WORLD CLIMATE CRISIS PROJECT
The Temperature Keeps Rising
How You Might Impact the Earth
Key Words...
Greenhouse Gases- A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy at thermal infrared wavelengths, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.
Fossil Fuels- Fuels made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.
Ground-level Ozone- Forms when nitrogen, oxides, and volatile organic compounds react with one another in sunlight and hot temperature to form smog pollution. These compounds come from vehicles, industrial equipment/sites, and an array of other human produced goods.
6 Ways You Contribute to Climate Change Daily
A lot of people don't understand that their individual choices impact our Earth, but whether we know it or not, we all contribute to climate change on a daily basis. It is easy to do things out of convenience when they feel harmless or cause no visible damage, but we can't overlook how our choices impact our environment any longer. Here are 6 ways that people passively and actively contribute to the Climate Crisis every day...
1. Using singular transportation
- Driving cars to places you could use a bike or walk, there are 2,000 active landfills in the United States, the average American Throws out 4.4 pounds of trash a day which ends up getting sent to landfills
2. Idling in parking lots
- Letting your car run while parked for an extensive amount of time
3. Littering
- Putting garbage on the ground instead of recycling or throwing away your trash
4. Wasting Electricity
- Letting the TV play and keeping lights on for an extensive amount of time
5. Plastic Waste
- Plastic waste that floats in the ocean kills fish in the water which is putting many different species of fish in danger of extension and humans need the ocean to live and with no fish the ocean will slowly turn into a swamp
6. Burning Wood
- Releases carbon dioxide into the air
Ways You Can Help Fight!
Drive Less...
Recycle More...
When garbage is sent to landfills and decomposes over time the garbage releases methane, Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide, over the first 20 years once ts surpasses the atmosphere. At least 25% of today's global warming is driven by methane from human actions and landfill contributions. By buying products made from recycled materials, recycling everything you can, limiting the number of disposable items you are purchasing, and swapping out disposable items for reusable items you are creating a healthy individual impact to help slow climate change in any way possible.
Use Less Hot Water...
Gas boilers that provide hot water and heat the home through radiation use more energy and create more greenhouse gas emissions than any other home appliance. The average American Household spends between $400 and $600 each year burning energy to heat their water, the problem with hot water is it takes up more room in our oceans, and this causes higher sea levels. Sea level rises are a problem because they pose serious consequences such as increased intensity of storm surges, flooding, and damage to coastal areas. In 5 simple ways you can reduce the amount of hot water that is used daily in your house, these ways are by lowering temp of the water heater, washing laundry in cold water, and only running full loads in your dishwasher. The benefits of reducing the amount of hot water are endless. You will not only create a small impact but you will also save you a good amount of money!
Avoid Littering...
Plastic is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, plastics are environmentally costly to make and dispose of, they emit greenhouse gases when they decompose. Litter adversely affects the environment, littering through the streets of cities and suburbs leads to toxic materials or chemicals and this waste can be washed into rivers, forests, lakes, and oceans, and eventually will lead to polluting waterways, soil, or aquatic environments. Its simple t stop this problem of littering, by simply not littering, not throwing things out of your window while driving, keeping your year clean of anything that can go into the street and create litter and if your feeling generous picking litter up off the ground will also help reduce the amount of litter that contributes to the pollution. By limiting your littering, your friends, and family's littering you can make your impact of slowing down climate change.
Plant More...
Plants are vital to all types of life on Earth. Plants take in Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere and then produce clean oxygen. Also, plants create the base of the food change considering they produce their food using light, water, and carbon dioxide. The truth is humans can't survive without plants, so humans must plant to help grow nature and help fight the air quality and atmosphere. It's simple to plant some flowers on your front lawn or keep the neighborhood garden clean. Air quality in 2023 has been taking a huge hit whether it's because of forest fires or because of factory pollution. With a simple contribution from yourself by planting flowers or small trees, you're creating a healthier environment not only for yourself but your loved ones and others around you.
Save Energy at Home...
When people unconsciously leave outlets in or leave the lights on at home they also unconsciously leave a trail of fuels. These fuels release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In theory, waste electricity only promotes unhealthy carbon and methane into the atmosphere. The simple solution to lowering your contributions to hurting the atmosphere s by simply making sure you and your family keep any unneeded lights off throughout your house, and any outlets that can be unplugged stay unless it is being in use.