The science behind climate change
Climate change is the change in climate patterns across the globe.
Fossil Fuels and Greenhouse Gases
Even though sun activity has been decreasing, global temperatures have still been increasing. Global warming is mostly attributed to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are things such as coal oil, and gas that were formed from the remains of living organisms millions of years ago. Humans burn fossil fuels for energy. The increase in CO2 is causing an increase in the Earth’s temperature because of the greenhouse gas effect. The greenhouse gas effect causes the Earth to warm because the greenhouse gases such as CO2 are retaining heat within the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere but the burning of fossil fuels by humans increases the amount of greenhouse gases (Climate Change: Basic Information)
According to "Climate Change: Facts versus Opinions" by John Horgan:
How it affects your food
The warming Earth is causing problems all across the globe with people’s food supply. Plants need a certain climate to grow in and climate change causes droughts, floods, and increased temperatures which affect the crop yield every year. Farmers are struggling to keep their crops healthy and growing at the rate that they are supposed to. Climate change is also affecting the variety of crops as discussed in Cary Fowler's TED Talk below.
Climate change also causes issues with livestock. The increased temperatures can actually cause a hormonal change in dairy cows which decreases the amount and the quality of milk that the cows produce (Bernabucci, U.).
This change in food production causes a change in the prices of the food. Farmers are spending more money on irrigation in places where there are droughts and they aren’t producing a large amount of crops which is causing them to have to raise their prices in order to make a living (Washington Post).
Fossil Fuels and Greenhouse Gases
Even though sun activity has been decreasing, global temperatures have still been increasing. Global warming is mostly attributed to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are things such as coal oil, and gas that were formed from the remains of living organisms millions of years ago. Humans burn fossil fuels for energy. The increase in CO2 is causing an increase in the Earth’s temperature because of the greenhouse gas effect. The greenhouse gas effect causes the Earth to warm because the greenhouse gases such as CO2 are retaining heat within the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere but the burning of fossil fuels by humans increases the amount of greenhouse gases (Climate Change: Basic Information)
According to "Climate Change: Facts versus Opinions" by John Horgan:
- Temperatures of the Earth's surface have increased about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880.
- CO2 levels in the atmosphere have increased to 400 parts per million.
- Sea-levels have risen about 7 inches in the past 100 years.
- Since 1970, atmospheric moisture has risen about 10%.
How it affects your food
The warming Earth is causing problems all across the globe with people’s food supply. Plants need a certain climate to grow in and climate change causes droughts, floods, and increased temperatures which affect the crop yield every year. Farmers are struggling to keep their crops healthy and growing at the rate that they are supposed to. Climate change is also affecting the variety of crops as discussed in Cary Fowler's TED Talk below.
Climate change also causes issues with livestock. The increased temperatures can actually cause a hormonal change in dairy cows which decreases the amount and the quality of milk that the cows produce (Bernabucci, U.).
This change in food production causes a change in the prices of the food. Farmers are spending more money on irrigation in places where there are droughts and they aren’t producing a large amount of crops which is causing them to have to raise their prices in order to make a living (Washington Post).