It is well known that the increase of industrial practices has had a negative impact on the environment. The surface temperature of the earth is estimated to have increased between 0.5 and 1°F in the past 100 years. Research suggests that this is a result of greenhouse gases, produced by human activities, released into the atmosphere creating a global warming. Additionally, aerosols released into the atmosphere, in the form of soot and dust, have been linked to health problems.

As a result of this research, the Consortium for Clean Air (CCA) would like to enact more stringent air quality laws. One of the areas targeted by the CCA is the smokestack industry and power plants, especially in the Eastern USA. The CCA claims that emissions from these plants place a huge burden on the local environment and contribute significantly to global climate change. Spokespersons from the energy industry refute this claim, stating that aerosols from coal burning plants and heavy industry actually produce an atmospheric cooling effect. They claim that the aerosols reflect the sun’s energy and help to increase cloud cover, which also reflects the sun’s energy. Your task is to determine if aerosols from these industries make a significant contribution to reducing the global warming trend.