Climate Change: How Can We Help?

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Ellie Downs

A beach in Charleston, South Carolina showing the effects of climate change awareness.

Climate change is a very broad topic to discuss. Yes, we understand its negative impact on the world that progresses throughout time, however, we need to talk more about what we can do to help than just talk about the issue at hand. Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature due to the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, which releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide. Other human activities, such as agriculture and deforestation, also contribute to the increase of greenhouse gasses that cause climate change.

The best way to impact the help of climate change prevention is simply to speak up, make it known that it’s an issue, and to talk to friends and family to help them make good decisions. Spreading awareness is always helpful. To do this you can post on social media to help donate money to an organization or post events that are happening near you that people can attend.

If you want to make an on hand change you can try to reduce water waste. Reducing water waste can be more effective than you think. Saving water reduces carbon pollution, too. That’s because it takes a lot of energy to pump, heat, and treat your water. So take simple steps to help, like take shorter showers or turn off the sink water while brushing your teeth. These steps can reduce the amount of water waste drastically.

Didyou know that what you eat can actually affect the climate drastically? According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), 10 percent of U.S. energy use goes into growing, processing, packaging, and shipping food, 40 percent of which just winds up in the landfill.This means if you’re wasting less food, you’re likely cutting down on energy consumption. As well, eating less meals with meat in them can make a big difference because livestock products are the most resource-intensive to produce.

We know how farming and food production factories are a big factor in climate change. In my neighborhood I interviewed Crystal Caudill, our Stonewall local gardener, to see if she could answer some questions about what positive aspects of farming help climate change. I asked “how do you think growing your own food, other than buying from a grocery store, is helping the climate?” Crystal responded with, “Less travel/gas from trucks to the store to deliver food if I grow my own. Utilizing my own land to grow food organically, no chemicals or bug spray.”

Thanks to Crystal Caudill we know a little more about the effects of food production and farming to climate change.Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature. The only way climate change is occuring is because of humans, therefore humans are the only who can resolve this issue. Climate change has a negative impact on the world that is due to humans. Therefore we are the only ones to fix it. Why wait when we can help now?