3 big ways climate change is impacting your life

Scientists often talk about the long-term, large-scale impacts of climate change. But there are a number of ways it’s already pervading our daily lives.

Here’s how the rise in global temperatures is infringing on our health, financial stability and even our leisure.

1. Heat puts your health at risk

Heat is the deadliest type of extreme weather. Older adults, young children and the chronically ill are among the most vulnerable, and high temperatures also contribute to the deaths of outdoor workers, tourists, religious pilgrims and people experiencing homelessness.

Heat also impacts our health — both mental and physical — in other ways.

• Heat can make people more aggressive and irritable, and evidence suggests there’s a connection between heat and violence.
• Shorter, warmer winters have led to a rise in vector-borne diseases like Lyme, Zika, malaria, West Nile, dengue and chikungunya.
• Hot, stagnant, sunny weather patterns, mixed with traffic pollution, are increasing the amount of ozone in the air, causing and exacerbating a variety of illnesses, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Shifts in precipitation coupled with warmer seasons have led to higher pollen concentrations as well as earlier — and longer — allergy seasons.

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2. Climate change costs you money

Rising temperatures, more intense, prolonged drought, and extreme flooding are driving up household costs and leaving people vulnerable.

• Crop yields for a variety of household staples — from rice, wheat and corn to coffee, cocoa and hops — are impacted by extreme weather, which can drive up prices while reducing quality.
• Insurance companies are pulling back — or even out — of some markets entirely, leaving homeowners with either extremely expensive policies or none at all. This can depress home prices, as insurance is required for most mortgages. Car insurance is also getting costlier, due to increased flooding and hail.
• The electric grid is less stable. High temperatures can strain grids, when people struggle to stay cool. Utilities are also facing greater damage from weather-related hazards, including wildfires and extreme storms. These climate costs ultimately come back to consumers, who must pay more to keep their electricity on.

3. Climate impacts follow you on vacation

Vacationers and locals must contend with the impacts of climate change on popular destinations.

• The Sargassum belt, a giant blob of brown seaweed that migrates from Africa to the Caribbean, has grown since 2011. When it hits the beach, it releases health-harming hydrogen sulfide, harms coastal wildlife, piles up and smells like rotten eggs.
• Hot ocean temperatures are causing coral reefs to bleach and die. Ecosystems are experiencing habitat loss that may be irreplaceable, harming communities that depend on the reefs for their livelihoods.
• Sea-level rise is eroding beaches, harming coastal wetlands and estuaries. Inaction will contribute to not only the devastation of popular tourist destinations but also of wildlife, businesses and vital infrastructure.
• Ski resorts are grappling with less snow and shorter seasons. Making snow is possible, but the drain on water resources is costly for communities and the climate.

So what can we do about climate change?

The good news is that while we are already feeling the effects of climate change, there is also growing momentum to address the problem.

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