Recent conversations about the climate clock have left people curious. What does it mean, who started it, and what can we do?
In 2009, the idea for a clock tracking society’s carbon emissions was proposed. The Climate Clock was first set up as an online website with a digital version of the clock.
However, in 2020, the Climate Clock took to the sky. Digital clocks were set up on buildings in Berlin, New York, Seoul, Rome, and Glasgow. The company is represented globally and works to unite countries in the flight to stop climate change.
Contradicting what some may assume, the climate clock is not the countdown to the end of the world. It counts down until our global average temperature of 1.5C. 1.5C is a “danger zone,” representing when our Earth gets so hot that it becomes hard for habitats to thrive and living conditions become harder.
Scientists predict that at 1.5C, the damage to our climate will be irreversible. Carbon emissions will be so high that it will be almost impossible to reverse and moderate.
We emit carbon when we burn fossil fuels, a nonrenewable resource. Carbon traps the sun’s heat in our atmosphere, thus making the Earth hotter.
The more carbon we burn, the hotter it gets, and the harder it is for environments to thrive. Many animals and plants have already started losing their homes due to increasing temperatures. Burning coal, oil or gas, and deforestation all emit carbon dioxide.
The purpose of the Climate Clock is to inspire people to take action. The only way we can add time to the clock is by taking a stand and participating in a universal movement. This can seem daunting, especially knowing climate change is not a globally accepted concept.
So, what can you do to make a difference? Asking everyone to completely change their lifestyle is not realistic, especially for kids. But, there are many small ways you can decrease your carbon footprint.
Reusing and recycling are amazing ways to combat climate change, as they save energy and promote underconsumption. By saving and reusing resources, we can help limit the amount of new materials that need to be produced.
Avoiding plastic is another way to support the fight against climate change. Plastic takes 20-500 years to decompose, so it is a major threat to our animals and environments. According to Earth.Org, an estimated 100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste. Reusing tote bags for groceries and other goods is a great way to limit plastic usage.
Underconsumption and not wasting resources are other ways to help the environment. Nearly 60 million tons of food is wasted every year. Everyone is guilty of wasting materials, but if we are mindful of what we need and how much we are using we can limit our carbon footprints.
We need change. The climate clock has four years left until we hit 1.5C. We all need to act together to help fix this. It is possible to reverse the damage, but only if we act quickly.
If you want to learn more about the Climate Clock or find out how you can help and donate, visit their website here.
