Global annual temperatures are generally on the rise largely due to human activities. It is a phenomenon popularly referred to as Global warming. This temperature rise was a little more than 1 degree Celsius per year. However, the rate of increase has more than doubled in the last 40 years with an increase of 0.18 degrees Celsius per decade.
The effects of rising global temperatures are damaging to not just the environment but also the flora and fauna in it. This also extends to humans who experience a plethora of these disasters by way of water, food and energy crises. It also affects conflict and causes increased migration.
Efforts at recovering from this disaster are already costing billions of dollars with developing countries bearing the brunt. Since our individual and collective actions contribute to global warming, our actions can be redirected towards mitigating the challenges attributed to global warming.
Here’s what to do:
Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels.
We need to do a lot more collectively to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to clean energy sources in order to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2); a gas that promotes global warming. We need to promote and adopt climate-smart agriculture by engaging in environmentally and climate-friendly agricultural practices.
Reduce Carbon Print.
Reduce your own carbon footprint by taking a few easy steps. Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine and your decisions as a consumer. When you shop for new household appliances like refrigerators, and washers look for those that meet the standards for energy efficiency.
When you buy a car, look for one with the highest gas mileage and lowest emissions, or better still, buy cars that run on green energy. You can also reduce your emissions by taking public transportation or cycling around when possible.
Use Energy saving bulbs.
Make use of energy-saving bulbs as they use one-sixth the amount of energy to deliver the same amount of light as conventional bulbs and last at least 10 times longer and are also cheaper in the long run.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle items as much as possible. Not all items that end up in landfills or dumpsites are completely useless. Incineration of items in landfills results in the release of CO2 which contributes to global warming.
In order words, use reusable items instead of single-use items. This reduces the number of items ending up in landfills. Consequently, it reduces the amount of CO2 released by the incineration thereof.
Environmental advocacy.
We should lend our voice to this course at all levels of society while holding the government and industry leaders accountable. We should also make changes in our daily habits. Our lives are impacted by global warming in more ways than one. Being exposed to the environment as it continues to get worse with deleterious effects affects our health, lives and livelihood.
What other roles do you consider important in militating against rising global temperatures? Kindly share your thoughts in the comment section.
