Some people think “climate change” is just a phrase used to cover up “global warming.” Global warming sounds so scary, but climate change sounds like something we can help combat or something less scary than the thought of our planet burning up due to a hole in the ozone layer. It’s remarkable how word-choice can have such a big impact on our ideas and feelings. It’s also interesting to see politically how people react to each set of words. Either way you look at it, changes are happening and we need to understand why. NASA and the NOAA are constantly studying the Earth and it’s climate changes.
Hot And Cold
We are typically taught in grade school that the Earth’s climate has always been changing. Evidence suggests Earth experienced an ice age previously, around 800 million years ago, as well as a “warm age” about 56 million years ago. According to the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Earth’s hottest period occurred before we even existed. Since humans have been present, our temperatures have been relatively stable. Before the industrial revolution, the climate changed naturally. Events like meteors, making their way to the earth’s surface, volcanic activity and natural energy variations caused these changes. So how do we know a large climate change is happening right now? And how do we know that we are assisting it?
Evidence
NASA has gathered evidence proving that in the last 650,000 years, Earth has gone through 7 cycles of drastic climate change. They attribute most of the changes in the climate before civilization to slight alterations in the orbit of the Earth and the amount of solar energy it receives. However, they believe that humans have induced the current warming trend. Scientists have discovered that global sea levels have risen 6 inches in the last 100 years and are continuing to rise. They have also made note of the rise in temperatures of the water and also global surface temperature. Intense glacial retreat and acidification of ocean water are other indicators that Earth is warming much faster than it naturally should. There are several more clues that scientists and NASA have spotted leading them their conclusion.
Scientists believe that Earth’s temperature, having risen 1 degree in the last century, will raise possibly 3 to 10 degrees more by the end another 100 years. While some of the causes are still natural today, there are several that we have control over. Burning fossil fuels is a significant contributor to the excess gas in the atmosphere. However, various environmentalists have found alternative fuels that work and slowly but surely, we are making transitions to aid our sick planet. (Link “Power of Poop blog post.) NASA is still studying on a global scale the effects of excess carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.
Climate change is going to happen whether we are aiding the process or not. However, with our ignoring the fact that we are contributing to it, we are speeding up the process. These types of changes to the Earth often time takes hundreds, if not millions, of years to correct.
What You Can Do To Help
I feel like these are always questions about the always trending and always significant topic of Climate Change. There are many small changes you can make to help slow climate change. You can invest in energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. While various appliances might be a little more on the expensive side, you are saving money in the long run. Not only do those appliances help the environment, they also help your electric bill. Another tip we all hear about often is to recycle. How does this really help, you ask? It helps to reduce pollution from the extracting of resources, manufacturing of more products, and the disposal of said products. Using water efficiently also helps in a large way. It takes a great deal of energy to pump, treat, and heat water. By saving water, you are saving the atmosphere from gas emissions that are adding to the problem. If you have a green thumb, you can compost your food and yard waste to reduce the amount of overflow garbage in landfills. One great tool to help you understand where your energy usage is causing greenhouse gas emission is the Household Carbon Footprint Calculator.
It never hurts to educate yourself a little, and to stay educated, on the issue of our sick planet. Think of it as your sick child or friend. Wouldn’t you want to help them feel well again? Share with me your tips and tricks to reduce emissions!
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Climate Change - Explanations From NASA and the NOAA
