Passionate about Global Warming? Learn what you can do!


Friday, November 27, 2020

Today’s youth are actively seeking to combat global warming. Learn more what high schoolers like you can do to help in the fight!


Global warming and climate changes are a serious issue that is affecting both current and future generations. The more the climate changes, the more it speeds up. What does this mean? It means that with every passing year, it gets harder and harder to reverse global warming and its effects.

Young people across the globe are working to understand how global warming works, what causes it, and how to prevent it. 

What causes Global Warming? 

Global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect. 
The sun gives off heat that the earth absorbs.
The heat is then radiated back out into the atmosphere.
Some heat ends up trapped by greenhouse gases and is then radiated back towards earth.
With the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the effect has become stronger and stronger which has resulted in extra warming.
The extra global warming creates many negative effects on earth.

What are the Greenhouse Gases? 

According to NASA Climate Kids, the main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons.

Greenhouse gases are called as such because they trap heat. Greenhouses themselves are full of windows that let in sunlight and they do not let the warmth escape.

At a normal level, greenhouse gases are a good thing as without their presence, the planet would be too cold, and life would not exist as it does today. HOWEVER, the rise of greenhouse gas emissions has contributed to the temperature rising at exponential rates like it never has before.

  • The global temperature has increased by 1˚C in the last 100 years.
  • More than twice as much CO2 has been released than can ever be found in the atmosphere. The rest is then taken up by forests or dissolved in the oceans which leads to more acidic oceans that then kills off fish and coral reefs.
  • If CO2 doubles in concentration in the atmosphere, there would be a 3˚C increase in temperature.
  • The north pole’s temperature is set to increase by 2100.
  • In addition to a temperature increase, climate change will also lead to precipitation pattern changes, heat waves, dry spells, and more natural disasters such as bigger storms, wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes. It’s not hard to recognize some of these effects happening today, most likely things are happening in your own hometown that are directly related to climate change!
  • The poorest nations in the country will be most affected by global climate change.

What are impacts on Human Health?

Detrimental effects on human health will include increased death, disease, and injury due to more heat waves. There will be more food and water shortages, disease and malnutrition due to more droughts. There will be more death, injury and displacement due to rising sea levels.

What can you do?

There are two huge steps you can take as a high school student!

Mitigation: Take steps to prevent climate change before it happens.

If combating climate change is something that you are passionate about, you might want to consider studying environmental science, chemistry, biology, environmental law, and other related careers at the university level. 

Adaptation: Responding to climate change after the issues have already occurred.

What actions can you take to mitigate climate change?

  • Decrease your consumption of energy by turning off lights and reducing wattage. Unplug charges when you aren’t using them.
  • Save water: Take shorter showers, don’t leave the faucet running.
  • Carpool! Take public transportation! Walk or ride a bike!
  • Buy and use a reusable water bottle to avoid using plastic bottles.
  • Plant trees!

What’s something else you can do?

Get your school involved! Does your high school have an environmental club? If not, think about talking to a teacher and starting one today. Joining or starting a high school environmental club can help raise awareness.



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