We have had rainy days consistently in the last several weeks and the odd days in between would be scorching hot! When it rains, it is not just a light drizzle here and there but it really has been coming down hard. Like this morning...
In the past, the weather would still be hot and humid in March and we would only start getting some rain towards the end of April. That is how I remember the seasons to be when I was growing up. And then there was this one year, about 6 or 7 years ago, when the hot spell stretched through April and we did not get even a drop of rain till at least mid-May. And I remember looking at the surrounding limestone hills and you could not see a single green leaf on those trees. Everything had looked brown, dry and almost dead though it was still a strangely beautiful sight.
The shifting season is not totally new to us. If you have been observant of the weather patterns in general, you would have noticed these changes over the last several years. As an example, it rained in January about 3 years ago when this would have been totally unheard of in previous years.
These are the effects of climate change that scientists have been talking about for so many years now. What we are experiencing now is one of the effects of rising global temperatures, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. According to one of the fact sheets on climate change and global warming, the increasing temperature is likely to lead to increasing precipitation globally although some areas will experience less rainfall. And we will be getting more extreme weather. We have been forewarned.
Another consequence of climate change is rising sea levels due to shrinking glaciers. Believe me, I have met people who had thought that it would not affect us in the tropics, along the Equator, because the glaciers are not found here and we are so far away. Duh!
Yet, there are many people out there who are as ignorant and still many more who choose to continue with their selfish ways and indulgences and choose convenience for their own sakes rather than the environment.
There are many simple things you can do to become more environmentally-friendly and to reduce your carbon footprint and help make a bit of a difference. These are so easy to achieve and I am sure it is not the first time you are reading them:
- practice the 3Rs to first Reduce, Reuse & Recycle as much as you can.
- use less plastics and bring your own bags when you go shopping.
- use less electricity and conserve water too since you're at it.
- eat more vegetables and eat less meat!
- and, now that it's been raining and the nights are cool, how about switching off that air conditioner and sleep with just the fan instead?
- help spread the word among your friends and convince your friends to join you in efforts to be green and eco for the environment!
And there are many, many more.
Climate change will affect everything on earth. It will impact on nature and people.
Anyway, the other day, I went out to one of the parks hoping to have a field day with dragonflies. It had started raining when I got there. I sat in the car and waited, hoping it will pass soon but the rain just kept coming down. I had my rainjacket but... no dragonflies... Besides, the rain made it quite impossible to take photos.
Eventually, I headed home.
And with another rainy day today, still no dragonflies.
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