SEVECEN 23 Part2 | Page 77

Zeynep Gizem ÇOBANOĞLU
THE NIGHTMARE : CLIMATE CHANGE
In the past 13 years , 10 have been the hottest ever recorded . That means : climate is not a lie , it is dangerous and it is oncoming . Cold places get warmer and warm places get colder because of the climate change . First of all , climate change will affect all of the species and all living things by changing balance of our planet . It will destroy wildlife and habitats . Climate change will bring us ( humans ) illnesses such as microbial diseases . This nightmare will be a head of the other disasters like extreme weather . We must end the climate in order to save our planet , save our future and nothing is impossible .
 
 Greenhouse gases are the worst and the biggest problems that cause climate change . And greenhouse gases create a layer on the Earth ’ s atmosphere and traps the heat inside the Earth . Methane , Carbon Dioxide , Nitrous Oxide and other gases constitute greenhouse gases . According to Environmental Protection Agency ’ s ( EPA ) greenhouse gases chart , 76 % Carbon Dioxide , 16 % Methane , 6 % Nitrous Oxide and 2 % F-gases constitute greenhouse gases . We use greenhouse gases everyday by using fossil fuels . Fossil fuels are coal , petroleum , natural gas , oil etc . and they are nonrenewable they never disappear , they hide and they appear as endangered . For instance according to Live Strong , “ The pollution threatens the environment and its ecosystems . … Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels helps minimize the pollution and damage done by the use of fossil fuels .” This pollution helps to increase climate change . And methane , it doesn ’ t constitute the big part of the greenhouse gases , but it contributes climate change a lot . Methane comes from too much fed animals , such as cows . For example according to Skeptical Science , “ … Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming , more than cars , planes and all other forms of transport put together .” It seems like living creatures have more power than machines or industrial things to make up greenhouse gases . Greenhouse gases ’ hazard is invisible .
This planet is meaningless without species and climate change is threatening for all living things . Humans cause climate change and they are vulnerable . They will get diseases while they are playing outdoors , drinking water , working outside etc . also elderly people , children and pregnant women etc . will get hurt because of the climate change . According to the EPA , humans ’ sensitivity level will change , children will have health risks by playing outdoors , pregnant women will affect from heat waves , outdoor workers will be vulnerable from vector borne diseases . Human health will be endangered .
Also animals , such as North Pole animals will be under risk . Glacier will be melted and it started to melt . The whole North Pole is habitat of polar bears . And imagine that you don ’ t have any place to live ! Polar bears ’ habitat will be completely destroyed and they will face with death because of the less food . For instance according to World Wildlife Fund ( WWF ), “ This is particularly serious for bears that are pregnant or nursing young , and for the cubs themselves . In Hudson Bay , scientists have found the main cause of death in cubs to be either lack of food or lack of fat on nursing mothers .” Dead polar bears increase the extinction . And wild animals will be the victims of the climate change . Pikas started to leave their habitats because they are so sensitive for overheating and they can die . Waterfowls are in danger too because their habitat is affected from high sea level . For example according to National Wildlife Federation ( NWF ), “ Critical waterfowl habitat of coastal marshes and estuaries along the Pacific Coast could be affected by sea-level rise , changes in inland precipitation patterns and a significant decline in average mountain snowpack .” These situations show us wildlife is facing with climate change right now . Our ( species ) lives are in danger .
Extreme weather is one of the most important fact of the climate change . First of all world ’ s balance will change . This change will cause extreme weather like heat waves , floods , tsunamis , earthquakes etc . . Floods are oncoming and very possible to happen . High rain will rain because of the climate change and it can be very dangerous . According to WWF , “ Flooding can be disastrous . Houses can be destroyed , lives can be ruined , and wildlife threatened .” The life will stop with this disastrous event . And the other dangers are heat waves . We can describe them basically as abnormal weekly / daily hot weather . Heat waves can change the night-time temperature and also humidity level . For example according to Climate Communication , “ The combination of high humidity and high night-time temperature can make for a deadly pairing , offering no relief and posing a particular threat for the elderly .” Also this event is responsible for more death . Underwater will be affected from climate change too . The ocean acidification will happen . Ocean acidification makes oceans more acidic and it will hurt corals , shellfish and other underwater species . For instance according to National Geographic , Carbon Dioxide has been absorbed by the ocean and Carbon Dioxide is affecting life cycle and food chain . This shows us climate change started to affecting our oceans . We need to hurry , we don ’ t want a future that doesn ’ t know about fish !
 From these examples , we can clearly see climate change is an important issue facing our planet . Climate change is hurting species and it will extinct them . We will see usual extreme weather . It will make us ill . And our future won ’ t know about some natural things such as fish . It seems hopeless , but we have still got time and we have lot ' s of choices to help to end it . At first , we must spread the word to make others informed . We can start to eat less meat , for example we can eat vegetarian once a week . We can use non-plastic [ plastics made by petroleum ( fossil-fuel )]. We can turn off electronic devices from their buttons or we can make plugged-in devices unplugged because these devices use carbon a lot . We can use public transportation vehicles or bikes to transport somewhere . We can also fly less and prefer to travel countries near to us . Let ' s be selfless , only one person ' s help can change the situation !
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