There are many different solutions that we as a society can do to help prevent climate change. When I think about ways to prevent climate change I think about the switch to renewable energy instead of relying on fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases play a huge role in climate change. But as much as we try to move to renewable energy there is still some places that still rely on fossil fuels. Honestly, to me the idea of preventing climate change in 2017 seems near impossible. Yes there are plenty of organizations that help to prevent it, but the problem of climate change isn’t usually on the top of everyone’s list. So if we can’t prevent it, maybe we can adapt to it?
Humans have been able to create solutions and adapt to problems countless of times. So it is no surprise to me when I read about several groups of people using their creativity to help find their own solutions to climate change. The New York Times recently put out an article that shows several different instances where people are trying to adapt to climate change and maybe even reverse it to save the environment and the people living in it.
Over in the northeast science station of Chersky, Russia, two scientists Nikita Zimov and Sergei Zimov have been trying to revive the ice age steppe ecosystem in today’s Siberian arctic. The idea was that during the Pleistocene geological era the Siberian arctic was a productive ecosystem. By reviving the ecosystem it could help reduce global temps by preventing its permafrost from melting. When melted the microbes in the soil could start to produce high levels of greenhouse gases.
Another area that has been affected by climate change is the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists have been saying that large parts of the Great Barrier Reef had been killed by rising sea water temperatures. Researchers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science are trying to find solutions to help protect and repair the reef. Some of the solutions that has been discussed is assisted gene flow and assisted evolution. The idea behind assisted gene flow is to move corals that have adapted in Australia’s warmer northern climate to the southern cooler waters. The idea behind assisted evolution is to interbreed the most resilient corals that have survived past bleaching events. We tend to forget how important coral reefs are to our environment and to the ocean so it is important that we find ways to protect them.
Even though it might not seem like society as a whole isn’t paying much attention to climate change, we can always count on some people to help create and find innovative ways to adapt and protect our surroundings. The most important thing is to send these positive messages out and let everyone know it isn’t too late to make a change and any change in right direction will go a long way.
