密歇根新闻广播 气候变化影响密歇根

All this week, Michigan Radio's Environment Report will be focusing on climate change and how it's already affecting us in the state of Michigan, and what's expected to change in the future. It's a huge crisis we face now and that generations to come will face and it will affect every aspect of our lives, from what we eat, to how we travel, to how we live inside our homes.

To start, climate change describes what is happening to our planet as certain gasses in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. This is due to an increase in greenhouse gases: primarily carbon dioxide, but also methane¹ and some others. Whenever we produce and burn a fossil fuel like coal, natural gas, gasoline, diesel², and propane, we increase the concentration of greenhouse gasses. Forests naturally capture carbon dioxide, but humans are prone³ to clearing the world's forests.

Michigan Radio's Tracy Samilton joined Stateside to discuss the big picture for Michigan.

According to Samilton, we had a taste of what's to come in mid-July when we had three to four days of a nearly 100 degree heat index, which is a combination of heat plus humidity that feels incredibly oppressive. And it's dangerous, too.

Imagine having that happen not just a handful of days a year, but up to 25 days a year," Samilton says. "The Union of Concerned Scientists says if we do nothing to curtail⁴ our emissions⁵, that's in [Michigan's] future by mid-century. And 26 to 50 days of those extreme heat waves a year by late-century if we do nothing."

In Michigan, changes in climate are more than just warming temperatures. The state has seen an increase in heavy rain events, which has led to more flooding. Samilton says there's been a 14% increase in precipitation in the Great Lakes region since 1951. She says to expect that to continue and increase further.

"Weather is harder to predict than the temperature increases," Samilton said. "So, it could be back and forth⁶. We could have years of really dry, hot summers in Michigan, with super wet springs. And we could have more lake effect snow in the winters, but as it continues to get warmer, we could have a lot more rain in the winter."

So what can we do? Samilton asked Richard Rood, who teaches climate change problem solving at the University of Michigan, that exact question. He tells his students to start running for local office.

Rood says local and city and state policies and also regional, multi-state efforts, could really move the needle on energy efficiency, renewable energy, public transportation, and reforestation. And he says these local, state and regional efforts are especially crucial because the Trump⁷ administration is rolling back policies that address climate change.

Samilton says Michigan cities should also be working on emergency plans for situations that will be a result of climate change, such as dangerous temperatures and flooding.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center's Margrethe Kearney agrees with Rood about getting involved, particularly if your city doesn't have a climate change plan, or holding local officials responsible if the current plan is not meeting its goals.

"We can force the people who represent us in government and the companies who sell things to us, we can insist that they change the way they are responding to climate change, and that they take much more significant action," Kearney says. "And that, that bigger system change, I think, is where there can be a real impact on carbon emissions."

Michigan Radio and Stateside will be talking about environmental issues and how people are taking action on climate change all week. Follow along with us here.

1 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

2 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

3 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

4 curtail   

vt.截短，缩短；削减

参考例句：

• The government hopes to curtail public spending.政府希望缩减公共事业开支。
• The minister had to curtail his visit.部长不得不缩短访问日期。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

7 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。