Global warming is affecting America; the whole country is experiencing greenhouse gases and their effects on the environment, and Congress is working on a new bill to reduce global warming.

“Global warming is harming the environment and mental health for humans and it’s destroying different types of habitats for animals,” junior Madison Orth said.

Global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants mostly due to coal factories and farming producing greenhouse gases and making it hotter. It’s gotten so bad that the polar ice caps are melting, habitats are dying, and everything is getting hotter. 

“Overall global warming is one of the biggest problems and issues in our country and many other countries,” Orth said. “It is very important that a bill is passed because global warming is dangerous.”

According to NPR, President Biden’s ambitious climate change plan could soon become a reality if Democrats in Congress succeed in passing a $3.5 trillion budget package. His plan revolves around the CEPP, which would pay utilities to switch from greenhouse gas-emitting electricity sources, such as coal and natural gas, to non-emitting sources such as wind power, solar power, hydropower, and nuclear power. This inquisition would lower the greenhouse gases in the country by a large margin and would help with the overall amount of greenhouse gases in the world. 

“I think global warming is an issue,” junior Jack Theisman said. “I just think there are other issues that are more important like world hunger and stuff like that.”

According to NPR the climate elements in the budget bill also include $13.5 billion for more electric vehicle charging stations and for the conversion of trucks to electric. An analysis from the Rhodium Group shows that this, combined with a proposed $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles, could mean 61% of total vehicle sales in 2030 would be EVs. That exceeds the Biden administration’s goal of 50% by then. If the clean electricity plan passes, analysts said it’s possible new gas power plants could still be built if they had costly systems to capture their carbon emissions. But the plan mostly favors renewable and nuclear power. Coal would take the biggest hit. 

“I had this idea of dropping this huge ice cube in the ocean, I don’t know if that’ll work though,” Theisman said.

That might not be the perfect solution but much of the electricity and heat used in the U.S. are powered by coal, oil, and gas. Citizens can use less energy by lowering their heating and cooling, switching to LED light bulbs and energy-efficient electric appliances, washing their laundry with cold water, or hanging things to dry instead of using a dryer, even recycling more. Another good option is taking any opportunity they can to walk or bike to places instead of using a car. What is even better about this option is instead of using a modern treadmill, they can go outside and walk instead of using electricity.

According to EPA Kansas’s climate is changing. In the past century, most of the state has warmed by at least half a degree (F). The soil is becoming drier. Rainstorms are becoming more intense, and floods are becoming more severe. This is due to global warming.