How does carbon dioxide pollute your environment?

Answer 1

CO2 - Otherwise called carbon dioxide effects our climate in many different ways. The way it works is that basically certain 'greenhouse gases' can't escape from our atmosphere because they get trapped. CO2 is what plants need to create oxygen etc. But when there is too much CO2 being admitted into our environment from burning fossil fuels, cars etc, and we are cutting down trees for paper - it is imbalanced and now it has started to catch up with us. a.k.a global warming. Because these gases are trapped in our atmosphere, they have more time to collect heat from our atmosphere and the sun - thus making our climate increase in heat. This then triggers ice caps to melt and floods to occur and then one day we will face a world with no more fresh water and many extinct animals who cannot survive in warm climates.

Carbon Dioxide would indirectly affect us by increasing global warming, melting the polar ice caps and flooding the world!

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Answer 2

Carbon dioxide keeps us warm as part of the greenhouse effect. But too much carbon dioxide, as is happening now from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) in industry, transport and the generation of electricity, is adding extra carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. This is enhancing the greenhouse effect and causing global warming.

Carbon dioxide is not separate from the environment, as it is not outside the environment to talk about an effect on the environment is a bit facile. However to talk about the effect of carbon dioxide in the environment makes good sense, and I believe the questioner meant that.

In that case to say there is no effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) is simply wrong. Currently the CO2 level in the atmosphere is less than .4 percent. Raise the percentage by a factor of 100 and people will begin to sicken and some would die. At 8 percent (still with 20 percent oxygen) respiration would be exceedingly difficult due to hyperventilation caused by the nature of human respiration in response to elevated CO2 levels.

How we jump to global warming from the question is a bit of a leap, but the effect of the gaseous mix on the earth's albedo and radiation budget should not be dismissed out of hand without doing the calculations. Certainly global warming would not be caused by only the presence of a gas, but in conjunction with a steady state of energy in from the sun, a reduction in energy emitted by the earth would result in an increased temperature. Carbon dioxide can be shown to have exactly that effect.

CO2 increases should also stimulate plant growth and result in oxygen production that would push the equilibrium back to balance. To restore the equilibrium though the carbon emitted as CO2 must be sequestered in the earth, preferably as sugars that would release the Oxygen.

As regards the existence of global warming, though off topic, the melting of ice caps seems to be a fair indication that the global temperature has risen.
Good question btw. Carbon dioxide Aka c02 is slowly overpowering the natural balances of gases in our atmosphere dooming our planet to a slow death by air poisoning and melting all the polar caps and over balancing the currents which flow due to a balance of cold and warm water. This as you can see will stop these currents also triggering our doom.

Answer 3

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, meaning it gets trapped in our atmosphere. This also causes heat to get trapped, as well. Increasing the temperature and causing ice caps to melt. This is basically global warming.

Answer 4

Carbon dioxide (CO2) keeps the earth warm, along with other greenhouse gases.

Too much carbon dioxide (which we're now getting because of deforestation and burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) in industry, transport and the generation of electricity, is causing global warming, which is causing climate change.

Answer 5

Well Carbon Dioxide is necessary for tree's and plants to live and thrive. So when we breath it out the tree suck it in and release oxygen to us. To much Carbon Dioxide however could harm humans and mix with other chemicals.

Answer 6

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is part of the natural cycle of life, and keeps the earth warm enough for life.

However, deforestation and burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) has released more of it into the air than there used to be, and that is causing global warming and so climate change.

Answer 7

Carbon Dioxide is an interesting gas in our atmosphere. There is no question that is is a gas that contributes to the overall warming of our planet and is therefore referred to as a "Greenhouse" gas. The current level of CO2, is around 410 PPM or 0.041% of our total atmosphere. Over the past 200 years we have noticed a rise in CO2 levels in our atmosphere from roughly 280 ppm to this higher level.

Man made sources account for roughly 6% of all CO2 produced annually. Natural processes such as rotting trees account for much of the remaining portion of this gases production.

Water Vapor accounts for roughly 70% of all "greenhouse" gases in our atmosphere and is far and away the highest contributor to this greenhouse affect. Without greenhouse gases, life on this planet would cease to exist.

The problem that we are being faced with in this area is that excess CO2 is causing a uncontrolled warming of our planet. The 30% growth in CO2 over the past 200 years is a primary cause of warming.

Answer 8

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is contributing to global warming. As we continue to burn fossil fuel more and more CO2 goes into the atmosphere. In that way it is polluting our environment.

Answer 9

It acts as a blanket to earth's atmosphere.
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