Greenhouse gases absorb solar energy and trap it in the atmosphere, just as glass panes trap heat in a greenhouse (reference 1). Although many greenhouse gases are naturally occurring, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels contribute to the greenhouse effect. The most abundant greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases (reference 2). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, synthetic fluorinated gases, which result from industrial practices like semiconductor manufacturing and energy production, have the highest Global Warming Potential (GWP) due to their potential contribution to human-induced climate change (reference 3).
Increasing emissions of greenhouse gases are related to human activities. Atmospheric carbon dioxide, the greatest contributor to global warming, has increased by over 30 percent since preindustrial times as a result of human activity (reference 1). During the same period, global surface temperatures have increased by 0.74 degree C, and seven of the eight warmest years on record have occurred since 2001 (reference 1).
Impacts of increased greenhouse gas emissions aren't limited to warmer temperatures. According to EPA, rising greenhouse gases may affect our health, increase the frequency and severity of storms and drought, threaten our agricultural systems and food supply, raise sea levels and threaten coastal populations, shrink land and sea ice stores, and put strains on our energy industry due to increasing demands for cold food storage and air conditioning as the world gets hotter (resource 1).
An Apr.17, 2009 article in The Scientific American (resource 3) reported an EPA proposal implicating six greenhouse gases in endangering public health. Classifying these greenhouse gases as "pollutants," EPA's proposal would pave the way for emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
Most everyone is familiar with the usual tips for lowering personal greenhouse gas emissions: Change light bulbs, get a home energy audit, drive a fuel-efficient car. But what about larger-scale solutions? A Sept. 8, 2008 article in USA Today ("Energy Innovators: 4 Creative Solutions to Energy Problems) outlined creative solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wind energy is often touted as a form of clean "green" energy, but what happens when the wind dies? Batteries that store wind energy can be too costly, so energy storage specialist Michael Nakhamkin came up with an ingenious solution: compressed air technology. This underground storage system can be teamed with wind turbines to generate energy even when the wind is calm, because when the wind blows, the turbines compress air in underground storage systems. The air can then be released during peak hours to generate power.