Climate Change's Impact on Us

Ivanna Molina

I believe I can speak for all when I say that it has been so cold recently! Just less than a week ago, we were sending petitions to wear the PE shorts as part of the normal uniform, and now we're wearing long sleeve shirts under our uniforms and buying sweaters from the school! Although it's normal for Honduras to get a little chilly around this time of year, it has never been so sudden and strong. Many people are wondering, “Where did this weather come from?” or “since when is it so cold?”. Well, I think I might have the answer: climate change. This phenomenon has been becoming more and more prominent in recent years, and every day it's affecting us more and more.

So, what is climate change? According to the United Nations, climate change can be defined as "long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns." This occurrence has been affecting us humans since the 1800s, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. The burning of these fossil fuels causes greenhouse gasses to be emitted into our atmosphere, working like a type of cover that traps the sun's heat. This causes overall global temperatures to rise, but it can also cause weather changes that, for a time, can lead to cooling in certain areas. Climate change has also led to the rapid melting of ice caps in the Arctic regions and the rise of sea levels across the globe. 

In Honduras, climate change also negatively affects ecosystems like coral reefs, rainforests, cloud forests, and mangroves, and it's not only affecting the weather and animals; it affects people too. Some consequences of climate change in Honduras are the increase in floods and extreme rainfall all over the country. This affects our country in many ways. The floods, of course, are dangerous to certain communities because many houses are not built to resist flooding and heavy winds, causing major destruction and even death. And heavy rains can affect exports due to there being many products that are exported from Honduras to the rest of the world that depend on our usual tropical climate, unable to survive heavy rains. 

Now, this beg the question, "Is anyone really doing anything about it?" I know everyone has used a paper straw to "save the turtles" more than once, but is that really helping?  I'm sorry to tell you that drinking out of a soggy straw hasn't done much to help our fight against climate change. However, many nations have said they are committed to ending global warming and climate change by lowering their greenhouse emissions and incorporating more renewable energy instead of using fossil fuels. Many organizations that fight this problem are also growing with more people volunteering and helping them achieve their goals. 

So, what are you doing to eliminate climate change? If you aren't doing anything, I invite you to join an organization that helps combat this problem or to at least incorporate little things in your day-to-day life that could help win our fight against climate change. And, if you're feeling generous, spread this message to people who may not be as informed about the topic. 

Works Cited

United Nations. "What Is Climate Change?" United Nations, www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change. 

World Wildlife Fund. "Why Are Glaciers and Sea Ice Melting?" World Wildlife Fund, Web.

World Wildlife Fund. "Climate Change and Energy." World Wildlife Fund, www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/climate-change-

and-energy.