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Which of these would not contribute to a global increase in temperature?

a) Deforestation
b) Increased greenhouse gas emissions
c) Expansion of urban areas
d) Reduction in industrial waste

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The option that would not contribute to a global increase in temperature is the reduction in industrial waste. Oxygen does not significantly contribute to global warming, and planting more environmentally-suitable plants is an effective way to reduce carbon dioxide. Human activities, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, have led to an increase in global temperatures.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is focused on the factors that do not contribute to a global increase in temperature. Among the given options, the one that would not contribute to a global increase in temperature is the reduction in industrial waste. In contrast, deforestation and increased greenhouse gas emissions are known contributors to global warming due to the loss of carbon sinks and enhanced greenhouse effect, respectively. The expansion of urban areas also contributes to the urban heat island effect which can lead to local increases in temperature. Therefore, reducing industrial waste could potentially mitigate global warming by decreasing the amount of pollutants and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

Regarding the gases significant to global warming, oxygen is not considered a major contributor to the greenhouse effect, unlike carbon dioxide, methane, and nitric oxide. The most effective way to reduce carbon dioxide is to plant more environmentally-suitable plants, which can sequester carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis. Lastly, human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution, are largely responsible for the increase in global temperatures, not natural factors such as volcanic eruptions, change in solar intensity, earthquakes, or changes in Earth's orbit.

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