A close friend of mine considers me a tree hugger. Why? I've never hugged a tree. Perhaps because I believe in global warming. So many people I've talked to believe it is not real. They believe there is no threat to our environment or our lives. Many don't worry about it. Why? They feel that if anything happens, it wont happen until after they're dead. Therefore, there is no issue for them. What about thier grandchildren?
According to the National Wildlife Federation, there are several factors you can see yourself if you need to be conviced global warming is real. You don't need to look at statistics or thumb through numerous books to find evidence. You just need to look out the window every once in a while.
REDUCTION OF SNOWPACK: Althougth you may need to look this one up if you don't live in the mountains or snowy areas such as Alaska, this evidence isn't hard to come by. All you need to do is view photos of Alaska in 1900 and again in recent times. A picture is worth a thousand words. Trust me.
HEAT WAVES: This one is simple, at least for a Southern Californian such as myself. Lets see...it's November 6th and it's over 90 degrees outside. I can't even break in my sweat-shirt yet. When I was a kid, I used to always freeze on October 31st. This year I was sweating.
DROUGHT: I can't remember the last time it rained at my house for more than five minutes. It must have been last May. I live in a desert area, so rain is scarce anyways, but it is abnormally dry for this time of the year. The National Wildlife Federation claims "the current drought plaguing the West is the worst in 500 years and has drastically reduced available water resources for people and wildlife alike".
WILDFIRES: Although the recent fire in Riverside County was the result of arson, without current dry, hot conditions it is unlikely that it would have claimed five lives and spread as rapidly and far as it did. The arsonist chose his timing and location for optimal damage.
The list goes on to include extinction of animals both due to habitat changes and habitat loss, rising temperature of streams which provide breeding grounds for salmon and other fish, and the reduction of wetlands.
How do we combat this problem? Simple. Become educated. Educate yourself on the issue and educate as many people as you can. Do not become the extremist that pushes people away. Become the teacher that influences a generation that this problem is real, and that it is not too late to fix it and prevent further damage. Some day we may need to take our grandchildren to the zoo just so they can see what a polar bear looks like. That may be the only place they can survive in the changing climate.
