Climate Change

• Climate change


  A variation or change in the entire pattern of weather conditions from decades to millions of years, caused by a variety of factors including human activities
• Certain evidence shows that the current pace of climate change has been accelerated by human activities
• How humans contribute to climate change

  • Burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, gasoline, and coal
  • Releasing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, which thickens the greenhouse gas blanket around the earth and traps more thermal energy
  • Deforestation
• Humans have released so much carbon to the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation that the atmosphere contains 32 percent more carbon dioxide today than at the beginning of the 20th century
• Other forms of greenhouse gas emissions which are often produced by humans include methane and nitrous oxide through waste disposal and industrial processes
• Most activities that humans do at home, school and work need power, which means each time you turn on a light, use an appliance, or ride in a car you are directly adding to the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
• Climate change impacts on human systems

  • Increased risk to human health (higher health care costs: increased heat stroke, allergens, respiratory complications, and disease)
  • Higher demand for public cooling centres
  • Potential for displaced people and injuries due to flooding
  • Residents may be isolated and without power due to extreme weather events (e.g. ice storm 1998)
• Climate change impacts on built systems

  • Increased temperatures could lead to higher demand for cooling units, increased utility bills and brown/black-outs
  • Increased water use could lead to increased cost in water bills and increased cost to deliver and repair
  • Storm damage may cause building damage and increased clean up costs
  • Frequent water damage may require more maintenance for buildings, roads, bridges and other public structures
• Climate change impacts on natural systems

  • Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns may cause loss and/or shift in plant and animal species
  • Increase erosion, flooding and drought
  • Reduced lake levels and river levels
  • Increased damage and mortality to trees
  • Increased loss of agriculturally productive land leading to loss of food production
  • Increased abundance of pests
• What you can do to mitigate climate change

  • Walk to school, friends, parks
  • Take public transit
  • Turn off lights
  • Turn down the heat by 1 or 2 degrees in my house
  • Use fans instead of air conditioning
  • Find recreational activities that do not involve using electricity
• What you can do to adapt to climate change

  • Not buy a house on the floodplain
  • Listen for heat alerts, flood and storm warnings, and advisories
  • Drink lots of water when out in the heat
  • Get involved in committees dealing with climate change issues
  • Build awareness of my carbon footprint to make lifestyle changes
• The debate is over about whether or not climate change is real - irrefutable evidence from around the world