Climate change, which occurs when there is a change in average weather conditions such as rainfall and temperature, has been one of the major problems that our earth has been facing. Though climate change has been causing changes to our earth for over thousands of years, it started becoming a national issue back in June 1988. Even if it may not seem like it, climate change is one of the most important and threatening issues that is not only affecting our planet, but it is also affecting us personally.

To begin with, climate change started becoming a problem because of humans. For hundreds of years, fossil fuels have been burning in order to provide electricity, transportation, and everyday materials such as steel and plastic. When this process occurs, a fair amount of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, causing heat to trap and move its way up to space. Because of the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the planet increasingly has a rise in temperature by one degrees Celsius. Although it is normal for earth to experience warm temperatures. When warmer seasons come, too much heat can cause great damage to Earth itself.

When it comes to climate change, we are also greatly affected just as Earth is. As the fossil fuels are being burned and the greenhouse gases are released into the air, we inhale that, which leads to serious health problems such as asthma, heart attacks, strokes, stress, and anxiety. Since air pollution affects respiratory health and the toxic air pollution is constantly being inhaled, approximately seven million people die from it every year, according to the World Health Organization.

No matter how different we may be, we still eat for our health, energy, and survival. Not only is climate change affecting our health, but it also has a huge impact on our food. The toxic substances that roam in the air because of fossil fuels cause fruits and vegetables to become less nutritious. The excess CO2 can result in the cycle of photosynthesis to be more rapid, which leads to a decrease in vital nutrients such as calcium and zinc.

It may seem like climate change has done a great amount of damage to both the environment and us, but there are still a few ways that it can be reversed. One way it can be reduced is if companies would stop releasing emissions into the atmosphere. The earth would still continue to experience a rise in temperature, but the currents of the ocean would get the heat and take it back to the ocean, which would be stabilized. Another way that global warming can be reversed is if we plant trees and reduce deforestation. This is because trees naturally absorb the carbon dioxide into the air and release oxygen back in order to keep the air clean. If there is a reduction in CO2, then global warming would not be as severe as it is right now. Even though global warming may not be stopped overnight, there is still time that it can be fixed before there is more damage to be done.