Climate refers to weather patterns and trends on a global, continental, or regional level.
Climate change involves changes in weather on a large scale over years. Rising global temperature, increasing frequency of severe storms such as hurricanes, and changes in average amounts of precipitation are examples of climate change effects.
Other global effects include wildlife habitat loss, plant and animal extinctions, rising sea levels, and warming of the oceans, which is making the water more acidic and adversely affecting ocean life.
The Earth’s climate is always changing, but HUMANS have caused a dramatic alteration in the climate by disrupting the balance of the global carbon cycle.
How have humans changed the carbon cycle? Primarily by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, which releases carbon into the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The carbon in the atmosphere acts as a “warming blanket” over our planet and causes a “greenhouse effect” which traps heat near the Earth. This global warming has produced the highest average global temperatures in recorded human history in the last 5 years!
Are Deerfield residents really contributing towards CO2 emissions? YES
Communities like Deerfield and others in the Northshore of Chicagoland have larger “carbon footprints” than areas that use more mass transit and have smaller homes requiring less heat and electricity.
What can we do as citizens in the Deerfield community to have an impact on climate change???
We can start by making positive changes to the Carbon cycle in our own backyards! We can look at how we use energy which produces CO2 as waste, reduce CO2 emissions, reduce waste, and find ways to absorb the Carbon that has been released into the atmosphere (aka: draw down or sequester Carbon).
We as Deerfield residents should strive to do our part to make positive changes in our energy practices and carbon footprint, and be leaders and role models on a local and regional level and beyond.