Entry #1 (JHS)

Informative Essay

Rachel Ann D. Despuig

STE 8-Prudence

April 24, 2022

Addressing and Adapting to Life in a Changing Climate: A Shared Responsibility

Over the last few decades, the earth has slowly begun to change. Natural disasters
that some people have encountered have become unusual. That’s why many individuals
are afraid because the world they’ve never seen has established its existence as a result
of certain people's misuse, greed, and cruelty against nature. Everything that is now going
on around us is entirely man-made. As an example, trees that used to be nice to look at
have disappeared due to deforestation. Is obtaining wood more important than trees that
provide us with clean air to breathe, provide homes for wildlife, and protect our land from
floods? Deforestation leads to more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.
This is because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis. With fewer
trees to absorb carbon dioxide, this greenhouse gas builds up in the atmosphere, which
leads to global warming. Humans are both the cause and the solution to these problems,
which is why researchers and scientists all over the world are developing solutions to help
minimize the effects of these issues, especially climate change, and it is our responsibility
to implement them.

Environmental issues such as global warming, climate change, drought, ocean

acidification, and other human-made disasters have emerged because of different
reasons. According to Davidson (2020), eco-ecosystems on land and in the ocean have
changed as a result of global warming. Land biodiversity and ecosystems are vulnerable
to current temperature and weather extremes, as well as climate change. Depending on
future global warming, the consequences and destruction of particular ecosystems may
be irreversible or long-lasting. According to a report (April 2022), around 1,000 scientists
from 25 nations protested. In Los Angeles, scientists, including Peter Kalmus, a NASA
climate scientist, chained themselves to the JP Morgan Chase building. "We’ve been
trying to warn you guys for so many decades," Kalmus stated. "The scientists of the world
have been being ignored. And it’s gotta stop. We’re going to lose everything." He called
for the end of the fossil fuel industry and a shift to renewables as they risk their jobs. After
voicing their discoveries and solutions to climate change, they were detained by police
officers. This proves that a person wielding power has the authority that others need to
make a difference. Rules must be obeyed, but paying close attention to the environment
is just as important. Therefore, the best thing they can do now is to listen to the voices of
others, analyze the situation, and advance towards a peaceful society and a better world.

Climate change is defined as a change in a place's normal weather, and it must

be addressed in some way. “People who study Earth see that Earth’s climate is getting
warmer. Earth’s temperature has gone up about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100
years,” NASA (2017) claimed. Natural events were the only cause of climate change in
the early years until humans began to contribute to climate change by driving cars,
cooking food, and burning coal, oil, and gas for energy. Thus, by contributing in small
ways such as using less energy and water, and planting trees, we can reduce the impact
of climate change and slow its progression. Rawal (2018) also suggests that you save
electricity by turning off unused electrical appliances, conserve water, use less paper and
buy fewer printouts because trees are cut down to produce paper, save fuel and reduce
greenhouse gases in the environment by walking or riding your bicycle when you
commute to work, school, and other places.

Geoengineering is another method for reducing global temperatures, sea-level

rise, and other climate impacts. It is the way of setting up sun shields in space or
dispersing microscopic particles in the air in various ways to make coastal clouds more
reflective, dissipate heat-trapping cirrus clouds, or scatter sunlight in the stratosphere.
According to Temple (2019), some studies have found that high doses of certain particles
may also harm the protective ozone layer, alter global precipitation patterns, and reduce
crop growth in certain areas. This is risky because it threatens the earth’s atmosphere,
but it pales in comparison to famine, flooding, fires, extinctions, and migration caused by
climate change.

To conclude, certain people who are already aware of the changes in the earth’s
climate need others to listen to them and understand that no matter how serious the
situation is, we can still overcome it by addressing and dealing with climate change. The
planet is our home, and our homes will never adjust to accommodate us; instead, we
must adapt to fit in, because we are the only ones who will benefit in the end. According
to statistics about climate change and children, an additional 24 million children are
expected to be undernourished as a result of the climate crisis by 2050. Therefore, this is
not just about us; future generations also need our help to prevent the worst from
happening.
 References

Davidson, A. (2020, March 29). Disasters as an opportunity for improved environmental

conditions. Retrieved from
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DA2E1C8294AD0219AC3BC1247E7D&originRegion=eu-west-
1&originCreation=20220421040723

Ed. May, S. (2017, August 7). What is climate change? Retrieved from
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-
climate-change-k4.html

National Geographic Society. (2019, July 16). Deforestation. Retrieved

from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/deforestation/

Osborne, M. (2022, April 13). Scientists stage worldwide climate change protests after
IPCC report. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-
news/scientists-stage-worldwide-climate-protests-after-ipcc-report-180979913/

Rawat, A. (2018, June 1). 10 ways to take care of the environment and make a
difference. Retrieved from https://www.fnp.com/blog/10-ways-take-care-
environment-make-difference

Temple, J. (2019, August 9). What is geoengineering--and why should you care?
Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/08/09/615/what-is-
geoengineering-and-why-should-you-care-climate-change-harvard/