What is global warming? It is the gradual increase of temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere. Over the past two centuries, scientists have begun to notice a disturbing pattern of warming oceans and an excess amount of greenhouse gas. Even though there are some who dispute global warming exists there is data that shows the temperature of the earth is rising faster than it has ever risen before. There are many different reasons for the rising temperatures.
A small portion of it comes naturally from the earth and animals. A large part of it comes from humans and their industrialization of the earth. Large factories, agriculture and deforestation have all had an alarming effect on rising temperatures by releasing large amounts of CO2 and methane into the atmosphere. Even just the increase in population means more carbon dioxide is being released from people just living and breathing. A study done in 2014 by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change took a look at the global temperature from the years 1880 to 2012. They found there was a 1.1 degree increase when compared to the years before industrialization took place.
Taking a look at the biggest industries in the US responsible for climate pollution is easy with this helpful graph from Solar Power Guide. Listed here you can see the 50 Biggest Greenhouse Gas Emitters in the United States.
The industrial sectors included on the graphic are power plants, Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems, Chemicals, Waste, Refineries, Metals, Minerals and Pulp and Paper.
Power plants in the US make up the largest greenhouse gas emitters like Vistra Energy of Texas who released over 106,510,000 metric tons of Co2 in 2019. The last company on the list, Archer Daniels Midland is a Pulp and Paper and Waste industry that had over 12,388,000 metric tons of C02 emissions.
