subject: Environ-mental? [print this page] Climate change is undeniableClimate change is undeniable. Whether that is because of the ever-growing evidence or just because denying it puts you in the same league as serial killers and animal torturers is immaterial. The proof is there for all to see almost all scientists agree that the earth has grown steadily warmer since the mid 19th century and the fact that the start of this increase coincides with the industrial revolution has be seen by many as rather significant. For some the burning of fossil fuels is a key point to the sudden threat of global warming, while others point out, perhaps rightly, that this is simply when more accurate records began.
It is also true to say that, over the millenniums our planet has been around, the temperature has constantly warmed and cool, prompting ice ages and heat waves. However, up until recently, this natural process was not such a threat. Climate change is definitely happening, has always been happening and will always happen, but the key question is whether or not we are now tipping what was always a fragile balance finally over the edge.
Carbon Dioxide and other natural gasses such as methane and nitrous oxide trap in solar heat, keeping our planet habitable. These gasses are produced every day in ways which are completely unaffected by human involvement. What the environmental lobbyists propose is that, while we might not be matching these natural levels that have always been produced, we are adding to them with cars, factories, power plants and through any other means where fossil fuels are burned, and it is this little extra which is leaving us on a collision course with disaster. The facts seem to check out and it is on this basis that the governments of the world are finally acting. Here though, it is not a case of all-out hysteria, but instead simply limiting emissions sensibly and looking for alternative energy sources. Carbon Dioxide is certainly not the only the only cause of climate change, but limiting it will certainly benefit us all in the long run.
In this respect, governments around the globe are looking at ways to help limit this. Environmental compliance is already mandatory for companies all across the world, with regulations currently set to restrict hazardous substances, limit electrical waste and control chemical risk. The current compliance rules already have an impact on all forms of mechanical engineering and depending on the decisions made in the near future, the roles may well soon reverse and the effect of the environment on industry will be something that grows dramatically. But as technology advances, the ability for mechanical engineering to deal with these problems advances too.
Environmental compliance is already hugely important for any company, and the significance of finding the right people to ensure that environmental regulations are met will only grow as our environment continues to change. So whatever your business, it's time to start thinking about the environment - whether it's climate change or whether it's just simply being safe.
