What are the origins of Global Warming?

So what are the origins of global warming? Global warming is the result of gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and are called greenhouse gases. The most damaging agents of climate change are carbon dioxide, methane, and others on a smaller scale such as nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases.

Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the Earth's surface. Normally, this radiation would escape into space, but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. That is what is known as the greenhouse effect. The following is a list which provides an analysis of these greenhouse gases and ways in which these gases are harming our planet.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions such as the manufacturing of cement. Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. The main sources of CO2 emissions are describe below.

1. Electricity - The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is one of the largest source of CO2 emissions in the world. The type of fossil fuel used to generate electricity will emit different amounts of CO2. To produce a given amount of electricity, burning coal will produce more CO2 than oil or natural gas.

2. Transportation - The combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel to transport people and goods is another source of CO2 emissions. This category includes transportation sources such as highway vehicles, air travel, marine transportation, and rail.

3. Industry - Industrial processes emit CO2 through fossil fuel combustion. Several processes also produce CO2 emissions through chemical reactions that do not involve combustion; for example, the production and consumption of mineral products such as cement, the production of metals such as iron and steel, and the production of chemicals. Industry is a heavy contributor of CO2 emissions and it needs to be reduced even at the expense of progress.

There is a constant exchange of carbon dioxide among the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface as it is both produced and absorbed by microorganisms, plants, and animals. This is the natural process cycle but since the Industrial Revolution, that began around the mid 1700s, human activities have significantly contributed to climate change by adding CO2 and other heat trapping gases to the atmosphere.

Methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas, is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste municipal solid waste landfills. Methane is emitted by natural sources such as wetlands, as well as human activities such as leakage from natural gas storages as witnessed by the residents of the city of Potter Ranch in California. The main sources of CO2 emissions are described below.

1. Industry - Natural gas and petroleum systems are the largest source of CH4 emissions from industry in the United States. Methane is the primary component of natural gas. Some CH4 is emitted to the atmosphere during the production, processing, storage, transmission, and distribution of natural gas. Because gas is often found alongside petroleum, the production, refinement, transportation, and storage of crude oil is also a source of CH4 emissions.

2. Agriculture - Domestic livestock such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels produce large amounts of CH4 as part of their normal digestive process. Also, when animals' manure is stored or managed in lagoons or holding tanks, CH4 is produced. Because humans raise these animals for food, the emissions are considered human-related. Globally, the Agriculture sector is the primary source of CH4 emissions.

3. Waste from Homes and Businesses - Methane is generated in landfills as waste decomposes and in the treatment of wastewater. Landfills are the third largest source of CH4 emissions in the United States.