Global warming is a problem that affects every person on the planet, and because of that, many local, governmental and international organizations are working together to find solutions to stop the problem. Global warming itself is defined as climate warming, a slow but steady change in the earth's atmospheric temperature and the temperature of the oceans. This is a problem that has led to a global climate change, which has affected the environment for people, animals and plants alike. To find global warming solutions, the root cause of the problem must first be looked at.
One contributing factor to global warming and climate change is the greenhouse effect, in which gases are released into the atmosphere and then trap sunlight and ultraviolet rays, which should be able to bounce off of the planet harmlessly. Instead of bouncing, they become trapped and warm the planet. One step taken to try and find adequate global warming solutions has been the reduction or outlaw of gases and chemicals that contribute to this effect.
To reduce climate change, people are urged to take steps to minimize their effect on the environment as a whole. Global warming solutions that can be taken by the average person include using less electricity, bicycling instead of using a car and sustainable farming. Switching to more ecologically friendly products can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which are a large contributor to global climate change. Choosing energy efficient appliances when it’s time to replace old ones, for example, helps reduce electricity usage and emissions. Carpooling and also the routine maintenance of a vehicle can help improve a person's “carbon footprint,” or how much they affect the environment, but switching to a hybrid car or using a bicycle is considered the best and most effective of the global warming solutions that the average person can take.
There have been many political debates about global warming solutions and whether or not they would be effective in the time needed to stop any catastrophic events from occurring. The global climate has already been changed, and it will take time and effort to return the global climate to the state it should be in. New legislation is frequently passed to try to find different global warming solutions, some with more success than others. A prime example of this is the planned elimination of the chemical compounds called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major contributor to global warming, by the year 2020 as agreed upon by several governments.