Understanding Climate Change

Planet Earth has been undergoing massive changes in temperature throughout its entire geological history. These drastic changes in the earth's temperatures are suspected to have been the cause for the disappearance of the earliest human species; Neanderthals, and the Cromagnon, as well as the dinosaurs. The jury is still out on these examples. and there are other potential causes for the sudden disappearance of these and other earthlings. The history of our planet's changing climate continues today, with one alarming difference. The current trends of climate change seen across the globe are largely due to the industrialized lifestyle we have all become accustomed to, where burning fossil fuels is an everyday accepted occurrence. Yet these choices that we have made as a species are coming back to haunt us, since we are accelerating our own demise as far as the planet's habitability. Whether you live on the top of a tall mountain in Nepal, or in a city condo, climate change is certain to affect your life and lifestyle if it has not done so already.

The severe changes in weather and extreme temperatures and storms that we are facing today may be our own doing, yet this is not a doomsday report, there is still hope for our planet and our species if we turn the tables on climate change and begin to live in different ways that sustain our delicate ecosystem rather than destroy it. Yet, severe flooding has ruined many family picnics, and intense heat waves have made many outdoor weddings sticky and uncomfortable. There is no need to panic over the state of our planet, instead we must work together to find ways of dealing with the climate change issues and grow as a society toward a greener standard of living.

The term climate change is more accurate that the phrase Global Warming, which is quite a popular phrase within the world's media. Yet this term is not as accurate - yes the planet's atmospheric temperature is rising, along with the level and temperature of earth's oceans. These levels have been fluctuating throughout history, much like industries time and frequency standards are subject to change over the years. Yet climate change versus global warming, our climate is changing (becoming warmer and colder), therefore this term defines the situation better, and deals with all aspects of this meteorological shift, not just temperature alone.

The effects of the earth getting hotter may lead to severe cold temperatures as well as record breaking heat waves. The warming of the earth's oceans also has a drastic effect on the formation of storms, including tornados and hurricanes, the devastation of which is on the rise throughout the world. Of course, certain parts of the globe are more prone to these types of storms than others. The Caribbean is famous for being hit with many hurricanes per season, so some of those citizens may decide to escape their fate by searching the Waterloo Ontario real estate listings, and moving to an entirely different climate. Yet there is no easy way to escape climate change, it will affect every living thing on this planet, from people to plants and insects, all earthlings will feel the effects of the changes in our ecosystem created by modern humans.

Many individuals and organizations are taking charge of the situation and making steps toward greener living. Many companies are introducing organic compost and recycling centers in the workplace, and one recruiting firm has even hired environmental specialists to assess their business for ways of making it greener. If everyone takes small steps, such as using high efficiency light bulbs, or growing your own vegetables, we can hold off the effects of climate change and try to stop the course that our planet is on.





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The Enviroment


Monday, December 9, 2024