Climate change is a real icebreaker
With climate change being on an exponential incline, many don’t know how to help combat he issue.
Photo by Joseph Kamandy
Although many are unaware of the effects of climate change, wild life continues to act as environmental indicator of the destruction that is being done to the planet.
November 21, 2019
Climate change and its effects on the planet are not new, and still, ignorance blinds people from seeing its drastic effects. Government officials have done nothing to solve the problem, so it’s time for students to take action and make a change. Others might think it’s hard to make significant changes when in reality, there are some very simple tasks one can do to make a difference.
In the last few decades, Earth’s global temperature has risen six-tenths of a degree, the population has risen by 1.7 billion people, and ocean levels have risen three inches. Seemingly insignificant, this will keep expanding over large amounts of time. Human activity in rainforests has caused multiple fires that are burning down the Amazon Rainforest. The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has dismissed protections for the fires. The forest has been on fire for 10 months and they just keep spreading. The amazon fires heat up the atmosphere, this causes the polar ice caps to start melting. The ice caps have been melting faster than ever, President Trump stated in an interview with Piers Morgan that the polar ice caps are setting records for how much they aren’t melting, they are literally melting and the president of the United States has the audacity to say that.
“Simply put, we are rapidly remaking the planet and beginning to suffer the consequences,” Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University said.
There are some simple things that you can do to help our planet. By reducing one’s plastic use, it is less likely for plastic to end up in dangerous areas such as forests and oceans. This would also allow for better preservation of wildlife. When plastic is hit by ultra-violet rays they emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
“When you go to the grocery store and pick out vegetables, you get them in these plastic bags, maybe bring your own little bags or try to go to farmers’ markets, instead of buying mass-produced items,” Analulu Tavarez (12), president of the Green Team on campus said.
Carbon being admitted into the atmosphere causes climate change. Solar, electric cars, and biodegradable materials are a positive start in helping the planet. Solar energy decreases the greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere, limiting the careless use of water can benefit the planet. It takes a lot of energy to pump and heat water. Taking shorter showers and turning the tap off after you use it is a big help. Eating the food we buy from stores, instead of letting it spoil, will help reduce the 40% of store-bought produce that ends up in landfills. Almost 10% of the United States’ energy is used to grow, package, and ship food.
While climate change affects the planet, it also affects us. As the atmosphere heats up agriculture will start to fail, and the weather on earth will change drastically. Wildfires will be a major weather pattern in areas of dry bush and forests. Weather change can cause the climate to rise or drop, this could kill agriculture. Everyone could make such a positive effect on the planet if we all just tried to make a difference. It’s never too late to try new things and help out.
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