According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, carbon concentrations in the atmosphere even after the pandemic are at an all-time high of 412.5 parts per million. Atmospheric CO2 levels have gone up by 12% and the pH of the ocean has decreased by 0.1 as a result of absorbing CO2, increasing its acidity by over 30%.

Given that CO2 is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, these excessive levels of CO2 are trapping excessive levels of heat in the atmosphere. Climate change resulting from global warming has several detrimental impacts on humans. According to the CDC, the changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather brought upon by climate change are having detrimental impacts on water quality and water and food supply, leading to malnutrition and the increased spreading of waterborne diseases such as cholera. Changes in vector ecology as a result of novel adaptations arising from new climate conditions influencing their geographic ranges and behavioral patterns are leading to the increased prevalence of vector-borne diseases like malaria, Lyme disease, and encephalitis. Extreme weather, particularly heat waves, is associated with respiratory, cardiovascular, and kidney diseases. Given that such extreme weather seasons are only predicted to increase in the U.S., it is imperative that the U.S. makes reducing CO2 levels a top priority.

America’s Revegetation and Carbon Sequestration Act aims to increase carbon storage by increasing the funding, oversight, and tools dedicated to tree planting, fire risk reduction projects, and expanded use of forest products and new wood technologies. By planting more trees, which absorb carbon and trap it in solid form, and reducing the susceptibility of trees to hazardous wildfires, the health of forests can be protected and emissions can be reduced. Please support this act to protect the forests of the United States and lower atmospheric CO2 levels!