THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
By : Steven Duarte
Have you ever walked into a greenhouse on a summer afternoon? If so, you will remember that you could not wait to get out of there as soon as possible. It's hot!
The Earth feels like it is in a greenhouse everyday! The only difference is, the Earth can not get out of there. It's stuck in its own gas case and it's getting hotter and hotter each year.
Greenhouse gasses are everywhere. They are part of our atmosphere and they are not going anywhere. They trap the heat given off by the sun once it is reradiated from Earth. Some greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor.
Global warming caused by greenhouse gasses have been present for a long time in Earth's history. If the rate keeps increasing as it is, Polar Bears could be extinct in the near future. The ice they use to hunt seals on is disappearing. If they can not hunt seals, they can not eat, if they can not eat, they can not survive.
Most of the pollution that is causing an increase in greenhouse gasses is coming from things that we can control. Transportation modes such as busses, cars, planes and recreation vehicles are contributing almost 30 % to our carbon footprint. Production of electricity is the worst culprit wit a whopping 33.3%! If we are to keep this world from heating up to the point of self-combustion, then we have to take a serious look at lowering the biggest contributers" contributions.
