Over the course of a few decades, climate change has become a major threat to Earth, affecting its livability.
“We can do [whatever] to screw this planet up, but Earth is going to keep going on, [and could do so] without us if we want it that way,” Mr. Markley said.
Mr. Markley is a science teacher at Cathedral Prep. As a fisherman, he has noticed recent changes in the lake where he fishes.
“The frequency of the lake icing over is lower,” Mr. Markley said. “The ice is less than it used to be.”
According to Mr. Markley, climate change can be traced back to the Industrial Period, a time known for urbanization and advancements in machinery.
“[This is also when people began] tapping into fossil fuels,” Mr. Markley said.
Fossil fuels are cheap alternatives for energy, which allow for quick use. This quick use, though, can outpace the rate at which Earth produces fossil fuels, which can drain the supply faster than demand can be met.
“Putting [all those fossil fuels] back up [into the atmosphere] at [the rate] of [about] a couple of centuries [will be] a big reset [for] the environment,” Mr. Markley said.
The main fossil fuels contributing to climate change are CO2 and Methane. These gases are being pumped into the atmosphere at a rate that allows them to absorb radiation in shorter periods of time and create stronger vibrations, resulting in rapid increases in what is known as temperature.
“[These levels of CO2 take Earth] back to the Pennsylvanian and Mississippian periods when it was much hotter and sea levels were a lot higher,” Mr. Markley said. “[Rising sea levels will force humans to] pick up cities and move hundreds of millions of people, [which can be difficult to do].”
If climate change continues to affect Earth, unideal climate events, such as droughts, will become more frequent, regional occurrences.
“[In the early 2000s], Russia had a huge drought, [which made it] difficult for them to get food,” Mr. Markley said.
Climate change has been a controversial topic for decades, especially for economic and political reasons.
“[Because of economic and political reasons], people don’t want to understand [climate change] or want to misrepresent it because money is a big deal,” Mr. Markley said.
The rate at which fossil fuels are being pumped into the atmosphere is being disregarded due to the process’s subtlety.
“If I came to your house and threw a bunch of trash on your lawn, [you’d notice] and have recourse against me,” Mr. Markley said. “With CO2 [and methane], you’re just [pumping] [those gases] in[to] the air.” “[Because] they’re just floating away, nobody sees the problem, [making] it easier to ignore.”
Individual efforts to stop climate change are often made on small scales, making them ineffective.
“[The only way to change things is at] the governmental level,” Mr. Markley said. “You cannot change the infrastructure at the individual level.”
If climate change is to be stopped, society must set its political and economic disagreements aside, must encourage collaboration among individuals to make more conscious decisions, and must work with the government to establish greener policies for the environment and Earth’s well-being.
“If you want things to change, then you’re going to have to write to represent[atives] to start making those changes,” Mr. Markley said. “[We are] steward[s] to [Earth and] should take care of it because [our actions will affect those who] come after us.”
