This is an opinion article piece. Anjali Shah is a senior at Mendham who writes for Global & Domestic News. All opinions expressed in the following editorial are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of  The Patriot.

One week ago, artists Gan Goland and Andrew Boyd stepped up to remind the world of the impending climate crisis that needs to be addressed. The “Climate Clock,” an art installation on a building in Manhattan, outlined how much time is left until the world’s carbon budget is used up completely and the damage is irreversible. Climate change itself has become a controversial issue, arising in politics and everyday life. Those who believe that this is not a pressing issue should consider scientific evidence and realize that the health of the earth depends on the regulation of these greenhouse gases and the alternation of human behavior. 

What is climate change? BBC explains this simply, as the rise of the average global temperature due to the greenhouse effect. While it is natural for the Earth to trap some of the sun’s energy, humans have been releasing an excessive amount of greenhouse gases, increasing the temperature and consequently harming our environment. The Environmental Defense Fund accredits events such as the destruction of habitats, loss of certain species, and irregular weather patterns to climate change. 

Scientists have collected a mass amount of evidence to show that this phenomenon is truly occurring. According to research done by the United Nations, the average global temperature has risen by 0.85 degrees Fahrenheit between the years of 1880 and 2012. Individuals can view the direct impact that the rising temperatures have had on the environment through the rising ocean levels. Subsequently, BBC reported that “From 1901 to 2010, the global average sea level rose by 19 cm as oceans expanded due to warming and ice melted.” Melting ice caps has taken habitats away from animals such as polar bears, harming their way of life. Climate change has also been observed to change weather patterns, and create extreme weather conditions.

Robert Brulle, a sociologist at Drexel University, studied the countermovement against climate change in depth. In an article for the Public Broadcasting Service, Brulle defined people who support the countermovement as being one of two things: completely opposed to the idea that climate change exists and humans contribute to it, or those who believe it exists but do not see it as an issue that needs to be addressed. These individuals may feel that climate change is something that they can pass on to later generations to deal with, or believe that we will be able to solve it using technology. These people have been linked with the conservative party since the end of World War II. 

Despite those who believe climate change is a hoax, NASA provides clear evidence pointing to the fact that human activities such as deforestation, the burning of fossil fuels, and land use changes have largely increased the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. The need for humans to expand businesses and build over forests not only destroys habitats but decreases the number of trees in any given area. Trees are extremely important as they take in carbon dioxide, regulating the levels of CO2 in the air. The Union of Concerned Scientists provided that burning coal, oil, and gas are additional activities that massively add heat-trapping emissions. Pollution from cars and powerplants gets released into the air, impacting the temperature and the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases. 

NASA’s article on the causes of climate change provides that “Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by 47% since the Industrial Revolution began.” It is significant that the Industrial Revolution marks the beginning of rising temperatures. It should be noted that this was a time where new technologies were introduced, therefore encouraging humans to boost the economy without a thought about the environmental repercussions. These statistics should evidently show that humans significantly contribute to climate change and should consider the issue pressing. 

The owner of the building the art is being displayed on, Stephen Ross, told the New York Times that “The Climate Clock will remind the world every day just how perilously close we are to the brink. This initiative will encourage everybody to join us in fighting for the future of our planet.” While the immediate effect of climate change is not able to be seen, it is slowly breaking down the planet, destroying habitats, and harming animals. It is imperative that young people and adults consider climate change a pressing issue as it will be impacting future generations to come. The art installation urges change as if this issue is not addressed within the next seven years, the damage will be irreversible. If we want what is best for the earth and all its inhabitants, it is in everyone’s best interest to learn more about how they can help while convincing others to do the same.