If greenhouse gases were nonexistent, the Earth’s atmosphere would be 33 degrees Celsius colder than it is currently. Throughout the past century, the entire Earth has increased in temperature by nearly .5 degrees Celsius. (Hopwood and Cohen) One contributor to this problem is vehicle fuel emissions. These emissions are seriously affecting the health of humans. As a result, scientists are working on alternate fuel vehicles and zero-emission vehicles.
There are many pollutants that are emitted from a regular vehicle today. According to one website, these pollutants include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, ozone, and oxides of sulfur. One may not know that lead was previously in U.S. gasoline but recently was removed. All pollutants are harmful to the human body in some way. Carbon monoxide (CO), at low levels, can cause cardiovascular disease and at high levels can damage the central nervous system. At extremely high levels it is poisonous and can cause death. On-road vehicles currently emit about 56% of CO. (“Alternative”)
A University of Michigan website states that 22% of all Carbon dioxide (CO2) comes from the emissions of cars. It also states that CO2 is the most prominent greenhouse gas making up 76% of all greenhouse gases. (Hopwood and Cohen) CO2 is known to cause anything from headaches and dizziness to comas, elevated blood pressure, and asphyxia to convultions. The normal outdoor air contains about 250-350 ppm of CO2. Any of the side effects listed above can happen between 1,000 and 5,000 ppm. (“Chemical”)
Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) cause damages to respiratory airways. The diversity, mobility, and reactivity of NO¬x allow this pollutant to effect many environmental...
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...Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center: Pollutants and Health." EERE: Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center Program Home Page. 7 Oct. 2009. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. .
"Chemical Fact Sheets -- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)." Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 24 Oct. 2008. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. .
"The Greenhouse Effect." Test Page for Apache Installation. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .
Hopwood, Nick, and Jordan Cohen. "Greenhouse Gases." University of Michigan. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .
"What Is a Zero-Emission Vehicle?" WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. .
Driving emits particle pollution, which increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and asthma. Particle pollution is processed in two ways, either mechanical or chemical.
In order to first convince a wide majority of people that something needs to be done to stop the destruction of our environment, people first need to know exactly what is harmful about gasoline vehicles. In the United States, approximately 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are emitted per person every year. Most of the greenhouse gas emi...
Stephania A. Cornier, S. L. (2006). Origin and Helth Impacts of Emissons of Toxic By-Produts and Fine Particles from Combustion and Thermal Treatment of Hazardous Wastes. Environmental Health Perspectives, 810-817.
This paper can help you with that.... ... middle of paper ... ... Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 05:49, July 31, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenhouse_gas&oldid=228960982.
2. Fellows, Hall, Killeen, Ledley, Schwartz, Sundquist. ?Climate Change and Greenhouse Gasses? Vol. 80, No. 39. 28 September 1999 p. 453- 475 http://www.agu.org/eos_elec?99148e.html
Many negative impacts have resulted from global warming, but many positive changes have been made by humanity. There have been many ideas on what humans can do to improve on the green house gases and CO2 emissions we create and where it can lead us to. For example, reducing CO2 emissions have been giving many thoughts of what could cause the upraising of green house gases. One of the main sources is automobile emissions. The makers of Shell Gasoline Corporation, a Fortu...
Without these gasses, the earth would be zero degrees on the surface. However, too many greenhouse gases can cause higher temperatures in the atmosphere, cause oceans to warm beyond what they should be normally and weather that is unpredictable. The same with fossil fuels that produce a variety of emissions that pollute our planet’s air and water. These pollutants threaten the environment and its ecosystems.. When we reduce greenhouse gases, we reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. By not burning things such as fossil fuels as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline, we reduce global warming.
Gasoline fueled cars produce a number of pollutants. The most damaging pollutants that come from gasoline fueled cars are particulate matter. Particulate matter is a sequence of organic materials and inorganic substances. It includes ingredients such as lint and minerals. Nitrogen dioxide, produced when fuel is burned at high temperatures, can cause damage to the lungs and cause chest pains. One might ask, “Why are Americans still driving gasoline cars?” knowing the damage that they are subject to cause. I personally maintain that the government should push people to p...
Today, people use their own personal vehicles to travel more than ever before. Personal transportation is no longer considered a luxury; it is now considered a necessity. The number of cars in the United States has been growing steadily since the 1970s. The number of miles traveled by cars has risen nearly 150 percent, yet the United States population has only grown roughly 40 percent during that time (hybridcars.com, Driving Trends). Although it may seem like we are advancing into the future, in reality, we are moving backwards from the effects these vehicles have on our bodies and the environment. The pollution produced by these vehicles has brought us to the day where we must find other modes of transportation that cause less harm to the world in which we live. Advances in technology have developed hybrid vehicles to try and slow down the amount of pollution. Driving a hybrid vehicle, instead of a conventional gas powered vehicle, can reduce the amount of pollution that affects our lives and the environment around us.
The commonly debated “greenhouse effect” refers to “the global average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more” (Spencer). President Barack Obama addressed the issue in an effort to highlight its severity, "We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we’re going to suffer the consequences – together” (Leader). The earth’s increasing atmospheric and oceanic temperatures result in climate changes due to cumulative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. As an outcome, researchers around the globe have established that the by-product of burning fossil fuels is the main culprit of the increasing temperatures. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have significantly increased since 1900, as shown above from a study carried out by the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center.
The emission of green house gasses due to human activity contributes the most in increasing global warming. Today, fossil fuels are used as a source of energy for transportation, electricity, industrial process and to increase human comfort in this era. Over the last decade humans have created mass amount of industries. These industries have been burning fossil fuels such as coal, which release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide absorbs heat that raises the temperature of the earth. More than 80% of carbon dioxide comes from tr...
The most destructive human contribution to climate change is fossil fuels combustion, which results in the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Increased carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons levels in the atmosphere cause an imbalance in the earth’s energy. This is because the gases alter solar radiation and thermal radiation which regulate the earth’s energy. Research indicates that anthropogenic climate change is the cause of the increased global warming over the last fifty years. 57 % of the carbon dioxide emitted is absorbed into the atmosphere while the rest is absorbed into the oceans. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the most central greenhouse gas that is associated with global warming (Eby, Zickfield, Montenegro, Archer, Meissner, & Weaver,
Car pollutants cause immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Car exhausts emit a wide range of gases and solid matter, causing global warming, acid rain, and harming the environment and human health. Engine noise and fuel spills also cause pollution. Cars, trucks and other forms of transportation are the single largest contributor to air pollution in the United States, but car owners can reduce their vehicle's effects on the environment. Car pollution is one of the major causes of global warming. Cars and trucks emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contribute one-fifth of the United States' total global warming pollution. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which causes worldwide temperatures to rise.
To begin the negative effects of automobiles are very mild and should not be taken too seriously although it sounds bad the positive outweighs the negative. Automobiles deplete a good amount of natural resources such as steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, and rubber (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles). Because of automobiles air pollution has lost wheat, corn, soybean, peanut crops about one point nine to 4 billion dollars in crops (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles). The U.S alone uses over 10.8 million barrels of oil each day just to keep automobiles running (The Environmental Impact of Automobiles).
...al combustion vehicle emissions. Sustainable practices, technology, collaborations are producing a new breed of vehicles aiming for a greener future for the world. These efficient vehicles seek to forge a green future.