forest fires

Is climate change affecting the way you do business? Or client concerns and expectations? According to a report released November 25 by Pew Research Center, U.S. Public Views on Climate and Energy, most Americans today (62%) say that climate change is affecting their local community either a great deal or some. Specifically, 22% of Americans say climate change is affecting their local community “A great deal;” 39% feel it is affecting it “Some,” while 38% say “Not too much/not at all.” The local effects being seen among the 62% group include: • 79% say long periods of unusually hot weather; • 70% say severe weather, like floods or intense storms; • 69% say harm to animal wildlife and their habitats; • 67% say damage to forest and plant life; • 64% say droughts or water shortages; • 56% say more frequent wildfires; and • 56% say rising sea levels that erode beaches and shore lines. Other information in the Pew Research Report includes: The degree to which Americans report experiencing climate change effects in their local community varies by geographic region. Americans in Pacific states—which include California, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Alaska—report seeing the most impacts, at 72%. By comparison, 54% of those living in Mountain states—Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming—say climate change is affecting their local area at least some. Besides long periods of unusually hot weather, other impacts of climate change by those seeing effects tend to vary by region. As one might ...