An Open Letter to Climate Change

Dear Climate Change,

I have wanted to write an Open Letter to you since I started this blog. At the beginning of each week, I would think "yes, maybe this time!" But, of course, since we are living with Donald Trump as our president, something else more pertinent would always come up.

My struggle to find time to write about climate change is exactly how this country (and the world) has approached the issue. Something more important always comes up, pushing ideas about climate change to the backs of our minds to be forgotten. I can say, without a doubt, that climate change is not a priority for most of our politicians. There are so many other immediate problems worth being solved that an issue as abstract as climate change usually ends up taking a backseat.

That is until we are actually affected by climate change, as millions of people are right now by hurricane Florence.

I remember how I was feeling right about this time last year: terrified. Hurricane Irma became one of the strongest storms we Floridians have seen since hurricane Charley in 2004. And it was headed straight for my home.

Even though I was in Georgia at the time, my mind couldn't help but assume the worst. I recall repeatedly thinking that when I left for school in August, it was going to be the last time I would see my home. Now, it sounds like a silly exaggeration but, at the time, my fear was very real, especially in the wake of hurricane Harvey which devastated Houston just weeks earlier.

Many of my friends and family living in Florida evacuated, including my parents, sister, and dog who drove up to stay in Atlanta with me. Fortunately, our home remained in tact and those close to me stayed safe through the storm. However, thousands of people weren't so lucky, especially in Puerto Rico where hurricane Maria swept through a week later. Most of them still have not sufficiently recovered.

Aftermath of hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

As I am following Florence this week, I feel totally helpless and depressed. Unlike Florida, the states that are going to be hit by Florence do not have the infrastructure to withstand a hurricane of this magnitude. Every news network that I have seen has predicted disaster.

What are we supposed to do with all of this information? Watching a hurricane close in on its victims leaves one feeling utterly and completely powerless. There is absolutely nothing we can do to prevent the damage that is going to be done.

When I feel incapable and useless, as I do now, I write. So, strap yourselves in because we're having a lesson about climate change.

Across the United States, there is a grave misunderstanding of climate change, greenhouse gases, global warming, and all those other terms that are thrown around. I intend to explain them, so (1) you understand how important it is that we CHANGE our ways, and (2) you can explain to other people the dangers of climate change.

Let's start with Earth's history. Earth is roughly 4.5 billion years old. Before humans, the Earth still experienced changes. Generally, the climate cycles through periods of cooling (AKA Ice Ages) and warmer periods between these cooling times (AKA interglacials). If you look at any graph or diagram charting Earth's climate history, you will see these changes over long periods of time.

Earth's temperature changes over the past 450.000 years.

So how do greenhouse gases, climate change, and global warming fit into Earth's history? If we naturally experience periods of warming and cooling, then why is it a big deal that the Earth is getting a couple degrees warmer?

That's where greenhouse gases come in.

You might be surprised to learn that greenhouse gases (GHGs), in a balanced quantity, are GOOD. There are tons of gases that make up GHGs, but the main ones are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and some other fluorinated gases.

Whoa, whoa, slow down. Everything I've seen on the news says that greenhouse gases are bad!

I believed this too before I learned more about the atmosphere (which I did last semester). The greenhouse effect, on its own, helps keep our Earth warm and livable. Without it, the Earth's environment would be far harsher and we would be vulnerable to the sun's harsh rays.

GHGs (especially water vapor and carbon dioxide) are known as "selective absorbers," meaning that they absorb some of the sun's radiation. This radiation warms the Earth and makes it livable. Therefore, without GHGs, none of us would be here.

So, then, what's the problem?

The issue emerges when there are too many GHGs, because then more and more heat is being trapped. Humans add GHGs to atmosphere everyday. What we have done to expand human development (deforestation, traveling, etc.) has dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Because carbon dioxide is such a strong absorbent, more radiation gets trapped.

More heat on the Earth causes lots and lots of problems. Higher temperatures (Global Warming) have wreaked havoc on coral reefs, caused droughts, melted Arctic and Antarctic ice, threatened thousands of species, and provided warmer oceans for stronger and more erratic hurricanes.

Global Warming is only going to make the hurricanes we have seen in these past two seasons worse and worse. There is a term known as "global weirding," which describes how warmer temperatures make heat spells hotter and cold spells colder. It also increases ocean acidification and raises the sea level. With time, things are only going to get worse than they are now.

Even a two degree difference in the Earth's temperature will have startling ramifications. Many climate change deniers have argued that this small difference would not have the effects that scientists predict. However, as my professor last semester framed it, imagine if your body temperature increased by two degrees. You'd have a fever.

The Earth exists in a very delicate balance. We have disturbed that equilibrium, and these destructive hurricanes are just one consequence of our actions.

Global Warming is a real and alarming threat to the lives of every human being on Earth, and every human being who will be on Earth in the future.

We have crossed a threshold, where there is no way to undo what we have done. We can't stop hurricane Florence from barreling into the continental United States. We can't bring back the blue macaw, which went extinct in the wild earlier this week. We can't hit undo and expect our problems to go away.

What we can do is make environmental policy a priority. Yes, the opioid crisis and the economy and human rights are all important things that we need to talk about and work together to make better.

But, I would argue that climate change is the biggest human rights issue of all because it affects all of us.

Even you, Mr. Trump.

Yours truly,

P.S. If you want to learn more about some of the effects of climate change, I highly recommend the documentary "Chasing Coral" on Netflix. The best way to fight back is to be informed!