Humans can neither change the sun’s radiation nor the earth’s orbit around the sun. But they can control the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases and its effect on the atmosphere. Only during the last hundred years the carbon dioxide concentration has been raised alarmingly in the atmosphere and we humans can be held responsible for this.
The main cause of the increase in carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels. Since the end of the 19th century, industrial activities increased rapidly giving rise to many factories. These factories required energy, which was produced through the combustion of coal. Besides coal, other sources of energy such as mineral oil and natural gas were also burned to heat our houses, run cars and airplanes or to produce electricity. Nowadays, about 85 million barrels of crude oil are burned daily. Every time a fossil raw material is burned, it releases carbon dioxide into the air.
Therefore, it is clear that more and more greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are being generated worldwide by humans. Moreover, we are also strengthening the greenhouse effect by deforestation, which means cutting down trees. Trees that are burned up release large volumes of carbon dioxide gas into the air. On the other hand, as forests absorb a lot of carbon dioxide from the air and deliver oxygen instead, we also destroy an important storehouse of carbon dioxide when we clear forests.
Bangla Translation: মানুষ সূর্যের বিকিরণ বা সূর্যের চারপাশে পৃথিবীর কক্ষপথ পরিবর্তন করতে পারে না। তবে তারা গ্রিনহাউস গ্যাসের পরিমাণ বৃদ্ধি এবং তার প্রভাব নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতে পারে। শুধুমাত্র গত একশো বছরে বায়ুমণ্ডলে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইডের ঘনত্ব বিপজ্জনকভাবে বেড়ে গেছে, এবং এর জন্য আমরা মানুষই দায়ী।
বায়ুমণ্ডলে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইডের পরিমাণ বৃদ্ধির প্রধান কারণ হলো জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানি পোড়ানো। উনবিংশ শতাব্দীর শেষ থেকে শিল্প কার্যক্রম দ্রুত বৃদ্ধি পেয়েছে, যার ফলে অনেক কারখানা স্থাপিত হয়েছে। এই কারখানাগুলোকে জ্বালানি প্রয়োজন ছিল, যা কয়লা পোড়ানোর মাধ্যমে উৎপন্ন হতো। কয়লা ছাড়াও, তাপ উৎপাদন, গাড়ি ও বিমান চালানো বা বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনের জন্য খনিজ তেল এবং প্রাকৃতিক গ্যাসও পোড়ানো হয়েছে। বর্তমানে প্রতিদিন প্রায় ৮৫ মিলিয়ন ব্যারেল অপরিশোধিত তেল পোড়ানো হয়। প্রতিবার কোনো জীবাশ্ম কাঁচামাল পোড়ানো হলে, এটি বাতাসে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইড নির্গত করে।
অতএব, এটি পরিষ্কার যে বিশ্বজুড়ে মানুষের কারণে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইডের মতো গ্রিনহাউস গ্যাস আরও বেশি উৎপন্ন হচ্ছে। তাছাড়া, আমরা বন ধ্বংসের মাধ্যমে গ্রিনহাউস প্রভাবও শক্তিশালী করছি, যার অর্থ গাছ কেটে ফেলা। পোড়ানো গাছ থেকে প্রচুর পরিমাণে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইড গ্যাস বাতাসে ছেড়ে দেওয়া হয়। অন্যদিকে, বনভূমি বাতাস থেকে প্রচুর পরিমাণে কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইড শোষণ করে এবং এর পরিবর্তে অক্সিজেন সরবরাহ করে। তাই বন ধ্বংস করলে আমরা শুধু একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ কার্বন ডাই অক্সাইড সংগ্রহস্থলই নষ্ট করি না, বরং পরিবেশের ভারসাম্যও নষ্ট করি।
Words | Bangla Meanings | Synonyms/ Meanings | Antonyms |
Radiation (n) | বিকিরণ | emission; discharge; radiance | absorption |
Orbit (n) | কক্ষপথ | path; trajectory; revolution | deviation |
Atmosphere (n) | বায়ুমণ্ডল | air; environment; climate | vacuum |
Concentration (n) | ঘনত্ব; একাগ্রতা | density; focus; accumulation | dilution; distraction |
Responsible (adj) | দায়ী; দায়িত্বশীল | accountable; answerable | irresponsible; blameless |
Combustion (n) | দহন | burning; ignition; incineration | extinguishment |
Fossil (n) | জীবাশ্ম | petrified remains; ancient fuel | renewable resource |
Crude (adj) | অপরিশোধিত | unrefined; raw; natural | refined; processed |
Generate (v) | উৎপন্ন করা | produce; create; emit | eliminate; reduce |
Deforestation (n) | বন উজাড়করণ | forest clearance; tree cutting | afforestation; reforestation |
Absorb (v) | শোষণ করা | soak up; take in; assimilate | release; emit |
Deliver (v) | সরবরাহ করা; প্রদান করা | provide; distribute | take; withhold |
Storehouse (n) | ভাণ্ডার | warehouse; reservoir; depot | scarcity |
Strengthen (v) | শক্তিশালী করা | reinforce; boost; enhance | weaken; diminish |
Greenhouse effect (n) | গ্রীনহাউস প্রভাব | global warming; climate impact | cooling effect |
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.
- What has alarmingly increased in the atmosphere over the last hundred years?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Carbon dioxide (iii) Nitrogen (iv) Hydrogen - What is the main source of carbon dioxide emission?
(i) Solar energy (ii) Fossil fuels (iii) Wind power (iv) Hydropower - The burning of which material primarily began during the 19th century?
(i) Wood (ii) Coal (iii) Plastic (iv) Biomass - Why do factories burn fossil fuels?
(i) To reduce emissions (ii) To produce energy (iii) To store carbon (iv) To reduce heat - What is a result of deforestation?
(i) Oxygen increases (ii) Carbon dioxide decreases (iii) Greenhouse effect strengthens (iv) The temperature decreases - What does deforestation mean?
(i) Burning trees (ii) Cutting down trees (iii) Planting trees (iv) Preserving trees - What gas do trees absorb from the atmosphere?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Carbon dioxide (iii) Methane (iv) Nitrogen - Why are crude oil and gas burned daily?
(i) To reduce energy use (ii) To meet energy needs (iii) To conserve the environment (iv) To reduce temperature - How does deforestation affect forests’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide?
(i) It strengthens the ability (ii) It eliminates the ability (iii) It creates more oxygen (iv) It stops photosynthesis - What percentage of greenhouse gases is contributed by human activities?
(i) 30% (ii) 50% (iii) 70% (iv) 100% - Which industrial activity uses the most energy?
(i) Agriculture (ii) Transportation (iii) Mining (iv) Electricity production - What is the main component of fossil fuels?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Nitrogen (iii) Carbon (iv) Hydrogen - Why does deforestation release carbon dioxide?
(i) Because trees release it naturally (ii) Because trees store carbon (iii) Because trees create carbon (iv) Because it strengthens oxygen - What increases with the burning of fossil fuels?
(i) Carbon monoxide (ii) Carbon dioxide (iii) Methane (iv) Nitrogen oxide - What do forests deliver into the atmosphere?
(i) Carbon dioxide (ii) Methane (iii) Oxygen (iv) Sulfur dioxide - What is one alternative to using fossil fuels for energy?
(i) Natural gas (ii) Wind power (iii) Coal (iv) Diesel - Why has carbon dioxide concentration increased in the last century?
(i) Natural causes (ii) Industrial activities (iii) Volcanic eruptions (iv) Animal respiration - What is another major greenhouse gas besides carbon dioxide?
(i) Nitrogen (ii) Methane (iii) Argon (iv) Oxygen - Why is deforestation harmful to the environment?
(i) It reduces oxygen production (ii) It increases soil fertility (iii) It strengthens the greenhouse effect (iv) It promotes biodiversity - What does crude oil release when burned?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Hydrogen (iii) Carbon dioxide (iv) Nitrogen - What process releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
(i) Condensation (ii) Combustion (iii) Evaporation (iv) Photosynthesis - How does industrial activity affect greenhouse gases?
(i) Decreases emissions (ii) Increases emissions (iii) Neutralizes gases (iv) Eliminates gases - What is the unit used to measure daily crude oil consumption?
(i) Gallons (ii) Barrels (iii) Liters (iv) Cubic meters - What is the synonym for “deforestation”?
(i) Reforestation (ii) Clear-cutting (iii) Plantation (iv) Afforestation - What strengthens the greenhouse effect?
(i) Planting trees (ii) Deforestation (iii) Decreasing carbon emissions (iv) Using renewable energy - What energy source increased during the industrial revolution?
(i) Solar energy (ii) Coal (iii) Biomass (iv) Geothermal energy - What is emitted during deforestation by burning?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Nitrogen (iii) Carbon dioxide (iv) Hydrogen - What does “combustion” refer to?
(i) Absorbing heat (ii) Burning materials (iii) Storing energy (iv) Freezing - How many barrels of crude oil are burned every day?
(i) 85,000 (ii) 850,000 (iii) 85 million (iv) 8.5 billion - What is a major human activity that contributes to global warming?
(i) Planting trees (ii) Burning fossil fuels (iii) Recycling waste (iv) Using solar energy - What term describes a significant increase in carbon dioxide?
(i) Concentration (ii) Decentralization (iii) Diffusion (iv) Emission - What type of gas is carbon dioxide classified as?
(i) Inert gas (ii) Noble gas (iii) Greenhouse gas (iv) Reactive gas - Why are greenhouse gases harmful?
(i) They increase oxygen levels (ii) They trap heat (iii) They cool the Earth (iv) They absorb sunlight - What does “storehouse of carbon dioxide” refer to?
(i) Atmosphere (ii) Oceans (iii) Forests (iv) Fossil fuels - What is the opposite of “deforestation”?
(i) Desertification (ii) Reforestation (iii) Pollution (iv) Urbanization - How does industrialization affect natural resources?
(i) Preserves them (ii) Depletes them (iii) Enhances them (iv) Multiplies them - What is one effect of burning fossil fuels?
(i) Decreasing energy (ii) Increasing carbon emissions (iii) Cooling the environment (iv) Reducing pollution - What is the chemical formula of carbon dioxide?
(i) CO (ii) CO2 (iii) CH4 (iv) H2O - What is the role of trees in controlling carbon dioxide levels?
(i) Emit carbon dioxide (ii) Absorb carbon dioxide (iii) Release methane (iv) Reduce oxygen - What does “strengthening the greenhouse effect” mean?
(i) Increasing heat trapping (ii) Decreasing temperature (iii) Reducing carbon dioxide (iv) Absorbing sunlight - What term describes the process of clearing forests?
(i) Afforestation (ii) Deforestation (iii) Reforestation (iv) Conservation - What activity contributes to global carbon emissions?
(i) Burning fossil fuels (ii) Using wind energy (iii) Planting trees (iv) Reducing deforestation - Which gas is the primary contributor to global warming?
(i) Oxygen (ii) Carbon dioxide (iii) Methane (iv) Hydrogen - What do forests provide for the atmosphere?
(i) Carbon dioxide (ii) Oxygen (iii) Methane (iv) Nitrogen - What happens to carbon levels when forests are destroyed?
(i) They increase (ii) They decrease (iii) They stabilize (iv) They remain the same - Why are fossil fuels considered harmful?
(i) They are renewable (ii) They release greenhouse gases (iii) They generate oxygen (iv) They cool the Earth - What term refers to the energy source used by factories?
(i) Renewable energy (ii) Fossil fuels (iii) Nuclear energy (iv) Solar energy - What does “mineral oil” refer to?
(i) A renewable energy source (ii) A fossil fuel (iii) A natural gas (iv) A chemical compound - What does “emission” mean in the context of the passage?
(i) Reduction (ii) Release (iii) Absorption (iv) Preservation - What is the primary role of trees in an ecosystem?
(i) Emit carbon dioxide (ii) Absorb methane (iii) Absorb carbon dioxide (iv) Produce fossil fuels
B. Answer the following questions:
- What are the two major activities responsible for releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
- Why are fossil fuels burned, and how does this impact the environment?
- What role do factories play in increasing carbon dioxide levels?
- How did industrial activities contribute to the greenhouse gas increase?
- Why is deforestation considered harmful for the environment?
- What is the relationship between trees and carbon dioxide?
- How does the burning of fossil fuels affect the earth’s atmosphere?
- What steps can humans take to control greenhouse gas emissions?
- Why do industrial activities rely heavily on coal and crude oil?
- What happens when forests are cleared for human activities?
- How do crude oil and natural gas contribute to the greenhouse effect?
- What would happen if deforestation continues at the current rate?
- Why is the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air alarming?
- How does burning trees release large amounts of carbon dioxide?
- What does the term “storehouse of carbon dioxide” refer to?
- Why is cutting down trees described as a dual problem?
- What role does reforestation play in reducing greenhouse gases?
- How do airplanes contribute to carbon dioxide emissions?
- What evidence shows that human activities are responsible for global warming?
- How does deforestation impact oxygen levels in the atmosphere?
- What is the effect of using renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels?
- How did the end of the 19th century mark a significant environmental shift?
- Why is it important to reduce the burning of fossil fuels?
- What are the alternatives to using coal, crude oil, and natural gas?
- What would happen to the greenhouse effect if humans stopped deforestation?
- How does industrialization directly impact the environment?
- What measures can industries take to reduce their carbon footprint?
- Why is coal considered a significant contributor to carbon emissions?
- What do you understand by the term “carbon footprint”?
- What role does technology play in controlling greenhouse gas emissions?