Greenhouse Gas Pollution in the United States Whether we like it or not greenhouse gas pollution is inevitably increasing in the United States; negatively affecting all of our daily lives. How many American citizens drive a car? Roughly 34 percent of the nation’s households own at least one car, and every-time a person drives it releases about 24 pounds of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. That is just one example of greenhouse gas pollution, and there are an innumerable amount of other different ways these dangerous gases are emitted. The United States, a well developed highly populated country, is currently in the world’s top ten greenhouse gas polluting countries. While Americans are only making up 4 percent of the world’s population
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Also transporting fossil fuels is relatively easy, with pipes, planes, and automobiles we can get these fuels wherever and whenever they are needed. In addition, yes these fuels are cheap, reliable, and easy to acquire, but they are constantly polluting our environment. The United States is the world’s second highest greenhouse gas emitting country behind China; population and size of economy can account for this problem. More in depth, Carbon Dioxide accounts for 82 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; it enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (McCarthy “Greenhouse Gas Emissions”). Most commonly, it is emitted by Americans driving cars. Even though driving cars and burning fossil fuels does pollute the environment, no renewable energy source comes close to generating the same amount of energy that fossil fuels do. Nevertheless, the burning and usage of these non-renewable fossil fuels can have long term devastating effects if not payed attention too. For example, with increasing levels of greenhouse gases being added daily, the greenhouse effect is now enhanced to the point where too much heat is being kept in the Earth 's atmosphere. The heat trapped by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has increased surface temperatures by 0.75°C (1.4°F) over the last 100 years. Which ultimately leads to global warming that is harming the environment in several ways including: Desertification, Increased melting of snow, Sea level rising, Stronger storms and extreme events (“What are the Effects of Increased Greenhouse gas levels”). If the American people do not take action now the facts will speak for themselves, and the heating of the Earth will happen inevitably. Whether global warming is a man-made phenomenon or a natural cycle of temperature, fluctuation may be
Also transporting fossil fuels is relatively easy, with pipes, planes, and automobiles we can get these fuels wherever and whenever they are needed. In addition, yes these fuels are cheap, reliable, and easy to acquire, but they are constantly polluting our environment. The United States is the world’s second highest greenhouse gas emitting country behind China; population and size of economy can account for this problem. More in depth, Carbon Dioxide accounts for 82 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; it enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (McCarthy “Greenhouse Gas Emissions”). Most commonly, it is emitted by Americans driving cars. Even though driving cars and burning fossil fuels does pollute the environment, no renewable energy source comes close to generating the same amount of energy that fossil fuels do. Nevertheless, the burning and usage of these non-renewable fossil fuels can have long term devastating effects if not payed attention too. For example, with increasing levels of greenhouse gases being added daily, the greenhouse effect is now enhanced to the point where too much heat is being kept in the Earth 's atmosphere. The heat trapped by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has increased surface temperatures by 0.75°C (1.4°F) over the last 100 years. Which ultimately leads to global warming that is harming the environment in several ways including: Desertification, Increased melting of snow, Sea level rising, Stronger storms and extreme events (“What are the Effects of Increased Greenhouse gas levels”). If the American people do not take action now the facts will speak for themselves, and the heating of the Earth will happen inevitably. Whether global warming is a man-made phenomenon or a natural cycle of temperature, fluctuation may be