Climate change is happening now and is not going anywhere, anytime soon. In the UK we are only seeing slight changes with our eyes but under the surface there are big changes going on, and although they are not affecting everyone, everywhere at the same time, they are happening.
As the planet warms there will be more heatwaves, and these may become deadlier - especially for the elderly and the most vulnerable of society. These hot summers will cause droughts which will affect food production and increase biodiversity loss; we all know what happens if bees become extinct!
This prolonged heat will also increase the likelihood of flash flooding as the ground is too dry to absorb the rain. Floods threaten our cities and towns and could lead to loss of life of animals and humans. If we cannot reduce our consumption of fossil fuel, non-decomposable/non-recyclable materials and food then it is only going to get worse.
What is climate change
Climate is not the same as the weather - weather is what we see every day when we look out of the window, it is changeable and seasonal but has been fairly the same over hundreds, even thousands of years. Climate is a long-term typical pattern of weather that countries usually experience. We expect it to be warm in the summer and cold in the winter and it has been that way for thousands of years however, over the last 50 years the world’s climate has started changing - it is getting hotter, everywhere, for longer periods. This is often described as global warming.
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are responsible for global warming. These are naturally occurring gases that the planet needs - the problem is human activity is creating more of those gases and the planet cannot cope.
The 5 main causes of climate change
- Electricity and heat - burning fossil fuels, oil, gas and coal to make electricity to power our cities and heat our homes is by far the biggest driver of climate change.
- Transport - driving and flying makes up for 15% of climate change pollution.
- Building and manufacturing - from our homes to our clothes to our mobile phones. Nearly everything we use needs energy to make - and this means burning more fossil fuels!
- Farming - cows and sheep take up a lot of land and they need a lot of food. They also produce a lot of methane (a greenhouse gas).
- Other land use changes - deforestation. Trees capture carbon dioxide in the air. We cut them down to make things that we need or want from wood and to provide land for agriculture to produce food.
Facts about climate change
- 50% of all food thrown away comes from our homes
- 235 million items of clothing were sent to the landfill last year!
- over 75% of waste is recyclable but we only recycle around 30%
- 1 ton less paper saves 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 6953 gallons of water, 587 pounds of air pollution, 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy and 3.08 cubic yards of landfill space.
- the top 5 foods that are wasted in our homes a year include 350,000 tonnes of standard bread, 320,000 tonnes of fresh potatoes, 290,000 tonnes of milk, 270,000 tonnes of meals and 230,000 tonnes of carbonated soft drinks
Links and information
Home - Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
UK Schools Sustainability Network
United Nations - Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth
12 Climate activists inspiring us to fight climate change | International Rescue Committee (IRC)
19 Youth climate activists you should be following on social media - Earth Day
What you can do to make a difference
1. Talk about it
Spread the word - make sure that climate change and the action that is needed is not brushed under the rug, put aside or ignored. Keep talking about it. Talk to your friends, talk to your parents, keep sharing on social media. The minute we stop talking about it is the minute we start to lose the battle.
2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (in that order)
Think about everything you own and use - think of the life cycle of that product.
Before you throw something away, ask - Can I reuse it? Can I repair it? Can I recycle it?
Before you buy, ask - Do I really need it? Can I buy this product in a more sustainable way? Is it paper packaging? Can I buy this locally?
3. Lobby your parents
You may not be the one buying the weekly food shop but it does not mean you cannot influence what is on the shopping list.
A few easy amendments:
- buy less beef and lamb
- less single use plastic - buy loose fruit and vegetables, cans instead of bottles, and remember that reusable bag
- skip palm oil completely if you can, find a list of products that contain palm oil
- crisp packets can be recycled - find your nearest drop off point on Terracycle
4. Lobby your school
Think of all the food waste, the electricity use. What about that huge school field that is hardly used all year - not by students or wildlife.
Get your school to join an Eco Accreditation programme and see action taken from the top
Start your own Eco warrior or ambassador group and drive action from the ground. Further information can be found on Youth Climate Coalition's website
5. Go higher
Lobby your parish council, ask questions and find out what they are doing in the community to tackle climate change.
Do they have a climate action group? Does that group have a youth representative?
Are they managing their land for biodiversity?
Does their neighbourhood plan consider and help prevent climate change?
Lobby East Cambridgeshire District Council
Are you wanting your thoughts and ideas heard? Email our Climate Change Officer climatechange@eastcambs.gov.uk
Start a petition on a change or action you want to see in your community. If you get more than 100 signatures the council committee have to discuss it