Different perspectives of Climate Change and vision of sustainability

Environment   Jun 22, 2017 by Michael Oyaro

What is Climate? How is it different from Weather?

Well, some people usually confuse weather and climate thinking they are the same. You know what weather is. Weather is the changes we see and feel outside from day to day. It might rain one day and be sunny the next. Sometimes it is cold. Sometimes it is hot. Weather changes from place to place. People in one place might be wearing shorts and playing outside. At the same time, people far away might be shoveling snow. Therefore, Climate is the usual weather of a place. Climate can be different for different reasons. A place might be mostly warm and dry in the summer. The same place may be cool and wet in the winter. Different places can have different climates. You might live where it snows all the time while others might live somewhere where it is warm enough to swim outside. Then there's also the Earth's climate which is what you get when you combine all the climates around the world together.

Having known that how can we explain what Climate Change is?

We hear it so much that it feels like a buzzword but it is far from it. Climate change is a real and serious issue but isn't the climate always changing. What exactly is Climate Change?

Well, from research, the Earth's climate has changed throughout history, most of these slight changes are caused by small variations in the Earth's orbit but climate change as we know it today is characterized by an abrupt increase in the earth's temperature, it is estimated to have gotten 1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer in just the last century. 10 out of the last 13 years were the warmest on record. 97% climate scientists agree that this new tendency is not caused by the variations of the earth's orbit but rather very likely caused by human activities. Since the industrial revolution we have come a long way. Humans built airplanes faster than cars, developed remarkable technology and learned how the natural resources around us can be used for our benefit although this has led to many wonderful inventions and advancements like the devices which people use everyday e.g Phones. It also means we have increased our consumption of natural resources and in turn released a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Now greenhouse gases occur naturally but in excess can be dangerous to our planet. Modern human activities have increased the release of non-naturally occurring greenhouse gases because we have stepped up our demand for burning fossil fuels. The composition of greenhouse gases traps heat radiated from the sun, the more heat they trap the warm our planet gets and as our planet gets warmer we begin to feel the effects.

Climate changes also caused the sea level to rise, just in the last century sea levels have risen 6.7 inches but the rate in the last decade is nearly doubled, sea levels have risen because as the ocean gets warmer it swells and on top of that glaciers and ice sheets melts. Troubling signs of climate change are increased extreme weather events which composes of natural disasters like floods, tornadoes and deadly heat waves.

After research on Climate Change, on a personal level the climate as we know it today, it is change in our Earth's overall temperature with massive and permanent ramifications although its consequences can be planet threatening. When it comes to climate change the main take-away is that its real and although we are part of the cause we can also be part of the solution.

On the views of what other students think climate change is, this is was their response:

1

Me: In your view what do you think Climate Change is?

Student 1: Its something that's terrible, not mostly because it destroys the habitats of animals, homes of humans but because it was caused by humans. Humans have only been on this earth for quite some time and they have already caused this much damage, its saddening.

Me: What do you think needs to be done?

Student 1: Well, before we can stop climate we need to learn how to cooperate with each other not as individuals of different countries but as people of the world until we can put aside our views on religion, race, beliefs and truly work together. That's when we can solve the problem.

2

Me: In your view what do you think Climate Change is?

Student 2: To me, it something that changes periodically. Also climate changes because you never know what causes the change. At one particular place people know the seasons E.g. Kenya. In Kenya many Kenyans are aware where sometimes there is no rain at all so its a disadvantage in that there are rainy seasons where there is long rains and short rains. So that's what i can say on climate change.

Me: What do you think needs to be done?

Student 2: People have to be careful, they should always check on the weather forecast. They also need to be prepared for what is to come anytime. E.g Rain water harvest in Africa, if it is done carefully then water can be used for irrigation. When there is no rain the government have to take the initiative to encourage farmers to grow crops when they have the opportunity. Self-sufficiency should be given importance and the government should take initiative to achieve that.

The different views of the students clearly shows how everyone has different perspectives on what Climate Change is, and those views are powerful enough to help solve the problem together because contribution is key to solving major problems.

Vision for a sustainable world

My vision for a sustainable world is that the people and the government should work hand in hand to achieve sustainability. Everyone needs to contribute together with the world so as to bring encouragement to each other. A question of thought, Why do we have wars?...Who has to take care of it?....so when will everyone realize that they are responsible for everything?...and when would that be in that for how long do we have wait.

For us to create a sustainable world,we need to educate people on everything they need to know for which they will gain knowledge and that knowledge will help them focus which is the most important. Also, in the creation of sustainability it starts with one person and that one person needs to make a change, once there is a change ,it affects the people around that change and if change is positive it will easily influence other people to join and make change together by empowering that one person who started the change. When everyone combines forces then it won't be difficult to sustain a peaceful world.

The impact of colonization on the journey to a sustainable planet

Well, colonization has positive aspects in which it may lead to better education, improvement in social aspects and it may also lead to modernization. If there wasn't colonization the journey towards a sustainable planet would the be long and rough to achieve. 

Post comment