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What Is SOIL POLLUTION | LAND POLLUTION | What Causes Soil Pollution | Dr Binocs Show |Peekaboo Kidz

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Tips/Articles,

When was the last time that you looked up at the sky to count the stars? If you live in the Chicago area, you'd be done pretty quick: only about 35 stars are visible on a clear night. The culprit? Light pollution. Besides being a far cry from the awe-inspiring 4,500 stars visible in a truly dark sky, there are a lot of other impacts from light pollution beyond the celestial. It is a growing global issue that affects our health, the health of wildlife, plants and our planet. Fortunately, the solutions are simple. Read on to learn more and find out how you can help save the night.

See what we are missing when light pollution affects our view of the night sky in this inspiring short film.

What is Light Pollution?

Less than a century ago, people across the globe could look up and see a sky full of stars. Now, only 2 out of 10 people can see the Milky Way where they live thanks to the widespread use of artificial light outdoors. Most light is only needed at ground level but much of it extends beyond where it is useful, invading our homes, skies, and wild places where it has many negative effects.

Light pollution is so intense it can even be seen from space! Not only that, all that extra light going upward and outwards is a big waste - lighting spaces too brightly, when and where it is not needed.

The Impact of Light Pollution

The natural light-dark cycle of our planet gives cues to all living things in relation to the life-sustaining behaviors of sleep, nourishment, reproduction and protection from predators. Plants even have daily cycles influenced by light. By lighting up the night, we've disrupted this cycle.

Human Impact

For people, darkness indicates that it is time to rest and recover. Artificial light can trick our bodies, which evolved over centuries on reliable light-dark cycles, and mess with our natural sleep patterns. Not only can it keep you awake, exposure to artificial light late in the day impacts our immune and endocrine systems, and heart health. It has even been linked to an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It is such a concern that the American Medical Association released a recommendation on outdoor lighting.

Exposure to artificial light can disrupt natural sleep patterns but the effects extend beyond a bad night's sleep.

Wildlife Impact

For wildlife, the impacts may be worse, especially for nocturnal creatures. Light glare across wetlands disrupts amphibians nighttime breeding, reducing populations. Bright lights near beaches draw baby sea turtles away from the ocean - killing millions each year. Migrating birds go off-course into cities, confusing artificial light for that of the moon and stars which they use for navigation, where building collisions cause an untimely death for about 1 billion each year. Insects hovering around lights are an easy target for prey, which can lead to a decline in population levels affecting the base of the entire food web. These are just a few examples of the many species affected by light pollution.

Migrating birds are lured off-course by artificial light.

Climate Impact

Light pollution also has big consequences for our climate. Light pollution is a huge waste of energy. To offset the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from powering light pollution, we would have to plant 875 million trees each year. It's a drain on our financial resources too. According to the International Dark Skies Association, we're spending over $3 billion each year to power ineffective outdoor lighting - and that's just residential lighting!

How to Protect Night Skies: Use Light Wisely

The good news is that light pollution is simple to remedy and the effects are immediate, unlike most other forms of pollution. It all comes down to better lighting design. It can be summed up here:

Light where you need it, when you need it, in the amount needed, and no more.

The International Dark-Skies Association outlines five principles for responsible outdoor lighting:

Useful Light Only

All lights should have a clear purpose. Before installing or replacing a light, ask yourself if light is actually needed. Consider how light will impact the area and if reflective paint or self-luminous markers for signs, curbs, and steps will meet your need.

Aim Down

Only light the area that actually needs light. Fixtures should be carefully aimed and shielded so as not to shine upwards or beyond the area that needs lighting. Avoid upward lighting (such as that used for landscape or architectural lighting).

This image shows the effects of shielding on light pollution. On the far left, an unshielded light spreads light all over. On the far right, a fully shielded light directs the glow to where it is needed, no further. You can see the effects on the sky above the lights.

Brighter isn't always better

Use the lowest light level required for your purposes. This both saves money with a lower power fixture and actually makes for better visibility.

Automate

Most outdoor lighting doesn't need to be on all night long. Consider using controls such as timers or motion sensors. Dim light when possible and turn it off when not needed.

Color Matters: Choose LEDs Wisely

LED lights are fantastic when it comes to conserving energy. They operate at up to 90% energy savings compared with incandescent lights and last much longer. However, they can give off a cold, harsh blue-white light. This color of light is much more damaging to our health and the environment and actually makes it harder to see at night due to glare. Fortunately, LED technology has come a long way. Bulbs are available with a much softer, warmer shade of light. Warm shades of light mitigate many of the problems of light pollution, make for a more pleasant experience and actually make it easier to see. Bulbs should be 3000 Kelvin or less (the unit that measures light color). "Soft white" bulbs typically fall in this range but check the Kelvin rating displayed on bulb packaging.

A comparison of blue-white LEDs with Amber LEDs.

You can find a list of dark-sky friendly light fixtures here.

SCARCE worked with Doyle Signs to make our new building signage Dark-sky friendly: the top of the letters are opaque to prevent up-lighting and the light is on a switch so it can be turned off.

Making a Difference in Your Community

Not only can you make the outdoor lighting around your home dark-sky friendly, parks, preserves and even whole communities can address their outdoor lighting to ensure safety, save energy, and preserve the night.

This is especially important as many cities upgrade their lighting to LED technology. There are a growing number of cities that are making dark-sky friendly lighting a priority while still realizing energy and safety benefits.The City of Tucson, Arizona has a progressive lighting ordinances to help ensure intelligent use of outdoor lighting and a clear night sky for residents and the many observatories in the area. Residents in this metro of just over 1 million people can see the milky way from their own driveways. See how two small towns in Colorado benefited from installing dark-sky friendly lights in this story from The Today Show.

The International Dark-Sky Association has resources to guide individuals, organizations, and municipalities to make responsible lighting retrofits and sample lighting ordinances. Municipalities, parks, and preserves can even be recognized for their efforts through the IDA's International Dark Sky Places program. In Illinois, the villages of Homer Glen and Hawthorn Woods and the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Champaign County have all received recognition.

Dark-sky friendly lighting practices are simple changes to make that are a win all-around. We can protect our night skies, save natural resources, protect our health and wildlife, save money, and preserve - even enhance - our view of our wondrous night sky. Now that's a bright idea.

Learn more and find ways to get involved at darksky.org.

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Light Pollution Harms Life on Earth but the Solutions are Simple - SCARCE

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Tips/Articles, When was the last time that you looked up at the sky to count the stars? If you live in the Chicago area, you'd be done pretty quick: only about 35 stars are visible on a clear night. The culprit? Light pollution.

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Gypsy moth caterpillars ravaging trees in Ontario, could cause record damage

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A species of invasive moth caterpillars is stripping trees bare and raining down feces from the canopy across much of southern Ontario and Quebec, amid a record outbreak. Here's why their population has exploded and what can be done about them.

What are these moths, and what do the adults and caterpillars look like?

The moths are known as the "LDD" moth because of their scientific name Lymantria dispar dispar. LDD moth is the name preferred by Ontario's invading species program, which says its original common name of "gypsy moth" is derived from a culturally offensive slur.

The caterpillars grow up to six centimetres long. They're hairy and can be identified by the five pairs of blue dots and six pairs of red dots on their backs.

The adult male moths are brown and fly around. The adult females are larger, white and can't fly.

Where are they found?

At this point, they're found throughout much of southern Canada.

They're native to Europe and Asia, but were introduced to the U.S. near Boston in the 1860s by astronomer and amateur entomologist Étienne Trouvelot, who wanted to test their potential for manufacturing silk. They escaped and became an invasive species

They first reached southern Canada in 1969, according to David Dutkiewicz, entomology technician at the Invasive Species Centre, a non-profit organization based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., a conservation organization focused on preventing, detecting, responding to and controlling invasive species in Canada.

The current population explosion is mostly in southern Ontario, although Quebec reports outbreaks in the Montérégie region and near Montreal (Boucherville, L'Île-Perrot, parc national du Mont-Saint-Bruno), as well as in the Outaouais region, along with smaller populations in the Mauricie region and near Quebec City.

What kind of damage do these moths do?

These moth caterpillars have voracious appetites and eat a wide range of food, including oak, birch, poplar, willow and maple, unlike many other caterpillars that are pickier eaters. They also feed for a period of the year about twice as long as many native caterpillars, said Joel Harrison-Off, a forest health-care inspector with the City of Toronto. And while they're eaten by some birds and mammals, none of them consume enough to really put a dent in the population.

When there's an outbreak, they can completely strip trees bare of leaves, as they've done to the oak trees in Toronto's High Park.

Generally, trees can recover. But some tree species, such as oak, have a harder time regenerating foliage.

Harrison-Off said the stress that puts on the trees and the energy that requires, especially if climate conditions such as drought are also stressful, makes it harder for them to defend against pathogens.

"These trees, some of them will start to die back in the next few years as a result of being defoliated."

How bad is this year's outbreak?

These moth outbreaks are cyclical, leading to an outbreak or infestation every decade or so and lasting one to three years. Numbers rise in years when weather conditions are good, then decline due to fungal or viral infections that spread through the population. Previous outbreaks have happened in 1985, 1991 and 2002.

The current outbreak in Ontario started in 2019, and the next year, the moth caterpillars defoliated more than 580,000 hectares - a record. "You're looking at the size of Prince Edward Island, basically, that was defoliated last year," said Dutkiewicz.

He said this year's final tally won't be out until August, and right now, we're on track to see a similar amount of defoliation and "another record-breaking year or close to a record-breaking year."

WATCH | 'To many people, the trees look like they've died':

In comparison, 1985, the worst previous outbreak, topped out at 350,000 hectares of defoliation.

Harrison-Off said this year, LDD moths have been seen in parts of Toronto where they haven't been seen before, including people's properties: "We're getting a lot of reaction, and people are trying to deal with and learn about [LDD] moths."

Why is it so bad?

Partly, it's due to the natural cycle. But this year's weather conditions were also ideal, Dutkiewicz said - a warm winter, followed by a dry spring.

The moths can't survive below -20 C for long, which is why they're restricted to southern Canada. And a wet spring helps grow a fungus that kills them.

"We haven't had those types of natural events ... in order to knock back the population," he said. "It really has been the perfect series of events of beautiful weather."

Will climate change make it worse?

David Featherstone, senior ecologist at the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority about 100 kilometres north of Toronto, predicts that the moths will start spreading north into central Ontario.

Droughts and extreme storms can also put stress on trees and forests that can make trees less able to withstand being stripped of their leaves by the LDD moths and having to regrow them again, he added.
WATCH | Climate change makes invasive caterpillars a bigger problem

Climate change makes invasive moth caterpillars a bigger problem

What can be done about LDD moth infestations?

Some Ontario municipalities such as London, Ont., spray a bacterial insecticide call BTK to control outbreaks. Dutkiewicz said some conservation authorities also do targeted spraying to protect "high-value trees." But Ontario Parks says it is letting nature take its course.

Harrison-Off said BTK has the potential to kill a lot of beneficial and native caterpillars in environmentally sensitive areas like High Park.

Instead, the City of Toronto does targeted spot treatments.

"We scraped off literally millions of eggs using vacuum cleaners," he recalled. Some trees, such as oaks, were injected with pesticides or sprayed individually. The city also mailed out 40,000 pamphlets about the pest as part of a public education campaign.

He noted that the moths are mostly spread by people, as they don't fly well (and females don't fly at all). For example, people may get eggs attached to their car while visiting city parks, and those might hatch at their cottage or somewhere else.

Can you do anything about them on your property?

Dutkiewicz recommends that people dealing with the moths on a small number of trees on their own property can also use a technique that involves tying a band of burlap around the tree trunks at about chest height. The caterpillars, which are around until the middle of July, like the shade and hide under there. Afterward, they can be picked off and dumped into a bucket of soapy water.

WATCH | Volunteers work to thwart invasive moth caterpillars in Ottawa's Hampton Park:

After Labour Day, when the adults are done laying eggs, you can also find their egg masses and use a butter knife or painter's scraper to scrape them into soapy water. Dutkiewicz said they are brown with a texture that resembles the skin of a tennis ball, and can be found under branches or in the crevices of trees.

But the biologists who spoke to CBC News for the article noted that because these moths don't typically kill trees, they're actually less harmful than many other invasive species, and are a species we're going to have to live with.

"They're not going away any time soon," Featherstone said. "And we just have to adapt as people and as ecosystems."

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Why an invasive moth caterpillar infestation is breaking records in central Canada | CBC News

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A species of invasive moth caterpillars is stripping trees bare and raining down feces from the canopy across much of southern Ontario and Quebec, amid a record infestation. Here's why their population has exploded and what can be done about them.

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DEMYSTIFIED: Is light pollution really pollution? | Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Watch the video - think, "what action in our community is polluting the air"? "What living things are affected"? And "what can I do to reduce air pollution in our community"?

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Air Pollution for Kids | Learn about the Causes and Effects of Air Pollution

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This video explains actions that cause water pollution - which takes place in our community? How is biodiversity affected? And what action could YOU start that would positively impact biodiversity?

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Water pollution | Water Contamination | Video for kids

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Understanding the Causes of Habitat Loss

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Understanding the Causes of Habitat Loss

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Read to the bottom of the page to find out what you can do!

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Habitat loss-due to destruction, fragmentation, or degradation of habitat-is the primary threat to the survival of wildlife in the United States. When an ecosystem has been dramatically changed by human activities-such as agriculture, oil and gas exploration, commercial development, or water diversion-it may no longer be able to provide the food, water, cover, and places to raise young that wildlife need to survive. Every day there are fewer places left that wildlife can call home.

Major Kinds of Habitat Loss

Habitat destruction: A bulldozer pushing down trees is the iconic image of habitat destruction. Other ways people directly destroy habitat include filling in wetlands, dredging rivers, mowing fields, and cutting down trees.

Habitat fragmentation: Much of the remaining terrestrial wildlife habitat in the U.S. has been cut up into fragments by roads and development. Aquatic species' habitats have been fragmented by dams and water diversions. These fragments of habitat may not be large or connected enough to support species that need a large territory where they can find mates and food. The loss and fragmentation of habitats makes it difficult for migratory species to find places to rest and feed along their migration routes.

Habitat degradation: Pollution, invasive species, and disruption of ecosystem processes (such as changing the intensity of fires in an ecosystem) are some of the ways habitats can become so degraded, they no longer support native wildlife.

Main Causes of Habitat Loss

Agriculture: Much of the habitat loss from agriculture was done long ago when settlers converted forests and prairies to cropland. Today, there is increasing pressure to redevelop conservation lands for high-priced food and biofuel crops.

Land conversion for development: The conversion of lands that once provided wildlife habitat to housing developments, roads, office parks, strip malls, parking lots and industrial sites continues, even during the current economic crisis.

Water development: Dams and other water diversions siphon off and disconnect waters, changing hydrology and water chemistry (when nutrients are not able to flow downstream). During the dry season, the Colorado River has little to no water in it by the time it reaches the Sea of Cortez.

Pollution: Freshwater wildlife are most impacted by pollution. Pollutants such as untreated sewage, mining waste, acid rain, fertilizers and pesticides concentrate in rivers, lakes and wetlands and eventually end up in estuaries and the food web.

Climate change: The emerging driver of habitat loss is climate change. Wildlife that need the cool temperatures of high elevations, such as the American pika, may soon run out of habitat. Coastal wildlife may find their habitat underwater as sea levels rise.

How to Combat Habitat Loss

Combat habitat loss in your community by creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat® near your home, school, or business. Plant native plants and put out a water source so that you can provide the food, water, cover, and places to raise young that wildlife need to survive.

Sources
In Search of Wildlife-friendly Biofuels: Are Native Prairie Plants the Answer?, Science Daily
Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the United States. Stein, B.A., J.S. Adams and L.S. Kutner. Oxford University Press, New York: 2000.

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Habitat Loss | National Wildlife Federation

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Habitat loss-due to destruction, fragmentation, or degradation of habitat-is the primary threat to the survival of wildlife in the United States. Learn more.

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Everything you Need to Know about Habitat Loss

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Everything you Need to Know about Habitat Loss

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This website has it all! The causes, how it impacts biodiversity, and what you can do!

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What is habitat loss?

Habitat loss is the destruction or alteration of the necessary conditions for plants and animals to survive in a particular place. It not only affects individual species, but the entire ecosystem.

The world's forests, lakes, swamps, plains, and other types of habitats become reduced in size or, in the worst case, disappear completely.

What are the main kinds of habitat loss?

Habitat destruction is what we most commonly think of when we think of habitat loss. This is when major parts of a habitat are cleared and destroyed by cutting down trees, filling in wetlands, dredging rivers or mowing fields.

Habitat fragmentation is common in areas that have undergone urban development, where large areas have been cut up by roads or buildings. These areas of fragmented habitat can have an effect on species which need a large territory to find mates or food. It can also make it more difficult for migratory species to find food and shelter during their migration routes.

This is when habitats become degraded overtime by causes such as invasive species, pollution, or a disruption to the ecosystem. Some habitats can become so degraded that wildlife can no longer live there.

What is Habitat destruction?

Habitat destruction tends to be what we most commonly think of when we talk about habitat loss. Habitat destruction is the elimination or alteration of the conditions necessary for animals and plants to survive. For example, when major parts of a habitat are cleared and destroyed by cutting down trees, filling in wetlands, dredging rivers or mowing fields.

The process of habitat destruction sees a natural habitat become incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or die. This reduces biodiversity and species abundance.

Habitat destruction is one of the biggest threats facing plants and animal species across the world. The loss of habitat has major impacts on the planet's ability to sustain life, impacting individual species alongside the health of the global ecosystem.

Finding a balance between what humans and animals need will help to prevent habitat destruction. Some scientists think that if we put aside half of Earth's land and water for nature, we could save up to 90 per cent of all species.

What are the effects of habitat loss?

Habitat loss is considered to be one of, if not the biggest, threats to life on our planet today. It's the main threat to 85% of all plant and animal species which are endangered or threatened.

Habitat loss can affect ecosystems in a number of different ways:

In one ecosystem, you could expect to find hundreds or thousands of different species of plants and animal. When that place experiences habitat loss, this number will decrease dramatically. When an animal loses its habitat that it needs to survive, limiting its access to food, water and shelter, its species' numbers will decline and head towards endangerment or even extinction. Between 14,000 to 35,000 species are at risk of extinction, with habitat loss being one of the main causes.

In an ecosystem, every species is connected by the food chain. When one species' numbers decline or becomes extinct, this will have an impact on other species living in the same habitat or ecosystem. For example, when sea otter numbers decline, the population numbers of their prey, sea urchins, can increase dramatically. However, sea urchins eat kelp. If there are too many sea urchins, they'll significantly reduce the size of kelp forests, and many other marine species rely on this habitat too.

Less Pollination and Seed Dispersal

Many plants, both wild and agricultural, depend on pollination to reproduce. For example, fruits and vegetables depend on bees and other insects to take pollen from flower to flower. However, as you may know, bee numbers are on the decline, primarily because of habitat loss. The increase of intensive farming and urban development has meant that bees have lost a number of their food sources. When there are fewer bees to pollinate the flowers and plants, there will be fewer flowers and plants that can successfully reproduce.

When forests, woodlands, and other areas with a large cover of trees and vegetation become reduced in size, they can't absorb as much carbon dioxide as they used to. This means that more of the greenhouse gas will be released into the atmosphere, making the effects of climate change worse.

When there are less plant species because of habitat destruction, it's much easier for pests to spread. This could lead to the eradication of an entire plant species. When there is greater plant diversity, there are also more insects and animals which will eat the pests. Habitat loss puts plant species at risk.

Humans depend on the biodiversity of ecosystems and habitats for food, clothing, shelter, and lots of other reasons. Having a diverse range of agricultural crops can protect farms against low crop yield or crop failures. However, this also means that reduced biodiversity makes farmers more at risk from crop failure, which results in less food to eat or sell.

What are the causes of habitat loss?

Habitat loss is largely caused by human actions.

The loss of forests is mostly caused by agricultural expansion for farmland or the harvesting of timber. Massive amounts of trees and forestland are cut down to make room for agricultural land. Land is also converted to make more room for growing populations of people. This disrupts and displaces many plant and animal species, and reduces the area in which they have to live.

The feed production necessary for livestock has a massive impact on the surrounding environments and is a cause of habitat loss. To feed cows, it can take a lot of water, fertiliser and fossil fuels. It takes 660 gallons of water to produce just one hamburger. Millions of acres of land are used just to produce feed for livestock.

Coral reefs are a rich and diverse ecosystem, but they're also at risk of habitat loss. Coastal development such as destructive fishing practises, boat anchors, and even tourists touching or removing corals can have an effect on the ecosystem. Overfishing is a huge issue too. When too many fish are removed from the ecosystem, it will ripple across the habitat and affect other species as well. Coral bleaching due to climate change also massively affects marine life.

When a predator's species number decreases, this can lead to its prey becoming overpopulated in the habitat. Prey animals tend to eat grass and vegetation, so when there's lots more of them, more of the grass is going to be eaten. Sometimes, it will be eaten faster than it can grow back. Overgrazing can also occur with groups of livestock on farmland.

Pollution has a huge impact on just about every ecosystem, but freshwater habitats are the most affected. They can become polluted with waste, acid rain, pesticides and fertilisers. This not only affects the species living in the water, but also the animals which go to freshwater as a source of food or water.

Climate change is becoming an increasing factor of habitat loss. Climate change can affect the temperature and seasons, which will naturally have a ripple down effect on the species which live in these places. For example, the oceans are becoming warmer, which means that ice is melting. Animals which live on the ice will experience habitat loss, but so will species which live in areas where the sea level is rising and submerging the land as a result.

Examples of habitat loss

Habitat loss is occurring all over the world on big and small scales, but one of the biggest examples is the Amazon Rainforest. It's experiencing deforestation on a massive scale.

Around 17% of the forest has been lost in the last 50 years, mostly due to the land being cleared for cattle ranches. There is a lack of support for sustainable development and natural conservation, so the forest's needs are pushed aside for agricultural development.

As a result of this loss, more and more species which live in the Amazon Rainforest are at risk of extinction. These are just some of the species which are endangered or threatened:

jaguar;

South American tapir;

giant river otters;

white-cheeked spider monkey;

hyacinth macaw;

pink Amazon dolphin.

How can we stop habitat loss?

While habitat loss and destruction is often the result of large-scale farming operations, there are still some ways that you can adapt your everyday life to become more sustainable and aware of the way our actions affect the environment.

The planet only has so much water, and this mostly comes from lakes and rivers. Using too much can affect the plant and animal species that live there. To combat this, you could turn off the tap when you're brushing your teeth or opt for showers instead of baths.

Many rainforests are destroyed to make room to grow trees for palm oil. Palm oil is found in lots of everyday products, such as soap, shampoo, bread, chocolate and cookies, so it's a good idea to check and see if what you're buying contains palm oil. Opt for the rainforest-friendly option!

You can help to create a habitat on a smaller scale. Plant a garden full of flowers and a range of different plants to make a thriving ecosystem that's perfect for insects, birds, and other animals that you might find in your local area.

If plant fertiliser gets into the water system, it can have devastating effects on algae life down the line. Instead, use natural fertilisers or simply plant local flowers which will thrive in the environment in the first place.

One of the best things we can do is reduce the waste we produce. Recycle paper, donate old toys and clothes to charities, and make sure that you reduce as much waste that has to go to landfill as possible.

Teaching about habitat loss

Habitat loss is an important topic to talk about. While it might not affect us directly, it has an effect on the planet we live, so it's also our responsibility. Twinkl has a range of resources to support your teaching of this topic and to make it more accessible for even young learners. Take a look at these:

What is Biodiversity and Why Does it Matter? PowerPoint

This PowerPoint is fantastic for whole-class teaching about biodiversity. It covers what it is and why we need it, which is a great precursor to the topic of habitat loss. It also includes lots of photos and illustrations to help with visual learning.

A Life on Our Planet: Introduction

In partnership with Sir David Attenborough, our A Life on Our Planet resources help you to teach about how human activity has affected and changed our world. This introductory PowerPoint is great introduction to the topic, and then you can delve deeper into other subjects such as using less space and eliminating waste.

Plastic Pollution PowerPoint

This PowerPoint is a brilliant tool to use when teaching children about the causes of habitat loss. It discusses the effect that plastic pollution has on our oceans, rivers and lakes and gives suggestions on how we can reduce plastic use in our lives.

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What is Habitat Loss? - Answered - Twinkl teaching Wiki

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Habitat loss is the destruction or alteration of the necessary conditions for plants and animals to survive in a particular place. It not only affects individual species, but the entire ecosystem. The world's forests, lakes, swamps, plains, and other types of habitats become reduced in size or, in the worst case, disappear completely.

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Causes, Effects and Solutions to Climate Change on Our Environment - Conserve Energy Future

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Climate change is real, and it is really something serious that people downplay a whole lot. Let’s have a quick look at causes, effects and solutions to climate change.

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The earth's biosphere is becoming rather uninhabitable due to the greenhouse gas emissions and the adverse climatic changes on earth due to human activities. It is no secret that in every passing year, the average global temperature is rising. The outcome has been rapid melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, rising ocean temperatures, extreme flooding, heatwaves, augmented storm surge threats, dead zones, widespread desertification, and drought.

The world has also continued to witness an alarming rate of permafrost formation and extreme winter weathers owing to the changes in global temperatures. Altogether, these adverse mediums and the long-term impacts of climate change have been given the name climate crisis. The climate changes over time, coupled with the immediate, present, and future danger, therefore, defines climate crisis.

We are the first generation to be able to end poverty, and the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us harshly if we fail to uphold our moral and historical responsibilities

~ Ban Ki-moon

NASA's defines climate change as:
"A broad range of global phenomena created predominantly by burning fossil fuels, which add heat-trapping gases to Earth's atmosphere. These phenomena include the increased temperature trends described by global warming, but also encompass changes such as sea-level rise; ice mass loss in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain glaciers worldwide; shifts in flower/plant blooming; and extreme weather events."
It is an agenda that is currently being pursued by various international organizations, environmental regulatory agencies, and countries in connection with the historic Paris Agreement as a framework for fighting climate change and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

It is thus only right that man comes up with solutions to save the earth of this eminent crisis. Some of the top 10+ promising solutions to tackle the growing problem of the climate crisis.

10+ Powerful Solutions To Tackle Climate Crisis

The difference that can be made with the combined efforts of nations

1. Enactment of Laws and Strengthening the Already Existing Ones

States need to take immediate action to avoid climate change and global warming disasters in the next five to ten decades. And for this to be achieved, nations need to have a common agenda for the enactment of laws and policies that prohibit carbon emissions according to the Paris Agreement.

Significant examples include the carbon tax policy, emissions tax on GHG emissions, and energy tax. The laws enacted must be backed up with heavy penal sanctions and fines, termination of climate skeptics, and the shutting down of industries generating high levels of greenhouse gases to ensure the laws are enforced.

2. Management of Refrigerants

Every refrigerator, air conditioner, and supermarket case contains refrigerants, specifically chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), those having the capacity(depending on their exact chemical composition) to warm the atmosphere 1,000 to 9,000 times more than that of carbon dioxide, and which were once main reason for depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer essential for absorbing the sun's ultraviolet radiation.

The CFCs and HCFCs have been phased out of use after the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Now, three decades later, the ozone layer over Antarctica is beginning to heal.

However, refrigerants continue to cause planetary trouble. CFCs and HCFCs remain in circulation in huge volumes, retaining their potential for ozone damage.

In 2016, October, representatives from more than 170 countries gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, to negotiate a deal to address the problem of HFCs and making it mandatory, along with specific targets and timetables.

Through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, phasing out HFCs started with high-income countries in 2019 and then, expanding to low-income countries in between 2024 to 2028. Now HFC substitutes are available in the market, including natural refrigerants such as propane and ammonia.

3. Use of Renewable Energy

Green or renewable energy is the safest option to avert the effects of the climate crisis. Based on a report published by the Energy Transitions Commission in 2017, global emissions could be halved by 2040 if the world focuses on the objective of using 100% renewable sources. The leading examples are wind and solar energy - both have zero carbon emissions.

Other reports also underscore that if 100% of the world's energy needs could be met with renewable energy in the next five decades, the world may actually attain the 2015 Paris resolution of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions way below the forecasted 2 degrees Celsius.

Besides, the dropping costs and advancements in renewable technology, and solar grid parity promises cheaper and much more eco-friendly options of harnessing and using energy.

4. Regulating Logging and Curtailing Deforestation

Logging and other forms of deforestation increase carbon emissions by up to 1.5 billion metric tons into the earth's atmosphere, and 23% of current man-made carbon dioxide emissions are attributed to forest loss.

The national geographic has also stressed that the destruction of rainforests is a chief contributor to climate change. The reason for this is because forests and trees act as carbon sinks - they trap carbon from the atmosphere and store it for years.

Simply put, trees are reservoirs of stored carbon as they absorb CO2 from the air for photosynthesis and whenever they are burned or cleared, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere - all part of the carbon cycle. It, therefore, means that controlling logging and planting new trees can offset greenhouse gas emissions.

5. Strengthen Lobby Groups, Campaigns, and Individual Initiatives

Lobby groups, city greenhouse gas emission resistant campaigns, and individual initiatives can offer vital steps towards tackling the imminent climate crisis. Lobbying and campaigns can necessarily urge parliaments and governments to table and adopt initiatives for limiting greenhouse gas emissions and committing to becoming carbon neutral.

Moreover, although many states have laws and policies in place to minimize emissions, the majority are quite reluctant and unwilling to implement them. Lobby groups and campaigns can, in such situations, signal the need for urgent action.

It is also argued that the most straightforward and best way to tackle the climate crisis starts from individual actions, and as such, it can influence others or friend's actions.

Talking to friends, relatives, and colleagues about the significance of re-use, buying durable and energy-efficient items, avoiding wastage, biking or walking to work, and switching to renewables can be helpful.

The difference that can be made with the individual efforts

6. Investing in Energy-Efficient Appliances and Energy-Saving Bulbs

Over the years, research has proved that efficient appliances help in keeping up to 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

If the practice is maintained and we ensure that whenever we are buying appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, computers, printers, and washing machines, they are certified for energy efficiency, we can significantly help in mitigating climate crisis. The use of LED bulbs also consumes less energy as compared to the conventional ones.

7. Save Water

The study has shown that saving water, for instance, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, taking shorter showers, and installing low flush toilets help a great deal in reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

It is because a lot of heat and energy is used in the pumping of water, contributing to the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

8. Have a Climate-Friendly Diet

Western diet pays a high climate price. The increasing livestock accounts for nearly 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (specifically potent methane gas) each year as per the most conservative estimates, and as per the most comprehensive assessments, direct and indirect emissions are more than 50 percent.

The production of meat and dairy contributes to many more emissions than growing vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. The substitutes of meat made from plants are a crucial way to minimize disruption caused by the traditional methods of cooking and eating.

It is necessary to reframe meat as a delicacy rather than a staple and these days, rapidly improving products, researches and venture-capital investment, and mounting consumer interest is helping non-meats markets to proliferate.

Dietary change is not easy because eating is highly personal and cultural. However, overeating of meat can lead to strokes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

As a plant-rich diet is robust, it is possible to eat well, in terms of both nutrition and pleasure. The decisions you make about food eating lower on the food chain can have a profound effect on the environment.

9. Reduce Food Waste

Nearly 800 million people worldwide have accepted hunger to be a condition of their life and our food waste contributes 4.4 gigatons of CO2-equivalent into the atmosphere each year, which is roughly 8% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

Wastage starts occurring in the supply chain, rotting on farms, or spoiling during storage or distribution. Sometimes retailers reject food or simply order or serve too much.

In regions of higher income, wilful food waste dominates the supply chain as consumers often overestimate the number of meals they will cook in a week. Alternately, food loss is typically unintended and structural in nature in places where income is low, and infrastructure is weak.

It requires interventions to address key waste points in the food chain and strengthening communication and coordination between producers and buyers, given that the world's many smallholder farmers, producer organizations help with planning, logistics, and closing capacity gaps.

The lower-income countries require improved infrastructure for storage, processing, transportation, and major interventions that are needed at the retail and consumer levels in higher-income regions.

10. Use of Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

Automakers should design and manufacture vehicles that are more fuel-efficient to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, vehicular emissions, namely cars, buses, trucks, and motorbikes powered by gasoline, are responsible for 28% of the greenhouse gas emissions in 2016, according to a report published by the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990-2016.

Given the statistics, the global greenhouse gas emissions could double or triple that of the U.S. in 2016 owing to the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads.

Another report indicates that a typical passenger vehicle releases roughly 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

To effectively mitigate this problem, the world's population should consider using electric vehicles and if it has to be fuel cars, then they have to be fuel-efficient and those that release fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

11. Avoid Planes

Just like the vehicular greenhouse gas emissions, planes are not excluded. At the same time, the use of airplanes for public and mass transportation is rapidly increasing. Furthermore, studies have shown that air transport is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.

And since the Kyoto Protocol is not doing enough to curb the emissions from air transportation, the only viable way to mitigate climate crisis is to avoid planes.

For neighboring regions, nations, or shorter distances, commuters should consider using public transport or electric trains to reduce the amount of fuel used. Alternatively, move closer to work.

12. Reduce Consumption and Avoid Single-Use Items

Cutting down on one's consumption goes a long way in reducing the number of fossil fuels burnt to produce more items. Apply 3 R's of sustainability-Reduce, Reuse and recycle into practical life. Therefore, investing in efficient and durable items can tremendously help in tackling the planet's looming climate crisis.

The habit of buying products and single-use items every now and then merely increases the demand for such products and manufacturers continue producing them, which results in increased greenhouse gas emissions during the production, packaging, shipping, and recycling processes.

Durable, reusable, and effective items last longer, thus reducing the need to buy new.

13. Upgrading Our Infrastructure

Another way to restrict greenhouse gas emissions is through an upgrade of the old infrastructure and the construction of new ones with the guidance of the contemporary green building codes.

Research shows that buildings all over the world contribute up to forty-three percent of the total carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Of course, when old infrastructure is upgraded and new ones constructed as per the recommended new green building codes, it could considerably mitigate the climate crisis.

Buildings and offices, for example, can be made to be more energy efficient by encouraging natural lighting and the use of solar and wind energy for cooling, heating, and cooking.

14. Be Politically Active and Vote

Along with taking action to reduce our individual carbon footprints, it is equally important to focus on changing the larger system. You have the most significant opportunity to reduce emissions.

Vote for leaders who take climate change seriously. They should commit to set targets to reduce harmful carbon emissions by science-based methods, formulate clear plans to reach those targets and their implementation, adapting to climate change, and shifting to a clean-energy economy.

Ensure that you are registered to vote and let your candidates know you are voting for the climate. Candidates' positions on climate change vary widely, so know that your vote really matters.

Infographic on Climate Crisis

Source: Statista
References: https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/10-myths-about-climate-change https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethhowell1/2020/05/01/climate-crisis-the-660b-problem-one-company-is-trying-to-weather/ https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-good-news-about-climate-change
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10+ Simple But Powerful Solutions To Tackle Climate Crisis - Conserve Energy Future

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The earth's biosphere is becoming rather uninhabitable due to the greenhouse gas emissions and the adverse climatic changes on earth due to human activities. It is no secret that in every passing year, the average global temperature is rising.

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More Strategies to Combat Climate Change

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More Strategies to Combat Climate Change