4. THE
GREENHOUSE
EFFECT (II)
Although greenhouse
gases make up only about 1 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere,
they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a
kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet.
This phenomenon is
what scientists call the "greenhouse effect." Without it,
scientists estimate that the average temperature on Earth
would be colder by approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54
degrees Fahrenheit), far too cold to sustain our current
ecosystem.
While the
greenhouse effect is an essential environmental prerequisite
for life on Earth, there really can be too much of a good
thing.
The problems begin when human activities distort and
accelerate the natural process by creating more
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than are necessary to warm
the planet to an ideal temperature.
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