What is Global Warming?

First: these days, most people are saying "climate change" instead of "global warming." Why? Because so many other things are happening with our planet's climate,* way beyond just getting warmer.

The earth's climate has always gone through changes, and that’s totally natural. Like, remember that movie Ice Age? The Earth definitely looks a lot different from that now! But a lot of scientists think that, over the past couple hundred years, things that people have done are causing some changes on our planet that are pretty unnatural.

Specifically, scientists are concerned about greenhouse gases. Those are exactly what they sound like: gases such as carbon dioxide that trap heat in the earth's atmosphere, just like the walls of a greenhouse trap heat for the plants. Having some of those gases in the atmosphere is normal. But having levels of greenhouse gases that are too high can cause the weather to do weird things all over the planet!

So, how do extra greenhouse gases get into the atmosphere? Carbon dioxide, one type of greenhouse gas, is released into the atmosphere when people burn fuels like coal and oil. These energy sources are called fossil fuels because they come from the remains of ancient plants and animals—fossils. A related problem is deforestation, or cutting down trees. Like all plants, trees "breathe in" carbon dioxide. So, when there are fewer trees to naturally remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it starts to build up.

What can you do about it? Get right to the root of the problem. That means cutting back on using fossil fuels and helping to preserve the trees and plants that are natural greenhouse gas fighters. Check out the tips below to help keep our climate from going crazy:

Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Fossil fuels are mainly burned to provide electricity.
Ask your parents to switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. They use less electricity than regular light bulbs.
Get moving in your community to preserve parks, forests, and other green spaces. You can start by planting a tree in your own backyard or neighborhood park!

*Word Nerd: climate: the weather over a long period of time