A Global Crisis

Climate change is simply defined as a significant variation of average weather conditions, which include conditions that become warmer or wetter over at least several decades. Impacts regarding climate change are evident across various regions and aspects important to society such as agriculture, human health, water supply, etc.

Many communities are experiencing the impacts of climate change such as rising seas, increased droughts, and intense heat waves. The amount of rain falling in heavy precipitation events has drastically increased over the last 50 years throughout the United States. Additionally, evidence for warming is observed in the seasonal changes across many areas including earlier springs, longer growing seasons, etc..

The frequency and duration of North Atlantic Hurricanes have increased significantly since the early 1980s and much of its cause is associated with warmer climates. The IPCC, which consists of 1300 scientists from across the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. Greenhouse gases are the primary issue of climate change. In essence, when sunlight reaches Earth’s surface it is either reflected or absorbed, and once it is absorbed the planet releases some of the energy back into the atmosphere as heat. The greenhouse gases act as a blanket which makes the Earth warmer than it would be. More importantly, it is crucial to be aware of the potential solutions to tackle this major threat in our society and economy.

Specifically, a challenge that could be eliminated is the burning of coal, oil, and also natural gas. However, this can be extremely difficult as humans rely on it significantly for our daily tasks. Furthermore, another effective strategy is consuming less to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting back on consumption can definitely result in fewer fossils being burned to extract, produce, and ship products. Eating smart and going vegetarian can also be a very challenging shift, but it will take up less land to grow crops, which can ultimately allow more room for planting trees.

Ultimately, efficiency is key since a bigger impact can be made by doing more with less. For instance, good driving and car maintenance can limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from a vehicle and lower the frequency of payment. Humans are the ones who burn fossil fuels and chop down forests, which causes average temperatures to rise worldwide. Thus, it is crucial to do as much as possible to prevent disruption in the climate and allow for a safer environment and world.