Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Essay -- Environment Pollution Es

Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels cause pollution, smog, and the greenhouse effect. Fossil fuels really do negatively impact our environment, especially when it comes to global warming, Although there is controversy over whether or not fossil fuels are causing the planet to warm, or whether it is warming naturally, there is significant research that supports the former hypothesis. When fossil fuels are burned, they emit different levels of carbon dioxide. The burning of fossil fuels has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by a staggering twenty- five percent. It has also been implied that fossil fuels are associated with increased levels of nitrous oxide and methane, although they are not the main sources of these gasses. Carbon dioxide is a gas that traps heat in our atmosphere, and helps keep the planet at livable temperature. However, climatologists are now predicting that if the levels of carbon dioxide continue to increase, the temperature will rise and a number of different impacts can or will occur (Union). Among the many possible impacts of global warming, are more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and the melting of glaciers. However, while researching, I stumbled upon a site that showed possible impacts, and where they would be most likely to occur. The key to the map had two different categories, â€Å"Harbingers†, and â€Å"Fingerprints†. Harbingers are â€Å"events that fores...