The following activities contribute to the Greenhouse Effect.

• Burning natural gas, coal and oil. Driving cars and burning fossil fuels contribute to the warming of the Earth.
• Some farming practices and land-use changes. One of the primary meat sources in the US, the beef industry is one of the largest methane-producers.
• Many factories produce long-lasting industrial gases. Some gases will still be in the atmosphere long after we’re dead.
• Deforestation. “Trees use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen in its place, which helps to create the optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. As more forests are logged for timber or cut down to make way for farming, however, there are fewer trees to perform this critical function.”
• Population growth. The more people there are. the more cars we need, the more food we must produce, the more industries we must have.

In conclusion, West says, “Ultimately, more greenhouse gases means more infrared radiation trapped and held, which gradually increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface and the air in the lower atmosphere.”