What is a greenhouse gas?
Q: What is a greenhouse gas?
A: A greenhouse gas is a type of gas that reflects radiation from the Earth and prevents it from being lost into space, which makes the Earth hotter than it would be without these gases.
Q: What are some examples of natural greenhouse gases?
A: Water vapor is the most common natural greenhouse gas, and other examples include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbon and ozone.
Q: Why are greenhouse gases important for life on Earth?
A: Without greenhouse gases, life as we know it would not be possible because heat is essential for life.
Q: How do humans contribute to an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases?
A: Humans add more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas. Carbon dioxide emissions come mostly from transportation, energy production and industry. Additionally, human activity adds water vapor to the atmosphere through increased evaporation by cooling towers or artificial lakes.
Q: What else contributes to global warming besides burning fossil fuels?
A: Cutting down trees reduces the planet's absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while raising cattle and other farm animals also adds methane to the atmosphere.
Q: How much of all human-caused emissions come from livestock?
A: According to The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emissions associated with livestock account for 14.5% of all human-caused greenhouses releases per year - this is more than 13% that comes from global transport each year.
