| You probably heard about the greatest | | | | the leading producer of greenhouse gas |
| environmental threat of our time: the | | | | emissions and other air pollutants, such |
| global warming. Maybe you think that | | | | as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and |
| your personal attitude and household | | | | hydrocarbons. So your car also produces |
| consumption don't have such a big effect | | | | a lot of greenhouse gases. There are |
| on our beautiful blue planet. You're | | | | several ways you can limit this. For |
| right. But more people would change this | | | | example, you can use public transport or |
| situation. Now you think that you've | | | | walk more often; you can choose a |
| heard it for thousands of times, and you | | | | fuel-efficient model when buying a car; |
| know that other people think the same | | | | or you can drive more fuel-efficiently. |
| way and won't do anything to protect our | | | | But there is another great solution: |
| planet. It's not your business, there | | | | carpooling. |
| are the green peace activists to solve | | | | Do you have more cars in your family? |
| this problem. But what makes you think | | | | All members of the family leave from |
| that others don't try to change? | | | | home at a different time? Usually you go |
| Nowadays more and more articles and | | | | to work alone by car? Then, you are a |
| films deal with this topic. So, let's | | | | main enemy of your environment. If you |
| imagine that you are interested in the | | | | can travel with your family, try to use |
| global warming problem, and you tend to | | | | one car. It may takes more time, but |
| take some steps. | | | | means less consumption of oil and you |
| A thick layer of atmosphere, which grows | | | | can also save money. If you don't have a |
| thinner further out into space, | | | | family, or you really can't travel |
| surrounds the Earth. The atmosphere is | | | | together with somebody, try to use |
| consists mainly of Nitrogen. 21% of the | | | | carpool services. There are several |
| atmosphere is Oxygen while just around | | | | sites helping you to find other people |
| 1% of the atmosphere consists of other | | | | interested in carpooling. It doesn't |
| gases like Carbon Dioxide. When sunlight | | | | matter where you live, carpooling has |
| strikes the Earth, some of it escapes | | | | become widespread all over the world. |
| back into the atmosphere, but the | | | | Leave your car home and share a ride |
| presence of 'greenhouse gases' like | | | | with somebody who travels to the same |
| carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, | | | | destination. Just try to avoid empty |
| prevents all the radiation from escaping | | | | seats in your car, carpool whenever |
| out into space. These gasses trap the | | | | possible, and you already did a lot. |
| sun's radiation, heat and energy, and | | | | Car exhaust fumes extremely contribute |
| therefore, the Earth's temperature | | | | to global warming. The United States, as |
| remains warm. So, more and more of the | | | | Al Gore writes, is responsible for some |
| Earth's radiation gets trapped by the | | | | 30 percent of greenhouse gas pollution, |
| atmosphere and the Earth gradually gets | | | | more "than South America, Africa, the |
| warmer and warmer. It is believed that | | | | Middle East, Australia, Japan, and Asia |
| over the past century the Earth has | | | | -- all put together." Embarrassingly. |
| grown warmer by around 1 degree F. This | | | | You can watch his new film, An |
| is called global warming, which occurs | | | | Inconvenient Truth, which might have |
| due to the greenhouse effect. | | | | little effect on you if you are not |
| Vehicles and their widespread use are | | | | ready yet. |