Scientists have been warning us for many years of the danger of climate change, but mostly they have been ignored. Many people think that global warming and climate change are something that are going to affect ‘other people’ – those who live on low-lying coasts, on islands, in developing countries and so on. Efforts to stop the rise in temperatures and sea levels and the modest changes they may require to how we live are too annoying and won’t have any effect on us anyway.
This year we’ve seen how shortsighted that viewpoint is. Unprecedented rainfalls and flooding in Western Europe and in China in recent months have killed hundreds and destroyed billions of dollars in property. Unprecedented heat waves in the American west have killed further hundreds, destroyed crops and wildlife and have led to raging wildfires and dangerous drought conditions.
All of these events are attributable to global warming/climate change. The warmer atmosphere holds more water and the heating of polar regions is causing a slow down in the jet streams leading to heavier rainstorms that move very slowly. The changes in the weather patterns also contribute to the development of ‘heat domes’ that concentrate heat for days.
These kinds of catastrophes can happen anywhere, none of us are safe. Sea levels are rising, the atmosphere is growing more unstable and the defenses we have built are, by and large, insufficient to deal with the threats. So, if you think the problem is far in the future and it will mostly affect other people, you are wrong. The threat of greater and more common disasters is here and you are as likely to experience it as much as anyone else.
So take action now…for your sake, for your children’s sake and for your grandchildren’s sake. The most important thing you can do is speak up. Politicians are not going to do something difficult unless their constituents demand it. Push for laws and policies that limit emission of carbon and other greenhouse gasses and punish polluters. You can find more suggestions HERE. But the important thing is to not bury your head in the sand and think this is going away. Climate change is coming and it’s coming for you. TAKE ACTION.
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