Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect Are Essay

Global warming and the greenhouse effect are realities of contemporary living. These phenomena are the result of humankind's lack of stewardship of the environment which put a tremendous strain on nature and every living species thereto. The greenhouse effect is one of the culprits causing global warming and although it is a "natural occurrence that helps regulate the temperature of our planet (EPA 2010)," there are negative effects occurring of late. When the sun hits the earth's surface, "some of this heat escapes back to space. The rest of the heat, also known as infrared radiation, is trapped in the atmosphere by clouds and greenhouse gases (EPA 2010);" this is why it is called the greenhouse effect. But when the few trace greenhouse gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, hydrogen, nitrous oxide and ozone (Global Greenhouse Warming 2009) increase in concentration in the atmosphere, less heat energy escapes back to space.

The higher the concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more heat energy is being reflected back to the Earth (Time for Change 2008) thereby increasing the surface temperature thereof.Undoubtedly the temperature of the globe has fluctuated since the very beginnings of our planet. The real problem is not just the fact that it is warming, but the rate at which it is warming. (Global Greenhouse Warming 2009) Carbon dioxide has been identified as one of the greenhouse gases whose concentration has risen in the last several decades or even in the last century. Several studies have proven that this harmful gas has raised exponentially due to the increased dependence by humans on coal- and fossil-based fuels that powers machinery, vehicles and other equipments dependent on these types of fuel to run.

Climate change ensued due to the greenhouse effect and global warming. This means that there have been several changes in climatic and weather patterns on a global basis. For instance, places where there used to be regular….....