PeopleProfitPlanet is supporting Blog Action Day 2009 and this year's topic is Climate Change.
We all know it is going to affect us in one way or another in the next few years, but what would the effects of global warming mean on a day to day basis?
Compiled from the Center for American Progress, here's something to think about.
Say Goodbye to...
1) Pinot Noir - The reason you adore pinot noir is that it comes from a notoriously temperamental thin-skinned grape that thrives in cool climates. Warmer temperatures are already damaging the pinots from Oregon, “baking away” the grape’s berry flavors. [Bloomberg]
2) Guacamole - Scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory predict hotter temps will cause a 40 percent drop in California’s avocado production over the next 40 years. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab]
3) March of the Penguins - Scientists blame global warming for the declining penguin population, as warmer waters and smaller ice floes force the birds to travel further to find food. “Emperor penguins ... have dropped from 300 breeding pairs to just nine in the western Antarctic Peninsula.” [National Geographic]
4) Safety from Giant Squid Attacks - Giant squid—an “aggressive predator” that grows up to 7 feet long and can weigh more than 110 lbs—used to only be found in the warm waters along the Pacific equator. Hotter waters mean today they’re invading the waters of California and even Alaska. [ABC]
5) Glaciers - “In Glacier National Park, the number of glaciers in the park has dropped from 150 to 26 since 1850. Some project that none will be left within 25 to 30 years.” [AP]
Instead, you will be welcoming...
1) Greenland’s Melting - Greenland is melting at a rate of 52 cubic miles per year—much faster than once predicted. If Greenland’s entire 2.5 million cubic kilometers of ice were to melt, it would lead to a global sea level rise of 7.2 meters, or more than 23 feet. [LA Times]
2) More Floods - During the summer of 2007, Britain suffered its worst flood in 60 years. Scientists point the finger directly at global warming, which changed precipitation patterns and is now causing more “intense rainstorms across parts of the northern hemisphere.” [Independent]
3) Malaria Spreading in Western Europe - The World Health Organization warns warmer temperatures mean malaria-carrying mosquitoes are able to live in northern climes, which could lead to a surge in malaria outside the tropics (aka Europe). [BBC]
4) Large-Scale Migrations - Global warming will turn already-dry environments into deserts, causing the people who live there to migrate in massive numbers to more livable places. [MSNBC]
5) Increased Border Tensions - A report called “National Security and the Threat of Climate Change,” written by a group of retired generals and admirals, specifically linked global warming to increased border tensions. “If, as some project, sea levels rise, human migrations may occur, likely both within and across borders.” [NY Times]
Some of these effects will touch on our everyday lives, some are much larger consequences. If you want to take action today, sign up to the 10:10 pledge. Or ask our leaders for climate justice in Copenhagen this December. Join the tck tck tck campaign.