How does it work?

Global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect. As shown in the GIF above, the greenhouse effect works like this: Light from the sun reaches the Earth. It is then partially absorbed by the Earth, and the remainder is reflected back into space. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture a lot of this reflected heat and it is radiated in all directions. As the level of gases in the atmosphere increases, more and more heat is radiated back to Earth, slowly increasing the overall temperature. The same thing happens with glass around a greenhouse and the windows in a car, hence the name: the greenhouse effect.

There are five main types of greenhouse gas: Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Ozone, Nitrous Oxide, and Halocarbons. Carbon Dioxide makes up about 56% of the released greenhouse gases. The next biggest is Methane, which is about 16% of the released gases. The levels of carbon dioxide have gone up dramatically in the last one hundred years with the inventions and advancements in cars, trucks, planes, and other gas-releasing machines.

Greenhouse gases can be released in many different ways. Vehicles such as cars and trucks release carbon dioxide. People are beginning to rely on their cars more and more, and our cities are so spread out that you almost always need a car to get to other places. Although electric cars seem like a good solution, to make these you need to create a huge battery that is almost as bad as a gas car just in the building process. Planes are another giant source of carbon, and they are much worse than cars but there are many more people riding. Wildfires release a lot of carbon dioxide as well, and they destroy a lot of trees and buildings that then release carbon dioxide when they’re rebuilt. The number of wildfires has increased because climates have become hotter and drier. Climate change encourages wildfires and wildfires contribute to climate change in a vicious cycle. Factories release carbon dioxide into the air with smokestacks. Cows and other farm animals are bad for the environment as well. They need a lot of space, and trees are cut down to create farmland for them.

The effects of this problem have already seized hold of the Earth, and if we don’t do something soon they may increase - permanently. Scientists predict that the effects of climate change will be irreversible by 2030, only 8 years away. The Earth’s overall temperature is already starting to rise, and there have been more wildfires, which become more and more devastating. Snowcaps and glaciers are melting, and the oceans have become more acidic. The air around big cities is growing hazy and can damage peoples’ lungs. If we don’t do something soon, we may be wearing masks for a very different reason than the COVID-19 pandemic: because we made the air toxic. If we don’t solve these problems soon, there will be no chance for a solution.

Although there is no long-term solution, you can help to lower your emissions. Plant trees, as long as they are the proper distance away from buildings (check your local fire department’s regulations.) Don’t drive as much. Instead, you can walk, bike, take a city or school bus, or carpool. Don’t buy as much meat. You can try eating vegetarian at least two or three nights a week. Avoid plastic when possible, and buy local. This can help local businesses and decreases emissions due to shipping. Something as simple as telling someone who doesn’t know about these things can help immensely. Little things can go a long way, especially when you do more than one of them.

The greenhouse effect can and will be devastating to the Earth if we don’t do something now. There are short-term solutions, but no long-term ones. We can’t fix this problem yet, but we can buy ourselves time to figure something out. I know it can be boring and frustrating, but remember: It’s going to be a whole lot more boring when you’re dead because we no longer have an atmosphere. So join us in the fight against climate change, and help save the world. It’s relying on you.