on

A building made chiefly of glass for

growing or sheltering the delicate or
exotic plants is called Greenhouse. The
air in the Greenhouse is warmer then
the outside air though it receives less
solar radiation. The occurrence of
higher temperature inside a
Greenhouse then outside even though
the interior receives less solar radiation
is known as the Greenhouse effect.
 Shorter-wavelength solar radiation from the sun
passes through Earth's atmosphere, then is
absorbed by the surface of the Earth, causing it to
warm.  Part of the absorbed energy is then
reradiated back to the atmosphere as long wave
infrared radiation.  Little of this long wave radiation
escapes back into space;   the radiation cannot pass
through the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The greenhouse gases selectively transmit the
infrared waves, trapping some and allowing some to
pass through into space. The greenhouse gases
absorb these waves and reemits the waves
downward, causing the lower atmosphere to warm
Reasons for greenhouse effect :

Three factors contribute to the Greenhouse

effect, i.e. warmness in a greenhouse

1. Glass walls, which raise

2. CO2 contents, and
3. Water vapor content of the air in the
greenhouse.
4. Methane
5. CFC
 Reasons for greenhouse effect ….

 The glass walls high CO2 content and high water vapor
content let the solar radiations (wavelength 0.15 to 4
um) pass through them but impede the passage of long
wave (infrared) radiation emitted by the earth’s
surface. This makes the greenhouse air warmer then
the outside air. Gases, such as CO2, methane, Nitrous
Oxide, Chloroform Carbons, water vapors, are termed
“Greenhouse” gases.
 Reasons for greenhouse effect …..

 Methane is added to the atmosphere

by marshes, paddy fields, cattle sheds
and bio-gas plants. Chloroform
carbons are emitted by refrigerators
and air conditioners. Nitrogen oxides
are produced from organic matter and
fertilizers by denitrifying bacteria.
 If the earth had no atmosphere, its average surface
temperature would be above - 18oC, the same as that
of the moon, which lacks atmosphere. Actually, the
average temperature of the earth’s surface is about
15oC. The reason why the earth is warmer then the
moon is that it has an atmosphere. The atmosphere
absorbs much of the incoming radiation from the sun
and reradiates to the earths’ surface, but prevents
the earth’s heat to escape into the space. Thus, the
atmosphere acts as a Greenhouse, trapping the heat.
Man can survive on earth only because of this
Greenhouse effect. The natural gases in the
atmosphere most responsible for keeping the earth’s
surface warm are CO2 and water vapor.
 Man is adding large amounts of CO2 to
the atmosphere each year by burning
fossil fuels. This may produce
greenhouse effect and may make the
earth warmer and change climates.
Rise in temperature may melt the
polar and alpine snow, and this may
raise the sea level and sub merge
the coastal areas.
 Rise in temperature would have some
other effects also. Climate zones and
oceans, currents would shift, agriculture
would be displaced, an the worlds major
vegetation zones would alter. Another
dramatic effect might be thermal
expansion of the oceans, causing further
rise in sea level. Reforestation can check
these eventualities.
 Industries are also increasing the particulate matter. The
particulate matter decreases the amount of sunlight reaching
the earth. The particles reflect light back into the space. This
process decreases the earth’s temperature. A slight fall in
the earth’s temperature would bring in another ice age. It
seems unlikely that the effects of CO2 and particulate matter
would balance. Hence, some change in the world climate
may be expected.

 Clouds and dust particles can also produce “Greenhouse

effect”. This is cloudy, dusty and humid nights are warmer
then the clear, dust free, dry nights.
 Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and
global warming could also lead to more health concerns.  A
statement released from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) said, "Climate change is likely to have wide-ranging
and mostly adverse impacts on human health, with significant loss
of life."  As temperatures increase towards the poles, similar to
farmland, insects and other pests migrate towards Earth's poles.
These insects and pests could be allowed to migrate up to 550 Km
or 550 miles.  Some insects carry diseases such as malaria and
dengue fever.  Thus, an increase in these particular insects and
pests closer to the poles results in an increase in these diseases. 
This could lead to 50 to 80 million additional cases of Malaria
annually, a 10-15% increase.  "Malaria and dengue fever are
already beginning to spread pole wards", said Jane Lichens, past
president of American Association for the advancement of science.
 Hydro power, currently supplying only six
percent of the world's energy, is a
renewable energy source. Energy is
produced by hydraulic turbines that rotate
with the force of rushing water (higher to
lower elevation).  It is one of the most clean
and cheapest way of producing energy, but
it can also change the flow of rivers and
increase sediment which kills fish.  It is a
large
investment for developing countries
 One of the major conventions concerning
global warming resulted in the Kyoto
Protocol, held in Kyoto, Japan, between
December 1-11, 1997. Delegates from all
over the world were present in order to
find a universal agreement to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.  The results
had most developed nations doing most
of the reducing; the United States must
cut emissions 7%, Japan 6%, and the
European Union 8% below 1990 levels.
The United States proposed a plan to have these levels
cut over a five year period between 2008-2013.   The
United States also said it will not sign the protocol if
other developing/undeveloped countries do not sign it
as well, fearing the economy will falter.  The U.S. was
successful in emissions trading with other countries who
have less emissions. This means that the U.S. or other
developed countries can purchase emission permits
from other countries who have extra permits.  This
stresses the importance of flexibility the U.S. was
looking for when it said it cannot lower the emission
levels until at least 2008.