LRS General Discussion, page-18538

HUMANS BREATHE IT

Carbon dioxide is a minor part of the air that humans breathe. It is also a byproduct of our body’s metabolism and is subsequently exhaled from the lungs.

PLANTS NEED IT

Despite the minor amount of CO₂ in the air, it is essential to plant life and is a key part of the global carbon cycle. Plants take in CO₂, break down the CO₂ into carbon and oxygen, release the oxygen to the atmosphere, and then retain the carbon to live and grow. When the plant dies or is burned, the carbon recombines with O₂ in the air and CO₂ is formed again, completing the cycle.

Myth: The presence of CO₂ in the atmosphere is bad and only comes from the burning of fossil fuels.

Reality: Carbon dioxide is derived from both natural and anthropogenic sources, is essential to plant life, and is a key part of the Earth’s carbon lifecycle.