As of recently, climate change is starting to have more and more noticeable effects on our everyday lives. From continuous hurricanes along the coasts, to 110 degree summers in the south – everyone is feeling the effects. These horrific conditions have brought plenty of issues to wildlife and sea animals all over the world.
Recently, the weather has been changing quickly, and becoming more intense. Rather than evenly distributed precipitation, the US has been experiencing much more “single day precipitation events”. Things like this have been throwing off the balance of many ecosystems, and harming animal routines throughout the year. Additionally, the US has been seeing a drastic increase in record high temperatures, while the number of record lows have been seeming to become more rare. Changes like these may seem insignificant at the moment, but as these changes add up, they will bring a huge impact to ecosystems all around the world.
Over the summer, 101 degree waters were recorded just off the coast of Florida, gaining the title as the hottest ever recorded for regular sea water. These extreme water temperatures, averaging around that of a hot tub, are causing some of the most intense coral bleaching ever seen in the area of Florida. These temperatures are not only harming coral reefs, but also animal populations and food sources, even throwing off algae growth patterns.
Over this past summer, some of the most noticeable effects of human caused global warming have shown all over the world, and unfortunately, this may be the thing that will actually bring attention to the topic. Despite global warming being a known issue for years, many people have simply brushed it off, or even denied it – that is until their AC bills start to rack up. Because of these horrible effects, many more people have gotten their attention pulled to the subject, and this may even push real change. Though it is an unfortunate reality, people will often only begin to empower change if it affects them. Some companies are shifting their focus for more sustainable futures, but we need more attention, and more pressure to make a change, so that we can enjoy our summers in future years.
Cites
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/noaa-and-partners-race-rescue-remaining-florida-corals-historic-ocean
https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/weather-climate
