Green House Effect

During colder months, and in cold climates, it may be hard to believe that the green house effect really exists; and, that it is really causing a problem for our planet.
This mechanism is what makes our planet bearable, in some ways. Every planet and moon has its’ own greenhouse effect, basically it is what keeps the warmth of the sun from automatically bouncing off into the atmosphere and dispersing.

Without this natural activity, our planet would be too cold to support life – four degrees below zero, Fahrenheit.

Why The Green House Effect Is A Problem

In order to understand this mechanism, you should have a little knowledge about the most common greenhouse gases:

• Carbon Dioxide – Carbon dioxide is produced by machinery, by manufacturers, and by our fossil fuel operated vehicles. Plants breathe carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, which is one of the many reasons why large healthy forests are important to our planet’s stability.

• Methane – Methane is a noxious smelling odiferous gas, and you might be surprised to find out that most of the methane currently polluting the earth’s atmosphere comes from cattle and other livestock. Cattle produce methane gas as they digest food – the good news is that researchers are hard at work producing new types of animal feed that will help to cut their emissions also.

• CFC’s – CFC’s are emitted by many products that are designed for refrigeration or for spray propellants. When people check to be sure that products they use and buy do not contain CFC’s, they can help slow the rate that CFC’s are released into the atmosphere and maybe even help to reduce the size of the hole in the ozone layer.

How The Current Green House Effect Is Threatening Our Future

The simple fact is, our planet’s ecological balance is fragile, and a temperature change of just a few degrees can wreak havoc on the system and throw everything out of balance. Life as we know it could come to an end, and soon, if we do not do something to reverse the cycle.

As polar ice caps slowly drip away into the sea; as more and more golf courses are built in desert biomes at the expense of farmers; the more we mess with the way nature works, the worse off we will be.

You can make a difference by living a greener lifestyle; new products and processes are being created all the time. By taking care of the little things, we can have a big impact.

Return to "Ecology Articles" from "Green House Effect".

Return to "Going Green" from "Green House Effect".