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Landfills release methane into the atmosphere, where the greenhouse gas traps heat and contributes to global warming.National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Most global warming stories talk about carbon dioxide, the colorless gas that accumulates in the atmosphere and insulates the planet like a giant, invisible blanket. But carbon dioxide isn’t the only greenhouse gas. Another, called methane, also traps heat in Earth’s atmosphere (one definition of the greenhouse effect) — more than 20 times as much as the same amount of carbon dioxide. But unlike carbon dioxide, which can hover for hundreds of years, methane stays in the air for only about 12 years.  

So reducing methane might be an easy way to start tackling a big problem.  

In a new study, scientists say that bringing down methane emissions may be a quick, relatively simple way to slow down the temperature increase caused by global warming.

Visit the new Science News for Kids website and read the full story: Climate coolers

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