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What Is Carbon Dioxide?

Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas in our atmosphere. In the past two hundred years, levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere have skyrocketed to dangerous levels unprecedented in the history of human civilization. This is happening as a result of human activity—mainly burning coal, oil, and natural gas for transportation and energy, as well as emissions from big-scale agricultural processes.

What can carbon dioxide do to you?

Carbon dioxide from human activity is a major contributor to climate change. Although not harmful in and of itself, its unchecked release into the atmosphere is polluting our climate and is a grave global health threat. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is essential to fighting climate change and safeguarding the health and future of our children.

What you can do.

The 116th Congress has introduced several bills from both sides of the aisle to address climate pollution. That’s good news, because we need legislative solutions. Now we have to keep the pressure on—it’s up to us to build momentum for climate action.

It is unlikely that only one law will be able to stop massive climate pollution. But it is imperative that we keep demanding legislative solutions.

However, action on climate pollution from Washington, DC, has been slow and does not address the urgency of the climate change problem. Therefore, we need our state governments to take action and reduce carbon pollution.

Find out what is happening in your state, and demand that your governor take action.

Learn more about how carbon dioxide emissions threaten our children’s health by exploring our resources.

Tell your elected officials why you care about climate change.

The science is clear. We must act with urgency.

Moms Clean Air Force demands that city, state, and federal lawmakers and regulators move us onto a path to climate safety immediately.

  • We must mobilize immediately for a transition to zero climate pollution. The 100% Clean Economy bill is a great start.
  • We must have laws and regulations that rapidly draw down carbon and methane emissions and ramp up energy efficiency everywhere.
  • Our goals must be ambitious, and staged deadlines must be strictly enforced to demonstrate measurable progress.
  • We must ensure that vulnerable populations and communities of color are given equitable protections and are granted access to cost-effective clean-energy options.
  • We must make bold investments in innovative technologies that will help solve this climate crisis.
  • We must hold companies accountable for cleaning up their climate pollution.

Tell Your Representatives:
It’s Beyond Time for Climate Safety

Resources about Carbon Dioxide

  • Resources
  • Articles
  • Take Action
What You Need to Know About the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Fact Sheet

What You Need to Know About the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

What you need to know about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

resource

What you need to know about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Soot and Black Carbon

Fact Sheet

Soot and Black Carbon

Climate Change and Latinos

Fact Sheet

Climate Change and Latinos

Clearing Up Climate Confusion

Fact Sheet

Clearing Up Climate Confusion

An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution

Ebook

An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution

Ocean Acidification

Fact Sheet

Ocean Acidification

Natural Gas and Air Pollution

Fact Sheet

Natural Gas and Air Pollution

Global Climate Change

Fact Sheet

Global Climate Change

Hollín y carbono negro

Fact Sheet

Hollín y carbono negro

Gas natural y contaminación del aire

Fact Sheet

Gas natural y contaminación del aire

Cambio climático global

Fact Sheet

Cambio climático global

See more resources about Carbon Dioxide »

United We Stand

Article

United We Stand

Hundreds of Thousands Call on Automakers to Stop Supporting Climate-Crushing Rollbacks

Article

Hundreds of Thousands Call on Automakers to Stop Supporting Climate-Crushing Rollbacks

Step Up Climate Action to Protect our Children

Article

Step Up Climate Action to Protect our Children

"Coal Blooded Action Toolkit" from NAACP

Article

"Coal Blooded Action Toolkit" from NAACP

Book Review: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action

Article

Book Review: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action

Tatiana Schlossberg Author of "Inconspicuous Consumption" Discusses Climate, Consumption, and Covid

Article

Tatiana Schlossberg Author of "Inconspicuous Consumption" Discusses Climate, Consumption, and Covid

8 Tools for Kids to Learn About Climate Change at Home

Article

8 Tools for Kids to Learn About Climate Change at Home

Ohio Communities Commit to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Protect Children’s Health

Article

Ohio Communities Commit to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Protect Children’s Health

Air Pollution is The Greatest Human Health Risk

Article

Air Pollution is The Greatest Human Health Risk

Doctors Warn Against the "False Promise" of Natural Gas

Article

Doctors Warn Against the "False Promise" of Natural Gas

EU Parliament Declares "Climate and Environmental Emergency"

Article

EU Parliament Declares "Climate and Environmental Emergency"

Me, My Car, and Trump

Article

Me, My Car, and Trump

Read more articles about Carbon Dioxide »

Tell Congress: Get Us to Climate Safety

Petition

Tell Congress: Get Us to Climate Safety

Tell Your Governor: Take the Lead on Climate Action

Petition

Tell Your Governor: Take the Lead on Climate Action

Clean Air Action Guide

Action Guide

Clean Air Action Guide

What You Need to Know About the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Fact Sheet

What You Need to Know About the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

United We Stand

Article

United We Stand

What you need to know about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

resource

What you need to know about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

Hundreds of Thousands Call on Automakers to Stop Supporting Climate-Crushing Rollbacks

Article

Hundreds of Thousands Call on Automakers to Stop Supporting Climate-Crushing Rollbacks

Tell Congress: Get Us to Climate Safety

Petition

Tell Congress: Get Us to Climate Safety

Step Up Climate Action to Protect our Children

Article

Step Up Climate Action to Protect our Children

"Coal Blooded Action Toolkit" from NAACP

Article

"Coal Blooded Action Toolkit" from NAACP

Book Review: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action

Article

Book Review: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action

Tatiana Schlossberg Author of "Inconspicuous Consumption" Discusses Climate, Consumption, and Covid

Article

Tatiana Schlossberg Author of "Inconspicuous Consumption" Discusses Climate, Consumption, and Covid

8 Tools for Kids to Learn About Climate Change at Home

Article

8 Tools for Kids to Learn About Climate Change at Home

Ohio Communities Commit to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Protect Children’s Health

Article

Ohio Communities Commit to Reduce Carbon Emissions and Protect Children’s Health

Air Pollution is The Greatest Human Health Risk

Article

Air Pollution is The Greatest Human Health Risk

See more Carbon Dioxide resources »

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Moms Clean Air Force

We are a community of moms and dads united against air pollution – including the urgent crisis of our changing climate – to protect our children’s health.

Areas of Focus

  • What Is Air Pollution?
  • What is Climate Change?
  • What are Toxic Chemicals?

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