This spring, especially in the United States, has been one of the most tumultuous in terms of extreme weather. There were excessive rains on top of excessive amounts of melting snow, increased flooding, droughts, wildfires, and we can't forget the number of tornadoes that swept our country. The amount of damage caused just by this spring's extreme weather has already exceeded $32 billion. So where is all this extreme weather coming from and what is causing it. Well, scientists generally agree that the earth is warming. Every year, the temperature creeps upwards, albeit at a slow pace, but up it goes. There is also a lot more carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere which is helping to boost the world wide temperature. Some scientists are hesitant to put the entire blame on humans, others are ready to point the finger. Personally, I will agree with those that are pointing the finger. While we are not entirely to blame, we have had a major impact on the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As the world population grows and becomes increasingly modernized, there has been a sharp increase in factories and cars that pump that lovely CO2 into the air, thus assisting in warming the planet little by little. As the planet warms, more water evaporates from the surface of the earth, adding to the moisture content of the air and while creating deadly, longer lasting droughts in some regions, the increased water in the atmosphere adds to heavier rains elsewhere. Its a tumultuous cycle that we are slowly becoming accustomed to. (Post inspired by this article.)
While we can easily blame a warming atmosphere for this most recent increase in extreme weather, this is not the first time it has happened. During the early 1900's there was a number of years during which extreme weather events increased. Following however, were a few decades of relative quiet. This being said, however, the average temperature during the early 1900's was a lot cooler than it is currently. Are we in a current climate swing where we are experiencing extreme weather events for only a few years before we retreat to the quiet times again? We can hope so, but I would not be so optimistic. Personally, looking at the affect that the warming climate is having on weather and our inability to curb carbon dioxide being pumped into the atmosphere, I fear that we could be in for the long hual in terms of extreme weather. So what are our options now. Well, to be perfectly honest, we must do what we have always done best; cope with the situation and try and fix our problems for the future. Perhaps, through a concerted global effort we can level off our carbon dioxide emissions, slow the warming of the atmosphere, and keep steady the number of extreme weather events each year. It can not just be our governments acting to make the changes, we must all dedicate ourselves to changing how we live, what we use, and how our actions affect the environment.
Extreme weather events and our warming atmosphere have implications that spread beyond just the effects that the weather has on our daily lives. These extreme weather events make it harder to grow food (as I have talked about before) and if food shortages increase, we can be sure that political turmoil will increase as well and we will see more unrest in countries as they struggle to feed their populations. But lets also consider this, by focusing solely on the future, what are we gaining? More stress in our lives, more depression? While we need to consider how our actions will affect our future environment and climate, we must also focus on our efforts today. If we consider the huge global picture, we will get depressed. Even I don't like to look at the whole picture too often. However, if we dedicate ourselves to making little changes in our daily lives, we can make a difference. Some may say, "Yeah, but I am only person out of billions, how will that help?" Well, if one person makes a change and gets two other people to make a change, it can spread. Yes, I am being optimistic at the capabilities of humans to make the necessary changes and inspire others to make those changes as well, but I believe that we can. What is more depressing than giving up on humanity? Nothing much in my mind. We all deal with craziness every day of our lives, yet there is always time to reflect, consider your actions, and see how they can be changed to make a difference in the long run. Again, don't dwell on the future, simply be glad to be alive and focus on today. What can you do today that will make a difference? Start small and it will spread. All wildfires start with a little spark. The only thing we need is a spark under our butts to start off a wildfire of change that can help everyone out.
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