Climate change and you

Ever since the late 1800s, our output of dangerous air pollution has been on the rise.

Increase in temperatures

Industrial activity sends many different harmful chemicals into the atmosphere with wide-ranging effects—like depleting the ozone layer, or acid rain. But it's the accumulated release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that's now one of the biggest threats mankind faces.

Why? Greenhouse gases trap heat near the Earth's surface, known as the greenhouse gas effect. This causes an increase in global average temperatures, the kind we’re seeing today.

Changing climate, disastrous results

The hotter the temperatures, the more the climate changes, leading to natural disasters all over the world, from wild fires and flooding to long-term drought. Sea levels are rising from melting ice sheets. Warmer air and ocean temperatures are endangering many animal and plant species unable to adapt to such rapid changes.

Just in the last year, the U.S has seen the hottest year in its history and record-breaking droughts over 60% of the country. 

Seaside communities are in regular danger from waters that have risen an average of 7 inches over the past century. Sea level rise is accelerating rapidly. 

Devastating economic impact

The economy and national security suffer, too.

Food prices are higher due to unpredictable growing seasons or drought, and hurricanes and wildfires cost billions of dollars in damage. 

An uncertain future

All of this is the result of a world heated by only one degree Fahrenheit since global warming began. Scientists are expecting global average temperatures to rise as much as 11.5 degrees by 2100.

So what we've seen so far? These are just the beginning impacts.