Climate change is a very important topic effecting everyone. If we don’t try to solve or even minimize the problem then future generations would face the consequences. The harmful gases that we release into the environment has helped raised the temperature of the earth. In this essay I will be discussing how people are trying to adapt to global warming, from designing new homes for the change in the climate to using new fuel that is produced from global warming. We already face some of the effects of global warming, and it up to us to adapt to the changes.
First the raise in sea level has affected many people worldwide. It has caused them to move inwards towards higher elevations and away from the sea. If the sea continues to rise than there will be less land for humans to live on. If the sea level was to rise 1 meter, then most of the northeast coast would be under water.This would affect millions of people who in this part of the world. Image the millions it would affect all over the world.
Northeast US if the sea level increased by 1 meter . http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wrH0Gj-nDmE/ULa9ltIEoxI/AAAAAAAAElA/cS5f7xx2654/s1600/ne_1meter_lg.gif
What if instead of trying to stop the raise of the see level we adapt to it. Architects are trying to do just that. They are designing houses that float on the water. Architect Koen Olthuis is the innovator of hydro cities. He designs houses and buildings that float on water. His design of the Waterstudio’s Citadel in Westland Netherlands is a floating complex that has 60 units. The foundation is made of concrete and foam. On top of the foundation you can put whatever you want. You can even put a whole city block on the foundations. If you connect these blocks, you can create an entire city. With this new style of architecture, you wouldn’t have to worry about the rise in sea level. If the sea level rises than the house would rise with it.
Next, the use of gasoline is the main cause of global warming. After seeing the effects of global warming, the world is trying to use less gasoline to produce less carbon dioxide. What if I told you that you can produce the same amount of carbon dioxide and not contribute to global warming. Well the people at MIT are trying to do just that. They want to convert the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in to carbon monoxide and hydrogen.[3] From there they can turn carbon monoxide and hydrogen into fuel. The main problem that scientist face is getting the right proportion of carbon monoxide to hydrogen. They already know how to turn carbon monoxide and hydrogen into fuel. To turn the carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide it goes through a catalyst material. The put polystyrene beads into a conductive base. Then they electrodeposit silver on the surface. The beads dissolve and create carbon monoxide. With this new technology we wouldn’t have to change what we are doing when it comes to fuel. We can just recycle the carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
In conclusion, humans have always adapted to their environments and we know it is the time to do it again. There might not be a way to reverse what we’ve done, so we have to move forward and adapt to the consequences. We have to build houses that float on water and use fuel from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
[1] “Sea Level Is Rising 60% Faster Than Scientists Predicted.” Nature on the Edge of New York City, natureontheedgenyc.blogspot.com/2012/11/sea-level-is-rising-60-faster-than.html.
[2] Mun-Delsalle, Y-Jean. “Architects Worldwide Invent Groundbreaking Floating And Flood-Resistant Solutions To Climate Change.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/yjeanmundelsalle/2018/11/25/architects-worldwide-invent-groundbreaking-floating-and-flood-resistant-solutions-to-climate-change/#351e456311db.
[3] Chandler, David L. “From Greenhouse Gas to Green Fuel with a Catalyst Developed at MIT.” MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 20 Dec. 2016, www.technologyreview.com/s/602918/clean-fuels-from-greenhouse-gas/.
