That is the nature of the greenhouse effect. The gases essentially seal us into a giant solar oven.

But where does all of these carbon dioxide emissions come from? Each time a human or animal takes a breath an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. Oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide is exhaled. As our world population climbs, so too does the number of animals consumed for meat and with it the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. In a balanced ecosystem Greenhouse gases are perfectly natural but it is when populations exceed what nature can adequately sustain that problems arise.

Aside from legislating the manufacturing processes of large companies that produce vast amounts of carbon dioxide emissions, the best thing that we can do is continue to educate people about the real dangers of green house emissions. Until people have a real understanding of how and why greenhouse gases are dangerous, then they won't be to anxious about taking steps to solve the problem. The things that are creating the greenhouse effect are things that make our everyday lives a lot easier, and we aren't willing to give them up easily. Everything from cars to certain kinds of light bulbs are contributing to the problem and we need to give people concrete explanations about why they should be concerned.

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