| The meaning of global warming can often be lost | | | | purchasing carbon offsets which put money into |
| when someone does not fully understand what the | | | | emission reduction plans and projects. There are many |
| terms of global warming means. The four main terms | | | | methods that have been used in order to offset the |
| are global warming, climate change, carbon offset and | | | | emissions put into the atmosphere. One popular on is |
| carbon neutral. Global warming is where the average | | | | planting trees and this has been done for years. Other |
| temperature of the entire planet, or globe, rises. This | | | | carbon offset solutions include making use of |
| rise causes major changes in the planet's climate | | | | renewable energy sources, such as the sun or the |
| affecting every form of life on it. Global warming is | | | | wind. Another is using less energy that requires carbon |
| thought to be caused by the buildup of greenhouse | | | | to be put into the air. There is also the act of |
| gases, which are composed of particles that contribute | | | | companies paying for the emissions they put into the |
| to the warming of the globe. Most of the particles are | | | | air, which is meant to encourage them to emit less |
| carbon that is often created by human activity on the | | | | carbons that contribute to global warming. The money |
| surface, either from factories or forms of | | | | is usually put into programs working to find better |
| transportation. | | | | ways to create energy in an environmentally friendly |
| Climate change is where there is any kind of major | | | | way. |
| change in the overall climate of a specific area, or of | | | | Carbon neutral means that there are no carbons being |
| the entire planet. It has been found that all through | | | | emitted into the atmosphere. Being carbon neutral |
| Earth's history so far, there has been evidence found | | | | means that there is no contributing to the greenhouse |
| that the planet has gone through both subtle and major | | | | gases, or that compensation (usually in the form of |
| climate changes that are thought to have contributed | | | | purchased offsets) for the carbon put into the air is |
| to the extinction of many species, leaving room for | | | | made. |
| new species to grow and evolve. Today, climate | | | | These four terms, global warming, greenhouse gases, |
| change is taken more seriously because it is believed | | | | carbon offsets and carbon neutral are all really |
| that recent human activity has contributed greatly to | | | | self-explanatory, though it can often help to have a |
| the rising temperature of the Earth, which in turn is | | | | definition to refer to when trying to understand why all |
| encouraging climate change all over the planet. | | | | these programs are being put into place to find new |
| Carbon offset refers to a solution where greenhouse | | | | ways of creating energy. |
| gases already in the atmosphere are offset by | | | | |