The phones we use, how we warm up our house, the use of our stove: It is essentially all contributing to greenhouse gases that permit the carbon dioxide that stores heat on the Earth. Climate change is a major problem that is affecting all forms of life on Earth. Over the years, the increase in temperature is rapidly picking up speed. This means that slowly as the temperature rises, the Earth is slowly deteriorating. At some point, everything around us will eventually become of zero existence and perish due to climate change. The air we breathe is being polluted through “the burning of fuel, increasing the CO2 emissions which cause global warming”. Ultimately, it is changing our quality of life. Climate change is affecting the Earth and everything on it. Climate change is happening around us, and it is crucial for us as a society to take responsibility and understand what is happening right now. It is the future that we could possibly let slip away from us if we don’t take action now. Based on data, climate change is inevitable and occurring now. We should consider climate change as a potential future threat for not only us but thousands of species all over the world. One of our biggest concerns should be that future generations won’t be able to endure the life that we once lived. What happens now will profoundly affect the years after our generation. This is why people who are in control must use their platform to help prevent the increase in climate change. Many people claim that climate change is a hoax; however, climate change has already been put into effect, and the Earth will only get worse if we continue to do nothing. That is why we must educate future generations on how to prevent global warming from getting worse.
How Climate Change Affects The Earth
When shown the before and after pictures of regions of the Arctic, the contrast between them indicates that the ice is slowly dissolving. Glaciers in the arctic region are melting, baring the land that lies beneath them. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, “Arctic sea ice dropped to its lowest extent in the satellite record on 17 September 2012—3.39 million square kilometers (1.31 million square miles)”. The global effect starts in one place steadily, eventually working its way towards the rest of the world. A massive change in the Arctic will affect parts of the world dramatically. A drastic change in the ocean temperature will take place, and sea levels will rise. These are just some of the examples of the environmental effects of climate change. It is evident that not only will this predicament affect us, but it is first starting on the ground that we walk on.
Generally speaking, the Arctic is just one of the many environments that are at risk due to climate change. Some of the most turbulent wildfires of 2019, with a strong amount of research, implicate climate change as the main source of the problem. While climate change affects the Earth itself, it also affects the walking species on it. As we evolve, animals are more than ever at risk of extinction as habitats become hostile. Just like climate change affects the Earth, it affects the habitats of the animals that live on it. Recent research found that at least 15,000 species are threatened with extinction.” According to another source, “depending on a species’ responses to the warming, especially their ability to migrate to new sites, habitat change in many ecoregions has the potential to result in catastrophic species loss.” While industrialization through hunting are major players in the extinction of these animals, climate change is a key factor as well. It should be taken into consideration that if the habitats of animals are endangered, it is inexorable that their lives will also be endangered. Essentially, extinction of wildlife habitats, a rise in extreme heat waves, and sea-level rise will continue to worsen if action is not taken.
Educating the Future
Climate change is of particular interest to Generation Z. Unlike other generations, we are very outspoken. This generation does not let tradition predetermine their future. What distinguishes us from previous generations is that we carve our path, which is why we are so willingly open to speaking for the next generation. We want to leave the next generation in the best condition rather than the worst. That is why we must incorporate global warming awareness as a part of our future education. Recently, New Jersey has been the first state to implement climate change as a part of education in K-12 learning standards. It is important to embody this dilemma while incorporating a solution and bringing it to the next generation’s knowledge. Students spend several years in school, in which so many world issues and topics are not brought to students’ awareness. Education should be seen as the next step forward because, at some point, if climate change is not acknowledged, it could consequently lead to a set back completely out of our control. Climate change education guidelines will prepare young children.
Government Officials Taking Action
Government officials are not taking serious control over global warming. Some believe global warming to be a “hoax”, and because of that, downplay climate change to the media. Our very own president’s view on climate change is contradictory. He has described climate change as a “hoax” and nonexistent but, on other occasions, has implied that it is an important subject. To my knowledge, it’s not that Trump does not believe in global warming, but that he simply does not understand. Republican government officials are not taking the necessary action that is needed. Thus, they are not implementing the action that we, the people, believe is needed. Just because it is not in the best interest of those in power, it does not mean global warming will not affect the people who they are governing. A Scientific American article goes into depth about how official documents have indicated climate change as a potential threat to the environment and demonstrated how the problem is already happening. It states, “The Trump administration’s environmental reviews reveal a road map to the country’s biggest climate vulnerabilities: Arctic birds could suffer ‘catastrophic’ effects of warming. … Shifts in where ticks and mosquitoes can infect people with diseases like plague and Zika are ‘already occurring.’” Rather than neglect these documents, it is important to let us, as a society, at least acknowledge this problem. That way, we can initiate and create plans by enacting policies across the world.
Where the Solution Starts
The solution is not simple. We need people in power to implement policies and guidelines to set a standard of what needs to be done. It all starts with something just as little as educating young Americans who are going to be the future. That itself prevents the problem from escalating as much as it is doing so right now. We are part of the solution. What is necessary is ultimately for the problem to be acknowledged rather than neglected.