The heat is increasing because of climate change, but what is really happening, and what will happen in the future? First of all, one false idea is that global warming simply means the entire world will keep getting hotter and hotter until it becomes uninhabitable. The truth is more complicated. “Global warming” can actually be a bit of an understatement, because climate change does not affect every place in exactly the same way. The world’s average temperature is rising, but different regions will experience different effects and more extreme conditions.
For example, New York may experience more flooding because of rising sea levels and stronger storms, while places like Phoenix may face even more extreme heat and drought. So the problem is not simply that everywhere will turn into an inferno. The larger problem is that weather patterns are becoming more extreme, and different places will have to deal with different consequences.
So what should we do to stop this? The main issue is that even if one person becomes extremely careful about not wasting electricity, using less fuel, or recycling everything, that person alone cannot solve climate change. Most individuals do not have the power to make the biggest changes, such as limiting fossil fuel drilling, changing national energy policies, or investing billions of dollars in cleaner energy. Governments and large organizations have much more power to make changes on that scale.
This is why I think climate change is both an individual and a government responsibility, but the government has the greater responsibility. Individuals should still try to waste less energy and make environmentally responsible choices, but governments can create laws and policies that affect millions of people at once. If you live in the United States and are old enough to vote, one of the most powerful things you can do is vote for leaders whose environmental policies you support.
Climate change is also changing what summer feels like in everyday life. In my own life, I have noticed that on extremely hot summer days, spending a long time outside can become much harder, and people depend more on air-conditioning or change their outdoor plans because of the heat. Summer is supposed to be a time when people can enjoy being outside, but if extreme heat becomes more common, that may gradually change.
In the end, individuals can help, but we should not pretend that climate change can be solved only by telling ordinary people to use less electricity. The people and institutions with the greatest power also have the greatest responsibility to make real changes.
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