What We Do Today Affects The Environment Tomorrow

The words "climate change" doesn't seem to hold much weight for most, and the term usually gets associated with just the slight thought that your grandchildren may never see a polar bear in their lifetime. It seems like an issue far out of our control, but that's exactly where we go wrong. We keep pushing the system further and further but for how much longer can we continue to push it? Let's just say there isn't time to argue climate change!

There is no doubt that we all benefit from greenhouse gasses and fossil fuels considering without them we would have no hot water, no electricity, and no transportation. Even in just the past ten years, the concept of "global warming" has seemed as simple as just changing your light bulb or turning the water off when brushing your teeth but the picture is much larger than that.

First things first, if we are going to fight climate change we need to realize that most everything is run by fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels releases CO2 which gets trapped as a greenhouse gas. Resulting in a global temperature increase. Science has found questionable temperature patterns, like long term cooling trends then abrupt warming with no reason for the change. These changes are potentially whipping out entire ecosystems and causing dramatic changes to the planet. Species used to get catagorized into thousands maybe even millions, unfortunately now some species can only get categorized in the double digits.

Entire cities are getting whipped out due to rising sea levels. Recent predictions state that another 6 inches of sea level rising and half of South Florida could be taken out. The small islands that contribute the least to climate change will face its impact the greatest, while the Arctic has been the most dramatic change an environment has seen. Reefs as we know them may virtually disappear, yet one billion people rely on fisheries from coral reefs for vitally all their protein.These things are changing at a rate we never predicted.

Climate change is inevitable but the frightening part about it is the rate at which humans are accelerating what is already happening and we do not know what the results are going to be. Everyone has their own eco-foot print even if they are unaware of it, which is the role you personally have on the environment. It is time to become aware of that because almost everything we do changes that footprint. Something as simple as choosing chicken over beef can have a better impact on the environment. BUT the most important thing is to become aware of the changes happening and the impact YOU have on the planet. Everyone can make a difference, every little thing counts.

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Image credit: Liz Schaefer