We Didn’t Start the Fire… Oh Wait, We Kind of Did

Climate Change is an issue that directly affects everyone on the planet. In order to prevent climate change from progressing, individuals should take action immediately in their everyday activities.

The Earth is warming. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.5°F over the past century and is predicted to rise another 0.5 to 8.6°F over the next one hundred years. Small changes in the average temperature of the planet can translate to large and potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather. Many places in the United State have seen changes in rainfall, resulting in more floods, droughts, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves.

When asked how climate change affects the Earth and living organisms, Ed Wells, Professor of Environment Studies, comments, “Overall I am confident that climate change is not going to benefit, it’s going to damage our system so much, I believe. In our nation, a warming climate will bring changes that can affect our water supplies and nature environment.”

In order to prevent climate change from growing and damaging the planet, each individual needs to take as much action to slow down the climate change. Wells states, “There are personal individual things that you can do. Things like, you know, turning off the lights, trying to drive less, reducing the use of fossil fuel. But there are other things you can do which I think are more important: contact your senator, your congressman, and your president.

Contact your local leader about how important climate change is to you. If the senator hears from the citizens that climate change is an important issue, they need to change things to make it better.” Besides, the EPA also suggests college students get involved at college. College students can play an important role in reducing greenhouse emissions at their colleges or universities by reducing their emissions from energy they use in dorm rooms. Students can also work with school administrators to develop an inventory exit, increase energy efficiency on campus, and reduce their school’s greenhouse gas emissions by using green power.

For any concerns or questions about what to do to slow the climate change, visit the EPA website at https://www.epa.gov/climatechange.