Climate change is real and its effects are here among us. All Rights Reserved. Some animals have been able to cope with rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, but others are having to move to avoid the impacts of climate change. But this isn’t true. There is already undeniable evidence that animals, birds and plants are being affected by climate change and global warming in both their distribution and behavior. A phone call is often the best way to get your voice heard. If you find that your savings is supporting these companies, you can make a change. Climate change seems like a problem that is too large for individuals to do anything about it. Rabbits and hares are exhibiting a similar tendency in the northern reaches of the U.S. and Canada. Pledge to go meatless one day a week here. Unfortunately, a side effect of much of this invention is the creation of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Climate change refers to the way the earth’s temperature and weather patterns have deviated from their historical norms over the last few decades. The term “global warming,” was previously the most common term associated with these changes, but, because the changes also involve alterations in precipitation levels and wind patterns, the term has been largely discarded in favor of “climate change.”. The less trash the better, so whenever possible, bring a reusable commuter mug to your local coffee place. For example, many reptiles exhibit a phenomenon known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TDSD). Or pack your lunch in a sturdy reusable container. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, These Animals Are Helping to Slow Climate Change—But They're Dying. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Animals.NET aim to promote interest in nature and animals among children, as well as raise their awareness in conservation and environmental protection. Doing this can not only help you save $70 a year on energy bills; the bulbs also use about 75 percent less energy and last 10 to 50 times longer. All photos used are royalty-free, and credits are included in the Alt tag of each image. To see a list of organizations fighting for the environment that need your help, click here. Americans also throw away 2.5 million plastic beverage bottles every hour. As the Arctic has warmed, these animals have begun colonizing areas in which they aren’t native. They have a huge impact on animals, resulting in millions of deaths, year in and year out. We also want to invest in a clean energy future. Take a pledge to carry your own cup here. Floods, prolonged-droughts and super storms are increasingly common. Animal conservation depends on reducing the number of animals affected by climate change, and alleviating the effects of climate change. This essentially means that the temperatures surrounding their eggs will determine the sex of their offspring. ©2020 Group Nine Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fifteen of the 16 warmest years ever recorded have occurred since 2001. Identify them and replace their bulbs with bulbs that have the Energy Star label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Americans throw away about 25 billion styrofoam coffee cups every year - and styrofoam does not fully recycle. This has resulted in disruptions to some food chains, thereby presenting additional challenges to some animals. People and animals as we know them share this little planet, so if you're an animal lover, one of the best things you can do is stand up for the health of our Earth. Climate change has made life trickier for these animal species. "Those laws are not and should not be partisan: they protect the water we all drink, the air we breathe, our public lands and wildlife. If you're concerned about global warming, you can tell your representative that you support the environmental agencies, like the EPA, that have been working on solutions to environmental problems for decades. But often, people tend to focus on the ways that climate change will affect humans. Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com. Another example of animal migration occurs with the sable – a marten-like animal native to Siberia. Moose, for example, are moving into new areas as climate change makes them more hospitable. The study also adds to a growing area of research focused on how to address climate change by restoring nature. Wallace Slams Trump Family for No Masks at Debate, The American People Deserve to Know More About President Trump's Condition, Pope: Market Capitalism Has Failed in Pandemic, Needs Reform, You can unsubscribe at any time. As suggested by Fossil Free Funds, start the conversations with something like this: "We want to reduce the future risk of our 401(k) fund choices. This is causing many of the new hatchlings to starve, as they don’t have any other viable food sources. We’ll discuss three of the most important ways climate change will affect animals below, and we’ll share a few things that you can do to help slow the problem so that animals can survive. Adults can supplement their diet by consuming mollusks, but the baby birds don’t have large enough beaks to do so. According to the EPA, products that have earned the Energy Star label "can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 130,000 pounds and save you $11,000 on energy bills" over a lifetime. Find your representatives here. This is not only causing problems for the red knots, but also their predators, who must now contend with fewer prey animals to feed on. There’s currently a great deal of news coverage and public discussion about climate change. If the global temperatures continue to rise, this will ultimately leave many of these animals with populations that are comprised exclusively of individuals of one sex. Climate Change - effects on animals, birdlife and plants. greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere, Pledge to go meatless one day a week here, request a change in how the funds are invested, 25 billion styrofoam coffee cups every year, 2.5 million plastic beverage bottles every hour. People are clever animals, and have been creating amazing things for years. But reusing - cutting down on the amount of packaging that's created - is even more ideal. Deforestation has been a hot topic in discussions about how to reduce climate change, but the focus on animals has been less prominent. And with the climate changing, so is the frequency and intensity of disasters. It will be imperative that we all stand up locally, regionally, nationally and internationally in the face of this unprecedented threat. What are the five lights you use the most in your house? Cutting meat out of your diet even just one day out of every week can make a huge difference. These gases trap heat and make our planet warmer, causing sea ice to melt and ocean levels to rise. Big agriculture industries, like meat and dairy, emit more greenhouse gases than all the world's transportation combined. Using education to reduce animal mortality Five hundred years from now, the styrofoam we throw away today will still be in the landfills. The new research adds relevance to campaigns to protect endangered animals in tropical forest areas where populations are on the decline due to everything from hunting to logging. The researchers note that tropical forests store 40% of the world’s carbon, but that carbon is released into the air when forests are degraded or destroyed. Here Are Some Easy Ways To Protect Animals From Climate Change They need your help more than ever. The red knot – a shorebird – provides a great example. If you have mutual funds or retirement accounts, there's a new tool to check how much of your money is invested in stocks for companies that emit harmful fossil fuels. How does this help? "The single biggest thing folks can do is to let their elected leaders know they will not tolerate the destruction of our foundational environmental laws and regulations," Bethany Cotton, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians, told The Dodo. For example, scientists have predicted that 2 degrees of temperature change will drastically skew sex ratios for the painted turtle, and 4 degrees of temperature change would completely eliminate the production of males. Producing beef, lamb and cheese creates some of the highest amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, so cutting down on demand will help. Hopefully, humans will start to take action to slow down the rate at which temperatures are rising, so that the planet’s animals will be able to continue to survive. It not only cuts down on trash, but it also cuts down on the extraction of natural resources to manufacture, ship and dispose of non-recyclable materials. But there are things you can do right now to fight this. If your employer decides where the investments are, create a team of concerned coworkers who are willing to come together and request a change in how the funds are invested. However, they’re also leaving some of the areas in which they’ve always lived, as the temperatures have become too hot. We’d love to hear some of the things our readers try to do to help in the efforts to prevent climate change. To see a suggested outline for your letter, click here. Our climate is changing, both naturally and due to human exploitation. By signing up you are agreeing to our, Switzerland, Germany Struck With Near Record Snowfall, Trump's Debt Is a Threat, Ex Intel Officials Warn, Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2020 TIME USA, LLC. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, shows how the loss of animals reduces the ability of forests to store carbon that would otherwise accelerate global warming. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. It’s pushed some of them up the endangered animal species list, and seen others swiftly following suit. Temperature-dependent sex determination occurs in a variety of reptile species, including most aquatic turtles and several geckos. How can we enhance our 401(k) choices to do so?". You can also write to your representatives here. People are clever animals, and have been creating amazing things for years. Let us know the things you try to do in the comments below. Recycling is, of course, a must. And it's not stopping on its own. In fact, there are a number of things individual people can do to help slow the earth’s warming temperatures and protect the lives of animals. The average American office worker uses about 500 disposable cups per year. Because many animals rely on environmental cues – such as the arrival of spring or increased rainfall – to trigger their reproductive behaviors, climate change is causing several species to experience reproductive challenges. You can also tell them if you'd like to see rewards for people and companies who switch to more sustainable energy usage, and penalties for people and companies who continue to contribute to global warming through carbon emissions. The decline of certain animals may accelerate climate change The decline in animal populations in tropical forests may play a role in accelerating climate change, according to … The decline in animal populations in tropical forests may play a role in accelerating climate change, according to new research. These birds travel to the Arctic each year to feed on hatching insects. A few of the easiest things you can do include the following: As you can see, climate change isn’t only a problem for humans – it’s also a problem for many of the world’s wild animal species. In fact, scientists suspect that nearly half of the world’s species are currently shifting their ranges. But, because these insects are now hatching weeks before they used to, there are rarely enough insects to feed all of the birds. This is unfortunate, as it fails to take into consideration the myriad ways climate change will affect some animal species. Large animals like large primates, tapirs and toucans play a key role distributing the seeds of the large trees that store the most carbon and in turn ensuring a healthy forest. When you need a new appliance, choose a product that also has the Energy Star label. As the U.S. gears up for a new president, it's important to tell your representatives which issues matter most to you. Climate change refers to the way the earth’s temperature and weather patterns have deviated from their historical norms over the last few decades. Here's a guide to help you come up with some great - and healthy - alternatives to meat. The term “global warming,” was previously the most common term associated with these changes, but, because the changes also involve alterations in precipitation levels and wind patterns, the term has been largely […] ", "The next four years [could] turn this country into a fossil fuel exporting behemoth," Brett Hartl, endangered species policy director for the Center for Biological Diversity, told The Dodo, "so every little bit of resistance to that helps.". ... People and animals as we know them share this little planet, so if you're an animal lover, one of the best things you can do is stand up for the health of our Earth. Climate change isn’t only affecting large, familiar animal species – it is also affecting plants and small animals, such as insects. The decline in those animal populations thus has a tangible effect on how well their habitat can prevent carbon from reaching the atmosphere. 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