A Degree of Concern for Human Beings

By Chris Gullotta

At 1.5 degrees Celsius warming, NASA projects that “climate-related risks to human health, food, employment, food security, human security, water supply and economic growth will all increase. Vulnerable and disadvantaged populations and some communities of indigenous peoples and communities with livelihoods based on agricultural or coastal resources will be at highest risk.

The risks include sea level rise, leading to coastal flooding and erosion, changes to coastal water supplies, risks to marine life and more intense tropical storms.

No matter what you may think of the causes, the climate is changing. With rising temperatures and more violent weather come a host of issues that affect how we live. Your finances, your choice of where to live, your health and your normal activities will all be impacted.

Examples of Finance Strain

Rising home insurance rates are due to the devastation of freezes, floods, hurricanes, and fires. Many insurance companies fear that things may get even worse and are preparing increases for their clients. For example, with $20 billion in debt from massive hurricane payouts FEMA raised its premiums in 2020 by an average 11.3!

The chaotic weather affecting farming conditions all over the world causes more expensive groceries.

Where Will You Live?

Hotter temperatures are already shifting the “retirement” map and chronic weather problems are causing coastal home values to drop.

What are some health issues?

Seasonal changes are causing more allergies, bug bites, difficulty in breathing and heat related ailments. Rising ozone levels are causing more lung disease.

Climate Change is here. What may each of us do to try to limit our personal contributions to this global issue?

Park your car. Reducing by half the number of trips under a mile could save 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Walking more is good for your health.

Unplug electricity vampires. “Always on” devices like phone chargers, coffee makers and electronic toothbrushes eat up 23 per cent of U.S. home power, says the National Resource Defense Council. Unplug what you aren’t using including TVs and computers.

Eat less meat. U.S. livestock cattle are responsible for 3.9 percent of domestic greenhouse gas emissions, the EPA says. Meat eaters who cut back to 3 servings per week could reduce their greenhouse gas footprint by over 500 pounds annually.

There are many more things we each may do. Get “The Good Guide to Reducing Your Environmental Impact”, it’s a free download. You’ll Get 26 Tried-And-True Ways to Do Your Part for The Climate Crisis.