Education
Taking action on climate change begins with knowledge. It is essential to educate people how climate change works and how it affects us and our environment. When we understand why climate change is happening and what it does, we can make better choices and do things to help. Through education and awareness, we can cultivate a global consciousness that drives impactful change for a more sustainable future.
What Cause Climate Change?
Climate change, primarily driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, leads to global warming by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun, resulting in a gradual rise in Earth's average temperature. The effects of climate change are far-reaching and severe, impacting ecosystems, weather patterns, and human societies. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities and habitats, while extreme weather events like hurricanes and droughts become more frequent and intense. Biodiversity loss, disrupted agriculture, and water scarcity further exacerbate the environmental consequences of climate change. Urgent action is required to mitigate these impacts and transition towards sustainable practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.
What is Global Warming?
Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature, primarily caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun that would otherwise escape back into space, leading to a warming effect known as the greenhouse effect. As more greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere due to activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, the Earth's temperature rises. Global warming can have profound impacts on climate patterns, weather events, ecosystems, and human societies, making it a critical issue for environmental and societal well-being.
How plastics contribute to climate change?
The production of single-use plastics significantly contributes to climate change due to its long decomposition time and reliance on fossil fuels. These plastics, such as bags, bottles and straws, can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, and even then, it never fully disappears; it just gets smaller and smaller. Extraction and transportation of these fuels to plastic manufacturing facilities alone emit between 1.5 to 12.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, deforestation for oil extraction and pipeline construction has released over 1.6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, while hindering natural carbon sequestration. The refining process of plastics adds an extra burden, emitting an annual 184 to 213 million metric tons of greenhouse gases. The Pacific Ocean hosts a colossal mass of floating plastic, equivalent to twice the size of Texas, steadily growing and posing a severe environmental threat.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability refers to the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses a balance between environmental, social, and economic factors. Sustainability is crucial for maintaining the health of the planet and its inhabitants over the long term. It requires careful consideration of the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic systems, as well as a commitment to making choices that minimize negative impacts and promote resilience and regeneration.
What is Landfill?
A landfill is a designated area where waste materials are disposed of by burial. It is a common method of waste management, especially for non-recyclable or non-compostable materials. Landfills are typically engineered to minimize environmental impact and to prevent contamination of surrounding soil and water sources. Waste is compacted and covered with layers of soil to reduce odor, prevent littering, and discourage pests. Landfills are an integral part of waste disposal infrastructure in many communities, providing a final destination for materials that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted.
Reducing and Reusing
The best way to reduce waste is to stop making it in the first place. When we create new things, it uses up a lot of materials and energy, which releases gases that harm the environment. To help, we should use less and reuse things more often. This saves resources, protects nature, and saves money. It's important because it helps to keep the environment healthy for the future. When we reduce waste, we also help lessen pollution and greenhouse gases. Plus, it means we don't have to recycle or throw away as much, which is good for our planet. So, reducing and reusing stuff is a smart way to take care of our world and save money too.
What are Greenhouse Gases?
Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. These gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, intensifying the natural greenhouse effect. This increased concentration of greenhouse gases leads to higher temperatures on Earth's surface, disrupting ecosystems, causing sea levels to rise, and altering weather patterns. Efforts to mitigate climate change often focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit their impact on the planet's climate system.
What is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that keep replenishing naturally over time. These sources, like sunlight, wind, flowing water, organic materials, and heat from the Earth, are called renewable because they don't run out. Examples include using solar panels to capture sunlight, wind turbines to harness wind power, or hydroelectric dams to generate electricity from flowing water. Unlike fossil fuels, which can be used up and harm the environment, renewable energy sources are cleaner and don't contribute to climate change. They provide a sustainable way to power our world without harming the planet.
What is Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is a landmark international treaty adopted in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims to address climate change by bringing nations together to limit global warming and its impacts. The key goals of the Paris Agreement is limiting global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.