Methane is a major environmental problem that has been concerning many scientists. Before we get into some solutions for methane, why don’t I explain what methane is first? Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CH4. In simple terms methane is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas. It is also a potent greenhouse gas, meaning it affects climate change by contributing to increased warming, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Methane enters the atmosphere via human-related activities and natural sources.
Methane is found both below ground and under the seafloor and is formed by both geological and biological processes. Human-caused activities that cause methane are raising livestock, leaks from natural gas systems, and landfills and waste from homes and businesses. A most common way the methane is formed are from cows. When methane from all these activities reaches the surface and the atmosphere, it is known as atmospheric methane. The Earth's atmospheric methane concentration has increased by about 150% since 1750, and it accounts for 20% of the total radiative forcing from all of the long-lived and globally mixed greenhouse gases.
This means methane is highly potent and while it is known that the relative abundance of methane on Earth makes it an economically attractive fuel, capturing and storing it poses technical challenges due to its gaseous state under normal conditions for temperature and pressure. Methane is the main component in natural gas, which fuels industrial plants, powers homes, and runs air conditioners, among other applications. The methane released from the manure of cows and other ruminants is a significant contributor to worldwide greenhouse emissions, and thus climate change. Therefore, methane is so dangerous to our environment but we also need it. According to national geographic, “Each of those puffs coming out of a cow’s plumbing, added together, can have a big effect on climate because methane is a potent greenhouse gas—about 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the Earth.” Methane is about 80 times more powerful at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, according to the UN Environment Programme. As outlined in the UN Environment Programme’s Global Methane Assessment, the amount of methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled since pre-industrial times, and emissions are increasing faster now than they have since the 1980s. Methane also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, a gas that is harmful to humans, ecosystems and crops, according to the Global Methane Assessment.
Now if we did get rid of methane what changes would it make? Well according to the Global Methane Assessment, cutting 45% of human activity-caused methane emissions this decade could prevent: 255,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits, the loss of 73 billion hours of labor, and the loss of 26 million tons of crops. By taking steps now to reduce human-caused methane emissions, it's likely that there would be lower levels of methane in the atmosphere soon.
Some solutions to this incessant methane problem? Well trees and rice roots filter the methane. However, trees also emit methane. Do not fret though, because the benefits of the trees have outweighed the drawbacks. So, if you want to help reduce Global Warning start at the root of the problem, the methane. If you help plant trees in your community and spread the word, then there will be lower levels of methane in the atmosphere which will cause a chain reaction to reduce global warming affects and air pollution!
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