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The Climate Crisis

The Earth's climate has always been changing.  In the last 650,000 years, there have been 7 glacial advances and retreats.

So why is our changing climate a concern?

The current change in our climate is a result of human activity. The build-up of Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases trapped within our atmosphere acts as an insulator for heat, warming our Earth, and the ecosystems within.

Changes in climates are naturally occurring. However, the current changes that our Earth is undergoing are occurring at 10 times the natural rate, outpacing the rate at which the environment can adapt and change to adjust and ultimately survive.

What does this mean?

Global temperatures are rising, the oceans are warming and rising, ice sheets are rapidly melting, extreme weather events are occurring, ocean acidification is increasing, and much more.

In our modern society, it is difficult to understand the effects of climate change happening thousands of miles away from us, but as it progresses and continues to get worse, the effects will change our lives and lifestyles. Here's an insight as to what's happening around the world today.

Image by Ahmed Areef
Corals are bleaching and dying rapidly. More than half the world's oxygen comes from the ocean, with coral reefs supporting the survival of these necessary organisms.
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Tropical Storm
The melting glaciers not only raise sea levels dramatically, they can no longer reflect heat like they used to. Disruptions in ocean currents, flooding, destructive weather, and the release of methane, a major greenhouse gas, are other effects of melting glaciers.
Extreme weather will become more evident and disastrous as the crisis continues. Hurricanes, cyclones, droughts, flooding, heavy rain, wildfires, and extreme temperatures are some examples of weather. Not only will this affect the homes and cities that millions live in, but it will also affect the production of food and the farming industries.
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Mass extinction may be the most catastrophic for the survival of humans. Ecosystems are not made up of individual species, but rather a group of species, all of which contribute to the other's survival. A study showed that up to 30% of all species could go extinct by 2070, putting a catastrophic threat to humans and our survival. Learn more about which species are currently being threatened below.
A more direct effect of our impact, it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. With the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as well as the dozens of beaches infested with microplastics, the ocean life that allows oxygen to be produced and ecosystems to survive is being threatened today, with plastic bags suffocating fish and pieces of plastic cutting through the insides of organisms.

...and that's only skimming the surface of the effects...

So why should you care?
The United Nations published a report stating that if we don't take drastic measures by 2030 to reverse the substantial damage we have caused our planet, the damage will become irreversible and the sixth mass extinction will truly begin, for humans as well.
Prioritizing our Earth and its future is more necessary than ever. Catastrophes have just begun, with the Australia wildfires and intense hurricanes providing a preview to what the future could hold.  
Voting, simple swaps, and more awareness about your actions will make a huge difference for everyone who implements these changes into their lives. It is no longer a matter of finding time to change, it is a matter of supporting future generations and their survival or not.
Below are great ways to learn more and get a better idea of the true magnitude of the crisis we are approaching. 

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it"

-Robert Swann

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