Climate Change For Beginners

There have been many publications about climate change, each from a different point of view and for different audience. Some discuss it through an evolutionary process; and how the environment is different from what it would have been if it was not for the rapid effect of the global warming. Some others begin the discussion with the damage caused by fossil fuel and other forms of energy that increases CO2 level. And there are some who research and report changes on the earth as a result of mining. A small and short book that provides a basic knowledge about climate change and the roots of it bears the same title. It is in fact a disclosed document or an evidence for those who deny climate change and consider it a natural phenomenon that would not be affected by human’s negligence. The book is written for non-scientist readers, whether they acquire any knowledge of the subject or not, with simple an easy passages to understand and to follow the reasons for this phenomenon, as well as the future outcome. Each page contains some animations which emphasizes the point on that page, in addition to lightening up the serious subject matter. As it was mentioned, the book is called “Climate Change For Beginners” by Dean Goodwin, Ph.D. and illustrated by Joe Lee. It was first published in 2016.

Several outcome of global change in atmosphere is mentioned on page 13. One of the important reasons is: “Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850. In the Northern Hemisphere, 1983-2012 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 1400 years.” There is an interesting Native American quotation on page 17 that deals with the subject of whether we own this planet and as a result we are allowed to make any changes that we want to the planet, or it belongs to all the living species (and non-living things probably as well), and we should try to return it the same as we found it. This does not mean that we should not make any change to the earth by growing vegetation and building dams and other structures that make living easier for us, but we should think of others sharing this world with us as well. Looking at the rate of animal extinction, it is our responsibility as the most intelligent being on earth to reduce the rate, or stop it altogether. However, not only we do not stop it, we extentuate it by destroying the environment they need to live in. The Native American quotation on page 17 is as follows: “We have not inherited the world from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children.”

The most important factor in solving any problem is to recognize that there is a problem. Unfortunately, some scientists and some leaders do not believe in this as a problem facing us. The leader of the most powerful country on earth, does not believe in climate change, and not only does not assist in slowing down this phenomenon, but by creating wars all over the globe and producing weapons of mass destruction as a policy, increases the rate of devastation. There are fortunately many people (in addition to other leaders and a great majority of scientists) who are working towards the goal of reducing the rate of expansion of global warming. It is becoming a culture in many communities to recycle instead of trash. Individuals, regardless of their governments’ attitudes, have taken the task of reducing the rate of climate change, in one way or other. On page 21, the author makes this point: “Environmentalists and business leaders, private citizens and politicians, the governments of every country in the world need to rise to the challenges that lie ahead for all of us. No one individual can do everything, but every individual can do something.” The same page has a quotation by Martin Luther King Jr.: “The biggest threat to humanity is not the evil of bad persons; it’s the passivity of good ones.”

There are many questions in which one may not know the answer to. For instance, greenhouse effect and how it is formed and advantages and disadvantages of greenhouse. Elements creating greenhouse is discussed and their effect is explored. Carbon dioxide is a known factor creating or expanding greenhouse effect. How it is formed and its influence on the environment is expanded. In order to know what the amount of such gas by volume in the air is, the abbreviation PPM (parts per million) is used. The book explains these numbers by giving examples with marbles, for better understanding what such volume in the air is: “It is interesting to note that the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere has increased by around 120 ppm in the last 200 years,” PP 33. Other elements such as methane gas are defined and explained in the same way.

After detail explanation of elements and changes of environment as a result, biodiversity and ecosystem is discussed. Number of extinction as a result of changes in the environment is constantly increasing in an exponential rate: “The IPCC has determined with a high degree of confidence that ’20-30 percent of assessed species are likely to be at increased risk of extinction… and could be as high as 40-70 percent if global temperatures continue to rise.’ A report in the journal Science in May 2015 suggests that one in six of the world’s species faces extinction due to climate change. The extinction of the golden toad in Costa Rica has previously been linked to climate change that aggravated a deadly disease… In the past 40 years the world has lost around half of its animals due to pressure such as climate, habitat loss, deforestation, pollution, and overfishing according to the World Wildlife Found,” PP 77.

In addition to defining and exploring global climate change, the book discusses ways to reduce and even change the direction of the disaster. The book recommends adopting strategies that involves mitigation and adaptation. In mitigation strategies, the book discusses these factors in detail: “taking steps to improve energy efficiency, reducing fossil fuel consumption, moving toward using carbon-free renewable energy, and storing or sequestering carbon dioxide in the soil, vegetation, underground, and in the ocean,” PP 102. In discussing the first item, energy efficiency, and after explaining energy efficiency and recommending to use what is called “Energy Star” appliances, which are determined by the US government, the book gives interesting examples: “Did you know that:

·        Replacing all exit signs in US buildings with Energy Star-approved signs would save $75 million a year in energy costs.

·        If one in ten houses used Energy Star appliances, it would be like planning 1.7 million acres of trees.

·        Changing one incandescent light bulb in every US home with an Energy Star light bulb would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes a year and save $600 million in energy costs and prevent the equivalent greenhouse gas emission from over 800,000 cars.

·        Replacing the five most-used incandescent light bulbs in every US household with Energy Star light bulbs would same $8 billion in electricity costs each year and be the equivalent of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from 10 million cars.

·        Replacing all room air-conditioning units with Energy Star-approved units would prevent the emission of 1.2 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions from 100,000 cars,” PP 104&105.

The above is a list that every household can adopt in order to be energy efficient. Of course the book discusses many solutions that can be rendered by a person, by a company, by a government, which in turn would slow down or reverse the effect of climate change. This book, as it was mentioned earlier, stands out among other books on the subject, because of its simplicity in explaining the issues, expanding and disclosing the reasons, and solutions to end the disaster. Above all, it is a short and easy read book!