Climate Change

Fossil Fuels

Most of the electricity we use to power our lives in our homes, schools, and organizations today is still generated by burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and/or gas. According to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), “Combustion of natural gas and petroleum products for heating and cooking needs emits carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Emissions from natural gas consumption represent 79% of the direct fossil fuel CO2 emissions from the residential and commercial sectors in 2020 (EPA). The toxic emissions produced by fossil fuels consist of greenhouse gases that create a layer on the Earth’s atmosphere, locking the sun’s heat and warming up the planet.

Manufacturing Goods

The manufacturing and production of goods plays a significant role in climate change. The products we purchase from TVs to clothes are made up of plastics, fabrics, and cement, among many others. The production of goods produces emissions from burning fossil fuels and toxic by-products. In addition, the production of goods includes processes such as mining and deforestation, leading to emissions and unsustainable practices.

Animal Farming

Many people know about the effects of using fossil fuels, manufacturing goods, deforestation and their major contribtion to climate change, however, there is less recognition and acknowledgement of the effects of animal farming and consumption of animal products. The information on animal farming is not mainstream and as published by the Humane Society International (HSI), “The impacts of the energy, fossil fuel, and transportation industries currently dominate climate mitigation discussions among global leaders, while animal agriculture, one of the leading contributors to climate change, is sidelined from discussions at best and ignored at worst.”
14.5-16.5% of emissions and greenhouse gases are due to animal farming as well as loss of biodiversity, deforestation, and the degradation of the environment (HSI). According to Climate Nexus, “The livestock sector is also one of the leading drivers of global deforestation, and is linked to 75 percent of historic deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.” Not only does animal agriculture use fossil fuels and other unsustainable sources of energy and destroy forests that are essential to the planet’s health, but it is also the cause of air and water pollution through the discharge of pesticides, antibiotics, and heavy metals into water systems (Climate Nexus).