Greenhouse Emissions Caused By Transportation - 839 Words

Elliott Nickell Prof. Matthew Schmeer English 121 8/28/13 Greenhouse Emissions Caused by Transportation Global Warming is defined as an increase in the earth’s normal atmospheric temperature due to the greenhouse effect (Dictionary.com). The warming of earth’s atmosphere occurs when â€Å"CO2 absorbs infrared radiation and then re-radiates it back toward the surface of the planet† (Mahlman). Reducing unnecessary travel and shipping will reduce CO2 emissions. The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased dramatically in the last century. Globally, the average temperature, along with the sea level, is rising â€Å"although human-produced airborne sulfate particles can cause cooling that offsets some of the warming† (Mahlman).†¦show more content†¦Fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal are finite sources of energy, meaning we will eventually run out. In the 1950’s and 60’s, scientists such as geologist M. King Hubbert proposed that the world would face an â€Å"economically da maging scarcity of fossil fuels, particularly oil† (Rissman). Modern technology has allowed us to explore for, find, and extract more fossil fuels than previously thought existed. There has been an increase of 2.6 times the amount of oil that was extractable because of these new technologies. Now it is not the amount of available oil that is holding us back, it is the effect on the world around us in conscience to using such energy sources. Jeffrey Rissman, a technician and â€Å"energy innovator† from livescience.com, predicts that â€Å"even if no more fossil fuels were to be discovered or deemed extractable, our nations already possess far more reserves and recoverable resources worldwide then we can burn without destroying the climate† (Rissman). One of the new technologies that is making more oil available to us is called fracking. Fracking is â€Å"a water-intensive process where millions of gallons of fluid – typically water, sand, and chemicals, including ones known to cause cancer – are injected underground at high pressure to fracture the rock surrounding an oil or gas well† (Fracking). This process has made it possible to reach some of the natural resources that would have been impossible to extract before. But atShow MoreRelatedThe Impact of Electric Vehicles on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Essay1627 Words   |  7 PagesThe rising levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG) caused by the increased use of fossil fuels for energy services—notably transportation, heating, and the generation of electricity—is known to be one of the foremost drivers of climate change. The United States is responsible for one-fourth of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, representing only 5% of the world population and it becomes the world’s single largest emitter of atmospheric greenhouse gasses (EPA, 2011) . 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