Do you ever think about climate change? Or maybe what a changing climate means for your children or grandchildren? Do you think about how your actions are impacting the climate? Do you ever start thinking about it and get lost because it seems like such a big problem that how can you possibly make a difference?
I do.
I think about it when I start my car on a cold day, and see the emissions rising into the atmosphere. I think about it when I hear about unprecedented 500-year floods in Ontario, snow falling in Texas, wildfires in California, water shortages around the world. I think about it when I see those images of starving polar bears. I think “What can I possibly to do help?” I cannot help those people in Texas, I certainly cannot fight wildfires in California. What can I do?
Here is what I came up with…
First, I did some research. Climate change is caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that trap the sun’s radiation. The number one greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (about 80% of the total greenhouse gases). The primary source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is from burning fossil fuels in our cars and our oil and gas furnaces. Forest clearing also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
I found out that trees and vegetation are referred to as carbon or emission sinks. This means that while they are breathing, they absorb carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into oxygen. Oceans and undisturbed soils are also emission sinks. The problem today is that we are emitting more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere than these natural sinks can handle. We are also cutting down our sinks (forests) to build houses.
During my research, I found out that climate modelling is an evolving science, but the projections have remained relatively consistent. These models say that under a business-as-usual greenhouse gas emission scenario, Southern Ontario is projected to experience a 4 – 4.5 °C increase in annual temperature, with greater increases in winter months compared to summer months. Northern Ontario would experience a more significant increase of 4.5 – 6 °C. Precipitation will increase minimally in some parts of the province, with more lake effect precipitation and more frequent extreme weather events including heavy rains, wind, and ice storms.
This increasing temperature is expected to impact some of our tree species, which will move north and be replaced by faster growing species from areas south of us. Fish will be affected as waters will warm, stream flows will change, and oxygen levels will decrease. Coldwater species such as brook trout, may lose 50-60% of their habitat in Ontario, while cool and warmwater species, such as walleye and smallmouth bass, may see a 50-80% increase.
What I discovered is that the solution is going to involve a huge shift in the way we operate as well as a huge investment by the government in research and technology. This means that as individuals we need to consider who we are voting for in local, provincial and federal elections. Are these people ready and willing to tackle climate change? Have they taken the time to understand the issue? Are they smart enough to listen to the people who have? We also need to stop destroying our forests (carbon sinks) and keep planting trees. As a community, we need to ensure that when land is cleared for new homes, we are replacing the trees that we destroy and maybe even planting more.
For individuals, here is what I suggest. Plant trees when you can – take advantage of the incentives offered by the federal and provincial governments. Contact Otonabee Region Conservation Authority to find out how you can purchase inexpensive trees to plant on your land. Join and support local initiatives including Trout Unlimited Millbrook, and For our Grandchildren, who are looking for solutions, and helping to create climate-resilient communities. Speak to your neighbors about climate change. The more we know, the better equipped we are to come up with solutions. Speak to your local politicians. Ask them what they know about climate change and hold them accountable for finding solutions.
What I found on the journey was that although there is a lot of doom and gloom around climate change, it is not all bad news. It is also not too late. We can make changes, but it really does start with us. If you are interested being part of the conversation, you can find out more about Trout Unlimited here (https://tucanada.org/millbrook-chapter/) and For our Grandchildren here (www.4rg.ca).
By Cori Carveth – Trout Unlimited Millbrook
