4 Ways to Help Stop Glaciers from Melting
As the world warms, glaciers are flowing faster and faster toward the sea, causing widespread damage by melting valuable freshwater sources and destabilizing mountain communities. To help slow down these changes and protect against glacial melt, we need to take action now. These four ways will help you reduce the risk of glaciers melting in your community.
Reduce your carbon footprint.
Many people don’t realize how their everyday actions – from driving to working in an office building to flying in an airplane – contribute to significant global carbon emissions. By making small adjustments to your everyday habits, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help slow down the effects of climate change. For example, walking and cycling to work can reduce the carbon emissions produced by driving by up to 40%.
Plant trees and vegetation
Trees and vegetation absorb CO2 and other greenhouse gases that would otherwise reach the atmosphere from human activities. When these trees and vegetation are planted in places where they would not naturally grow, they help to remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. So, planting trees and vegetation not only provides a source of valuable organic matter for the soil but also acts as a carbon sink. This means that forests and vegetation can remove atmospheric carbon from the air while forests and trees can also absorb systemic CO2 from the air and store it safely inside their cells. This carbon is released when trees and vegetation are harvested and burned, and it is this carbon that can be captured and stored in plantations or forests.
Urge for better infrastructure in areas at risk of glacial melt
One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of your community’s glaciers melting is to install engineering checks and safeguards to ensure that water flow does not breach existing boundaries or cause additional damage to the environment. This can be done by using rainwater harvesting systems and water restrictions in areas prone to flash flooding. Another option is to place sensors at vulnerable locations to detect changes in water flow and promptly call for backup water supplies.
Create awareness and educate your community
Keeping your community informed about the benefits of preserving forests and trees can go a long way in helping to convince people to protect these critical natural resources. Awareness is key to change, so using your social media channels to distribute information about how you are saving the forest and trees in your community can have a dramatic impact. Educate your children about the importance of saving trees by having them participate in forest stewardship projects or teach forest safety classes in schools. Community forestry programs like The Arbor Dayforestation movement try to keep people informed and motivated to plant trees.