Causes of Climate Change and How Students Can Help

Climate Change is defined as a long-term shift in weather or temperature patterns. Although this can happen naturally, the current shift is the result of hundreds of years of burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. The burning of these materials emit greenhouse gases which get caught in the Earth’s atmosphere, trapping the sun’s heat. As a result, the Earth’s temperature has raised approximately 1.1oC from its usual levels. Consequences such as extreme weather, severe fires, intense droughts, flooding and rising sea levels as a result of melting polar ice will be seen.

One cause of climate change is the increased rate of deforestation. A lack of trees means that there is less vegetation to pull carbon dioxide—the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities—from the air. Increased levels enhance something called the greenhouse effect. This is when greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, absorb solar energy, keeping heat close to the Earth’s surface.

Another cause of Earth’s rising temperatures includes our cities’ connections to greenhouse gases and pollution. The reliance of these dense populations on fossil fuels makes them the highest greenhouse gas emitters. 60% of the world’s greenhouse gases are released by cities, even while they make up a mere 2% of the Earth’s surface. The lack of green spaces within cities only exacerbates the issue.

Over-consumption is a large factor in climate change. Use of power, how an individual moves around, what they throw away, and what they eat all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, consumer goods such as clothing or electronics increases them as well. Not only do many humans create a lot of waste, but the fossil fuels needed to manufacture all the goods and services produces large amounts of greenhouse gases.

But what can students do to help? There are, in fact, many opportunities for individuals who wish to do something to slow down the rate of climate change. Things such as walking or riding a bike instead of driving, while small on the individual scale, can have a large impact if many make the effort. The well-known saying of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is a great proverb to take advice from. Single use plastics are very harmful to the environment, so reuse what you can and recycle what you can’t. Throughout campus many waste-bin areas are available where garbage can be sorted into different categories for more effective recycling. Additionally, obtaining

consumer goods from sustainable sources is a great way to make sure the production of a product doesn’t directly harm the environment. It also is a way to support companies that try to limit their effects on surrounding ecosystems and habitats.

On a larger scale, it is important to make one’s voice heard to local politicians and lobby groups. Climate protests outside of City Hall have been ongoing throughout year and are likely to continue into the new semester. Organized by local activists, community members and students come together to make known their desire for change. Such requests include the use of more renewable energy, as well as demands for governments to set better targets for to combat global warming. As the saying goes, the more the merrier! These groups, while effective, can always use more support. StFX has a society called the Antigonish League of People for Climate Action (ALPCA) where students looking to get involved in the community can meet and rally for their goals. This group is a great way to step into the climate action community.