THE GREEN-HOUSE EFFECT
The world is now hotter than it has ever been since scientists started recording temperature. As the world gets hotter there will be more droughts in Africa and America leading to shortages of food.
The slightest rise in the average yearly temperatures causes the polar ice caps to melt.
This will raise the sea levels causing flooding in low-lying countries like Bangladesh. All over the world the weather will be more violent, with in increase in typhoons, hurricanes and storms. This graph shows how the global mean temperature was rising over 20 years ago
FACT:- If the greenhouse effect did not exist at all the earth would be a frozen lifeless planet.
These climatic changes are caused by the greenhouse effect. In the atmosphere energy in the form of light streams towards the earth. It passes through layers of gasses miles above the surface of the earth, as the sun heats the land and the sea, energy is reflected back at the gasses.
But this energy is not in the form of sunlight, it is invisible infrared energy, which the gasses absorb. They trap this heat and that’s where the term ‘green house effect’ comes from. It is as if the whole planet is roasting in a greenhouse. However if the greenhouse effect did not exist at all, the earth would be a lifeless frozen planet. But at the moment the earth is getting too hot too quickly.
The problem today is that many of the things people do to make life more comfortable add extra greenhouse gasses to the air. Which ultimately increases global warming
FACT:- Carbon dioxide is responsible for about 50% of the Greenhouse Effect.
This is too much of a good thing, and it is making the world warmer. These gasses are known as greenhouse gasses, and the main ones are Carbon dioxide Methane and Chlorofluorocarbons better known as CFC’s.
FACT:- One molecule of methane absorbs twenty times as much heat as one molecule of carbon dioxide.
There are many more ways that these are released into the atmosphere, but these are some of the major contributors.
FACT:- CFC’s are responsible for 15 – 20% of global warming.
CFC’s are already well known for the effect they have on the ozone layer, but they are also contributing to the greenhouse effect. campaign efforts have managed to reduce the amounts in fast food packaging and aerosol cans. Many companies are now using ozone friendly products. But the effect they have had already will stay in the atmosphere for many years.
FACT:- Governments have signed agreements to cut down on the use of CFC’s, but the effect they have already had on the atmosphere will remain for many years to come.
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere in many ways, one major contributor is the burning of fossil fuels. Coal Oil and Gas to produce electricity in power stations all over the world. These fossil fuels are rapidly running out, and an alternative must be found that will supply our energy needs and not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
FACT:- Coal releases twice as much CO2 as natural gas, and almost a quarter more than oil.
Car exhaust fumes pump carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide on to the atmosphere. More and more cars are being produced and too many people are making short or pointless journeys instead of walking or using public transport. so as more people learn to drive, so the polution grows.
FACT:- Motor vehicles create more air pollution than any other single human activity.
The sea has always helped the greenhouse effect by absorbing huge quantities of CO2 to absorb CO2 the salt levels in the sea must not decrease. But as the earth gets warmer the polar ice caps melt and the water going into the sea contains no salt, and fresh water doesn’t absorb carbon dioxide. So if the greenhouse gets worse, the sea will help us less.
FACT:- The sea covers more than two thirds of our planet.
The destruction of the rainforests has devastating effects adding to the greenhouse effect in two major ways. Trees require carbon to grow, they get this from carbon dioxide and forests absorb vast quantities of it helping to reduce the greenhouse effect if tree are cut down the quantities of carbon dioxide being absorbed are reduced.
FACT:- Deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels has raised the level of carbon dioxide in the air by 20 – 25% since the industrial revolution.
To make matters worse much of the wood that is cut down is burnt, this releases tons of CO2 which adds to the greenhouse effect.
FACT:- Each year 26 Million acres of rainforest are cut down.
Cattle produce methane. As the world’s population grows more and more cattle are needed to produce dairy products and meat, so more methane is produces. If more people became vegetarians. We might manage with fewer cattle.
FACT:- One estimate reveals that the worlds 1.3 billion cows produce nearly 100 million tons of methane each year.
Methane in increasing in the atmosphere, at an even faster rate than carbon dioxide. Methane is released as vegetation rots under water. This is what is happening in millions of square miles of rice fields throughout Asia. As the worlds population grows, so does the demand for more rice to be grown, thus releasing even more methane.
Please help us to save the Rainforests of the world. You know it makes sense!
Thank you for reading this, and for your support.
Data corrcet at time of writing.
