The fight against global warming has been a long-standing crusade for many decades now. Today, the push towards curbing global warming and eradicating climate change is deeply visible in the media, government campaigns, and often included as part of corporate responsibility initiatives. These environmental efforts are so prevalent and already deeply ingrained in our culture that one may ask, “What’s so important about it anyway?” How is global warming directly affecting us in our personal and daily lives?

Even in the Arctic Circle, where one may perceive that global warming would not be evident, rising temperatures can be felt. Climate change and global warming have a detrimental impact on the lives of people and animals in the northern latitudes. Due to the fast-melting ice, polar bears are at risk of extinction by 2100. Not just that, but the continuous ice loss has a ripple effect, not just in the Arctic, but also in countries around the world. Coastal communities and small island nations are in danger as rising sea levels are accelerating. Some parts of Asia are at risk of extreme flooding and—ironically—water shortages. If the rising of sea levels continues, cities such as Amsterdam, New Orleans, and Venice could be underwater by the year 2030 due to climate change.

In the US, we saw global warming take its course as evidenced by the many extreme weather conditions we have experienced over the years. In February 2021, the state of Texas experienced the coldest February in more than 30 years—resulting in more than 125 deaths. On the other hand, we have also experienced severe wildfires in some states, like California. Extreme drought and record-breaking heatwaves combined to create tinder-dry forests and dead, combustible vegetation, fueling bigger wildfires that are burning hundreds of thousands of acres across the western states. And with the recent COVID-19 health crisis that we are experiencing, it is expected that there will be more infectious diseases outbreaks happening in the coming years if we don’t mitigate climate change.

So, what’s so important about stopping global warming anyway? Global warming affects our daily lives more than we know. It doesn’t have to happen directly in the locale we live in for us to feel its direct impact. Sometimes, we feel its ripple effect and that’s what is happening in many places right now. Though the existing and future impacts of climate change in our daily lives seem dark and unsettling, the good thing is there’s something we can do about it.

In the refrigeration industry, which is one of the major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere resulting in rising temperatures, the move towards the utilization of natural alternative refrigerants is the best path forward. This move is primarily driven by the environmental programs of agencies like CARB, EPA-SNAP, and DOE which aim to regulate the use of harmful refrigerants, such as HFCs, and promote the use of natural refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP). By using sustainable and environmentally friendly refrigeration systems for commercial and industrial applications, we are not just doing our part in mitigating global warming, we are also empowering companies and businesses by future-focusing their operations and protecting their bottom line against the adverse financial impact of regulatory actions. It’s not yet too late to stop climate change. Aggressive cutting of greenhouse gas emissions, paired with effective environmental programs and commitment to regulatory compliance, will certainly pay off in the long run. The fight to make our planet as livable and as healthy as possible may be an arduous journey but it is important that we face it head-on—after all, there’s no “planet B” to fall back on.