Greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming and consequent climate change. However, you know What are greenhouse gases and where do they come from? Do you know if all greenhouse gases are equally dangerous as others? And, most importantly, do you know what you can do in your daily life to reduce your greenhouse gases emission to the atmosphere? Continue reading Ecology Verde to learn much more about greenhouse gases or GHG.
What is the greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect It is the effect that occurs when heat from Solar radiation that reaches the surface of a planet cannot return to space. The heat that comes from the sun is produced by infrared light. When this light reaches the surface of a planet (such as the Earth), it heats its surface. Under normal conditions, this heat later returns to space, which allows the temperature of the planet in question to remain stable.
However, when a planet has atmosphere, there are certain gases, the so -called Greenhouse gasesthat act as a shield for that heat to return to space. That is, the infrared radiation that has heated the surface of the planet bounces and is directed towards space but, on its way, it meets certain gases in the air that catch it and prevent it from reaching space. Consequently, the temperature of the planet in question will increase constantly, since these gases when present in a high amount in the atmosphere of a planet end up constituting a real shield that prevents heat can return to space.
The same is what happens in a greenhouse, when a crop is covered with a plastic or a crystal, this element prevents solar radiation can bounce and escape this stay. Consequently, the temperature increases, which allows some plants to be cultivated that need a higher temperature and that, in reality, in certain stations would not be given naturally. Due to the similarity of the process that exists between the effect of heat that occurs in greenhouses and the process in which the heat of the sun is caught in the atmosphere of the planets, this process is called “greenhouse effect”.
Discover much more about the greenhouse effect: causes, consequences and solutions in this other ecology article. We also recommend learning the difference between natural and artificial greenhouse effect.
Relationship between the greenhouse effect and global warming
Although both are related to each other, it is important to understand that they are different things. The greenhouse effect is the effect we just defined. In addition, Global warming is the consequence of this greenhouse effect. That is, because the greenhouse effect ends up accumulating in the atmosphere of a planet the heat of the sun, there is an increase in its global temperature, which is what is understood as “global warming” as such.
The greenhouse effect and global warming They are processes that occur on many planets depending on its atmosphere. However, in the case of the Earth, the problem is that this greenhouse effect and its consequent global warming come from human activities that produce greenhouse gases. Likewise, the big problem of global warming is that, as the temperature increases, the ecosystem deteriorates and unbalanced, which has consequences for both the environment and for life on earth, which includes the human species itself. In fact, global warming will lead to catastrophes for human civilization such as the increase in sea level (with the consequent destruction of coastal cities and territories), periods of droughts and flood related to economics and human activities.
As you can see, it is a completely apocalyptic and catastrophic scenario. However, unfortunately, they are the consequences that global warming You will have when climate change becomes extreme. Because of this, it is essential to attack its main cause: greenhouse gases spilled to the atmosphere by human activities.
What are and where the greenhouse gases come from
Greenhouse gases are varied and, although not all of them have their origin in human activity, which are greaterly influencing the greenhouse effect from the industrial revolution today are of anthropogenic origin. Therefore, it is essential to replace those human activities and processes that produce them by others that are free of emissions of these gases.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
It is treated by the greenhouse gas that has increased the most in recent centuries in the atmosphere. Its origin is in the breath of animals, including human beings. However, the big problem of carbon dioxide comes from combustion, since when fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.) are burned huge amounts of this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. The main way to avoid this is to replace these sources of energy with renewable energies that do not entail CO2 emissions or carbon dioxide, such as solar energy (thermal and photovoltaic energy), wind energy, hydraulic energy, mareomotriz, geothermal, etc.
Methane (CH4)
Methane is another of the gases that contribute to producing the greenhouse effect. This gas is produced naturally by the rot generated by anaerobic bacteria. In fact, animals of animals are an important source of this gas, which also forms most of the natural gas that is used as fossil fuel. The main methane emissions of anthropogenic origin come from the livestock industry, since, when there are billions of animals destined for meat consumption, these animals produce excrement that, in addition to being a problem for aquifers, also produce high amounts of CH4 or methane that is released to the atmosphere without control.
Nitrogen oxides (NOX)
Nitrogen oxides are a set of different types of gases that result from the combination of nitrogen and oxygen as a result of combustion. Its main origin is found in fossil energy and its derivatives, such as gasoline and diesel.
Chlorofluorocarbones (CFC)
These types of gases result from the combination of different types of molecules formed by hydrogen, fluorine and chlorine. They have been widely used in products that were packed in aerosols (insecticides, hair lacquers, synthetic paintings, etc.). In addition to being greenhouse gases, they also have considerable damage to the ozone layer, which is why they are increasingly disused, since they can be easily replaced by other gases that allow the use of aerosols with similar but not harmful uses for the environment.
Ozone (O3)
Although you can get attention, ozone is also a greenhouse gas. Ozone is widely known to the ozone layer, which protects us from excess solar radiation and is a fundamental element of our atmosphere to guarantee the survival of life on earth. In the case of ozone, it can occur artificially by the human being, and its use is almost exclusively limited to the disinfection of water. Despite being a greenhouse gas, its presence due to anthropogenic causes is so low that it cannot be compared with other gases that are really dangerous for global warming such as methane and CO2.
Water vapor (H2O)
Finally, another greenhouse gases that is present in our atmosphere is water vapor. Naturally, some human activities emit water vapor. However, the presence of this gas in the Earth’s atmosphere is mainly due to the natural process of its evaporation. This gas, fundamental for the existence of clouds and rain, is present in the earthly atmosphere naturally and does not imply a real problem when it comes to the damages derived from the greenhouse effect on our planet.
What to do to reduce greenhouse gases
As can be seen, although greenhouse gases can be many, truly harmful and that are causing the greenhouse effect and the consequent climate change due to planet heating are due to those that derive from certain human activities. In this sense, the burning of fossil fuels represents the main cause of the presence of these harmful gases for the environment. Likewise, livestock represents another of the sectors that emits the most greenhouse gases to the atmosphere in the form of methane.
The solution to avoid global warming goes through Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere and the presence of those already present. For this, it is necessary to opt for clean energies, reduce meat consumption, plant more trees and avoid deforestation and, as far as possible, reduce all kinds of human activity that entails the emission of this type of gases. This includes reducing the consumption of “using and throwing” products, opting for public transport, consuming kilometer 0 products or produced from the region itself, as well as encouraging that the lives of products of all kinds must be extended, that is, extending their life as much as possible, among many other aspects.
Know here more ideas about how to reduce greenhouse gases.
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