Farzana Akter
Climate change is the most used and familiar term to us. Climate change refers, changes in weather pattern over a long period of time including temperature, precipitation and extreme events due to some green-house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, SOX, NOX and CFC’s. It’s a long term phenomenon. This change can be observed over a few decades or millions of years. This is not an accidental at all. The main fact of this phenomenon is green-house gases effect, which makes the environment warmer. Nowadays, these gases leading to a toxic environment. This happens due to our own activities. Yes, humans are the main reason of all environmental imbalances. We are now in a modern world. Industrialization and urbanization are the first thing to be the part of modern word. Definitely it brings to us a huge comfortable life for leading and great approaches. At the same time indirectly and gradually it is killing our environment. Every day we produce a huge number of green-house gases by fossil fuel burning – coal, gas, oil is the common fact that we are used to do. Fumes from vehicles, industries, burning of forest, or any other materials emits a large amount of carbon dioxide or green-house gases which breaks the ozone layer and thus happens disaster for our environment.
The impact of climate change is both direct and indirect. Rising temperature is the well-known, most common effect we know, that is direct. Others are rising temperature in ocean, melting glaciers, sea level rise, extreme event. Rising temperature is a slow process but the consequences are devastating. We can notice that, present environment is way more different than before. As a result of rising temperature, world is becoming warmer, environment is getting unsuitable for many species, even migration is a common phenomenon now, glaciers are melting thus many pathogens are showing their existence, sea level has been risen, many low lands gone under water, evaporation rate became faster, that’s why precipitation range is higher than before, floods, droughts, all are happening because of rising temperature.
The consequences are beyond description. The indirect effects are, increase hunger and water crisis, increase health risks, economic implications, increasing pest and pathogens, loss of biodiversity, ocean acidification, need of adaptation. Although its impact is very slow, but the impact in the twentieth to twenty-first centuries is very noticeable. In particular, 2020 have perfect example to understand how devastatingly climate is changing. Extreme events in 2020 are forest fire in Australia, Africa and California, temperature rising, flood, drought that are we experienced.
Biodiversity is a broad term for environment which includes both living things in our earth whether it is bacteria or plants and animals. Human beings are also part of biodiversity. Biodiversity is the main prey of climate change.
▶Melting glaciers: As temperature rises due to climate change, the glaciers of the pole area are starting to melt so fast. This is definitely a good thing as new land is coming out. But at the same time, new diseases are emerging and the area is becoming uninhabitable. As a result, many species are being derailed or extinct.
▶Sea level rise: Coastal area are low lands, they will go under water gradually, and that leads to make fauna and flora of coastal area being homeless and extinction. Unfortunately, coastal lands are the most productive all of natural ecosystem. This will lead imbalance in environment. The people of coastal region also suffer.
▶Ocean acidification: Ocean receive 30% of total carbon dioxide that has been in atmosphere which occurs due to human activities. We produce this gas in our daily life. Which leads every environmental problem. Carbon dioxide makes the ocean less in pH, then the living things are unable to live. Phytoplankton to a big mammal, they are becoming vulnerable because of the unsuitable state of water.
▶Coral bleaching: This is a whitening of coral caused when the coral expels their zooxanthellae, a symbiotic photosynthesizing alga that lives within the coral tissues. They provide nutrition to coral also they get benefited. Zooxanthellae are expelled when the coral is under stress from environmental factors such as abnormally high-water temperatures and pollution. Then coral doesn’t get food thus they died. Corals are important part of ocean. They maintain the whole ecosystem in marine environment, thus brings a great loss.
▶Extreme events: Extreme events like drought, flood, cyclone, are increased exponentially as a result of climate change. High temperature and melting glacier are the reason.
▶Change in rainfall: If we monitor the past few years, we can realize that, how drastically environment has been changed. Rainfall has been now higher than before, which leads to flood and water logging and urban flooding.
▶Increasing rate of evaporation: High temperature create high evaporation in water body. And also, transpiration in flora. That makes disturbance in ecosystem.
▶Migration of species: The warm climate has become warmer due to climate change. The winter season has been changed. Winters are hot and summers are cold, rain again all year round. It certainly reveals the imbalance of the environment. As a result, the animals of the specified season are migrating in search of their own suitable environment.
▶Adaption: As the climate is changing and the seasons are random, no doubt the environment is hotter than before and also cold. Thus, we have to adapt this situation also for fauna. Adaptation is a natural thing that is the only weapon now. Many flora and fauna are extinct now.
It is already known that; climate change is affecting human life in a very bad way. Millions of people are already suffering from the catastrophic effects of extreme events that are result of climate change. Humans are the important part of biodiversity. As a result of the increase in temperature, the heat stroke has been increased. A large number of people are dying every year. Rising temperature and decreasing precipitation leads to increase in ozone and particulate matter, elevating the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory illness and death. Every year we face various natural disasters which are indirectly and directly related to climate change. We suffer a lot in health impact of during and after these events. Increasing sea level rise makes coastal and inland flooding, that are the common phenomenon now. Rising temperature increases salmonella prevalence in foods, longer seasons and warming winters increase risk of exposer and infection. Even climate change affects people’s mental health, it increases stress, social impact, and behavioral health disorders.
Everyone knows prevention. But a few numbers of people work to bring about change. We need to start small changes to prevent climate change. We cannot change the situation overnight. We have to start from us.
Reduce wastes-
Everything that is created has a life cycle which generates green-house gases. Reduce emissions by;
1. Recycle whenever we can.
2. Buy recycled products.
3. Reduce the amount of new packaging by buying less.
Energy saving-
Using less energy not only can save the planet but also save our money.
1. Switch the power off when finished with the application.
2. Switch to energy savings light.
3. Read the energy level of new devices and buy the most energy efficient.
Be water wise-
Watch our water usage and use simple techniques to use less, even saving our money.
1. Turn the water off when we have done.
2. Take shorter shower.
3. Use eco wash tablets to wash at cool temperature.
Travel green-
Vehicles are responsible for one third of gas emissions. So, by using less vehicles, we can make differences.
1. Ditch the car and use our bike or walk to place close by.
2. Consider using public transport when we want to go somewhere far.
3. Switch to an electric car or which is more fuel efficient.
Clean Energy –
When we cannot personally Control our local energy plant, we can still make changes by using less.
1. Switch to renewable energy.
2. Install solar panels and generate our own energy. Small changes.
Small changes can make us feel like we are making a difference, and will start to add up.
1. Buy local. The less distance our food has traveled the small the carbon footprint.
2. Plant a tree.
3. Spread the word and sharing what we know about climate change among all our friends and family. This will help to spread these Informative knowledges in the world initially.
We are facing all of the problems that occurs due to climate change. As we are the both reason and victim of this situation, we need to be very strict towards our activities which making environment vulnerable and unsuitable for living. Little by little, what we the ordinary people can do every day, contributes a lot. Climate change is a global disaster that we all are facing and that it is everyone’s responsibility to give a hand to prevent it as soon as possible. We should move on eco-friendly activities, and only that can help us to get rid of this catastrophic situation. If we do not change our behavior on the environment thus its behavior won’t change to us. If we take care of the environment, then the environment will give us such feedback. From these, we adequately realize how devastating climate change is. This has the potential to extinct our species. This is high time we should change our view, shouldn’t be rush and rough to environment. Because the environment is not our part, we are the part of the environment. It is high time we should change our views.
Author is a student of Environmental Science and Engineering at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, Trishal, Mymensingh – 2224, Bangladesh
Email: farzana97ese@gmail.com
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