Friday, June 13, 2008

WHY STUDY THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE?



Why do we care about global warming? Why should we know about it?

The Hawaiian community should be aware of the potential effects of climate change to the Island's life, culture and economy. It is already known that the climate warming is not merely a natural cyclic event. Human activities are in fact accelerating this process. We in Hawaii live in an isolated place that depends heavily on imported energy and supplies from the Mainland. We all should work to reduce our carbon footprints and seek sustainable practices in our daily lives ranging from recycling our waste to deciding about the next vehicle we will buy.

We at the Oceanography Department at UH are trying to address some of the potential effects of climate change on marine communities, including rapidly warming antarctic ecosystems. If you are interested in this topic follow us on this adventure through the Antarctic seas, where some of the answers for our planet's future might be hidden under the icy (but warming!) waters!