Climate Change 101: How it could affect YOU

Hi! I’m Patrick the polar bear and I live way up in Canada’s Arctic. Thanks to climate change, we’re experiencing some pretty big changes up here and they’re not for the better. Our sea ice is melting making it harder for me to catch my food, but also bringing more shipping traffic to the area, increasing the chances of oil or chemical spills. It’s also causing problems for my human neighbours as the frozen ground that once supported their homes and roads is melting.

But the Arctic isn’t the only place in Canada that will feel the impacts of climate change. In fact, life in every region of Canada will be harder if climate change continues at its current pace.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you could be affected:

If you live in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick or Newfoundland and Labrador:
You could see more intense storms, with lots of rain or snow and really strong winds. Sea levels are expected to rise, which will cause the coastline to wear away (or erode), could bring more flooding and greatly impact fisheries and tourism in the area.

If you live in southern Ontario or Quebec:
Scientists believe that you could see some pretty extreme heat waves. This might sound like a great time to bust out the shorts and t-shirt but it will also bring smog, heat-related illness (like heat stroke), and will provide the perfect conditions for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects to thrive.

If you live in Manitoba, Saskatchewan or some parts of Alberta:
You’re expected to experience unpredictable precipitation (rain and snow) patterns. Sometimes you won’t see rain for a really long time but other times, there will be so much rain that it causes flash flooding. This unpredictable weather could really hurt the amount of crops that farmers can grow, impacting food available for the whole country.

If you live in other parts of Alberta or in British Columbia:
Climate change is expected to bring you more extreme events, like forest fires, snowstorms, hail, droughts, landslides and floods. The warmer weather will also bring more insects north, like the destructive mountain pine beetle. If you live closer to the ocean, you could see rising sea levels and erosion of the coastline.

Sounds pretty gloomy, right? Well there’s still hope!

If we take action now, we can slow down climate change before it gets out of control. But how? Everyone needs to shrink their carbon footprints. A carbon footprint is the amount of CO₂ (and other greenhouse gases) you create through the products you use and the actions you take. One of the best ways to shrink ours is to save energy at home and you can do that with the Operation Conservation Mission!

Join Captain Conservation to help stop the 7 energy-wasting culprits that have snuck into your own home without you even realizing it! This way you too can help reduce the waste of energy and water across the country and foil Power Phantom and those other villains plans once and for all! So, what are you waiting for? The planet needs Earth Rangers like YOU, so download the app and get started today!

Sources:
– climateactionnetwork.ca/issues/impacts-and-adaptation/learning-cente/impacts-in-canada/
– www.nrcan.gc.ca/environment/resources/publications/impacts-adaptation/reports/assessments/2008/ch9/10405