Climate change is a general increase of the average temperature of the earth which results in weather balances and the ecosystem changes for a long period. It is believed that there is a link between greenhouse gases emissions and climate change.
Proponents of climate change mitigation strategies such as Greta Thunberg and professionals from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) call for a system change in a bid to save the world. In October 2018, IPCC released a worrying report. The report indicated that countries across the world only have 12 years to get global warming under control before it gets too dangerous levels.
Ben Strauss, the chief scientist of climate central, observed that if the current world temperatures go up by over 1.5 degrees, there will be adverse weather patterns all over the US and the world at large. This is enough reason for everyone to focus their efforts on climate change solutions. Here are some suggestions to fight climate change.
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1. Ban the use of plastics
Plastic papers and bottles hurt the environment, and these changes may cause irreversible consequences. This is why the use of plastic should be kept under control through regulations and policies that govern plastic distribution, use and disposal. Single-use plastics have been targeted with experts encouraging alternative products that will substitute the use of plastic altogether. One such product is seaweed.
2. The use of technology
There are new technologies that are being developed to help us understand the tough environmental challenges we are facing and providing us with new ways of solving these issues. A good example of such technology is a new satellite that is being used to measure and reduce the number of methane emissions. MethaneSAT, a satellite mission that will be launched in 2021 has been designed to map and even measure the methane emissions with precision any part of the world. MethaneSAT will also make emissions be seen in areas where it is hard to track. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is believed to be a great contributor to global warming.
3. A shift of focus from economic growth
GDP has been used as a comprehensive measure of a country’s growth. Unfortunately, it focuses on economic growth at the expense of other important issues such as climate change that equally affect livelihoods. Look at it this way. More products are consumed so that growth can be achieved. The production process of these products demands a lot of energy and raw material, which result in waste, and misuse of limited resources.
The pursuit of economic growth is not entirely wrong. However, focusing on growth alone is detrimental to the common good of society. The society needs to be open-minded when approaching progress. Parties involved should adopt other ways of measuring society’s well-being. Strategies like, Genuine Progress Indicator and Human Development Index, which marry non-market gains with financial benefits, should be used.
4. Promote green transport methods
Use of an electric car is gaining traction among the world population. The use of these cars is expected to RISE with an increase in production and a reduction in price. However, this also creates the burden of producing enough clean energy to sustain the transport sector. In addition to this, governments need to plan their cities to create footpaths and ride ways. This will encourage its citizens to walk or ride to work, thus reducing the use of fossil fuel cars that have an adverse carbon footprint. People understand the problem and try to figure out how to solve it. Maybe that’s why there are plenty of students’ projects and global warming essays examples which can give various tips on how to do it better.
Imposing heavy taxes on damaging environmental products will also help greatly in the fight against climate change. However, this should be done in a manner that will not financially overburden the less well-off taxpayer.
5. Use energy in a positive way
When we get more energy efficient, we will end up polluting less and saving money. Some of the small changes you can make include;
# Using energy-efficient bulbs
# Unplugging your TVs, computers and other electronics when they are not in use
# Wash your clothes in warm or cold water
# Choose products with energy star rating when you are purchasing new appliances
# Make use of a programmable thermostat
# Winter the home to prevent heat from escaping
# Get an audit of your home or workplace to see areas where you can make some gains in energy-saving.
# Install solar panels
6. Agroforestry
Whatever you decide to do in life, include planting two more trees a month. Trees play a significant role in the environment. It controls soil erosion, cleans the air, reduces landslides, acts as windbreakers and increases underground water reservoir by promoting drainage.
Agroforestry, unlike monocropping, helps to stabilize the soil through the planting of multi-story crops in the same land management unit. These crops have different root lengths, with trees having deeper roots that tap into the leached nutrients. Grasses, such as maize, in monocropping, have shallow roots that do not improve soil structure thus encouraging soil degradation, which over time, renders the soil less capable of supporting plant life.
Planting fast-growing trees like bamboo work well with improving technology. The process of tree growth uses carbon dioxide. A fast-growing tree uses more carbon dioxide thus sequestering more carbon from the environment. This combined with reduced carbon emission results to a well-balanced atmosphere. You can also take services from Madera tree experts for tree care.
Conclusion
One clear thing is that climate change is the biggest threat in the 21st century. It is resulting in serious and detrimental consequences such as drought, floods, hurricanes, and even volcanoes. To overcome this challenge, it is important for governments, non-governmental institutions, schools, worship institutions, and even individuals to take part in combating this menace. Tips mentioned above can be a starting point for fighting climate change.
