Field Notes on Climate

– Ami Eckard-Lee: How do you typically get around?

Well, for the majority of Americans, the answer is in a gas-powered vehicle.

And so what?

Why is that significant?

Because our reliance on gas-powered vehicles is one of the biggest contributors to climate change today.

But what makes gas-powered vehicles so harmful for our environment?

[bright music] Life in the fast lane has put us on the fast track to changes in climate.

Gas-powered vehicles like most cars, buses, and airplanes burn fossil fuels for energy.

Fossil fuels are the result of the heat and pressure of the Earth's crust transforming the ancient remains of plants and animals into an energy-rich resource.

But it's a non-renewable resource.

Crude oil, natural gas, and coal are all examples of fossil fuels we use today.

And when they burn, they emit carbon dioxide, or CO2, into the atmosphere.

But too much CO2 in the atmosphere causes something known as the greenhouse effect.

This effect traps heat, kind of like a greenhouse, leading to the entire planet becoming warmer.

So, we burn fossil fuels for our transportation needs.

Burning fossil fuels emits CO2.

Too much CO2 leads to the greenhouse effect.

And the whole result is a major contribution to climate change.

But how does this impact us?

- Hi, Jonathan.

– Jonathan Patz: Hi, Ami.

- Hey, I have a climate question for you.

How much CO2 is emitted from transportation in the United States each year?

- In the United States, transportation is the largest emitting sector of greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation emissions come from all over the place, be it from cars and trucks, off-road vehicles, to ferries and ships contributing to warming of the planet.

- How does our reliance on fossil fuel impact people everywhere?

- When you burn fossil fuels, you emit all these dangerous pollutants.

Globally, burning fossil fuels causes more than 5 million premature deaths every year.

When you breathe in these fine particles, it gets into your bloodstream.

It affects your heart, it affects your lungs.

And, you know, there are issues with asthma, lung cancer, heart disease.

Those are some of the main issues, but it also affects mental health.

And there studies that show an impact on learning, you know, being a compromise with air pollution.

- What can an individual do to make a difference?

- Well, what I can tell you is that we drive too much.

In the United States, a majority of car trips are short car trips, less than five kilometers.

And there would be enormous benefits if we could convert those short car trips into active travel, say by bicycle, because you're avoiding the emissions.

And at the same time, you're promoting physical fitness and exercise.

So, this is a strong reason to start designing cities for people rather than just for cars.

You know, bike and walk as much as you can, and the world and you will be better for it.

- So, as you can see, our reliance on fossil fuels is a pretty big contributor to climate change.

But how can we move away from this?

And what's stopping us?

Well, for many people, it's a lack of access to a more sustainable means of transportation.

Take biking, for example.

It's a great alternative means of transportation that doesn't produce any CO2 emissions.

But not everyone has a bike or knows how to fix it if it breaks.

Or maybe they just don't have access to safe bike routes to get them to their destination.

Thankfully, there are individuals and organizations dedicated to increasing accessibility to safe, sustainable means of transportation right here in our communities and schools.

Let's head to Madison East High School and take a look at how one student's idea changed the way his peers show up to class.

- This about right?

– Andy Nguyen: Maybe a little bit more, actually.

There you go.

I started the club last year, which is halfway through my junior year.

So, I saw a ton of bikes in the front bike rack.

Not well maintained, broken, low tire pressure, no brakes.

And with a background in cycling and bike repair, I decided to put my talent to use and educate my peers on how to repair bikes.

I see climate change as a big issue because we only have one planet, so biking opens up another form of transportation that people can consciously choose and reduces the reliance on cars.

And just riding my bike, it helps you get a better perspective on the world.

- Oh!

- Yeah.

You guys wanna give it a try?

– Silas Hunter: I got taught by Andy and my uncle, and it's super cool 'cause now I'm able to teach even more people through what they have taught me.

And it's kind of this very cool trickle-down effect 'cause, like, they've taught multiple people and now I've taught multiple people, and it just keeps growing.

– Andy: People can stand up for what they believe in.

Many people see climate change as such a big issue and that their impact is too little.

I wish more people would start somewhere, starting with just cycling to work or cycling places is a good start.

And every little bit counts.

– Ami: Big changes have to start somewhere, and it's often one person who causes a chain reaction for those around them.

Andy saw an issue at his school and realized he had the knowledge and the power to fix it, so he did.

Thanks to him, there are now even more students biking to school and lowering their school community's carbon footprint.

A carbon footprint refers to the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a specific person or entity.

A carbon footprint can be calculated for individuals, businesses, schools, communities, states, or even entire countries.

Some of the biggest contributors to a carbon footprint include electricity, heating and cooling our homes, and food waste.

But by far, the biggest factor is our transportation habits.

So, one of the most effective ways to lower a carbon footprint is to choose more sustainable transportation methods that release little or no CO2 into the atmosphere, like riding your bike.

Let's take a look at how a similar club at Omro Middle School grew into a community-wide program, all thanks to one person who saw a need and filled it.

– Joe Horvath: It's amazing the number of bikes here that came out of a dump and people just get rid of 'em, and that's to our benefit.

I never turn down bikes 'cause you never know what you're gonna find.

They know in the community now, rather than throw 'em out, they'll just come and drop 'em off.

So, people know that bikes aren't gonna go to waste.

- It's very interesting to me that such a small and rural community would be so excited about bikes, when often I think of, like, bike transportation and stuff as being something really urban.

- Right.

We became more involved in biking through the Safe Routes to School initiative.

We developed safe routes from all corners of the community to bike and walk to school.

- Why do you think biking is important?

– Elizabeth Schubert: 'Cause it helps to stop air pollution and so then we don't use up all our natural resources like gas and oil in the Earth.

'Cause once we run out, we're out.

– Maddie Fisher: Bikes, they're not like cars.

They don't pollute the environment.

If, say, one person rode a bike instead of taking a car, every day, that's one less car emitting fumes.

- So, one bike at a time.

- One bike at the time.

- I want the kids to know there's things that they can do, like ride your bike to school.

We're trying to build a culture.

We need people that care.

And you may not realize you have a skill you can pass on that's valuable, and especially if it has anything to do with the changes that our environment is going through.

And you just pass it on to one kid at a time.

And that will just blow up.

- One thing, one kid, one community.

- Right.

– Ami: These clubs or community groups are an effective form of advocacy that empowers others and encourages communities to build infrastructure to support sustainable habits.

Another great option is to utilize public transportation and carpooling.

If some of these options don't exist in your community, become an advocate for them.

It's easy to feel like our actions have little impact on the big picture, but it's individuals who get the wheels of change turning.

So, what sustainable means of transportation are you already using in your life?

And which ones are you going to add?

Together, we can shift gears towards a more sustainable future.

[cheers] I'm gonna get there so fast!

This is as fast as I can go!

[group cheers] Wait, you guys, it has no brakes!

[group laughs]