What is carbon?

Carbon is a type of greenhouse gas, like other greenhouse gases carbon traps heat and energy from the sun in our atmosphere. By doing so the temperature of the Earth is able to stay at a habitable level, however, when there are too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere a devastating effect known as the Greenhouse effect ensues.

What is the Greenhouse effect?

The Greenhouse effect refers to the overall warming of the planet. Similarly to what a greenhouse does for plants, our atmosphere does for us. As we burn more fossil fuels, we begin to change the number of natural gases within the atmosphere. As more gases begin to pollute the atmosphere, the more heat is trapped within the planet. 

What happens?

The more heat that is trapped within the atmosphere the warmer the Earth gets. As the planet warms Earth's weather patterns begin to change. First, ice caps in the artic begin to melt. When the ice begins to melt the sea level begins to rise, causing floods and destruction of a multitude of water-based cities.