Why Does Climate Change? Investigate the Causes with Erica and Sven
Oh what 0NE NOVEMBER DAY Mom why is there always so much snow in Christmas stories What’s this white Christmas thing 0n Christmas it rains and it’s super dark a pretty toaster Well I guess Well wouldn’t it be fun if there was snow at Christmas Yeah of course Now there’s that climate change thing though so you have to fly to Aspen if you want a white Christmas But look at this cute Christmas fleece outfit It has reindeer antlers and everything This can’t be happening Do you want one We could get reindeer outfits for the whole family this Christmas When I was little we always wished people a white Christmas It’s a tradition Oh Why isn’t it anymore How does that help climate change No it helps for having a white Christmas That reminds me you should write your letter to Santa now Mom I don’t believe in Santa Claus anymore 2
What do you want for Christmas I dunno My dad thinks that Christmas should be canceled Uh why Well because climate change is coming and the changes in the world are too big My mom wants us to fly to Aspen for Christmas and dress up as reindeer Adults have gone crazy Dad has climate change anxiety Not really Do you understand this climate change thing And then it will dry up when all the water evaporates Then we will have an ice age and maybe the mammoths will come back but I think that was just some science experiment Now I understand even less DRYING DROWNING WARMING COOLING Maybe we should try to dig into it ourselves Dad says that when the glaciers melt sea level will rise and cover the whole planet And the temperature will rise so high that everything will roast and the Gulf Stream will stop 3
It would probably be good to lay out the basics HOT DAY OR GREENHOUSE Does climate change mean that there will be a flood tomorrow or that next summer will be really hot Not exactly Weather and Yeah climate are slightly different things first climate and then the change The climate is the big picture the playing field that weather events run around on How much does it rain during an ordinary year Is there a rainy season or is it always dry or wet Does it ever freeze during the winter Is there a winter at all or is the weather the same all year long 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2001 2002 1999 You can learn about the weather by walking outside You can predict the weather a couple of days in advance up to maybe a couple of weeks In places with highly variable weather even a 10 day forecast is quite a gamble However the climate is a more stable thing For example since trees don't run around chasing the rain climate conditions have to repeat All organisms rely on this for their survival The climate creates the foundation for vegetation and vegetation supports animal life The weather varies within the boundaries formed by the climate But everything starts with the star called the Sun. 2000 Weather can vary from day to day and in different years it can be a little different in the same seasons Will it be rainy or clear tomorrow Will it be below freezing or above during the winter holidays Or do we even need to think about the weather since it will always be warm and wet ITURE
If you’re outside in nature you can draw conclusions about the climate by looking around If you see a forest full of tall pine and fir trees then you’re in an area with cold winters Large expanses of sandy desert can tell you that it doesn’t rain much where you are A high canopy of leaves echoing with the cries of parrots and monkeys indicate a rain forest and a tropical climate 5
