A Little About Climate Change There is not just one reason for the past 200 years of the climate’s warming Many different factors influence why the climate changes including: ocean circulation, volcanic eruptions, amount of sun’s energy coming to earth, earth’s orbit, land use, and the greenhouse effect Humans definitely have helped the earth warm up faster in the last 200 years How do you think humans have helped?

More About Climate Change Humans are helping warm up our planet through a process called the greenhouse effect. What is the greenhouse effect? – It is the process where the sun’s heat radiation is being trapped in the earth’s atmosphere due to different gases that are emitted and humans emit most of those gases. Is it bad? – The greenhouse effect is suppose to be good, because without it earth would be much colder and life perhaps may not be possible. What can be dangerous is if we take advantage of the greenhouse effect so that is why we must be careful how much energy we use. Name 5 ways to save energy around your home.

Climate Change and Wildfires One of the places climate change is affecting is the wild, wild west! Which is Western America. There is data indicating that the recent rise in longer warm periods is correlated to more frequent and more strong wildfires! OH NO! Once a fire occurs, a bunch of invasive weeds (non-native) weeds take over and make the land easier to catch fire. The biggest enemy is……(drum roll please!)

CHEATGRASS!!! :0 Cheatgrass’s scientific name is Bromus Tectorum. This invasive weed loves soil that has been burned and soil that has been disturbed (moved around and stuff). It becomes brown much faster than the vegetation around it so by the time summer comes along, it ignites way faster than other plants. Bromus Tectorum is native to Asia What continent is Asia located at?

Shall We Compare? Here the soil is healthy. There is native vegetation around, and no visible invasive weed like cheatgrass. NICE!! This soil, well it is not as healthy, as you can see. Although there is native vegetation around, there’s a bunch of cheatgrass, and that is not good. GOOD!!NOT SO GOOD!!

What Can Be Done Drill seeding or aerial seeding crested wheat bunchgrass is one of the attempts at keeping invasive weeds down. These pretty little flowers were planted in a burned area to also help keep down invasive weeds. The taller pink one is called Palmer’s penstemon and the white one is a Prickly poppy. Rehabilitation like this is usually done with human caused wildfires. In a natural fire, the ecology can usually be renewed, such fires that are caused by lightning.

What YOU Can Do Be EXTRA careful when you go camping. Make sure your campfire is in a clear area where there is no vegetation. Pull out the cheatgrass, invasive weeds, and pine needles around your house or neighborhood. Recycle things to save energy. Spread the word about climate change and about wildfire dangers!