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(https://scienceworld.scholastic.com/issues/2019-20/041320.html) > Marching for the Planet
CHRIS LEE/VII/REDUXIN ACTION: Alexandria at the Youth Climate Strike in New York City in 2019
The past five years have been the hottest on record. Scientists say that human actions are
largely to blame. People rely on fossil fuels—like coal, oil, and natural gas—to power cars,
businesses, and homes. But burning these fuels produces greenhouse gases that trap heat in
Earth’s atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise (see The Greenhouse Effect).
Higher temperatures are melting glaciers and ice sheets. That meltwater drains into the
ocean. At the same time, ocean waters are heating up, which causes them to expand. As a
result, the sea’s volume has increased. That’s causing more flooding in low-lying coastal
areas. Some island communities are already relocating because their homes are now
underwater.
A warmer world has led to more extreme weather too. Hurricanes, which are fueled by
warm ocean waters, are becoming stronger. Heat waves are becoming longer and more
severe. Intense heat is often accompanied by droughts. These long periods without rain can
destroy crops and deplete reservoirs, increasing the risk of food and water shortages. The
hotter it gets, the more extreme these phenomena become. “The impacts of climate change
just get worse with higher temperatures,” says Natalie Mahowald, a climate scientist at
Cornell University in New York.
CALL TO ACTION
Climate change can also worsen wildfires, like those that recently ravaged Australia, killing
dozens of people and destroying millions of acres of land. In 2018, California experienced a
similarly tragic wildfire season—the deadliest and most devastating one in the state’s
history.
DAVID VILLASEÑOR
TEEN LEADER: Alexandria Villaseñor protests outside the United Nations. COP24 was a 2018 U.N.climate change conference. Many scientists and activists were disappointed that participant nationsdidn’t agree on major commitments to battle climate change.
Alexandria, the teen climate activist from New York, experienced this disaster firsthand
while visiting family in California. Alexandria has asthma, a medical condition that can make
breathing difficult. Her family sent her home early as smoke from the blazes filled the air. “I
was really upset because my friends and family were still close to the fires,” says Alexandria.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
These simple steps will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you produce and
help fight climate change.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATE FRANCIS
BUY LESS STUFF by fixing old clothes or
reusing items when you can. Factories burn
large amounts of fossil fuels to make new
products.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATE FRANCIS
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS when you leave a room
and unplug devices you’re not using. Your
home’s electricity likely comes from fossil fuels.
WALK OR BIKE to nearby places. Otherwise,
carpool or take public transportation. Cars
release one-fifth of the U.S.’s greenhouse gases.
Back home, Alexandria learned that climate change can intensify wildfires by drying out
trees and making them more prone to burning. Seeing the effects of climate change up close
made her want to do something about it. Then she watched a video about a Swedish
teenager named Greta Thunberg. In August 2018, 15-year-old Greta began protesting in
front of the Swedish Parliament on Fridays to draw attention to the climate crisis. “Seeing
her was so inspiring,” says Alexandria. “I finally knew what I could do to make my voice
heard.”
About a month after witnessing California’s wildfires, Alexandria began protesting in front
of the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters in New York City every Friday. Now, dozens of
students join her. She also helped plan the huge march that took place in the city last
September.
SPEAKING OUT
ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATE FRANCIS
SAEED KHAN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES (FIRE); VLADSILVER/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES (POLAR BEAR)
Alexandria wasn’t the only teen inspired by Greta’s protests. In fact, they sparked a global
movement, prompting kids around the world to take a stand against climate change.
Jean Hinchliffe, a 16-year-old in Sydney, Australia, lives half a world away from Alexandria.
She played a major role in the September climate demonstrations in her area. Jean decided
to get involved after reading about a 2018 U.N. report warning that the world had 12 years
left to avoid the worst effects of climate change. “It really scared me,” says Jean. “I was 14
years old when the report came out. I would be 26 by that deadline.”
Jean often meets with politicians to try to convince them to pass laws to cut greenhouse gas
emissions. Experts agree that to keep climate change in check, countries around the world
will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions roughly in half by 2030. To do that, world leaders
need to pass laws to limit pollution from vehicles, factories, and power plants. They also
need to encourage businesses and homeowners to switch to renewable energy sources, like
wind and solar power, that don’t generate greenhouse gases.
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Since 1880, Earth’s average global temperature has increased by about 1°C (1.8°F).
That may not seem like much, but even a small shift in temperature can produce big
changes on our planet. Here’s how greenhouse gases are causing Earth to heat up.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATE FRANCIS
Energy from the sun reaches Earth, providing light and heat.
Clouds and Earth’s surface reflect about 30 percent of that energy back into
space.
ON A MISSION
Jean is happy so many kids are taking action against climate change and encourages others
to do the same. You could set up an environmental club at school to bring awareness to
climate change’s effects, she says. Or make lifestyle changes to reduce the greenhouse
gases you produce (see What You Can Do).
These actions can have an impact, says Alexandria. But lawmakers around the world can
address climate change on a much larger scale. Until they do, says Alexandria, “I will
continue raising my voice.”
DESIGNING SOLUTIONS: What could people, businesses, and governments
do to address climate change? What do you think would be the most effective
and why?
People burn fossil fuels to power cars, homes, and businesses. That releases
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases trap reflected heat in the atmosphere, causing temperatures
on Earth to rise.
The more greenhouse gases produced, the hotter the planet gets.
JENNIFER WEISBORD/POLARIS/NEWSCOM (PROTESTERS); KYODO NEWS/SIPA USA (THUNBERG)
CLIMATE PROTESTER: Greta Thunberg (left) helped inspire student protests around the world andwas nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice.
Lesson: Marching for the Planet(/content/dam/classroom-magazines/scienceworld/issues/2019-20/041320/marching-for-the-planet/sw-041320-lesson-marching.pdf)
