The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Increases in the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere enhance the greenhouse effect. With emissions being produced daily, a large imbalance is being created which is enhancing the greenhouse effect and making it stronger. As there are naturally occurring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that help keep the Earth warm, additional amounts of these gases leads to more heat being trapped on the planet. This extra heat is causing global warming as well as affecting the Earth's weather patterns. The greenhouse effect is a central component to keeping our Earth warm. This process maintains the temperature of the Earth such that the planet is warm enough to develop and sustain life. The greenhouse effect is being enhanced by human activities that are adding greenhouse gases to the Earth's atmosphere. Today greenhouse gas levels are the highest they have been in the past 3 million years and have been increasing since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. As there are already greenhouse gas emissions from natural sources, additional amounts leads to more heat being trapped on the planet. This extra heat creates an impact by distorting weather patterns and causing climate change. Today, the greenhouse effect continues to be enhanced by the addition of man-made greenhouse gas emissions to the Earth's atmosphere. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the components of the greenhouse effect were in balance, particularly the gases that circulated in the atmosphere. Once it got under way, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gas levels have been increasing because of human’s activities.