The New Childrens Encyclopedia

Beware of the burps!

One of the most worrying

greenhouse gases is methane.

Huge quantities of it are

produced in rice paddies and

also by cows, which belch it

out as a by-product of eating

grass. Methane is 21 times

better at warming Earth than

carbon dioxide. Each cow

can produce up to 53 gallons

(200 liters) of methane a

day—that’s a lot of gas.

AND ECOLOGYENVIRONMENT

SAVING ENERGY

Almost everything humans do in everyday

life requires energy. Most of our energy

comes from burning coal, gas, or oil,

but these produce greenhouse gases.

To prevent this from happening, scientists

are looking at new ways to save energy

and cleaner ways of making it.

Eco living Houses can be built that need less energy

to run them. This one is kept warm by the soil around

it and is lit by special tubes that reflect and magnify

sunlight. Solar panels and

windmills can be used to

provide electricity.

Preventative measures We can all do our bit

to prevent global warming by using energy

saving devices, switching off lights, and

turning the heating down a few degrees.

Alternative fuels Transportation is one of the

biggest sources of greenhouse gases. Scientists are

trying to develop new vehicles that use hydrogen,

biofuels, and electricity instead of polluting gasoline.

Climate change is not just a threat to humans. Many

animals and plants will also suffer through changes to

their environment. Reduced rainfall can be serious for

trees, for example, or wetland habitats. The most

vulnerable species are those that only live in one small

area or are unable to move

quickly. This includes some

of the world’s rarest species.

UNDER THREAT

■ The atmosphere helps keep the Earth warm. Gases such as water

vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane trap heat from the Sun and

keep the surface warm enough to support life. However, if these

gases increase, Earth could turn into a giant greenhouse.

, This car runs on

batteries that have

been charged by

electricity. It also

has a solar panel

in its roof.

. The Costa Rican golden
toad is thought to
have been driven to
extinction by climate
change, even though it
lived on a nature reserve.

Heat from the

Sun enters the

atmosphere. Some

is reflected back

from the surface,

but most of it is

trapped by the

gases in the

atmosphere.

Burning fossil fuels is adding

more “greenhouse” gases to the

atmosphere. If we add

too much it could

have a huge impact

on the climate.

d Fluorescent bulbs

use less energy than

ordinary bulbs.

d Wind-up radios save on

batteries and electricity.

GREENHOUSE GASES

CLIMATE CHANGE

(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.