Hello, people of the world! I’m alunissage, and welcome to Climate Change With Tech. First up, we have some exciting news for you all! Me and Robotics Girl have recently produced a podcast episode with the podcast Everyday Climate Champions. It would mean a lot to us if you all checked it out! In the episode, we talked with Santa Clara Youth Climate Action (SVYCA) Leadership Team Chair, Peri Plantenberg, and discussed her experiences and insight on the work of the SVYCA! You can find it anywhere you find your podcasts- just by searching “Everyday Climate Champions.” Our episode is episode 5! Anyways, let’s begin! What is the biosphere, how are animals in the biosphere affected by climate change, and what actions are being made to prevent this?
First up, what exactly is the biosphere? If you haven’t heard this term before, it basically means all living things! Today we’ll be focusing on the land biosphere, so anything from a single-celled organism to a huge elephant is considered part of this subsection of the biosphere, as long as they’re main habitat is on land. Now, how are animals of the biosphere affected by climate change? Well, an increase in wildfires is destroying the habitats of forest animals, forcing mass migration. You may be wondering, how does climate change have anything to do with more wildfires? Well, according to the Global Climate Change Explorer, an increase to the season length and hotter summer temperatures due to climate change dries out plants, like trees and grass, making the area much easier to burn down- which is also caused by the longer summer season, as areas like Colorado get much less snow, and areas like California receive much less rain, working alongside the heat to dry out plants even further. The burning of the trees during wildfires also contribute to climate change- as the tree burns down, the trees carbon is made into carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. According to Harvard University, it is currently estimated that around 100 to 1,000 species become extinct each year, due to a combination of human activities and climate change. In fact, since the dawn of humanity, the extinction rate has become 10,000 times greater. Plants and animals over time have evolved to suit the temperatures of their environment, but with the drastic changes in temperature due to climate change have been causing a negative effect on all species. Although most plants are not expected to be able to keep up with the change in temperature, and most animals can be expected to adapt to slow changes in the global climate, very few animals will be able to keep up with constant changes to their environment if the rate of carbon emissions is not slowed down. Another specific part of the biosphere that is affected by climate change is one that I believe is very well known: plants and animals native to the South or North Poles, like Polar Bears. Polar Bears are a visible example of the terrible effects of climate change: their population is declining, and the polar bears that do survive are thinner due to the receding ice that they make their home of, and the shortened hunting season. Overall, the grip that climate change has on the environment has the potential to be, and already is beginning to be catastrophic, making it an urgent problem that desperately needs a solution!
Finally, here’s some information on steps that have been and are being put in place to prevent the further decline of our biosphere. An important step to putting a decline in the rate of climate change is reducing carbon emissions. This action can be seen by the increased usage of electric vehicles or encouraging alternate ways of travel. Additionally, several regulatory actions and initiatives have been implemented, aiming at global warming chemicals, greenhouse gas reporting, and many more. Finally, another popular way to attempt to slow down climate change is planting more trees. This is done by reforestation, which is restoring old forests that have either been destroyed by human activity or fire, or afforestation, which is the creation of new forests. There are many more ways that we, as a society, are attempting to save our planet and the creatures that make up the biosphere in it!
As usual, here are some ways you can help our environment in your everyday life!
Recycle! You can recycle plastic bottles and bags that include the little recycle sign
You can volunteer to help with local clean-ups!
You can help us spread the word- make people aware of what climate change is and how bad it is!
Use less disposable plastics
Try walking or riding a bike to short distances instead of a car
Plant things! It’s a fun hobby and also helps the planet a lot!
You can buy local and organic produce
Thank you all for taking time to read this!
Until next time!
alunissage.
Works Cited
"Climate Solutions." Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/climate/solutions#:~:text=The%20easiest%20way%20to%20do,carbon%20capture%20and%20storage%E2%80%9D). Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.
"Land and Living Systems." Global Climate Change Explorer, www.exploratorium.edu/climate/land-and-living-systems#:~:text=Climate%20change%20is%20altering%20many,for%20young%20animals%20to%20survive. Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.
"Climate Change Regulatory Actions and Initiatives." United States Environmental Protection Agency, 19 Dec. 2022, www.epa.gov/climate-change/climate-change-regulatory-actions-and-initiatives. Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.
Schwartz, Matthew. "Ecosystem Shift: How Global Climate Change Is Reshaping the Biosphere." Harvard University, 30 Jun. 2014, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2014/ecosystem-shift-how-global-climate-change-is-reshaping-the-biosphere/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2023.
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