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