Climate change is arguably the greatest environmental threat that humanity has ever faced. There is no country that isn’t experiencing its devastating effects. Ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up during the winter, trees are flowering too soon, plant and animal ranges have shifted, glaciers have shrunk, storms are now stronger and more frequent, and heatwaves are intense and severe. We are living with the consequences of a changing climate, and what’s worse, we are doing nothing to remedy the situation. [1]
Greenhouse emissions — which trap the sun’s heat and stop it from leaking back into space — is on the rise, waste continues to be disposed of improperly, and deforestation is still the order of the day. Over the past century, the earth’s average temperature has gone up 1.4° F and is expected to rise as much as 11.5° F over the next decade. [2]
The truth is, climate change has become a global problem that we can no longer ignore. [3]
If you’re still indifferent, look no further. These images will show you the severity of the problems we are facing.
1. A lone crab floats inside a plastic cup near the surface of the waters of Caban Cove, Batangas, along the Verde Island Passage.
2. Indonesian surfer, Dede Surinaya, catches a wave in a garbage-covered bay on Java, Indonesia, the world’s most populated island.
3. Here’s a photo of a coal power plant that releases an enormous amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is located in the United Kingdom.
4. Hawaiian monk seal (neomonachus schauinslandi) plays with an empty plastic bottle on a beach full of plastic garbage.
5. Heartbreaking images of endangered storks scavenging leftovers on a landfill site that used to be their natural habitat.
6. Indian residents cross a makeshift bridge over a sewage canal under the Digha Bridge link road in Danapur, the Indian state of Bihar. There are kids playing next to it too.
7. A Korean family wearing face-masks crosses a road during heavily polluted weather in Seoul on March 5, 2019.
8. A resident of Nairobi’s Kibera slum, one of Africa’s largest slums, crossing a heavily polluted section of the Ngong river on September 19, 2018.
9. This is a campaign created by Greenpeace to show how harmful plastic straws are to ocean animals.
10. The Kern River Oil Field are almost completely barren, except for drilling pads, oil rigs, and associated equipment. This area is the densest operational oil development in the state of California.
11. Herd farmer cannot stand the smell of the Yellow River nn Mongolia. Its stench is so powerful that it is almost impossible to breathe near it.
12. The Mir Mine in Russia is the world’s largest diamond mine with a depth of 1,722 feet and a diameter of 3,900 feet. It is the second-largest excavated hole in the world, after Bingham Canyon Mine.
13. An image of melting water on an icecap in North East Land, Svalbard, Norway. [5]
14. A Chinese couple wearing face masks because of air pollution takes a selfie in Tiananmen Square during heavy smog in Beijing, China.
We need to remember that our actions have consequences, and if we are going to save this planet for our future generations, it is imperative that we do better. [6]
References:
- Leslie, Kim. “The Effects of Improper Waste Disposal.” Retrieved from Hunker.
- “What is climate change?” Retrieved from Take Part
- Burrows, Leah. “From sea to rising sea: Climate change in America.” Retrieved from Harvard.
- Krunk, Kid. “22 Powerful Images That Show Just How Badly We’ve Been Treating The Environment.” Retrieved from Atchuup!
- “15 Sobering Photos That Prove Humanity Has Reached The Peak Of Indifference.” Retrieved from Healthy Food House.
- “21 Sobering Photos That Show Humanity Has Reached the Peak of Its Indifference.” Retrieved from Brightside