Our Earth is warming up. In recent decades, California’s winters have gradually become warmer and summers have become hotter. Climate change is responsible for the changes Californians are experiencing. Climate change has been on the rise since the Industrial Revolution, when the world started the widespread use of fossil fuels for energy, leading to an increase in CO2 emissions. In addition to the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation also contributes by releasing carbon stored in trees back into the atmosphere. In upcoming years, it will be our responsibility to prevent climate change from worsening.
“The burning of fossil fuels is increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and deforestation is disabling Earth’s natural ability to remove the CO2 from the atmosphere,” said Mr. Gordon, AP Environmental Science teacher at San Leandro High School.
In California, wildfires are common due to the state’s climate, dry vegetation, and geographical factors-all of which are factors that contributed to the Palisades Fire that broke out on Jan. 1, 2025. The fire burned through thousands of acres on the first day and is still ongoing. High winds have caused the Palisades fire to spread quickly, sparking the Hurst and Eaton fires. Combined, these fires have destroyed 12,000 structures and displaced wildlife, leaving more than 300,000 people under evacuation orders. Climate change has made these fires more destructive and long-lasting. Additionally, the fires contribute even more CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
“The out of control wildfires in Los Angeles are a predicted consequence of climate change here in California” said Mr. Gordon, “The fires that we see in LA are a ‘sign of the times’ that we are living in. Over the coming years, decades, it is going to get worse before it gets better.”
Earlier this year, President-elect Donald Trump expressed his support for America’s oil and gas industries, his campaign slogan being “Drill, Baby, Drill.” His plan to boost fossil fuel production would only speed up the process of climate change. If this continues, climate change will become irreversible. To prevent climate change from worsening, we must shift to sustainable energy sources, such as solar power from solar panels, and encourage the use of electric cars or energy-efficient vehicles.
“We must commit to reducing our carbon footprint. We’ve got to significantly reduce our burning of fossil fuels,” Mr. Gordon said.
Climate Change has already had significant impacts on the Bay Area in recent years, and these effects are expected to continue in the future. Without proper precautionary measures and intervention, they will only worsen. Earth isn’t home to just humans; we share this planet with billions of animals. The responsibility is in our hands to care for Earth.
“Climate is the long-term pattern of weather over a 30-year period. Day to day our weather fluctuates according to the seasons. However overall we are experiencing more drought, drier weather, and drier vegetation making wild fires more likely,” said Mr. Gordon.
