Is Climate Change Real? How Can You Help?

Our earth’s rapidly changing climate is one of the most widely discussed issues nowadays, and for good reason. While some claim that the transformation of our planet’s atmosphere is a normal, gradual process, there is overwhelming scientific evidence to suggest that the climate we’re experiencing now is not natural.

Are you already an expert on climate change and more than ready to make the switch to solar, read no further! Call us today at 1-888-MOMENTUM.

Unsure where about what to think? Don’t be! Let’s dive in![1]

What Is Climate Change?

Let’s start from the beginning, what is weather and what is climate? Weather is, “the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.”[19]

These are the changes we encounter and feel on a daily basis. One region of the world may experience snow while another enjoys the sunshine. Climate is different than weather, climate is the weather conditions happening in a general area in the world for a long period of time. [19] Although seasons influence climate, it is still important to understand what makes that location’s typical weather.[2]

Now that we know what climate is, let’s dive into climate change. As NASA defines it, climate change is “a change in the usual weather found in a place. This could change how much rain a place usually gets in a year. Or it could be a change in a place’s usual temperature for a month or season.”[3] While our weather may vary every few days or hours, climate change is a gradual phenomenon.

What Factors Contributed to Climate Change?

Natural and human factors have caused our Earth’s climate to change over time. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has noted that “…it is extremely likely (>95%) that human activities have been the dominant cause of the warming.”[4] Below are a few of these activities:

1. Greenhouse Gasses: The three most impactful greenhouse gases have all increased since the Industrial Revolution, owing to human activities outside of manufacturing and production. These higher emissions have also boosted the greenhouse effect, resulting in a global surface temperature increase. Not to mention that burning fossil fuels has a far bigger impact on the climate than any other human activity.[5]
2. Carbon Dioxide: To date, human activities release over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. Since pre-industrial times, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by more than 40 percent.[6]
3. Methane: Due to human activities, methane emissions have increased more than 2.5 times since the pre-industrial level.[7]
4. Nitrous Oxide: Concentrations of nitrous oxide have increased by 20 percent since the industrial revolution and show a rapid increase towards the end of the 20^th century.[8]

Evidence of Climate Change

Let’s look at a few of the significant pieces of evidence scientists have noted for our Earth’s rapid climate change:

1. Global Temperature Rise: Increased carbon dioxide has contributed to our average surface temperature. The Earth has seen 2 degrees Fahrenheit rise in its temperature since the 19^th century. Most of this warming, however, has occurred in the last 40 years, with 2016 and 2020 tying the record for warmest year on record.[9]
2. Warming Ocean: With Earth storing 90% of its extra energy in the ocean, our oceans have absorbed much of this extra heat coming from the sun. The top 328 feet of the ocean show warming of more than 0.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969.[10]
3. Shrinking Ice Sheets: Data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment have shown that Greenland lost an average of “279 billion tons of ice between 1993 and 2019, while Antarctica lost about 148 billion tons….”[11]
4. Decreased Snow Cover: Using satellites, scientists’ observations reveal that the amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades. The snow is beginning to melt earlier.[12]
5. Sea Level Rise: Our global sea level has risen about eight inches within the last century. In the previous two decades, the number has nearly doubled that… and is accelerating slightly every year.[13]

5 Ways You Can Help

Fortunately, there are things that everyone can do to assist combat global warming. Here are a few simple things we can all accomplish!

1. Save Energy at Home: Many times, the heat and electricity in our homes is powered by coal, oil or gas. You can use less energy by lowering your heating and cooling, switching to LED lightbulbs and using energy-efficient electric appliances. You can also wash your laundry with cold water and hang them out to dry versus using a dryer. [14] One of the biggest ways you can help save energy is by storing it with a solar + storage battery system. Not only do you get to capitalize on the sun’s rays via money-saving, carbon-reducing solar, but you also get to store excess energy away for things such as grid outages and peak rate periods.
2. Walk, Bike or Take Public Transportation: Gasoline and diesel are two of the most common fuels used in cars. By walking or cycling instead of driving, you can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also improving your health. Consider public transportation or carpooling if you’ll be traveling greater distances.[15]
3. Eat More Vegetables: Plant-based diets, on average, create fewer greenhouse gases than conventional meals. Consuming more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and drinking less milk and meat might help you lower your carbon footprint.[16]
4. Consider Your Travel: Airplanes produce a large number of greenhouse gases while burning a significant amount of fossil fuels. The greatest method to reduce the environmental effect of air travel is to fly less, stay virtually or take the train![17]
5. Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle: Some goods, such as electronics and clothes, produce carbon emissions during their manufacture. To help preserve the environment, buy less stuff, shop second-hand, fix what you can, and recycle when possible.[18]

Helping Our Planet One Install at a Time

While our team is working hard to design unique solar energy systems for each of our customers’ homes, there’s a larger purpose: helping the environment. Momentum Solar was founded in 2009 with the aim of assisting homeowners save money on their utility bills while also protecting the environment. With thousands of installs completed in our company’s lifetime across 11 states, it is a no-brainer that Momentum continues to grow as a top solar provider. We’re excited to be a part of your journey toward a greener, more environmentally friendly future. Call us today at 1-888-MOMENTUM to learn more!

 

 

[1] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[2] https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-k4.html

[3] https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-k4.html

[4] https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change

[5] https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change

[6] https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change

[7] https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change

[8] https://www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change

[9] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[10] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[11] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[12] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[13] https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

[14] https://www.un.org/actnow

[15] https://www.un.org/actnow

[16] https://www.un.org/actnow

[17] https://www.un.org/actnow

[18] https://www.un.org/actnow

[19] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weather