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In an alarming new study, scientists found that climate change is already harming children's diets.
<p>It has long been understood that climate change will impact diet and food security globally. But up until now, little research proved how diet diversity is impacted by climate change outcomes, like warmer temperatures and increased precipitation, over a span of geographical areas.</p><p>Led by researchers at the University of Vermont, the study surveyed the diets of more than 107,00 children under the age of five, across 19 countries in Asia, Africa, and South America, with 30 years of precipitation and temperature data, according to the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abd0ab" target="_blank">study</a>.</p>
<p>Higher, long-term temperatures were associated with decreased diet diversity among children. "It surprised us that higher temperatures are already showing an impact," Meredith Niles, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Vermont, said in an <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/climate-change-hurting-childrens-diets-global-study-finds-0" target="_blank">article</a>.</p><p>In 2019, over 144 million children under the age of five were malnourished, <a href="https://data.unicef.org/topic/nutrition/malnutrition/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%2021.3%20per%20cent,5%20worldwide%20had%20stunted%20growth.&text=Between%202000%20and%202019%2C%20stunting,199.5%20million%20to%20144.0%20million." target="_blank">according to data by the UNICEF</a>. This number could have grown by an additional 6.7 million in 2020 alone, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a <a href="https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-additional-67-million-children-under-5-could-suffer-wasting-year-due-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report published in July</a>.</p>
<p>In the study, researchers used a scale developed by the United Nations to understand intakes of micronutrients like iron, folic acid, zinc and vitamins A and D.</p><p>On average children ate 3.2 out of 10 food groups. But in "emerging economies" like in China, children ate 6.8 out of 10 food groups, more than doubling the overall average, according to the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/climate-change-hurting-childrens-diets-global-study-finds-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Vermont</a>. Household wealth, consequently, was the biggest factor in children's diet diversity, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/global-climate-food/scientists-warn-climate-change-is-harming-childrens-diets-idUSL8N2JO4P4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters reported</a>.</p><p>"These results suggest that, if we don't adapt, climate change could further erode a diet that already isn't meeting adequate child micronutrient levels," Brendan Fisher from UVM's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/climate-change-hurting-childrens-diets-global-study-finds-0" target="_blank">said</a> about children's diets in developing countries.</p>
<p>Although the study proved what researchers had long expected regarding warming temperatures, they did find surprising results on how precipitation alters diet diversity.</p><p>Higher precipitation, linked to countries in West and Southeast Africa and Central America, was associated with higher diversity in children's diet, the University of Vermont <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/climate-change-hurting-childrens-diets-global-study-finds-0" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p><p>"Higher rainfall in the future may provide important diet quality benefits in multiple ways, but it also depends on how that rain comes," Molly Brown, a co-author of the study <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/climate-change-hurting-childrens-diets-global-study-finds-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>. "If it's more erratic and intense, as is predicted with climate change, this may not hold true."</p><p>Changes in the agriculture and the food industry can also be linked to worsening diets, Paolo Vineis of Imperial College London, who studies the effects of climate change on the disease, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/global-climate-food/scientists-warn-climate-change-is-harming-childrens-diets-idUSL8N2JO4P4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told Reuters</a>.</p><p>By 2050, global demand for food may increase by 59 to 98 percent from a larger population. Although this will require major agricultural and food industries to rapidly expand their production, droughts and higher temperatures will threaten their ability to do so, <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/07/25/climate-change-food-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Columbia University's Earth Institute reported</a>.</p>
<p>In the United States alone, for example, the production of corn, which is used to feed livestock, could decrease by 50 percent if the planet warms by four degrees Celsius, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/26/6644" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a study found</a>, a likely temperature increase predicted for 2100.</p><p>So what kind of solutions can help?</p><p>Educating investors on the financial risks and potential opportunities of the climate crisis could help the food industry adapt to the climate impacts already being felt, Columbia University's Earth Institute <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/07/25/climate-change-food-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a></p><p>"Food security is going to be one of the most pressing climate-related issues, mainly because most of the world is relatively poor and food is going to become increasingly scarce and expensive," Peter De Menocal, founding director of Columbia's Center for Climate and Life, <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/07/25/climate-change-food-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told Columbia's Earth Institute</a>.</p><p>As for improving diets globally, researchers at the University of Vermont <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abd0ab" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stress</a> the need for more research aimed at protecting children's nutrition especially for "vulnerable populations in low and middle-income countries across the tropics where the most profound climate changes are expected."</p>
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An offshore oil platform in West Africa. Cavan Images / Getty Images
For the first time, researchers have identified 100 transnational corporations that take home the majority of profits from the ocean's economy.
<p>Referred to as the "Ocean 100," the corporations accounted for 60 percent of $1.9 trillion generated from core industries in the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">ocean</a> economy in 2018 alone, according to an <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank">article by the Duke Nicholas Institute</a>. The <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/3/eabc8041" target="_blank">research</a> was published Wednesday in the journal <em>Science Advances</em> by researchers at Duke University and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.</p><p>If the group were a country, it would be the 16th-largest economy in the world, <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank">researchers found</a>. Out of the eight industries examined, <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/offshore-oil-drilling">offshore drilling</a> generated the most revenue.</p>
<p>"Now that we know who some of the biggest beneficiaries from the ocean economy are, this can help improve transparency relating to sustainability and ocean stewardship," the lead author John Virdin, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Program at Duke's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, said in an <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank">article by the Duke Nicholas Institute</a>. Some of the identified corporations included Saudi Aramco and Brazil's Petrobras, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-environment-oceans/ocean-100-profits-from-worlds-seas-dominated-by-100-companies-idUSKBN29I2XF" target="_blank">Reuters reported.</a></p><p>More than three billion people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/sustainable-ocean-for-all_6bcb3e94-en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to a report by the OECD</a>. Yet across eight industries studied, including offshore drilling, seafood production and processing and cruise tourism, researchers found that just 10 companies in each of the industries generated 45 percent of the industry's revenue.</p>
<p>"The fact that these companies are headquartered in a small number of countries also illustrates that concerted actions by some governments,could rapidly change how the private sector interacts with the ocean," co-author Henrik Österblom, science director at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank">said</a> in the article by the Duke Nicholas Institute.</p><p>Due to <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/overfishing">overfishing</a>, pollution and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>, the ocean is becoming increasingly threatened, <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/sustainable-ocean-for-all_6bcb3e94-en" target="_blank">the OECD reported</a>. This has degraded the ocean's fish stocks, habitats, ecosystems and biodiversity.</p><p>In response, the international community adopted the <a href="https://unctad.org/webflyer/advancing-sustainable-development-goal-14#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20the%20international%20community,marine%20resources%20for%20sustainable%20development." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015</a>, which for the first time sought to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development."</p>
<p>But such agreements overlook the ocean's potential to mitigate climate change, Janis Searles Jones, the Ocean's Conservancy CEO wrote <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02832-w#:~:text=The%20ocean's%20potential%20to%20mitigate,higher%20than%20terrestrial%20forests%20can" target="_blank">in a Nature article</a>. "We need greater ambition to give the ocean a fighting chance," she added.</p><p>The researchers' identification could help environmental groups like the Ocean Conservancy pressure corporations into adopting sustainability goals that include climate mitigation strategies.</p><p>"Senior executives of these few, but large companies, are in a unique position to exercise global leadership in sustainability," <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank">Virdin added</a>.</p>
<p>In 2015, Österblom and his colleagues <a href="https://stockholmresilience.org/research/research-news/2015-05-27-keystone-actors-shape-marine-ecosystems.html" target="_blank">published a paper</a> that analogized transnational corporations to keystone species, according to the article by the Duke Nicholas Institute. They noted both have a major impact on how ecosystems function and disproportionate power to determine how other species in the ecosystem operate.</p><p>"Just knowing who they are is the first step in getting them involved in what needs to be done," <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-environment-oceans/ocean-100-profits-from-worlds-seas-dominated-by-100-companies-idUSKBN29I2XF" target="_blank">Österblom noted</a> in Reuters.</p><p>But depending on corporations to adopt sustainable practices may not be enough to reach international sustainability goals.</p>
<p>"In 2018, Chevron announced it would invest $100 million that year in lowering emissions through its new Future Energy Fund," Michael O'Leary and Warren Valdmanis <a href="https://www.vox.com/21509913/climate-change-bp-microsoft-investors-shareholders-accountability" target="_blank">wrote on Vox</a> on holding companies accountable to their climate commitments. That same year, Chevron invested $20 billion in oil and gas.</p><p>"For those who put their faith in corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a panacea for our ailing society, we have the unfortunate reality: This kind of allocation of efforts is not uncommon. Superficial public commitments on issues like sustainability and diversity are much easier for companies than substantive action," they <a href="https://www.vox.com/21509913/climate-change-bp-microsoft-investors-shareholders-accountability" target="_blank">added</a>.</p><p>Oceans will play an increasingly critical role in the global economy, the researchers <a href="https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/articles/ocean-100-small-group-companies-dominates-ocean-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">note</a>. Whether pressuring the ocean's major actors to adopt sustainable practices will translate into tangible corporate responsibility will reveal itself sooner or later.</p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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An epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) on a reef in the South Pacific. Auscape / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The future may be too hot for baby sharks, a study published Tuesday found.
<p><a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans">Oceans</a> are warming as a result of global <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>, causing harm to aquatic ecosystems across the planet. In response, researchers from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University and the University of Massachusetts asked: How will climate change affect species who rely on their environment to regulate their biological processes?</p><p>The researchers chose to study the epaulette shark to better understand how ectotherms, species that match their body temperatures to the environment's, will respond to climate change.</p>
<p>"The epaulette shark is known for its resilience to change, even to ocean acidification," Dr. Jodie Rummer, co-author of the study <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-releases/future-too-warm-for-baby-sharks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told the ARC Centre in a statement</a>.</p><p>Epaulette sharks are only found in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and are often the subject of climate change studies because they thrive in captivity and are considered of little concern in the wild, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79953-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the study reported</a>. "So, if this species can't cope with warming waters then how will other, less tolerant species fare?" <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-releases/future-too-warm-for-baby-sharks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rummer asked</a>.</p><p>The scientists examined how 27 epaulette shark embryos grew and developed in average summer temperatures, 27 degrees Celsius, and temperatures predicted for the middle and end of the century, 31 degrees Celsius.</p><p>"The hotter the conditions, the faster everything happened, which could be a problem for the sharks," Carolyn Wheeler, lead author of the study, <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-releases/future-too-warm-for-baby-sharks" target="_blank">said</a>.</p>
<p>In hotter temperatures "the creatures hatched earlier, were born smaller, and needed to feed straight away, but lacked energy," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/12/australia/baby-shark-climate-intl-scli-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN reported</a>, and emerged from their egg cases after 100 days, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg-cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans-warmed-by-climate-crisis" target="_blank">The Guardian added</a>. But in the normal temperatures, the sharks emerged from the egg cases after 125 days.</p><p>Sharks could respond to warming temperatures in three likely ways, Rummer said, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg-cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans-warmed-by-climate-crisis" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. The first case is the sharks find colder temperatures, but only if they find the right habitat.</p><p>The second is the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sharks">sharks</a> could genetically adapt to warmer temperatures. But this is improbable because the sharks like the epaulette grow slowly and reproduce at low rates compared to other fishes, the ARC Centre wrote in a <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-releases/future-too-warm-for-baby-sharks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a>.</p><p>And the last case would be for the sharks to "disappear off the planet," Rummer told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg-cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans-warmed-by-climate-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>Since 1910, the Great Barrier Reef has warmed by 0.8 degrees Celsius. This warming impacts more than a species' biological processes, according to <a href="https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/threats-to-the-reef/climate-change/sea-temperature#:~:text=Sea%20surface%20temperatures%20in%20the,Celsius%20in%20the%20same%20period." target="_blank">Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority</a>, impacting a fish's swimming abilities and behavior.</p><p>Why does this matter?</p><p>"When sharks change their behaviour it affects the whole ecosystem," <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-will-sharks-respond-to-climate-change-it-might-depend-on-where-they-grew-up-150460" target="_blank">The Conversation reported</a> in an article that analyzed how the Port Jackson shark, a bullhead shark living in Southern Australia, responds to climate change.</p><p>Generally the top of the food chain, sharks play a critical role in ecosystem management.</p><p>"Port Jackson sharks, for example, are predators of urchins, and urchins feed on kelp forests — a rich habitat for hundreds of marine species. If the number of sharks decline in a region and the number of urchins increase, then it could lead to the loss of kelp forests," <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-will-sharks-respond-to-climate-change-it-might-depend-on-where-they-grew-up-150460" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Conversation reported</a>.</p><p>Similarly, "Sharks are important as predators because they take out the weak and injured and keep the integrity of the population strong," Rummer told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg-cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans-warmed-by-climate-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>The future of healthy ecosystems for baby sharks and other marine species seems grim. So what can be done?</p><p>Research on how individual species are impacted by climate change is a step in the right direction, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-will-sharks-respond-to-climate-change-it-might-depend-on-where-they-grew-up-150460" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> wrote, which can determine unknown resilience within species and highlight new populations at great risk.</p><p>Emphasizing "the importance of curbing our reliance on fossil fuels because climate change is affecting even the toughest little sharks," should come next, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg-cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans-warmed-by-climate-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rummer remarked</a>. "Our future ecosystems depend us taking urgent action to limit climate change," <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/media-releases/future-too-warm-for-baby-sharks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">she added</a>.</p>
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The Charley Fire northeast of Phoenix, Arizona was started by a lightning strike in 2012. Nic Leister / Moment / Getty Images
As the planet's temperature warms, the frequency of lightning strikes is expected to grow with it, Environmental Journal reported.
<p>Currently, lightning strikes the earth's surface nearly eight million times a day. This number is expected to dramatically increase as global temperatures rise, according to a <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/346/6211/851.abstract" target="_blank">study published by Science</a>. The U.S., for example, could experience a 50 percent increase in the number of lightning strikes by the end of the century, if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.</p><p>"The distribution of lightning is directly linked to the Earth's climate," Nathan Neal, a marketing director at Biral, <a href="https://environmentjournal.online/articles/the-future-is-not-forecast-how-lightning-is-affected-by-climate-change/" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "The daily and seasonal heating of the continental landmasses results in large temperature fluctuations, which influences atmospheric stability and the development of thunderstorms."</p>
<p>But lightning is more than just a symptom of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>. It also directly impacts the global climate, <a href="https://eos.org/science-updates/lightning-a-new-essential-climate-variable" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eos reported</a>. When lightning strikes, it produces nitrogen oxides, a strong greenhouse gas.</p><p>In the fastest-warming part of the planet, the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/arctic">Arctic</a> has reported an increase in lightning over the past decade. A<a href="https://www.essoar.org/doi/10.1002/essoar.10504658.1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> recent study suggests</a> that the number of annual summertime lightning strikes above a latitude of 65° North rose from around 35,000 in 2010 to nearly 250,000 in 2020, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03561-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nature reported</a>.</p><p>These results are a "symptom of global climate change," Robert Holzworth, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Washington in Seattle and leader of the study, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03561-1" target="_blank">said</a> in reference to the Arctic's two-year record for the largest area of land burnt by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildfires">wildfires</a>, some of which were ignited by lightning.</p>
<p>The Arctic is not alone in experiencing an increase in lightning strikes and resulting wildfires.</p><p>In August, 20,203 lightning strikes were recorded in California within just four days. Part of what CalFire called the "fire siege," the four-day event recorded more than half of the month's typical lightning total. More than 700 new wildfires followed, burning an area larger than the state of Delaware, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/08/28/heres-how-californias-worst-ever-wildfire-siege-occurred/?arc404=true" target="_blank">The Washington Post reported</a>.</p>
<p>So, how will the increase of lightning strikes cause future climate damage?</p><p>Unfortunately, monitoring lightning for climate science remains limited, <a href="https://environmentjournal.online/articles/the-future-is-not-forecast-how-lightning-is-affected-by-climate-change/" target="_blank">Nathan Neal wrote</a>.</p><p>"But it must not be forgotten that lightning is hazardous; it can strike and kill people, trigger potentially devastating wildfires, play a part in destructive floods and in the case of the U.S. can lead to the creation of tornados," he added.</p>
<p>Lightning, in relation to wildfires, is also an uncommon topic in public discourse, John Abatzoglou, an associate professor in management of complex systems at the University of California, Merced, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/23/climate/west-lightning-wildfires.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Forest,the%20most%20recent%20data%20available" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told The New York Times</a>. "We want to personify these fires. We want to blame somebody. But lightning doesn't have a face," he said.</p><p>Regardless of how climate change will impact lightning frequency, the resulting impacts of lightning strikes will grow more severe as the planet grows warmer and drier.</p><p>"Even if there were no changes in lightning frequency, the impact of warmer and drier conditions associated with climate change help make lightning more effective at igniting wildfires," Nina S. Oakley, a research scientist at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/23/climate/west-lightning-wildfires.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Forest,the%20most%20recent%20data%20available" target="_blank">told The New York Times.</a> "With drier vegetation, there is a greater likelihood of a lightning strike igniting a fire, and greater opportunity for that fire to grow."</p>
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A man hangs from the balcony in the Senate Chamber as a mob breaks into the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee / Getty Images
Wednesday's pro-Trump mob attack on the U.S. Capitol brought upon a flurry of responses from elected officials. "We now will be part of history, as such a shameful picture of our country was put out to the world, instigated at the highest level," Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California wrote in a letter to her colleagues, according to The New York Times.
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the rioters "tried to disrupt our democracy." "They failed," he added, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/insurrection.html" target="_blank">reported</a>. But the senators were not the only ones to respond.</p><p>"The violent mob that stormed the United States Capitol today, causing senseless loss of life, was there only because of the reckless and anti-democratic actions of Donald Trump," Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/trump-reaped-whirlwind-today-american-democracy-far-stronger-he" target="_blank">wrote in a statement</a>.</p>
<p>"Like the rest of the world, we watched the events at the U.S. Capitol in horror as anti-democratic zealots violently disrupted what should have been a ceremonial start to the peaceful transition of power after a free and fair election," David Yarnold, president and CEO of the National Audubon Society <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-history-and-we-will-hold-responsible-elected-officials-who-have-promoted" target="_blank">added</a>.</p><p>The Environmental Defense Fund and National Audobon Society were joined by a number of other environmental and conservation groups across the country to condemn President Donald Trump's incitement of the attack.</p><p>"Trump willfully infects our body politic with a seditious poison whose antidemocratic effects will linger for years," Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, <a href="https://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-calls-immediate-removal-president-trump-office" target="_blank">wrote in a press release</a>. He called upon principal officers of the executive branch to "immediately invoke the 25th Amendment to remove a demagogue who is manifestly unfit for office."</p>
<p>Greenpeace USA's Executive Director Annie Leonard also called for Trump's removal.</p><p>"Yesterday's white supremacist, anti-democratic attack on representative government was carefully and intentionally coordinated by Trump," Leonard <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/greenpeace-usa-demands-trump-be-removed-from-office/" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "Those responsible must be held accountable."</p><p>Many environmental groups underscored their statements with shared values for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a> and a healthy planet.</p><p>"Everything we stand for, all of the work we do to protect birds and the places they need, is predicated on the rule of law." Yarnold <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-history-and-we-will-hold-responsible-elected-officials-who-have-promoted" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote</a>. "We believe that those who have committed crimes today should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law — and those who enabled them should be held to account."</p>
<p>Sierra Club's Executive Director Michael Brune <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/01/sierra-club-executive-director-michael-brune-s-statement-violent-attack-us" target="_blank">said</a> the two new senators in Georgia will ensure "both chambers of Congress are led by those committed to creating a liveable planet, safe communities, and an inclusive democracy."</p><p>He added, "And now, we must use our power to expel Trump and the Trumpism that is attacking the core values and institutions of our country."</p><p>These statements follow a recent <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/07/environmental-movement-very-white-these-leaders-want-change-that/" target="_blank">reckoning</a> regarding the role of racism in environmentalism. Over the summer, activists called on environmental groups to recognize their roles "in perpetuating systemic racist policies and practices," <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/07/environmental-movement-very-white-these-leaders-want-change-that/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Geographic reported</a>.</p>
<p>"I need you to understand that our racial inequality crisis is intertwined with our climate crisis. If we don't work on both, we will succeed at neither," Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist and policy expert, wrote in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/03/im-black-climate-scientist-racism-derails-our-efforts-save-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Washington Post</a>.</p><p>"How can we expect black Americans to focus on climate when we are so at risk on our streets, in our communities, and even within our own homes?" She asked.</p><p>Although the responses made by environmental groups may not alone inspire equity in environmental spaces, they may be a stepping stone for environmental organizations to confront issues they haven't in the past.</p><p>"Let's call this what it is: a violent attempted coup by white supremacists hell-bent on suppressing the majority of people in America demanding progress and justice," May Boeve, 350.org's executive director <a href="https://350.org/press-release/us-white-supremacist-terrorism/" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "While militarized police attacked Indigenous water protectors at Standing Rock in 2016, and Black and brown protesters during racial justice uprisings of 2020, this is a racist and despicable contrast as right-wing insurrectionists attempt to revive the Civil War during a global pandemic, the day after the officer who shot Jacob Blake walked free."</p>
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A rendering of CORE's proposed installation of "Stories of Climate Change / Historias del Cambio Climático" mural project that will appear on three Colorado Mountain College locations across western Colorado. Carlos Ulloa-Jaquez
Richard Mode, a North Carolina sportsman, has a story to tell. He likes to fish for trout, but the water is warming and the fish are disappearing.
<p>But Mode's story is more than that. It's a catalyst for shifting climate beliefs among political moderates and conservatives. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08934215.2020.1799049?journalCode=rcrs20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A recent study</a> reveals growing evidence on the benefit of humanizing the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" target="_blank">climate crisis</a>, and one local initiative is actualizing it in a new project.</p>
<p>The Colorado non-profit CORE, The Community Office for Resource Efficiency, is calling upon the public to submit a self-portrait and a 90-second story to be featured on an upcoming mural installation. The murals will span three Colorado Mountain College buildings in western Colorado in the spring, <a href="https://www.aspentimes.com/news/core-wants-200-community-selfies-and-climate-stories-for-mural-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Aspen Times reported</a>. </p>
<p>"Climate change knows no boundaries," Mona Newton, executive director of CORE said in a <a href="https://aspencore.org/participate/stories-of-climate-change/#single/0" target="_blank">press release</a>. "We want to show the human diversity of this phenomenon, representing a breadth we don't usually see in the media or in the environmental movement."</p>
<p>Titled "Stories of Climate Change / Historias del Cambio Climático," the multicultural mural installation is part of French artist <a href="https://www.insideoutproject.net/en" target="_blank">JR's Inside Out global art project</a>, according to the press release. "We hope our portraits and personal stories will demonstrate that we are all in this together," Newton added.</p><p>The mural's goal to share local experiences of climate change underscores <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/21/how-americans-see-climate-change-and-the-environment-in-7-charts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">growing concern for the climate crisis</a> across the U.S.</p><p>Yet, compared to older generations, younger people are more willing to turn this concern into action, according to a study performed by the <a href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/young-adults-climate-activism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Yale Program on Climate Change Communication</a>. There's good reason for this. </p><p>A Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll of American teenagers found that 57 percent reported that climate change made them feel scared, while 52 percent said it made them feel angry. Only 29 percent of teenagers said they felt optimistic about climate change, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/02/03/eco-anxiety-is-overwhelming-kids-wheres-line-between-education-alarmism/?arc404=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to the Washington Post</a>. </p>
<p>So, how can <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_blank">climate change </a>communication motivate older generations?</p>
<p>"The scientists, we're interested in and motivated by the facts and figures and the raw numbers," Abel Gustafson, a postdoctoral associate at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, <a href="https://grist.org/climate/when-facts-fail-to-convince-storytelling-may-do-the-trick/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told Grist</a>, "but we oftentimes forget that most other people in our audience are not."</p>
<p>Currently, climate communication channels make the crisis seem distant, <a href="https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/personal-climate-stories-can-persuade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to an article by the Yale Program on Climate Communication</a>. But stories like that of the North Carolina sportsman portray climate change as an issue occurring today, and affecting a larger group of people. </p>
<p>Researchers of the Yale study shared Mode's personal account of climate change with political moderates and conservatives. The result? </p>
<p>Mode's story had a persuasive impact on listeners by shifting their climate change beliefs, the Yale Program on Climate Communication article found. It reported that the more people felt worried or compassionate, the more they adjusted their climate change beliefs. "Humans just aren't wired to care deeply about dangers that seem far away," Gustafson told Grist.</p><p>Personalizing climate change through human stories could inspire more people to understand the crisis beyond <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/anwr-trump-drilling-lease-auction-2649779271.html" target="_blank">polar bears in the Arctic,</a> for example, and connect it to their next-door neighbors or hobbies.</p><p>"These findings highlight the importance of sharing personal stories about how climate change is affecting people and ecosystems," the Yale article stated. They "underscore the importance of emotion as well as facts in climate change communication."</p>
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A drought leaves the grass dry and brown in a farm field in central California. JohnnyH5 / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Grasslands play a critical role in carbon sequestration. But a recent study found human activity is causing grasslands to become a source of greenhouse gas emissions.
<p>Covering approximately 25 percent of the earth's surface and containing nearly 12 percent of the land-based carbon stocks, grasslands are essential in supporting food and livestock production, <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/grassland-carbon-management#:~:text=Despite%20these%20slow%20changes%2C%20the,over%2050%20years%20(19)." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Climate Change Resource Center</a>.</p><p>Yet, citing the expansion of pasture lands and higher livestock numbers, researchers warn current management of grasslands is accelerating <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>.</p>
<p>Up until recently, natural and managed grasslands emitted and removed an equal amount of greenhouse gases, canceling each other out. Researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) sought to learn how these fluctuations in greenhouse gases have contributed to climate change in both managed pastures and natural grasslands, between the years of 1750 and 2012, <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/210105-grasslands-climate-change.html" target="_blank">according to an article by the IIASA</a>.</p><p>Through their model, the team of researchers found that the ability for natural and sparsely grazed grasslands to absorb more carbon has intensified over the past decade. Grasslands heavily managed by humans, on the other hand, became a source of greenhouse gases, emitting similar quantities of greenhouse gases to that of croplands.</p>
<p>"Our results show that the different human activities that have affected grasslands have shifted the balance of greenhouse gas removals and emissions more towards warming in intensively exploited pastures, and more towards cooling in natural and semi-natural systems," Thomas Gasser, an author of the study said, <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/210105-grasslands-climate-change.html" target="_blank">according to the IIASA</a>.</p><p>In response to their findings, the team of researchers called for countries to assess greenhouse gas budgets for both managed grasslands and natural and sparsely grazed grasslands.</p><p>"Full greenhouse gas reporting for each country could facilitate the assessment of progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and better link national greenhouse gas budgets to the observed growth rates of emissions in the atmosphere," <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/210105-grasslands-climate-change.html" target="_blank">the IIASA wrote</a>.</p>
<p>Currently, the U.S. Forest Service tracks the net carbon stock in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/forests">forests</a>, but only in some grasslands. The recently introduced <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/congress-calls-natural-climate-solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trillion Trees and National Carbon Storage Act</a> may change that.</p><p>"The Trillion Trees Act expands accounting and objective setting to also cover all grasslands, wetlands and coastal ecosystems," <a href="http://blogs.edf.org/growingreturns/2020/12/09/trillion-trees-natural-carbon-storage-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Environmental Defense Fund</a> wrote in a blog. "Incorporating these ecosystems into the national net carbon stock objective could help lead to much needed conservation and restoration," it added.</p><p>Efforts to conserve grasslands could also pose benefits to storing greenhouse gas emissions as wildfires in California grow more severe.</p>
<p>Grasslands sequester their carbon underground, unlike forests which hold carbon above in their biomass and leaves, a <a href="https://climatechange.ucdavis.edu/news/grasslands-more-reliable-carbon-sink-than-trees/" target="_blank">report by the University of California, Davis</a> states. When fires burn through the forests, this carbon is released. Researchers at UC Davis suggest that if global carbon emissions continue to increase, grasslands could be the only successful net carbon dioxide sink through 2101.</p><p>"In a stable climate, trees store more carbon than grasslands," said Benjamin Houlton, director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment at UC Davis, <a href="https://climatechange.ucdavis.edu/news/grasslands-more-reliable-carbon-sink-than-trees/" target="_blank">in the report</a>. "But in a vulnerable, warming, drought-likely future, we could lose some of the most productive carbon sinks on the planet."</p><p>While nearly half of all temperate grasslands and 16 percent of tropical grasslands have been transformed for agricultural or industrial use, according to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Geographic</a>, conserving grasslands to preserve soil health and reduce emissions from managed grasslands could provide a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions. </p>
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Phoenix, Arizona is a prime example of a city facing heat stress as the climate warms. Art Wager / Getty Images
While cities bear a heavy cost from the climate crisis, they could also lead the way in implementing climate adaptation strategies.
<p>A<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00958-8" target="_blank"> recent study</a> published by Nature Climate Change found that cities are at a greater risk than suburban and rural areas for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/heat-wave" target="_blank">heat stress</a>, water scarcity, air pollution and energy insecurity due to their design and population density, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210104114105.htm" target="_blank">Science Daily reported</a>.</p><p>Until recently, the ability to predict these future climate scenarios in cities remained unclear. </p><p>"Incorporating these types of small-scale variables into climate modeling is crucial for understanding future urban climate," Lei Zhao, a University of Illinois Urbana Champaign engineer and lead researcher of the study told Science Daily. "However, finding a way to include them in global-scale models poses major resolution, scale and computational challenges."</p><p>The team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Princeton University approached this "urban-to-global information gap" by combining a broader-scale process that predicts how greenhouse gas emissions impact the global climate and a statistical model that copies a model for urban landscapes, according to Science Daily. </p>
<p>By applying this technique to data from 26 global climate models, the researchers were able to make projections on temperature and humidity changes in cities through the end of the century.</p>
<p>"The model predicts that by the end of this century, average warming across global cities will increase by 1.9 degrees Celsius with intermediate emissions and 4.4 C with high emissions," Zhao told Science Daily.</p>
<p>"Our findings highlight the critical need for global projections of local urban climates for climate-sensitive urban areas," Zhao added. "This could give city planners the support they need to encourage solutions such as green infrastructure intervention to reduce urban heat stress on large scales."</p>
<p>In 2019, the <a href="https://www.maricopa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4959" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maricopa County Department of Public Health</a>, in Phoenix, Arizona, reported 197 heat-related fatalities. </p>
<p>"It was the highest number of heat-associated deaths on record for the county, and the fourth year in a row of record-setting heat deaths there," <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/climate-solutions/phoenix-climate-change-heat/" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported. "Those numbers are only expected to increase as the climate changes."</p>
<p>This year, Phoenix recorded its two hottest months in July and August. Building tall structures that trap heat and paving over the natural desert, which absorbs heat, are some of the ways in which the city's development has made it even hotter, the article stated. </p>
<p>"We talk about climate… as something mysterious and ambiguous that comes from the sky. But it is also something we are driving with the way we are paving our streets," David Hondula, a sustainability scientist at Arizona State University told The Washington Post. "Urbanization is a critical part of the story."</p>
<p>Solutions like Nature's Cooling Systems, a project aiming to implement green design in communities, could alleviate heat stress in Phoenix's <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/city-heat-air-quality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">neighborhoods</a>. </p>
<p>The project, a collaboration between The Nature Conservancy, Arizona State University and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, is designed to "revolutionize urban design by inverting the traditional top-down approach in which city planners dictate design from air-conditioned high-rises, routinely failing low-income areas," <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-phoenix-is-working-to-beat-urban-heat/" target="_blank">Scientific American</a> reported. "The program — along with a handful of other revitalization projects burgeoning around the country — views locals as experts on their neighborhoods."</p><p>Implementing shade coverings in neighborhoods, returning to traditional adobe building materials and designing courtyards that feature cooling towers are a few ideas being considered, according to Scientific American.</p><p>While communities in Phoenix adapt, hotter temperatures are a reality for more than just Arizonans. California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah also recorded their warmest Augusts on record this year, <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/summer-2020-ranked-as-one-of-hottest-on-record-for-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to NOAA</a>, making adaptation strategies a necessity for a warming country. </p><p>"We understand that necessity breeds invention," Kate Gallego, Phoenix's mayor, told The Washington Post. "And we hope… that we will produce the innovations that make it possible for people to adapt."</p>
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Gray langur sitting on ancient ruins, Ancient City of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Nick Brundle Photography / Moment / Getty Images
A lungless worm salamander, an armored slug and a critically endangered monkey were a few of 503 new species identified this year by scientists at London's National History Museum.
<p>"Once again, an end of year tally of new species has revealed a remarkable diversity of life forms and minerals hitherto undescribed," Dr. Tim Littlewood, executive director of science at the museum, <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/december/503-new-species-described-by-museum-scientists-in-2020.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told the National History Museum</a>. "The Museum's collection of specimens provide a resource within which to find new species as well as a reference set to recognize specimens and species as new."</p>
<p>Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the museum was closed to the public for part of the year. Yet, scientists, researchers, curators and associates continued to study the species' forms and structures and share their findings with the rest of the scientific community, Ken Norris, head of life sciences at the Natural History Museum, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/natural-history-museum-new-species-scli-intl-gbr-scn/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told CNN</a>.</p><p>"You're asking whether or not that new specimen is sufficiently different from anything else that's been seen before to be regarded as a new species," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/natural-history-museum-new-species-scli-intl-gbr-scn/index.html" target="_blank">he said</a>. "So you're describing it for the first time."</p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/" target="_blank">biodiversity rapidly declines</a> across the globe, identifying new species comes with a time constraint, Littlewood noted in an <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/december/503-new-species-described-by-museum-scientists-in-2020.html" target="_blank">article by the National History Museum</a>.</p><p>"In a year when the global mass of biodiversity is being outweighed by human-made mass it feels like a race to document what we are losing," <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/december/503-new-species-described-by-museum-scientists-in-2020.html" target="_blank">he shared.</a></p><p>Since 1900, the abundance of native species in land-based habitats has decreased by at least 20 percent, according to findings outlined in a <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Nations Report</a>. Over 40 percent amphibian species, nearly 33 percent reef-forming corals and over a third of all marine animals are threatened.</p>
<p>"503 newly discovered species reminds us we represent a single, inquisitive, and immensely powerful species with the fate of many others in our hands," <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/december/503-new-species-described-by-museum-scientists-in-2020.html" target="_blank">Littlewood added</a>.</p><p>Among the hundreds of species identified was a monkey called the Popa langur, found on the extinct Mount Popa volcano in Myanmar. <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/november/new-species-of-monkey-is-already-critically-endangered.html" target="_blank">According to the National History Museum</a>, the skin and skull of the monkey were collected over 100 years ago.</p><p>Scientists analyzed the coloration of the Popa langur's skin and bones and sampled its genetics to compare it to related species.</p><p>"Monkeys are one of the most iconic groups of mammals, and these specimens have been in the collections for over a hundred years," Roberto Portela Miguez, the senior curator in charge of mammals at the museum and involved in identifying the new species, <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/november/new-species-of-monkey-is-already-critically-endangered.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told the National History Museum</a>. "But we didn't have the tools or the expertise to do this work before."</p>
<p>The Popa langur is considered to be critically endangered with only 200 to 260 individuals remaining in the wild, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/30/moths-to-monkeys-503-new-species-identified-by-uk-scientists" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. As Myanmar rapidly develops, the monkeys are threatened by decreased forest habitats and increased hunting.</p><p>Naming the species, Miguez thinks, will help in its <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation">conservation</a>. "The hope is that by giving this species the scientific status and notoriety it merits, there will be even more concerted efforts in protecting this area and the few other remaining populations," he told the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/november/new-species-of-monkey-is-already-critically-endangered.html" target="_blank">National History Museum</a>.</p><p>"It has been a good year for discovering more amphibian and reptile species," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/30/moths-to-monkeys-503-new-species-identified-by-uk-scientists" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian reported</a>, noting the scientist's identification of a crested lizard from Borneo, two new species of frog and nine new snakes.</p><p>"At the moment we think that as a basic guess maybe 20% of life has been described in some shape or form," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/natural-history-museum-new-species-scli-intl-gbr-scn/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Norris told CNN</a>, expecting to identify hundreds of new species in the new year.</p>
<p>"Our understanding of the natural world's diversity is negligible and yet we depend on its systems, interconnectedness and complexity for food, water, climate resilience and the air we breathe," <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/december/503-new-species-described-by-museum-scientists-in-2020.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Littlewood told the National History Museum</a>. "Revealing new and undescribed species not only sustains our awe of the natural world, it further reveals what we stand to lose and helps estimate the diversity we may lose even before it's discovered."</p>
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Researchers have discovered at least 12 new deep-sea species in the Atlantic Ocean. cosmin4000 / Getty Images
At least twelve deep-sea species were recently discovered in the Atlantic, BBC News reported. After five years of research, scientists of the ATLAS Project, a transatlantic assessment and deep-water management plan for Europe, discovered new species of sea mosses, molluscs and corals.
<p>Although much of the deep sea remains unexplored, researchers warn that the impacts of climate change, like ocean acidification, could threaten deep-sea species and their habitats.</p>
<p>"We can still say we have better maps of the surface of the Moon and Mars than of the sea floor," Professor George Wolff, an ocean chemist from the University of Liverpool, told BBC News. "So whenever you go to the deep ocean, you find something new — not just individual species but entire ecosystems."</p>
<p>Professor Murray Roberts from the University of Edinburgh described the importance of deep-sea communities, such as those created by corals and sponges.</p>
<p>"If those cities are damaged by destructive human uses, those fish have nowhere to spawn and the function of those whole ecosystems is lost for future generations," Roberts told BBC News. "It's like understanding that the rainforest is an important place for biodiversity on the land; the same is true of the deep sea — there are important places that need to be protected and, crucially, they are all connected."</p>
<p>Protecting these places, however, could become increasingly difficult. The ATLAS researchers also found that ocean acidification, caused by an increase in carbon dioxide, reduces deep-sea habitats, BBC News reported. </p>
<p>Over the past two centuries, the ocean has absorbed nearly one-third of all emissions, according to <a href="https://oceanfdn.org/ocean-acidification/" target="_blank">research by The Ocean Foundation</a>. This has led the ocean's surface to acidify at an increasing rate.</p><p>"The ocean plays a fundamental role in mitigating climate change by serving as a major heat and carbon sink," <a href="https://oceanfdn.org/ocean-and-climate-change/#:~:text=The%20ocean%20plays%20a%20fundamental,major%20heat%20and%20carbon%20sink.&text=Ocean%20waters%2C%20ocean%20animals%2C%20and,dioxide%20emissions%20from%20human%20activities." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Ocean Foundation wrote on its site</a>. "The ocean also bears the brunt of climate change, as evidenced by changes in temperature, currents and sea level rise, all of which affect the health of marine species, nearshore and deep ocean ecosystems."</p><p>In their research, the ATLAS team found nearly 50 percent of the cold-water coral habitats were at risk of ocean acidification, the <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/12-new-species-found-deep-atlantic-climate-change-threatens-their-existence-3111189" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">International Business Times reported</a>. They also found that ocean acidification and fisheries threaten nearly 19 percent of deep-sea ecosystems. </p><p>Deep-sea corals are among those threatened, as they are growing more brittle as the ocean becomes more acidic, a<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00668/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> recent study published by Frontiers in Marine Science</a> found. </p>
<p>The Marine Science study sampled live corals and compared them to weakened human skeletons that suffered from osteoporosis. The results found that crumbling corals weakened similarly to human bones, according to <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917105321.htm" target="_blank">Science Daily</a>.</p><p>"By being able to adapt strategies to coral reefs that are used routinely to monitor osteoporosis and assess bone fracture risk, we may have powerful non-invasive tools at our disposal to monitor these fragile ecosystems," Dr. Uwe Wolfram of Heriot-Watt University told Science Daily. </p><p>The push to understand deep-sea ecosystems coincides with the beginning of the <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development</a>, set to begin in 2021. </p><p>In 2017, the United Nations announced an upcoming framework to ensure the protection and sustainable use of the ocean. Running until 2030, the program aims to mobilize communities to deepen their scientific understanding of the ocean and form science-based policies and mitigation strategies. </p><p>"The deep ocean can be so out of sight and out of mind that we're not really aware of what we're doing to its environments and the consequences of what we do," Professor Claire Armstrong, a natural resource economist from the University of Tromsø, told BBC News. "The value of all this knowledge is that it enables us to understand what we might risk losing." </p>
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Cambridge, MA Becomes First U.S. City to Mandate Climate Warnings on Gas Pumps
29 December 2020
Energy
An aerial view of Harvard Hall in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 16, 2020. Blake Nissen for The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts will mandate climate change warning labels on fuel pumps, The Guardian reported.
<p>The yellow stickers warn drivers that burning gasoline, diesel and ethanol has "major consequences on human health and the environment including contributing to climate change," making Cambridge the first U.S. city to do so, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>While similar mandates can be found in <a href="http://www.gronabilister.se/arkiv/artiklar-och-reportage/artiklar-2018/the-climate-impact-and-the-origin-of-all-fuels-in-sweden-will-be-declared-at-the-pump" target="_blank">Sweden</a>, a similar idea surfaced in Berkeley, California in 2014, but was never enacted, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-gas-pumps-post-warning-climate-change-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Insider</a>.</p><p>"The gas pump stickers will remind drivers to think about climate change and hopefully consider non-polluting options," a spokesman from the city of Cambridge told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTExNzM3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjcyOTE5NX0.9ZB7MnjzQkhihMb6CT5hjqdf8gH6Uwf07OCETV_u6P0/img.jpg?width=980" id="7e403" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="31d668b4db1928db7ca04634589914d3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="893" data-height="679" />
City of Cambridge
<p>In 2018, Cambridge updated its <a href="https://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/climateandenergy/climatechangeplanning/climateactionplan" target="_blank">Climate Action Plan</a>, aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The label mandate is a step towards achieving this goal and an attempt to reduce the city's transportation greenhouse gas emissions which account for almost half of the city's total, according to the <a href="http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2566&MediaPosition=&ID=10472&CssClass=" target="_blank">city's order</a>.</p><p>"Requiring these labels at the gas pump will provide consumers with information about the impact of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> consumption directly at the point of purchase," <a href="http://cambridgema.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2566&MediaPosition=&ID=10472&CssClass=" target="_blank">the order adds</a>.</p><p>"Labels are designed to create a feeling like someone has broken a rule or violated a law," Jamie Brooks, founder of the organization <a href="https://ourhorizon.org/think-beyond-the-pump/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Think Beyond the Pump</a>, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/25/massachusetts-city-to-post-climate-change-warning-stickers-at-gas-stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a>. "This feeling, along with increased social pressure, like smoking labels, can translate to a collapse in trust for the current system, thereby increasing the public appetite for alternatives."</p>
<p>Labels, warning drivers of their contribution to climate change, may encourage more people to reduce the effects of their fuel consumption, but the financial incentives of switching to alternative transportation methods, like <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles">electric vehicles</a>, remain unclear.</p><p>Considering the varying costs of gasoline and electricity across states, the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/electric-vs-gas-it-cheaper-drive-ev" target="_blank">NRDC reported</a> that in Washington state "the electricity required to run a battery-powered electric car can be as much as $14,480 cheaper than fueling up an internal combustion vehicle," according to <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/pdfExtended/S2542-4351(20)30231-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a study</a> published by the journal Joule. Yet, in Hawaii "charging up your electric car could ultimately cost $2,494 more than topping up a gas tank over 15 years."</p><p>While placing climate warnings on gas pumps may not alone transition the transportation sector off fossil fuels, they may link consumer choices directly with climate consequences – and inspire more to have conversations on climate change.</p>
<p>With historic wildfires in the American West and record-breaking hurricanes in the East, many Americans are witnessing the effects of fossil fuel combustion in their daily lives.</p><p>"Conversations about climate change have broken into everyday life, to the top of the headlines and to center stage in the presidential campaign," <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/climate/climate-change-future.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>. Evidently, more are asking, "Can this be reversed? What can be done to minimize the looming dangers for the decades ahead?"</p><p>A recent article by <a href="https://grist.org/climate/psychic-numbing-why-rising-covid-and-climate-change-death-tolls-no-longer-shock-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grist</a> analyzed society's "psychic numbing" towards these realities. "Climate change is going to be with us for the rest of our lives," Susanne Moser, a Massachusetts-based researcher told Grist. "How are we going to stay alert and respond effectively to something that is stuck with us for so long?" she asked.</p>
<p>Local initiatives, like mandating labels on gas pumps, could produce tangible ways for consumers to stay aware and take action.</p><p>"Warming labels are intentionally disruptive," <a href="https://grist.org/fix/guilt-at-the-gas-pump-warming-labels/" target="_blank">Brooks wrote in Grist with Drew Shindell</a>, a Nicholas Professor of Earth Science at Duke University. "A new gas-is-bad norm will help generate the necessary support lawmakers need to make public infrastructure investments like EV charging stations, bus rapid transit, and bike lanes, which will save money in the long run by circumventing future climate change and air pollution-related health problems."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTExNzM4OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTU3Njg5Nn0.VicpLJq3WPQv2OvUbK0rgM1zSheKybLL-gnw1QwxhR4/img.jpg?width=980" id="ff499" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b466eebad9faeba5c9f631cb3460524" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="675" />
City of Cambridge / Facebook
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A new study finds leaving lights on at night contributes almost two million tons of CO2 emissions a year. Design Pics / Kelly Redinger / Getty Images
Leaving the lights on at night could collectively cost parents $911 million a year, a recent study found.
<p>Commissioned by <a href="https://bulb.com/" target="_blank">Bulb</a>, a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-crisis-new-deal-2649521190.html" target="_blank">renewable energy</a> company, researchers analyzed the habits of 1,000 parents. The results found that 73 percent left the lights on for an average of six hours a night to mitigate their children's fear of the dark, costing households an extra $40 a year, according to <a href="https://medium.com/bulb-texas/how-to-fight-fears-of-the-dark-and-save-on-your-bills-fcbbca14eca2" target="_blank">Bulb</a>'s blog.</p>
<p>"Leaving lights on is also putting a wrench in the works for eco-conscious parents," Bulb wrote, resulting in almost two million tons of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/co2-emissions-mass-extinction-study-2648427335.html" target="_blank">CO2 emissions</a> a year, equivalent to powering 202,000 homes. </p>
<p>While turning the lights off at night can save money and lead to a more sustainable lifestyle, household lighting contributes to only five percent of a household's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/energy-news/" target="_blank">energy</a> consumption, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a report by the U.S. Energy Information and Administration</a>. Space heating and air conditioning on average consume more than half of a household's energy usage, depending on geographic location, size and structure, equipment and fuels. </p>
<p>"Environmentalists have long obsessed over the emissions associated with their lifestyle decisions — whether to fly, own a car, and eat red meat," <a href="https://grist.org/energy/footprint-fantasy/" target="_blank">Grist reported</a>. "The story that individual choices could save us has been repeated so many times that the idea often passes without discussion and plays an outsized role in policy discussions and company decisions."</p>
<p>Since 1988, 100 companies have contributed to 71 percent of the world's greenhouse gas, <a href="https://b8f65cb373b1b7b15feb-c70d8ead6ced550b4d987d7c03fcdd1d.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/cms/reports/documents/000/002/327/original/Carbon-Majors-Report-2017.pdf?1499691240" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a 2017 report found</a>. "If fossil fuels continue to be extracted at the same rate over the next 28 years as they were between 1988 and 2017, says the report, global average temperatures would be on course to rise by 4C by the end of the century," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian</a> reported. Among these companies were ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron. </p>
<p>"The belief that this enormous, existential problem could have been fixed if all of us had just tweaked our consumptive habits is not only preposterous; it's dangerous," Mary Annaise Heglar, a climate justice writer and co-host and co-creator of the Hot Take newsletter and podcast, wrote in an <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/28/18629833/climate-change-2019-green-new-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">essay published by Vox</a>. "We need to let go of the idea that it's all of our individual faults, then take on the collective responsibility of holding the true culprits accountable."</p>
<p>Since 2009, the number of Americans who consider climate change a major threat has grown from 44 percent to 60 percent this year, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/16/u-s-concern-about-climate-change-is-rising-but-mainly-among-democrats/" target="_blank">report by the Pew Research Center</a>. More may be inspired to ask: What can I do to help?</p>
<p>Understanding where emissions come from, whether driving to work, using household utilities, eating meat for dinner and flying across the country could motivate scalable climate action by shifting personal, everyday norms, <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-actions-reduce-carbon-footprint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ScienceNews reported</a>. </p>
<p>"Installing solar panels, buying an electric vehicle or adopting a more climate-friendly diet don't just increase the likelihood of others taking similar steps," Robert Frank, a Cornell University economist told <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/climate-change-actions-reduce-carbon-footprint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ScienceNews</a>. "It also deepens one's sense of identity as a climate advocate."</p>
<p>While incorporating individual actions into everyday life, like turning off the lights at night, may not alone achieve the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/paris-agreement" target="_blank">Paris Agreement</a> goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, small practices could be considered a step toward reducing residential emissions, which account for 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2020 study by <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/32/19122" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. Individual actions could also encourage climate action on a larger scale.</p>
<p>"So while personal actions can be meaningful starting points, they can also be dangerous stopping points," Heglar wrote in her Vox essay. "Start by changing your lightbulb, but don't stop there."</p>
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