Tag Archives: climate-change

Science/Nature

Why are our winters getting warmer?

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By Hannan Mohammed

Image by Kenneth Allenvia Wikimedia Commons

In recent years, you may have noticed that our fall season has become much warmer, and so has our winter season as well—snow comes later in the year, and according to an article by NPR, the 2023-24 winter season saw the 48 lower states in the U.S. had their warmest winter in 130 recorded years. And in the U.S., winter is the season that’s warming faster than any other. However, why is this change occurring?

The main cause of these warmer seasons is climate change, and in particular, global warming. While Earth’s climate has changed across time, with ice ages and warmer periods, this current global warming is caused by human activity; specifically, how we add heat-trapping gasses to the atmosphere. When we do this, we produce gases such as carbon dioxide that come into the atmosphere and trap more of the Sun’s energy on Earth, which is warming up the planet. According to NASA, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century, caused mostly by carbon dioxide emissions.

As these average temperatures rise, the coldest season is being affected the most. According to the Climate Reality Project, average winter temperatures across the 48 contiguous states have increased by 3 degrees Fahrenheit since the pre-industrial era. Because of this, many areas are beginning to see warmer winters overall. But how else is climate change affecting winter weather?

One of the other effects of climate change on winter, besides warmer overall temperatures, is that there’s more precipitation during the season, which can either be rain or snow. This happens because a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture within; this excess moisture is released from the atmosphere as precipitation.

Another effect of climate change on winter is that severe winter storms, such as ice storms and blizzards, are becoming both more frequent and more powerful. This happens because there’s increased energy in the atmosphere from the Earth’s general warming, which can make these events more volatile. Furthermore, a powerful air current called the jet stream is starting to change easier. Because it can influence weather patterns, its shifts may lead to sudden changes in both temperature and precipitation.

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Editorials/Student Voice, Science/Nature

Empty nets and a dying ocean

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By: Maya Vossen-Nelson

Image created with Canva

The ocean absorbs large amounts of heat without a large increase in temperature. Given this property, the ocean has always played a central role in stabilizing Earth’s climate system, but in the past 100 years humans have created a climate that produces heat at an intensity that has overwhelmed the ocean. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the most telling sign of the overworked oceans is that over the past 100 years, the average global sea surface temperature has increased by approximately 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit each decade. This is significant because a large amount of heat needs to be absorbed by the ocean for water temperatures to rise even slightly.

According to NASA, 90% of global warming is occurring in the ocean. The ocean is not able to keep up as efficiently as it used to and is creating devastating consequences. 

When the ocean temperatures begin to rise, this is an indicator of extreme levels of carbon and methane in the atmosphere that are trapping solar rays and damaging the ozone, thereby trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. The levels of carbon dioxide dissolving from the atmosphere into the ocean have become so high that the water has become acidic.

Fisheries and fishing boats are reporting more frequent marine heat waves and whole fish community die-offs. At the very least, in response to the warming sea temperatures, many fish populations are migrating to colder waters. This has become so noticeable that many fishing businesses are being forced to change their fishing strategies and some are even considering calling it quits.

A perfect example is the seafood industry on the east coast. Boston NPR station, WBUR, reports that “The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than most of the world’s oceans. As a result, iconic New England species like cod and lobster have shifted north or moved deeper into the ocean in search of colder water.”

Without any interventions, it will only be a matter of time before the world’s fishing industry is turned on its head.

Getting To Know/History

History of Earth Day

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By: Grace Wright

Over many decades Americans were using inefficient cars leading to major air pollution. Many Americans were oblivious to this because they were told it was the smell of success and major corporations didn’t want them to know about the environmental or health issues.

Changed started with Rachel Carson; she published a New York Times bestseller ‘Silent Spring’ in 1962. It helped raise awareness to the public about how damaged the environment is and how it’s going to start affecting the public’s health.

Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin, had always been concerned about the impacts that were happening to the environment. But it wasn’t until he and many others saw the effects of the oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA in 1969.

This started anti-war protests, and Senator Nelson wanted to use the energy of the protests to help even more of the public understand what was happening. The way he thought this would work best would be teach-ins on college campuses.

Nelson recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to help organize the different campus teach-ins. They chose April 22 because it was between finals and spring break to help get more students to come.

The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970. Hayes was able to promote the event across the U.S. to 20 million Americans which was only 10% of the population at the time. They took to the streets to help show the impact of what 150 years of industrial growth had done to the environment.

After the first Earth Day was the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They put through many environmental laws, started the Environmental Education Act and the Clean Water Act. Earth Day has now been happening for 55 years and over 1 billion people worldwide have participated in it.

What can do to help keep our environment clean and healthy? Don’t litter or if you see trash pick it up. Practice not letting the water run while brushing your teeth. You can donate to different organizations to help support the efforts too.  

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Local, Science/Nature

Minnesotan winter activities and climate change

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By: Gabriella Bell

Minnesota is most commonly recognized for its drastic weather changes, harsh summers and winters alike. It’s also known for its diverse range of winter activities such as hockey, skiing, ice fishing, and more. Although in order to partake in these recreational hobbies, the most important factor is for there to be cold enough weather, and most importantly snowfall. In Minnesota this would normally never be much of a problem, however as of recent years, data is demonstrating that climate change is having a severe impact on not only these winter sports, but also local wildlife as well as our environment.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, worldwide climate change is also leading to a warmer Minnesota. Their stats represent an increase in the daily minimum temperature of 7.3f in the northern regions of Minnesota, 6f in the central regions, and 4.9f in the southern regions (per data from 1895-2021).

Another major impact that climate change has is in our ice cover, with an observed 10-15 days less as of these past few years. With these changes, it is ultimately impacting Minnesota fish as well, considering they are losing necessary days of ice cover, which protect them from the harsh winters. With the lack of ice, it is also contributing to the inability to begin and prolong ice fishing, ice skating and other ice-related activities that many people participate in during our Minnesota winters. Along with this unpredictable ice cover, it’s affecting the amount of flooding that the state receives, as the ice forms and then melts soon after. It then continues to follow this repeating cycle throughout the winter months until late spring.

Another factor is the inconsistent snowfalls that have been recently scattered across the winters. One of Minnesota’s most notable aspects is their snow! Not only does this affect the ability to play certain winter sports such as skiing or snowmobiling, but it also impacts the enjoyment of participating in them as well.

Per stats from the EPA, carbon dioxide levels across the world have risen over 40% since the late 1700’s, which is what’s contributing to the immense amount of climate changes worldwide, as well as in Minnesota. Not only is this a serious issue which is affecting our environment, but Minnesota’s winters are progressively growing to be much shorter, warmer and unpredictable than ever before.

As a unified community I believe that we can make changes in our lives, even small ones, in order to begin to help the restoration and conservation of our Minnesota winters, as well as the environmental health of our world.

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Science/Nature

Glaciers

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By: Samson Belihu

Image created with AskAI

Glaciers – they are massive, slow moving bodies of ice that form over centuries from accumulated snow.
They are vital indicators of climate change, as they respond sensitively to temperature variation. Unfortunately, global warming has led to significant glacial decline, impacting ecosystems, sea level, and global water patterns.

Causes of Glacier Melting

Rising global temperatures are causing glacial melting. Average global temperatures have increased due to greenhouse gas emission from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and industrial progress. This warming accelerates the melting of glaciers, particularly in the polar and mountain regions.

Warmer ocean waters also contribute to the melting of glaciers. This is mostly happening in Greenland and Antarctica, which could potentially lead to flooding.

Consequences of Glacier Melting

Melting glaciers contribute to sea level rise, which threatens coastal communities and ecosystems. The increased glacial melting also impacts water supplies. Many regions rely on glacial meltwater for drinking water. As glaciers shrink, communities soon will face water shortages impacting agriculture.

Restoration Efforts

There are several organizations and companies that are focused on restoring glaciers, and the oceans temperature such as: Arctic Ice Project, Greennova Foundation, Mountain Wilderness, etc.

These groups are trying to slow glacial retreat through active intervention. For instance, some projects involve the application of reflective materials on glaciers to increase their albedo and reduce melting. Albedo is a measure of how much sunlight is reflected off of a surface, and it is important for glaciers because it helps regulate the earth’s temperature.

Some companies also research and monitor the changes of glaciers over time. There are also organizations that are working to raise awareness about the importance of glaciers and the big impact they have on climate change.

The melting of glaciers is a massive issue that is caused by climate change, with high consequences for our ecosystems, communities, and global sea levels. Many companies and organizations have stepped up to help with the restoration and conserve these glaciers, which hold many histories that many scientists have not gotten their hands on. There is hope to negate some of the impact of climate change on glaciers, and preserve them for the future generations.

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