climate change | Plaid Line + PRIZM + Scottie News

By: Siri David

Photo by Tomu00e1u0161 Malu00edk on Pexels.com

Alaska is a prime example of climate change and the effects from it. Alaska has been facing these effects for more than 50 years. The environment there is changing everyday and there is only so much time left to be able to save it.

The state has warmed 3 degrees Fahrenheit, on average, in the summer and 6 degrees in the winter. This seems like a small change but it is actually a lot, and makes a big difference. The state has seen a lot of changes like glaciers shrinking, shores eroding, wildfires, and insects breaking out. These are all effects of climate change, and effects that are likely to continue rising.

These things are happening because of the earth getting warmer. Since the late 1700’s the amount of carbon dioxide that humans put into the atmosphere has increased by 40 percent. Along with that, heat trapping greenhouse gasses also increase at a fast rate. Both of these things cause humidity to increase which causes more rain in areas but can also cause droughts in other areas.

More carbon dioxide being put into the atmosphere also affects the oceans. Carbon dioxide mixed with water forms a carbonic acid which means that the ocean is more acidic. The ocean temperature has also been getting warmer which is why it feels like countries that are really cold face the most effects of climate change.

Whether it feels like it or not the world is suffering and we need to help it. There are a lot of big and little things we can do to help the environment and specifically Alaska. The smaller things include turning off lights when you leave a room, not letting your water run for longer than needed, and trying to walk/bike places more.

A larger thing you can do to make a difference is donating to organizations that work to clean up trash and the environment. If you don’t have the money for that you can personally work to clean up your community.

Something that I think really really does help is speaking up about it and staying updated on what is happening. Along with that, I think teaching people about what is happening to one of the most beautiful states in our country is so important and something we should all take action to fix.

For more information, please visit:

https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ak.pdf

By: Nathaniel de Sam Lazaro

Credit: Wikimedia commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Hurricane&title=
Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image

Last month, the nation watched as Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. According to the Associated Press, the death toll is now 250 people and it is still unclear how many are missing. The hurricane caused billions of dollars in property damage, and 4 million people lost power. However, less than two weeks later, another hurricane pummeled toward the gulf coast of Florida, which had already been hit by Helene.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a category 3 hurricane in Siesta Key, Florida, located near Tampa. According to Accuweather, at least 23 people died from this hurricane. While Milton was not as bad as expected, these hurricanes are still very deadly and dangerous. Large amounts of Florida were under evacuation zones, and the Tampa Bay Area has now been hit by two major hurricanes over the course of two weeks.

While these hurricanes are natural disasters that have been happening for centuries, it is undeniable that human actions have been making hurricanes more frequent and worse.

According to the Environmental Defense Fund, sea levels have risen by 4 inches since 1970, pushing water further inland and creating storm surges across the world, including in the volatile North Atlantic Ocean, which has seen major hurricanes (category 3 or higher) three times more frequently than it did 100 years ago. This rate has doubled since 1980. Additionally, hurricanes now have 10-15% more rainfall on average than they did 50 years ago.

Additionally, hurricanes have begun to move more slowly, making more water suck into them, making their storm surges more powerful. This is likely caused by the fact that the winds steering hurricanes move slower in warmer climates, and with a rapidly warming earth, this change is expected.

The truth is, climate change is already happening. It is more important than ever that we take steps to mitigate its effects. At the same time, humans must be able to adapt to some of the consequences of human caused climate change. In Florida, construction practices must change to be more resilient to worsening hurricanes. Governments should also enact policies that encourage the use of clean energy rather than fossil fuels. Only large, systemic changes can truly mitigate our climate crisis. That is the only way we can stop climate change from getting worse than it already is. Our planet depends on it.