Exactly what is the "Greenhouse Effect?" The "Greenhouse Effect" is the common name given to global warming. The effect is named so due to its similarities to the function of a greenhouse. Heat from the sun is allowed into our atmosphere, and then bounces off of the Earth and heads back out to space. But now that we have a wall of Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and CFC's, the sun's heat rays bounce back towards the Earth. The continuous burning of fossil fuels and the rain forests is causing excess amounts of carbon dioxide to be r ....