Record breaking heat waves. Catastrophic wildfires. Strained infrastructure. Open up the news this summer, and you are likely to see some crazy stories that all have the same takeaway: the impact of climate change on our lives is growing. Summer makes increasing extremes impossible to ignore, and 2023 is making it clear that doing our part to abate global warming is critical.
It is still early in the summer season, yet there have already been major stories that have had a tangible impact on people’s lives.
First there is the Canada wildfires. The country is experiencing its worst fire season in history, and the story became international news in early June. As over 400 fires raged across Canada, the smoke they caused traveled over the border and led to significant air pollution across the border in the U.S.
Local governments across the Northeast urged people to stay indoors when possible, and the hazardous smog caused flight delays, theatre closures, and other disruptions. People could taste smoke in the air, and experts said breathing the pollution could be as damaging as smoking 22 cigarettes a day.
Another story making waves is that experts predict this year will see record-breaking temperatures. 2022 saw the hottest summer on record for Europe, and it was one of the hottest years globally. Plus, Antarctic sea ice coverage was at a near-record low in 2022.
Now experts are predicting that 2023 could surpass all records to become the hottest year, as El Nino conditions return. El Nino is a natural wind phenomenon that leads to warmer global weather, but in recent times, as it compounds with climate change and leads to unprecedented heat. The world's hottest year on record so far was 2016, which also coincided with a strong El Nino. This year could be even worse, as the last eight years were the world's eight hottest on record and show an exacerbating situation.
Increasing temperatures alone are cause for concern, but the negative impact they have on our lives creates even more worrying stories. Especially in summer, extreme hot weather means people turn to their air conditioners more. This puts a huge strain on the energy grid, and often the infrastructure cannot handle the increased demand which leads to dangerous blackouts. In 2023, experts warn the risk of blackout is high.
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) recently announced that two-thirds of the continent face an elevated risk of energy shortfalls this summer if extreme heat events occur. This includes new regions at risk, as blackouts could reach the Southeastern U.S. for the first time.
These stories can feel disheartening, but the takeaway should not be despair. Experts agree that if we act, humanity can prevent the planet from reaching dangerous climate change milestones. Plus, in the past year we have seen the U.S. government take action towards helping the planet by reducing emissions. But more needs to be done. READ: 4 Signs Energy Efficiency Is On the Rise
As recent stories highlight, people are starting to feel the impacts of climate change more directly. That’s why taking action is more important than ever, and hopefully more people will be inspired to do their part.
One way to reduce emissions is to use more energy efficient equipment. The Biden administration has made efficiency upgrades a big part of its strategy, because they know it is one of the most effective ways to cut down energy use quickly on a large scale.
Energy efficiency solves a lot of problems. Because efficient equipment uses less energy, it burns less fuel and contributes less to the trend of climate change. Further, it helps solve more immediate problems like energy grid strain. The more buildings that use energy efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, for example, the less pressure the grid will experience during a heat wave. While bigger infrastructure changes are needed to adapt to the warming planet, these contributions can really add up.
Another significant way to help the planet is solar panels, which help lessen dependence on fossil fuels by generating clean energy from the sun.
READ: Debunking 5 Common Misconceptions About Solar Panels for Businesses
The best part of all this is that energy efficiency and solar panels do not require sacrifice from consumers or businesses—helping the planet this way actually helps lower energy bills and create more energy reliability. Helping the planet and helping your bottom line makes reducing energy consumption a win-win.
At Budderfly, our mission is to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint by providing energy efficient equipment upgrades and solar panels at no cost. We use our own capital to invest in the future of the planet and your business by lowering energy consumption. Plus, we provide our own unique technology that helps monitor for issues and valuable data and insights to measure and demonstrate how you’re lowering your contribution to climate change.
Contact us today and learn more about how we can help you start doing your part to fight climate change.