I found Jessie's article The Climate of Man -- I; Annals of Science really interesting. It discusses the impact that global warming is having on the world. For example, because temperatures have been increasing dramatically (especially over the summer when it reaches a hundred degrees), we can mostly blame global warming for that.
This article does a good job of providing examples of global warming really impacting the world. The author uses anecdotes to address how harmful global warming has impacted society. For instance, in Alaska, there are people who depend on the icy weather to survive. Thanks to global warming, their sources (and homes) are disappearing, forcing them to flee. Global warming is also inconsistent. One day, the weather will be freezing cold; Another day, the weather will be scorching hot. What I learned from this article is the impact it is having on other parts of the world. Here, we don't really think about global warming as a huge concern because we just assume that the weather changes is typical "Chicago weather." Also, in this area, the impact of global warming isn't very extreme. When it did go to a hundred degrees over the summer, we were actually kind of glad because it gave us an excuse to go to the beach. Anyway, the anecdote about how much their society depends so much on the icy weather because this environment has been surviving for years, and it is traditionally what their ancestors followed. It never really occured to me that these people have to change their way of life just because of global warming.
It is important for this issue to be addressed to society so the audience can understand how it is impacting us. By us, I mean our society and other people in the world. Documenting this idea is important because it spreads awareness of what is really going on in the world. Because we are causing global warming to occur, it is our job to stop what we're doing so we can provide a safer and healthier environment for everyone else.
Lalita, this is a really interesting read (so also good on Jessie for choosing the article). I remember reading all throughout January that while we had one of our mildest winters in Chicago, Europe was absolutely bombarded with precipitation. But when I went to London for spring break, I was told that it was the warmest week of the year thus far, with temperatures reaching 75 degrees Fahrenheit and dialing right back down when we left. Our culture is defined by our crazy winter weather....is there one day we'll be defined by summer clothing? It doesn't necessarily affect people negatively (of course it's tearing up the environment and we need to stop it) but change is hard. I'd just be really interested to see how people are dealing with the change and if people are even benefitting from weather changes in their area.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment, Lalita, about how Chicagoans are, in a sense, ill-equipped to appreciate this because we already have a climate that's so variable. In these places that rely on cold weather it seems like the changes are so much more dramatic for them that it simply makes the issue more transparent.
ReplyDeleteHere's a suggestion: when you mention that there are people in Alaska who "depend on icy weather to survive," who are these people? How do they rely on icy weather? Can you give an example?