Which contributes more to global warming?

Question

Which contributes more to global warming?
10 big ones to the first correct answer!

1. Evil capitalists countries like the United States
2. Cold-hearted Republicans
3. Methane producing cattle raised for meat eaters
4. Freon
5. Aerosol hair sprays
6. Coal burning power plants
7. The sun
8. SUVs
9. Volcanoes
10. Water vapor

Answer 1

#1-Countries that don't have the pollution laws that we have, or don't enforce them. #2- Cold-hearted politicians, not just republicans. Did you see the video of Al Gore getting on his private jet the other day?#3- Yes, cow farts.
Skip to number 7- the most likely culprit- gamma rays.

Answer 2

No.1 is No.1

Answer 3

6 is the biggest cause of global warming, of your list 8 is about the only other significant cause (although forcing SUV owners to switch to proper cars won't reduce the emissions as much as would be expected because they'll end up driving more (although it will still help)).

7 has been found to have an effect that is insignificant so it can't be it, 9 tends to reduce global temperatures when they happen.

4 is pretty much banned now so while from a global warming point of view that part won't get any worse (and because not much of them were released compared to CFCs they're a pretty small contributor)

5 is really insignificant and 3 while significant isn't the biggest and methane doesn't last as long in the atmosphere as CO2 (though still a decent amount of time).

10 is the cause of most of the greenhouse effect but its lifetime in the atmosphere is so short that it doesn't actually cause global warming, but it does increase in concentration as global temperature goes up adding a bit extra to the temperature rise you'd expect just from the CO2 increase.

Answer 4

There's no simple answer because the items on the list are incomparable. Here's an explanation for each...

1. Evil capitalists countries like the United States
China produces more CO2 than the US but the US produces more of the other greenhouse gases and claims top spot as the planet's largest greenhouse gas emitter. Based on figures for the last 10 years the US has contributed 22.6% of global GHG emissions, China is 15.9% (the 2007 figures are 20.1% and 20.7% respectively).

2. Cold-hearted Republicans
Reps are more likely to be sceptical than Dems, whether this makes them greater or lesser contributors is a different matter, I would guess Reps > Dems.

3. Methane producing cattle raised for meat eaters
Globally, all ruminants (of which cattle are the largest group) are directly and indirectly responsible for 18% of methane emissions, methane has an 8% contribution to GW. Ruminants therefore contribute a total of 1.5% to anthropogenic global warming (AGW).

4. Freon
Freon22 is a trade name for dichlorodifluoromethane, it is one of the chlorofluorocarbons and is responsible for just under 1% of AGW. It exists in the atmosphere in minute quantities but is an exceptionally potent GHG. It's use has now been banned.

5. Aerosol hair sprays
The propellant used in many aerosols was a CFC based agent, the damage they caused was primarily to the ozone layer although they do contribute to GW as well but in small amounts. The CFC's have now been replaced with other propellants such as butane, isobutane, propane etc.

6. Coal burning power plants
Specifically coal burning power plants are responsible for 19.2% of GHG emissions (oil and gas burning power plants are 4.8%), making power generation the largest single contributor to AGW.

7. The sun
The sun is responsible for 99.997% of the heat we receive on our planet (very different to global warming). Direct heating such as from open flames, heating appliances etc contributes just 0.003%. Without the sun there would be no global warming but the planet only retains heat from the sun because of GHG's, the more GHG's there are the more heat is retained. Most GHG's occur naturally and they're essential to maintaining a habitable temperature on the planet.

8. SUVs
Total contribution to GW is about 1%, cars contribute just under 5% but most cars on the roads aren't SUV's.

9. Volcanoes
Volcanoes are more likely to cause global cooling than global warming. Upon eruption the gas of most concern is sulphur dioxide which reflects solar radiation back into space before it's had time to heat the Earth's surface. Volcanoes also emit CO2 (and many other gases) but in small quantities, humans release 150 times as much CO2 as volcanoes. With everything factored into the equation the largest contribution to GW made by volcanoes in approx 0.5%, in a year with a major eruption there is a negative contribution.

10. Water vapor
Water vapour is by far the most prevalent GHG, it's atmospheric concentration dwarfs that of all other GHG's combined but it is an exceptionally weak GHG. It exists entirely within natural cycles, due to the physical properties of air and water it's concentration in the atmosphere can not be increased (without heating the atmosphere through other means). Atmospheric concentrations average 1% but vary from 0% in very cold and dry environments to 4% in very hot and humid environments. The total contribution it makes to all-source global warming is approx 50% (depending on variables)

Answer 5

this question jogs my memory that I ought to do greater study into anthropocentric worldwide Warming hypotheses. worldwide Warming is a fact, yet whether we are making any genuine result on it, i'm undecided i understand that if we are an considerable ingredient, the only thank you to cut back our result's composed of massive decreases in all aspects of the economic device, from production unit production to farming to transport. perhaps this could be one area the place the fundies are marvelous - we'd choose a minimum of two/3 of the international's inhabitants to vanish to make issues marvelous.

Answer 6

1. The sun
2. Coal burning power plants

Answer 7

Some think a scant 0.001% increase in CO2 can raise temps. That's like saying if you make $100,000/yr in salary, you'll notice a raise of $1/yr.

The Sun is the biggest source of heat on this planet, so yes, the Sun causes warming.

Answer 8

6. coal burning power plants. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide.

Answer 9

Ricky,

don't forget hot air of idiots like AlGore and people who would create policy based on "concensus" and not science.

The evidence I've read,and studied for 35 yrs indicate solar activity, aphelion/perhelion orbital distance and earth wobble.

Answer 10

All are silly, but the most correct is number one.