|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

Environmental Causes of Global Warming

The global warming phenomenon is about climate change and is most commonly noted in the rising average temperatures around the globe. Learning about the causes of global warming requires analysis of how natural and man-made factors contribute to the environmental problem. Greenhouse gas emissions are the primary cause of global warming, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Greenhouse gases are gases that become trapped in the Earth's atmosphere, cause temperatures to heat.

  1. Fossil Fuels

    • Burning fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, emits carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Power plants, factories and our transportation vehicles are among the top users of fossil fuels that cause greenhouse gases to result from the carbon dioxide. Alternative transportation vehicles, such as electric cars or cars that run on sugarcane ethanol, can help reduce the carbon dioxide.

    Natural Gas

    • Methane is a greenhouse gas that causes global warming and is the primary element of natural gas, according to the EPA. Since about 1990, natural gas systems have been the major source of methane emissions in the United States. Natural gas systems are described by the EPA as the processes of producing, processing, storing, transmitting and distributing natural gas.

    Livestock

    • Livestock is an environmental cause of global warming. Manure management activities, such as the cultivating and depositing of manure, cause significant amounts of methane to be released, according to the EPA. Cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo and camels produce methane as part of their normal digestive process. Methane becomes a by-product of the livestock's digestion and is eliminated through manure and urine, as well as exhaled by the animal in a process known as enteric fermentation. The larger the animal, the more methane is produced during enteric fermentation.

    Synthetic and Organic Fertilizers

    • Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are used around many farms for crop production. Such fertilizers have the ability to grow bigger and better produce. However, the side effect of nitrogen-based fertilizers is that they emit nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for causing global warming. Nitrogen seeps into the soil and leaches into water systems. Organic fertilizers are also responsible for adding more nitrogen, which is then converted to nitrous oxide.

    Deforestation

    • Deforestation, or the act of cutting down rain forests, is causing global warming. The activities and processes of deforestation cause significant amounts of carbon dioxide to be emitted from the trees, as well as the equipment that is used. According to a 2007 article in "The Independent," one day of deforestation is equivalent to the carbon footprint of eight million people flying from London to New York. In addition, since living trees absorb carbon dioxide, the drastic reduction of the forests means that there are fewer trees to help with this absorption, which, in turn, means that more carbon dioxide is left in the Earth's atmosphere.

    Landfills

    • Landfills are where trash goes and accumulates, and they are responsible for emitting methane. According to the EPA, landfills served as the third highest emitter of methane in the United States in 2008. When waste decomposes in anaerobic conditions -- meaning without oxygen -- methane is generated as a result. Garbage that decomposes at a faster rate has less of an impact on global warming because it does not produce as much methane, which explains the push for consumers to purchase biodegradable products that decompose faster.

Environmental Health - Related Articles