Many people argue that climate change and global warming is a normal cycle of the planet and that humans have no influence in climate change and global warming whatsoever. The opposing side of that argues that climate change and global warming is due to human impacts and that we need to be more conscience of what we are doing to our environment.
I would have to be somewhere in the middle. I do think that global warming and climate change is something that is normal, since the earth has experienced climate changes in the past. At the same time, I do think the impacts and effects of global warming are increased due to human impact.
(This use to be a colorful, thriving coral reef. It has been bleached due to increases in sea levels and ocean temperature.)
I do believe that the impacts and effects will be detrimental to ecosystems, plants, animals and humans. The earth is warming at such a high rate that plants and animals do not have the chance to evolve and adapt to their new, hotter environment. Even animals and plants that prefer warmer climates. As the planet heats up we will be seeing increased droughts, massive hurricanes, and devastating floods. Many people do believe Hurricane Sandy, the drought in the midwest and tornados that rip through the midwest and south each year and linked to climate change and that they are getting worse. I would have to somewhat agree. I do feel like every year each natural disaster gets worse and worse and each year I think it was hotter than the last and each summer is more unbearable than the last.
The fate of the planet does concern me and it hurts my heart to think that some of the worlds most beautiful creatures won't be here in ten years because their habitats will be destroyed, due to global warming.
What the US and Europe would look like once all of the ice melted.
The effects have most certainly been influenced by us, and the worst part is that the damage is so severe at this point, the thought of the system re-building itself on the unstable foundation we leave is stressful.
ReplyDeleteAlready the animals you talk about will have no terrain left to come back to. If we destroy peat bogs, demolish forests and pollute our oceans we loose those resources. Who is to say the the miracle of life will overcome this change? Without Ice caps, no polar bears, there is simply no niche for them.
It's sad to see them go, you are right. But the last two pictures are what should scare you the most. Living in Arizona, the flood waters wont even touch us, but the thousands of climate refugees will.
I like your post and I do agree with your opinion that global warming with human being's negative impacts on earth however, the fact that we can actually reduce global warming effects, makes me to have a sincere consideration about our behaviors.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I agree with you but we need to realize its not a natural disaster its a human disaster. Human beings think that this is a natural occurence and that this has happened before its a nature cycle but they are wrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is not a natural cycle its the result of the enourmous footprint of the human actions that causes hurricanes as massive as sandy, katrina, earthquakes, etcc
Nice post.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to separate humans from the influence on the planet. Though it is odd to hear some people lament that humans are disconnected from nature, then in the same breath state that all human influences are unnatural. Organisms have been manipulating global processes since the very beginning of life on this planet; from soil creation to oxygen generation to storage of carbon dioxide. After all, all that fossil fuel was naturally put there in the first place, organism manipulation of the atmosphere long before humans.
Life as we know it might not be possible, but then in many cases we are trying to "restore" the landscape to a status that isn't really possible anyway.
I would be careful about pointing to single storm events as examples of climate change. It is the same strategy of those on the right when they point at record snowfall, polar vortexes, and near record ice on the great lakes as examples of the falseness of climate change.