Illustration of how increasing manmade carbon pollution affects the Earth's ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

1. Prior to the industrial revolution the planet was able to absorb
greenhouse gases emitted by natural sources
VOLCANOES FIRESFORESTS OCEANSOCEANSLAKES & STREAMS
Natural CO2 Sinks
(Absorb CO2 from atmosphere)
Natural CO2 Emitters
(Release CO2 into atmosphere)

2. • Natural
greenhouse
gases:
primarily
carbon
dioxide
(CO2)
and
water
vapor
• Main
industrial
greenhouse
gas
is
CO2
from
burning
(combus@on)
coal,
oil
and
gas
• Coal
has
the
highest
carbon
content
of
all
fossil
fuels
• CO2
from
coal
burning
contributed
slightly
over
28%
to
atmospheric
greenhouse
gases
in
2010.
(
hGp://www.c2es.org/energy/source/coal)

3. When we built dams and drained lakes and streams
we eliminated a natural CO2 sink.
VOLCANOES FIRESFORESTS OCEANSOCEANS
Natural CO2 Sinks
(Absorb CO2 from atmosphere)
Natural CO2 Emitters
(Release CO2 into atmosphere)

4. CO2
is
more
soluble
in
fresh
water
than
in
salt
water,
but,
by
volume,
lakes
and
streams
are
less
effec@ve
sinks
than
are
oceans
and
rainforests.

5. After the industrial revolution we began to add excess
carbon pollution into our atmosphere
primarily by burning coal and oil.
FORESTS OCEANSOCEANS VOLCANOES FIRESCARBON EMISSIONS
CO2 CO2

6. The
commonly
accepted
onset
of
the
Industrial
Revolu@on
is
around
1850.
That
is
when
humans
began
to
burn
fossil
fuels
to
generate
power
to
drive
machinery.
(hGp://www.princeton.edu/
~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/
Industrial_Revolu@on.html

7. Deforestation leaves the oceans as the major carbon sink.
OCEANSOCEANS VOLCANOES FIRESCARBON EMISSIONS
CO2 CO2

8. “Forests
cover
31%
of
the
land
area
on
our
planet.
…Deforesta@on
undermines
this
important
carbon
sink.
It
is
es@mated
that
15%
of
all
greenhouse
gas
emissions
are
the
result
of
deforesta@on.”(hGp://
worldwildlife.org/threats/deforesta@on)

9. Vehicle emissions continue to add to the stress on the
ocean’s ability to absorb CO2.
Excess CO2 is making our oceans acidic.
OCEANSOCEANS VOLCANOES FIRESCARBON EMISSIONSAUTOMOBILES
CO2 CO2

10. Ocean
acidifica@on:
• hGp://www.unc.edu/~lbuckley/GCE/uploads/
Main/Doney%20et%20al%202009.pdf
• The
oceans
are
Earth’s
last,
great
defense
against
carbon
pollu@on
and
they
are
being
stressed—
becoming
warmer
and
acidic.
• Contrary
to
early
popular
beliefs,
the
oceans
are
not
limitless.