The world we live in is beautiful and astonishingly complex. The question is, what will we do to preserve the Earth for future generations?

The climate issue is a controversial topic. Many critics claim that we have nothing to worry about, while others are deeply concerned. Others are indifferent. But this issue affects us all, and affects the future as well.

Pollution is one of the main factors regarding climate change. Carbon dioxide is one of the more common greenhouse gases, which is released during deforestation and burning fossil fuels, and also by natural means, such as breathing and volcanic activity. Human-generated pollution is not only deteriorating ecosystems, but also air and water quality.

Climate shifts have happened since the Ice Age, the steamy days of prehistoric Earth, and continue to affect our planet right now. It’s easy to dismiss contemporary climate issues as a normal, natural part of a cycle.  

However, the drastic changes that are happening now are not normal and are arguably caused by humans, just one species on this Earth, not induced by natural fluctuations. TIME affirms that “research show[s] 97% of climate scientists believe that humans are contributing to global warming.” It is important to be aware of these issues, even though it may be easier to dismiss them.

Junior Mia Costello believes there is a climate issue, as she explains her opinions on climate awareness, “I think people don’t think there are climate problems because we don’t really see how it affects us in our everyday lives, but if you look at nature scientifically, then you would see all the differences.”

NASA’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change affirms and relays this information, “Taken as a whole, the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time.”

Diversity of life on Earth depends on the climate, and these conditions need to stay relatively stable and precise. Increasing average global temperatures by just a few degrees results in detrimental effects.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “these changes [caused by the increase of greenhouse gas concentration] will impact our food supply, water resources, infrastructure, ecosystems, and even our own health.”

These changes are already visible, with the increased heat producing more dangerous weather systems and damaging ecosystems. Here in the Midwest, already present but rising effects such as “extreme heat, heavy downpours, and flooding will affect infrastructure, health, agriculture, forestry, transportation, air and water quality, and more. Climate change will also exacerbate a range of risks to the Great Lakes”, according to NASA.

Questioning Complacency: Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability, and Adaptation in Norway warns that a, “ limited perspective on climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation generates complacency. Complacency can be described as a lack of awareness of potential dangers and an accompanying self-satisfaction that no action is needed to adapt to climate change. This is manifested in many parts of Europe as inertia in terms of local, national, and regional actions to address the impacts of a changing climate on society.”

Contemporary World Issues teacher Jon Paul Jurasas explains, “I think people might NOT believe that global climate change is hastened by our own actions…It’s probably a combination of economic and cultural beliefs and maybe even a hint of fatalism.  I think that unfortunately the truth is we, as humans, are globally a civilization driven by fossil fuels. It is widely known that the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air comes from our cars, planes, boats, trucks and factories burning fossil fuels.”

Human nature compels us to repress our worries; it’s easier to worry about money now than biodiversity later. The world seems so large, but the atmosphere—and the earth in general—is a bit more fragile than we believe.

Mr. Jurasas elaborates on the importance of fossil fuels and awareness, “I don’t fully understand what would motivate someone to refuse to even consider global climate change as a possibility as to why our planet is undergoing its present, rapid changes. I think that global oil companies are immensely important for the smooth functioning of governments all over the world. With petroleum dollars keeping societies afloat there can’t be a lot of interest in too much reduction in the world’s fossil fuel consumption.”

There are interesting sustainability options available that could be used to reduce reliance on burning limited resources. Solar power is a great option that’s quite underutilized, with the United States’ solar power usage coming in at .39%.

A statistic from Land Art Generator proposes that “if solar[power] is 20% efficient (as it has been in lab tests) at turning solar energy into power, we’d only need to cover a land area about the size of Spain to power the entire Earth renewably in 2030.”

Mr. Jurasas further elaborates on the challenges of accepting this situation:  “Perhaps too, people don’t want to think about it because it’s a huge and complex thing to try understand and combat. It might require significant shifts in the way we produce, consume [and] generally live our lives. Many don’t want or simply can’t make those commitments.”

It’s important to be aware of the world and the issues that endanger it, as ultimately, climate and pollution problems affect all of us. Not only that, but there still is the opportunity to take action and help the Earth become a healthier place, even in our Nazareth Community.