Climate Change

Global warming

Our weather has been showing signs of climate change. You may believe in it or be a denier, but the climate changes are very real.

Some of you might say that it is just a new weather cycle never seen before. The problem with that view is that the facts say otherwise. I will focus on the Northeastern United States as that is the area that I live in.

From our own EPA, “The Northeastern climate is experiencing noticeable changes that are expected to increase in the future. Between 1895 and 2011, temperatures rose by almost 2°F and projections indicate warming of 4.5°F to 10°F by the 2080s. The frequency, intensity, and length of heat waves is also expected to increase. The total amount of precipitation and the frequency of heavy precipitation events has also risen in the region.Between 1958 and 2012, the Northeast saw more than a 70% increase in the amount of rainfall measured during heavy precipitation events, more than in any other region in the United States. Projections indicate continuing increases in precipitation, especially in winter and spring and in northern parts of the region. However, the timing of winter and spring precipitation could lead to drought conditions in summer as warmer temperatures increase evaporation and accelerate snow melt.

This summer I and many others surely must have noticed that we have been getting more rain than normal and that it has been getting hotter each year. There are signs that something is happening, whether it is due to mankind’s introduction of pollutants and heat into our environment or not.

Now lets look at sea level changes due to climate change, “In the Northeast, sea level has risen by approximately 1 ft since 1900, which has caused more frequent flooding of coastal areas. Globally, sea level is projected to rise by 1 to 4 ft by the end of this century. In the Northeast, even higher sea level rise is possible, due to the combined effects of warming waters and local land subsidence (sinking). Sea level rise and coastal flooding are likely to disrupt and damage important infrastructure, including communication systems, energy production, transportation, waste management, and access to clean water. These impacts could have large economic implications across this region.

Many will say that we did not cause what is happening and that it is just a natural weather cycle. Others say that mankind has caused this. I do not really care who or what caused this, instead I am concerned on how to slow or reverse what is happening.

Do we have to stop burning fuels such as gasoline, propane or natural gas? I think that we need to be a little more careful on how we use our resources and what ones we can use safely (/wisely). In the future we need to be more in tune with our environment than we have been. The time for wasteful squandering of our natural resources has to come to an end and we should concentrate on lowing our pollutant levels.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike

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