Climate change is the phrase referring to the gradual changing of the Earth’s temperature and weather. The main source of this is greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions are gasses that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere which is why the Earth is heating up. Over these past few years, there has been a very noticeable increase in temperatures and strange climate occurrences around the world.
Recently, a few months ago, the New York area was hit with a small earthquake. The tremors that were sent through this section of New England raised many questions for residents, who aren’t used to experiencing earthquakes, however small. While the earthquake isn’t a direct effect of the changing climate, the increased amount of water on the earth’s surface may be linked to the strange occurrence. As our atmosphere heats up, glaciers are melting. This results in a larger quantity of water being trapped in between the cracks of Earth’s crust sparking further tectonic plate shifting. This can cause more earthquakes, especially in areas, unlike New York, that are regularly seismically active.
Climate change caused by the extensive pollution of the Earth is also creating new phenomenons beyond the ones we already have. In the 1970s acid rain became a real problem. Normal rain has a pH value around 5, only slightly acidic, whereas acid rain has a pH of 4. Acid rain occurs from a chemical reaction between water and toxic compounds. Despite common belief, acid rain doesn’t appear to be any different from normal rain when looking at it. It smells and tastes the same as normal water, however, it can have a detrimental effect on the environment. Over time the acid precipitation can tear away at ecosystems and even human structures. It’s an example of how human pollution is creating problems for the Earth.
The climate crisis has progressed from a distant issue to a highly debated topic. The state of our planet has begun to deteriorate as the actions of society have impacted it. While we can’t entirely reverse the actions of the past, there is still hope for the future. The first step to save our dying planet is to understand how the human race is killing it.
