Weather patterns
Global warming, no matter if you think it’s a legitimate phenomenon or not, is impacting our planet, our lives and our economies. Some scientists think that it’s merely a cycle of weather that has been repeated throughout history while others are deeply concerned that our climate is, indeed, being permanently and adversely affected.
Warming trends of the last three decades has seen snow that melts too soon, resulting in drier summers. The effects of this on crops is devastating, both financially and in human misery. The recent shortage of rice and other staples have sparked food riots in some countries and in others, food prices are rising so fast that wages can’t possibly keep up. It’s no longer a matter of a few cents here and there; some food items have risen as much as thirty percent so far.
Climate changes have been particularly destructive in 2008. In the United States, the tornado season was off to a record start; February set a new record with 148 tornadoes touching ground. The old record, in 1971, counted 83 and the thirty year average is about 23 per month in the usual pattern of a tornado season. Forecasters say that in the first six months of the year, 1,520 tornadoes were reported, exceeding the ten year average for a whole calendar year and an unprecedented record. They expect this to be the deadliest tornado season in ten years.
Since our atmosphere has been warming for the past couple of decades it makes conditions ideal for tornadoes and hurricanes which need moist, warm air to form. The increased retention of water vapor in our clouds, proven to be caused in part by excessive greenhouse gases and pollution, encourage the formation of these storms and increase their frequency. Likewise, the increased temperature of the earth allows more moisture to be retained by clouds, resulting in torrential downpours that have destroyed residential and commercial properties and goods, washed away grazing areas and food sources for wildlife and wiped out crops in locations across the world.
There are many recent innovations that give one hope for the reduction of harmful emissions and greenhouse gases but the biggest obstacle to restoring our climate is the wide-held belief that global warming is nothing but an alarmist myth reacting to natural weather patterns.
Whether global warming is real or merely conjecture, it can only help to take steps to reduce the earth’s temperature. Recycling, reusing, driving less, choosing more earth-friendly cars and other transportation and conserving natural resources are all actions that will have a positive impact on everyone’s lives—global warming or not.
