Global Warming Terms Explained

The meaning of global warming can often be lost when someone does not fully understand what the terms of global warming means. The four main terms are global warming, climate change, carbon offset and carbon neutral. Global warming is where the average temperature of the entire planet, or globe, rises. This rise causes major changes in the planet’s climate affecting every form of life on it. Global warming is thought to be caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases, which are composed of particles that contribute to the warming of the globe. Most of the particles are carbon that is often created by human activity on the surface, either from factories or forms of transportation.

Climate change is where there is any kind of major change in the overall climate of a specific area, or of the entire planet. It has been found that all through Earth’s history so far, there has been evidence found that the planet has gone through both subtle and major climate changes that are thought to have contributed to the extinction of many species, leaving room for new species to grow and evolve. Today, climate change is taken more seriously because it is believed that recent human activity has contributed greatly to the rising temperature of the Earth, which in turn is encouraging climate change all over the planet.

Carbon offset refers to a solution where greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere are offset by purchasing carbon offsets which put money into emission reduction plans and projects. There are many methods that have been used in order to offset the emissions put into the atmosphere. One popular on is planting trees and this has been done for years. Other carbon offset solutions include making use of renewable energy sources, such as the sun or the wind. Another is using less energy that requires carbon to be put into the air. There is also the act of companies paying for the emissions they put into the air, which is meant to encourage them to emit less carbons that contribute to global warming. The money is usually put into programs working to find better ways to create energy in an environmentally friendly way.

Carbon neutral means that there are no carbons being emitted into the atmosphere. Being carbon neutral means that there is no contributing to the greenhouse gases, or that compensation (usually in the form of purchased offsets) for the carbon put into the air is made.

These four terms, global warming, greenhouse gases, carbon offsets and carbon neutral are all really self-explanatory, though it can often help to have a definition to refer to when trying to understand why all these programs are being put into place to find new ways of creating energy.