DeKALB | Governor Rod Blagojevich announced a plan to put a cap on Illinois’ greenhouse gas emissions, a move his Web site calls a “global warming initiative.”

The plan created the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group and also made Illinois the second state to join the Chicago Climate Exchange group, a trade system of allowance for greenhouse gas emissions.

Matthew Streb, assistant professor of political science, said the environment tends to be a key issue in elections.

“The issue of the environment is a positive one,” Streb said. “Anything you can do to cut down on the use of oil at the current time is a popular plan.”

Brendon Swedlow, assistant professor of political science, doesn’t expect the plan to affect the election.

“People are more focused on the administration and the economic condition of the state,” Swedlow said.

In the last two decades, global warming has taken an influential role in the economy.

Greenhouse gases refer to gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and water in the atmosphere, which cause heating of the planet, said assistant geography professor David Goldblum.

Jonathan Berg, chair of geology and environmental geo-sciences, said carbon dioxide is the most influential greenhouse gas, whose physical properties allow shorter wavelengths from the sun to strike through a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere.

“Basically, it allows energy from the sun in, but not the cooling energy out,” Berg said.

The main cause of greenhouse gas emissions is the burning of fossil fuels that release carbon.

“Anytime you take carbon that was stored as fossil fuel, you take it from where it was in the ground as oil and you burn that carbon, you are putting carbon in atmosphere,” Goldblum said. “Essentially, it is converting carbon that has been in storage for a long time and putting it into play as a greenhouse gas.”

Perry Lindstrom, the Energy Information Administration’s project leader for greenhouse gas inventory, said the greenhouse gases get their name from their warming effects.

“The more that are in the atmosphere, the warmer the planet will be,” Lindstrom said.

Cutting down on the burning of fossil fuels is the most efficient way to cut down greenhouse gas emissions.

“Burning of fossil fuels is the biggest contributor to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” Berg said.

Production of electricity is also an influence on production of these gases.

“Fifty percent of electricity is generated from burning of coal and coal is the most carbon intensive energy source,” Lindstrom said.

There are many things that can be done to cut down on emissions on an individual basis.

“From a student’s perspective, your electricity at home and transportation is your largest contribution,” Goldblum said.

Alan Edrinn is the Energy beat reporter for the Northern Star.