How To Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Emissions

We are all responsible for producing greenhouse gasses, so we should therefore all play our part in the reduction of them.

Greenhouse gasses can be held accountable for Global warming – our worlds rising temperatures. The greatest greenhouse gas emission components are undoubtedly that of water vapor and carbon dioxide, from both the domestic and industrial sectors; particularly from coal-fired power stations all around the world.

At present, the CO2 from the combustion of coal goes untreated, straight out the flue and into the atmosphere.

Carbon sequestration could reduce greenhouse gasses dramatically, although we have the technology to capture CO2 at source. To date, however, we have yet to agree upon a long-term storage method.

In the domestic area, there have been numerous government proposals to increase our energy efficiency in the home.

This is a new series on the causes of climate change and how each and every one of us can play our part in reducing greenhouse gases and emissions.

We begin by examining the gasses which cause the greenhouse effect then have a look at how we can reduce these.

Greenhouse gasses are so named for their affect on warming the earth, which is slightly similar to that of a greenhouse, which traps the solar energy of the sun, heating the glasshouse.

Greenhouse gasses are made up from various emissions, the most of which are anthropogenic and consist of the following gasses:

• Water Vapor (H₂O).

This occurs naturally in the water cycle and is the process by which the water evaporates from the rivers and oceans of the world. It forms clouds in the atmosphere and returns to earth as rain. It is thought that clouds have a positive effect on the earth’s temperature shielding us from the suns thermal energy by reflecting incoming solar radiation.

However, wherever steam is seen rising into our sky, such as from giant water cooling towers at power plants, we are producing anthropogenic water vapor. This gathers in our atmosphere due to the hydrogen element, and prevents some of the solar energy returning to deep space. Instead, it absorbs this thermal energy thus heating the atmosphere.

Water vapor concentrations have not been well recorded, but it is thought to be one of the greatest constituents of greenhouse gasses.

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

As we have seen carbon dioxide is another high emitter of greenhouse gasses.

It was produced in great quantities during the western world’s Industrial Revolution, so we shouldn’t complain when the third world countries are doing exactly the same thing in their current Industrial Revolution.

CO2 is emitted when a fossil fuel is combusted, gas being the least polluting followed by oil, with the biggest offender being coal.

Unfortunately, the supply of hydrocarbons of gas and oil are due to peak in the next 15-20 years and run out sometime towards the end of this century. They have also become a very expensive form of producing energy, so many countries are turning to coal as a means of power, hence the increase of CO2 emissions.

• Methane (CH4)

Methane is the most potent of all the greenhouse gasses. It is emitted from landfill sites; oil and gas production from refineries and coal mines.

• Nitrous oxides(N₂O)

This gas is produced from the burning of fossil fuels, although to be fair, most of it is now removed by efficient fume treatment plants in power stations (albeit after Government Legislation). However, N₂O is emitted by the agriculture industry and by the processing and application of fertilizers. Some types of waste incineration plants also still produce nitrous oxide emissions to the atmosphere.

• Industrial Produced Gasses

Most of us have heard how the Ozone Hole was discovered and led to the ban on the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which at that time were used in refrigeration, insulation and aerosols. This was one of the three or four industrial gasses, including Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆). These leaked into the atmosphere during some industrial processes.

So, now that we have seen how greenhouse gasses are produced, we can further examine methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.