What comes to mind when you hear the words "Code Red"?
Ko Barrett is Deputy Assistant Administrator for Research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), or in short, an expert on Climate impacts and policy. She recently said, "Unless we make immediate, rapid and large scale reductions in green house gas emissions, limiting warming to 1.5C (2.7 F) will be beyond reach. Each bit of warming will intensify the impacts we are likely to see."
Last Monday the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) released a 3500 page report after 10 years of research by hundreds of scientists. The United Nations Secretary call this a "Code Red for humanity" and "stark warning" for humans. CO2 levels have not been this high since 2 million years ago. Temperatures are close to the tipping point. Resulting droughts and intense heat are creating fires and burning in many parts of the earth. Oceans have risen over 8 inches in the last century and sea rise will intensify as fast melting occurs in Greenland and Antartica.
Want to help and do your part? An article in Yahoo Climate news suggested 7 things you can do right now:
1. Eat less meat and switch to a more plant base diet. Start by eating meat at only one meal a day. Think of all the tress cut down to create more pastures for cows, not to mention the methane* they release. *Methane is a potent "heat trapping" gas.
2. Reduce food waste by throwing away less food. Worm bins work quickly and efficiently to convert waste into fertile soil. One half of all food produced in the world today is wasted, producing methane gas in landfills.
3. Adopt clean energy alternatives that are available to you.
4. Plant a lot of trees They help remove excess carbon from the air through photosynthesis. Don't forget to water until they are established.
5. Cut down on Flying Presently air travel accounts for 4% of carbon. Economy travel leaves less of a footprint.
6. Weatherize your home to prevent loss of heat. Check for drafts.
7. Vote with climate change in mind. One march sign said "Bad Politicians Ruin the Planet"