Climate Change: An Alarming Problem

Introduction:

Imagine a world filled with pollution and smoke. Imagine a world with no more animals and very few people. Imagine a world where we don't even care. Imagine that world and think: "Do we want that?" and: "How can we prevent that from happening?"

What is Climate Change:

Climate change refers to long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. When the atmosphere is affected either naturally or by living things, the climate changes. Some natural effects on the atmosphere are ocean currents, position of continents and plants growing on land. These natural features change slowly or quickly over time. Another big question: "How do we know our world's climate is changing?" Well, there are many reasons to justify that. One reason is sea levels. As the world gets warmer, more ice starts to melt, resulting in high sea levels rising. Why is this bad? Doesn't it mean that there is more water for sea life? Not quite. You see, many animals rely on icebergs and cool climates to survive. For example, polar bears rely on ice to live and take care of their cubs. We are destroying that. Think of those precious cubs and wonder: "How long will it take for those bears to go extinct?" and: "How do we stop that?"

Human Impact On Climate Change:

Believe it or not, it's our fault and mainly our fault only that climate change exists. From burning fossil fuels, to deforestation, we are nature's top predators. Even before lions and sharks. More than 55% of our world's beautiful rainforests have been cut down and destroyed. In the famous Amazon Rainforest, at least 2,300 animals have become endangered, and in the famous Great Barrier Reef of Australia, more than 70% of the coral is bleached. Before we even know it, most of our world will have crumbled and burnt to ashes.

Sam's Opinion:

I think that climate change is a serious problem that is affecting the whole world. People think that we have more time and climate change is not happening very fast, but they're wrong. Climate change is rapidly increasing over the years and we are not working fast enough. Small little things like throwing trash on the ground is what is slowing down our progress and speeding up global warming. You can help in small little ways at home, school and in your community, like: Using the three r's (Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse), organizing trash clean-ups in your local park or field, and just controlling your plastic, electricity, and water usage. We can help our planet in many ways, and we must, before it is too late...

Written By: Sam Adapa

Date: 8/1/2024

Source: https://www.britannica.com/