When climate change is discussed, people voice countless varied opinions on what it is, if it exists and the impact it has, or will have, on the planet. While some people may try to tell you that climate change doesn’t exist, or that it only causes the planet to heat up, neither of these are wholly correct. Furthermore, the damage that we have caused to the planet as humans has directly contributed to climate change and its effects all around the world. We at The Tower believe that climate change is real, that humans caused it and that it is our responsibility to try to slow it down as much as we can.
Climate change is primarily caused by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, resulting in trapped heat in the lower atmosphere, keeping the planet warm enough to survive. However, according to NASA’s data from ice core samples at the poles, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has more than doubled from average levels, with the steepest increases in the last 110 years from 300 parts per million to over 420.
Those who decide not to believe in climate change, or say “global warming” is the problem, aren’t getting the full picture of the effects of these CO2 increases. Many people have been misled into thinking that greenhouse gases will only increase the temperature of the planet, which is just one of many issues that come with the increases in CO2. This past winter only helps prove that the effects of climate change are greatly varied. In Grosse Pointe, there were 19 days in a row entirely below freezing temperatures. This is an example of climate change not only causing global warming, but more extreme weather in general. Hurricanes have become more powerful, heat waves have become hotter and flooding events from excessive rain have become more common, creating more dangerous situations for people to try to live through.
This all sounds very grim, and that’s because it is. The future of our planet is uncertain if we let these issues continue on without trying to at least slow them down or stop them. The main issue with that is that too many people believe that they shouldn’t help to save the environment, because ‘what difference is one person going to make?’ In reality, that one person could make a huge difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When people work together in groups to clean up trash or to petition companies or corporations to be more conscious of the environment, changes happen that improve our quality of life now and in the future. When one person joins a group like these, more will follow.
High schoolers are no exception. Even though we are a younger group without much experience or credibility in some people’s eyes, we at The Tower believe that high school students can still have a profound positive impact on the environment. Volunteering for local clean-up projects at places like local greenways or walking and biking to school instead of driving when the weather is nice all help to reduce our carbon footprint. Little things like fully emptying bottles of any liquid before recycling or throwing away also help preserve fresh water.
Even a quarter of South students consciously choosing to help the planet and take actions like those above would already be a great step toward slowing climate change. While it would be a relatively small start compared to eight billion people worldwide, the effects on people that are close to these people would likely get them to start helping out too. Then, as more people begin to help out and do what they can to save the planet, we just might be able to stick around for a few more centuries.
