50 Things That Helped Cause Global Warming

The causes of global warming are concerns for politicians, scientists, corporations, small businesses, and everyday people alike. The forecast for potential effects on the environment are extreme, from major cities flooding to the point of being underwater, to massive crop devestation. To move forward and instigate change in our environment, it's necessary to find the things that helped cause global warming in the first place so we don't repeat them.

1. New energy hungry inventions created in the Industrial Revolution helped spark much of today's global warming.
2. The large hole in ozone layer which was caused by greenhouse gases and ozone depleting chemicals, has increased UV rays making the surface of the Earth hotter. This in turn makes people use more energy to cool down their homes, resulting in even more greenhouse gases and global warming.
3. The invention of the automobile ushered in a new era of pollution and gases and has had a serious negative impact on the environment.
   
4. When people started traveling more because of the affordability of airline flights, particulate emissions, noise pollution, and gases increased.
   
5. The transport of food from across the country and the world has caused more gases to be released into the environment.
6. A taste for beef and the rise of the non-grass fed cows has contributed methane that has more of an impact than C02 on the environment.
7. The introduction of the aerosol can caused damage to the ozone layer, though there have been significant changes in modern aerosols to help lessen the release of ozone depleting chemicals.
   
8. To keep foods fresher longer and to prevent breakages, more disposable packaging was created, which causes deforestation, emissions, and the release of gases.
   
9. The era of convenience has caused the thinking that "disposable is good, reusable is bad," leading to a throw away mentality, encouraging more waste, production, and more greenhouse gases.
   
10. Massive deforestation led to less C02 being absorbed, and the source for much more greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.
    
11. The extra packaging, plastic bags, boxes, travel sizes, and disposable containers offered by grocery stores has been the source of substantial amounts of energy in production, waste, and even during the recycling process.
    
12. The growth outward of large cities and the metropolitan sprawl that occurred resulted in longer travel times to work, in turn resulting in more emissions and greenhouse gases.
    
13. Instead of reusable dinnerware and cups, plastic cups and plates have been a popular non-biodegradable option that's been responsible for energy use, disposal costs, and billions of pounds of garbage.
    
14. The invention of plastic led to a surge in popularity of replacements of natural things consumers were used to.
    
15. The growth of the oil industry came about as the result of man's need for more oil to fuel cars, machines, trucks, boats, and homes. Refining oil, drilling, transporting, surveying, and pumping oil all take up resources. The end result is those oil pollutants end up in the air as we become more dependent on oil.
    
16. The real estate boom of 2005 and 2000 resulted in many new home constructions, which was great for the economy in the short term, but horrible for the environment as new resources were depleted to build homes.
    
17. The United States is the biggest contributor to global warming, but the industrialization of China and India suddenly catapulted worldwide energy use, increasing greenhouse gases and demand for resources.
18. Interest in recreational vehicles like four wheelers and off road bikes became a new hobby in the 1970's that demanded fuel, increasing oil consumption and emissions.
19. Cars started small, but became bigger as time progressed. Before long, the United States was dominated by SUVs and big trucks in the 1990's and early 2000's. These cars had much lower fuel efficiency, but since the spike in gas prices of the late 2000's, more car efficiency become more the trend.
    
20. Processed foods not only are bad for your body, but bad for the environment. The packaging, refining, and formulating that comes along with creating synthetic foods can cause much environmental damage.
    
21. The refinement of flour, sugar, and wheat has been largely to blame for the fattening of foods in the western world. These extra processes take extra energy, yet line the pockets of manufacturers who save money as the shelf life of the product increases.
    
22. The shipping industry continues to grow (and consume energy) as the the global population grows, fueling demand for product overseas and far away.
    
23. Television has contributed to obesity, as well as video games and other indoor electronics, putting demands on doctors, health care, food, production, and waste.
    
24. The obesity epidemic has taken a huge toll on the environment, using up more fuel, resources, food, hospital supplies, and electricity, therefore effecting global warming.
    
25. Slow progression in the encouragement of recycling is a giant setback for the environment that could otherwise be slowed or prevented.
    
26. Casting doubt on global warming has slowed change to act swiftly and tackle environmental issues today.
    
27. Is democracy to blame for the slow changes to help curb the effects of global warming? Much of what we love about a democracy (and there's a lot to love) are the same exact reasons why things can get caught up in red tape and endless debate, such as global warming.
    
28. Increased use of fossil fuels for computers, laptops, cellphone chargers, televisions, lights, coffee makers, ovens, dishwashers, and video games have all been large contributors to negative change in our atmosphere.
    
29. The invention of the clothes dryer allowed people to dry their clothes faster than a clothesline, yet became one of the worst environmental offenders ever created.
30. Sometimes laws have a profound effect on the environment, for better or for worse. Leading our country during some of the worst times for our environment are the following Presidents.
    
31. When hot weather makes us sweat, instead of cooling off homes naturally, we turn on the energy sucking air conditioners.
32. A fast paced lifestyle brought about an era of convenience that resulted in more disposable items, things to keep us awake, things to help us sleep, and things to help make us more comfortable (all of which consumed resources, energy, and created new industries).
    
33. We aren't the only things on the planet that contribute to global warming. It turns out volcanoes may also have a small part.
    
34. Besides volcanoes, there could be some other natural causes of global warming that contribute in part to the overall amount of greenhouse gases and rising temperatures of the earth's atmosphere.
    
35. Bombs, chemicals, and other weapons have caused disturbances in the atmosphere and the environment. One can only assume war affects the environment in a negative manner rather than a positive one.
    
36. Global warming ignorance stands in the way often just to sound different, even though the scientific backup of its existence is clear, concise, thorough, and overwhelming.
    
37. Like plastic, the effect of paper on the environment hasn't been good. Deforestation, energy use, and waste have resulted in increasingly more greenhouse gases.
    
38. Kitchen appliances that heat food. Anything that creates heat uses energy and creates greenhouse gases.
    
39. A heavy reliance on meat and animal products has made agriculture one of the worst environmental offenders.
    
40. The declining economy and recessions of the late 2000's have resulted in less money to invest in renewable resources, organic farming, and recycled products.
    
41. Corporate greed, shortcuts, and cheapskates have taken the more profitable route by becoming the worst corporate polluters (resulting in more toxic dumping, smog, and air pollutants).
    
42. Keeping homes too warm is actually a double edged sword. It's bad for the environment, and it dries out your skin, too. Drier winter air as a result of too much hot air can also lead to cracked sinuses and more opportunities to get sick.
    
43. Global population growth has put stress on agriculture and energy suppliers worldwide, resulting in more and more energy used every year.
    
44. The rise of plastic use has killed 15 million marine animals per year, but has also been responsible for countless units of energy wasted during production, transportation, and plastic recycling.
    
45. Disposable food containers, though reusable for a period of time, are still disposable and have a larger carbon footprint than glass containers.
    
46. Fast food industry waste has created an entirely new genre of waste to deal with, all the while wasting heat energy and expanding the waistlines of people worldwide.
    
47. Supermarkets have changed the way we eat, leading to more and more packaged food, and less fresh food. That's more packaged food traveling further distances, and more preservatives and chemicals used during the growing process to keep them fresh.
    
48. Opposition to renewable energy, slow progress, and big movements like the "drill baby drill" really put a damper on green energy. The good news is "Drill Baby Drill" champions have largely gone silent since the BP Oil Spill.
    
49. The continued use of non recyclable materials like #4, #5, #6, and #7 plastics by large companies, restaurants and businesses have resulted in more plastics being thrown away, and more plastics being created.
    
50. The biggest contributor to global warming of all is the continued use of coal fired energy plants. That's why it is so important to support renewable energy and make changes that will slow our affect on the environment before it's too late.
    

• 10 Things Restaurants Can to do Be Greener
• 51 Easy Ways to Go Green
• 7 Reasons to Use CFL Bulbs
• Biodegradable Trash Bags
• DEET Free Insect Repellent
  

The author of this page is passionate about the environment and encourages you to use eco friendly products like biodegradable trash bags, reusable paper towels, and organic lotions available at TheGreenerEarth.com.