Almanac of Policy Issues Home Policy Archive Search Sponsored Listings Free Trial Issue - E/The Environmental Magazine : A 10-time Independent Press Awards winner and nominee, E is chock full of everything environmental from recycling to rainforests, and from the global village to our own backyards. Free Trial Issue Questia : Search over 400,000 books and journals at Questia online. FastWeb Free Scholarship Search : Find free money for college or an advanced degree. var site="sm3pwl1776" Adapted from Environmental Protection Agency documents August 14, 2002 Climate Change Our Changing Atmosphere Sulfate aerosols, a common air pollutant, cool the atmosphere by reflecting light back into space; however, sulfates are short-lived in the atmosphere and vary regionally. Why are greenhouse gas concentrations increasing? Scientists generally believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reason for the increased concentration of carbon dioxide. Plant respiration and the decomposition of organic matter release more than 10 times the CO2 released by human activities; but these releases have generally been in balance during the centuries leading up to the industrial revolution with carbon dioxide absorbed by terrestrial vegetation and the oceans. What has changed in the last few hundred years is the additional release of carbon dioxide by human activities. Fossil fuels burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, and power factories are responsible for about 98% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methane emissions, and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. Increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production, and mining also contribute a significant share of emissions. In 1997, the United States emitted about one-fifth of total global greenhouse gases. | |
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