It should come as no surprise to most people that the idea of ​​global warming is a highly controversial and debated topic. But is there any real evidence that global warming is a growing problem or is global warming just a big scare tactic used to get people to comply with strict government regulations? It is widely accepted that global warming is the main cause of rising global average temperatures. In reality, global warming is not really what has been exaggerated. Many of the predicted effects of global warming over time have actually turned out to be false. First, global warming is believed to be caused by high levels of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by humans. Smoke produced by factories, vehicle exhaust, and the burning of fossil fuels like coal in power plants are the main sources of carbon dioxide. The theory is that carbon dioxide released into Earth's atmosphere builds up steadily because it cannot escape into space. The theory of why carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes an increase in Earth's average temperature is described as follows: Most of the sun's light energy is emitted at wavelengths below 4,000 nanometers (0.000004 meters). The thermal energy released by the Earth, however, is released in wavelengths greater than 4,000 nanometers. Carbon dioxide does not absorb energy from the sun, but it does absorb some of the heat energy given off by the Earth. When a carbon dioxide molecule absorbs thermal energy, it enters an excited, unstable state. It can become stable again by releasing the energy it has absorbed. Part of the released energy will return to earth and part will be sent into space. (How carbon dioxide...... middle of paper ......ry. Np, July 29, 2011. Web. November 10, 2013. .Levin, Mark R.. "On Enviro-statism." Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto. New York: Threshold Editions, 2009. 137. Print. Lieberman, Ben “Green Jobs Subsidies Will Destroy Far More Jobs Than They Create.” .November 10, 2013. .Pogue, David. “New Reasons to Change Light Bulbs.” The New York Times March 21, 2013, New York ed.: B1. own “inconvenient truth” Np, February 25, 2007. Web. November 10... 2013. .