Global Climate Change and Society

Why saying “The Earth is Too Big For Humans to Have an Impact” is Wrong.

Proving something common that climate deniers say wrong is interesting to say the least. The stuff that these people say just to make them believe it is true is ridiculous. There are many to choose from but the one I am going to prove wrong today is “The Earth is Too Big for Humans to Have an Impact”.

To prove this wrong, you need to go all the way back to the Industrial Revolution. The coal-powered steam engine, internal-combustion engine, radio, automobile, and airplane were all from technology developed in this period. This period of time created many great things for today’s world but it also harmed it by its long term use. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has gone up exponentially since the Industrial Revolution. Along with this, the Earth’s global temperatures have gone up along with this. If this isn’t enough evidence to prove that the Earth is NOT too big for humans to have an impact I can go on further to explain why you’re wrong.

Global temperatures rising and carbon dioxide levels rising are not the only clear evidence showing how humans have changed the Earth and its climate. It is, however, a factor to other keys points probing my reasoning. Things such as ocean temperatures rising and the water becoming acidic, extreme weather events becoming more deadly and destructive, major sea ice glaciers melting and not recovering, and there’s many more.

At least ¼ of the carbon dioxide released by fossil fuels sinks down into the ocean waters and dissolves. Since the beginning of the industrial era, the ocean has absorbed about 525 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is around 22 million tons per day. When water and carbon dioxide mix, they combine to form carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is weak compared to some of the well-known acids that break down solids, such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. The weaker carbonic acid may not act as quickly, but it works the same way as all acids, it releases hydrogen ions, which bond with other molecules in the area.

Reef-building corals craft their own homes from calcium carbonate, forming complex reefs that house the coral animals themselves and provide habitat for many other organisms. Acidification may limit coral growth by corroding pre-existing coral skeletons while simultaneously slowing the growth of new ones, and the weaker reefs that result will be more vulnerable to erosion. This erosion will come not only from storm waves, but also from animals that drill into or eat coral. There are predictions that by roughly 2080 ocean conditions will be so acidic that even otherwise healthy coral reefs will be eroding more quickly than they can rebuild.

Shelled animals in the ocean will have a hard time all together, especially with building their shells. Mussels and oysters are expected to grow less shell by 25 percent and 10 percent respectively by the end of the century. Some of the major impacts on these organisms go beyond adult shell-building. Mussels’ byssal threads, with which they famously cling to rocks in the pounding surf, can’t hold on as well in acidic water. This means oyster larvae don’t even begin growing their shells. In their first 48 hours of life, oyster larvae undergo a massive growth spurt, building their shells quickly so they can start feeding. But the more acidic seawater eats away at their shells before they can form. This has already caused massive oyster die-offs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Plants rely on sunlight and water to survive. Underwater plants like algae thrive off of acidic waters. Some of the major impacts on these organisms go beyond adult shell-building, however. Some species of algae grow better under more acidic conditions with the boost in carbon dioxide. But coralline algae, which build calcium carbonate skeletons and help cement coral reefs, do not fare so well. Most coralline algae species build shells from the high-magnesium calcite form of calcium carbonate, which is more soluble than the aragonite or regular calcite forms.

Climate change has been a huge contributor to wildfires around the world. Wildfire risk depends on a number of factors, including temperature, soil moisture, and the presence of trees, shrubs, and other potential fuel. All these factors have strong direct or indirect ties to climate variability and climate change. Research has shown that changes in climate that create warmer, drier conditions, increased drought, and a longer fire season are boosting these increases in wildfire risk. For much of the U.S. West, the average annual 1 degree C temperature increase would increase the median burned area per year as much as 600 percent in some types of forests. In the Southeastern United States modeling suggests increased fire risk and a longer fire season, with at least a 30 percent increase from 2011 in the area burned by lightning-ignited wildfire by 2060.

Wildfires impact federal and state budgets, the health and daily life of the public, and obviously our natural environment. The burning of plants further worsens our problem with climate change because of the release of carbon dioxide that the plants have absorbed throughout their lives. If we could minimize the burning of wildfires, that would better our planet and the people who live on it.

Glaciers are so sensitive to the Earth’s global temperature that they are proof of the Earth warming up. Scientists attribute this massive glacial retreat to the Industrial Revolution, which began around 1760. Several ice caps, glaciers and ice shelves have disappeared altogether in this century. Many more are retreating so rapidly that they may vanish within a matter of decades. The World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) tracks changes in more than 100 alpine glaciers worldwide. Forty-two of those glaciers qualify as climate reference glaciers because their records span more than 30 years.

Written by: Serina K. Croyle

Sources:

Bennett, Jennifer, et al. “Ocean Acidification.” Smithsonian Ocean, 20 June 2019, ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification.

Project, The Climate Reality. “How Do We Know Humans Are Causing Climate Change?” http://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-do-we-know-humans-are-causing-climate-change-0.

“National Snow and Ice Data Center.” Glaciers and Climate Change | National Snow and Ice Data Center, nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/questions/climate.html.Climate Reality, 5 Mar. 2020, “Wildfires and Climate Change.” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 16 Apr. 2020, http://www.c2es.org/content/wildfires-and-climate-change/.

Climate Change and Economic Inequality

Climate change has worsened global economic inequality

For my next blog I will be talking about Climate Change and income inequality. Climate Change will create a rise in Economic Inequality because the richer will be better prepared and the poorer will not be.

Poorer countries will face larger climate challenges as they don’t have the infrastructure to withstand Climate Change. Also poorer countries are usually tropical countries which will face worse impacts from climate change. For example, in India, the gross domestic product is 31% lower than where it should be because of Climate Change, other countries also have stunted grow for example Chad, Venezuela and Nigeria. Rich countries may benefit for a while under small amounts of warming because they are typically farther North. Iceland’s economy is double what it would be without climate change. Canada, Norway, Finland also may have benefited, but this effect won’t last for long but they still won’t be hurt as much as tropical, developing countries. For example the US, China and Japan three largest economies

Developed countries may have money for seawalls and air conditioning but developing countries don’t. Developed countries also have running water, where developing countries usually don’t. In developed countries the vast majority of people live in houses, and in developing countries many live in tents or huts where they are more susceptible to climate change. Also developing countries are prone to higher deaths, and more famines.

With food for 1.5 degrees although rich countries may see a slight increase in food production, poorer countries will see a sharp decrease. Most developing countries rely on subsistence farming in which case if it is a bad year and they lose their crop their entire food supply is gone and they could easily die and in these countries there is not government aids to help supply food other than international aid. But food prices, will increase but more countries want the food, but the richer countries will get most of it because they have the money to pay for it, leaving poor countries without food (Age of Consequences). This can stress societies to the point of collapse and cause wars. The gap between richer and poorer countries is 25% larger because of climate change.

By Population

Also within a country and between income groups there will be stress sand inequality for example poorer individuals usually work outside, richer individuals usually work inside, so poorer populations are more at risk of heat related illnesses. Another example is that poorer populations will not be as able to move away from areas prone to sea level rise, leaving them at risk. More wealthy individuals will be able to move away from sea level rise. Minorities and Poorer are able to have access to the services to make them more resilient as more wealthy and majorities are.

Also pollution is placed in poorer and minority areas as these areas are typically poorer. The EPA says that 1.5 million people of minority populations live in polluted places. For example African Americans in Los Angeles have a mortality rate that is two times that of average for other LA residents.

So, to sum up Climate Change will increase economic inequality at a personal level and an international level and will increase poverty.

Ecosystems: What’s Going on with our Rainforests?

Throughout my last few blog posts, I refer to “human-induced climate change” quite often. What does this phrase mean to you? Do your thoughts tend to lead towards the burning of fossil fuels, the release of carbon emissions, or greenhouse gases? Those few topics are the main ideas that are stressed to humankind when it comes to our impact on Earth’s climate. However, there are other human-induced factors that play into climate and our planet’s ecosystems. Deforestation is just one example of an act that causes our ecosystems to face major consequences on top of the change in climate we are already facing. Rainforests and their unique species face many risks when it comes to the removal of greenery. In this post, I will put my focus on addressing deforestation, its impacts on climate change, and how climate change in general is impacting rainforests.

How Problematic is Deforestation?

When speaking in terms of preserving wildlife, most think of animals that wander among our planet. While these creatures are very important to Earth, its ecosystems, and life in general, vegetation must be considered as well. Forests serve as a great buffer from climate change, and it is imperative that humankind is able to comprehend this concept in order to preserve the lives of animals. As mentioned above and in my previous posts, carbon emissions are a vast contributor to climate change. With trees and plants feeding off of carbon dioxide, we must preserve forests, vegetation, and greenery as well as promote new growth. When regions are stripped of their trees, more carbon dioxide is allowed to linger throughout our atmosphere, whereas, trees absorb this gas and emit rich oxygen that we need to sustain life. Statistically speaking, deforestation is known to cause 15% of carbon emissions. For a single act that seems so small, this is an eye-catching number that should serve as a catalyst for action to be taken against deforestation, especially within our planet’s rainforests.

Additionally, trees within a rainforest allow for a circulation of moisture throughout the ecosystem. Furthermore, the removal of forestry also removes moisture, which puts rainforests at a greater risk for experiencing a drought (we will discuss this in greater detail a little later).

Figure 1. This graphic serves as a visual representation of the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Looking from mid 2015, nearly 2020, the number of trees being removed is recorded in 100,000 per square kilometer.

Climate Change and Rainforests

The outlook for rainforests in the near future is relatively dry, which can bring forth multiple consequences in terms of the future. At this current time, models display a 2-3℃ increase by the year 2050 approaches. Due to this estimation, rainforests are more likely to experience droughts. A study that was based off of the Amazon River provided results of a 10-20% reduction in precipitation with the forecasted temperature increase. With rainforests already receiving less and less precipitation each year, their outlook can only get worse. Forest fires, food shortages, and endangerment of species are all concerns of this matter that we should lend our attention to. As you can see, these habitats are already facing so much with climate change alone. Adding in the factor of deforestation causes the level of devastation to increase astronomically.

Rainforests without the Rain?

Less rainfall can easily lead to the promotion of more forest fires occurring within rainforests. As mentioned above, the reduction of greenery leads to less internal moisture within the rainforest setting. The trees allow for moisture to circulate throughout the ecosystem, and in return, this regulates the temperatures and moisture of the area. Therefore, tree removal could easily cause forest fires due to the introduction of dry conditions that follow it.

Scientists fear that this balance will be disrupted in the Amazon Rainforest and hit a point where it becomes irreversible. If this were to transpire, the rainforest would dry out and be degraded to a savanna (click here for more information). So, as crazy as it sounds, our rainforest population is in danger as well as its residents.

Amazon Rainforest and Wildfires

Most have heard about the wildfires that occurred throughout most of 2019 and how devastating these fires were. The Amazon Rainforest spreads across 9 countries within South America, but the majority of it resides in Brazil. As of August 29, 2019, the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) reported more than 80,000 fires, which is nearly an 80% increase in fire activity since 2018. This tragedy was undoubtedly related to deforestation. It was thought that the Amazon Rainforest faced intruders that approached deforestation with a “slash and burn” method. This entails clearing forestry and burning the remains (click here to learn more). As mentioned above, clearing vegetation triggers dryness that causes these environments to become more prone to forest fires. With this being said, the slash and burn method is a recipe for disaster.

On August 24, 2019, president Jair Bolsoaro deployed the military into the rainforest. More than 10,400 firefighters were present within an area of 5.5 million square kilometers to help save the rainforest as well. A supertanker plane also helped to douse the flames. After September 2019, Bolsonaro, announced a 60 day ban on setting fires to clear agriculture and land. His action caused a decrease in the observed blazes (click here to learn more).

Figure 2. Wildfires of 2019 in the Amazon Rainforest and their destruction.

Final Thoughts

Not only are increased carbon and greenhouse gas emissions causing devastation to ecosystems, but the further decisions made by humankind are as well. Understandably, it is difficult to think of every possible consequence that accompanies our actions and how it will impact multiple parameters. On the other hand, I believe that deforestation and its negative impacts are fairly obvious. Either way, it is imperative that we begin to spread awareness of these negative effects and modify our actions accordingly.

As we saw earlier in this post, climate change alone already poses many threats to these beautiful grounds in the sense that precipitation, a necessity, is becoming more sparse. Additionally, the act of deforestation is beyond destructive, so when the two concepts are put together, there is no chance for a reversal without society making a realization and acting upon it. Together, let’s bring more awareness to these unique ecosystems and save them while we can!

Signing off

-Shannon

Scientific Consensus on Climate Change

By Brendan Wissinger

In this blog post I will be talking about the scientific consensus on Climate Change. I will be talking about what the consensus is among scientists and among papers and scientific organizations.

Among studies there is a 97% consensus on anthropogenic (human caused) climate change. This has been proven through multiple studies (NASA). One of these studies was by John Cook et al, and pulled 11,944 random studies from 1991 to 2011. They found 66.4% of abstracts gave no position on Climate Change, 32.6% said that Anthropogenic climate change is real and 0.7% rejected anthropogenic climate change and 0.3% said the cause was uncertain. Of abstracts giving a position 97% said that anthropogenic climate change is occurring (Iopscience).

Another one of these studies is the Oreskes Study, in 2004, done by Naomi Oreskes who did a survey of every peer reviewed abstract on the subject “global climate change” published between 1993 and 2003. She couldn’t find a single paper that rejected the consensus that that anthropogenic climate change is real and currently occurring (skeptical science). Oreskes did find 75% of the papers accepted the consensus and 25% didn’t mention it and 0% said that anthropogenic climate didn’t exist. The Oreskes has been stated as not giving the full breath of scientific opinions(AGU).

Furthermore, of scientists opinion show results that are just as high, and the more expertise a scientist has the more likely he or she is to believe in anthropogenic climate change. In the study by Peter Doran in 2009, graphed the support of anthropogenic climate change by expertise in the area. Overall 82% of the scientists supported anthropogenic climate change, of non-climatologists, 77% supported anthropogenic climate change, but 97.5% of actively publishing climatologists supported anthropogenic climate change (Skeptical Science).

Another study done by Harris Interactive showed that 97 percent of scientists said that temperatures gone up in the past 100 years, and 74 percent agreed that the increase was anthropogenic (US News). Another study, Anderegg in 2010 that quantified all scientists that have signed declarations accepting or rejecting the scientific consensus found, that 97% to 98% of scientists agreed that human caused climate change and that scientists that disagreed published about half the number of papers as scientists that agree with anthropogenic climate change (Skeptical Science).

Many scientific organizations have backed anthropogenic climate change. Of United States scientific organizations, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society, American Geophysical Union, American Medical Association, American Meteorological Society, American Physical Society, The Geological Society of America have backed anthropogenic climate change. One of the organizations represents climate scientists, the American Geophysical Union stated:
“Based on Extensive Scientific Evidence, it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20^th century. There is no alternative explanation support by convincing evidence”.

The other organization that represents climate scientists, the American Meteorological Society has stated:

“Research has found a human influence on the climate of the past several decades….The IPCC’s 2013 report and USGCRP’s 2017 and 2018 reports indicate that it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-twentieth century.”

The US National Academy of Sciences also supports anthropogenic climate change saying “Scientists have known for some time from multiple lines of evidence, that humans are changing Earth’s climate primarily through greenhouse gas emissions. (NASA)” In addition 80 national academies of science agree with anthropogenic climate change, including Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Guatemala, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, Iran, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, The Netherlands, Mozambique, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Skeptical Science). Also the US Global Change Research Program, a US government agency said “Earth’s climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization primarily as a result of human activities.” (This agency itself is a consortium of 13 US government agencies.). Lastly the IPCC stated that

“Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen.”13

“Human influence on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are the highest in history. Recent climate changes have had widespread impacts on human and natural systems. (NASA)”

In conclusion, there is a robust scientific consensus on Anthropogenic Climate Change, that proves this as fact in studies, scientist’s own opinions and in the backing of scientific organizations. This proves without a doubt the existence of human caused Climate Change.

Case Study: Increase in Dengue Fever

Climate change is increasing the likelihood of seeing significant outbreaks of what are called “neglected tropical diseases”. These diseases are true to name: they come from tropical regions, and are generally not particularly well monitored, as most regions that they affect tend to be less wealthy and have poor infrastructure, insufficient for accurately monitoring these diseases. We will look at a case study in the form of Dengue Fever.

Firstly, what is Dengue Fever? Dengue Fever is a viral disease transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitos. The virus can be found inhabiting the genera of Aedes mosquitos. According to the CDC, there are four varieties of the virus. Infection with one type of the virus does not give immunity to the other types of the virus. This means that a person could be infected with the virus four separate times throughout their lifetime. Repeat infections with the Dengue virus tend to carry a substantially higher likelihood of causing a severe case, which itself raises the risk of major complications and death. Symptoms vary depending on whether the infected person has a mild or severe form, and 3 out of 4 people infected will show no symptoms at all. Per the CDC, mild case symptoms can include fever, nausea, vomiting, a characteristic rash, eye pain, and bone, muscle, or joint aches lasting from 2-7 days. In the case of severe Dengue, symptoms will include: abdominal pain and tenderness, profuse vomiting, bleeding from the nose and gums, blood appearing in vomit and stools, and feeling tired, restless or irritable. These symptoms will generally, according to the CDC, appear a couple of days after the initial fever and mild symptoms have subsided. Severe Dengue is a medical emergency and will require immediate medical treatment.

Figure 2: A body map of symptoms. Courtesy of the CDC.

Now, how is climate change making the problem worse? The main issue is the expansion of the habitat range of the mosquitos that act as a transmission vector for the virus that causes the disease. All mosquitos favor hot, wet areas for breeding, thus the population of mosquitos, including the Aedes mosquitos that carry Dengue and multiple other diseases, will occur in much greater numbers where these conditions will occur. Figure 1 demonstrates the potential future range at risk for the disease spreading. Climate change is warming the Earth via the greenhouse effect. This increased warmth will expand the range of mosquitos into regions that are currently more temperate or dry in climate. Areas most at risk of future spread include: central China, southern Japan, the Congo Basin and Great Rift Valley in central and east Africa, northern Australia, central South America, and the southeast of the United States[1]. Conversely, there will be a slight decrease in mosquitos in some areas of Africa’s Sahel region, due to moisture depletion from desertification removing these mosquitos preferred breeding grounds.

[1] If you would like a more detailed explanation of the mosquito spread in this region, please check out my colleague Shannon’s blog titled “Health: The Migration of Mosquitos in North America”

Figure 1: A map of potential spread of the mosquitos that carry the Dengue Fever virus. Courtesy of nature.com.

What can be done to prevent Dengue Fever from occurring and, when it does occur, to limit the potential damage it does to those infected and the society around them? Several steps can be taken to minimize the risk of spread. Firstly, we want to stop it from spreading as much as is feasible. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to curb the climate change warming trend would be a long-term solution to minimize some future spread. However, there is still a guarantee of warming form what has been emitted already and will be emitted in the near future. Reduction of mosquito breeding habitats, whether through drainage of areas with standing water, widespread application of mosquito targeting pesticides, or introduction of genetically modified mosquitoes to sterilize the wild population, would be the primary way to root out the disease before it can start infecting people. If the disease carrying mosquitos become established in the area and the disease starts to spread, it will become more difficult to root out this disease. People will have to change some of their habits, such as wearing mosquito repellant sprays more often. An increase in funding towards the healthcare system will be needed to prevent fatalities from the severe form of the disease. This disease is viral, so no true cure or treatment exists directly. However, preventative vaccines do exist, and those would need to become more widespread and frequently used as the range of the disease increases. A major note with healthcare: according to the WHO, regulation of internal fluid levels is critical in cases of severe Dengue, reducing the fatality rate from around 20% without treatment, to just 1% with it.

In conclusion, Dengue Fever is just one of many infectious diseases whose spread is expanding as result of the expansion of the range of its transmission vectors. The disease, which has signifact potential to be severe, or even fatal if left untreated. Several steps will need to be taken to ensure both that the disease will spread as little as possible, and to ensure that where it does spread, they will be prepared for it.

Information References:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue

https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/statistics-maps/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/symptoms/index.html

Image Sources:

Figure 1: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-019-0476-8

Figure 2: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/symptoms/index.html

Climate Anxiety

I know that in these blogs I’ve talked about mental health and psychology frequently and that these topics are very difficult to read or understand but it is such an important topic in today’s society that it needs to be heard. I also understand that this blog is for any topic related to climate change and I have free range to write about anything of the sorts I please. But nevertheless I just want to stress how important this topic is and to raise awareness to these things because after doing all this research and trying to find credible sources, I realize just how much some people understand, and how a lot of people just brush it off like it is nothing. In fact, it is not nothing; it is something very important that we all need to understand.

Stressed about climate change? Eight tips for managing eco-anxiety ...

Climate change related natural disasters have a negative impact on the mental health of survivors of these events. Suicide rates have increased as well as anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, and grief. But climate anxiety isn’t just experienced by the ones that have seen some traumatizing stuff in their lives; It affects everyone.

Rising global temperatures cause a lot of issues. We know this already. We know that people are having many problems relating to this physically and some have to rely on others just to survive, but what about the mental point of view? It has been said that higher temperatures alone have led to more suicides and increased psychiatric hospitalization which takes a toll on your mental health.

The American Psychological Association wrote:

“When you think about climate change, mental health might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Americans are beginning to grow familiar with climate change and its health impacts: worsening asthma and allergies; heat-related stress; food-borne, waterborne, and vector-borne diseases; illness and injury related to storms; and floods and droughts. However, the connections with mental health are not often part of the discussion. It is time to expand information and action on climate and health, including mental health. The health, economic, political, and environmental implications of climate change affect[s] all of us. The tolls on our mental health are far reaching. They include stress, depression, and anxiety; strain social and community relationships; and have been linked to increases in aggression, violence, and crime. Children and communities with few resources to deal with the impacts of climate change are those most impacted. To compound the issue, the psychological responces to climate change, such as conflict avoidance, fatalism, fear, helplessness, and resignation are growing. These responses are keeping us, and our nation, from properly addressing the core causes of and solutions for our changing climate, and from building and supporting psychological resiliency.”

They created a 69 page pamphlet to help health providers understand health problems related to climate change. Most of the information I provide in this blog will come from this informational PDF. The mental health impacts of climate change starts on page 20 and begins with impacts on individuals, then moves to impacts on the community and society.

“Much like the planet, people have a tipping point” -Emma Beddington

Watching the slow impacts of climate change unfold and worrying about the future of yourself, your family, and those around you is a term called Climate Anxiety (others may call it “Ecoanxiety”). It has been proven that some people are deeply affected by their inability to feel that they are making a difference in the changing of the world and stopping Climate Change. Any linked problem with climate change (i.e. natural disasters, poverty, species extinction) can affect us emotionally, especially risk prone areas. This includes communities where people’s lives are directly tied to agriculture, fishing, tourism, etc. An example of this is the residents of Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana. They became the first climate refugees in the United States (according to the 69 page pamphlet written by the American Psychological Association but the Dust Bowl of the 1930s in my opinion would be considered the first). This was a geographically vulnerable area that was hit with hard flooding causing $48 million in damage. (add more to this).

Denialism

Despite the enormous amount of evidence the denial of climate change continues. This is one of the main reasons for climate anxiety in the United States. The Trump Administration has blocked a congressional testimony warning about climate change. He suppressed peer reviewed government funded studies on its effects and fired a scientist who refused to alter reports to downplay its human causes. The Testimony referenced work done by NASA and NOAA. It shows an outline of two dozen ways that climate is linked to stresses in society. The Testimony also notes that 18 of the past 20 years have ranked the warmest on record. The white house proposed to eliminate all of these references.

How to help

Build trust in others.
1. Building trust is the first step to trying to get help. Find someone you can trust and talk to them about it and have them try to get you help or have them help you themselves.
Find something more positive to think about when you feel down.
1. Studies have found that when you are feeling down and are alone its best to try and think of something else to distract yourself until you can talk to that trusted person the next time you see them.
Self regulation
1. Make a daily routine and stick with it. Get up at a certain time, eat meals at the same time everyday, talk to people, write down your feelings and ideas towards your climate anxiety. This will not only help with your mental health but it will keep you physically healthy too and keep you from getting ill.
Talk with your community about having a climate plan
1. Plan to have things like a group recycling day, have a disaster plan, volunteer to help other communities stay healthy, turn your lights out at a specific time every night to waste less electricity.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to keep these thoughts away if you are having this issue. Help is out there and they are aware of the issue. They will get you through this. Hang in there friends!

Sources:

Beddington, Emma. “A-Z Of Climate Anxiety: How to Avoid Meltdown.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Dec. 2019, www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/08/a-z-of-climate-anxiety-how-to-avoid-meltdown.

Juliet Eilperin, Josh Dawsey. “White House Blocked Intelligence Agency’s Written Testimony Calling Climate Change ‘Possibly Catastrophic’.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 June 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/08/white-house-blocked-intelligence-aides-written-testimony-saying-human-caused-climate-change-could-be-possibly-catastrophic/.

Mental Health and Our Changing Climate- pdf https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/mental-health-climate.pdf

Addressing a Counterargument: Carbon Dioxide and its Impacts on Earth

“Carbon dioxide is good for the Earth; it will make it greener!” is an argument that is made abundantly when the topic of climate change is brought up and discussed. Yes, carbon dioxide is necessary to many ecosystems, species, the atmosphere, photosynthesis, etc. We need this compound in order to balance many global aspects. However, too much carbon dioxide is destructive to every element mentioned above. This concept is similar to someone and the time they allot to watching TV. Dedicating a small portion of your day to watching programs on television is healthy, as the wide variety of content can be used to relax and/or learn something new. Nonetheless, too much TV time is not healthy, because the observer is not engaging in activity that will benefit their physical health for that extended period of time. Back to carbon dioxide: the same general idea applies here. Throughout this blog, I will address greenhouse gases, the impacts of too much carbon dioxide, and how we can make better choices that would contribute to a decrease in levels of CO2.

The Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect are both important principles to Earth’s radiative balance and climate change. The major greenhouse gases are as follows: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and water vapor. These gases work as a system, similar to that of a greenhouse, and trap heat, rather than allowing it to escape back into the atmosphere. The heat that is trapped is retained at a level that is close to Earth’s surface and allows for the sustainability of life to be maintained on Earth. Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be too cold to support life (click here to view an animated graphic of the process of the greenhouse effect).

The Problem

The gases that make up the greenhouse effect are unfortunately out of balance, and scientists predict that they can change greatly. This will impact how and where humankind can survive on our planet as well as animals and ecosystems. Carbon dioxide emissions have been on the rise since the Industrial Revolution and is without a doubt the most abundant, threatening greenhouse gas within our atmosphere. As mentioned in the introduction, small amounts are necessary in many areas for Earth to thrive, but too much of this gas is dangerous. Statistically speaking, carbon dioxide is at its highest level ever recorded. In February 2020, the global average of carbon dioxide was recorded at 414 parts per million. Figure 2. visually represents the average amount of carbon emissions throughout each century. The trend seems to creep slightly higher throughout each century, until 2018 is reached; this is where emissions skyrocket astronomically. These statistics can be a result of burning fossil fuels and mass amounts of deforestation.

Figure 2. Graph from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that displays the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere (in ppm) years prior to 2018.

Impacts of Too Much Carbon Dioxide

The impacts of our atmosphere containing too much carbon dioxide ranges from environmental issues to health issues. Both of these concepts go hand-in-hand, as environmental issues can be the answer to many health issues. Below are just a few (of many) of the problems that can result from too much carbon dioxide:

Climate Change: A change in climate in general is known to be a response to our atmosphere containing high levels of carbon dioxide. As mentioned in my previous blogs, the temperature of Earth’s surface has been slowly on the incline for many years now (Click here for more information in the form of a graph and an animation). Additionally, scientists have not been able to present a model that mimics the numbers we are seeing without factoring in carbon emissions.

Acid Rain: Acid rain occurs when emissions released from the burning of fossil fuels combines with moisture within the air. As a result, the precipitation we receive has a high acid concentration. Another concept to keep in mind is that wind is the transportation mechanism for aerosols. Therefore, even if an individual does not live near the sources, wind is capable of displacing the acid across state borders, making it a problem for everyone. Acid rain is known to have impacts on forests, fish, insects, and a handful of resources used in construction. The acidic content causes paint to peel, steel to corrode, and stone to weather (Click here for more information).

Human Health: The displacement of oxygen in the air around us can undoubtedly hinder our health. Symptoms that may be experienced are headaches, dizziness, restlessness, difficulty breathing, and elevated blood pressure. Those with pre-existing respiratory issues such as asthma or cystic fibrosis are at more of a risk of developing further health issues due to the poor quality of air. I think it goes without saying, but any of these symptoms can worsen or lead to severe health conditions if not addressed in a timely manner. (Click here and go to the “Health Effects” tab to learn about levels of CO2 and potential health problems).

How do We do our Part?

Now that we understand how bad high levels of carbon dioxide are for us and our environment, how do we take precautions and limit these tragedies from occurring? To be completely honest, most solutions are adjustments that can be made to individuals’ lifestyles. Most of the suggested alterations will not only benefit the environment, but promote a healthier lifestyle as well. While most are stuck in a routine and are afraid of or uncomfortable with change, modifications are the only way to save and preserve our planet. Additionally, you may find that making these changes will improve your mental health, so please be optimistic while reviewing a few suggestions!

Driving/Transportation: Ride a bike for close range trips, especially if you live in more of an urban area. No carbon dioxide will be emitted during this trip. If that option is not available, try to take public transportation as much as possible. Think of how many passengers a bus can hold and imagine if everyone drove their own vehicle instead of boarding the bus! There would be a lot more traffic, resulting in a great deal of carbon dioxide emissions.

Home Energy: Turn off lights, televisions, and other appliances when they are not in use! Another energy-saving factor is the use of fluorescent or LED light bulbs. Try to prevent setting your thermostat too high or too low to avoid the excess work that needs to be done to cool off your home. Layer up when cold and open up some windows when hot.

Food: Eating local and organic is the best way to limit carbon emissions in this category. Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty estimates that 13% of greenhouse gas emissions are due to the transportation of food and related necessities.

Figure 3. Various ways to reduce carbon dioxide concentration levels.

Final Thoughts

After reading this blog post and its various sources, I hope you understand that high levels of carbon dioxide are harmful to us as a society, our health, and our environment. This gas is necessary to surviving, as it is a key component within the processes of respiration and photosynthesis. But, just as many things in life, too much can be harmful. I encourage you to be mindful of the decisions you are making and how they impact our planet. Our world would be greener if we reduced our carbon emission levels and did our part!

Signing off

-Shannon

Oceans, Coral Reefs and Climate Change

By Brendan Wissinger

Today in this Blog Post I will be talking about Oceans and Coral Reefs and how Climate Change is impacting them. If you are looking for sea level rise, see the Sea Level Rise Blog Post, if your looking for Hurricanes go see that blog post. Climate Change is a severe threat to coral reefs and other Marine Ecosystems. It is a threat to fish and other sea-life and subsequently affects human nutrition and livelihoods. Here is some of the way Climate Change impacts Fisheries.

Firstly, Coral Reefs are dying because of Climate Change. Coral Reefs are home to the highest biodiversity of all ecosystems and more than 500 million people particularly in poor countries depend on them for food (IUCN, Coral Reefs and Climate Change). Already the Earth has lost half of its coral reefs and by 2050 is projected to lose 90% of its coral reefs (Independent). Coral Reefs are dying because of Ocean Acidification, which is caused by increasing carbon dioxide levels creating Carbonic Acid (NOAA/Ocean Acidification) and higher water temperatures caused by Global Heating (NOAA/How does climate change affect coral reefs). Oceans have absorbed 90% of the heat created from climate change and 25% of the carbon emissions. Both of these are causing corals to bleach or turn white, and causing disease outbreaks for coral reefs (WWF). Coral are bright and beautiful colors because of algae called Zoocanthellae which lives the in the coral in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. When bleached for example if temperatures get too high, the coral will evict the algae, but coral can’t survive very long without the algae leading to the coral’s death. Usually after coral dies it doesn’t grow back. The small numbers of corals surviving don’t reproduce much leading to the death of the entire ecosystem. Other factors affecting Coral Reefs from Climate Change include Sea Level Rise, More Intense and frequent Tropical Cyclones, More intense precipitation events, and different ocean currents. We can adapt to these problems restoring coral reefs by farming corals, and creating artificial reefs, creating marine protected areas, and research, also genetically engineering new corals, speeding up the process of evolution to make new corals that are resistant to the Marine Heatwaves.

Experts: The Great Barrier Reef cannot be saved - Vox

Great Barrier Reef endures 'most extensive coral bleaching ever ...

infographic showing relationship between coral and climate

Second, is Deoxygenization of the Oceans and Inland Waterways. Deoxygenization can kill fish, including ones humans rely for food (IUCN). Fish cannot breath the oxygen in water, instead they breath dissolved oxygen in the water (livescience). Oxygen levels have been reduced 2% over a period of 50 years, that may not seem like much but it has serious impacts on sea-life. Deoxygenization is caused from higher nutrient run-off from land and sewage, and nitrogen deposition and warming temperatures (IUCN). Global Heating reduces the amount of oxygen seawater can hold (carbon brief). This creates Ocean dead zones, areas with no oxygen and almost no life, but even in other areas of the ocean oxygen levels have been decreasing. Compounding this because of warmer and more acidic oceans some marine life has been stressed, so they need more oxygen. Now dead zones now cover an area the size of the European Union. (livescience). By 2100 the ocean is expected to lose 3-4% of its global oxygen by 2100. Research shows that human activities are the largest cause of ocean deoxygenation (carbon brief).

Third, is the potential shutdown of Ocean Currents. As ice melts on land, and it contributes to sea level rise, it reduces the amount of salt in the Ocean, which contributes to slowdown in ocean currents. This salty water powers ocean currents. The main area this is an issue is the North Atlantic Current, if the melting ice from Greenland stops the conveyor belt, Europe could freeze as the North Atlantic Current is what keeps Europe warm (NOAA and inside climate news). Since last century the Atlantic Ocean’s circulation has slowed by 15 percent (inside climate news). Scientists have found that the imminent collapse of the cod fishery in the Gulf of Marine because of rapidly warming water seems to be connected to the slowing Atlantic circulation. This warm water helped perpetuate Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. This circulation is part of the global Thermohaline Circulation which moves cold polar waters, to the equator and warm equatorial waters to polar regions keeping Earth at a stable temperature. If this current stops, Europe could see colder winters and warmer summers. Scientists are not completely sure how this weakening will affect the US East Coast (inside climate news).

Map: What Is the Thermohaline Circulation

Fourth is marine heatwaves. As temperatures rise, Marine Heatwaves are becoming more common. Marine Heatwaves are periods of unusually warm temperatures in a marine ecosystems. They act like air heatwaves as they have different temperatures, different places. Usually marine heatwaves are caused by usual weather patterns, like atmospheric heatwaves, that either warm the water, or keep heat from dissipating out of the Ocean. Climate Change is causing more severe and more Marine Heatwaves (NOAA Research Marine heatwaves). Marine Heatwaves can kill coral reefs, sea grass and other sea life and kelp forests. They can kill these type of ecosystems with sweeping effect, when they last for weeks to months. To add to this is stress from pollution, plastic pollution, acidification, and overfishing, (Ecowatch) and that Oceans have absorbed 90 percent of the warming from climate change (inside climate news). Marine heatwaves can also give energy to hurricanes and wildfires.

The progression of the destruction of a kelp forest in Tasmania by urchins, from left to right. The Australian island state has lost more than 95 percent its kelp forests in recent decades. — This picture and the next three pictures are the destruction of a Kelp forest off the coast of Tasmania, which has lost 95% of its Kelp forests.

Five is impacts of Coral Bleaching, Marine Heatwaves, Shutdown of Ocean Currents and Ocean Deoxygenization on Fish and Fisheries. Shellfish won’t be able to create their shells correctly and their will be more algae blooms killing sea life. More fish will move to waters that colder, leaving fishing communities without a source of income. Around tropical countries (including many small island countries) which depend this resource most, could lose 20 to 40% of their fish production. Fish is the main source of protein for 3.2 billion people. Some rely on fish for 70 percent of their nutrition. Fish also supports 17 percent of the world’s animal protein. North America could see large declines in Salmon populations. This compounded by current overfishing, which are causing fishing at “biological unsustainable levels. Most of the overfishing goes to developed countries. To save this precious resource and natural wonders we must create Marine Protected areas, implace stricter catch limits, lower our emissions, help grow kelp forests and coral reefs and help them adapt to the challenge of Climate Change, better environmental enforcement and policing of illegal fisheries and ending fossil fuels (inside climate news). Other ways to protect fisheries include aquaponics, using on land based fisheries, which could create a separate stock of fish, free of disease so we are not using wild animals as our stock and use feeds that are not from fish to allow for more fish but less environmental impacts (mmn).

Politics/Economics: What will Happen to Agriculture?

When the topic of climate change is mentioned and investigated, it is evident that many different populations will be impacted. However, it still seems difficult to clearly grasp how deeply rooted the impacts of climate change are within society. Therefore, when thinking about the topic in a quick manner, one might not realize just how many people will suffer the consequences. Being that I am from Pennsylvania, I see how important farms and agriculture is to our daily lives. Nevertheless, those who are from different regions of the United States, or even different countries, may not see the importance of agriculture and its impacts before their eyes on the daily. As mentioned in my first blog post, models show that wet regions will receive more precipitation, and dry areas will only become more dry. With this being said, agriculture will suffer in different ways; our planet’s diverse climate will bring about different outcomes to distinct regions.

Droughts

The words drought and flood are very daunting to those who rely on the agriculture industry for income and lifestyle. Farmers can choose to plant in high quality soil, use superior fertilizer, and maintain their crops well, but they have no control over weather patterns that may occur and cause all of their hard work to regress.

Droughts do not necessarily indicate a total lack of precipitation. To properly define this term, any departure from the average amount of precipitation for a given location is considered to be a drought. These guidelines are very region-specific due to the fact that some of Earth’s lands are prone to less precipitation than others (for example, a desert). Adding to this, there are four main types of droughts: meteorological drought, agricultural drought, hydrological drought, and socioeconomic drought (Click here to read more about the different types of droughts). Each type of drought serves as a catalyst for another type of drought, and they occur in the order listed above.

Now, let’s look at a scenario that shows how each drought leads to the next: a lack of precipitation occurs (meteorological drought), which causes soil to be water deficient and crops to fail (agricultural drought). From there, ground water, streams, and other sources of water become sparse (hydrological drought), and as a result, farmers will have a smaller outcome to market, which will cause them to have a shortage in regards to their income as well (socioeconomic drought).

This link allows you to look at drought conditions in your area by typing in a zip code. Click here to check it out!

Figure 1. Displays all of the different types and how one type impacts/leads to the next.

Floods

Looking in the opposite direction, excess precipitation can cause a lot of harm to the agriculture industry as well. We typically think of precipitation to be a great thing when it comes to hydrating crops or plants, but think about what happens when a plant receives too much water. Although a plant’s roots absorb the water and utilize it to promote growth, they also need air to breathe. Soil that contains too much moisture will eliminate air pockets for the plant to breathe. Additionally, a plant’s roots can contract diseases and end up rotting from receiving too much water (Click here to learn more).

Floods and excess precipitation do not only pose threats to plants. Animals face risks under these conditions as well. When floods occur, sanitation systems are likely to fail, and this increases the probability for water-borne illnesses to grow. Humankind is less likely to face this consequence when compared to animals. Because we are aware of the threats we face, we can make conscious decisions to prevent contracting such illnesses and risking our health, where animals do not know any better and will seek water when and where they can. Therefore, many animals within the agricultural industry can become ill and pass it along to humans easily.

Figure 2. Flooding on farmlands in North Dakota

How Does this Tie into our Economy?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), agriculture and its related industries provide employment to nearly 11% of our country’s population. A branch of the USDA is the Economic Research Service (ERS), and they are responsible for predicting trends among all aspects of agriculture in the United States. From that, they conduct extensive economic research to promote good decision making of public and private sectors (Click here for more information about the ERS). Additionally, they look at farming income and shortages we may face due to certain conditions such as some of the long term weather patterns we discussed above.

It is clear that farmers will face a shorter income if they are presented with a flood or drought any time during their season. However, this loss carries itself through to consumers. When supply does not meet demand, the prices of various goods will rise. So, as consumers, we will be required to spend more money during a shortage of any particular crop. Furthermore, other countries may aso face the impacts of a drought that occurs outside of their borders. For example, if a country imports crops from another country that is faced with a shortage, the importer will most definitely see an increase in cost.

Figure 3. Pie chart displaying the percentages of employment within agriculture, food, and other closely related industries from 2018

Final Thoughts

Once again, we see yet another way that human-induced climate change impacts our economy and society as a whole. While it is difficult to think of all of the possible impacts of climate change, it is important that we remain alert and seek any opportunity we possibly can to educate ourselves on this matter. Another concept to keep in mind is to think of how others will be impacted by decisions we make as individuals on the long term. If we make ourselves more aware of how far our decisions truly go, we may be able to prevent some of the hardships that we have been encountering.

By ignorance and the mindset that individual decisions will not impact overall results, we are causing ourselves to become plagued with the negative results of climate change. Let’s educate ourselves and others, and in return, make better decisions for our planet, its wonders, and its people!

Signing off

-Shannon

Climate Change, National Security and Conflict Sources

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Biofuels/U.S.-Military-gets-Serious-about-Biofuels.htmlGrist

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/us-military-and-oil

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/04/climate-change-could-make-north-africa-and-middle-east-uninhabitable.html

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190829-bangladesh-the-country-disappearing-under-rising-tides

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https://www.livemint.com/news/india/the-growing-threat-of-climate-change-in-india-1563716968468.html

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/climate-change-threatens-lives-and-futures-over-19-million-children-bangladesh

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-unfolding-tragedy-of-climate-change-in-bangladesh/

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/06/extreme-heat-global-warming

https://en.unesco.org/courier/2018-2/climate-change-raises-conflict-concerns

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/29/russia-china-climate-change-1691698

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/04/global-warming-who-loses-and-who-wins/305698/

https://www.britannica.com/place/Sudan/Conflict-in-Darfur

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jun/23/sudan.climatechange

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/a-major-contributor-to-the-syrian-conflict-climate-change

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-hastened-the-syrian-war/

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/syria

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/conflicts-affected-by-climate-change/

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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rising-seas-threaten-norfolk-naval-shipyard-raising-fears-catastrophic-damage-n937396

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Is Climate Change Causing More Wars?

Does Climate Change Cause Conflict?

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/443402-russia-exploits-climate-change-in-the-arctic-ignoring-threat-to

Climate change could pose ‘catastrophic’ security threat, experts warn

The U.S. military’s battle to wean itself off oil

What the U.S. Military is Doing About Climate Change

Film: Scott, Jared. The Age of Consequences. Cinematography by Mike McSweeney, Music by Malcolm Francis, Art Direction by Toros Kose, Design and Animation by Toros Kose, Martin Aggerholm, Edited by Hypatia A. Porter, Associate Producers Hypatia A. Porter, Michael Sonnenfeldt, Executive Producer Sophie Robinson, Produced by Kelly Nyks, Jared Scott, Written and Directed by Jared P. Scott, Gravitas Venture, 2017.

Mann, Michael et al. Dire Predictions.

http://www.rfi.fr/en/middle-east/20180315-seven-years-and-no-end-sight-syrian-civil-war