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Causes
The Greenhouse Effect
How does the Earth naturally trap heat? Infrared radiation from the sun bounces off the Earth's surface and is absorbed by the atmosphere's greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are imperative to our survival; however, too much greenhouse gas results in excessive heat being captured.
Climate Central
The Industrial Revolution
During the Industrial Revolution in the 1800's, inventions such as the steam engine and the transition from manual labor to coal energy produced more carbon emissions. Further innovation in the 1900's contributed to additional reliance on coal, oil, and natural gas. Today, carbon dioxide makes up the majority of the excess greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
Environmental Protection Agency
Man-Made Emissions
Since the Industrial Revolution, you can see a clear increase in human carbon dioxide emissions and atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Human technology has increased the level of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere at an alarming rate.
Carbon dioxide is measured in parts per million or milligrams per liter. Here is the atmosphere's content of carbon dioxide over the past 800,000 years. In 2019, the average content of carbon dioxide in the air was 409.8 ppm- nearly double the average over this time period.
US Emissions by Economic Sector
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The majority of emissions come from our cars, buses, planes, and ships.
Environmental Protection Agency