A Climate Change Story (2)

Yesterday we have talk about what is climate change and why is it important to us. Today we will talk about the impact of climate change to our lives and humanity.
The climate is very important for us, so important that minor changes can bring big and complex impact to earth. The change have a countless change and treating earth. The example impacts of climate change is: coral bleaching, polar region become smaller, melting glacier, extreme weather (now, in my country Indonesia, spring season is much longer than 10 years ago and it was verrrryyyyyy hooooottttt at the day), and extinction species.

We have to care about this. We have to care about our life. This earth were not belong to us, but its belong to our child. We have to prepare it to inherit to them. The next question is what can we do to reduce the impact of raising climate change?

The answers is we have to keep below 2 degrees Celsius. What's that mean? It means to avoid the danger of climate change we have to keep the climate temperature not more than 2 degrees Celsius. Warmer than it was at pre-industrial time (around 1800).

It has already shown that 2 degrees Celsius would bring with it a set of devastating impacts to coral reefs, arctic systems and local communities. The earth cannot afford to go above this.
We must start reducing emissions now and stay on low emissions track to avoid loading the atmosphere with too much CO2. Here is a few things that you can do at home to reduce the emissions:

• Recycle

Recycle everything you can't reduce or reuse.

• Turn it off

Turn off everything that you have finished use or idle things that use electricity such as TV, lamps, computers, etc. You save your money too.

• Save paper
  

Around the world we use 1 million tonnes of paper every day. Too much of this paper usage is wasteful and unnecessary and puts huge pressures on the environment.

• Use water efficiently

Public water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households. Saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. And fix your dripping tap. A tap dripping 45 times per minute wastes around 1,000 liters of water a month, the equivalent of 10 baths per year.

• Buy energy-efficient appliances

If you plan on buying a washing machine, refrigerator, dishwasher or oven, choose the most energy-efficient model you can afford. They might be a little more expensive but they pay for themselves through lower energy bills.

This article maybe just a little effort to contribute in fight the global warming. Hope it will inspire you up. Scout Salute!!

A Climate Change Story (1)

Last week, COP 15 or International Climate Change Conference were held. The declaration has been made and we will wait for the impact to our beloved earth. Climate Change itself is a serious problem that threat all of the earth residents. Me, you, our family, our community, our pets, plants, animals, everything. Then, maybe you'll ask, what is climate change? Why it is very important for me?

Climate change is connect with the earth temperature. The Sun keep shines us everyday, it send its heat energy to the earth continually. The heat comes in through a thin layer that cover earth named Atmosphere. The heat keep it through until it reach earth surface, sea, plants, mountain, our skin, etc. It makes the earth warm and the live keep going.

As the temperature increases the earth send the heat energy (infrared radiation) back into the atmosphere (it was just like mirror reflect your face). Some of this heat absorbed by gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and halocarbons.

The Greenhouse Effect
These gasses, which are all naturally occurring act as blanket, preventing the heat energy to comes out from our atmosphere. They keep the earth's average temperature at about 15 degrees Celsius: warm enough to keep humans, plants and animal to live. Without these gasses the temperature will drop to -18 degrees Celsius . . . . too cold for most life forms. This natural warming effect is called The Greenhouse Effect.

To understand the greenhouse effect, see the picture below.



Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Carbon dioxide is the most significant gas to keep the earth warm. Four billion ago the concentration of CO2 was much higher than today - 80% compared to today's 0.03%. But most of it was removed through photosynthesis over time. All this carbon dioxide became locked in organism and then minerals such as oil, coal and petroleum inside the Earth's crusts.

The natural carbon dioxide cycle
A natural carbon dioxide cycle keep the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere balance. Decaying plants, volcanic eruptions and the respiration of animals release natural CO2 into the atmosphere, where it stays for about 100 years. It is removed again from the atmosphere by photosynthesis in plants and dissolution water (for instance in oceans).

The amount of naturally produced CO2 is almost perfectly balanced by the amount naturally removed.

Source: WWF

Youth Challenge European Union Environment Minister to "Create a Better World"

As part of engaging activities of the COP 15, on December 15th, 2009, Delegation of the World Organization of Scouting Movement (WOSM) delegates had an opportunity to discuss the latest positions on the climate agreement with the European Union's Environment Ministers. This meeting provided close insight of the policies each of the countries within this region are fighting for.

Issues such as legal binding agreement, food and water security, short-term financing for adaptation, and research and development were debated. It is important to note the openness of many delegations to youth, as well as their awareness of our input. As young people, we must strive to offer new perspectives and constructive alternatives for a deal that will be handed over to our generation. Events such as this give youth an opportunity to interact directly with decision maker, and share with them their views in both national and international context. Scouts engaged actively the governmental representatives to share their perspectives and offer constructive alternatives to 'Create a Better World.'

Simon Maddrell, Example Action of Creating a Better World

How far would you challenge yourself to "Creating a Better World?"

Twenty years old Simon Maddrell was a member of group 14 Venture Scouts. Together with his Scouts friends, they was send to Kenya for a voluntary mission to build sand dams and water tanks to collect run-off water from domestic roofs.
During the planning stages of their work, Simon was introduced to Joshua, a Kenyan agriculturalist who had pioneered a method of conserving water in drought-afflicted areas. Together with Joshua, they decided to raise £14,500 and build a dam, six barrages and 30 water tanks. In less than two years they actually raised £32,500 to build three dams, six barrages and 70 water tanks!
With his experience, he interested to pursue a career in international development. However, he wasn't successful to find the job he want. But it was not long until he back to his passion. With his redundancy money, he helped Joshua mission in adding trees project. This led to the establish of Excellent Development, a charity that provides funding to community projects in Kenya. Simon and Joshua won the Environment Charity and Overall Winner in the Charity Awards 2008, a feat they attribute to seven years of hard work.
In that time, Excellent Development has helped dig 1,000 km of terracing, built 200 dams and planted over half a million trees. Simon says,

“Scouting provides a wonderful opportunity for young people to learn more about the environment and to get actively involved... Sustainable living is a daily battle in parts of the world where climate change is taking effect, and I think there is an opportunity for Scouts to experience being involved in projects to help combat these problems and learn about sustainable development.” Simon Maddrell's vision is that soil and water conservation will be accepted as the primary method to combat poverty and climate change.

That is Simon Maddrell, effort to "Creating a Better World," how about you? What have you done?