'A Tale of Four Graphs' is an essay about Sarasota, Florida's changing climate. It also maintains the framework for future essays in which each essay focuses on a different region or city in the United States. The goal is to help readers answer three pertinent questions: 1. Is climate changing where the reader resides? 2. To what extent might their climate be changing? and 3. How does this region's temperature increases compare to the global 1.5-degree centigrade goal established by the landmark 2015 International Paris Agreement?
Three classic climatology graphs initiate a scenario that depicts the basic cause-and-effects of global climate change. By adding a fourth graph to the series — an atmospheric temperature graph for a specific region or city in the United States — a more informative climate change cause and effect scenario can be woven for that region.
From Sarasota's temperature graph, specific causes and effects of the alarming temperature increases during the past century are detailed. Most importantly, this new information provides answers to the three questions listed previously.