Global Warming and Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Global warming results from the effect of what is called the 'greenhouse effect'. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide and ozone are the main greenhouse gases. The main purpose of a greenhouse is to allow sun's radiation (heat) to enter the enclosure easily, however, does not allow the heat to be radiated back to the atmosphere. Similar to a greenhouse, our atmosphere allows the sun's radiation to heat the Earth and slows down the radiated heat to go back into the space. This greenhouse effect is essential to sustain life on Earth.

Now, due to the increased level of greenhouse gases, the atmosphere's ability to trap and hold the heat increases more than required. As a result, the average temperature of the Earth increases and this natural phenomenon is known as 'global warming'. It is also defined as a sustained increase in the atmosphere that causes abnormal climate change.

How Is Carbon Dioxide Emission Related to Global Warming

Power Plants
Power plants are the major contributors to the increased level of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. The plants work for generating electricity by burning fossil fuels in a massive scale, which produces large amounts of CO2. Coal is known to be responsible for about 93% of the emissions in the power plants. Natural gas produces 80% less carbon per unit of energy than coal, and hence so much of impact on the environment results in the ever-increasing pace of global warming.

Vehicles
Gasoline-burning engines produce about 20% of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere. In the United States, 33% of emissions is from vehicles. Sports bikes and vehicles result in more emission than general vehicles designed for normal roads.

CO2 Due to Deforestation
The ever-increasing deforestation is also one of the main culprits of global warming. As we are all aware of the fact that, trees take in huge amount of CO2 from the atmosphere and releases oxygen. So, if there are no trees, there will be no absorption of this global warming gas thus, the situation will worsen further. As the world is progressing its way towards development, forests are vanishing away from the face of the Earth. More urbanization results in more deforestation for land and timber requirements, and all these factors boil down to one dead end called global warming.

Impacts of Global Warming

Increase in Sea Level
As the Earth warms further, polar ice caps would melt and increase the water levels in seas and oceans. It is estimated that melting down of all glaciers will cause the water level to rise to about 230 feet! So you can imagine what it would be like? Further, ice caps are freshwater and their melting and mixing with the seas and oceans will greatly imbalance the eco-system. This is because, the ice caps will desalinate the water and make it less salty. This process will disturb the ocean currents and hence their regulation of temperature. Ice caps are known to reflect much of sunlight back into space, further cooling the Earth. Melting of these reflectors will leave oceans and seas to be totally exposed to sun's radiation. These water bodies cannot reflect light but absorb it as they are dark in color. This will further contribute to the warming of the Earth.

Diseases and Drought
Places of the Earth that will drastically warm up due to global warming, will face more incidents of diseases and drought. Such areas will have increased infestation by disease-carrying insects and heat waves.

Hurricanes
Due to the melting of ice caps, oceans will absorb more heat resulting in warmer waters. This will favor stronger and more frequent incidents of hurricanes.

Increasing emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere is making matters worse than ever. We can also form an idea about the 'most probable' aftermath of the always-increasing temperature of out planet Earth, and the idea is definitely not a pleasing one. All other factors, along with those responsible for increased amount of carbon dioxide causing global warming, are perhaps impossible to do away with. These factors are arising only due to human needs; development being an apt example, and so they can be regarded as 'inevitable'.

However, we can always help, if not in eliminating such factors totally, but reducing their emergence as much as possible. We should always remember that whatever 'good' we do for our mother Earth, we are doing it for ourselves and the future generation to come!