Climate and weather are not the same things. The terms, weather, climate change, and global warming are often treated as synonyms. However, they are different words.
Weather in a Nutshell
Weather is going on now. It changes throughout the hour, day, and week. One week this past winter in Madison, Wiscon we had 41 degrees high on a Tuesday and 3 degrees the high on Thursday.
Look outside your window and you see weather. Today the weather is rainy. Tomorrow the weather will be sunny. Short time frames.
Climate Change in a Nutshell
Climate change happens in the long game. It spreads out over decades, looking at weather averages over the course of time.
Climate looks at aspects of meteorology such as rainfall, humidity, and wind conditions. However, it looks at those numbers over years, even centuries, and millennia.
Weather!
Global Warming in A Nutshell
Global warming is the rise of temperatures occurring in the atmosphere near the earth’s surface.
The problem with the term global warming is that it makes us think the earth is warming only.
Confusion
We continually have misunderstandings about the terms weather, climate change, and global warming.
The media has continually made the situation gummier because often they don’t understand the terms. Sadly an indictment of the American education system and lack of scientific knowledge.
David Pogue in his book, How To Prepare For Climate Change, states that the word “change” is a misnomer. He suggests we use the term climate chaos.
So, What is Climate Change?
As we said, climate change is long-term. We are looking at the averages in temperature. That’s why climate change is about warmer AND colder weather.
Climate change scientists look at patterns in rainfall and desertification. Ancient Egypt is an interesting study because they recorded weather events. 3000 years ago Egypt was a much greener environment with more grasses and trees.
Climate change also looks at the side effects such as rising sea levels, glacier melting, and increased storms.
Climate change looks at both the natural and the human causes. Humans cause changes in the chemical makeup of the atmosphere by the release of chemicals
Global warming examines the overall warming of the earth. Global warming looks at the increase in average temperatures due to manmade activities.
Geese on Lake Mendota. Photo by Ame Vanorio
Ways We Monitor Climate Change in the Present
Scientists around the world monitor changes in climate using a variety of instruments. Simple ones such as thermometers and rain gauges to more complex hygrometers and Fluviograph.
However, observation is still an important measure.
Check out the Interview I did on For Animals For Earth about some techniques to deal with anxiety related to Climate Change.
Fish Indicators
Freshwater fish who live in inland water habitats are very susceptible to climate change. They have evolved to live in certain temperatures with seasonal changes.
Just because they can tolerate water that is one temperature during the summer does not mean they want to live at that temperature all year. This is because many have evolved to spawn, eat or rest based on certain water conditions.
One study looked at the effect of climate change on the Great Lakes. They stated the “Great Lakes basin has warmed 1.6°F in annual mean temperature, exceeding average changes of 1.2°F for the rest of the contiguous United States”.
For example, some species that do well in warmer water such as blue gill have migrated north. On the flip side, lake whitefish have decreased in population.
These changes affect the entire lake ecosystem. Why does this matter?
Fishing is both an economic and recreational resource. In addition, many species of birds and wildlife depend on fish for food.
References
Information for this article came in part from two of my graduate textbooks.
Environmental Science: Earth As A Living Planet by Daniel Botkin and Edward Keller.
2. Understanding Weather and Climate by Edward Aguado and James Burt. Sixth Edition. Pearson. Available on Amazon.
Author, Ame Vanorio, is the founder of Fox Run EEC and has a graduate degree in Environmental Science.
Leave your bathing suit at home, put on some hiking boots, and head to the nearest woods. Take a deep breath, relax, and get ready for healing. This is what Forest Bathing is all about!