You’ve probably heard terms like global warming and climate change. You might have worked on school projects or science homework that revolves around these issues. But what does it actually mean for you? What will your world look like when you are 40? Can you imagine what 2050 will be like?
Let’s start with learning what the terms mean
- Global Warming1 is defined as the “rise in global temperatures due mainly to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.” What does this mean? Around the world, temperatures increase (on average) by a small amount every year. This change is caused by many factors, including how much fossil fuel (think: gasoline for cars, jet fuel, non-renewable sources of electricity) we have burned, how much methane (which mostly comes from animal poop–this is important to remember!) we release into the air, and how well or how poorly our planet is doing when it comes to things like having enough trees or clean ocean waters to help clean the air.
- Climate Change2 is “increasing changes in the measures of climate over a long period of time – including precipitation, temperature, and wind patterns.” Climate change can be a natural occurrence, and it is not the same as global warming.
- Feeling a little confused? That’s okay! NASA has a longer explanation on the differences.
Let’s Think About the Future
Before watching this video, remember that these are just scenarios of things that could happen if we don’t make any changes. They are not guarantees, and although it can seem scary or overwhelming, we still have time and the power to make the changes we need.
1. What is your favorite environment in Hawai‘i? (The beach, the mountains, the cities, etc.)
2. Do you think Hawai‘i is safe from the effects of global warming?
3. Who do you think is responsible for fixing some of the problems caused by global warming?
Now that you know about some of the problems we are facing in the future if we do nothing (and don’t worry–plenty of scientists are doing many different things!), imagine a world where you are in charge of trying to end global warming. What are some things you would do? How would they impact our many different populations around the world?
You can use this cool interactive simulator called En-ROADS to find out how some decisions impact the global temperature change. Slide the dots around on each option to see what happens when you make a change.
Visit the En-ROADS Simulator here.
Now that you have watched the video about 2050 and played with the En-ROADS simulator, you have an idea of what some of the changes are that can be made to slow or stop global warming. Think about the environment you are in right now — is there an action you can take to improve it, and contribute to reducing global warming? (For example: beach cleanups that stop plastic from going into the ocean or remove it, composting food on campus to benefit the garden and reduce waste, maintaining healthy plants around the area to contribute to cleaner air, etc.)
If you want to change some of the systems we’ve talked about, or if you want to explore the career opportunities that exist that are related to this discussion, use the tabs below to find career pathways, worksheets, and other information.
If you want to change the systems we’ve talked about, you should consider:
- Politics (city council, state, or federal government legislature jobs)
- Working for places like the Department of Land and Natural Resources or the Hawai‘i State Energy Office
- Science
- Marine science
- Meteorology
- Agriculture
- Fisheries
- Engineering
- Firefighting
- Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Response