Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a Heat-Trapping Greenhouse Gas

Carbon dioxide belongs to a category of gases known as "greenhouse gases." These gases absorb warmth from their surroundings and re-radiate some of it back towards Earth's surface, slowing the rate at which Earth loses heat. Now, the "greenhouse effect" is nothing new as it has been a benefit for animals and plants since the beginning of time. Scientific data suggests that without the greenhouse effect Earth's average temperature would fall below freezing points. So, greenhouse gases do provide a benefit to living organisms.

If greenhouse gases help to keep Earth warm, then why are we worried? Human activities are increasing the levels of carbon dioxide being emitted to the atmosphere. These activities are amplifying the natural warming caused by the greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil fuels and cutting down trees release into the atmosphere Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and therefore increase earth surface temperatures. Also, there are natural processes that emit carbon dioxide such as respiration and volcanic eruptions but the effects on global warming is minimum versus human activities.

Carbon dioxide makes its way to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil. The burning of these fossil fuels began at the dawn of the industrial revolution as a way to power up machines for manufacturing and transportation. Since then, humans have used more and more of these fossil fuels releasing enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, previously being stored deep underneath earth surface.

The majority of the scientific community is deeply concerned and have concluded that the imbalance of carbon dioxide is going to have a massive negative impact on future generations and our planet. Some of the consequences are shifts in precipitation patterns, more droughts, increase number of severe heat waves, sea levels rising each year, increase acidity of seawater, and the melting of ice sheets. Now, all of the above consequences have a deep impact on the lives of all living species on earth.