The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the increase in Earth’s temperature caused by the growing amount of certain gasses in the atmosphere – nitrous oxide, methane and, most importantly, carbon dioxide.

These “greenhouse gases” have the same effect on Earth as the glass walls of a greenhouse. They let sunlight in, but keep heat from escaping. The greenhouse effect is important. Without it we couldn’t live on Earth – it would be too cold.

But now we have too much of a good thing. By burning coal, oil and natural gas we’ve significantly increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere so that Earth is now heating up. This process is often called “global warming.”

Learn more about the greenhouse effect and global warming.