Methane is a
greenhouse gas that is creating a serious problem for global warming. Methane
gases are very potent when trapping infrared heat in the atmosphere, because
one molecule of methane can trap infrared heat twenty times more than carbon
dioxide. The levels of methane in the atmosphere has risen drastically
in the past 150 years. The methane concentration in the atmosphere is 2
parts per million, but it is at its highest level over a 160,000 year period.
Methane also known as swamp gas is produced by the decomposition of bacteria in the absence of oxygen. Decomposition can take place in landfills, rice paddies and the digestive system of cows and termites. Coal mining and oil drilling also produce methane. The gas that is used to burn the flares on oil rigs is methane.
Methane the second most important greenhouse gas is mostly
produced by the digestive system of cows. The plants that cattle eat are
digested by microrganisms. 
During
this process methane is produced. About twice every minute a cow belches
or flatuates releasing methane. It is estimated by researchers that one
cow can release a pound of methane each day. It is also estimated that
the world is populated with 1.3 billion cows, which produces about 100
million tons of methane that goes into the atmosphere every year. Cows
provide food, milk, and leather which are essentials to the world population.
However the methane that cows produce is destroying the atmosphere which
is causing the planet to heat up.
