There's a New Greenhouse Gas in Town

As we know, carbon dioxide is public enemy number one on the list of deadly greenhouse gases. But there's a new gas in town we must keep a watchful eye on. The name of the gas is nitrogen trifluoride. And actually, it's not really new. We just underestimated how potent it really was.

The techniques formerly used to measure this gas in our atmosphere provided us with inaccurate numbers. Nitrogen trifluoride emissions are not covered in the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 because it was believed that emissions were not significant. The Kyoto Protocol is the global agreement signed by 182 countries in a united effort to reduce greenhouse gases.

Through new research funded by NASA, the actual amount of nitrogen trifluoride presently being emitted is now reported to be at least four times more than that which was originally stated. And worse, it appears to be increasing at a rate of eleven percent each year.

Even more frightening, please brace yourself, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide making it a substantial greenhouse gas contributor. At one point in time, we believed the emissions of nitrogen trifluoride were so low they weren't even considered to be of any significant contribution to global warming.

So where do you find nitrogen trifluoride? It is one of the numerous gases used in the manufacture of liquid crystal flat-panel displays (LCD flat-panels); in other words, that big flat-screen TV you just upgraded to so that you could enjoy football season in all its glory. It is also used in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells and microcircuits.

Based upon the inaccuracy of the previous readings, nitrogen trifluoride became the preferred replacement for perflurocarbons, another greenhouse gas. This was based upon the theory that only two percent of the nitrogen trifluoride actually escaped into the atmosphere.

With this new report, scientists are recommending that nitrogen trifluoride be added to the list of greenhouse gases that the Kyoto Protocol should regulate. It has triggered growing concerns in the scientific community as one of the greenhouse gases of which we know very little.

As you'll hear me say, time and time again, knowledge is power. With this new found knowledge, it seems we need to reexamine our techniques in seeking answers. We desperately need to find ways to reduce global warming. We cannot haphazardly seek short term solutions with long term negative effect. We must start finding and implementing sources for renewable energy and drastically reduce the greenhouse gases we emit.