Climate Change > What Do You Know About Climate Change?

ANSWER: weather

Weather describes the conditions outside in a certain place and time, like what's happening today, this week, or this season. Climate is the typical weather in an area over a long period of time (many years).

ANSWER: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor

These are all greenhouse gases. They allow sunshine to pass through the atmosphere. But they absorb and hold the heat that radiates back from Earth's surface. This process, called the greenhouse effect, keeps Earth warm.

ANSWER: they collect and average data from weather stations around the world

To understand global climate, scientists also measure the temperature and chemistry of the ocean. They gather this data from ships, satellites above Earth, and buoys spread across the oceans.

ANSWER: glacial ice and tree rings

Tree rings and samples of ancient ice are clues from Earth. They hold important information about what the atmosphere was like in the past, such as temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations. From this evidence, scientists know that today's warming is different. Temperatures are rising higher and faster than anytime in human history.

ANSWER: burning fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases

Cars, computers, and other modern machines use  energy. The energy comes from burning  fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that cause Earth to warm.

ANSWER: both of these and more

And people aren't the only ones affected by changing weather patterns and rising temperatures. Plant and animal habitats, from the Arctic to the tropical oceans, are threatened.

ANSWER: they produce few or no greenhouse gases

"Clean" energy sources like solar, wind, water, and geothermal are renewable. Their supply won't run out. Nuclear energy, natural gas, and carbon capture and storage are other solutions for cutting down greenhouse emissions.

ANSWER: combine many efforts like these on a worldwide scale

There is no single solution to address climate change. Instead, it will take a combination of efforts to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions, from individual actions to a government commitment to "clean" energy sources like solar and wind.

ANSWER: both of these and more

Anytime you use less energy, like walking instead of riding in a car, you're putting fewer carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. You can also consume less. In other words, reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever you can.