The average global temperature is now two degrees warmer than it was in the 1700s. [Image generated by AI]The climate of the whole world is changing because of the rising temperatures. Scientists think that increasing levels of carbon dioxide gas in the air are making these changes worse.
The Earth is now an average of two degrees warmer than it was in the 1700s, before the start of the industrial revolution.
We should try to do two things: to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and to try to look after and encourage the wildlife in our local areas.
Wind energy is renewable and helps to reduce global warming. [Image from https://www.peterduffyltd.com/old-whittington-wind-turbine-generator/]Burning fuels, such as coal, petrol, gas and oil are the main ways that we add carbon dioxide to the air. As a country we are aiming to increase the amount of energy we produce from “renewable ” sources of energy that do produce carbon dioxide. Last year 45% of the UK’s energy was produced from such sources, which include wind, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear power.
We can think about switching from petrol to electric cars and to insulate our homes better to reduce the heat we lose to the air. We use less electricity and gas and save money at the same time!
We can recycle our food and drink cans [Photograph: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Food_and_drink_cans_in_recycling_bin.jpg, creative commons licence]We can recycle our waste, so it gets reused and this reduces the amount of energy needed to produce new goods. Reducing aluminium food trays, cans and foil can save about 95% of the energy needed to replace these products from raw materials.
We can grow more plants and grow more trees. Plants are very good at removing carbon dioxide from the air. Scientists are trying to restore lost habitats like forests, wetlands and marshes, that are very good at removing carbon dioxide from the air. This is called ‘rewilding’.
The Meadows next to Nowhere Wood is a rewilding project.
A bee hotel for sale in a local supermarket. [Photograph: Neil Ingram]We can encourage the wildlife in our gardens, parks and school grounds. Bird and bat boxes and bee hotels can provide places where birds, bats and solitary bees can live safely.
One candle on its own does not produce much light, but many candles can make a bright light. [Image: Neil Ingram and Google Gemini AI]
Solving the problem of climate change is difficult and needs all of us to work together to make it happen. Every person can make a small difference, but these differences add together to make a big change.
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