Visit the American Forests web site if you want to know how much carbon dioxide you produce. To some extent the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is determined by the carbon cycle . The oceans and plants absorb some carbon dioxide, but human activity produces it faster than it can be absorbed. Carbon dioxide may last 50-200 years in the atmosphere. Coal produces the most carbon dioxide of all the fossil fuels.
Deforestation is the second largest source of greenhouse gases due to human activity.
Destruction of the forests can release the carbon stored in trees. If trees are not replanted they can not absorb carbon dioxide in the future. Cattle are the greatest source of methane through these processes, followed by swine. The main source of methane in agriculture is flooded rice paddies where microorganisms and bacteria decompose anaerobically in the soil. The anaerobic decomposition of wastes in land fills and dumps results in methane.