Why is carbon dioxide bad for the environment?

Question

It seems like everyone i know knows that carbon dioxide is bad for the environment, but no one knows why... including me.

so then why is the kyoto protocol trying do reduce carbon dioxide in the air if it is good?

Answer 1

carbon dioxide is not bad. If there were no carbon dioxide there would be no photosynthesis which means there would be no plants generating oxygen. Excessive amounts of CO2 can cause a situation where the radiation from the sun gets stuck between the atmosphere and the crust of the planet causing a gradual warming known as "global warming".

Answer 2

I'm not one to be convinced that even carbon dioxide is bad for the environment. People concerned about global warming (or cooling) claim excess carbon dioxide would stay in the atmosphere, and absorb more of the sun's light, thus making it warmer.

But those claims don't take into account the full impact of carbon dioxide. CO2 is essential to plants like oxygen is to humans. More CO2 means that plants grow bigger and stronger. And those plants will grown in more areas, removing any excess CO2 over time.

Answer 3

It's like everything else. Normally, carbon dioxide is not bad for the environment. In fact, it has to be there for the environment to work. But too much of anything is bad. Too much carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, anything. There are limits to how concentrated a gas can be before it becomes a problem, whether too much or too little. And if carbon dioxide goes up, something else has to go down to compensate for it. It's a delicate balancing act.

Answer 4

The role of carbon dioxide in our planet atmosphere is to allow some of the suns heat to stay, which provides warmth for planet Earth. However, when there are high numbers of CO2 in the atmosphere, it traps too much of the suns heat which over heats earth to dangerously high levels, also a great cause of global warming. Global warming also alters the weather, like you see spring coming 2 weeks earlier sometimes, too many natural disasters such as hurricane katrina and rita.
I also heard an interesting fact. that some plants such as poison ivy and poison oak flourish when CO2 levels are high.
We must take the threat seriously. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Carbon DIoxide isn't bad for the environment, it's Carbon MONoxide that's the bad one. Carbon DIoxide, or CO2, is what humans breathe OUT. Plants breathe it in, and use the carbon, and turn it into oxygen.

Answer 6

Carbon Di oxide or CO2 and Hydrogen gases are the main ingredient Greenhouse effect gases. Green house effect leads to Global warming... which inturn leads to erratic tempratures, storms and hurricanes of stronger category. Co2 is mostly released into the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels.
Carbon dioxide is essential for internal respiration in humans. Internal respiration is a process, by which oxygen is transported to body tissues and carbon dioxide is carried away from them. Co2 acts as buffer in the human body but an increase in the CO2 levels in the body could lead to various complications like Asphyxation- If you are trapped in a unventilated small area could lead to asphyxation.
Frostbite if Co2 is not handled with proper care even for 1 or 2 seconds could lead to serious blisters and frostbite.
Kidney diseases and Coma can be caused if there is a disturbance in the chemical balance of Carbon dioxide.

CO2 is a very essential gas and is required for plantlife, human life and animal life. It is the excess that is what is causing the Greenhouse effect. IF we can plant more trees and balance the burning of fossil fuels the Greenhouse effect can be brought under control. But the growing amount of population is leading to more and more forests being cut down to make way for living and the demand for fossil fuel too is increasing everyday. Which is why many nations are looking for alternate technologies and giving tax rebates to people who buy hybrid vehicles.

Hope I made sense

Answer 7

The only thing that leads me to believe that CO2 is bad for the environment is because it drowns out the Oxygen that much of the living earth needs to survive. C02 acts like a blanket because it is a heavier gas that sinks down causing oxygen to be displaced.... You would die quickly if you were in a room with C02 because your body would not be getting oxygen....

Now, there are some very good benefits to C02. Plants and trees take in C02 and release oxygen that living animals breath.... which is why its so important for us to keep the rainforests and keep planting trees. Since C02 acts as a blanket, and is a very heavy gas, it is the gas that is placed into fire extinguishers to blanket small fires.... now CO2's brother CO (carbon monoxide) is very dangerous. There is nothing beneficial about CO...

Answer 8

CO2 is not bad per se. CO2 is necessary for plants to produce oxygen, for example, and altogether, it is necessary to keep an atmospherical balance. Problem is, when the levels of CO2 are too high, they retain heat in the form of red and purple radiation, not letting it escape earth's surface, thus creating the so-called greenhouse effect, and contributing greatly to global warming.

Answer 9

Too much carbon di oxide depletes the ozone layer and also cause greenhouse effects and heat up the earth.