What Is the Greenhouse effect? Causes, Effects, And Solutions. — About The Globe

What Is The Greenhouse Effect?

Definition Of Greenhouse Effect.

The greenhouse effect is a method through which radiation discharge from the earth and radiation from the sun is trapped in the atmosphere, causing the temperature of the earth to rise drastically. The greenhouse gases like CO 2, CH4, NO 2 s, and CFCs trap the heat emitted by the earth’s atmosphere and thus, increase the vulnerability of global warming. The strength of the greenhouse effect depends on the number of greenhouse gases the atmosphere holds.

The earth’s greenhouse effect is essential for harnessing life and providing enough heat for human life to sustain. But, human activities like the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have worsened it consequently, resulting in global warming.

The sun emits energy in form of infrared and ultraviolet rays. Some of these rays are reflected in space by the atmosphere and some are absorbed by the earth’s surface and atmosphere. The atmosphere releases energy both upwards and downwards; the part released downwards is absorbed by the surface of Earth. This leads to a higher equilibrium warmth.

At the end of the 20th century, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution increased the rate of CO 2 in the atmosphere by 30%. Many scientists have predicted that anthropogenic increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases could lead by the end of the 21st century to an increase in the global normal temperature of 3–4 °C (5.4–7.2 °F). This global warming could change Earth’s climate, consequently, producing a new climatic manner and utmost of drought and rainfall and possibly food insecurity in several regions.

What Are Major Greenhouse Gases?

Small changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases can cause a hairline difference between ice-ages and scorching heat periods. The atmospheric lifetime of gas and its strength of absorbing heat can determine the level of the greenhouse effect.

The main greenhouse gases are as follows:

Carbon Dioxide:

CO 2 is one of the most primary greenhouse gas, mainly emitted by human activities. CO 2 is naturally existing in the earth’s atmosphere as part of the earth’s carbon cycle. Human activities are altering the carbon cycle by adding more carbon dioxide to it and by alternating the strength of carbon reservoirs. The natural sinks include forests, and oceans, These natural reservoirs of carbon absorb and store carbon dioxide in them.

The amount of carbon dioxide has risen due to human activities. The extraction and burning of fossil fuels, using carbon that has been isolated for many millions of years in the atmosphere, has caused the atmospheric amount of CO 2 to increase by about 50% since the beginning of the age of industrialization up to the year 2020.

The burning of coal, petroleum, and natural gas are the major human activities that caused the high emissions of CO 2. Other large phylogenesis sources involve cement production, deforestation, and biomass burning. Human activities release over 30 billion tons of CO 2 annually, while volcanoes discharge totally between 0.2 and 0.3 billion tons of CO 2. Human activities have caused CO 2 to rise above levels not seen in hundreds of thousands of years. Currently, concerning about half of the carbon dioxide discharged from the burning of fossil fuels settles in the atmosphere and is not absorbed by plants and the seas.

Electricity is the major source of energy all around the globe. The common method of generating electricity that is widely used is the burning of fossil fuels.

Methane:

Methane (CH 4) is a transparent, scentless, and extremely ignitable gas made of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. It can be produced naturally and synthetically, and when combusted in the presence of oxygen, it creates carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Methane is the essential ingredient of petroleum gas and is utilized to create warmth and power throughout the planet. Methane is additionally utilized in substance responses to create other significant gases like hydrogen and carbon monoxide and carbon black.

Methane’s existence in the atmosphere is extremely lower than carbon dioxide (CO 2), but CH 4 is extra effective at trapping radiation than CO 2. The relative impact of CH 4 is 25 times higher than CO2 across 100 years.

Livestock is the primary cause of the emission of methane. The stomach of farm animals like buffalos, cows, and goats contain a special microbe that produces methane as a product of digestion. This is released when animals burp or in form of their manure. According to the inventory of U.S Greenhouse gas, the agriculture sector produces the highest amount of methane annually.

Methane is the central element of natural gas; it is leaked from natural gas during generation, distribution, manufacturing, and storage. Burning coal and landfills also emit methane. These are the reasons for the increasing concentration of methane in the atmosphere. Methane is accounted for 25% of global warming.

Nitrous Dioxide:

Whenever we talk about greenhouse gases and their effects, CO 2 comes to our minds in an instance, but what about other pollutants. The contribution of nitrous dioxide to the greenhouse effect is more than Carbon dioxide. The effect of nitrous dioxides on warming the planet is 300 times greater than Carbon dioxide.

Naturally, nitrous dioxide is present in the atmosphere as a part of the earth’s nitrogen cycle. The atmospheric lifetime of nitrous dioxide is almost 110 years. Currently, 100 million tonnes of nitrogen is sprayed on crops in form of fertilizers each year. This huge concentration of nitrogen releases nitrous dioxide into the atmosphere, a powerful greenhouse gas. Agriculture and livestock remain the major cause of high emissions of nitrous dioxide. Agriculture is accountable for 70% of nitrous dioxide emissions this decade. The microbes in the soil beneath vegetation are the major natural cause of nitrous dioxide emissions. This is accounted for 60% of natural emissions. These microbes break down nitrogen to release nitrous dioxide.

40% of global nitrous dioxide emission comes from human activities. The main sources of human emission are the treatment of wastewater, chemical industry, and the combustion of fossil fuels. Naturally, nitrous dioxide is destroyed in the upper atmosphere by solar radiation, but unfortunately, human emissions cause more nitrous dioxide to release than it is being destroyed. The ozone layer gets depleted when nitrous dioxide interacts with ozone gas in the atmosphere.

Nitrous dioxide can be released by many agriculture activities like spraying of synthetic fertilizers, burning of livestock remains, and the manure of animals. The largest source of nitrous dioxide emission is poor soil management. It is also being emitted by the combustion of fuel like fossil fuels. The amount being emitted depends on the technology used for burning the fuels, themselves. In industry, the production of chemicals or fertilizers like nitric acid results in the emission of nitrous dioxide. The chemical industry discharges almost 10.4% of nitrous dioxide. The treatment of wastewater releases nitrogen through the nitrification of nitrogen.

Chlorofluorocarbons:

Chlorofluorocarbon is widely known as an ozone depletion gas, but it is also a greenhouse gas. CFCs are gases containing fluorine, carbon, and chlorine. These are non-toxic and non-flammable chemical substances. They cause stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming by acting as a greenhouse gas.

The ozone layer protects humans from harmful UV rays. Most molecules of bromine and chlorine cause ozone layer depletion when they interact with ozone in the stratosphere. The major source of these molecules release in the atmosphere is CFCs which is the byproduct of human activities. The main sources of these anthropogenic compounds (CFCs) are refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosol sprays, and aircraft halons. The depletion of the ozone layer by CFCs can cause harmful UV rays to reach the earth which consequently can result in extreme health issues. For example, a high risk of skin cancer increases the production of ground-level ozone (smog), harms aquatic life, and damages the immune system.

On the other hand, CFCs also play their role in trapping the heat in the lower atmosphere. They are secondary greenhouse gases. They trap solar radiation from the sun and alter the climate in regions. They are accounted for the increased temperature of the earth. The increased temperature of the globe can result in sea level rise, desertification, high heat strokes, and habitat loss.

Causes Of Greenhouse Effect

1.Burning Of Fossil Fuels:

Energy resources like coal, oil, and gas are burnt to produce energy. This energy is utilized in electricity production and other processes. Unfortunately, we are mostly dependent on these non-renewable energy resources which are very harmful to the earth’s atmosphere and environment. As the population increases, the demand for electricity and energy increases. This makes us combust more fossil fuels, and when they are burned they release greenhouse gases like CO 2, CH 4, and NO 2 s. These gases trap solar radiation and increase the global temperature.

2.Deforestation:

About 30% of the land is covered with trees. Trees play a significant role in decreasing the greenhouse effect by intaking carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen for human respiration. Trees work as carbon reservoirs but as they are cut down the stored carbon in them releases into the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide then contributes to the greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the earth’s atmosphere and increasing global warming.

3.Farming:

The fertilizers used widely for making crops more efficient have become a problem for the climate. The nitrogen used in fertilizers is converted to nitrous dioxide by microbial processes in soil. This gas is 300 times more powerful and efficient than carbon dioxide in trapping solar radiation. The amount of nitrous dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing due to human activities and the high usage of nitrogen fertilizers. Agriculture animals and livestock release methane as a product of their digestion.

4.Landfills:

Landfills are sites where trash and garbage are dumped and treated. The decomposition of these waste materials discharges methane a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Industries like the chemical industry also release methane and other greenhouse gases as a byproduct of chemicals manufacturing.

Harmful Effects Of Greenhouse Effect:

1.Global Warming:

It is the event of a subsequent rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere. The chief cause for this environmental issue is the elevated concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane discharged by the combustion of fossil fuels, emissions from vehicles, industries, and other human activities.

2.Depletion Of Ozone Layer:

The ozone layer shields the earth from deadly ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. It is present in the upper zones of the atmosphere. The depletion of the ozone layer subsequently results in allowing ultraviolet rays to reach the earth which can lead to drastic changes in climate patterns. The primary cause of this phenomenon is the high concentration of natural and anthropogenic greenhouse gases including chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, methane, etc.

3.Air Pollution:

Smog is formed when smoke and fog react together. It can be caused by natural reactions and anthropogenic activities. Smog is usually formed by the reactions between greenhouse gases and nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Wildfires, forest fires, and the reaction of these chemicals among themselves, and emissions from transportation and industries are the primary cause of the formation of smog.

4.Desertification:

Global warming is having a major effect on soil degradation and is a major cause of desertification on the globe. The greenhouse effect leads to global warming which makes land unproductive and barren by vanishing the biological life and disappearing the water bodies. The great green wall is a huge project to overcome desertification.

5.Loss Of Wildlife:

Marine life and ecosystem would be demolished. Oceans work as carbon reservoirs by absorbing carbon and alkaline the ocean, this can affect marine life in harmful ways. Marine life would be adversely affected if alkalinity keeps on growing. Polar regions would also affect adversely. The melting of polar caps can highly affect the lifestyle of penguins, polar bears, and other polar species.

Solutions Of Greenhouse Effect

1.Lower Carbon Footprint:

Carbon footprint is a measure of one’s carbon emissions or greenhouse gas emissions. So measuring and taking steps to reduce your or your’s community carbon footprint is significant towards mitigating the greenhouse effect thus, preventing climate change.

Online carbon calculators can give you estimates of your carbon emissions and then you take steps to reduce them by either investing in carbon markets or being environmentally friendly.

2.Reduce, Recycle, Reuse:

Another solution is to practice the reduce, reuse, and recycle strategy. The main goal of these solutions is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This strategy includes reusing or recycling things whenever possible and only buying the necessary things. This will lessen the burden on production areas so, this will result in less production hence, fewer emissions.

Moreover, to curb the greenhouse effect as a community, we must choose what stays in the market and what is affecting the environment adversely. We must only buy things that are not harmful to the environment.

3.Afforestation:

Afforestation is also another vital strategy to reduce the greenhouse effect. Plants and trees are carbon sinks which means they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere hence, reducing the greenhouse effect. Likewise, ecosystems like mangroves and wetlands known as blue carbon ecosystems also absorb carbon and hold it for decades.

These ecosystems must be conserved and maintained properly as they help to mitigate climate change.

4.Transportation:

Preference must be given to eco-friendly electric vehicles on gasoline conventional vehicles. We must prefer walking or using public transportation. Besides, you must try to run the maximum number of errands in a single trip and be mindful of traveling.

5.Geoengineering:

Geoengineering is a new terminology that suggests human interruptions in the earth’s climatic system hence, shaping the planet to curb climate change. In some studies, geoengineering is seen as a more effective and fruitful way of tackling climate change rather than changing human responses and behaviors.

Geoengineering modifications include carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere and many other ways. Learn about them here.

6.Renewable Energy Resources:

The burning of fossil fuels to provide energy produces the most amount of carbon dioxide and dangerous pollutants in the environment. Renewable energy resources must be developed to provide green energy without disturbing the environment.

Anthropogenic emissions and human interferences are controlling the entire natural system and this is the era where nature’s system is disturbed by humans. We can only work together and mitigate climate change and its devastating effects.

I am Ahmed Javid, editor, and writer at About The Globe. I write to educate people about climate change and other global issues that are eating are our societies and making us inhumane.

Originally published at https://abouttheglobe.net on July 8, 2021.