Global warming is primarily a problem of too much greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They act as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet. Greenhouse gases are produced by several human activities. The sectors that contribute significantly to these emissions are energy supply, including the internet, industry, forestry, agriculture and transport.
Fossil fuels
CO2 is captured by organisms, like plants, using sunlight. Remains of these organims can transform into fossil fuels over a long period of time. They contain high percentages of carbon, including petroleum, coal and natural gas. Burning them to generate warmth and energy produces CO2. They are not renewable sources of energy since we use them quicker than they can be formed.
Agricultural practices
Earth’s population is growing rapidly. In our growing need for food, agricultural practices aggravate the problem of global warming. The effects arise from manufacture and use of pesticides and fertilizers, fuel and oil for tractors, equipment, transportation, electricity for lighting, cooling, and heating, and emissions of CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases. This is of course due to our western eating habits.
Cutting down and burning forests
(Rain)forests are destroyed (deforestation) to create pastures and plantations for agricultural purpose or to build houses. This leads to a net loss of areas that can capture CO2. Furthermore, animals lose their natural habitat and biodiversity suffers.
Waste management
The disposal and treatment of waste can produce emissions of several greenhouse gases. Waste prevention and recycling help address global climate change by decreasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy.
So all these facts contribute to global warming. Let’s do something about it!