What Do Humans Do to Cause Global Warming?
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The Global Warming Debate
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Global warming is the steady increase of the earth's average temperature, which began during the 20th century. A rapid shift toward higher global temperatures has the potential to lead to a rapid melting of polar icecaps, which may lead to dramatic climactic events, such as worldwide flooding and extremely powerful hurricanes. Historical data shows an indisputable increase in the earth's average temperature, but there is an ongoing debate as to the impact of humans on the phenomenon of global warming. Many scientists believe humans are one of the primary causes of global warming, primary due to the release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, while others believe humans play little or no role in global warming, and that variation in solar activity and other natural cycles are the cause.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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The main impact humans are likely to have on the trend toward higher global temperatures is that human industry has created a dramatic increase in the release of greenhouse gases within the past hundred years. Greenhouse gases are gases that can absorb and give off infrared heat radiation, including carbon dioxide, (CO2) nitrous oxide, ozone, methane, and water vapor. Since greenhouse gases absorb heat radiation, the more greenhouse gases that are present in the atmosphere, the more heat the atmosphere will trap from the sun's rays, causing global temperatures to rise. Many human activities cause the release of large quantities of greenhouse gases, such as burning wood, coal, or other fuels. The raising of livestock produces methane, while the use of fertilizers in agriculture often leads to nitrous oxide emissions. Cement production and refrigeration systems also release significant amounts of greenhouse gases.
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Burning of Fossil Fuels
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The most significant source of human greenhouse gas emissions comes in the form of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels: fuels that are created geologically from organic matter over long periods of time, such as coal, oil, natural gas and gasoline. Whenever humans burn gas to heat their homes, prepare food, or fuel an automobile, a small amount of CO2 is released into the air. Many believe global warming has been caused primarily by the rapid expansion of the human population coupled with increased demand and use of automobiles and other fossil fuel burning appliances. The high likelihood of humans being a key cause of global warming has caused increased focus on implementing environmental controls to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and the research of alternative fuels which produce little or no CO2.
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