Southern Michigan Climate Change Essay

Michigan and Climate Change The Earth is facing global warming worldwide. Almost every community has been affected in one way or another by the ever changing climate and its consequences. Specifically, Southeastern Michigan has started to see the consequences of climate change and it has brought significant changes to the ecological environment and the social and cultural scene as well. Climate change has brought negative effects to Southeastern Michigan including dangerous changes in weather, unfavorable transitions in health, and dreadful impacts on recreational activities, therefore, climate change has had a great impact on Southeastern Michigan. Climate change has brought negative impacts on Southeastern Michigan because it has caused

The increase in the heat during the summer is dangerous to communities that lack air conditioning. The heat is starting to threaten the health of Michigan residents and people across the Midwest. In “What Climate Change Means for Michigan”, the EPA states that in recent decades, “severe heat waves have killed hundreds of people across the Midwest” (EPA, 2016). Higher average temperatures results in more cases of heat related health issues such as dehydration, heat stress, and heat stroke. This change in climate is causing many ecological and social changes in the area such as a change in tourism and infrastructure. Firstly, the extreme heat will cause less people to draw towards Southeastern Michigan, bringing less tourism to the area, therefore affecting the local economy that depends on tourists. Secondly, the heat will also cause a change in infrastructure in the area because new requirements will be needed to keep people healthy in the new conditions such as better air conditioning and more drinking fountains. Clearly, the heat has negative impacts on the health of Michigan residents, but it also has harmful impacts on the ecological and social aspects of Southeastern Michigan as

Michigan is a wonderful place for activities all year round. From boating and backpacking in the summer to skiing and ice fishing in the winter, there’s something for everyone in Michigan no matter the temperature. However, climate change is bringing unpredictable changes to the weather that are causing destruction to Michigan’s activity catalog. Warmer winters and rainy summers are ruining skiing outings and beach days across the entire state. People are having trouble finding skiing hills with snow on them recently, and “Michigan’s winter has been a whiplash of cold and warm temperatures, challenging snow-dependent ski businesses” (Moore, 2023). This change in weather has already had negative impacts on tourism and jobs that surround Southeastern Michigan’s wonderful recreational activities, but heavy rainfall can cause sewers to “overflow into Lake Michigan more often, which could pollute beaches in Michigan” (EPA, 2016). Also, the warmer weather year round has caused a decrease in ice cover on The Great Lakes dramatically in the last few years. Since the early 1970s, “winter ice coverage in the Great Lakes has decreased by 63 percent” (EPA, 2016). This causes a change in the time people can do winter activities such as ice skating and ice fishing, creating a change in culture and the reputation Southeastern