01of 23Animal InvasionsALEXANDER GRIR/AFP/Getty ImagesThis photo of polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near the Russian village of Belushya Guba was taken on October 31, 2018. A state of emergency was declared later in February once dozens of polar bears were seen entering the villagers' homes and public buildings. Melting Arctic ice has forced these bears to spend more time on land competing for food.
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Animal Invasions
ALEXANDER GRIR/AFP/Getty Images
This photo of polar bears feeding at a garbage dump near the Russian village of Belushya Guba was taken on October 31, 2018. A state of emergency was declared later in February once dozens of polar bears were seen entering the villagers' homes and public buildings. Melting Arctic ice has forced these bears to spend more time on land competing for food.
02of 23Heat Is OnFacebookIn January 2023,scientists confirmed that the past eight years were the hottest on record, and all signs point to the fact that the trend will continue.Extreme, extended heat is dangerous to life on earth for many reasons, among them the drought and changing weather conditions that have led to an increase in catastrophic wildfires (like this 2023 one in Chile).
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Heat Is On
In January 2023,scientists confirmed that the past eight years were the hottest on record, and all signs point to the fact that the trend will continue.Extreme, extended heat is dangerous to life on earth for many reasons, among them the drought and changing weather conditions that have led to an increase in catastrophic wildfires (like this 2023 one in Chile).
03of 23Birth of the ‘Bomb Cyclone’Maddie Meyer/GettyThe massive blizzard that hit in January 2018 stretched across the east coast, all the way down to Tallahassee, Florida, which was on record for having snow for the first time in almost 30 years. The damages from the “bomb cyclone” have been estimated to have cost$1.1 billion.
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Birth of the ‘Bomb Cyclone’
Maddie Meyer/Getty
The massive blizzard that hit in January 2018 stretched across the east coast, all the way down to Tallahassee, Florida, which was on record for having snow for the first time in almost 30 years. The damages from the “bomb cyclone” have been estimated to have cost$1.1 billion.
04of 23Tornado Watch IntensifiesTulsa World, Tom Gilbert/ AP PhotoIn 2017, the United States had itsfifth highest annual tornado countever, resulting in 34 tornado-related deaths in areas across the South and Midwest.
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Tornado Watch Intensifies
Tulsa World, Tom Gilbert/ AP Photo
In 2017, the United States had itsfifth highest annual tornado countever, resulting in 34 tornado-related deaths in areas across the South and Midwest.
05of 23Plastic OverloadFRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty ImagesThis shot of a Chinese labourer, taken on September 17, 2015, shows the man sorting a massive pile of plastic bottles to recycle in Dong Xiao Kou village, which is right outside Beijing. China has recently cut back on importing recycling from the U.S., creating a pile-up of waste with no place to go but landfills.
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Plastic Overload
FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images
This shot of a Chinese labourer, taken on September 17, 2015, shows the man sorting a massive pile of plastic bottles to recycle in Dong Xiao Kou village, which is right outside Beijing. China has recently cut back on importing recycling from the U.S., creating a pile-up of waste with no place to go but landfills.
06of 23Decimating DroughtsGLENN NICHOLLS/AFP/Getty ImagesThis aerial shot, taken on August 7, 2018, shows a herd of cattle crossing a dry paddock in New South Wales, Australia. A severe drought has ravaged parts of the country, putting farmers under instense financial and physical strain to grow their crops.
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Decimating Droughts
GLENN NICHOLLS/AFP/Getty Images
This aerial shot, taken on August 7, 2018, shows a herd of cattle crossing a dry paddock in New South Wales, Australia. A severe drought has ravaged parts of the country, putting farmers under instense financial and physical strain to grow their crops.
07of 23Heards of HurricanesGerald Herbert/AP/ShutterstockFlorence,Michael, and Harvey are names of some of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the U.S. within the last few years. Many have lost their loved ones and thousands have lost their homes and are still dealing with the devestating aftermath of each storm.
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Heards of Hurricanes
Gerald Herbert/AP/Shutterstock
Florence,Michael, and Harvey are names of some of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the U.S. within the last few years. Many have lost their loved ones and thousands have lost their homes and are still dealing with the devestating aftermath of each storm.
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Species Devastation
09of 23Trash-Filled WaterwaysFacebookAn aerial photo of Bosnia’s Drina River shows a makeshift barrier straining to contain the tons of plastic and other garbage (estimated to be 353,000 cubic feet worth) that gets dumped into the river and threatens the local hydroelectric plant’s ability to function.
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Trash-Filled Waterways
An aerial photo of Bosnia’s Drina River shows a makeshift barrier straining to contain the tons of plastic and other garbage (estimated to be 353,000 cubic feet worth) that gets dumped into the river and threatens the local hydroelectric plant’s ability to function.
10of 23Overflowing RiversERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty ImagesThis March 2017 photo of a Plura, Peru resident depicts him wading through water on a street that became flooded after the rivers along the entire Peruvian coast started to overflow.
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Overflowing Rivers
ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images
This March 2017 photo of a Plura, Peru resident depicts him wading through water on a street that became flooded after the rivers along the entire Peruvian coast started to overflow.
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Strange Weather Firsts
Mario Tama/Getty Images
12of 23Ravaging WildfiresDavid Little/Chico Enterprise-Record via APNovember 2018 marked a string ofdeadly wildfires in Californiathat killed at least 80 people and left nearly 1,000 people missing.
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Ravaging Wildfires
David Little/Chico Enterprise-Record via AP
November 2018 marked a string ofdeadly wildfires in Californiathat killed at least 80 people and left nearly 1,000 people missing.
13of 23Peak PollutionROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP/Getty ImagesThis photo taken from Vodno Mountain in Macedonia on December 15, 2017 shows the tops of two of the highest buildings in the nation’s capital, Skopje, rising above layers of pollution. The city has been namedEurope’s most polluted capital.
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Peak Pollution
ROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP/Getty Images
This photo taken from Vodno Mountain in Macedonia on December 15, 2017 shows the tops of two of the highest buildings in the nation’s capital, Skopje, rising above layers of pollution. The city has been namedEurope’s most polluted capital.
14of 23Unrelenting RainfallSTR/AFP/Getty ImagesThis shot taken on July 8, 2017 shows security guards walking through a flooded street in Anshun, Guizhou province in China after a month of severe rainfall left 83 people dead or missing.
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Unrelenting Rainfall
STR/AFP/Getty Images
This shot taken on July 8, 2017 shows security guards walking through a flooded street in Anshun, Guizhou province in China after a month of severe rainfall left 83 people dead or missing.
15of 23Garbage DumpsAshley Cooper/Specialiststock/Splashdown/REX/ShutterstockA sea of trash takes up most of the tundra outside Illulissat in Greenland.
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Garbage Dumps
Ashley Cooper/Specialiststock/Splashdown/REX/Shutterstock
A sea of trash takes up most of the tundra outside Illulissat in Greenland.
16of 23Record Breaking HeatThe Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images2018 was declared the fourth-hottest year on record globally (2016 was recorded as first). People have flocked to pools to escape the intense heat.This photo, taken on August 26, 2018, is of swimmers at an amusement facility in Tokyo on a day that was clocked at 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Record Breaking Heat
The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images
2018 was declared the fourth-hottest year on record globally (2016 was recorded as first). People have flocked to pools to escape the intense heat.
This photo, taken on August 26, 2018, is of swimmers at an amusement facility in Tokyo on a day that was clocked at 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
17of 23Overwhelming WasteDivyakant Solanki/EPA/REX/ShutterstockThis photo, taken on April 9, 2010 in Mumbai, India, shows a snapshot of the 6,000 tons of garbage a day the city produces.
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Overwhelming Waste
Divyakant Solanki/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
This photo, taken on April 9, 2010 in Mumbai, India, shows a snapshot of the 6,000 tons of garbage a day the city produces.
18of 23Contaminated WaterPiyal Adhikary/EPA/REX/ShutterstockOn the eve of World Earth Day in 2010, a photo taken in Kolkata, India showed a man taking a dip in a highly polluted local pond. It’s a grim reminder that dumping waste into bodies of water has longterm, toxic effects - both for humans andfor the animals who inhabit them.
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Contaminated Water
Piyal Adhikary/EPA/REX/Shutterstock
On the eve of World Earth Day in 2010, a photo taken in Kolkata, India showed a man taking a dip in a highly polluted local pond. It’s a grim reminder that dumping waste into bodies of water has longterm, toxic effects - both for humans andfor the animals who inhabit them.
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Disappearing Forests
Florian Kopp/imageBROKER/REX/Shutterstock
20of 23Growing Greenhouse GasPiyal Adhikary/EPA/REX/ShutterstockThis shot of children playing near a garbage dump with high levels of air pollution in Kolkata, India, taken on February 24, 2017, is an example of life in a city that ranks the fifth highest in greenhouse gas and second highest in carbon dioxide emissions.
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Growing Greenhouse Gas
This shot of children playing near a garbage dump with high levels of air pollution in Kolkata, India, taken on February 24, 2017, is an example of life in a city that ranks the fifth highest in greenhouse gas and second highest in carbon dioxide emissions.
21of 23Smog CityIgors Jefimov/Wikimedia Commons/AP/REX/ShutterstockThis image taken on November 27, 2017 depicts a thick layer of smog hovering over Almaty, Kazakhstan.
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Smog City
Igors Jefimov/Wikimedia Commons/AP/REX/Shutterstock
This image taken on November 27, 2017 depicts a thick layer of smog hovering over Almaty, Kazakhstan.
22of 23Dying of ThirstEric Lafforgue / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty ImagesThe people and animals of Yabelo, Ethiopia have been suffering from the worst drought in decades. A lack of rain has resulted in poor crops and dying livestock.
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Dying of Thirst
Eric Lafforgue / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images
The people and animals of Yabelo, Ethiopia have been suffering from the worst drought in decades. A lack of rain has resulted in poor crops and dying livestock.
23of 23Dried Up LakesAMOS GUMULIRA/AFP/Getty ImagesThis image of a Malawian man, taken on October 18, 2018, shows him standing in Lake Chilwa, which was once the second-largest lake in Malawi and is now drying up completely.
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Dried Up Lakes
AMOS GUMULIRA/AFP/Getty Images
This image of a Malawian man, taken on October 18, 2018, shows him standing in Lake Chilwa, which was once the second-largest lake in Malawi and is now drying up completely.
source: people.com
