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Greenhouse Effect

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Has the Greenhouse Effect Already Started?

The answer is yes. 

Are the Recent Temperature Increases Due to Human Activity?

We are responsible for the increased the amounts of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, which contribute to an elevated global temperature.  This is supported by strong scientific evidence.  The fact that the most recent years have been the warmest on record may be significant and a predictor of things to come.

But lets not forget that our environment is also responsible.  The earth serves as a vast reservoir for carbon dioxide.  The earth maintains a steady state system that returns as much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as is extracted.  Plants die and decay, animal and humans exhale carbon dioxide, carbonate rocks decompose, and carbon dioxide escapes volcano vents, all contributing naturally to the Greenhouse Effect.  The cycle goes on and on.  Carbon moves in its many forms—gaseous, liquid and solid—from vegetable to animal, living to dead, and back again. 

But, we do more than our share.  We do more than simply inhale and exhale, live and die.  We have the skills that permit us to exacerbate the situation.  Because of our involvement, the cycle is out of balance.  Every year, we release into the atmosphere more carbon dioxide than is removed from it by its natural processes.  We have and continue to burn fossil fuels.  The industrial Revolution, was largely fueled by coal and other natural resources.  The discovery and exploitation of coal and petroleum made possible the development of steam engines, ships, and automobiles.  As the generation of energy, and the consumption of fossil fuels increased, so did the quantity of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.  Since 1860, the carbon dioxide concentration has increased from 290 parts per million to 360 parts per million, and the current increase is approximately 2 parts per million per year.

In addition, deforestation by burning releases 1-2 parts per million of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.  It is estimated that an area equal to the combined size of Switzerland and the Netherlands, of rain forest are cut down or burned annually.  As a result, trees, which are an efficient absorber of carbon dioxide are removed from the cycle.  The total quantity of carbon dioxide released by deforestation and burning of fossil fuels is 6-7 billion metric tons per year.  One half is recycled by oceans and the biosphere, and the remainder stays in the atmosphere.