{"id":4360,"date":"2020-08-14T14:20:18","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T18:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/?p=4360"},"modified":"2020-09-02T11:40:19","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T15:40:19","slug":"what-is-climate-change-and-why-is-it-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/what-is-climate-change-and-why-is-it-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Climate Change and Why is it BAD?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4373\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange-1100x707.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1100\" height=\"707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange-1100x707.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange-400x257.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange-720x463.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><\/i><b><i>NOTE:<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you know why climate change is bad and you just want tips on how to take action now, head to the bottom of this article for actionable tips!)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we jump into climate change, let\u2019s first take a step back to understand \u201cthe greenhouse effect\u201d. You\u2019ve probably heard of the term before, but what exactly does it mean? And how does it relate to global warming?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Greenhouse Effect<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a greenhouse, sunlight enters through the clear glass walls. The light is partially absorbed by the plants and soil inside the greenhouse, and partly reflected back as heat radiation. Some of the heat escapes through the glass, while some is trapped inside the house. This causes temperatures to rise inside the greenhouse and helps keep the plants inside warm, so things like strawberries and tomatoes can grow even during the cold, winter months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SN5-DnOHQmE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Earth retains heat in a similar way. The sun\u2019s energy comes through the atmosphere, and then it\u2019s partially absorbed by plants, soil, and the ocean, and then the rest is reflected back. Rather than all of the energy escaping through the Earth\u2019s atmosphere, some of the heat is trapped by gases in the air (aka <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/climate.nasa.gov\/causes\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">greenhouse gases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CFCs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The trapping of heat by greenhouse gases is necessary to maintain a livable climate on Earth. To put things into perspective, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the moon\u2014which is the same distance from the Sun as Earth\u2014but has no atmosphere, can reach temperatures as low as -170<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00b0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C at night. Hint, not livable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>So, global warming is a good thing?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Some heat is good, but too much is bad. And the problem is, the planet is now heating up too much\u2014and too fast.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Levels of heat trapping, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have naturally fluctuated throughout history, due to <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/environment\/global-warming\/global-warming-overview\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">volcanic eruptions, variations in solar radiation, weather patterns, and the Earth&#8217;s position relative to the sun<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But overall, concentrations of greenhouse gases have remained fairly constant over the past few thousand years. That is, until the last 150 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since then, global temperatures have risen by 2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00b0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C, which may seem insignificant, but given the size and tremendous heat capacity of carbon sinks like the ocean, it takes a massive amount of heat to raise the Earth\u2019s average temperature by even a small amount. T<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-global-temperature\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">he 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998, and 9 of the 10 have occurred since 2005<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Overall, we\u2019re currently averaging temperates <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-global-temperature\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.15<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00b0<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-global-temperature\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C above the pre-industrial average<\/span><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and scientists have been sounding the alarm that we must stay below<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/global-warming-101\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a two-degree increase to avoid catastrophic climate impacts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psst.<\/span><\/i> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/geology.utah.gov\/map-pub\/survey-notes\/glad-you-asked\/ice-ages-what-are-they-and-what-causes-them\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The difference between average global temperatures today and those during the ice ages is only 5\u00b0C<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! (Now we get why 2\u00b0C is actually quite a big deal!)<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4361\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2-1100x707.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1100\" height=\"707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2-1100x707.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2-400x257.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2-720x463.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange2.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>Where is all of this heat coming from?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human activities such as landfills, the burning of fossil fuels, animal agriculture, the transportation sector, the use of fertilizers, and methane emissions from food waste, all emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and exasperate Earth\u2019s natural greenhouse effect. For scope, <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/environment\/global-warming\/global-warming-overview\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since the Industrial Revolution, humans have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than a third<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more greenhouse gases there are in the atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect, which means a hotter planet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4362\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3-1100x707.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1100\" height=\"707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3-1100x707.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3-400x257.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3-720x463.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/TIFTEditorials_HeroImages_ClimateChange3.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why is too much warming bad?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Extreme Weather Patterns<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/understanding-climate\/climate-change-global-temperature\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This extra heat is driving seasonal temperature extremes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aka<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> some places are experiencing record hot summers, while other areas are having colder-than-normal winters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warmer temperatures in the Arctic cause the polar jet stream (the boundary between the cold North Pole air and the warm equatorial air) to take wild swings, and bigger swings cause cold air to reach farther south. This explains areas like the eastern United States have been experiencing colder winters <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in a warming planet<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and why cold weather does not mean climate change is fake news. Climate deniers, listen up!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump-1100x471.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1100\" height=\"471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump-1100x471.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump-400x171.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump-768x329.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump-720x309.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/DonaldTrump.jpg 1750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A warmer climate also influences weather patterns in more drastic ways by creating an atmosphere that collects, retains, and drops water in such a way that wet areas become wetter and dry areas drier. This creates severe storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires\u2014which pose serious risks for the natural environment and threaten human health. <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Droughts jeopardize access to clean drinking water, create food deserts, fuel wildfires, flash floods, dust storms, and other extreme heat events. While heavier rain causes flooding, mudslides, hazardous-material spills, promotes mold infestation and can contaminate drinking water<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changing weather patterns also influence plant and animal growth\u2014some expanding and while other shrinking others. Overall though, a warmer and wetter environment festers food-borne and waterborne illnesses and disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">no thank you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Rising Sea Levels<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest manifestations of climate change thus far has been arctic ice and glacier melt. <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nsidc.org\/cryosphere\/glaciers\/quickfacts.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 percent of the Earth\u2019s land is covered with glacial ice, and glaciers store about 69 percent of the world&#8217;s freshwater<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This means that if all of the ice on Earth melted, <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nsidc.org\/cryosphere\/glaciers\/quickfacts.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sea levels would rise approximately 230 feet worldwide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The polar regions are <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">particularly vulnerable to a warming atmosphere, and average temperatures in the Arctic have risen twice as fast compared to elsewhere on Earth<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is causing the world&#8217;s ice sheets to melt\u2014and it\u2019s melting <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fast<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. 10% of permafrost (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aka<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> permanently frozen ground) has already been lost, and in Montana&#8217;s Glacier National Park, where about <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/37057-global-warming-effects.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">150 glaciers were once found, there are now only 25 glaciers bigger than 25 acres<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Fewer glaciers and ice also means that less heat is reflected back into the atmosphere by the shiny surface of the ice, which creates a feedback loop that causes even more ice to melt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sea levels are now rising <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/37057-global-warming-effects.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at a rate twice as much compared to the average annual rate in the 20th century<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which puts entire populations at of people, wildlife, and plants at risk that live near the coast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Polluted Air<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/are-effects-global-warming-really-bad\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising temperatures also worsen air pollution by increasing ground level ozone<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014which is created when pollution from things like cars, planes, and factory emissions react to sunlight and heat. This creates smog (which is especially life-threatening for people with asthma and allergies), and the hotter temperatures get, the more smog is created.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Wildlife Extinction<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many land and water species have already shifting their geographic ranges to cooler climes or higher altitudes in an attempt to escape warming, and seasonal behaviors and traditional migration patterns are been changing too. The problem is, <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/37057-global-warming-effects.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with the velocity of temperate changes increasing more rapidly, many organisms cannot migrate fast enough, which is causing many species to go extinct<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/37057-global-warming-effects.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warmer temperatures are also expanding disease-causing pathogens<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which were once confined to tropical areas, and it\u2019s causing more plants and animals to die. And things like deforestation and ocean acidification (learn more about how climate change is impacting the ocean <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/how-climate-change-is-impacting-our-oceans\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) are causing great a loss to many ecosystems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back in 2015, a study showed that vertebrate species were already <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/1\/5\/e1400253.full\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">disappearing at a rate 114 times faster than they should be<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and according to a biodiversity report by the United Nations, <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ipbes.net\/news\/Media-Release-Global-Assessment\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 1 million species of plants and animals are at risk of extinction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Human Extinction<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists are sounding the alarm that climate change<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/commissions\/climate-change\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8220;the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.&#8221;<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From food and water scarcity, illnesses from air pollution and disease, <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/sites\/default\/files\/killer-summer-heat-report.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heat-related<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> deaths, natural disasters, and rising sea levels, climate change impacts all of us\u2014but it disproportionally affects the global poor, elderly, and marginalized communities who live in more heavily impacted regions, and who are more susceptible illness and vulnerable to climate-afflicted illnesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Much like many other species have already started to do, as global temperatures continue to rise and extreme weather ensues, humans will also have to seek more liveable climates, which will create a massive climate migration. <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2020\/07\/23\/magazine\/climate-migration.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, 1% of the world is in a barely liveable hot zone. By 2070, that portion could go to 19%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But where will these billions of people go?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change isn\u2019t just a hot or cold planet, it\u2019s a more or less livable planet. One where people of color will be most affected as high risk areas are predominantly BIPOC. So even though climate change will affect the entire planet, it will not affect it equally and different parts of the world will have different abilities to react and protect themselves due to things like GDP, geographic location, political standing, and leadership. So when you hear people say climate justice is racial justice, this is what they mean: mitigating climate change means people who live in high risk areas will feel less of the negative effects and consequences of climate change- which can range from health issues like respiratory illnesses to the rise of natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and fires- which is why we need to take all actions to mitigate climate change <\/span><b>NOW<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>I\u2019m just one person, so what can I do?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Every step to mitigate climate change is positive, no matter how big or how small. Here are some ways to advocate for the protection of people and the planet:<\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_0\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Waste.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Reducing your waste<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">Landfills are one of the top 3 drivers of methane, which is significantly more powerful of a warming gas than Carbon Dioxide (CO2). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/what-is-climate-change-and-why-is-it-bad\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This blog<\/a> is full of simple ways to start reducing your waste today. PS, everything that you put into a landfill takes energy and resources to make (and is probably made of plastic) so reducing your trash means reducing the overall resources and fossil fuels you are using. So it\u2019s a win, win and where I choose to focus my energy.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Shop Package Free<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/packagefreeshop.com\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_1\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Disposables.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Say no to disposables<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">If you want plastic and package free alternatives to the products you use daily or if you want to invest in multi-use alternatives to single use disposables, head to Package Free. This is exactly why I started it, to make sustainable choices easier and more convenient.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Shop Package Free<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/packagefreeshop.com\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_2\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Compost.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Composting<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">Food waste is responsible for around 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. To eliminate this, compost all food scraps and keep them out of landfills (when then go into a landfill, they emit methane).<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Learn About Composting<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/compost-lets-break-it-down-literally\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_3\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Agriculture.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Limiting the consumption of animal products<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">Animal agriculture is a leading contributor to methane emissions, deforestation, and water and land use. As I said above, even a small reduction is good. Think of these changes as an investment in your future, and not as a sacrifice.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Zero Waste Veggie Burger Recipe<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/zero-waste-veggie-burgers\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_4\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Secondhand.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Shopping locally and secondhand<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">It\u2019s better to use and reuse things that have already been manufactured than it is to utilize new resources. Look for secondhand items locally to reduce emissions associated with shipping, and try to find secondhand items as much as possible to cut down on the manufacturing of new products and the exploitation of virgin materials. My favorite sources? Craigslist, Backmarket, Apple refurbished, The Real Real, Poshmark, ThreadUP, Chairish.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Guide to Secondhand Shopping<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/zero-waste-wardrobe-secondhand-shopping\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_5\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Advocacy.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Advocacy<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">Since 1988, just 100 companies have been responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and more than half of that can be traced to just 25 corporate and state-owned entities. While individual lifestyle changes are an important factor in mitigating climate change, holding these big businesses accounting for their emissions is a fundamental pillar of mitigating climate change. Some simple ways to do this? 1) stop giving them your dollars 2) VOTE &#8211; Elect government leaders who will rigorously hold businesses accountable for their environmental impact, and who do not have an interest in or tie to polluting industries. We also need leaders who are willing to divest from fossil fuels and invest in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure to build more equitable communities.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Guide to Vote<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/guide-to-voting-why-it-matters-for-the-environment\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProduct index_6\">\n<div class=\"shoppableProductImage\">https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FossilFuels.jpg<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductTitle\">Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductDescription\">As individuals, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by choosing to walk or bike whenever possible, using public transportation, and avoiding items made of plastic (aka petroleum). You can find plastic free, sustainable alternatives all common items at Package Free!<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTAText\">Shop Package Free<\/div>\n<div class=\"shoppableProductCTALink\">https:\/\/packagefreeshop.com\/<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, taking action against climate change will require work and changes in our everyday lives, especially if you are new to waste reduction. I think of it as an investment in my future and creating a more livable world, especially for people who will be most affected by climate change and do not have the tools and resources to take action now. The best way to start is to just start. Pick any of the above changes, or check out any of my blog posts for simple ways to reduce your impact today (PS, you don\u2019t need to spend money or get anything new to reduce your waste, it can be as simple as saying \u201cNO\u201d to things like single use disposables! <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/trashisfortossers.com\/zero-waste-alternatives-ultimate-lis\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here is a full list of simple switches to start reducing your waste today!<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post-excerpt\">Why we need to act NOW.<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tift-admin.com\/what-is-climate-change-and-why-is-it-bad\/\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-effect btn-lg\"><span>View Post<\/span><span><i class=\"icon icon-arrow-right\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":4373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[589,585,588],"tags":[561,531,340,619,624,552,566,324,612,455,257],"head_tags":[{"tag":"title","content":"What is Climate Change and Why is it BAD? 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