What are the Acute & Chronic Issues Regarding the Melting of the Polar Ice Caps due to Climate Change?

In this post, I want to focus on two different aspects of climate change. Firstly I'll discuss how it affects us regarding the climate system. Secondly I'll suggest how it may affects us more directly on the human and biological scale. As seen in the embedded picture below, the melting of ice caps is likely to lead to drastic consequences affecting all of us, no matter how far from the ice caps we may be.

Changes in the climate system due to melting polar ice caps are most easily observed by the average temperature changes measured in regions with polar ice caps compared to those consisting more of the oceans and land demographic. Climate change is increasing a rate much greater in these areas and therefore is affecting the polar ice caps an extraordinary amount. The evidence of this warming is presented largely by the issue itself: widespread melting and destruction of the polar ice caps and glaciers. This increase in climate is expected to continue throughout the rest of this century due to the large amount of green house gas emissions found in our atmosphere. Now a days it is common knowledge that sea-levels are rising world round, and this is largely due to the melting of glaciers as they due to displace ocean water until they melt down into a liquid, unlike polar ice caps.

Regarding affects to the biological and human systems, there is sure to be massive implications due to changing ecosystems and therefore the changing in patterns of migratory species found in the arctic. Not only is the harmful to the animals who call the arctic home, but also humans whose main source of nutrition is provided by these species. The thawing of frozen ground will likely also displace buildings, housing and industrial faculties which many human populations depend on. A small positive benefit is that there is likely to be greater wildlife growth in the arctic, once the ice has cleared allowing for greater carbon dioxide removal, although this will then still lead to darker ground and more sun absorption resulting in further climate heat increase.

I believe these changes to be very relevant to all of our lives, the negatives outweigh any positive benefits drastically, and an effort should be made on all individuals parts to help decrease their personal carbon footprint as well as educate those unfamiliar with climate change and it's outlying consequences.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency website, was a huge inspiration in the information I have laid out here. It can be found at this address:  http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/

Is there anything I can do to Help Prevent Climate Change and the Melting of the Polar Ice Caps

For a long time I have wondered, is there anything I can actually do that will make a difference? It turns out that even small individual input can lead to a ripple affect of change if implemented right. I will discuss how to implement these changes in this post. As I have mentioned in previous posts, climate change plays an integral part in the active melting of the polar ice caps, and all the changes that this brings with it. There are many negative consequences to our continued abuse of our planets subtle and vital ecosystems. It is my opinion, that to ensure real change and prevent as much further damage as possible, all individuals have to do their part in the fight against climate change and the destruction of the polar ice caps. Here are some at home methods of how to stay green and ensure less energy expenditure in regards to lowering personal carbon footprints and being environmentally friendly.

-Instead of driving use a bicycle or walk to close appointments or shopping locations.
-Make use of re-usable shopping bags or fully recyclable paper bags
-Start your own compost heap instead discarding biodegradable product in the trash
-Place a brick in your rear toilet tank so it makes use of less water when flushing
-Support products and companies which don't use a lot of packaging
-Support local charities with unwanted clothing or gifts
-Be sure to make use of paper on both sides of it
-Ensure electrical equipment is turned off when not in use
-Make use of a carpool to work or school
-Take showers instead of baths
-Certain kinds of light bulbs and power tools, are Green Approved and make use of less energy
-SPREAD THE WORD!

Encompassing even just a few of these easy to do tips can over time greatly effect an individuals carbon footprint and the harm they are causing to the environment. The more you contribute in protecting the environment, the more aware others will become to the issue and help join the cause. The majority of these tips were found on a website hosted by the BBC. It can be found at the link below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_2230000/newsid_2238900/2238941.stm

How Much is Climate Change Actually Affecting The Polar Ice Caps?

I recently came across a website hosted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency [(USEPA) Website link at the bottom of this post], which explained the reasons that regions with polar ice caps, such as the arctic tend to receive the greatest amount of warming on a global scale. Due to this issue, the environment in these areas tends to be the most greatly effected, and besides local wildlife suffering, the polar ice caps melting present a greater problem of its own. Where we live, the apparent changes in climate change are not as noticeable, making it easier to predict climate change to be some sort of scare tactic, but the fact is that climate change varies greatly in different areas. Regions with polar ice caps experience more warming because ice when compared to water or land has more reflectivity, and therefore heat is able to spread to a greater amount of surface area than usual. When this reflective surface melts, it reveals an area with darker land and/or ocean surfaces which then absorbs more heat from the sun and increases warming of the planet specifically in this area. A recent report released by a group of independent scientists also revealed some very interesting information which helps support just how much climate change affects polar ice cap-specific areas: "Average temperatures in the Arctic have risen at almost twice the rate as temperatures in the rest of the world over the past few decades". They have also predicted likely problems including that "[when] frozen ground thaws, many existing buildings, roads, pipelines, airports, and industrial facilities are likely to be destabilized." With the evidence put forth by this environmental group, I am now more heavily dedicated to the seriousness of climate change. I believe that this is a real issue, and that with the effects of climate change on the polar ice caps our world may change greatly in the future. My next blog post will involve methods on how to contribute to decreasing the rate of global warming, and what you the readers can do at home to decrease your carbon footprint. 


This website provided many insights into just how much climate change is going on, especially in regions containing polar ice caps, I highly recommend checking it out. 

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/polarregions.html