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Fact: Green plants grow faster with more CO 2.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a gas that makes up approximately 0.04% of the earth’s atmosphere (1). It is a colorless and odorless gas created as a by-product of combustions and chemical processes (2). CO2 is also a by-product of humans, every time we breathe out; we exhale CO2. It is an essential part of our metabolic system (3). CO2 also impacts health and productivity. Furthermore, the level of CO2 in the air is a good indication of a room’s ventilation. Therefore, it is essential to find the perfect balance to ensure a safe indoor environment.
Many also become more drought-resistant because higher CO 2 levels allow plants to use water more efficiently. More abundant vegetation from increased CO2 is already apparent.
Satellite images reveal significant greening of the planet in recent decades, especially at desert margins, where drought resistance is critical. This remarkable planetary greening is the result of a mere 30% increase of CO 2 from its preindustrial levels. Still higher CO 2 levels will bring still more benefits to agriculture.
Plants use energy from sunlight to fuse a molecule of CO 2 to a molecule of water, H 2 O, to form carbohydrates. One molecule of oxygen O 2 is released to the air for each CO 2 molecule removed. Biological machinery of plants reworks the carbohydrate polymers into proteins, oils, and other molecules of life. Every living creature is affected, CO2 plays various roles in the human body including regulation of blood pH, respiratory drive, and affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen (O2). Fluctuations in CO2 levels are highly regulated and can cause disturbances in the human body if normal levels are not maintained.
