The Ice Age Continues

According to NASA, “the average global temperature on Earth has increased by at least 1.1° Celsius (1.9° Fahrenheit) since 1880.”

By now, everyone has probably heard this fact, or something similar, many, many times. However, most people would probably be surprised to learn that we are, in fact, still in an ice age.

When we think of an ice age, most of us think about the giant sloth, saber-toothed tiger, woolly mammoth, and, of course, large ice sheets that stretched down as far as Ohio. Now, I do not know about you, but I have never seen these large mammals wandering around my home, nor do I have large ice sheets in my backyard.

How is it, then, that we are living in an ice age?

Put simply, it is because there is still ice year round on the Earth. Only, now instead of being in a full blown ice age, we are in an interglacial period during which the ice sheets are retreating, and, in turn, causing sea levels to rise. This is actually a natural process that has occurred many times throughout the Earth’s history.

However, just because this is a natural process, does not mean that all of the climate activists and scientists are overreacting. Humans are speeding up these natural processes, decreasing the time that living things have to adapt to changing conditions. Because of this, the Earth is losing much of its biodiversity.

Once the changes in climate begin to slow down, though, the biodiversity on Earth will most likely begin to rebound. People, on the other hand, could struggle to survive if we do not do anything to slow climate change. Homes on the coast are already beginning to get swallowed up by the waves with little warning, and people are not getting enough water to drink as droughts become more intense.

These are the effects of climate change that most people know about, but there are many others that people do not usually think of, such as the negative effects on ecosystem services. Ecosystem services not only save us money, but are also essential for our survival. For example, bats eat insects, such as mosquitoes, however many bat populations are decreasing; plants and organisms that are going extinct could be used in medicines; and bees, whose population is also decreasing, pollinate flowers that are essential for producing fruit.

While changes in climate may be natural, the rate at which it is occurring today due to human actions is dangerous for many organisms and humans. Therefore, to escape further disaster, we must tread lightly and appreciate the gifts of nature.