Last week the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their 1,170-page report to the UN titled The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. IPCC reports that 93.4% of the heat energy trapped by greenhouse gasses circling the global is going back into the ocean. The cryosphere is those parts of Earth with frozen water. A small portion, 0.2%, of the global heat energy retained goes to melt Greenland. And yet, the world’s ice, the cryosphere, is melting at alarming rates.
The ocean with 352 quintillion (10
21
) gallons of water (that’s 97% of the Earth’s water) expands as it warms and sea levels rise. Excess energy in the ocean is why a category 4 hurricane passing over the sea will become category 5 in twenty-four or less hours. A category 5 hurricane is four times as powerful as category 4, four times as destructive. The troubles are here.
Four steps you can take to best fight global warming, to slow the rise of greenhouse gasses, to save the ocean, and to have the greatest impact are:
1. Talk to friends and associates about climate change
2. Talk to decision-makers at all levels of government
4. Vote
Most people just need a small nudge to remember to vote, so Vote The Ocean and the Environmental Voter Project are working together to send you free election reminders before every election. Studies have shown that these simple reminders can dramatically increase your likelihood of voting.