Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods

ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of
weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by
factors such as biotic processes, variations insolar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic
eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, often
referred to as "global warming".
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Scientists actively work to understand past and future climate by using observations and theoretical models. A
climate record extending deep into the Earth's past has been assembled, and continues to be built up, based
on geological evidence from borehole temperature profiles, cores removed from deep accumulations of
ice, floral and faunal records, glacial and periglacial processes, stable-isotope and other analyses of sediment
layers, and records of past sea levels. More recent data are provided by the instrumental record. General circulation
models, based on the physical sciences, are often used in theoretical approaches to match past climate data, make
future projections, and link causes and effects in climate change.
Become informed
The most powerful way that the average
person can combat climate change is to
become informed about it, says J.
Marshall Shepherd, former president of the
American Meteorological Society and
professor at the University of Georgia.
"Obviously, it makes sense for people to
be as efficient and green as possible in
their thinking on a day-to-day basis," he
said. "But where I think the biggest
impact that individuals can have is:
Becoming climate literate."
If you educate yourself about what's
going on with climate change and what
can be done about it, you can make more
informed choices when it comes time to
vote for the people with the power to
make big decisions.
"Where the biggest impacts on our planet will be, will come from large-scale policy changes and solutions that are
influenced by who's in office," he said.
Only read trusted and verified sources of information about climate change, Shepherd said. He recommends the
websites climate.gov and Climate Central (of which he is a board member) for essential facts and resources.
Learn about various responses to climate change that policy makers are discussing:
-- Mitigation means lowering carbon dioxide levels -- for instance, by instituting carbon taxes or taking carbon
dioxide out of the atmosphere.
-- Adaptation means responding to the consequences of climate change -- for instance, building seawalls to prepare
for rising sea levels around vulnerable cities.
-- Geo engineering means changing the Earth itself to counteract climate change -- which would include hypothetical
technological interventions such as putting large mirrors in space or changing our oceans to absorb more carbon
dioxide, Shepherd said.
Beyond reading up on the issues, you can still do a small part to influence the big environmental picture.
2. Make changes at home
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists steps to limiting your greenhouse gas emissions, which would also
save you money. These include:
-- Changing your five most-used light fixtures or bulbs to products that have the EPA's Energy Star label;
-- Heat and cool more efficiently, such as by using a programmable thermostat, changing air filters and replacing old
equipment with Energy Star products;
-- Seal and insulate your home;
-- Make use of recycling programs, and compost food and yard waste;
--Reduce water waste;
--Use green power, such as solar panels;
--Estimate how much greenhouse gas you emit with the EPA's calculator.
The U.S. Department of Energy has an online guide to buying green power.
3. Be greener at the office
If you have a desk job, there are plenty of things you can
do to reduce your emissions while at work. The EPA
advises:
-- Set computers and other office equipment to power
down during periods when you're not using them;
-- Use Energy Star equipment;
-- Recycle and reuse whenever possible;
The David Suzuki Foundation, an environmental nonprofit
organization, additionally recommends using video
conferencing to reduce air travel for business.



4. Reduce emissions in transit
Whether it's taking a vacation or doing your daily commute, you can reduce your carbon footprint in simple ways
that also save money. The EPA's recommendations include:
-- Rely on public transportation, biking, walking, carpooling or telecommuting instead of driving;
-- Use the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide to help you make an informed choice about buying a car;
-- While driving, try not to do hard accelerations, don't spend more than 30 seconds idling, and go easy on the gas
pedal and brakes;
-- Make sure to regularly check your tire pressure.
When you have to take an airplane, the David Suzuki Foundation recommends:
-- When flying, consider packing lighter because less fuel is consumed with less weight on the plane;
-- Fly during the day because night flights have a bigger impact on climate;
-- Buy carbon offsets -- or credits -- to compensate for the emissions on your flight .
5. Get involved and educate others about the big picture
Your green strategies in your daily life can have a small impact, but the whole planet has to be on board for dealing
with climate change in order to instigate global effects. Even if everyone in the United States reduced their
emissions, other countries that continue to dump carbon dioxide into the air would still contribute to warming
temperatures and rising sea levels.
Spread the word about climate change and educating people. The EPA recommends that students give
presentations on climate change and encourage their institutions to increase energy efficiency.
Find out if your community has a climate action plan. There may be ways you can contribute to local efforts to be
greener and adapt to potential changes that a warming world would bring.
Bottom line: Most of the public will never read the full National Climate Assessment, Shepherd said. But if you arm
yourself with correct information, you can make informed choices that could affect your community and the planet at
large.

The history of climate change
The history of the scientific discovery of climate change began in the early 19th century when ice ages and other
natural changes in paleo climate were first suspected and the natural greenhouse effect first identified. In the late
19th century, scientists first argued that human emissions of greenhouse gases could change the climate. Many
other theories of climate change were advanced, involving forces from volcanism to solar variation. In the 1960s, the
warming effect of carbon dioxide gas became increasingly convincing, although some scientists also pointed out
that human activities, in the form of atmospheric aerosols (e.g., "pollution"), could have cooling effects as well.
During the 1970s, scientific opinion increasingly favored the warming viewpoint. By the 1990s, as a result of
improving fidelity of computer models and observational work confirming the Milankovitch theory of the ice ages, a
consensus position formed: greenhouse gases were deeply involved in most climate changes, and human
emissions were bringing serious global warming. Since the 1990s, scientific research on climate change has
included multiple disciplines and has expanded, significantly increasing our understanding of causal relations, links
with historic data and ability to numerically model climate change. The most recent work has been summarized in
the Assessment Reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.