For many years, climate change has been a hot topic discussed by people from all around the world. Many scientific researches have been made on the subject, looking for ways to improve our planet. But what exactly is climate change? How is it caused? And what can WE do to change it? 

In this article, we give you an overview through a simple definition of climate change, what triggers it and the actions that can be taken to reduce its negative effect to improve our planet. 

What is climate change?

Climate change describes any major change regarding climate lasting for an extended period of time. Climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, among other effects, that occur over several decades or longer. 

The climate has varied for decades, even before humans came into existence. However, unusual changes were observed by scientists. For example, the average temperature has been increasing quicklier than expected over the past 150 years. 

What Causes Climate Change? 

Climate change is due to the greenhouse effect, which is a natural phenomenon where the atmosphere retains some of the Sun’s heat, allowing the Earth to maintain the necessary conditions to host life. Without the greenhouse effect, the average temperature of the planet would be -18 C. 

While it may sound to be fixing the problem, daily human activities actually maximize the greenhouse effect and causes the planet’s temperature to increase more than supposed to. 

Is there anything that WE can do to stop climate change? 

• Make your commute green:

  Nowadays driving is NOT uncommon. We drive everywhere we go in our century. However, driving cars emit greenhouse gases which destroy our atmosphere. There are many actions in this area, that can be taken to improve the ecosystem such as taking public transportation to work to cut out emissions, or riding bikes to work. 

• Be energy efficient:

  Prevent pollution by becoming energy efficient which would lead to the production of greenhouse gasses due to power plants expending less energy. A homeowner can become more energy efficient by turning off lights and unplugging devices that are no longer being used. Another action could be to replace the light bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbs to help save electricity. 

• Recycle:

  Recycling is a cost effective process that is not harmless to the environment, and eliminates waste. One could start recycling by collecting paper, glass, plastic and electronics to their local recycling center. Once taken to be recycled, these items would then be turned into other recyclable materials again. 

   

What about Solar Energy...? Can it prevent Climate Change? 

Absolutely! Electricity through solar power instead of fossil fuels can significantly reduce the greenhouse effects, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). Simply explained, when fossil fuels are burned, that increases global temperature and climate change. 

Therefore solar installs can have significant effects on the environment. A Homeowner who goes solar, helps with reducing demand for fossil fuels, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and shrinking carbon footprint.