Introduction
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are getting a lot of attention these days, but what are they? CO2 is a natural gas that gives life to the planet. It acts as an insulator-it hovers above the earth and keeps heat from escaping into space. Without CO2, the earth would be icy and lifeless. Human activity has resulted in an increase of CO2 levels. As our cars and factories burn fossil fuels, the blanket of CO2 above the earth becomes thicker, keeping in more heat. This results in what we call global warming. While there is international agreement that global warming is happening, opinions differ on what to do about it.
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