As a student at Suffield High School who suffers from climate anxiety, I decided to measure my climate impacts. From November 3 through 8 (an average week), I tracked how many miles I spent in a vehicle – 192 miles in a car and 199 miles on a bus – 391 miles in total. This produced about 900 lbs. of carbon collectively, not taking into account the number of lbs. per person, simply the vehicle itself.
According to the EPA, the U.S. emitted 6.36 GT (gigatons or 1 billion tons) of carbon dioxide in 2022. Based on estimates by the UN Environment Programme, the globe emits around 57 GT annually. The amount of carbon humans produce today is more than ever before, with emissions rising. So where does all this CO2 go?
The oceans and atmosphere.
The ocean naturally absorbs CO2. Before industrialization, there was a balance; oceans produced 780 GT of carbon and absorbed 780 GT. But now, the oceans have to absorb 837 GT. The atmosphere also absorbs CO2; the International Panel on Climate Change reports that global average temperatures have risen 1.4°C since 1880, with predictions that it will rise by 3°C at the end of the century.
Even though 1°C doesn’t sound like a lot, these changes are affecting the ocean systems. According to The World Counts, each second that goes by 24,000 tonnes of ice melt as a result of warming. About 1.44 billion tonnes of ice have melted in the minute it took you to read here. The warming and melting ice affect ocean currents and cause acidification, as well as sea level rise.
Ocean currents occur because cold dense water sinks, and warm less-dense water rises. But melting ice adds freshwater (which is less dense), and rising sea surface temperatures decrease water density, affecting established currents. NASA predicts that should the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation collapse (although it is unlikely to before 2100) the tropical rain belt would shift, Europe would dry, and monsoons in the Southern Hemisphere would strengthen.
A more immediate threat is acidification; the increased CO2 reduces the ocean’s buffering capacity and causes pH to decrease. This greatly affects ecosystems in the ocean where keystone species, like coral, can’t sustain higher acidity and are eradicated, collapsing ecosystems altogether.
Because of the melting ice, every year, ocean levels rise 1/8 of an inch, which may not seem like a lot, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has determined that by 2030 high-tide flooding will be 2-3x greater and more frequent, greatly affecting coastlines in the U.S. Already, floods currently occur 100-150% more frequently compared to the 2000s along the Northeast Atlantic coastline.
Climate change causes other impacts beyond the oceans. Carbon emissions don’t just mean warmer temperatures; they mean more extreme climate conditions and more frequent natural disasters. For example, in the early 2000s here in Suffield, there were fewer than 10 days in the year when maximum temperatures were over 95°F, but by the end of the century Suffield is predicted to have over a month’s worth of maximum temperatures over 105°F (according to the Climate Explorer developed by US federal agencies). In fact, these predicted numbers for Suffield are similar to current numbers for densely populated cities in Europe this past summer.
In general, northern developed countries, such as the U.S., will experience dimmed effects of climate change. Underdeveloped, southern countries and coastal lands will absorb the brunt of the impact, leading to a trend in migration patterns where those who can afford the costly trip begin to move inland and northward.
Climate change can be worrisome. What small steps can we take to reduce its impact and help the environment as a collective effort?
There are a myriad of actions within your daily life that could positively impact the climate. If you’re a high schooler – like me – you could take the bus or walk to and from school. If you’re an adult with a family and need a new car you could look at an electric or hybrid vehicle and save money on gas. A small action I’m taking is setting our thermostat 3°F lower now in winter and wrapping an insulation blanket around the water heater. You could schedule a home energy assessment which can provide energy-saving devices for free, cutting costs and carbon emissions. These small simple actions, done collectively by all of us, will combine to reduce carbon emissions and decrease the harmful impacts of climate change.