Did you know we live in a GREENHOUSE?EARTH IN A GREENHOUSE? Of course we are not surrounded by glass. We are surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere which has kept the temperature on Earth just right for centuries. Just as the glass in a greenhouse holds the sun's warmth inside, so the atmosphere traps the sun's heat near the Earth's surface and keeps the Earth warm. We call this the natural greenhouse effect because it makes the Earth a perfect planet for growing and living things. If it were not for the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth would be like the moon, too cold to support
life. The natural greenhouse effect works because tiny quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
trap the sun's heat, warming land, air and water. Without these greenhouse gases, the sun's heat would
escape into space. Water vapour is the most common of these greenhouse gases, but others are very important too! Did You Know? Fact:
The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming For hundreds of years the Earth's atmosphere has changed very little. It has kept the right temperature for plants and animals, including humans, to survive quite comfortably. Our modern lifestyle and the growth in global population are causing a huge increase in the world's use of energy. Much of the energy we use to power our cars, heat our houses, produce electricity and manufacture products comes from fossil fuels. When burned, these fossil fuels add large amounts of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. If we keep going the way we are today, humans will be responsible for doubling the amount of carbon dioxide in the air before the year 2050. Many scientists now believe that the addition of greenhouse gases from human or manmade sources is
throwing our atmosphere and the natural greenhouse effect out of balance. It would appear that the
atmosphere is trapping too much heat and causing the Earth to heat up. This is known as GLOBAL
WARMING. Did You Know?
They release energy when they are burned. They also release large quantities of greenhouse gases. Did You Know? What's Wrong With Global Warming? The fact of the matter is that global warming could easily mean changes to our daily lives. If the global
warming trend continues, we may experience shorter, warmer winters, and longer hotter summers. But it is
not as simple as that...
Is The Earth Getting Warmer? Fact: You Want to Help? If burning fossil fuels adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, we should find ways to use these
fuels more efficiently. If cutting down forests and trees aids global warming, we should be sure to plant a new tree for every one that is cut down or burned. Decide how you can help. It may be as simple as sharing the information you learned in this paper with your neighbours and friends it's a start!! Many people don't understand the greenhouse effect and global warming. You can help them learn. If you can't decide where to begin, here's TWO SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP STOP
GLOBAL WARMING... 1. Turn off unnecessary lights. 2. Walk, ride your bike or take the bus more often. Word Match A. Deforestation Name the most important natural and manmade greenhouse gas. Name a greenhouse gas that comes from rotting garbage. What word means "clearing trees and forests"? Name two fossil fuels. What types of transportation do not use fossil fuels? What might happen if our world gets warmer? What do we call the blanket of air that surrounds the Earth? When there are too many greenhouse gases and the Earth starts to heat up, scientists call that trend ... Design a Bumper Sticker Environmental Citizenship This fact sheet is one of a series of Environmental Citizenship "Snapshots" on atmospheric change.
The objective of the series is to provide bias-balanced information and practical suggestions for taking
action. To find out more about the greenhouse effect and global warming, write to: Environment Canada Toll Free: 1-800-668-6767 To find out more about how you can save energy, write to: Energy, Mines and Resources Canada Cette publication est aussi disponible en français.
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