A Guide to Climate Change for Kids

Introduction: What is Climate Change?

Climate change is the global phenomenon of rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns. It is caused by greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. Greenhouse gasses are gases that act like a blanket over the Earth’s surface. They are the primary cause of climate change, and they get trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. These gasses include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The reason these gasses get trapped is because they react with certain atmospheric components to form heat-trapping gases.

Some of the climate change facts about the Earth's changing climate include:

- The Earth's average temperature has risen by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880.

- Global sea levels have risen by 8 inches since 1880, which increases flood risks worldwide.

- The frequency of heat waves has doubled since 1976, and their duration has increased by 5 days on average in some regions.

- In some regions, precipitation is increasing while other areas are experiencing drought due to rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns.

What the World's Leading Scientists Say About Climate Change

Climate change has been linked to human activity and threatens to cause more extreme weather events, like hurricanes and heat waves. In response to these changes, some people are starting to take action by reducing their carbon footprint and fighting for climate justice.

Transportation is one of the largest causes of global warming and air pollution. Transportation greenhouse emissions are the second-largest contributor to overall global warming, accounting for approximately 27% of all greenhouse emissions.

Landfills are a major source of methane emissions and contribute to climate change. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term but less so in the long term. If left unchecked, landfills could produce enough gas to match the annual emissions from all cars and trucks on earth by 2050. Cows produce methane gas in large quantities due to. our mass manufacturing of beef. In fact, cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane gas a year. This is more than what all the cars in the world produce combined in a year.

Climate change is a reality that is affecting everyone on a global scale. It's the result of human activity and it's happening now in real-time. The consequences of climate change now include intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms, and declining biodiversity.

What We Can Do To Help Stop Climate Change From Happening

Non-renewable energy sources are resources that can not be replenished at or near the rate they are used. Non-renewable energy sources include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. These are found deep within the Earth’s crust and take millions of years to be formed. These energy sources are the fossil fuels that we use to get our energy.

There are some things that we can do to help stop climate change from happening. The first thing is to reduce your carbon footprint by using renewable energy! The world is rapidly adopting renewable energy. It's more environmentally friendly, though some renewable methods are more expensive. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal represent the way of the future. Try or riding a bike at school or work, or use public transportation.

The second thing is to make sure that you are recycling and composting. Decreasing the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills will help decrease our methane emissions into the atmosphere.

The third thing is to make sure that you are not wasting water and electricity. The world is more aware than ever before of the importance of limiting water resources and conserving water. It is time to get serious about eliminating wasteful habits such as watering letting the faucet run when you’re brushing your teeth, taking long showers, or having laundry loads that are less than half filled. The same goes for electricity! Turn the light off when you are not in the room, don’t fall asleep with the TV on, and so much more!

Conclusion: Why is it important for kids to learn about Climate Change?

Climate change is a global issue that affects everyone. It is important for children to learn about climate change so they can be more aware of the world around them and take action when necessary.

Awareness of climate change should start at an early age. This way, children will be able to understand the effects of climate change and what they can do to help prevent it from happening in the future. Children are our future, so it's important for them to be educated on this topic at a young age so they can possibly enter career paths to help solve this issue!

At Ivy Camps USA, our courses help push kids to think about real-world issues and provide solutions to them. Our young camper, Zain, gave his final project presentation on global warming and what we would need or do to help work toward a better future. For more information on our programming and our Certificate Pathway programs, click here and schedule a free consultation!