The average global temperature in 2014 was the highest it’s been since records started in 1880 while Florida’s overall temperature dipped down.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, global temperatures rose 0.12 degrees Fahrenheit from 2013 to 2014, while Florida’s fell by 0.9 F. Overall, the east coast of the U.S. didn’t have an increase in average temperatures, said Andrew Zimmerman, a UF associate professor in the Department of Geological Sciences.
“That’s very unfortunate because our legislators are in Washington,” Zimmerman said. “And they can say … ‘Well, geez. It was so cold last winter.’”
Dominique Barker, 21, hopes universities integrate global warming into the curriculum for students outside of science-related fields. If students were more informed, they would care more, the UF psychology senior said.
“People who usually think global warming isn’t happening are people who are choosing not to look at the news or choosing not to look at those science articles that are saying that it is happening,” she said.
Temperature is only one aspect of climate, Zimmerman said. Even though Floridians might not feel the warmer weather associated with climate change, it is predicted that rainfall intensity will increase, which could lead to flooding.
The earth is getting undeniably warmer, Zimmerman said, and he encourages students to live more sustainably by consuming less.
“There’s a carbon footprint that goes with everything you do,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 1/22/2015 under the headline “2014 hottest year on record globally; Florida below average"]
