Electricity is the key to our modern society, we are dependant on electricity powered cars, homes and industries. We get most of our electricity by burning fossil fuels that harm our environment and they will soon run out.

 

We need to use sustainable sources of energy so we can continue to live in our modern society and look after planet Earth. Climate change is a massive global problem. Climate change is mainly caused by the greenhouse effect .

 

So what is the greenhouse effect? The greenhouse effect is a process that warms the earth's surface. This occurs when the energy from the sun reaches the earth’s atmosphere, some of this energy is reflected back into space and the rest of this energy gets re-radiated by greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases include water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and other gases (see diagram two), these gases trap heat in the atmosphere. This effect is caused by many things including burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, these release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.