Climate Change, Our Future Is In

Your Hands

GO
GREEN
Climate Change and the greenhouse effects

By: Luan Le

What are they

Climatechangeisthetermthatweusewhen
thetemperatureoftheearthisincreasing
everydayduetoburningfossilfuels,orthe
earthcouldntreleasetheenergythatit
receivesfromthesunoutofspacebecause
ofthegreenhouseeffects,anddeforestation
orlossoftreesbecauseintheprocessof
photosynthesis,itwillabsorbcarbondioxide
andreleaseoxygenandallofthosefactors
willleadtoclimatechange.Forexample
whenweburnfossilfuelssuchascoal,oil,
naturalgas,itproducescarbondioxideand
thecarbondioxidefliesintotheatmosphere
anditwouldjuststuckintheatmosphere
accordingtoNASA(2015).Therefore,when
thecarbondioxidearereleasedtothe
atmosphere,itwillplaytheroleofablanket
whenitistrappingtheenergyaroundthe
earthandcausetheearthtowarmup.In
addition,ittooktheearthmorethan60
millionyearstoformallthecoalsandoils
thatweareusingtodayandbyburningfossil
fuelstogetenergywearebasicallyreleasing
alloftheamountofcoalsandoilsinearth
since1780,thetimewhenindustrial
revolutionstarted.

Greenhouseeffectsistheprocesswhenradiationfromthe
atmospherewillwarmupthetemperatureofthatplanet.
AccordingtoastudyofEPA(orEnvironmentalProtection
Agency),ourplanetabsorbsenergyfromthesunfromthe
sunlightandheatsuptheplanetotherwiseearthwillbeadead
planet(2015).Therefore,becausetheearthabsorbsalotof
energyfromthesun,ithastoreleasesomeoftheenergytocool
downthesurfaceofourplanetwhichcalledtheprocessof
infraredradiation.However,whenthegreenhousegases(water
vapor,carbondioxide,methane,...etc)arereleasedtothe
atmosphere,thegreenhousegaseswillabsorbsomeofthe
energyfromtheprocessinfraredradiationwhichmeansthatthe
earthwouldstillstorethoseextrasenergyandthatwouldwarm
upourplanet.
Exampleofthedefinitionofthegreenhouseeffects

what causes it?

Nowwhenwetalkaboutthecausesofclimatechange,there
arenaturalfactorsandhumanfactorsofclimatechange,
eventhoughtherearemanyfactorsthatcontributetoclimate
changebuthumanisthemainfactorthatcontributesto
climatechangebecausethenaturalfactorsimpactour
climateverylittle(accordingtoEnvironmentalProtection
Agency,2015).3mainfactorsthatcauseclimatechangeare
thechangeinourgeographiclocation(deforestation),the
changeintheamountofsunlightthatearthreceivesfromthe
sun,andburningfossilfuelswhichwillreleasemorecarbon
dioxidetotheatmospherewhichleadthegreenhouseeffects.
Anotherfactorthatiscontributealotto
climatechangeisburningfossilfuels.
Accordingto(NationalWildlifeFederation,
N.D),whenweburnfossilfuels,itwill
releasecarbondioxidetotheatmosphere
anditwillleadtotheprocessofgreenhouse
effects.Accordingto(theIntergovernmental
PanelonClimateChange)from1880to
2012,theearthhasincreasedabout1.53
degreeofFahrenheit(2012),and1880is
thetimewhennationsstartedtheindustrial
revolutionwhichmeanstheyuseoil,coalas
anewsourceofenergyandwhentheyburn
coaloroilfortransportation(train)orfor
machinesinfactories,itwillreleasecarbon
dioxideandcontributetothegreenhouse
effects.AccordingtoEPA(Environmental
ProtectionAgency)ourplanetabsorbsthe
energyfromthesun,howeverifourplanet
absorbstoomuchsunlight,thetemperature
willbesuperhot,therefore,theearthneeds
toreleaseextraenergyoutofspaceinthe
processcalledinfraredradiationbutthe
greenhousegaseswillblocktheextra
energytobereleasedfromearth,andthe
extraenergywillstayintheearthwhich
causeglobalwarmingandleadtoclimate
change(2015).Inaddition,thecausesof
climatechangeincludednaturalcausesand
humancausesalsobuthumanisthefactor
thatcontributethemosttoclimatechange.

AccordingtoaresearchofARM
(AtmosphericRadiationMeasurement,
N.D),deforestationisoneofthemain
factorthatcauseclimatechange.This
meansthatwhenweclearouttheforest
somepeoplewilldoafastwayistoburn
allthetreesintheforest,andthiswill
releasecarbondioxideintheatmosphere
andwillcausethegreenhouseeffects.
Moreover,whenweclearoutthetreesthe
photosynthesisprocesswillbestopand
photosynthesisistheprocessthatwould
absorbscarbondioxideandrelease
oxygensowhenwithouttrees,theamount
ofcarbondioxidewillincreaseanditwill
heatupourplanet.

AgraphshowhowthelevelofCarbonDioxidehas
increasedsince1950accordingtoNASA

impacts on environment
Whenwethinkabouttheconsequences
ofclimatechangetoourenvironment,we
usuallythinkthatthisisnotabigdeal,its
justachangeinourweathersystem
however,climatechangeactuallyisruin
ourplanet.Therearemanyimpactsof
climatechangetoourenvironment,but
thereare2mainimpactsofclimate
changethatIwanttotalkabout.Thefirst
oneisclimatechangecauseswillcause
moreextremeweatherssuchas
hurricanes,ordroughtsandthese
extremeweathersarereallydangerous
becausehurricaneisthenaturaldisaster
thatkillsalotofpeopleeveryyearandit
causesahugedestructionafterward,and
droughtsarekillingmillionpeopleevery
yearduetowaterscarcityinpoor
countries.AccordingtoEPA
(EnvironmentalProtectionAgency),
scientistshasfoundaconnection
betweenclimatechangeandmoresevere
weathers,whenthetemperatureishotter,
itwillincreasethechanceofforminga
hurricane(2015).Thismeansthat
becausehurricanestakesenergyfrom
warmwaterintheoceanandotherfactors
toformahurricaneandthegreenhouse
effectsismakingourplanethottersoit
wouldincreasesthechanceofhaving
hurricanes.Furthermore,sincethe
temperatureisincreasing,thatmeansthat
hurricaneswillhavemoreenergyto
absorbwhichcanleadtodestruction
whenithitsthelandforexamplesKatrina,
Haiyan,Patricia,...etc.Anotherimpactof
climatechangeisdroughts,droughtscan
bedefinedwhenthetemperaturerises
andcausethewatertoevaporatefrom
thelandandcauseunusualdrynessin
rivers,lakes,streaming...etc)insome
areas.

AccordingtoEPA(EnvironmentalProtectionAgency)droughts
isthefactorthatleadstofailureinagriculturebecauseplants
couldntfindwaterinthesoilsoitwouldleadtocropsfailureor
foodspricewillincreasehigherandmaybefoodsshortagesdue
tolackofresourceoffood(2015).Alsomoredroughtsmean
morechancetohavewildfire,droughtscontributetodry
conditionduetohightemperaturewhichmakesiteasytohave
wildfire.Furthermore,whenwildfirehappens,itusuallyspread
reallyfastandcancausedestruction.Therearethetotalof
8,202,557acresofforesthaveburneddownintheU.Sin2015
anditcausedTheForestServicetospentabout$50millionto
fixitsconsequencesaccordingtoTheWashingtonPost(2015).
Inaddition,theimpactsofclimatechangetoourenvironment
arealotandtheylinktooneanother.

impacts on global
communities
Wevetalkedaboutwhatclimatechangeis,howitimpactstheenvironment
sonowletstalkabouthowimpactstheglobalcommunities.Therearetwo
majorimpactsofclimatechangetoourglobalcommunitiesarechangeof
geographiclocationandthechangeofwildlifeandhabitat.Accordingto
NationalGeographic,duetohightemperature,theicesinthenorthand
southpoleswillbemelted,andthatwouldleadtotheriseofsealevel
(2015).Thismeansthatanycountriesorareasthatareunderthesealevel
wouldbefloodedandtheywilldisappearfromthemapincludedMiami,
Netherlands,Denmark,London,...etc,andthatwouldchangethegeographic
locationoftheworld.Furthermore,whenpeoplefromfloodedcountries
immigratetoothercountries,thatwouldleadtooverpopulationanditmight
causeshortagesofmaterialssuchasfoodsandwatersbecausethelevelof
demandhasincreased.

Anotherimpactsofclimatechangetotheglobal
communitiesisitwilldestroyplants,animals,and
theecosystems.AccordingtoEPA(Environmental
ProtectionAgency),mostanimalsandplantscan
onlyliveinsomespecificclimatecondition
includedtemperature,andtheamountofrainfall
(2015).Thismeansthatonlyafewchangesinthe
climateconditionmightaffectstheanimalsor
plantsthatarelivingintheseareas,somespecies
suchaspolarbear,seaturtles,right
whales,penguins,seals,lobsters,andcodare
alreadyrespondtoclimatechangebymovingtoa
differentareatolive.Furthermore,asthe
temperaturegetshigher,thosespeciesthatcan
onlyliveincoldclimateconditionwillhavetrouble
findingtheirhabitatsotheirpopulationstarttogo
downandtheymightbecomeextinct.Also,ifour
planetkeepsgettingwarmer,therewillbean
estimateof25%ofalltheplantsandanimalson
planetEarthwouldbedisappearinthenext
century.Everyplantsandspecieshasitsownrole
intheecosystemsuchasproducer,consumer
thereforeifoneextinctitcouldaffectoneanother.

impacts on our health

Soweknewabouthowclimatechange
impactsourenvironmentbutthequestion
isdoesclimatechangeandthe
greenhouseeffectsimpactourhealth,and
yesitdoes,climatechangeandthe
greenhouseeffectsaretwofactorsthat
couldaffectourhealthinmanyways
includedbadaircondition,andspreading
diseases.Inthegreenhouseeffects,when
wereleasecarbondioxidetothe
atmospherethereforethemorecarbon
dioxidewereleaseintotheair,themore
worsttheairconditionwillbeandwhenwe
breaththeairthatisnotclean,itwillcause
usrespiratorydiseases.AccordingtoEPA
(EnvironmentalProtectionAgency),from
1970sto2008,therearemorethan126
millionAmericanliveinaconditionwhere
theairqualitydoesntmeetthenational
requirement(2015).Also,theozonelayer
thatareneartheground,about6to10
milesisgettingpollutedduetoburning
fossilfuels,thereforewhenwebreathethis
air,itwilldamagethelungstissuesandit
willreducelungsfunctionandinflame
airways.Itcanalsoincreasetheriskof
respiratorydiseases,asthmaandother
lungdiseases.

Anotherwaythatclimatechangecanimpactourhealthisbyexpandinginsects
thatcarrydiseaseshabitatbecausemostinsectsthatcarrydiseasescanonlylive
inwetandhotenvironmentconditionthereforeasthetemperatureisgetting
hotter,thisisaperfectchanceforthemtomovetoareasthathavewide
populationandspreadoutthediseases.AccordingtoEPA(Environmental
ProtectionAgency),climateconditionistheonlyfactorthatstopticksor
mosquitoesorotherinsectsthatcarrydiseasestomovetoawidepopulationarea
totransferdiseasesbecausetheycantliveintheareasthathavecoldanddry
climatecondition,howeverasthetemperatureisgettinghotter,nowtheyareable
tomovetoabigpopulationareaandspreadthediseases(2015).Furthermore,in
2002,anewtypeofWestNilevirus,whichcancauseserious,lifealtering
disease,hasspreadwidelyintheUnitedStatesandaccordingtoscientists,hot
temperaturearecompatiblewiththisnewtypeofvirus.Inaddition,climatechange
hasabigimpactonourhealthandasthetemperaturegetshotterandmore
carbondioxidewillbereleasedintotheair,thenumberofpeoplewillbeaffected
byclimatechangeandthegreenhousegaseswillnotbedecreased.

Impactsofclimatechangeonourhealth

Someexamplesofinfectiousbacteriathat
canbewidespreadduetoclimatechange

current solutions
So,wehavelearnedalmosteverythingthatwe
needtoknowaboutclimatechangeandthe
greenhouseeffects,thecauses,impacts,...etc,
butyoumightwonderingthathowcanwestop
climatechange.However,thereisnowayto
stopclimatechangeorthegreenhouseeffects
becauseourearthneedsittowarmourplanet
upotherwiseourearthwillbereallycoldbutthe
problemiswereleasetoomuchcarbondioxide
intotheairwhichcausetheearthgetshotter
However,countriesaroundtheworldaretrying
toreducetherateofclimatechange.According
to(TheWhiteHouse),in2009,PresidentObama
setagoalforthefederalgovernmenttocutdown
byaskingbusinessestoreducetheirgreenhouse
gasesemissionsby28percentbytheendof
2020andstartusingcleanenergiessuchas
solar,wind,water...etc,andbytheendof2013,
businesseshavealreadycutdownmorethan17
percentoftheirgreenhousegasesemissions
(2013).TheUnitedStatesiscurrentlythe
countrythatproducethemostgreenhousegases
intheworld,thereforereduced17percentof
greenhousegasesemissionsisahugenumber
anditwouldhelptherateofclimatechange
slower.Alsothiswillalsoengageothercountries
tofollowtheUnitedStates,startusingclean
energiesandcutdowngreenhousegases
emissions.

Alsoeveryyear,peoplearoundtheworldhaveatraditionaleventinMarch(thisyearisthe
19th)whenweallturnoffthelightsoranyelectronicsdevices,andweusecandlesthatare
safefortheenvironmenttolightuptheeventinsteadofusingledlights.Thepeoplethat
participatedinearthhourwerehundredmillionaccordingtoWWF(WorldWideFundfor
Nature)(2015).Eventhoughthiseventonlyhappenfor1hourbutitsgoalsaretomake
peoplehavemoreknowledgeaboutclimatechangeandshowthemthattheycando
somethingtoprotecttheplanet.Furthermore,accordingto(GavanReilly,2013),ifeveryone
turnedofftheirlightsforanhour,wecouldsaveupto$410millionandwecanusethat
moneytobuildcleanenergiessourcessuchassolararray,windturbines,hydroelectric
dams...etc.Inaddition,countriesaroundtheworldaretryingtodotheirbesttoslowdownthe
rateofclimatechangeandbereadyfortheimpactsofclimatechangehoweveronlybig
countriesaretheonewhoinvolvedsincethosedevelopingcountriesorunderdeveloped
countrieshavenotdoneanythingtotheimpactsofclimatechangethereforeourgoalfornow
istoengageeverycountriestoparticipateintheprocessofprotectingourplanet.

new solutions
Now,thosesolutionsabovearethe
onesthatarecurrentlyapplyingby
countriesaroundtheworld,however
mygroupandI,wecameupwith
somemorenewsolutionsforclimate
change.Thefirstsolutionthatmy
groupandIthoughtwasthemost
importantoneistoshowpeoplehow
importantisclimatechange,orhowit
willimpactsourlivesandwhich
solutionsareforclimatechange.The
reasonthatwethoughtthisonewas
themostimportantsolutionisbecause
humanisthefactorthatcontributethe
mosttoclimatechangeandthe
greenhouseeffectsthereforetheonly
waytodecreasecarbonemissiongas
iscallingeveryonetostarttochange
aboutthewayweknowaboutclimate
changeandtochangethewayweuse
energy.Alsothiscanslowdownthe
rateofclimatechangeandhelpus
savebillionofdollarbecausenowwe
arestarttouseenergymorewisely
andweusecleanenergiessuchas
solar,wind,water..etcinsteadofdirty
energiesincludedoil,coal,...etc.

ThelastsolutionthatmygroupandIcameupwithisto
calleveryonetostarttodosomethingtohelpourplanet.
Forexamplewecanwalkinsteadofdrivingwhenweare
headingtoaneardestination,orwecanreduceour
demandofelectricitysuchasturnofflightswhennot
needed,useelectronicsitemsmorewisely...etc.These
actionsmightnotbebigbutifeveryonedoesit,itwill
createabigchangetoourplanet.Furthermore,starting
todosmallactionswillhelpushavethehabitabout
usingenergywiselyandovertimeastheideaofsaving
ourplanetspreadout,togetherwecanchangethefuture.

the future is in your hands

Inconclusion,climatechangeisthetermwhentheearths
temperatureisincreasingovertimeduetoburningfossilfuels.
Greenhouseeffectsistheprocesswhenthegreenhousegases
willnowallowtheearthtoreleaseenergyoutofspacecalled
infraredradiationwhichcausetheearthwarmer.Thecausesof
climatechangeincludedburningfossilfuels,theamountofof
sunlightthattheearthreceives,anddeforestation.Theimpacts
ofclimatechangetotheenvironmentareitwillcausemore
extremeweathersuchashurricanesordroughts.Theimpacts
ofclimatechangeontheglobalcommunitiesarethechangeof
geographiclocation,meanswhenicemeltedinbothnorthand
southpolesleadtosealevelrisingandareasthatareunderthe
sealevelwillbeflooded,anditwillalsodestroyplants,animals,
andecosystems.Theimpactsofclimatechangeonourhealth
isitwillcausemorelungsdiseasesduetobadaircondition.
Thecurrentsolutionsforclimatechangearewearecurrently
setaplantocutdowntheamountthecarbonemissiongasthat
wereleaseeveryyeartoslowdowntherateofclimatechange
andthegreenhouseeffects.Thenewsolutionsforclimate
changethatourgroupcameupwitharetohelpthepeoplehave
abetterunderstandingabouttheimportanceofclimatechange
andengagethemtostartsomesmallactions.Inconclusion,
althoughclimatechangeisgoingtobeareallydifficulttosolve
butaslongaswekeepinmindabouttheideatosaveour
planet,together,everythingispossible.Sowhatareyouwaiting
for,ourfutureisinyourhands.

references
EPA.(2015).WhatEPAIsDoingAboutClimateChange.Retrievedfrom
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/EPAactivities.html

EPA.(2015).CausesofClimateChange.Retrievedfrom
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/science/causes.html

NASA.(2015).ABlanketAroundTheEarth.Retrievedfrom
http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

EPA.(2015).ImpactsOfClimateChange.Retrievedfrom
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts/

EPA.(2015).HumanHealth.Retrievedfrom
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts/health.html

NASA(2015).TheConsequencesOfClimateChange.Retrievedfrom
http://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

More references
[Mosquito].Retrievedfrom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito

[Itsnoworneverslogan].Retrievedfrom
http://popmusicwisdom.com/post/55535367468/elvis
presleyitsnowornevercomeholdme

[Togetherwecanchangetheworldquote].Retrievedfrom
https://lfcbrf.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/closing2012and
makingwayfor2013/
t