> the greenhouse effect is a misnomer. You're taking it too literally. Greenhouses get warm because there's a barrier that reduces the amount of energy escapin

> the greenhouse effect is a misnomer. You're taking it too literally. Greenhouses get warm because there's a barrier that reduces the amount of energy escaping from the inside of the greenhouse to the outside. The greenhouse effect is similar in this way in that the CO2 in the atmosphere acts like a barrier that reduces the infrared energy escaping from the surface into space, as you mention. Sure it's not really the same. But people like short catchy names and phrases, even if they're somewhat inaccurate. Note how many say they Googled something when they didn't actually use Google.