Green Options » fluorinated gases http://greenoptions.com/tag/fluorinated-gases Posts tagged 'fluorinated gases' Mon, 18 May 2009 17:49:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Prevention of Global Warming: Understanding The Main Causes http://sustainablog.org/2009/05/18/prevention-of-global-warming-understanding-the-main-causes/ http://sustainablog.org/2009/05/18/prevention-of-global-warming-understanding-the-main-causes/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 17:49:38 +0000 Jeff McIntire-Strasburg http://sustainablog.org/2009/05/18/prevention-of-global-warming-understanding-the-main-causes/ smokestacks emitting pollutants, including greenhouse gasesWith Congress deep in debate over legislation aimed at the prevention of global warming, and skeptics ramping up their rhetoric, it seemed like a good time to take a step back to some basics — more accurate information is critical here. Step one in figuring in out how we can help in the battle against climate change involves answering questions like “What are the major causes of global warming?”

What causes global warming?

Scientists have understood the greenhouse effect since the early 19th century; the first paper on the topic was published in 1896. Essentially, certain gases trap energy from the sun: according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report, greenhouse gases “act as a partial blanket for the longwave radiation coming from the surface. This blanketing is known as the natural greenhouse effect.”

What are greenhouse gases?

Several compounds contribute to the greenhouse effect, including

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