Can you guess what this is?

It may look like a piece fine of art, but it is actually a depiction of rising global temperatures throughout the 20th century. Doesn’t look so fine now, huh?

This was one of many displays demonstrating the threat of climate change to our planet. This exhibit, at the American Museum of Natural History (10/18/08-8/16/09), not only showed the effects that industrialization has had on our climate but also provided museum goers with ways in which they could do their part to slow the process.

As you walked though the exhibit, you were presented with the hard truth:

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have risen from 274ppm in 1600 to 369ppm in 2000 due to population growth and the use of fossil fuels.

a graphic depiction of atmospheric carbon dioxide over the last 100 years

One metric ton of coal can feed a large power plant for only about 13 seconds.

one metric ton of coal

Polar bears hunt the majority of the time on sea ice, only returning inland when the ice breaks up. However, rising artic temperature causes sea ice to retreat earlier and return later, forcing polar bears to migrate inland for food. Bears are forced to feed on human trash, posing a treat to both themselves and the human population

a polar bear hunts for food in a refuse dump

Carbon dioxide emissions have caused the pH of the oceans to shift from 8.5 in preindustrial times to 8.02. While this may seem like a small drop, it has had drastic effects on many oceanic organisms, including coral reefs.

coral reefs die off due to increasing pH

But it wasn’t all a grim picture of our future. The exhibit also included hundreds of tips on how one can do their part to conserve energy in many different aspects of their lives. The idea is if we all make small changes in our day-to-day routines, together we can make a big difference. Sure, we all know the general rules: Install florescent light bulbs. Eat foods grown locally. If you have the space, start a compost pile. Drive fuel-efficient cars. But did you know you could conserve gas by driving more efficiently on the highway? That is, try using the cruise control to keep your car at the speed limit. Some sources say that reducing one’s speed from 75mph to 65mph could improve your gas mileage by up to 14%! Additionally, getting a home energy audit can help to identify problems with insulation, helping to better heat and cool your home (not to mention save you a lot of money).

For New Yorkers, the good news is you likely have a smaller carbon footprint than most people in the U.S. by not having a car and taking public transportation. But we can’t stop there! Call your landlord to insullate your old windows. Ask them to turn down the heat when the have it set way too high on warmer winter nights. And of course, don’t forget to recycle. New York has clear guidelines on how and what to recycle in the city.

The last part of the exhibit examined future energy options. They proposed several ways of limiting carbon dioxide emissions while meeting increasing demands for energy. Some of these possibilities included increasing the amount of solar power, hydroelectric and wind power, and using carbon capture and storage. While all theoretical plausible, these possibilities will require significant political efforts.

If this exhibit made me realize one thing, it’s that doing our part to reduce carbon emissions is not all that difficult. While living in NYC is a good start, we must all contribute to reducing carbon emissions in any way possible.