Climate Basics (and some really important questions)
Your city is like no other place in the world. We have 337 miles of coastline and beaches right in our backyard, 250 days a year with the sun shining over us, and you never have to worry about bundling up in warm clothes. Manatees, dolphins and turtles are common sights, and our gorgeous sunsets look like the ones on postcards. Fort Lauderdale make it a great place to live and to go to school!
At the same time, our location at the tip of the Florida peninsula has its challenges. We have to deal with the occasional hurricane, it sometimes rains hard enough to flood the streets, and it can be hot-hot-hot at certain times of the year. You may have heard people talking about it, and even wondering if there will be too much water or heat in the future.
Your city leaders wonder about it too. In fact, we have a whole department of people who ask those questions. They seek out answers from the best scientists, engineers and other experts to figure out what is really going on and to plan for Fort Lauderdale's future. That may be of interest to you because, depending upon how old you are, you could have a job here or own a house or business here in just five, ten or fifteen years. While that may seem like forever right now, when we talk about things like changing climate it's just the blink of an eye.
We think that you are never too young to make a difference in our city. And when it comes to dealing with big questions about climate it's never too early. So read on...
Questions and Answers
Fun Stuff
Learning about climate can be fun. Try these websites designed especially for kids.