ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Climate change in Washington (state)

Sure, I can explain climate change in Washington to you like you're 5!

You know how the weather changes from day to day? Sometimes it's sunny, sometimes it's raining, sometimes it's really cold or really hot. But climate change is about the bigger changes that happen over years and decades. It's like the weather's personality is changing.

In Washington, we're seeing some big changes because of climate change. One big change is that it's getting warmer. This is because the Earth's atmosphere is trapping more heat from the sun, like a blanket. That's making our summers hotter and our winters milder.

But it's not just about temperature. Climate change is also causing more extreme weather events. That means there are more floods, droughts, and wildfires. These events can be really scary and dangerous for people and animals.

Another thing that's happening because of climate change is that the oceans are getting more acidic. This is because the oceans are absorbing more carbon dioxide, which is a gas that we put into the air when we burn fossil fuels like gas and coal. This is bad because it can hurt the animals and plants that live in the ocean.

So although climate change is a big and serious problem, there are things we can do to help. We can drive less and walk or bike more to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we put into the air. We can also use renewable energy like solar and wind power instead of burning fossil fuels. And we can plant trees, which absorb carbon dioxide from the air.

It's important to take care of our planet so that it stays healthy and beautiful for all of us!