Weather used to be the topic people used to make small talk when they didn’t have much else to say, these days almost everybody has a lot more opinions and interest in the weather than just small talk. We live in a free country where everybody is entitled to their opinion, whether it be justified with facts or just plain crazy. With so many people and opinions in the world sometimes it can be hard to know what to believe and who to trust. There is lot’s of talk and a lot of myths out there, but here is the truth behind three.
(I know that fellow aboutmyplanet readers are more concerned and knowledgeable about environmental issues than most, and you may already know the truth behind these myths; however whether its new news or old news, pass it on… the more people that know the more they care!)
MYTH # 1 “Climate change won’t effect Canada”
This myth is actually completely the opposite of the truth, the effects of climate change are actually predicted to be greater in Canada. The estimated average temperature increase for the world is 2- 6 degrees, but Canada’s average is expected to have an increase of 6-10 degrees! The climate change in Canada is also expected to bring hazardous weather such as heat waves and droughts that dry out crops, increase risks of forest fires as well make the air pollution worse. Rising sea level and violent storms with heavy rainfalls are making the coasts more susceptible to flooding and erosion. All of these problems not only effect Canadians but the wildlife and eco-systems as well, Canada is not going to be spared from global warming.
MYTH #2 “It’s to late to stop global warming!”
This statement is unfortunately partly true, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, made up over 2000 respected scientists worldwide published at report this year stating that they are over 90% sure that human activity is the main cause of global warming. The gases that we have already pumped into the atmosphere are going to negatively impact the world’s climate over the next 20 -30 years and there is nothing we can do to stop it. But, the more bad habits we lost and conscious effort we take in caring for out planet will only continue to improve our situation and limit the temperature rise to no more that 2 degrees instead of the predicted 4-5.
MYTH #3 “Living environmentally conscious is expensive and inconvenient”
Every little thing you do makes and impact, the more people who believe this and take responsibility for their actions the better of we will all be. Yes, many eco-friendly products can cost more but more often than not when you compare life spans of their less cheaper products it makes sense for you and the planet.. A simple example of this is light bulbs, low energy bulbs may cost 3x more but they last 3x longer. Another simple suggestion is to make your own cleaning supplies from natural ingredients, this not only saves the environment but saves you money and inhaling toxic chemicals too!
