Understanding Climate Change

What is often depicted on book covers about global warming?

• A flooded city

• A burning forest

• A melting glacier

• A polar bear on ice

Why are polar bears struggling to find food?

• Their habitat is being destroyed by humans

• The ice is melting earlier and forming later

• Their prey has migrated

• They are being hunted

What historical period is mentioned as having warmer temperatures than today?

• The Medieval Warm Period

• The Industrial Revolution

• The time of the dinosaurs

• The Ice Age

What is the predicted sea level rise by the end of this century?

• 1 to 3 feet

• 2 to 6 feet

• 5 to 10 feet

• 10 to 15 feet

Why can't we simply move cities inland in response to rising sea levels?

• It is too expensive

• There is no available land

• Cities are too large and complex to move

• People refuse to leave their homes

What is a consequence of a warmer atmosphere on precipitation?

• Less rainfall

• No change in rainfall patterns

• More extreme precipitation

• Drier conditions

How does climate change affect air pollution?

• It makes air pollution worse

• It cleans the air

• It has no effect on air pollution

• It reduces air pollution

What is a common factor among diseases like Zika, dengue, and malaria?

• They are all bacterial infections

• They are all water-borne

• They are all spread by mosquitoes

• They are all found in cold climates

What assumption have we made about our climate that is now proving to be problematic?

• That it is unpredictable

• That it is stable

• That it is always changing

• That it is cooling

What analogy is used to describe planning for the future based on past climate?

• Driving on a straight road

• Sailing a ship

• Flying a plane

• Climbing a mountain