Climate Change and Municipal Solid Waste Rising levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth s atmosphere are causing changes in our climate, and some of these changes can be traced to solid waste. The manufacture, distribution, and use of products as well as management of the resulting waste all result in greenhouse gas emissions. Waste prevention and recycling are real ways to help mitigate climate change. The atmosphere that surrounds the Earth contains many types of gases, including those known as greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases absorb and retain heat from the sun.
They regulate the Earth s climate by holding warmth in an atmospheric blanket around the planet s surface. Scientists call this phenomenon the greenhouse effect. Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature on Earth would be 5 F instead of the current 60 F. Excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, however, raise global temperatures. Unfortunately, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will not create a worldwide tropical paradise. The Earth s atmosphere supports a balanced variety of climates on which diverse ecosystems depend.