Your Global Footprint

What?Melting Ice Caps

Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the melting ice caps. The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels to run our homes, factories, and cars adds to the green house effect, which in turn causes climate change. Warming of the atmosphere is causing the ice caps to melt.

So? The melting ice caps leads to flooding of low-lying coastal areas. For example: The US state of Louisiana is losing one acre of land every 24minutes. Alpine Glaciers have half as much snow and ice as they did in the mid 19th century (source: DK Essential Science, 2002).

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps

What? Acid Rain

Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the amount of acid rain that is falling. Acid rain is made when certain gases from power stations, factories or cars mix with rain to made a weak acid which then falls as ‘acid rain’.

So? Acid rain cause trees and planets to die. In rivers and lakes fish and other aquatic life die, buildings are damaged and people can be affected when fisheries are affected.

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps.

What? Ozone Layer

Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the destruction of the ozone layer, which has become thinner in places, and has actual holes in the Antarctic region. The hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica is thought to be as big as the USA and as deep as Mount Everest! Over Europe the ozone layer is thinning as well. Perhaps as much as 10% of the ozone shield has been destroyed. (Source: Dirty Planet – Friends of the Earth, Caroline Clayton, 2001)

So? The ozone layer stops most of the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays from reaching us, and so is essential to life on earth. Less ozone means more skin cancers, eye diseases, damaged crops and smog pollution. The destruction of the ozone layer has come about by man – made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), which are used for example in fridges and air conditioning units, being released into the atmosphere.

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps

What?   Rainforests

Why? This is the name given to the type of forests that are found in a band around the equator. As a result of the intense heat in these regions, water evaporates very quickly, which in turn causes a lot of rain, which is why the term “rainforest” is used. The rainforest regions are to be found in South America, Africa, Asia, and the islands around Australia. The largest is the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Our global footprint can be seen in the fact that Tropical rainforests used to cover more than 14% of the Earth’s land area. They now cover less than 6% of the Earth’s surface. They are being burned down for a number of reasons. Some have made way for large ranches where cattle are reared. Some have been burned down to make way for housing, roads, and urban growth. Loggers who cut down these trees can sell the very valuable hardwoods, like mahogany and teak, to furniture makers in rich western countries. Mining is another activity that has led to the destruction of the rainforests.

So? Burning rainforests release massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which add to the greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change. These forests, in addition to soaking up mountains of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (they are sometimes referred to as “carbon sinks”), also release oxygen that we need to breathe into the atmosphere. By destroying these forests we are leaving our planet without its most natural defence against the build up of CO2 in the atmosphere.  To make matters worse, the burning of rainforests to make way for large cattle ranches is most harmful, as the methane gas that cows produce is in fact another greenhouse gas, and is twenty times more destructive than CO2 in our atmosphere.

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps

What?   Creeping Deserts

Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the spread of desert regions around the world.  This process is known as desertification. This has happened because population growth has caused people to cut down trees and plants for fuel and food. Without vegetation growth as a cover to protect soil, it blows away in the wind and the area becomes desert. Another reason for creeping deserts is droughts. Increasing droughts are a consequence of changing rainfall patterns that have occurred because of climate change.

So? In the African country of Niger, 250,000 hectares are being lost each year through desertification. This is equivalent to 2,500KM2, an area about the same size as Luxembourg. (source – www.eden-foundation.org). It has been estimated that 34% of the surface area of Africa is under the threat of desertification. (source; Professor Michael Bernard Kwesi Darkoh, Professor of Geography, Kenyatta University). Desertification is happening on every continent. This means less fertile land to grow food, which in turn means the possibility of more famines.

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps

What?  Storms, Hurricanes, Cyclones

Why? Our global footprint can be seen in the increase of extreme weather
patterns. Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and will not only cause more droughts but will also have the opposite effect. “Tropical cyclones will become more intense, because the heat that gives them energy will be available in greater supply. The result will be stronger rains, higher winds, and more vicious storm surges.” (DK Science – Global warming).

So? Extreme weather patterns will create millions of “environmental”
refugees, people who have to move from their homelands because of the flooding and destruction caused by cyclones, hurricanes, storms  and landslides.

Find out what you can do by clicking on Taking Steps