Climate Change and Medellin
Global warming is a hot topic all over the world. But global warming is not something new. The current cycle of global warming is changing the rhythms of climate that all living thing have come to rely upon. So how do we cope with the changes that this planet, our home is going through? The changes we’ ve already set into motion? These are the questions of many scientists and organization in the environmental friendly sector all over this world.
The influence of humans
The influence of humans on the climate is proven to be an important part. The question however of what we should do about it, is still controversial. However our choices on this matter can make a big difference. Because scientists have predicted that the Earth could eventually warm by as little as 2,5 degrees Celsius or as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. There are possible ideas about how to make our influence on the climate as little as possible. For example improvements to energy efficiency and vehicle fuel economy, increases in wind and solar power, hydrogen production from renewable sources, biofuels, natural gas and nuclear power. But we can also increase the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere. For instance by increasing forestlands and making changes to the way we farm. Some of these ideas will to be practiced by everyone, and others only by certain communities.
The community of Medellin
The community of Medellin is aware of the importance of the protection of the climate of our planet. Some improvements have been made in transportation, like developing the metro or the Kyoto cartel. The metro alone can save 175.000 tons of CO2 every year. Metro calculates that it saves the city $ 1.5 billion in respiratory health costs every year, and $ 4 billion in reduced traffic accidents and congestion. But next to the improvement in transportation the city has planted an equivalent of 380.000 trees that would occupy 11 % of the city’ s land mass. Medellin gives a good example to the rest of the world!