It’s currently 76 degrees in St. Petersburg, Florida. With the Christmas Holiday quickly approaching, this equates to extended beach time and less usage of bulky winter coats and sweaters for some. Even northerners in states like New York and New Jersey are experiencing temperatures in the low 60s. This increase in temperatures across the states is leaving us like Bing Crosby- only dreaming of a white Christmas. But what if I told you that this absence of a “typical winter” was a cause for concern?
If you have been keeping up with the big issues of the 2016 Election, you have probably heard mention of climate change– the increasing rise in temperature of the Earth’s climate and its related effects. On the Democratic side, there is belief that human activities are contributing to the increase in greenhouse gases, inadvertently causing this climate change. On the Republican side there is belief that the human activity contributing to the climate change could be of little impact. Regardless of your political beliefs, one thing stands for certain: temperatures in the Earth’s climate are rising at a more rapid pace than ever.
To further understand climate change, we must better understand climate. A location’s climate is typically determined by taking the 25-30-year average of weather patterns in the area. This allows scientists to predict weather conditions for the long haul. For example, climate tells us what temperature patterns would contribute to a warmer than average winter, or how often we should expect rainfall in the summer. These patterns allow scientists to identify changes in the norm to detect the influence of greenhouse gases on climate.
So what are greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases include Water Vapor (H20), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), and Ozone (O3). In a process known as the greenhouse effect, they work together to warm the Earth’s atmosphere. These naturally occurring greenhouse gases have a warming effect of 59° F (33° C). Without them, the temperature would be below freezing. Up until the presence of the Industrial revolution, greenhouse gases only occurred naturally, with spikes occurring in climate change being attributed to volcanic eruptions, solar variability, and El Niño.
Human Activity and the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution brought about new additions to the amount of gas in the atmosphere by increasing the levels of carbon dioxide and methane, and introducing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), nitrous oxide (N2O), and aerosols. Unless you are a chemistry buff, these chemical compounds probably sound like gibberish. Here are some examples:
| Gas | Natural Causes | Human Activity |
| H2O | Evaporation | Not directly affected by human activity |
| CO2 | Volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers | · Burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) used for transportation, building heating and cooling, manufacturing of concreate
· Deforestation |
| CH4 | Natural gas | · Waterlogged soil
· Landfills · Leakage from gas pipelines |
| CFCs (Chloroflurocarbons) | No natural source | · Refrigerants in air conditioners, refrigerators, and heat pumps
· Found in foam plastics · Some electronics manufacturing |
| Aerosols | Produced by volcanic eruptions | · Surface mining and other industrial processes have increased dust in the atmosphere |
What does this mean for our planet?
The increase in these gases, as we’ve experienced, is causing the Earth to warm at a more rapid pace over the years. Although warmer weather sounds enticing, the end result could be disastrous. We are already starting to see some of the effects, such as:
- Rise in sea level
- Worsening of air and water quality
- Increase in frequency and duration of extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods
all of which have a direct effect on our health and general wellbeing. While human activity is not the only contributing factor to climate change, it is safe to admit that we need to make some changes.
What can we do to help?
Unfortunately, we cannot rewrite the past, but we can take steps to prepare a better future for ourselves.
- Utilize bicycles, walk more, or public transportation if available
- Drive eco-friendly cars that rely on battery power or have a higher mpg rate
- Eat lower on the food chain by choosing plant based foods, buy organic or locally grown food if possible (18% of greenhouse gases come from meat and dairy production)
- Be energy efficient: Turn off lights, unplug electronics when not in use. Switch appliances to Energy Star products. Switch bulbs to compact fluorescents or LEDs if you have not already done so, and make sure they are properly disposed of once they are spent (give us a call if you are not sure what to do with them 800-600-3738)
- Wash clothes with cold instead of warm water.
- And lastly, RECYCLE! – Reduce the amount of trash disposed in our landfills by composting kitchen scraps and garden trimmings. Separate paper, plastic and aluminum from everyday trash. Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a water filtration system and a reusable bottle.
Just a few simple changes to everyday activities can reduce the impact of our past mistakes, and make the world a better place!