This concept came to me when I was studying thermodynamics 40+ years ago. Burning fossil fuels is releasing the sun's energy of a long time ago. It's not hard to see if the regular sunshine is keeping some kind of temperature equilibrium and then we burn coal, the temperature has to go up.

I've encountered more than a few articles that this effect is small compared to the heat retained from greenhouse gases. These writers claim that the heat from fossil fuels would eventually be dissipated as infrared radiation----------if this radiation could escape the atmosphere.

Regardless, we do need to learn how to chill. Great essay.