Adam Hadad, Managing Editor |
Climate change is real! It’s even going to blow up your house and eat your dog!
No, seriously. It is real, and if we don’t do something about it, very soon we’ll lose our treasured home that is Planet Earth.
For years now, past generations have been releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as a result of fossil fuel burning and destroying natural carbon habitats like the Amazon Rainforest by replacing it with things that produce greenhouse gases.
Here’s the kicker: this isn’t the first time we are experiencing intense climate change due to the selfish actions of humans; that is likely because of ignorance, but that’s for another time.
The planet is going through a warmer period, with an increase by about 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact, and the majority of this change has taken place within the last 30 years.
Factors that might not seem insignificant, such as rain fall, can impact the severity of many other situations. It might affect when the plants bloom, which then changes the period of insects hatching, which then deviates the time when birds migrate, WHICH THEN– you get the point.
Globally, these changes are even more apparent.
Air temperatures over land are rising. As a result, the rate and severity of drought and heat waves are increasing. Intense droughts lead to failed crops, low water supplies, and destructive wildfires; do you remember the California wildfires that happened recently? Yeah, that U.S. West “fire season” has now increased from 31 days in the 1970s to 117 days on average every year.
Air temperatures over oceans are also rising. Seventy percent of our planet is covered with oceans. The heat coming from the sun in the form of light-wave penetrates our atmosphere and gets absorbed by the ocean. It’s simple; as the air near the surface water gets warmer, more water evaporates and gets release back to the air. The outcome? Stronger hurricanes, which also produce flooding among a host of other devastating effects.
These are just a few examples of how the snowball effects of global warming are creating disasters around the entire planet. Animals are losing their habitats, and people are forced to leave their homes.
You might say, “Who is forcing these people out of their homes?” Well, technically, no one, EXCEPT the ocean. Glaciers are melting faster due to the increasing water temperatures, and for those who are living near the coast – we are screwed. Eight of the 10 largest cities in the world are located by the coast; New York City, New Orleans, and parts of the Bay Area will be affected. But that’s just within the United States. Archipelagos such as Indonesia and Philippines will get so bad that they will lose all their fresh water supplies, and it’s possible that their entire population will need to be evacuated within this century.
I’m not trying to be cynical about the situation, but the reality is – our planet is in dire need of help.
The previous generations have failed us and have certainly failed the Earth. It is now our turn do something about it.
According to World Resource Institute, “China has become the number one investor in renewable energy, investing $83.3 billion – nearly a third of the total global investment. Mexico has set a target to cut deforestation rates to zero by 2030. India has committed to reduce CO2 emissions per unit GDP 35 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Indonesia has also targeted 12.7 million hectares for social forestry and ecosystem restoration by 2019 as part of its national development plan.”
If you ever feel discouraged to take on fighting the ongoing conflicts surrounding our planet, just remember that every little thing can add up to result in global change-even if it’s just turning off all lights in your room once you leave or not letting the water run when you’re washing the dishes. The little things you do can inspire others to do the same – as long as you are aware and genuine about it.
And most importantly, (if you have the ability to) –go vote.
In June of 2017, President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement which was signed by literally every country on Earth, dealing with greenhouse-gas-emissions and the adaptations required to combat and come up with plans on the contributions necessary to save this planet starting in 2020.
In accordance with Article 28 of the Paris Climate Accord, the earliest effective date of withdrawal for the U.S. is November 4, 2020, shortly before the end of President Trump’s current term.
So, remember, no matter what you want to do in life, if we don’t have a planet to live those lives on – nothing really matters.
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