Climate change: physical activity can make a difference

Today is a really exciting day. It is blog Action day! This day was created to ignite a discussion. Bloggers from around the world take one day to focus on a single issue. This effectively changes the global conversation on the web and refocuses attention on an important issue. I think now more than ever the focus is where is should be - on climate change.

Like most issues that need attention, climate change is daunting because of its scope. There are so many causes and effects on our planet and the atmosphere that it often feels overwhelming. A lot of the time, if we feel overwhelmed about something we choose to ignore or avoid it. It’s kind of like “this issue is so huge, what am I, one person supposed to do? Someone else will take care of it.”

The simple truth is, if you live on this planet you impact it. The science says it all. Here are a few things I learned at the David Suzuki Foundation website.

Pollutants we pump into our atmosphere are changing its composition and preventing heat from escaping the earth’s surface. Today the atmosphere has 32% more carbon dioxide than it did at the start of the industrial era. The result is climate change.

Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas is a huge cause of the problem. If you choose to use Active Transportation you decrease your Carbon Footprint.

The global impacts a far reaching; warmer earth temps don’t just mean warmer winters. It means extreme heat, flooding, drought, extreme summer heat that leads to violent storms and other extreme weather.

Kinda scary I know, but a fact’s a fact. We can still do the right things and make the changes needed to reverse the negative impacts “civilization” has had on the earth.

• We can choose Active Transportation, Public Transit, and encourage Urban Planning that increases Walkability.
• We can measure, reduce and offset what we contribute to climate change. Measure your carbon footprint, reduce your waste by recycling and being energy efficient and offset by purchasing Carbon Offsets.
• We can Speak Out and Demand Change for the better by participating in the discussion and making your opinion count. This December leaders from all across the globe will meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen Denmark with the goal of creating a new global protocol to address climate change.

 I came across another cool site that simply explains a sustainable goal to keep us all in a “climate safe zone” of sorts. The site is 350.org. This site made something that can be really confusing simple and seem achievable! On October 24 you can join people all over the world to take a stand for a safe climate future.

Ultimately what I realized through all my searching is that no issue stands alone. Physical inactivity has its way of contributing to the global climate crisis. If we spend all of our time in front of screens we are constantly requiring energy. If we never use our ability to move ourselves without a car we never reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn. If we never go outside and explore we never turn off all the lights and reduce the energy we use to power our homes. Being physically active is one way you can make a direct impact on the way you affect the planet!

We are the future. We are powerful, stay informed, stay vocal and stay active. So how do you see the link between physical activity and climate change? Please share in the comments below.