Carbon Footprint
| Article Index |
|---|
| Carbon Footprint |
| What is Global Warming? |
| What Happens When Temps Rise? |
| What are the Economics? |
| What should I do to help? |
| All Pages |
*Information used with permission from The Alliance for Climate Protection
Earth is naturally insulated by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere. When the sun shines on the Earth, some of that heat is absorbed, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.
The problem is that, over the last century, we humans have been releasing more and more carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere when we burn fuels and cut down forests. These additional gases have upset the natural balance of our atmosphere, trapping more heat than is healthy for the Earth.
The result is human-caused global warming, which brings serious threats, from increased flooding to the spread of disease and the disruption of agriculture in many parts of the world.
Scientists tell us that stopping global warming is urgent — we have just a few years to turn around the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst effects. The good news is that we can achieve these emissions reductions with effective national policies and international treaties. We must insist that businesses and governments join individuals around the world to greatly increase energy efficiency, widely adopt renewable energy, and commit to stopping chuman-caused limate change. Success is possible, but we need your help.
