Pollutants normally escape into space, but certain pollutants can stay in the atmosphere for years; as the pollutants are in the atmosphere they trap heat and cause the earth to get warmer, this is also known as the greenhouse effect. One of the largest sources of heat-trapping emissions in the United States is the burning of fossil fuels; it’s not only harmful to the environment but also harmful to our health, when fossil fuels are burned for energy it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide