Global warming is the slow increase in the average

temperature of the earth’s atmosphere over the past

one to two centuries because an increased amount of
the energy (heat) striking the earth from the sun is
being trapped in the atmosphere and not radiated out
into space. It occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and
other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in
the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar
radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface.
Normally, this radiation would escape into space—but
these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries
in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet
to get hotter. That's what's known as the greenhouse
effect.
 Cause of global warming

Almost 100% of the observed temperature increase

over the last 50 years has been due to the increase in
the atmosphere of greenhouse gas concentrations.
Global warming causes by greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (see above) act
like a mirror and reflect back to the Earth a part of the
heat radiation, which would otherwise be lost to space.
The higher the concentration of green house gases like
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more heat energy
is being reflected back to the Earth. The emission of
carbon dioxide into the environment mainly from
burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, petrol, kerosene, etc.)
has been increased dramatically over the past 50 years.
The greenhouse effect
When sunlight reaches Earth's surface some is absorbed
and warms the earth and most of the rest is radiated back to
the atmosphere at a longer wavelength than the sun light.
Some of these longer wavelengths are absorbed by
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere before they are lost to
space. The absorption of this longwave radiant energy
warms the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases act like a
mirror and reflect back to the Earth some of the heat energy
which would otherwise be lost to space. The reflecting
back of heat energy by the atmosphere is called the
"greenhouse effect". Without our atmospheric greenhouse
the earth would be very cold. Global warming, however,
is the equivalent of a greenhouse with high efficiency
reflective glass installed the wrong way around.
 What are the most important greenhouse gases(GHGs)?

The most common and most talked about greenhouse gases

is CO2 or carbon dioxide. In fact, because it is so common,
scientists use it as the benchmark or measure of things that
warm the atmosphere. The most commonly discussed
GHGs are:
1. CO2 or carbon dioxide: is produced any time
something is burned. It is the most common GHG,
constituting by some measures almost 55% of total long-
term GHGs. It is used as a marker by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency, for example, because of
its ubiquity. Carbon dioxide is assigned a GWP or Global
Warming Potential of 1.
2. Methane or CH4: is produced in many combustion processes
and also by anaerobic decomposition,
3. Nitrous oxide: NO/N2O or simply NOx is a byproduct of
fertilizer production and use, other industrial processes and the
combustion of certain materials. Nitrous oxide lasts a very long time in
the atmosphere, but at the 100 year point of comparison to CO2, its GWP
is 265-298.
4. Fluorinated gases: were created as replacements for ozone
depleting refrigerants, but have proved to be both extremely long lasting
and extremely warming GHGs. They have no natural sources, but are
entirely man-made. At the 100 year point of comparison, their GWPs
range from 1,800 to 8,000 and some variants top 10,000.
5. Sulphur hexafluoride: or SF6 is used for specialized medical
procedures, but primarily in what are called dielectric materials,
especially dielectric liquids. These are used as insulators in high voltage
applications such as transformers and grid switching gear. SF6 will last
thousands of years in the upper atmosphere and has a GWP of 22,800.
 Effects of global warming
Each year, scientists learn more about the consequences of global
warming, and many agree that environmental, economic, and health
consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. Here’s just
a smattering of what we can look forward to:
(i) Global Temperature Increase:
It is estimated that the earth’s mean temperature will rise between 1.5
to 5.5°C by 2150 if input of greenhouse gases continues to rise at the
present rate.
(ii) Rise in Sea Level:
With the increase in global temperature sea water will expand. Heating
will melt the polar ice sheets and glaciers resulting in further rise in sea
level. Current models indicate that an increase in the average
atmospheric temperature of 3°C would raise the average global sea
level by 0.2-1.5 meters over the next 50-100 years will lead to coastal
flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in Florida, and in other
areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
(iii) Effects on Human Health: The global warming will lead to
changes in the rainfall pattern in many areas, thereby affecting the
distribution of vector-borne diseases. Higher temperature and
humidity will increase/aggravate respiratory and skin diseases.
(iv) Effects on Agriculture:
There are different views regarding the effect of global warming on
agriculture. It may show positive or negative effects on various
types of crops in different regions of the world. Tropical and
subtropical regions will be more affected since the average
temperature in these regions is already on the higher side. Even a
rise of 2°C may be quite harmful to crops. Soil moisture will
decrease and evapotranspiration will increase, which may
drastically affect wheat and maize production.
(v) Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine meadows
could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.
 3. Control Measure of Global Warming:

i.Plant More Trees and Stop Contributing to

Deforestation: This is by far the easiest measure to save
our planet from the hazards of global warming.

ii. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs:

Every household which uses incandescent bulbs
contributes to global warming on a large scale. On the
whole, these bulbs add 300 lbs of carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere every year. Replacing incandescent bulbs with
energy saving Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs)
can help in reducing carbon dioxide generation and help
you to save 60 per cent of energy.
iii. Reuse and Recycle Products:
Reusing and recycling various products which we use in our day to
day life can also help you in doing your bit to stop global warming.

iv. Unplug Appliances:

Unplugging appliances to save energy is yet another effective way to
address the problems of global warming.

v. Avoid Keeping Electrical Appliances on Standby:

Similarly, keeping electronic appliances on standby also contributes to
loss of energy and global warming, and therefore is best avoided.

vii. Promote the use of organic products:

Promoting the use of organic foods is also one of the effective ways to
prevent global warming. The tendency of organic soils to capture
carbon dioxide far exceeds that of the soil used in conventional
farming. Estimates suggest that we can get rid of 580 billion lbs of
carbon dioxide if we resort to organic farming for food production.
viii. Use Vehicles Efficiently:
One of the leading causes of pollution, vehicles dump a great
amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If we stop using
vehicle we can cut down of great amount of pollution. If you
can’t resist vehicle, you can opt to efficient driving tips, such as
turning the engine off at red lights and driving at moderate
speeds, and contribute in curbing global warming.

ix. Resort to Alternative Sources of Energy:

One of the most talked about global warming solution is to
switch to alternative energy sources such as solar power and
wind power.

x. Become a Responsible Citizen:

This is the most important among the various measures to curb
global warming.