Why Does Climate Change Matter?

You may be tired of hearing about climate change. After all, it’s a topic that is highly covered in the media around the world. 'Climate change fatigue' also known as 'apocalypse fatigue' is the term coined for this exact feeling. It's hard to stay accountable in your own life to fight climate change when this exhaustion hits.However, we should all remember that climate change isn’t just a future issue that we will have to deal with. It’s a reality that is already affecting much of the world as we know it. There is still time to avoid the worst effects, but we must take immediate action to reduce the potential harm to our environment, oceans, and communities. Follow along as we cover a few of the major reasons why climate change is a big deal.

Threats to Biodiversity

As the environment changes in response to a changing climate and warming globe, plants and animals find it increasingly harder to adapt given their circumstances. Even small shifts in temperature or weather patterns can upset delicate ecosystems and life, making it more challenging for balance to be maintained.Activities that contribute to climate change, such as deforestation, CO2 emissions, and water pollution can greatly impact the animals and plant life that depend on the surrounding forests and bodies of water for their basic needs. There’s no better example of this than the Amazon rainforest, which hosts an incredibly diverse range of plant and animal life that is slowly disappearing from the planet. The rainforest loses 10,000 acres to logging and damaging agricultural practices per day, a practice that is clearly not sustainable.

Threat to Ocean Life

Warming oceans and an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere are the direct causes of coral bleaching in our reefs. The ocean and coral reefs are not only home to trillions of animal and plant life, but they also play a significant role in regulating global temperatures and weather patterns. Unfortunately, as we continue to destabilize the climate through human activities, these natural systems become less and less effective.A decrease in ocean biodiversity is resulting in depleted fish stocks, toxic algae blooms, imbalanced ecosystems, coral bleaching, among many other effects.

Weather Catastrophe

Did you know that only a couple-degree shift in global temperatures can cause significant disruptions to the water cycle?That’s because rainfall patterns depend on complex interconnected processes of evaporation and precipitation. When the climate is destabilized, we’re more likely to witness extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, and droughts. As the ocean levels rise due to melting glaciers, these disasters will only become more prevalent.

Agricultural Destruction

Did you know that fresh produce in the United States travels an estimated 1,500 miles before being consumed? This is an unsustainable trend. Carbon emissions associated with transportation and food storage logistics make up a significant percentage of the country’s total carbon footprint.What better way to reduce carbon-heavy food mileage than growing your own food forest? Unlike a conventional farm that usually only produces one crop, food forests utilize multiple growing layers to create a vibrant ecosystem that bears a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Food forests thrive by promoting biodiversity. The range of different plants and microclimates created in food forests attracts many beneficial microorganisms and insects that contribute to a healthy environment. If you want a design for your own food forest, you can work with our team of experts to create a customized food forest blueprint.

Takeaway

As you already know, climate change is a serious issue that poses multiple threats to the health of our planet and the people, animals, and plants living on it. However, by taking collective action and following the practices listed above to the best of your abilities, we can do our part to care for our earth and maintain a liveable and beautiful home for generations to come.Would you like to read about permaculture, food forests, and related topics? Check out our blog to learn more!