The IPCC just released a new report, and there is a great National Geographic article covering it.
As of this report, the global average temperature has increased by more than one degree Celsius. While this may seem kind of abstract, here are some big takeaways of changes this will continue to bring about:
->Do you like to eat fish? Overfishing has already depleted fish stocks worldwide, but these will decrease even more as habitats are destroyed and fish move poleward to try and find cooler waters.
->Do you think coral reefs are beautiful? If this trend continues, 70-90+ percent of these reefs could collapse by 2100. Don’t live near the ocean or think this will affect you? This will devastate nursery zones for fish humans like to eat, and destroy many tourist industries.
->Do you think having freshwater resources is important? If our glaciers continue to melt, this will cause terrible flooding in the short term, followed by global water shortages, impacting access to drinking water, water for agricultural use, and even hydroelectric power production.
->Do you like visiting seaside towns or beaches, or do you live in such a place? If the ice sheets keep melting at the rates they are going, many of these places will be underwater within the next century.
Holy guacamole, is there anything that can be done to help? Yes!
->let your local/state/national government representatives know that finding a solution for this is a priority for you, their constituents.
->let companies know that they should commit to lowering their carbon footprints. Don’t buy products from companies that put profit margins way above lessening the impact they have on the environment!
->take steps to reduce your carbon footprint! Buy local, carpool, take transit, or walk places if it’s an option for you. Try to buy less ‘one and done’ products, and reuse the crap out of things before recycling/disposing of them.
->talk about these issues! Spread the word! Your voice matters.
What is the legacy you’d like to leave behind for the generations that follow you? What kind of planet would you like them to inhabit?
The Adventures of a Budding Biologist 