Climate Change in the United States
In the “U.S. average temperature has increased by 1.3°F to 1.9°F since record keeping began in 1895; most of this increase has occurred since about 1970” (“Climate Change” , 2014). Americans are noticing changes all over around them. Winters are warmer and shorter. Summers are longer and warmer. There are more birds migrating. People are noticing changes on seasonal allergies. It is raining more often in heavier downpours. Hospitals visits are more often and hospital bills are rising to the sky.
Earth’s temperature depends on the balance between heat entering and leaving the planet system. Sun emits energy to earth. When gases accumulate in the atmosphere they absorb or slow the amount of energy that goes
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Climate change is already beginning to affect animals and plants that live in freshwater, rivers and lakes. As air temperature increases water temperature also do. Some species are already migrating to waters at higher altitudes and latitudes. However, some of them cannot go any further because they are already at the northern or upper limit of their habitat. Is species cannot adapt to new habitat that will be at risk or even become extinct. When species move it affects the food web. This can result for species to become extinct. Furthermore, other species are migrating too early because of the different seasons temperature change. “Warmer springs have led to earlier nesting for 28 migratory bird species on the East Coast of the United States”. [ Similarly, plant production is also being affected since some plants need a certain temperature to …show more content…
If we don’t collaborate and decreases the levels of gasses added to our atmosphere , “Someday, our children, and our children’s children, will look at us in the eye and they’ll ask us, did we do all that we could when we had the chance to deal with this problem and leave them a cleaner, safer, more stable world?” - President Barack Obama, June 25, 2013Buy organically and locally grown foods. Avoid processed items. “ since 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat and dairy production”. Reduce emission in transit by; Flying less.”Aviation is responsible for 2% of manmade CO2 emissions worldwide”. Rely on public transportation, biking and walking when possible. Become informed, search and become familiar with the topic. Share it, not everybody is aware of climate change, how are we contributing to it and what can be done to decrease the percentage of gasses added to the greenhouse effect every year. Volunteer and donate, Find ways to help out the community. This includes but not limited to recycling and helping the environment
Climate change has affected us in many ways, but it was even more influential on organisms and their community. The Earth is gradually heating and we are left to deal with the consequences. Homes are being destroyed, organisms are dying, and resources are running low. Since 1880, Our Earth’s temperature had increased by about 0.8 degrees Celsius. Climate change is affecting the Earth and scientists say that one more degree will greatly affect people from all over the world. There are many consequences of climate change and each one has a great impact on all of us, but organisms’ homes are being destroyed and thousands of species are dying out. These organisms are imperative to our world and how it functions.
An urgent issue, climate change is undoubtedly a sweeping global dilemma of paramount importance. Though most people are aware of this fact, many either choose to ignore it, or acknowledge it, but take no action against it. Those who do choose to take action usually attempt to combat climate change by using the methods that are most commonly discussed: becoming more energy efficient, recycling, and reducing emissions through using more sustainable transportation. Though these actions are helpful, they are not the most efficient way to counter climate change.
The energy absorbed by the Earth’s surface affects the temperature by increasing; this is known as thermal energy, the energy present in the motion of particles at a particular temperature. After the energy is absorbed the Earth then emits mostly lower-energy infrared radiation back out.
With the increase in temperature, global warming is becoming more of a threat to many plants and animals (McCarty, 2001). In the past 100 years, the temperature has increased by 0.6° C. In North America, the temperature is expected to have a gradual increase of 0.3° C to
Climate change can results in animals and plants migrating north to escape the heat but in many cases suitable habitats became scare or even unavailable farther away from the species natural habitat. “Shannon Pelini, a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame conducted experiments revealing that warmer increased the survival ship and shape of caterpillar and most northern habitats.”As if the direct effects of rising temperature weren’t enough, climate change also has impacts that could make climate patterns less consistent over time. “Michael Notaro a scientist at the University of Wisconsin Madison used climate data from the past century model vegetation changes over time.” He found that variability in climates cause an increasing number and and intensity of fire and droughts, as well as extreme weather events like ice ages and even heat
Climate change is a prominent issue around the world. Pollution, deforestation, emissions and carelessness of humans pose threats to the earth’s flora and fauna. Animals, plants, agriculture and ecosystems themselves are being harmed by the constantly rising temperatures. Earth’s wildlife is a key factor of survival, producing materials needed to make necessities, food, and recreation. Many countries are experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, including the United States. If temperatures continue to rise, much of the US’ wildlife will be diminished.
When you hear the words “climate change” what comes to mind? Probably weather and the changes. Many of us watch the news or use an app on our cellphones/electronic devices to keep an eye on the weather for the day, week, or even the month. But, there is actually a difference between weather and climate. Weather is actually “the changes we see and feel outside from day to day. It might rain one day and be sunny the next. Weather also changes from place to place” (Dunbar, 2014). Whereas “climate is the usual weather of a place. Climate can be different for different seasons. Different places can have different climates” (Dunbar, 2014). This paper will focus on the ins and outs of climate change, specifically focusing on what climate change
Climate change, which was once regarded as a concern for a faraway future, has shifted steadily into the current years. In America, the natives have been observing changes everywhere, such as extended and more blistering summers, and prolonged periods of abnormal heat have been lasting longer than ever experienced. Winter seasons, on the other hand, have been mostly briefer and warmer. There have been more intense rain downpours, as well as shifts in the duration and acuteness of seasonal antipathies, varieties of plants, and the types of birds seen in any specific month. Other variations are even more intense; inhabitants of some cities across the coast have been experiencing flooding on the streets – flooding that has been occurring more frequently during high tides and downpours.
In the last 100 years, Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.4°F. The rising global temperatures have caused changes in weather and climate. Global warming refers to the ongoing rise in the average temperature near Earth’s surface. This is causing a climate change, which refers to any significant change (major change in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns) in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time (several decades or longer). Due to this, it is projected that the temperature will rise from 2 to 11.5°F in the next hundred years (US EPA, 2014). The “drivers,” which are the principal causes making this occur, are very controversial. It is debated whether a change in temperature is due to the work of
Greenhouse gases ,such as carbon dioxide, is absorb and emits heat into the earths atmosphere, keeping the Earth warm enough to support life. However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are adding large amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Earth must get rid of energy at the same rate it receives energy. More greenhouse gases means that more heat is being held in the atmosphere, which makes the temperatures higher. All the greenhouse gases people have added to the
One of the most important environmental influences on ecosystems is climate. Greenhouse gas pollution is acquiring heat in the atmosphere and inordinately raising global temperatures. Colorado, for example, has warming predictions of 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit by 2025 and up to 4 degrees by 2050. The impact of climate change can and will affect ecosystems in numerous forms. Such an impact is that warming of the climate will compel a variety of species to shift to higher elevations in order to find a temperature that more closely relates to the species survival. This migration can also be related to warming causing tree lines to rise several hundred feet per degree Fahrenheit that temperature rises thus removing habitat for many species. Warming will also cause a flux in precipitation and snowpack which can lead to wetland areas and stream temperatures to rise and alter habitats of cold-water fish. Climate change also directly affects sea levels as melting of polar caps are causing them to rise. This can cause salt water to intrude upon freshwater ecosystems and these species may not be able to adapt and they lose their habitats and must advance elsewhere or perish. This shock can also cause different predatory and prey species to leave which drastically alters the food chain and causing critters to starve or migrate to different areas where they may not be able to adapt and causing them to
Climate change is one of the major issues surfacing earth over the past century. The earth’s temperature has increased over the years leading to detrimental effects on the economic and life sources of people, especially that of agricultural production and livestock. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary (2014), defined climate change as a change in global climate patterns apparent from the mid late 20th century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, (2007) predicts that by 2100 the increase in global average surface temperature may be between 1.8° C and 4.0° C. With increases of 1.5° C to 2.5° C, approximately 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species are expected to be at risk of extinction. Moreover, the IPCC (2007)
Climate change is a worldwide issue. Not only is firm action and leadership critical in the United States, but also international efforts need to work toward reducing emissions. Strong public demand for climate change is crucial to enact effective global warming solutions for the future. Unless immediate action is taken, climate change will continue to escalate and continue to affect the entire planet. Ways nations and individuals can help repair the earth's atmosphere is reduce air pollution, use green energy, stop deforestation. Reducing air pollution could have a dramatic effect on climate change. Humans could impact this reduction by simple things such as conserving
Solar energy plays a major role when warming up Earth. Without the sun the world wouldn't have any heat to sustain life. The energy from the sun can also be very dangerous. The Earth’s atmosphere protects the Earth from too many sun rays entering and heating up the surface. There is a layer of the atmosphere called the Ozone layer that protects the Earth from letting too much sun rays enter. The increased production of greenhouse gases are starting to destroy the ozone and increase the amount of solar energy making it to Earth’s surface. Once solar energy hits the surface it is usually bounced back into space, but the more gases trapped into the atmosphere turns around and traps the solar energy making it even warmer in certain areas
Global warming known as the greenhouse effect is not a new problem to us. Change in natural greenhouse effect has affected temperatures through the past few decades. Increase of storms is cause by changes in weather patterns. Global temperatures are projected to increase higher. The rate of temperature changing averaged over the last 50 years is nearly twice that for the last 100 years. “The biggest ever study of climate change reported that it could prove to be twice as catastrophic as the IPPC’s worst predictions. We could reach the point of no return, the extinction of human kind” (Brown).