Scientists Warm To Greener Earth (NAPSA)—Many Americans may be glad to hear what a number of distinguished agronomists, researchers and other experts have to say: we're on our way to a better and more productive world. Why? Because of the increase in carbon dioxide (CO) levels in the atraosphere. Higher COs, the experts explain, stimulates faster growth in trees and other plants, improves wateruse efficiency in growing things and can increase the yields of almost every important crop on earth. ct ” Carbon dioxide is considered the major building block oflife. Plants extract it from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and transforma it into the food we need ta survive. As a by-product of those processes, oxygen is released. Humans and animals get the earbon we need from the plants we eat. The oxygen we breathe oxidizes the carbon in our systems, and we exhale CO. CO, is also produced through fossil fuel combustion: An mternal combustion engine, coal-fired power plant or natural gas turbine uses carbon stored in a fossil fuel (such as coal, which is ancient plant life) and burns (oxidizes) it— releasing energy and emitting CO, The increasing concentration of CO. in cur atmosphere is due in part to such human activity, As more CO. warms the cilmate, many experts advise, the better off we'll be. although geologic processes—such as voleanos—still play a domimant role. Humans have been harnessing the energy unleashed by the oxidation of carbon for a very long time, and more and more of us have been doing so. We are, however, becoming increasingly efficient and innovative in the techniques we use to harness this energy. You can learn more about CO, and what it may mean for the future from the experts at the Greening Earth Society, a not-for- profit, grass reots organization of people who beheve humans are a part of nature, not apart from nature. It can be found online at www. greeningearthsociety.org or you can call 800-529-4503.
