Why You Should Believe In Climate Change

Why You Should Believe In Climate Change
By Iris J.
 
    Do you believe in climate change? Do you think the switch to clean energy would be worth it? Climate change is a major problem all over the globe with lots of studies to prove its existence, yet a great number of people still aren’t fully persuaded. I respect their opinions, but with such a prevalent and threatening problem, we have to take action now.
     First of all, people ‘debunk’ climate change by showing that it is cold outside. They are talking about the weather, not climate. Weather is very variable and can change drastically. On the other hand, climate is the weather patterns over a very long time. But, the record-freezing temperatures may be BECAUSE of climate change! Changes in the atmosphere caused by greenhouse gasses may lead to extreme weather patterns, thus leading to burning hot summers and arctic winters. 
    Greenhouse gasses are one of the leading causes of climate change, most notoriously is carbon dioxide. They are called greenhouse gases for a reason! They gather in the atmosphere and allow heat to come in, but trap it inside. They are produced mostly by the burning of fossil fuels. Some people claim that it’s good for the environment because plants use carbon to make food. Well, we’re deforesting and replacing all our plant-ridden forests with cities with little plant life. Plus, we’re making too much carbon for our plants to eat! That’s just like getting a big group of children and giving them a monstrous bus sized cake that keeps getting bigger and bigger, and all the while their parents are taking them home. Well, kids like cake, so they’d eat the whole thing before it envelopes the whole city, right?

   Studies over many years have shown that the average climate in many areas has been going up. According to this chart from 2012, there are many spikes and drops in the average global temperature, but even though there are lows, there are even larger and more abundant highs. Scientists are still recording the climate, and even say that at a certain point, there’s no turning back. It seems like sci-fi, but when you think about it, it could be possible. The children here today will grow up to live in a scorching wasteland. As said by Francois Hollande, the president of France, “We have a single mission: to protect and hand on the planet to the next generation.”
    Those are some strong reasons why climate change should be taken more seriously. We need to take action and stop actions that accelerate global warming! Our globe is at stake of turning into a harsh desert. This isn’t a fight of sides, nor is it a game that has to be won. This is a real problem. Let’s stand up now to protect our planet!