Global warming, the increase in our earth's surface temperature, is often confused with the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is what makes our planet suitable for life as we know it. It is a natural process that causes gases in the atmosphere to trap energy from the sun. This causes a rise in our atmospheres temperature. The greenhouse effect term comes from the fact that the gases trap heat like the glass walls of a greenhouse. Some greenhouse gases are natural, while others are a result of human activities. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. "Of these gases, the single most important gas is carbon dioxide, which accounts for about 55% of the change in the intensity of the earth's greenhouse effect. The contribution of the other gases are 25% for chlorofluorcarbons, 15% for methane, and 5% for nitrous oxide."(LL)Global warming is said to be the result of human interaction increasing the levels of these already abundant gases.
             Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the level of all the major greenhouse gases has increased. " Before the Industrial Revolution, human activity released very few gases into the atmosphere, but now through population growth, fossil fuel burning, and deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the atmosphere."(EPA) When solid waste, fossil fuels, wood, and wood products are burned carbon dioxide is released in the atmosphere. During the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil, methane is emitted. When organic waste in solid waste landfills decomposes, methane is also given off. Even raising livestock produces methane emissions. A source of nitrous oxide emissions is agricultural and industrial activities as well as the combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases that do not occur naturally are hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs), perfluorocarbons(PFCs), and sulfur hexafl...