In the article Does Air Pollution Help Reduce Global Warming by Evan Galloway, the author starts off with naming some of the many contributors to global warming. One example he uses is a fossil fuel that we know as coal. Galloway goes on to describe what is released from the coal when it is burned (which is carbon dioxide and sulfate) and the affect it has on our atmosphere. When sulfate is released into the air it forms aerosols, which contribute to our pollution and acid rain. (Galloway, 2009)
Lina M. Mercado of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the United Kingdom and other colleagues, discovered new evidence that suggest aerosols might actually help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. The new research presented by Mercado shows that aerosol scatters light across the forests, exposing more plants to the light and increasing photosynthesis during the process. This new research sheds a little light on the policies the government already has set in place to reduce pollution and might be at odds. (Galloway, 2009)
It was predicted by researchers that the effects of aerosols in the environment would cause global dimming, (a decrease in the amount of sun reaching the earth). These predictions of this effect turned out to be correct and were long taken into account. But people started noticing that global dimming may also have a second effect. Less light meant less photosynthesis, which reduced the amount of carbon dioxide took in by plants. Assuming that this second effect was true, in addition to decreasing acid rain and air pollution, aerosol reduction would help better global warming. The overall effect of atmospheric aerosols was to produce more carbon intake; the reason is more complicated that global dimmin...
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...e need to take into consideration about how we use these products, and think about how it affects life around us. The question that I have is that, if Aerosols are such a huge contributor to acid rain and air pollution, why aren’t the people more informed? This is my first time hearing ever that aerosols were such a problem, or should I say too much aerosols. I also wonder because this article is 5 years old, is this even still a huge issue or not. I see people in stores buying more and more products with aerosol in them more than ever. And if this is still a huge problem, I hope that we could someday hit that point where global dimming begins and the large amounts carbon dioxide used decreases for good.
References
Galloway, E. (2009, May). Does air pollution help reduce global warming?
Today's Science. Retrieved from Today's Science database.
Since measurements began in 1958 -- and it can be assumed to have been the case since the industrial revolution -- emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere has risen steadily as a result of the burning of fossil fuels (Quay, pp 2344). Although there is much argument over the implications of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, there are several points that almost all scientists would agree on: firstly, carbon dioxide acts to absorb radiated heat; if present in our atmosphere will do just that to some extent. Second, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is rising. Third, the temperature of the planet is rising - although the amount of this increase and the causes of this rise are subject to disagreement (Philander, pp 193).
The issue presented in this paper is how one can aim to reduce the amounts released, and what the best ways to solve this problem are. This has been long debated amongst scientists, businessmen, Industry-owners, and politicians amongst many other eminent figures in society. The four major approaches to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere include: subsidies of alternative energy, cap and trade, carbon taxes, and command and control regulation. We will examine and compare the effectiveness of two of these methods: The carb...
The emission of carbon dioxide has contributed to 80% to the heating of the earth atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is produced due the burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and oil. The burning of fossil fuel is very important in our society today, because it is used for cooking, used to produce electricity, for heating, for cooling and also for transportation. The industrialization has led to the use of fossil fuel for running machines and driving cars. The building of fossil fuel contributes towards 80-90% of the carbon dioxide we find in our atmosphere today. When the ecosystems are altered and vegetation is either burned or took out, the carbon stored in them is relinquished to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (What causes global climate change, 2005). Methane is another gas being produced in the process which all have served to increase the greenhouse effect in our atmosphere. Methane is produced from the cultivation of rice, from the burning of coal and from cattle, it has increased by 145% due to human
Carbon dioxide or CO2 is known to be one of a number of gases that are astonishingly transparent to the visible light that falls on the Earth from the Sun, but it absorb the infra-red radiation that emitted by the warm surface of our Earth, to prevents its loss into space. Moreover, CO2 has varied considerably and this affected the Earth’s temperature. Most common source of this CO2 is known as the fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are primarily coal, hydrocarbons, natural gas, or fuel oil that formed from the remains of the dead plants and also animals. The burning fossil fuel that has been created by humans is the largest source of emissions of the carbon dioxide.
Greenhouse gasses have a big impact on our atmosphere. These gasses include water vapor, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. Each greenhouse gas molecule has three or more atoms that are loosely held together and that eventually release the heat energy and it is absorbed by another greenhouse molecule. Many people talk about greenhouse gasses as if they are a bad idea, but they are not a bad thing. Without these gasses the earth would be zero degrees on the surface. However, too many greenhouse gasses can cause higher temperatures in the atmosphere, cause oceans to warm beyond what they should be normally and weather that is unpredictable. The same with fossil fuels that produce a variety of emissions that pollute our planet 's air and water. These pollutants threaten the environment and its
CO2 is naturally present in the atmosphere, known as the carbon cycle. Natural occurring CO2 comes from volcanoes and decaying plants and animals (Where Does Carbon Dioxide Come From?, n.d.). However, human induced activities can alter the natural carbon cycle, to include how the atmosphere absorbs the CO2 (Overview of Greenhouse Gases, 2015). Scientists assert that the majority of CO2 emissions is attributed to human activities, up to 82% (Where Does Carbon Dioxide Come From?, n.d.). The three human sources that contribute to the global warming process by means of CO2 emissions: burning fossil fuels, cement production, and deforestation.
The evidence clearly provided in this essay strongly supports the argument that greenhouse gases caused by air pollution are the main cause of anthropogenic climate change. The tables and graphs demonstrate just how greenhouse gases contribute to climate change. As is evident, climate change is an ever growing problem globally. Due to the increase in anthropogenic air pollution, greenhouse gases have amplified also, as shown by table 2. Figure one shows how carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased exponentially, mirrored by anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide. The various examples described clearly support the argument that greenhouse gases caused by air pollution are the major anthropogenic causes of climate change.
When coal gets burned they start to release harmful dangerous toxins such as mercury, lead and arsenic that will then escape into the air. It also releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. These emissions increase the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere and lead to global warming.
The commonly debated “greenhouse effect” refers to “the global average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more” (Spencer). President Barack Obama addressed the issue in an effort to highlight its severity, "We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we’re going to suffer the consequences – together” (Leader). The earth’s increasing atmospheric and oceanic temperatures result in climate changes due to cumulative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. As an outcome, researchers around the globe have established that the by-product of burning fossil fuels is the main culprit of the increasing temperatures. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have significantly increased since 1900, as shown above from a study carried out by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center.
In talking about global warming, we need to learn what causes the greenhouse effect. Rays from the sun are taken up and absorbed by water vapor that is natural in the atmosphere. The United States emits the largest man made greenhouse gases in the world. As Americans we must realize the responsibility to reduce the emissions. (Gore, Albert) Water Vapor is eighty percent of greenhouse warming. The last twenty percent results from other gases that are in very little amounts. A huge absorber of the sun’s heat rays is carbon dioxide. Us as humans release a lot of carbon dioxide. When fossil fuels are burned, they release big amounts of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is on the increase in our atmosphere due to car emissions. Approximately eighty percent of CO2 increases because of man’s use of fossil fuels. When there is more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere the more sun rays are absorbed. In result to this happening this will cause the earth and the earths atmosphere to warm. When the earth is warming, water temperatures will start to get warmer. Oceans and lakes will get warmer in result f...
Atmospheric scientists first used the term “Greenhouse-Effect” in the early 1800’s. It was used to describe the naturally occurring functions of trace gases in the atmosphere and did not have any negative connotations. In the recent decades, we often hear about the term greenhouse effect in somewhat negative terms. It is important to know that without the greenhouse effect life on earth as we know it would be impossible. In the atmospheric greenhouse effect, the type of surface that sunlight first encounters is the most important factor. Forests, grasslands, oceans’ surface, ice caps, deserts, and cities all absorb, reflect, and radiate radiation differently. Sunlight falling on a white glacier surface strongly reflects back into space, resulting in minimal heating of the surface. Sunlight falling on a dark desert soil is strongly absorbed and contributes to significant heating of the surface and lower atmosphere. Cloud covers also affect greenhouse warming by both reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface and reducing the amount of radiation energy emitted into space. Although the greenhouse effect is a naturally- occurring process, humans have recently ampl...
The most destructive human contribution to climate change is fossil fuels combustion, which results in the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Increased carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons levels in the atmosphere cause an imbalance in the earth’s energy. This is because the gases alter solar radiation and thermal radiation which regulate the earth’s energy. Research indicates that anthropogenic climate change is the cause of the increased global warming over the last fifty years. 57 % of the carbon dioxide emitted is absorbed into the atmosphere while the rest is absorbed into the oceans. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the most central greenhouse gas that is associated with global warming (Eby, Zickfield, Montenegro, Archer, Meissner, & Weaver,
A main cause in the recent studies of global warming is the usage or aerosols. Aerosols are a substance enclosed under pressure and able to be released as a fine spray, typically by means of propellant gas. An aerosol can range from hairspray all the way to dust particles in the air. The new worries that are starting to show prominence in society today are the increase in carbon dioxide from t...
Scientists, economists, and policy makers all agree the world is facing a threat from climate warming. Climate warming is caused by excess greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which are heat trapping gases. Human use of fossil fuels is a significant source of these gases. When we drive our cars, heat our homes with oil or natural gas, or use electricity from coal-fired power plants, we contribute to global warming. Including any loss of trees or forests also contributes, considering trees convert carbon dioxide to oxygen.
Global warming is an increase in the earth's temperature due to fossil fuels, industry, and agricultural processes caused by human, natural, and other gas emissions. This results in an increased evacuation of greenhouse gases. “Short-wave solar radiation sinks into the Earth's atmosphere and warms its surface while long-wave infrared radiation emitted by earth's surface is absorbed, and then re-emitted by trace gases.” (2)