President trump is strongly considering reducing the sizes of multiple national monuments. There are 20 national monuments across the nation that the president is considering for reduction. 6 other monuments were removed from the list of potential choices for reduction. CONSERVATIONISTS continue to advocate against any kind of reduction of the national monuments.
This is a major problem, because reducing the size of an national monuments for industrial reasons will hurt the environment greatly. The habitats of animals will be disrupted. POLLUTION will increase as well. Protecting and conserving all national monuments and wilderness is NECESSARY for the recovery of the environment in the united states and the world. Any kind of reduction will harm the planet and the united states.
The nation's largest oil refinery shuts down as hurricane harvey floods texas
Hurricane Harvey destroyed the nation's largest oil refinery. 15 refineries went off line from the hurricane. That is about 25% of the US refining capacity. Explosions from the refinery is also a huge potential problem. The hurricane has disrupted the supply of fresh fuel to Texas Gulf Coast stations, but lack of fuel will not be a problem because there is about 230 million barrels of gasoline reserves.
This is a huge problem because the cost of destruction will increase dramatically especially if the refinery's explode. Many people are still stuck in the Houston area and require assistance. The oil companies and government have a huge mess to clean up. The reconstruction fees are continually go up. According to Mr. Hollister, Hurricane Harvey will most likely cost more in destruction than Hurricane Katrina.
This is a huge problem because the cost of destruction will increase dramatically especially if the refinery's explode. Many people are still stuck in the Houston area and require assistance. The oil companies and government have a huge mess to clean up. The reconstruction fees are continually go up. According to Mr. Hollister, Hurricane Harvey will most likely cost more in destruction than Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma is the second major hurricane that will be hitting the United States. Before Hurricane Irma was Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane that left Houston, Texas under water, and now following Irma is Hurricane Jose and on top of that Hurricane Katia has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Irma is a category 5 hurricane that has and will destroy some of the Caribbean Islands and south Florida.
Hurricane Irma and Harvey are both 1 in every 500 year hurricanes and they both formed in the same year along side with two other potentially huge hurricanes(Jose and Katia). The chance of hurricanes this powerful occurring are already extremely low, but two in the same year is a sign. A sign that global warming is real and our leaders must stop ignoring the truth. Global warming is a serious issue. The planet will continue to heat up as well as the oceans allowing for more hurricanes to form. Soon enough huge hurricanes will become a norm if global warming is not dealt with.
Hurricane Irma and Harvey are both 1 in every 500 year hurricanes and they both formed in the same year along side with two other potentially huge hurricanes(Jose and Katia). The chance of hurricanes this powerful occurring are already extremely low, but two in the same year is a sign. A sign that global warming is real and our leaders must stop ignoring the truth. Global warming is a serious issue. The planet will continue to heat up as well as the oceans allowing for more hurricanes to form. Soon enough huge hurricanes will become a norm if global warming is not dealt with.
Rip the fish they be dead because of bottom text
Researchers at the University of Washington are doing tests to examine the effects of climate change on marine life. They found that sensitivity to temperature changes varied between ocean-dwelling and freshwater fish. Marine fish and freshwater of the Northern Hemisphere were at risk the most. Fish in tropical oceans are more tolerant to the climate change because they are already living in warmer water. As a result of climate change, fish will have to migrate, adapt, or die off. Infrastructure such as dams make migration difficult, and thus pose a problem for fish. In order to help fish, it is encourages to restore vegetation around the edges of streams in order to produce shade for fish as well as lower temperatures.
People have to change their habits and customs in order to reduce climate change. If fish are not able to adapt to climate change, species may go extinct, and the food supply that we receive from fish is sure to diminish. This will affect places where the main food source is marine the most, but will have effects on everyone. Prices for marine food may increase, and access to fish will be more difficult to achieve. Global warming does not only affect fish however, as it has many effects. Humans must diminish the actions that result in global warming or else more problems will continue to rise.
People have to change their habits and customs in order to reduce climate change. If fish are not able to adapt to climate change, species may go extinct, and the food supply that we receive from fish is sure to diminish. This will affect places where the main food source is marine the most, but will have effects on everyone. Prices for marine food may increase, and access to fish will be more difficult to achieve. Global warming does not only affect fish however, as it has many effects. Humans must diminish the actions that result in global warming or else more problems will continue to rise.
Dino-Killing asteroids Impact on bird evolution
Human activities could change the pace of evolution, similar to what occurred 66 million years ago when a giant asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, leaving modern birds as their only descendants. Human activities could change the pace of evolution, similar to what occurred 66 million years ago when a giant asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, leaving modern birds as their only descendants.
The authors suggest that human activity may even be driving a similar Lilliput-like pattern in the modern world, as more and more large animals go extinct because of hunting, habitat destruction, and climate change.
The authors suggest that human activity may even be driving a similar Lilliput-like pattern in the modern world, as more and more large animals go extinct because of hunting, habitat destruction, and climate change.
Geographic variation in Gentoo penguin calls
Vocal communication is central to the lives of many birds, which use sound to attract mates and defend territories. Penguins are no exception, but we know little about how or why penguin vocalizations vary between isolated populations. A new study takes a broad look at vocalizations across the range of Gentoo penguins and concludes that while their calls do vary from place to place, we still have lots to learn about the processes at work.
Their results suggest that the vocal characteristics of colonies drift independently of each other over time. Within colonies, it may be beneficial for individuals to differ in their calls so that they can tell each other apart. "There is so much that we still do not know about penguin vocal behavior," says Heather. "We see this as being very much the beginning, rather than the end, of understanding how penguins communicate, how and if such communications play a functional role in protection against predators, choice of mates, and breeding site selection."
Their results suggest that the vocal characteristics of colonies drift independently of each other over time. Within colonies, it may be beneficial for individuals to differ in their calls so that they can tell each other apart. "There is so much that we still do not know about penguin vocal behavior," says Heather. "We see this as being very much the beginning, rather than the end, of understanding how penguins communicate, how and if such communications play a functional role in protection against predators, choice of mates, and breeding site selection."
Climate Solution in soil?
The land under our feet and the plant matter it contains could offset a significant amount of carbon emissions if managed properly. More research is needed to unlock soil's potential to mitigate global warming, improve crop yields and increase resilience, say researchers.
Organic matter in soil, such as decomposing plant and animal residues, stores more carbon than do plants and the atmosphere combined. Unfortunately, the carbon in soil has been widely lost or degraded through land use changes and unsustainable forest and agricultural practices, fires, nitrogen deposition and other human activities. The greatest near-term threat comes from thawing permafrost in Earth's northern reaches, which could release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
Organic matter in soil, such as decomposing plant and animal residues, stores more carbon than do plants and the atmosphere combined. Unfortunately, the carbon in soil has been widely lost or degraded through land use changes and unsustainable forest and agricultural practices, fires, nitrogen deposition and other human activities. The greatest near-term threat comes from thawing permafrost in Earth's northern reaches, which could release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
Droughts and wildfires: How global warming is drying up the North American monsoon
Previous researchers had concluded that global warming was simply delaying the North American monsoon, which brings summer rains to the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico. But a new, high-resolution climate model that corrects for persistent sea surface temperature (SST) biases now accurately reflects current rainfall conditions and demonstrates that the monsoon is not simply delayed, but that the region's total rainfall is facing a dramatic reduction.
Scientists report that small seismic signals in lakes can aid science. As a record of wave motion in a lake, they can reveal when a lake freezes over and when it thaws. And as a small, constant source of seismic energy in the surrounding earth, lake microseisms can shine a light on the geology surrounding a lake.
Seismologists have long known that wind-driven ocean waves generate small seismic waves, called microseisms. These microseisms are generated as waves drag across the ocean floor or interact with each other. They are part of the background seismic noise in coastal areas.
Seismologists have long known that wind-driven ocean waves generate small seismic waves, called microseisms. These microseisms are generated as waves drag across the ocean floor or interact with each other. They are part of the background seismic noise in coastal areas.
Second Quarter Keep-Ups
Birth defects from air pollution
Women exposed to air pollution just prior to conception or during the first month of pregnancy face an increased risk of their children being born with birth defects, such as cleft lip or palate or abnormal hearts. Although the increased risk is modest, the potential impact on a population basis is noteworthy because all pregnant women have some amount of exposure.
With air pollution on the rise and no clear sign of it dropping, this risk may become higher in the future. Air pollution leads to many problems, but this is one of the more impactful ones. People are both directly and indirectly affected by air pollution. If changes are not made, more time will have to be invested in the prevention of birth defects.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171211090755.htm
With air pollution on the rise and no clear sign of it dropping, this risk may become higher in the future. Air pollution leads to many problems, but this is one of the more impactful ones. People are both directly and indirectly affected by air pollution. If changes are not made, more time will have to be invested in the prevention of birth defects.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171211090755.htm
VOLCANOes affecting el nino
Enormous eruptions trigger El Niño events by pumping millions of tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, which form a sulfuric acid cloud, reflecting solar radiation and reducing the average global surface temperature, according to the study co-authored by Alan Robock, a distinguished professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
El Niño events are beneficial in that they can help decrease global temperatures. This is especially beneficial in times that are reaching all time high temperatures. However, these events can harm wildlife dramatically. Habitats would be destroyed by the sulfur dioxide. This can lead to the endangerment of species if the even was large enough, and may even cause endangered species to go extinct.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171003111101.htm
El Niño events are beneficial in that they can help decrease global temperatures. This is especially beneficial in times that are reaching all time high temperatures. However, these events can harm wildlife dramatically. Habitats would be destroyed by the sulfur dioxide. This can lead to the endangerment of species if the even was large enough, and may even cause endangered species to go extinct.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171003111101.htm
Water temperatures affecting fish size
In an article from scientific American, it has come to my attention that the world has a growing problem with the warming of its oceans which is causing in a size reduction to the fish who live there. You see fish are as we know fish are cold blooded creatures and when the waters heat up the metabolism of the fish speeds up meaning that their bodies will require more oxygen from the water which will now have less of it. Now on average a change of just two degrees Celsius can reduce the size of fish by an alarming 45 percent. Now if this stretches further for any reason fish could begin shrinking sooner, some scientists are saying that they could adapt by expanding their gill system, but its a problem of dimensions there is only so much space on a fish.
Now you may wonder why you need to be concerned with the idea of fish getting smaller, right? I thought the same thing, you know it's not like this is going to have an affect on me or an affect on my life so why should I care, but what I didn't consider were the ecological consequences of this occurrence. This means that large species of fish could soon top out well before their current sizes. This can also lead to shrinking fisheries and problems further up the food chain. So in conclusion this is a serious issue that isn't currently seen as a big problem by the general public that I believe needs to be getting more attention so we can prevent this disaster.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/warming-waters-could-mean-smaller-fish/
Now you may wonder why you need to be concerned with the idea of fish getting smaller, right? I thought the same thing, you know it's not like this is going to have an affect on me or an affect on my life so why should I care, but what I didn't consider were the ecological consequences of this occurrence. This means that large species of fish could soon top out well before their current sizes. This can also lead to shrinking fisheries and problems further up the food chain. So in conclusion this is a serious issue that isn't currently seen as a big problem by the general public that I believe needs to be getting more attention so we can prevent this disaster.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/warming-waters-could-mean-smaller-fish/
Replacement for plastic
In the article from Science Daily, New biomaterial could replace plastic laminates, greatly reduce pollution. The title is kind of self explanatory, but the big picture to this is an inexpensive biomaterial being developed by Penn state that is can be sustainably created and soon become an alternative to plastic laminates. The material is comprised of a polysaccharide polyelectrolyte complex -- is comprised of nearly equal parts of treated cellulose pulp from wood or cotton, and chitosan. There are many applications for this material already such as water-resistant paper, to coatings for ceiling tiles and wallboard, to food coatings to seal in freshness.
Now As always the important facts to think about are what can this do and why should we care. Now the global production of plastic is approaching 300 million tons per year. In a recent year, more than 29 million tons of plastic became municipal solid waste in the U.S. Based on this you can see how this increased production and consumption of plastic could have on our environment. Therefore this material is renewable, it is cheaper than the plastics we use now, and it is overall just better for our environment. So in conclusion we should make every effort to begin replacement of our current plastics with biomaterials such as this one.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170920144704.htm[
Now As always the important facts to think about are what can this do and why should we care. Now the global production of plastic is approaching 300 million tons per year. In a recent year, more than 29 million tons of plastic became municipal solid waste in the U.S. Based on this you can see how this increased production and consumption of plastic could have on our environment. Therefore this material is renewable, it is cheaper than the plastics we use now, and it is overall just better for our environment. So in conclusion we should make every effort to begin replacement of our current plastics with biomaterials such as this one.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170920144704.htm[
The stopping of deforestation?
Unknown to most, the type of feed industries use to nourish animals has a significant impact on deforestation and water and energy waste. Current feeds used, soy, maize, and fish, are largely inefficient in terms of using resources. In England, the wasteful feeds are currently "the number one cause of biodiversity loss". Using insects and algae for animal feed would require far less land and resources. The company Entocycle makes feed of black soldier flies fed on waste food, while algae can be grown in far smaller areas to a comparative amount of soy and is nutritionally superior.
Consumers are usually unaware of the type of feed industries use which is why few companies actually make an attempt to have a sustainable use of resources in terms of feed. If as consumers we pressure companies more to comply with feeds that encourage greater biodiversity, especially in such a region like the Central Valley where agriculture is key to the economy, we can reduce our impact on waste and deforestation.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/05/farm-animals-can-eat-insects-algae-save-forests-water-energy
Consumers are usually unaware of the type of feed industries use which is why few companies actually make an attempt to have a sustainable use of resources in terms of feed. If as consumers we pressure companies more to comply with feeds that encourage greater biodiversity, especially in such a region like the Central Valley where agriculture is key to the economy, we can reduce our impact on waste and deforestation.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/05/farm-animals-can-eat-insects-algae-save-forests-water-energy
Plastic Packaging is bad
In supermarkets, there are aisles upon aisles fully stocked with thousands of products, all neatly packaged in plastic. From loaves of bread in plastic bags to gallons of milk in plastic jugs, plastic is ubiquitous in the environment that is the supermarket. Despite billion dollar investment efforts to encourage recycling and integrating recycled plastic into products, supermarkets have been unable to halt plastic production. In fact, the amount of plastic produced in a year is roughly equivalent to the weight of all humanity. Plastic is also found in a third of all UK caught fish, demonstrating how this obsession with plastic is contaminating our oceans and our food.
To help alleviate some of the plastic-related stresses, some supermarkets are considering moving towards plastic-free aisles. Replacing plastic with products such as grass-paper, such a move towards environmental sustainability could drastically reduce plastic production and contamination. This move would benefit all of humanity, for a plastic-free world contains less contaminants in food.
To help alleviate some of the plastic-related stresses, some supermarkets are considering moving towards plastic-free aisles. Replacing plastic with products such as grass-paper, such a move towards environmental sustainability could drastically reduce plastic production and contamination. This move would benefit all of humanity, for a plastic-free world contains less contaminants in food.
Earth could be in trouble
We hear a lot about global warming, carbon emission, and things we can do as a population to prevent them. Of course these events are not good for our planet, hence why we must take action in preventing them, but it may indeed leas to our ultimate downfall -- something not many think about. Growth with carbon emission has become such a dire issue that by the year 2100, we may see our end. Now, most of us won't be around at that time, but that shouldn't stop us from taking action! Studies have been conducted, and "If we can rein ourselves in, we can avoid the Permian catastrophe," states lee Kump, geoscientist at Pennsylvania University.
As for the end of the world and me -- I'll do my part to keep it up. I don't want my children and grandchildren seeing the end of the world knowing that their grandmother could have done something to save them, something to give them a few more years. A bit dramatic, yes, but that's what it takes.
https://www.livescience.com/60578-sixth-mass-extinction-may-be-inevitable.html
As for the end of the world and me -- I'll do my part to keep it up. I don't want my children and grandchildren seeing the end of the world knowing that their grandmother could have done something to save them, something to give them a few more years. A bit dramatic, yes, but that's what it takes.
https://www.livescience.com/60578-sixth-mass-extinction-may-be-inevitable.html
Alaska Permafrost
In this article, Fountain highlights the slow depletion of the permafrost layer in Alaska due to to the slowly rising temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. This permafrost layer spreads deep beneath the Earth's surface, in some areas reaching hundreds of feet down below. Within these frozen layers of the Earth lie plants and animals from tens of thousands of years ago which were frozen over, not allowing them to be fully decomposed. Once this layer is exposed to the surface of the Earth, microorganisms begin to break down these substances, releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, contributing to the warming of the Earth. This further contributes to the warming of the atmosphere, causing a gradual increase of temperature over the years.
This cause of gradual warming of the Earth's atmosphere is directly correlated to our lives as human beings. Many industrial areas within the United States release harmful gases which cause a gradual increase of the overall temperature. This gradual shift of temperature causes many other problems for the wildlife native to Alaska, and even wildlife around the world. The exponential melting of the permafrost layer also cause significant damage to infrastructure and the land of Alaska, causing unstable and loose land due to the constant shift of water freezing and melting. If not enacted upon, wildlife will continue to struggle in this certain region and eventually transfer into the lives of wildlife worldwide.
This cause of gradual warming of the Earth's atmosphere is directly correlated to our lives as human beings. Many industrial areas within the United States release harmful gases which cause a gradual increase of the overall temperature. This gradual shift of temperature causes many other problems for the wildlife native to Alaska, and even wildlife around the world. The exponential melting of the permafrost layer also cause significant damage to infrastructure and the land of Alaska, causing unstable and loose land due to the constant shift of water freezing and melting. If not enacted upon, wildlife will continue to struggle in this certain region and eventually transfer into the lives of wildlife worldwide.
HURRICANE maria
Another category five hurricane has made landfall this month, Hurricane Maria causing significant damage to infrastructure developed in the Virgin Islands. This storm was about fourteen days after the infamous hurricane Irma made landfall in the same location, both causing irreparable damage to homes, buildings, and the overall landscape. It destroyed hospitals, where patients were still being treated and apartment complexes, where residents were sheltered from the storm, even causing power to be cut off for these facilities. This article interviews different residents still on the islands, one man stating that "This hurricane broke our spirit". This hurricane was even more demoralizing to citizens after facing Irma itself, seemingly not allowing the citizens to rest and requiring them to take extreme caution.
This hurricane will be known as one of the strongest, if not the strongest storm in recorded history. The fact that three of the strongest storms occurred in one hurricane season, relatively close to each other, is unimaginable. These storms do not appear to occur randomly, but appearing to be affected heavily through our own actions as human beings. Through urban development and other sources of human growth, we are greatly contributing to the strength of these storms, making it important to recognize this and either prepare for it through infrastructure of eliminate the source of the problem.
This hurricane will be known as one of the strongest, if not the strongest storm in recorded history. The fact that three of the strongest storms occurred in one hurricane season, relatively close to each other, is unimaginable. These storms do not appear to occur randomly, but appearing to be affected heavily through our own actions as human beings. Through urban development and other sources of human growth, we are greatly contributing to the strength of these storms, making it important to recognize this and either prepare for it through infrastructure of eliminate the source of the problem.
Air Quality
Due to the many devastating forest fires that have occurred over the past few weeks, scientists have investigated why wildfires have been increasing significantly in intensity compared to previous years, and not just for the United States. In European and South-Eastern Asian countries, wildfires have dramatically increased in intensity compared to previous years, causing for the fire season to span over many more months and for each fire to intensify, releasing even more pollutants in the air than ever seen before. In the picture to the left, it shows the concentration of small particle pollutants in the air, the top one being the current day fires and the bottom being an average monthly estimate during the fire season. This directly translates to an extremely poor air quality which can lead to many health issues for any citizen in the surrounding area. Not only this, but the poor air quality also affects livestock and even vegetation in the area, indirectly devastating the ecosystems and food webs of all organisms within them. Because of the drier climates, these wildfires are spread even more rapidly and burn out for longer duration of time, allowing for them to destroy more residential and wildlife areas, only leading to more difficult living conditions for all organisms in the affected region.
Decline of European Birds
Recent surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter in Europe observed that many species of common, everyday birds have been drastically declining. Some of these birds include house sparrows, skylarks, grey partridges, and starlings. While not all bird populations are declining, some even measured to be growing, many species struggle to maintain their population sizes simply due to urban development and a lack of conservation efforts directed to common species of birds. While more rare and endangered species are under strict regulation and conservation efforts, these common birds are seemingly neglected from protection and are suffering in population size because of it.
Birds, even common ones, provide significant environmental benefits including controlling pests for agricultural practices, spreading and dispersing seeds of trees and other plants, and also removing dead carcass of other small animals. Birds are also a provider of entertainment and enjoyment, attracting the attention of many hobbyist's and other common people, representing the tranquility of nature and its presence, making it a human obligation to protect and provide for the needs of these birds.
Birds, even common ones, provide significant environmental benefits including controlling pests for agricultural practices, spreading and dispersing seeds of trees and other plants, and also removing dead carcass of other small animals. Birds are also a provider of entertainment and enjoyment, attracting the attention of many hobbyist's and other common people, representing the tranquility of nature and its presence, making it a human obligation to protect and provide for the needs of these birds.
Drought Resistant Plants
Scientists and researchers for the Department of Energy in Oik Ridge National Laboratory have discovered and identified a gene which allows plants to more adequately survive in drier and more arid conditions without the need for a sufficient source of water, changing the field of bio engineering for potential agricultural use. Through a process known as CAM photosynthesis, plants are able to close their pores during the day in order to preserve water and to open them at night to collect carbon dioxide and convert it into malic acid, which is stored and converted back in the day. Through convergent evolution, scientists believe that they can transfer these genetic traits into other common plants and potentially use them for other agricultural purposes, for crops such as rice, wheat, and soybeans. This could change agricultural development for less suitable conditions, providing a greater yield for a lower cost of production and natural resources.