Living in an Environment on the Brink

Photo posted by @natgeo on Instagram

Climate change is a pressing issue that has been at the helm of political debate for years. From the many numbers and dates, policies and agreements, we can come to a single conclusion: to avoid environmental catastrophe in the all too near future, drastic change in our way of life needs to occur … now.

At a Tipping Point

Since the pre-industrial era, global surface temperatures have risen by 1.1 degrees Celcius. While this may seem like a small number, the effects of this rise in temperature have been immense. From overwhelming extinction to rampant wildfires, these 1.1 degrees have changed the landscape of Earth and will continue to do so.

Photo from Climate.gov

As Earth continues to warm, we will reach a number of “tipping points” where the environmental damage caused by humankind will become irreversible. In an article published by Science, researchers examined these tipping points in conjunction with the 2015 Paris Agreement, a global initiative to “tackle climate change” and limit global temperature increases by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers found that even if we can limit global warming to 2 degrees Celcius, the target of the Paris Agreement, a significant number of tipping points will be triggered. Even at the Paris Agreement’s ideal goal of 1.5 degrees Celcius, tipping points will be hit. Within this temperature increase range, we will likely see catastrophic events like the collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets.

Photo from Science.org

Lead author of the study, Dr. David Armstrong McKay, told the New York Times that limiting temperature increases to 1.5 degrees “doesn’t guarantee we don’t see tipping points, but it reduces the likelihood.”

What is Being Done?

With global initiatives like the Paris Agreement, more is being done to combat climate change than ever before. However, this does not necessarily mean that we are on track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, nor to avoid all tipping points.

Last summer positive action was taken toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States through climate and energy legislation. However, just last month the Biden Administration approved the Willow Project, the largest oil-drilling initiative on US soil. The project will uproot an already fragile Alaskan ecosystem, seemingly breaking environmental-conscious promises made during Biden’s presidential campaign and backtracking on positive progress.

Simply put, the countries that lead the world in greenhouse gas emissions — with China and the United States at the top of the list — must make drastic efforts to reduce their carbon footprints. We have many of the tools needed to facilitate clean energy. The difficult part is implementing them into fossil-fuel-reliant communities.

What Can You Do?

It can feel discouraging and scary to hear about climate change when you have little say over legislation. And while it is predominantly in the hands of world leaders, company bigwigs and the ultra-rich to combat the issue head-on, it would be silly to assume that our personal actions have no effect on the world around us.

If you want to be an environmentally-conscious person, start small. Factory farming is a lead contributor to global warming, try shopping locally for groceries — especially meat and dairy products. Walk or take public transport as much as possible. This is a great habit to start while you are in college, living in a walkable community. Try to avoid shopping online (this will also help your local economy flourish). Stop buying things you don’t need — clothing included. Then, there are the classics: Turn off lights when you leave a room, take shorter showers and avoid single-use plastic.

The easiest answer to the question, “How do I help the environment?” is “Think before you act.” In a world that is ravaged by overconsumption, take a second to consider what you really need — it’s a lot less than you would assume, and it rarely includes fast fashion or your eighth water bottle.

Live small and local — not only is it better for the environment, but it’s better for the soul.

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