Greenhouse Gas Emissions Challenge
What are Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are gases in the atmosphere that trap heat. During the day, the sun shines through the atmosphere, warming the earth’s surface. At night, earth’s surface cools, releasing heat back into the air.
The Good News
As a result, some of this heat is trapped by the GHGs in the atmosphere. The good news is the Greenhouse gases keep our planet livable by holding onto some of earth’s heat energy, so it doesn’t all escape into space. This heat trapping is known as the greenhouse effect. https://youtu.be/VYMjSule0Bw
Without it the world would be a frozen, uninhabitable place, more like Mars.
Impact on Atmosphere
Greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for a varying amount of time, ranging from a few years to thousands of years. Some gases are more potent than others. As a result of greenhouse emissions, the earth is experiencing:
- Melting of the glaciers and Arctic Sea ice (Greenland)
- Deforestation (Brazilian Amazon, Tropical Rain Forests, and Indonesia)
- Contributes to respiratory, cardiovascular, infectious diseases.
- Increased wildfires (California)
- Flooding of Islands and coastal cities (fatal floods in Northern CA, FL)
- Migration of species
- Impact on agriculture
Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas
Carbon Dioxide CO 2: (Fossil Fuel and Industrial Processes) 65%
Emitted from direct human-induced, deforestation, land-clearing for agriculture, reforestation.
Carbon Dioxide CO 2: (Forestry and other land uses) 11%
Methane (CH4): 16% Both natural and human activities produce methane Agricultural activities, wetlands, waste management, energy use, biomass burning.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is produced through 6% agricultural activities, fertilizer use, insecticides, fossil fuel combustion.
Florinated Gases: 2% Industrial processes, refrigeration, used in coolants, foaming agents, fire extinguishers, solvents, pesticides, aerosol propellants, and includes Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) affect the GHG emissions.
Black carbon: is a solid particle of aerosol, not gas, but it contributes to global warming of the atmosphere.
How Do We Help with Reducing the Greenhouse Emissions?
- Transportation – driving in fuel-efficient cars.
- Improve insulation of buildings
- Using efficient electrical appliances – energy equipment refrigerators
- EPA’s ENERGY STAR program
- EPA’s fueleconomy.gov site
- EPA’s motor vehicle standard’s
- Turn off lights and electronic when not in use.
- Learn more about What You Can Do – at Home, at School, in the Office, and on the Road
CTA - Are you ready to make an impact on your environment?
Peace & Love
Rachele
Recent Comments
57
Hi Rachele,
Wow! That is a lot of good information here. Thank you for sharing.
We all need to do our part. That is a fact.
But the question is, how do we get the other countries with the most significant impact on the environment involved with this agenda?
Have a wonderful day!
That is the question, Cathy
Looks like we might have a lot of work ahead.
Hope that science and technology will bail us out.
Rachele
As was recently pointed out, if the UK disappeared tomorrow, the effect on the world would only decrease 2%. Until China and India are brought under control, we can change anything we want in the US and still not affect anything.
I laugh so hard at the Elites that lecture us about how to live our lives - drive an expensive electric car (with batteries which can't be recycled), eat bugs for protein, etc, before they fly away on their private jets. The hypocrisy is real.
Jeannine,
I did not mean to raise the roof or rain on anyone's parade.
I am passionate about my environment. Our next generations deserve fresh air, clean water and deserve to live on an unpolluted, sustainable planet.
If the powers that be don't get it least the common people are getting it. People are already planting trees and planting their own fruit and vegetable gardens, recycling cans, glass and plastic bottles.
Recycling helps reduces pollution and is an environmental benefit.
I am quite sure that Elon Misk recycles his Tesla batteries.
China has given us some wonderful stuff. Almost 1/2 things I have are Made in China and I have a very successful Chinese friend.
Not all Chinese are bad.
My doctor, Connie Chen, is awesome. My mentor Jessica is Chinese.
Generalizations makes no sense. My employer of 6 years is from India. He is an excellent representation of a generous multi-millionaire he doesn't eat meat.
Peace and Love
Rachele
You're missing my point. Until China and India as countries change their ways, we can recycle all the cans and glass and plant as many gardens as we want and it won't make a difference; those are just feel-good/look-good activities.
I'm not talking about individuals of Chinese or Indian descent. I'm talking about the countries. Make sure about the history of something before you say China has given us wonderful stuff; their theft of our technology is legendary. It also doesn't matter if it's a battery from Tesla or Chrysler or Mercedes Benz; those batteries cannot be recycled and in fact are quite toxic. Same thing with the blades on the wind turbines designed to capture wind energy - they can't be recycled either and instead broken ones are just buried in large pits.
Some excellent information here Rachele...
I do do what I can on a daily basis in order to protect Mother Earth, but maybe it is not enough...
But... I do see others every single day polluting without giving a thought, this really grinds my gears..
Thanks for the share my friend!
👍☺
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very insightful and useful Rachele.
I promote active transport, bike riding to everyone and anyone as the best means of active transportation for all. It's not always possible to use, but every trip that replaces a car being used is a great result for everyone in so many ways
thanks for your post