There are many gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, but many are natural and harmless. CO2, however, is not healthy for the atmosphere. CO2 remains in the atmosphere longer than other gases and traps in heat extremely well. Even a slight increase in CO2 in the atmosphere can cause significant increases in global temperatures. Most CO2 emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels. Cars and other vehicles can produce up to 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually, and coal-burning power plants can produce 2.5 billion tons. Sadly, the United States is responsible for a great deal of these emissions. And though the U.S. is doing their best to rectify this problem by lowering their emission rates, other countries are doing the opposite.