Climate Change – Remember the Bigger Picture
Posted by sozmore on Oct 15, 2009
During an economic downturn it is very easy to become absorbed in your own problems and struggles. Even in this blog my focus lately has been on going green and saving money on an individual level. But today I want to step back and try to get a bigger picture.
Our world is in jeopardy! Our climate is warming at an alarming rate. One or two degrees may not seem like a lot, but it can have disasterous consequences for plant and animal life as well as people. This will include but not be limited to the following:
- increased coastal flooding
- contamination of coastal fresh water sources by salt water changing the ecosystems and causing food shortages for those people dependent on these areas
- increased soil erosion
- increased intensity of tropical storms
- extinction of plant and animal species
- changes in migratory patterns of animals
- drought and resulting famine in third world areas
- loss of access to fresh water in heavily populated coastal regions
- loss of homes and even entire countries in the island nations of the south pacific region
(see Climate Change Reference Guide http://www.worldwatch.org)
No area of the world will be left untouched. Governments and non-governmental organizations have determined that 2 degrees Celcius (3.6 degrees F) is the maximum change that can happen if we are to avoid severe consequences. We are already at 0.8 degrees Celcius with serious effects being felt in the South Pacific nations see http://www.sidsnet.org/aosis/issues.html.
Two great ways to get involved and to do your part for the bigger picture
Both of the following websites give you great information that you can depend on to be accurate as well as ways to get involved.
Join the World Wildlife Fund in urging our congress men and women to support the Climate Change Bill: http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/act-for-our-future/
You can support change in many different ways through the website http://www.change.org.
Please take action. One signature, phone call, or blog post may not mean much on its own, but many together are powerful.
Check out the World Wildlife Fund Act For Our Future.