Explore more about Climate Change

Causes and Effects of Climate change

  • fossil fuels

    Fossil fuels come from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the earth for millions of years. Some examples of fossil fuels are coal, oil, and gas. Humans learned that we can extract these materials and burn them for energy. However, burning fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which contributes to climate change.

  • deforestation

    Deforestation is when humans cut down trees from forests for various reasons like expanding animal agriculture, using the wood for products or coal, extracting fossil fuels, and building more roads and housing. Trees are important in climate change because they take carbon out of the air and put it in the ground. Without trees, greenhouse gases will continue building up in the atmosphere and climate change will worsen.

  • rising sea levels

    Because the overall global climate is getting hotter, polar ice caps are melting which is causing sea levels to rise. The rise in sea levels is causing coastal regions around the world to become submerged in water. In consequence, millions of people are forced to leave their homes and are becoming part of the population known as “climate refugees”.

  • natural disasters

    Increasing global temperatures are causing natural disasters to occur more and more frequently. Some disasters that are amplified by climate change include heat waves, forest fires, hurricanes, floods, and droughts. These natural disasters can devastate entire communities and contribute to the rising population of climate refugees.

  • impact on animals

    Climate change is affecting animals in all different kinds of ecosystems around the world. Access to water, food, and vegetation is declining and is destabilizing these ecosystems. Millions of species are going both endangered and extinct as a result of these changing patterns.

  • drive less

    Cars burn fossil fuels as energy which emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Try walking, biking, or carpooling whenever you can which will reduce the amount of cars driving and releasing greenhouse gases.

  • save energy

    There are lots of little ways you can save energy which in turn reduces your carbon footprint. Taking shorter showers, turning off lights when they are not in use, and asking your parents to switch from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent are a few of many ways you can be more energy efficient.

  • eat more plant-based

    Producing meat and dairy can actually use a lot of energy and involves a lot of greenhouse gas emissions in the process. Eating more meals that come from plants is one of the biggest ways an individual can help with climate change. You might be thinking, “but I love meat! I don’t want to give it up!”. You don’t have to! It’s all about moderation. Ask your parents about starting meatless Mondays, where you try to have all three meals in the day be solely plant-based. Even just having a plant-based snack here and there is a great start to reducing your carbon footprint!

  • volunteer

    There are lots of fun opportunities to get involved in their local community! Here are some environmental organizations to get involved in around Orange County:

    visit the Farm + Food Lab right in Great Park

    visit and volunteer at the Environmental Nature Center located in Newport Beach

    Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

  • recycle

    Recycling things like water bottles, cans, and paper helps conserve energy that would be used to produce new products. It also limits pollution and waste sent to landfills. Each disposable package or container will have a recycling label with a number inside it. Search up what numbers your local recycling facility recycles. It’s also important when recycling to rinse the item of any residue if any so it will be more likely to be recycled.