And it's costly. In 2012, the year of Superstorm Sandy, for example, severe weather cost Americans over $110 billion. And scientists say they can't rule out the possibility of considerably higher costs in the coming years.

But they also say minimizing risks is easier and less expensive than you might think.

In New England, for example, rising sea levels and coastal storm damage top the list. In the Southeast, rising seas threaten the most financially productive cities, while excessive heat impacts everyone.

Threats to agricultural commodities like corn, soybeans, and wheat dominate the Midwest. In the Great Plains, using a lot more electricity for air conditioning will be costly, and Texas seaports will have to cope with the rising seas.

In the Pacific Northwest, drought and pests threaten the forest industry. The Southwest gets it all: costly drought and wildfires, extreme heat, agricultural pests, and damage from rising sea levels.

In every region, excessive heat is also expected to reduce productivity. So, yes, it's scary news. Hiding under your pillow might seem appealing, especially if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the challenge.

It stands to reason that when we change our procedures we'll change the economy. None of us can change it all, but our jobs literally form the building blocks of a decarbonized world. Sound too big? It's really pretty simple.

Utility companies and others will have to decarbonize our energy sources – they already have the technology. Our job is simply to use a lot less energy and generate far less carbon pollution as we produce events each day.

It's easy to get started because decarbonizing boils down to a few simple choices.

• 1. Strategize spending. Do your marketing homework to select shows that are worth the investment. It's easy to fall into expensive habits, but wasting dollars is the same thing as wasting carbon.
• 2. Travel less. Air travel is your biggest contribution to global warming, so make it count. Use online meetings whenever you can. Send the people who really need to attend the event, but curtail unnecessary appearances. When possible, combine show travel with other business trips. Last but not least, always, always, always fly nonstop to eliminate extra miles in the air.
• 3. Pick hotels that minimize driving in rental cars and taxis. You can usually find hotels that let you walk or ride mass transit to event venues.
• 4. Rent from the eco collection. You'll rent cars sooner or later, so rent the most fuel-efficient cars you can. Unfortunately, they tend to cost a little more, but a fuel-efficient car can cut pollution-per-mile in half or better.
• 5. Look for the Energy Star logo. It's a simple way to buy or rent the most energy-efficient electronics, appliances, and other electrical equipment.
• 6. I hate to say it, but choose not to serve beef and cheese at catered events. Of all the foods you could put on your plate, beef and cheese hit the climate system the hardest by far.