Earth is On Fire – Climate Change, Impacts, and Solutions 

by Victor W.

What would you do if your house was on fire? You would probably call the firefighters, right?  What if there were no firefighters? You would need to put it out by hand. What if I told you that the Earth is a big house, it’s on fire, and there aren’t any firefighters to help? The Earth is “burning” because of something called climate change. Climate change is happening due to excessive emission, or release, of greenhouse gasses. Climate change is heating up the world at an increasing rate. Mostly, humans are causing climate change, but nature gives off greenhouse gas as well. Greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, methane, are prevalent and part of our natural processes since the Earth was born. They are essential to many living things, as they are food for trees and plants. However, when humans release more than the carbon cycle, it causes climate change.

Human activities such as burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, heat, and transportation can increase climate change. Other activities include deforestation, cement production, industrial factories, and people exhaling CO₂ as a waste product. Farming livestock and fertilizing crops are human activities that can also contribute to climate change. Some everyday products, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, contain chemicals like F-gasses, can also contribute to climate change. 

Climate change can appear in many geographic forms and influence all living and nonliving things. Climate change is melting glaciers and snow mountains, which in turn, threatening coastal and island communities.The North and South Poles are also melting quicker, so polar bears, seals, snow leopards, penguins, and walruses are also drowning where there isn’t as much ice. Famines are happening more often now in hotter, drier places and people are struggling against heat waves. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. Changes in temperature also cause changes in rainfall. This results in more severe and frequent storms. They cause flooding and landslides, destroying homes and communities, and costing billions of dollars. Water is becoming scarcer in more regions. Droughts can stir destructive sand and dust storms that can move billions of tons of sand across continents. Deserts are expanding, reducing land for growing food. The ocean soaks up most of the heat from global warming. The ocean also absorbs carbon dioxide, keeping it from the atmosphere. More carbon dioxide makes the ocean more acidic, which endangers marine life. Climate change poses risks to the survival of species on land and in the ocean. These risks increase as temperatures climb. Forest fires, extreme weather, and invasive pests and diseases are among many threats. Some species will be able to relocate and survive, but others will not. Heat stress can diminish water and grasslands for grazing. Changing weather patterns are expanding diseases such as malaria. Extreme weather events increase disease and death, and make it difficult for health care systems to keep up. Other risks to health include increased hunger and poor nutrition in places where people cannot grow or find sufficient food. Climate change increases the factors that put and keep people in poverty. Floods may sweep away urban slums, destroying homes and livelihoods. Weather-related disasters displace 23 million people a year, leaving many more vulnerable to poverty.

Climate change is causing pain and suffering everywhere, so let’s all do something. After all, it’s our home, why shouldn’t we protect it? Here are some ways you can help:

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle                                                                                

2. Use eco-friendly transportation: bike, walk, run, electric cars, etc… 

About the Author 

Victor is a 4th grader who loves reading, playing soccer, and all kinds of sports. He enjoys learning about animals and discovering fascinating science facts.