Climate Change and other related topics

Climate Change, Global Warming, Carbon Footprints and much more

If we are to be inspired to make lifestyle behaviour changes that are kind to nature, wildlife  and the environment in general, it is better that we have more of an understanding of media mentioned topics such as climate change, global warming and carbon footprints.

Take for example climate change. For many of us, climate change is just something that happens all the time. We know that this year’s weather is going to be a bit different from last year and the year before that. We are also aware that other countries have a different climate to ours.

As for greenhouse gases, isn’t that just the atmosphere that helps us to live? Why does it all matter? Do we need something else to worry about?

It can all be very confusing, especially when we hear lots of contradictory arguments. With that in mind and with what we hope are simple explanations, we give an overview of the weather, climate change, global warming and a number of other related topics:

Weather 

When discussing the weather, it’s usually about today’s conditions and the forecast for the days ahead. In the UK the weather is quite variable and it’s possible for there to be snow, rain, hail and sunshine all on the same day! We will experience many cool and damp breezy days whilst probably hoping for a prolonged period of calmer, warm and sunny days. We know that if we travel 50 or so miles north or south, the weather may be different. The same goes for the seaside or countryside. We also know that next year’s weather may well be a bit different.

Climate

When we know what weather to expect in a certain region at any given time of a year, then it can be said that we have a climate. The official definition seems to be that climate is the average weather conditions measured over 30 years in a particular region.

So for many of us in the UK we can expect to experience wet winters that are considered not too cold (people may beg to differ) and summers that are relatively cool with a number of warm and hot spells. 

Knowing what kind of climate we live in, helps us to a certain extent prepare for the longer term. For example, farmers will choose crops to grow based on not only the soil conditions but also the local climate; whilst based on previous experiences and future forecasts, government agencies will work out what flood defences to put in place.

However as we shall see, our climate is changing, and this brings new challenges to everyone.  

Climate Change

If there is evidence that over a period of time the pattern of our climate is changing, then we can say that there has been climate change. This has happened many times over the earth’s lifespan and until the last hundred years or so has been attributed to natural causes.

For most of us though, climate change is something we just read or hear about through the media. It’s impossible to know whether our experiences of unusual or quirky weather are anything to do with climate change.

We rely on the studies of hundreds if not thousands of researchers and scientists around the globe to make sense of the many changes that take place over various time periods. For example, what is the effect and change if any of land, air and sea temperatures over various time periods? Does it matter if greenhouse gases and other pollutants have increased or decreased? What do we know about habitat and wildlife loss? 

Combining the knowledge gained from measurements and inputs of all kinds plus the multitude of studies such as the above, has led the majority of scientists to believe that climate change is happening right now and that it us humans that are the major contributors to this change.

We should be aware though, that although climate change is considered to be harmful for earth as a whole, there will still be a number of regions where climate change in the short to medium term will be beneficial. For example you will be to grow crops in regions where virtually nothing could previously be grown. 

Global Warming

One of the more reliable indicators of climate change is by comparing the records of average land and ocean surface temperatures that have been recorded and compiled on a global scale since the late 19th and early 20th century (the official start date is 1880).

The data from these records shows that the average global temperature has increased by more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit. That doesn’t sound a lot but in some regions the increase has been higher, whilst there have also been more extreme weather events in the last couple of decades.

Now that we know for sure that global warming is real, it’s probably a good idea to look at whether the warming is a result of natural or human causes or both.

Additionally looking at how we can lessen the effect of global warming will be helpful. Not doing anything, will result in a considerable reduction in the lifestyle that we are used to; and if we consider ourselves as caretakers of the planet, we have a big responsibility for the future of nature and wildlife.  

Greenhouse Gases

The first thing to understand is that the earth’s atmosphere naturally consists of what we call greenhouse gases. Their value as far as we are concerned, is that they trap the sun’s heat and have over the last few hundred million years made the earth a habitable place for ourselves and wildlife. This is what we call the greenhouse effect.

However, from the time that the industrial began (1760 Britain onwards) the world has been extracting and burning coal, oil and gas (known as fossil fuels) to power the production of most of what we take for granted today.

Unfortunately this comes at a high price, as when burning fossil fuels, a significant amount of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. When added to the existing gases, more heat is trapped and over time the earth as a whole becomes warmer.

We should also note that factory scale livestock farming also contributes significant amounts of methane gases to the greenhouse effect. 

Without human intervention our woods, rainforests, peatbogs and other plant life do a great job of absorbing the main greenhouse gas which is carbon dioxide. Plantlife uses this particular greenhouse gas to help them grow and of course we all reap the benefits one way or another.

It is a fact however that our excessive demand for the earth’s scarce resources has resulted in the destruction of our natural landscapes and this includes trees and other plantlife as mentioned above.

This reduction has resulted in more carbon dioxide remaining in the atmosphere…not very helpful if we want to reduce global warming. 

Carbon Footprint

Now that we know that greenhouse gases are produced as a result of our everyday actions, it makes sense to be able to work out how much is being produced at any one time.

From this we can make a calculation as to the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from any one product, service or activity. The sum produced from this calculation is displayed in grams, kilos and tonnes and is called a Carbon Footprint.

For example, a return flight from Manchester to London Heathrow produces 0.12 tonnes of CO2. To see how this calculation is made and to work out your own carbon footprint, try out this calculator here: https://calculator.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Many of us will wonder why it is called a Carbon Footprint calculator. It is simply because Carbon Dioxide is the main greenhouse gas and footprint stands for the impact of any one product, service or activity on the environment.

As we are able to calculate our carbon footprint for almost everything, it makes it a bit easier to work out the benefit of how taking just a few small steps will reduce our effect on the environment and help protect our planet.  

Carbon Literacy

Knowing that we all can play a part in the protection of our environment is a good start, but it becomes so much easier, if in the first instance we have more of an understanding as to how exactly our everyday actions affect the environment and ultimately contribute to global warming and climate change.

Once we have this understanding, our next step as individuals and better still the community, is to share the knowledge and come up with ideas that we can use to become more eco-friendly, improve the local environment and reduce our carbon footprint.

Our contributions together with like-minded people around the world, will be a great help to reducing the effects of global warming and climate change.

If we can do all this, then we can consider ourselves as being carbon literate. 

Ecological or Environment Footprint

Our ecological or environmental footprint is the impact on the environment and amount of natural resources* that are used in the production or creation of any one product, service or activity. The scope is therefore a bit broader than the carbon footprint discussed in an earlier section. 

By calculating our ecological footprint we are to assess as to whether our natural resources are being used up faster than they can be replenished. In other words how sustainable is our lifestyle.

The results of one type of calculation are displayed by the number of earth type planets that are needed to support or sustain our lifestyle. 

For example if the calculation shows that I need five earth type planets (the average is about 1.5) to support my type of lifestyle, this will mean that if everybody was like me, the planet would run out of resources within a relatively quick time period. Why not try out the calculator link below and see how you fare:

http://ecologicalfootprint.com/

After using the calculator, you are probably now aware that most of us in the UK are living a lifestyle that is unsustainable in the sense that our existing natural resources are finite and will either run out, change beyond recognition or become extinct in the case of wildlife. 

Being aware of this should encourage us to become more eco-friendly and encourage others to do the same.

*Natural resources are everything that exists within the environment without any kind of action by us humans. This will include air, soil, the weather, minerals, rocks, landscapes and wildlife.

Sustainability

When we talk about what sustainability is, we need to take into consideration the following:

1. There is a limit to the earth’s natural resources.
2. Some natural resources can be replenished. 
3. When we use these resources, the balance of nature and wildlife is affected. 
4. Overuse and improper use can lead to global warming and climate change as appears to be the case now.

With this information we need to work out as to how we can live sustainably, such that the earth’s natural resources are preserved for future use by ourselves and nature. We also need to ensure that the natural resources used in the present, cause as little impact as possible to the delicate balance of ecosystems that often seem invisible but are in fact close to each and every one of us.

From our point of view this means taking responsibility for our actions, and understanding that the decisions we make with regards to our lifestyle will affect our fellow citizens, nature and the environment. Collectively we all contribute to the long term future of our planet.

It’s a big responsibility and there is little help for us as individuals. It can be quite daunting, but it’s worth carrying out a little self-audit of our current lifestyle. 

To start with, it might mean looking as to whether the energy for our home comes from a non-renewable source such as gas or oil. For the food we take for granted on our table, has it been grown whilst being sympathetic to the needs of the local wildlife? What about the furniture, has it come from renewable sources and how likely is it that any of our purchases are harmful to the environment?

These are the type of questions we should be asking ourselves and it’s safe to say that most of us are not yet living a sustainable lifestyle. You probably know this if you have used the ecological footprint calculator mentioned in the section above.

Taking small steps is a route to a sustainable lifestyle and to help you, it’s worth taking a look at our eco-friendly guides. 

Eco friendly

Is one of the many terms used to indicate that a product, service, lifestyle or even an action, has no harmful or minimal effects to the environment. Other terms that have similar meanings include environmentally, earth or nature friendly.

Reluctantly though, we have to say that society as a whole is a long way off from being eco-friendly.

For example, homes have and are still being built without maximising energy efficiency. Food and many other products are often over packaged and produced with little thought to the environment and what we do have to throw away, often cannot be recycled or upcycled efficiently. 

Accepting that it’s currently impossible for most of us to live an eco-friendly or sustainable lifestyle, means that taking even a few small steps is better than doing nothing.   

That might mean something as little as adding a few plants to our balcony or patio and perhaps looking for eco-friendly products when we shop.

Collecting plants is easy enough, but eco-friendly shopping can be difficult. Labels on products don’t necessarily mean that they have been produced to any kind of good environmental standard or certification scheme.

So for example labelling a product as being eco-friendly or nature friendly means nothing in itself, but if the product was also labelled organic, you would know that the product would have had to have been certified by an organisation such as the soil association.

Our own guides have lots of advice and information about how to be eco-friendly and of course the internet or local bookshop or library is another great alternative. Popular search terms to check out on the internet include the following: 

Eco friendly, environmentally friendly, earth friendly, nature friendly, sustainable, green (add living or lifestyle to these searches for more options), go or going green and green shopping

Anything Else?

We’ve discussed a number of climate related topics and how doing nothing is not an option. Solutions have been put forward by what seems like just about everybody, but looking at it from an individual’s our point of view, our voice and influence can seem small and minimal.

For the time being it is better for us to just do what we can, and support those from our family, friends, neighbours and the local community who also want to make changes that contribute to the long term future of our planet. Together we can achieve a lot.

Tap into larger organisations where you can. There are many good ideas out there, with time being the only cost.