Climate change is detrimentally affecting the world. Organizations such as NASA, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and more are making statements on climate change. Climate change has negative impacts on human health, agriculture, food security, water supply, transportation, energy, ecosystems, and various other aspects that support life on Earth.

Extreme weather events and wildfires are a direct cause of climate change, which in turn, leads to serious issues such as decreased air quality and water supply diminishing; this elicits the rate of which a plethora of health issues begin to increase such as waterborne, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases.

The greenhouse effect, which is the natural process that warms Earth’s surface, is affected by human activity as it increases the levels of gas in the atmosphere and disrupts this system and traps an excess amount of heat from the Sun.

This excess heat in the atmosphere triggers a change in climate, and as a result, adversely impacts the climate. Human activities are the main source for climate change as the burning of fossil fuels and clearing land for agriculture, industry, and human-use purposes creates a disruption within the Earth’s natural greenhouse.

At Pitman, Climate Change Club was created by Gaby Rábago and few other founders. She states: “The main reason me and the other founders decided to create CA-C was because of our passion about global climate issues as well as our drive to help others understand not only what is climate change but how it affects us and other countries. We also wanted to create a space where people could come to work and learn together, rather than it being solely a ‘debate’ atmosphere.”

She shares her knowledge on the effects of climate change: “Climate Change prevention is impossible… There are multiple studies outlining radical changes contributed and/or caused by climate change. So, I don’t think we can prevent it, but I do believe by educating future generations we can reduce the human impact on it, and slow the rate of “damage’’ so to say.”

There are a variety of ways that can help lessen the effects of climate change. Gaby also includes a few methods she utilizes to combat climate change: “We use energy efficient bulbs, have solar panels, recycle, and attempt to reduce unnecessary water waste. I think it’s not so much as difficult as many others think, and I could still improve a lot, which is an important part of the club: educating ourselves and others and constantly reducing our carbon footprint, especially in unseen, simple ways.”