The Climate Change Countdown: The Time to Act is Now

Climate change. A hard topic to avoid, whether it be mentioned on the news or addressed by teenagers across social media. While the vast majority might understand the issue’s importance, far fewer people have the solutions to the problem we’re facing, leading many to ask: what do we do now?

Climate change is the process by which greenhouse gases, largely carbon dioxide, are released into the atmosphere and trapped. There, they absorb heat from the sun in a process called the “greenhouse effect,” heating both the atmosphere and the planet itself. The greenhouse effect poses several problems to the ecosystem: higher global temperatures that propel polar ice caps to melt (leading to many arctic animals losing their habitat), threats to agriculture and freshwater supplies around the world, and a rise in sea level. While climate change may appear solely as an issue impacting the environment, human beings are equally at stake. As cited by the World Wildlife Fund, deforestation is a major contributor to climate change. Trees play an important role in regulating the atmosphere, and without them, the natural process of recycling carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is hampered. Another example is the usage of solar, hydro, and wind power, all of which are largely determined by companies who have a much greater burden on the environment with their power usage. Furthermore, rising sea levels pose a threat to coastlines in areas already prone to flooding. Florida, for instance, would lose massive amounts of coastline, leading to astronomical costs in property and infrastructure damage. The second outcome would be a result of large-scale evaporation, which could have a dramatic effect on already dire habitats such as in California. What’s more, if we keep up our current behavior, several of these effects are estimated to permanently implement by approximately 2100, only 80 years from now. The greenhouse effect poses several problems to the ecosystem: higher global temperatures that propel polar ice caps to melt (leading to many arctic animals losing their habitat), threats to agriculture and freshwater supplies around the world, and a rise in sea level. While climate change may appear solely as an issue impacting the environment, human beings are equally at stake. As cited by the World Wildlife Fund, deforestation is a major contributor to climate change. Trees play an important role in regulating the atmosphere, and without them, the natural process of recycling carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is hampered. Another example is the usage of solar, hydro, and wind power, all of which are largely determined by companies who have a much greater burden on the environment with their power usage.