What is climate change?
Climate change describes a complex set of geophysical, chemical, and ecological processes resulting in the warming of Earth's surface and atmosphere, often called the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is triggered when energy from the sun is  trapped by excess gasses in the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), but also including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. Prior to the industrial age, the presence of some heat-trapping gases in the Earth's atmosphere allowed life to flourish: carbon dioxide and methane were released and absorbed in a balance known as the carbon cycle. Today, human activity leads to the release of billions of tons of greenhouse gasses annually, disrupting the carbon cycle and causing changes in our climate that threaten people and ecosystems worldwide.
What is the science behind climate change?
Ice-core data from Antarctica provides an oscillating record of the natural fluctuations of gases and temperature over hundreds of thousands-of-years, influenced by the sun, Earth's orbit, and  volcanism, among many other things. This record makes it clear the current rise in planetary temperature is the direct result of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The change is first apparent about 150 years ago at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution when humans began releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. As of today, Americans alone introduce about 6 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year - over 25% of the 20 billion tons released worldwide. This has primarily been the result of extracting and burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas which in turn have released unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Additionally, with population levels skyrocketing, methane from waste and agriculture has increased dramatically. The result is an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that is warming the globe and causing our climate to change.
What are the consequences of climate change?
The impact of human-induced global climate change is expected to surpass all previous natural climate changes documented over the last 10,000 years. Indeed, the first dramatic signs have already appeared, such as the devastating power of hurricane Katrina, the recent episode of deadly heat waves across the United States and Europe, and the unexpectedly rapid melting of the polar ice cap. The consequences if we fail to act are expected to include hurricanes of increased frequency and intensity, tornadoes, coastal and inland flooding, the increased spread of disease, and massive global economic disruption, among others. While the regional impacts, magnitude, and rate of change are subject to discussion, it is generally accepted that climate change will:
- Increase the earth's overall temperature, which could alter precipitation patterns, trigger extreme weather conditions, disrupt the ocean conveyor belt, cause a rise in sea levels, and threaten fresh water supplies;
- Change delicate ecosystems such as mountain flora and fauna, coral reefs, islands, coastal regions, deserts, and national parks; and
- Directly and indirectly affect human health.
How can I help prevent Climate Change?
There are three basic realities that surround the phenomenon of climate change:
- It is happening now.
- To one degree or another (pun intended), we are all responsible.
- All of us can take immediate, affordable, and meaningful steps to help prevent it.
Once the first two realities are accepted, the question becomes how to address the third. The good news is that all the services, tools, and information you'll need can be found right here.
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