Greenhouse Gas Emission Facts

Sources

• Greenhouse gases come from the reduction of the world's great forests as well as the production of fuel exhaust. Forest trees and plants remove large quantities of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Transportation relying on internal combustion accounted for 27 percent of all greenhouse gases emissions in 2008, serving as the leading source of carbon dioxide production.

Dangers

• As greenhouse gas production increases, average temperatures on Earth will continue to rise. The University of Notre Dame warns that the changes in temperature may lead to catastrophic weather events affecting agriculture, fishing, forestry and health on a global scale.

Remedies

• Advances in transportation technologies aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while industries can contribute to environmental causes by reducing their "carbon footprint" or buying carbon units that go toward greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Individuals can adopt more efficient uses of electricity, gas and oil, at home and on the road, to contribute to the reduction effort.