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Common Greenhouse Gases

There are many different gases on planet Earth, but only those that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases keep the planet warm and shield it from the freezing temperature of the universe. However, increasing amounts of greenhouse gases have also contributed to global warming, which is the consistently rising temperature of the planet. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally, but a large amount also come from human activity and industry.

  1. Greenhouse Gases

    • One of the most common greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is colorless and is a result of the combustion of organic materials. Another is methane, which occurs when organic material decomposes. Other common greenhouse gases are water vapor, nitrous oxide and ozone. These are all elements that are necessary for survival on Earth, but cause continued warming of the planet if not maintained at an appropriate level. Greenhouse gases that don't occur naturally are fluorinated gases created from human industrial processes.

    Causes

    • One of the major causes of greenhouse gases is from human behavior, such as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. This releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. Methane is also often a byproduct of human activity, such as when it is extracted from coal and released from bacteria in rice paddies. Methane is also released from the digestive gases of livestock and from decomposing garbage in landfills. Meanwhile, nitrous oxide and extremely potent fluorinated gases are released during agricultural and industrial processes.

    Cutting Back

    • There are many ways that humans can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. This includes cutting back on energy use, which requires the burning of fossil fuels to generate. Conserving water also helps reduce greenhouse gases by requiring less energy to pump water through treatment plants. Simply not burning garbage and opting to compost instead helps reduce the amount of CO2 that is released.

    Fun Fact

    • More than 100 industrialized countries have signed an agreement called the Kyoto Protocol under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, as of March 2011, the United States, which is responsible for a large percentage of the world's greenhouse gases, has not signed the treaty.

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