TAKE ACTION NOW, BECAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL

By JULIA EARNST, OPS staff writer

We see the results of global warming everyday. The icecaps are melting, animals are dying, the sea levels are rising, precipitation has risen across the globe, and yet, people still continue to deny the fact the global warming even exists.

According to NASA, since 2001, we have had the highest warmest years ever recorded. Scientists largely believe that the temperature of the globe will continue to increase in the upcoming years. This caused the ice caps to melt to the smallest they have ever been in recording of an arctic summer in 2012. This in turn has caused the global average sea levels to rise to nearly 7 inches over the past one hundred years.

The ocean is only a few degrees warmer, but it’s just warm enough to bleach the coral in the ocean. That alone will change the way the population of the ocean’s sea creatures populations to decrease. The list of effects of global warming goes on and on.

Now that we know what global warming is affecting it, what is causing it? Why is it happening?

Carbon dioxide levels are higher than they have been in 650,000 years. Now, one would ask, why does that make a difference?

What is the carbon dioxide doing to be one of the causes of global warming?

Water vapor and clouds are a big part of the Earth’s Greenhouse effect, the trapping of the sun’s warmth in the atmosphere from the infrared radiation emitted from the planet’s surface.

The planet’s temperature greatly depends on the level of carbon dioxide in the air. But— as we all have come to know— balance is everything.

Too much carbon dioxide in the air is affecting the way the sun’s rays are reflecting off of the Earth’s surface. The atmosphere stops some of the sun rays from entering onto the sun’s surface. The carbon dioxide is eating at the atmosphere and more of the rays which in turn heats up the Earth.

Don’t worry though, the atmosphere can repair itself. The only thing we have to do it prevent so much carbon dioxide into it.

How do we do that?

In order to prevent the destruction of the atmosphere, you can power your home with renewable energy. When choosing a utility company, get one that generates at least half of its power from wind or solar.

You can also reduce water waste. Saving water takes a lot of energy to pump, heat, and even treat your water. All you have to do is take shorter showers and turn off the tap while your brushing your teeth. It will also save you money on your bill, so you can add that to the pro list if you want.

When buying food, make sure you’re only getting the amount you know that will be eaten and not go to waste. Around 10 percent of U.S energy use is from packaging, processing, and shipping food. Forty ercent makes its way into the landfill!

Cutting down on meat would help too. Livestock products are among some of the most energy consuming products in the world.

Another big way to help, is to shrink your carbon profile. All you have to do is by purchasing carbon offsets. These represent clean power that you can add to the nation’s energy grid instead of using power from fossil fuels.

Why would I bother is no one else seems to be doing it?

If everyone had that mind set, cleaning the world of problems like this would never work. But, if it doesn’t you can at least have a clear conscience.

Filed Sept 20, 2018