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Climate Change
"It is the sense of the scientific community that carbon dioxide from unrestrained combustion of fossil fuels potentially is the most important environmental issue facing mankind" -U.S. Department of Energy
Our planet has seen some radical changes in the last century.
Melting Glaciers
We’re seeing a rapid melting of glaciers around the world: from the Himalayas, to the Andes, to the Alps to the Arctic. The melting water adds to the existing ocean and is causing a rapid rise in sea level (6-8 inches worldwide). The disappearing of glaciers on mountain tops, which feed the rivers throughout the world, means the dwindling of fresh water resources for over a 1 billion people.
Extreme Weather
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent—and more violent. We have been witnessing stronger hurricanes over the past few decades. In 2005, three of the six most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever observed hit North America. Australia was also hit in 2006 by three cyclones, each with winds over 155mph, offshore and on the coast. Similarly, the number of floods witnessed worldwide since 1950 has skyrocketed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we’re witnessing extreme droughts occurring in certain parts of the globe. Fingerprints of a changing Earth.
Ocean Acidification
The ocean is now 30% more acidic than it was before the Industrial RevolutionThe rise in acidity in our oceans are dissolving some of our marine animals. For example, the pteropods have calcium carbonate shells—basically the main ingredient in TUMS. They simply dissolve as the ocean becomes more acidic. The current rate at which ocean acidification is occurring will likely have profound biological consequences for ocean ecosystems within the coming decades. The rate of change in ocean acidity is so great that many marine organisms will probably not be able to adapt quickly enough to survive these changes. Hawaii’s reefs and the large fish we depend on could be devastated
More information coming soon...