Effects of Climate Change

10/25/11

Fifty foot waves, more prevalent heat waves, dwindling drinking water availability, natural disaster increase, etc. All of these could become a reality if we don't drastically change our current lifestyles. Calamity Calling asked people they were most afraid about in regards to climate change. With no surprise, many of the fears expressed regarded natural disasters and other negative affects on humans.

One of the many concerning results from climate change include the increase in natural disasters, fresh drinking water sources drying up and others. The former has already been seen in events like "Superstorm" Sandy that hit the East Coast, especially New York City and Long Island. These freak disasters will become more and more frequent as the climate becomes hotter and hotter allowing for such devastating events to take place.

The idea that natural disasters are going to be more common, and that climate change is both real and terrifying have seemingly gained some public traction over the past couple of years, notably with the movie 2012. Maybe not a completely accurate representation of the possible affects of global climate change, it was still a good way of showing the public a hopefully exaggerated depiction of how the world will be as climate change surges forward. This movie had it all in terms of global natural disasters - Everything from "megatsunamis" (As depicted by the IMDB Storyline page), to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength. Everything that could go wrong, did. Some people are scared that the same can happen in real life, and if we continue to ignore climate change, it very well may.

These natural disasters are then exacerbated by our already dwindling amount of drinking water around the world, including much of Texas and Southern California as well as globally. Once these natural disasters hit, as both a nation (The U.S.) and as a global society, governments try to send aid or support in times of need to the unfortunate people affected. One of, if not the most important resources is drinking water. If natural disasters become more prevalent, more drinking water will have to be sent from other parts of the world as aid. This can greatly affect areas around that world that already have drinking water problems.

Drinking water availability is a real problem happening right now in some Texas towns. In areas with an already stressed fresh water capacity, fracking has made sure that these towns have no water at all. Due to the already very strained aquifers in Texas, many fracking operations have taken the last drops of water without any care for the local residents who need the water. As global climate change takes place, these already problematic instances will become even more so.

In order to better prepare ourselves for these seemingly apparent disasters and problems, we need to first do our best to reduce the overall influence we have on the environment. The less we affect the climate, the less adverse affects will be seen. Following that, resource management and public knowledge of natural disasters and natural disaster procedures should be more readily taught and practiced.

"Rising sea levels, sever droughts, the melting of the polar caps, the more frequent and devastating natural disasters all raise demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief." (Leon Panetta)