 Image from NASA Global warming and Climate change are real, and the sad fact is if we don't do something soon there could be possibly devastating effects on our planet and the human race. According to NASA our climates and the warming of our planet is based mainly around the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is where the heat that gets radiated off earth gets trapped in our atmosphere and the heat bounces back. According to National Geographic the temperature has risen 1.6 degrees on average since 1906. Because of this rising temperature and the earth getting hotter ice is melting worldwide, mainly at our planets north and south poles. The ice is melting at Antartica and Greenland. The most notable sign of ice melting is the fact that Montana’s Glacier National Park the number of glaciers has dropped to 30 from the 150 in 1910. Because of this and many other effects like how hot water expands and takes up more space leads to the rise of sea level rise. According to National Geographic “Sea levels are expected to rise between 10 and 32 inches (26 and 82 centimeters) or higher by the end of the century.” This could cause many effects one of which that's expected with sea level rise is major flooding. There have been prediction maps made about “The great floods” that estimate that some major cities like New York and depending on how much the sea rises maybe San Francisco will be under water. Because of these floodings, some people would have to pack their bags and move.
The effects of global warming are not just the sea level will rise or the planet will get hotter, some of the less talked about effects are the animals and the effects on their habitats. For example, the Adélie Penguins that live in Antarctica. Their habitat is melting and their population is decreasing. Many animal species are migrating to cooler areas. For example, some foxes and butterflies are moving north to cooler more sustainable areas. Precipitation has increased across the world. Though some places are experiencing severe drought. Because of this, the chances of wildfires is higher in those areas, the increased risk of crop and plant loss and loss of drinking water can devastate those areas. Predictions of possible “megadroughts” lasting years to decades become more plausible in the upcoming future. Because of these things species like mosquitoes, jellyfish, ticks and crop pests are thriving. This list only continues and lots of these effects we can see today and in the near future. If we don't find ways out of these bad habits we’ve adopted it will only continue to get worse. Here are some of my ideas on how to slow down and prevent these effects. Try to find a way to get more electric cars on the road and make them easier to afford. Try to get more solar panels on the roofs of our houses and buildings. At this point, it's no secret we need a technological breakthrough to prevent some of these things. But truly as these effects are emerging it needs to serve more as a wake-up call. These things are happening. What can you do to help? Story by Aidan McCloud Comments are closed.
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