How do human actions contribute to global warming?
2 Answers
The combustion of fossil fuels.
Explanation:
Fossil fuels are naturally-occurring fuels decomposed over a long period of time, along with heat and pressure acting to make them.
Decomposers decompose dead organisms and release the nutrients contained within them. Naturally, these dead organisms contain carbon. The carbon then penetrates into the Earth into a "reservoir" of fossil fuels. This is over a very, very long period of time.
Since fossil fuels aren't especially hard to find, humans can use them to power machinery or artificial things, such as cars, houses, and more. They are also reliable, which is another main reason humans use those.
Of course, carbon is found in fossil fuels; so when humans burn these fuels, carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere. Eventually, this CO2 makes its way to the greenhouse gas level.
Greenhouse gasses are gasses that trap solar energy from the sun and warm Earth. They include carbon dioxide, methane (NH4), and water vapor (H2O). Since more CO2 is added to these fossil fuels, the concentration of the gasses is higher. When the concentration is higher, it traps more heat, warming the Earth's temperature.
I recall reading an article about a $1 million dollar study by Harvard University the studied global warming for three years. That study concluded that man "may" have an effect on global warming.
However, the choices we make definitely contribute to the factors that effect global warming.
Explanation:
I recall reading an article about a $1 million dollar study by Harvard University the studied global warming for three years. That study concluded that man "may" have an effect on global warming.
However, the choices we make definitely contribute to the factors that effect global warming.
Begin with the black asphalt used in parking lots, roof tops and our roadways. We know that black absorbs heat increasing surface temperature. That is why many companies including Walmart have switched over to white roof tops to reduce heat absorption and reduce the need for more air conditioning in stores, factories and warehouses.
Our reliance on coal and fossil fuels as well as the majority of modes of transportation we choose emit more and more carbon into the environment. This carbon in the environment insulates the atmosphere holding in heat that should escape from the biosphere.
We continue to eliminate the rainforest which house the trees that are the lungs of the planet and should aid in the removal of carbon from the atmosphere. We are still cutting down an acre and a half of the rainforest every second. That is one and a half football fields every second. It is believed that the last of the rainforests may be decimated as early as fifty years.
These are just a few of the myriad of choices we as a population make each and every day that effect the factors of global warming.
