Human Impact
Burning Fossil Fuels
When we burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), they produce carbon dioxide, and the carbon dioxide goes up into our atmosphere. From there, it travels through the carbon cycle between all of the Earth's spheres.
Deforestation
Deforestation is the clearing and/or thinning of forests to make more room for our buildings, farming, and other needs for more space. By removing trees, we are making it so that less CO2 can be taken out of the air and exchanged into oxygen by plants like trees.
Electricity
The use of electricity to power our homes, schools, street lights, and so much more also unbalances the carbon cycle. By using fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and petroleum to create electricity, this again uses burnt fossil fuels, and therefore puts out CO2.
Agricultural Practices
To create farms, we need the space for them. To create space for farms, we commonly will cut down or burn down parts or whole forests. Along with using deforestation as a means to create space for farming, by turning up and messing with the soil, we can release carbon dioxide and other gases that were stored in the ground.