By Megan Maharry
Sports Editor
Christmases in Minnesota are usually white Christmases.
Winter holidays spent in Minnesota usually consist of piles of white, fluffy snow covering the ground. Children, and even some adults, spend hours outside, sledding, building forts, having snowball fights. School days were rarely cancelled because there was nothing unusual about the freezing temperature and mountains of snow.
In recent years, the temperature and snow accumulation have declined in Minnesota. Every decade, the winter temperature in Minnesota has grown by a degree and a half. Between the months of December and February—typically Minnesota’s coldest months—the temperature has risen nearly one degree per decade since the 1970s.
Minnesota climate is not the only place to experience changes. Global warming is affecting many areas of the world, causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, forests to die and harming animals.
There are many factors to consider in global warming. There are some environmental factors that play a part in global warming and are caused naturally. Natural events such as volcanic eruptions and weather patterns like El Nino play a role in affecting climate change. These events only account for approximately two percent to the recent warming effect.
The rest comes from human-caused factors, mostly by releasing heat-trapping gases as we go about our daily lives.
While levels of greenhouse gases have altered throughout Earth’s history, scientists are discovering within the past century humans are now enhancing the greenhouse effect and warming the Earth significantly.
National Geographic said humans have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution. Changes that have historically taken thousands of years are now happening over the course of decades.
Global warming affects sea levels. A study in National Geographic predicts by 2050, sea levels will rise between one and 2.3 feet as glaciers melt.
In an article in Life Science, the National Snow and Ice Data Center conducted a study that said there is now 10 percent less permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, in the Northern Hemisphere than there was in the early 1900s.
Ice in the Artic Sea has hit an all time low in the past couple years.
The sizes of glaciers have decreased immensely. In a U.S. Geological Study, only 25 glaciers bigger than 25 acres are now found in Montana’s Glacier National Park, where about 150 glaciers were once found.
Rapid change in climate also harms wildlife. While the climate is changing so rapidly, animals and plants are struggling to adapt quick enough to the new conditions. Animals are having trouble migrating as the change of climate is faster than they are able to migrate.
In a 2013 report by the journal of Natural Climate Change, if effects of global warming are unchecked, it will likely contribute to the disappearance of up to one-half of Earth’s plants and one-third of animals from their current range by 2080.
It is also predicted weather will become more extreme. Major storms, too much rain and long periods of drought will be a challenge humans and wildlife with have to face.
Global warming is happening more rapidly than many people are willing to admit. To help slow the process, we can change minor things in our lifestyle: power homes with renewable energy, reduce water waste, drive fuel-efficient vehicles and buy better light bulbs.
Only one Earth exists, and to help maintain its environment is important.
Minnesota deserves to continue to have its very snowy winters.