America’s Climate Catastrophe
Jonah Diaz
“Every part of the country, every part of the country is getting hit by extreme weather,” said President Joe Biden after witnessing, first-hand, the extensive damages and aftermath caused by Hurricane Ida. Residents of Cliffside Park, Bergen County, and New Jersey were all impacted by the damage to infrastructure, property and, most profoundly, the loss of life. President Biden acknowledged the recent environmental disasters affecting our country to be attributed to the ever-growing climate change problem. That is simply the reality of this country’s situation, a situation that will only grow more dire as time progresses with this crisis left unchecked.
An ongoing series of wildfires affects the Pacific Coast scorching acres of land, devastating homes and taking countless lives. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, as of January 1st there have been 45,407 wildfires affecting 5,988,174 acres of land. These are large numbers to process, numbers that put into perspective the scope and severity with which environmental disasters impact this nation. The Bootleg Fire, which spanned an area larger than that of Los Angeles and originated in Oregon, created clouds of smoke bound eastward, which eventually reached the tri-state area, affecting the air quality to threatening levels to some individuals.
On the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, an onslaught of tropical storms and hurricanes flooded seaside towns, bringing in destructive winds and pushing heavy rain inwards alongside coastal regions. Elsa, Henri, Ida, and Nicolas are a few of the hurricanes that formed during the 2021 hurricane season, and this does not include the dozens of tropical storms that have occurred.
It would be absurd to deny the situation around us from the constant reminders of what we see on daily news and our own experiences. However, what about what we can’t see? The gradual changes often overlooked or undermined make environmental conditions detrimental to our well-being to the eventual point in which they are unlivable. Rising sea levels currently affect states such as Florida, which suffer continuous flooding following even short and sudden periods of rain. Constant wildfires on the Pacific Coast affect air quality, damage ecosystems, and release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The overall climate will fluctuate drastically and to extreme levels during seasonal periods. As our very health and future are compromised, the wake-up call is now to ensure that we take all measures to slow down and hopefully reverse the catastrophe that we are plunged towards.
Image Link- New York, New Jersey governors declare emergencies amid flooding from Tropical Storm Ida; 8 reported dead
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