As we have explored and discussed in class, human behavior has negatively impacted our planet. Is it too late for the Earth to forgive us for the ways we have treated it? In one paragraph:
- share textual evidence from an online article of your careful choice that proves how human behavior has negatively impacted our planet,
- discuss how the damages caused by the human behavior you share can be reversed, or why you think it's too late, and
- at the end, paste the url of the website from which you gathered evidence.
The most heinous of acts of human's cruelty to the environment is deforestation. Trees are vital in the homeostasis of the ecosystem and the environment. They photosynthesize carbon dioxide into the breathable gas, oxygen. Without them the ozone layer would perish, and the forest would not be able to home endangered species and animals. Almost 18 million acres of forests are cut down each year, and half of all tropical rain forest have been destroyed; more than 10 million species live in rainforest; that's more than 1/10 of the species on the planet. I think that the problem can be reversed, for people could plant trees to replace the one's that are already destroyed. People could also make specific places sanctuaries and illegal to cut; this has already gone underway, for parts of the amazon rainforest is now protected by the government. This is a truly loathsome problem that needs to be stopped.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html
Kenny, although I do agree that we could try to stop deforestation, I think it is very unlikely. Humans are greedy. Mostly for money, and for many people, deforestation means lots of money. So I do not think that this problem can be stopped. A solution that we Could try is to make some forests into national parks. Not only will this protect some forests, but it could also teach people how bad deforestation is. This could give the forests a better chance.
DeleteKenny, I totally agree that the problem you presented can be solved. Deforestation has already gone underway, but we need to it from continuing. We can still stop the problem from continuing by enforcing stricter laws to protect forests and rainforests from being completely cut down.
DeleteAlmost 70 percent of all the world fresh water is polluted. This also equates to almost one million seabirds and one-hundred thousand sea mammals die to pollution each year. Sea animals can be affected by pollution because long term exposure to pollution can lead to diseases. This is because sometimes poisonous solutes can be dumped into the sea. Most disposals flushed by humans end up in freshwater, which ends up hurting the environment. In some fresh water there are traces of everything from pesticides, to petroleum. The ocean is seriously harmed by pollutants and yet we still dump 14 million pounds of garbage into the ocean. The ocean can also affects other parts of the ecosystem, without maintaining care for water, there can cataclysmic results. Sadly we can’t reverse what happened. Too much waste has been disposed into our earth’s waters, but we can help stop it from continuing. We can put more restriction on cargo disposal acts and stop dumping solutes.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.reference.com/science/water-pollution-affect-animals-cc51036ab060a662
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/pollution/
Great job, Hayden! I don't agree with you that pollution can't be reversed. However, I do agree with you that it can be stopped or at least slowed down. We could make a machine that converts polluted water into fresh water. The machine could use the pollution to power itself, and we can make it so we can know when the water is clean or close to clean.
DeleteHayden, I agree with you that this problem cannot be solved. There is too much waste in the ocean to clean up, and too many species have been affected by this waste. However, I do agree with you that this problem can be stopped from continuing. Solutions that would've helped this problem could be using more renewable energy sources, rather than sources like fossil fuels. Fossil fuels can pollute the water and the rest of the environment. Using renewable energy sources would've been a great solution to the problem of water pollution.
Delete150,000 deaths. 4 months. And only one nuclear bomb. If 100 of these bombs were to detonate, it would cause a catastrophic event that would no doubt make humans extinct. Did I mention that 100 nukes is only 0.03% of the world's stash? If these bombs exploded over India and Pakistan, they would collectively face about 21 million deaths instantly. 5 million tons of soot would go into the atmosphere, lowering the earth's temperature by an average of 1.25 degrees Celsius. The soot would stay there for up to ten years, a catastrophe for agriculture everywhere. Famine would be widespread, causing more deaths. The ozone layer would be exhausted by 40% over inhabited areas and by 70% over the poles. The only solution to this problem is to get rid of the nuclear arsenal. As long as humanity has access to such cataclysmic weapons, there is a possibility of nuclear war. For the sake of humanity surviving, we need to get rid of our nukes.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/dec/12/nuclearindustry.climatechange
http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/cab/200708230009.html
Great job, Gary! I agree that the problem of nuclear bombs is negatively effecting our planet. I also agree with the fact that removing the nuclear arsenal will in turn get rid of the nuclear problem. Another solution that could work is to make nuclear items more expensive so that less people have the ability to buy them. Overall I think you did a really good job on your paragraph!
DeleteGary, I agree with you that this problem can be solved because if the president of the countries who have Nuclear weapons realize the danger of these technology to our world, then they may stop using these weapons. Other solutions that can help is to use these weapons for the greater good, like for example, producing energy with them for cities that do not have energy.
DeleteOVERPOPULATION IS "EATING" OUR FOOD SUPPLY! Humans continue to consume more and more food without considering the consequences. The agricultural system is getting worse at the years go on. Human are overindulging in the food supply more and more in current years. We gormandize food faster than it can be supplied to us. To meet all of the needs of hungry humans, we need to produce more food in the next forty years than we have in the past ten thousand! Instead of food production increasing, it is decreasing. This is due to climate change, soil degradation and desertification. Is there any way to prevent the dreaded outcome of NOT ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED US? If farmers used crop rotation, (when you move where crops grow so that the same crop will grow in a different area of land) the soil would stay fertile for longer. Trying to eliminate pollution that wares down the ozone layer will reduce climate change. The most effective and simplest thing we can do is try to reduce our food intake. So think before next time you wolf down that double cheeseburger and those jumbo fry's.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/30/stephen-emmott-ten-billion
Great Job, Ashlee! I think the problem of overpopulation can be reversed. Like you said if we decrease our food intake then all the problems it leads to will be greatly reduced. I think some solutions are decreasing our food intake, obviously, and maybe even show the population what it is like to starve. If they experience what it feels like to starve, maybe they will be more grateful for the food they have and try to conserve it best they can.
DeleteAshlee, I agree that this (overpopulation) is a problem. I think most people, even myself take food for granted and gobble down as much as we can. I do think this problem could be solved if humans started to eat less overall. This way, overpopulation wouldn't matter that much. This could also improve the agricultural system and maybe even help obesity. It might be hard to organize a worldwide diet plan, but if we started by everyone having a certain amount of food supply; that might make a difference. If we start taking baby steps, it might not be too late to solve this problem.
DeleteThere are many ways humans have impacted the environment. One way is Global Warming.In the atmosphere there are two major things involved with Global Warming. One is the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect allows heat from the sun help our atmosphere keep warm and maintain heat on Earth. Greenhouse gases is the second thing in the atmosphere that connects with Global Warming. Greenhouse gases are natural occurring gases in the atmosphere which are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. Large amounts of these gases can affect the whole system and eventually the whole planet. Things like burning fossil fuels and deforestation can lead to these gasses in the air. Because of the gasses, the troposphere boundary rose 900 feet between 1979-1999. The ozone layer that protects us from the Sun’s harmful rays has had a decrease in size, which leads the Earth’s temperature to rise 1.4 degrees fahrenheit and the Earth is heating up three times as fast now than in 1950. I think we can reverse the causes of Global Warming by using less fossils fuels and not destroying forests. Global Warming is something you hear about a lot, but take action now before it’s too late.
ReplyDeleteWebsite Link: globalwarming-facts.info/cause-global-warming-human/
I agree that global warming is a big problem. I also agree that it could be helped, but if action isn't taken soon, it will be too late. Some things that we could've done in the past are to not have used fossil fuels so much in the first place and to generally have always been greener. If we try to instill these principles in our lives now in the present day it will help the possible effects of global warming slow down, but we've already done so much to progress the problem that I don't think it can ever be solved entirely.
DeleteAmazing Job, Carrington! I agree that the problem of global warming can be solved. If the human population bands together and does everything in its power, then I think this problem can be solved. For this problem to be solved everybody has to help solve it. If one person doesn't attempt to help solve the problem; the solution will never come. Some possible solutions for global warming are to not cut down trees like you said. Also if people use their cars less, the atmosphere would be in much better shape. Walking won't kill you, but driving will kill the environment which will eventually kill you.
DeleteThe way we are going there will be no fish for the future generations. 63% of fish stocks are considered dead and overfishing has killed 40,000 jobs. The fish have no place to eat in there old fishing grounds so they end up moving to other grounds. If fish are not able to eat then that ends up affecting the environment because the food web will collapse without one organism. One will overpopulate the rest and that messes up the whole cycle. Just like in the case of krill, if fish are not present then that causes an excess of krill which won't be eaten and that causes bigger species to go without food. This means that krill will pollute the ocean which will cause all evolution to go in reverse. These days bigger boats are catching more fish and that causes extinction. 99% of european eel are gone, 95% south and pacific bluefin tuna are gone, and 80% of top predator fish have disappeared from coastal areas of north pacific and atlantic. The only way to fix this problem that MUST be solved for the planet and our sake is, to create ocean sanctuaries, less than 2% of the world's oceans are protected. We should set a limit on the amount of fish that fishermen are allowed to catch, and allow the oceans to replenish the supply of fish. We should only get as much as we need.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/overfishing/
Great informative paragraph Pratul! From reading "World Without Fish" and your extremely supported claim, I think that overfishing is definitely a major issue in our world. I agree, overfishing can be dealt with, but only with diligence and responsibility can humans understand the problem and take the measures to fix it. To help replenish our fish populations, we should monitor the endangered species in our world and stop the fishing of those species. The extinction of species, many of whom are fish, is constantly happening. The technology in our world has caused us to overfish and be greedy, so we must decrease the consumption of endangered fish to hold the balance in the environment around us. If we can protect fish, then our knowledge of fish species will be increased, and our economy will flourish.
DeletePratul, this is a great piece that is loaded with information. Overfishing is definitely a huge issue, as seen in "World Without Fish". I do think that this can be stopped. Overfishing is just like deforestation. People don't do it to harm the environment. They just do it for the money. But unlike trees, fish can be produced and harvested pretty fast. Which leads me to a solution that I think could solve this problem. We could start to eat farm raised fish instead of fish from the ocean. I'm not saying that we should put an end to fishing in the ocean. But I think that growing and harvesting fish for some time would be beneficial. Not only would there be lots of money coming in, but you could also control the growth, and the harvesting in the fish farms so you wouldn't risk an entire species. Unlike the ocean which is vast, and cannot really be controlled by man.
DeleteHumans have had an immense impact on the world around us. One f the top impacts is deforestation. Deforestation is not just cutting down trees for agriculture or ranching; it includes wildfires too. Deforestation causes 15% of greenhouse gasses. Because of the greenhouse gasses; temperatures rise, there are changes in weather patterns, and an increase of extreme weather events. The water cycle is thrown off; which changes the precipitation and river flow. People who depend on forests for survival are doomed because of deforestation. We cannot fix the damage that has already been done, but we can stop what's going to happen. If we all use forest friendly products, or use wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council it could make a difference. We can create a better tomorrow by protecting the environment.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation
DeleteGreat job, Sydney! I agree that deforestation is an enormous problem that must be fixed immediately. Many people cut down plants for their own benefits and do not consider the consequences. I think a good solution would be if we only used trees that have already fallen, or that a few living organisms are living in/on. Deforestation is a huge problem that needs to be stopped. Good job on your paragraph!
DeleteGreat job, Sydney! I agree with you that the damages done to forests cannot be reversed, but can be stopped. If we could find a way to plant more trees than were cutting down it would contribute immensely to solving this problem.
DeleteHumans have negatively impacted the environment by causing global warming. Even scientists agree that global warming is happening and that humans are the cause. Humans have overloaded the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, which caused global warming in the first place. Global warming is causing the number of wildfires to increase,dangerou heat waves are becoming more common .The sea level is rising at an annual rate of 3.2mm, it is increasing the risk of floods in coastal areas, like the east coast of the US and the Gulf of MExico. I believe that it’s too late to fix what has already happened. However, we can find ways to keep things from getting worse. We can start by causing less air pollution by walking to places that are close instead of using your car. So even though we can’t change what has happened, we can stop it from getting worse.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming#.WLR6dlUrLrc
Great paragraph, Shruthika! I agree with you on the fact that it is too late to try and go back and fix the problem of global warming. I also agree that there are things that we can do to try and stop it from getting worse. Another way that I would suggest is to try and refrain from cutting down trees because they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they are cut down. Overall I really think that you great job on your paragraph!
DeleteShrutika! Your paragraph was very informative. I do agree that the problem of global warming cannot be solved, but like you, think that we can stop things from getting worse. We cannot take back the carbon dioxide that is already in the atmosphere, but we can control and lessen how much carbon dioxide we release in the air from now on. Some solutions that could have helped whether it's too late or not is, planting a lot more trees, getting electrical and solar powered vehicles, and using more public transport. Overall, amazing job!
DeleteThroughout history human behavior has caused many environmental problems such as factories from the 1800s to Nagasaki and Hiroshima. One big problem that stands out more than others is air pollution. Air is an essential to survive. Using fossil fuels and burning then can emit a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere. Burning toxic gases from factories can negatively affect those who occupy the earth. According to a UN study there are about 3.5 million premature death caused by air pollution every year. Not only will this affect us but it can also lead to global warming. Other gases such greenhouse gases will leave a huge carbon footprint. CO2 and methane are examples of a greenhouse gas. These gases can penetrate through the ozone layer that protects earth from UV light. I think that it isn’t too late for earth to forgive us because we have banned many chemicals such as HFC. HFC is a chemical that is 10,000 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. This chemical is known for causing significant damage to the ozone layer. It was used in refrigerators but now it is banned. The Paris Climate Agreement was an agreement that was issued so that there could be less pollution in the world. Many countries participated in it such as major pollution countries such as China. We can reverse what we have done to our planet if we start takings some steps that can potentially lead to more progress.
ReplyDeletehttps://news.vice.com/article/the-epa-just-banned-the-chemicals-that-helped-save-the-ozone-layer
https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution/
Chuck, I totally agree that the problem you presented can be solved. Releasing CO2 into our environment is an ongoing task, but we need to stop it from continuing. We can stop this problem by putting stricter more laws limiting the usage of fossil fuels to stop the deaths of people, and halting global warming.
DeleteThis is a very good paragraph to bring air pollution into the light! I agree that this problem can be solved; as time goes on more ways of getting energy cleanly and more safe chemicals will be discovered or created. Humans can push past the use of fossil fuels and natural gases for safer, cleaner energy. All people could switch to 100% renewable energy usage and all electric cars could be used to limit the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. As the condition of the planet gets worse, everyone will realize this as major problem and should start doing that. But the question now is how long it will take the world to realize the problem.
DeleteOne commonly overlooked impact humanity has had on Earth is the decline of coral reefs. 75% of coral reefs are in danger from local and global stresses. 10% of coral reefs are already damaged beyond repair. Overfishing seaweed-eating fish has let outbreaks of enormous seaweed grow, which covers coral reefs. CO2 emissions and acidification kills biodiversity in coral reefs, which often leads to the death of the reef. Yet, even though the problem doesn't directly affect us, some island countries have 80% of their income coming from tourism of their local reefs. Once the reefs are gone, they are gone for good.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/06/13/losing-our-coral-reefs/
DeleteEdward, I agree with you in the fact that this problem can be solved. The problem is caused by human impact on the planet, which is easier to solve than a natural problem. All we have to do is stop doing what we are doing wrong. Of course, it won't be that easy. I believe we can set regulations on how much people fish in areas near coral reefs. This could allow for seaweed-eating fish to eat the seaweed which covers the reefs.
DeleteEdward, I agree that this is in fact a problem. I myself know I usually don't worry about coral reefs. I think many people are oblivious to the fact that there is any decline in coral reefs. If already 10% of coral reefs are beyond repair; I don't think this problem can be solved. Not only do some people not know what's happening to coral reefs; some people simply don't care. I think even though it is too late to solve this problem, a solution that could've been helpful would be if we had stricter overfishing and protection of the ocean (coral reefs) laws.
DeleteLand pollution is a problem that has existed for quite a while, and we have to find ways to improve it before we ruin Earth even more. Land pollution is the destruction of land, either directly or indirectly, as a result of human activities. One example of this is deforestation. Since there is an increase in population, more cities and town have to be built. This means there are less forests and land. One of the ways we can solve this problem is by planting more trees and conserving our land. This would solve or at least help specifically deforestation, but in the long run, it will also have an effect on land pollution.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-land-pollution.php
Matea, I absolutely agree that the problem of land pollution can be solved. We have reached a point where it is very difficult to reverse. We can continue to help plant more trees and conserve our land. Solutions that could've helped land pollution in the past were possibly not cutting down as many trees and forests as we have, but also taking poor care of our land. Overall, great job!
DeleteMatea, I agree with you that this problem can be solved. Even though we have polluted the Earth greatly, we can fix it by conserving our land. Like you said, planting trees would be a great solution. Another solution to the problem of land pollution could be getting more people to recycle. This would reduce the need of mining for raw materials. Recycling saves energy and reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Getting people to recycle could help save our planet from land pollution before it is too late.
DeleteFor all the things our planet has done for us; we aren't very kind to it. It's not just factories that pollute the earth, companies do too. Just to make, distribute, and dispose of junk mail uses roughly the equivalent of 2.8 million cars' greenhouse gas emissions. And this getting into our air is especially bad for our health; inhaling pollutants in our air takes roughly 1-2 years off of a typical human life. We can however try to fix this; especially with our car. Simply by keepingour car tires properly inflated, we can keep 400-700 lbs of carbon dioxide out of our environment each year. It doesn't take giant companies to stop the destruction of our planet; the average person can help too.
ReplyDeletehttp://carbonfund.org/reduce/
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-air-pollution-facts.php
Ricky, I agree with you that this problem needs to be solved and can be solved. This is because this problem may not be a disaster for Earth yet and we still have ecosystems and humans who are fighting back, but it is still a problem. Other solutions that can help is to fix ecosystems that are in danger because they can increase the stability of our planet
DeleteRicky, I agree one way to solve this problem is to having your car tires fully inflated because it will stop a lot of greenhouse gasses. Another solution could be that once a week we could have it so that no factories are allowed to be running. This will drastically change the amount greenhouse gases put into our air. This will make the air be cleaner and help the planet in the long run.
DeleteBlack carbon has a negative impact on the environment that is felt worldwide. Black carbon consists of small, microscopic particles that settle in the atmosphere. There are millions of deaths every year that are caused by black carbon in the environment. When it is inhaled, black carbon goes deep into the lungs and blood; making it a cause of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Black carbon is formed by the burning of biofuels, fossil fuels, biomass, wildfires, residential heating and diesel vehicles; and these resources are crucial for humans living in the 20th century. This is one of the reasons why I think it is too late to reverse the damages on the environment. Black carbon is a small particle that remains in the environment for weeks before getting absorbed by stratocumulus clouds and returning to the earth in the form of precipitation. The U.S. alone is responsible for about 8% of the total black carbon emission in the world. So although we can't reverse the effects of black carbon completely, we can reduce the amount of black carbon we use which will result in a smaller amount of black carbon in the environment.
ReplyDeleteblogs.ei.columbia.edu/2016/03/22/the-damaging-effects-of-black-carbon/
Elina, I agree that this is a problem that we can't solve completely. Black Carbon is something we can't reverse because it is constantly in the environment, and we can’t bring back the resources we are burning each day. We can limit the amount of Black Carbon being produced by burning less resources such as fossil fuels and biofuels. Like you said, limiting Black Carbon can have many benefits to our health. That's why it is important to reduce the amount of black carbon in the environment. By using modern biomass burning stoves and banning vehicles that emit high levels of Black Carbon, we can slowly start diminishing the amount of black carbon in the environment.
DeleteNice explanatory paragraph Elina! I most definitely agree with you that black carbon is an environmental problem that can't be reversed. As of today, we have no technology that has the power to eliminate fossil fuels like black carbon from the Earth's atmosphere. Our environment has experienced irreparable damage. But, we can reduce our uses of fossil fuels by driving electric cars, using electric heating, and just by using renewable energy to power most things in your life. Although only 8% of black carbon is in the atmosphere because of humans, we should make a real effort to make that 8% smaller! To be honest, we may not be able to fix all of the problems when it comes to fossil fuels, but we can increase the chance of reducing the effects they have on the environment for future generations.
DeleteOne of the biggest impacts humans have on the environment is excess nutrient inputs in water. Nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, are essential to the health and survival of aquatic plants and animals. However, humans introduce large quantities of nutrients, primarily through overuse of fertilizers. Too many nutrients can quickly reduce the quality of water by causing overgrowth of certain bacteria and algae that use the oxygen necessary for other animals to survive. What’s even worse is that these nutrients can be transported downstream to other streams, rivers and bays. But the real question is, will the Earth forgive us for this? We can through water treatment, Water treatment is described as “Removing contaminants and organisms in water through a combination of biological, chemical, and physical processes to make it safe for drinking.” We can also work on educating people about how to keep water clean. Water is a necesity for all humans and many species, without it we wouldn’t be alive.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.explainthatstuff.com/waterpollution.html
http://www.pollutionissues.com/Ve-Z/Water-Treatment.html
I agree that this is an important problem and that it can be solved. Generally, many humans are very naive about what they're actually doing and, once educated about the truth, will change their ways. Some solutions include announcing the problem and just generally educating the public. Alongside the use of water treatments in order to bring water back to normal, this is a problem that can definitely be solved.
DeleteI disagree with your claim that problem water contamination and excess nutrients can be solved. There is too much water on earth to treat, so it is inevitable that excess nutrients will continue to have effects on aquatic ecosystems. Also, using fertilizer is a practice that won’t end anytime soon. Farmers need to use fertilizer to grow crops, and some plants such as blueberries need high levels of fertilizer to grow. Even if we cut fertilizer use in half, rain would help excess nutrients seep into groundwater and eventually into oceans and drinking water. A possible solution to help lower excess nutrients in water is to have laws limiting the amount of fertilizer in a certain area. This way, farmers can still produce food but the levels of nutrients won’t be as bad.
DeleteDeforestation is a big problem today. About 10 million species live in the rain forest. Every tree cut down puts those species in more and more danger of becoming extinct. But not only does deforestation affect animals it also affects humans. Without trees we would no longer be able to live on the earth. Trees produce most of the oxygen that humans and animals breathe. Also they take in the carbon dioxide in the air. I think it is possible to reverse the damage if trees are planted to replace the one’s that are cut down. We need to stop cutting down tree’s before it’s too late.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html
http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/our-science/no_trees_no_humans
Nice job, Kendall! I believe that deforestation is an issue that can be easily avoided. I agree that deforestation should be managed better, if not stopped. A solution that could prevent deforestation would be if we substituted other substances in place for wood- like metal, rubber, or even plastic that have already been recycled. Then that would mean we would be reusing recycled items and at the same time, stopping deforestation. Great work!
DeleteI think that deforestation can be solved because we can always plant more trees. We can reverse deforestation by planting trees to replace the ones we got rid of. If we stop cutting down trees, then deforestation won’t continue or become a bigger issue. Also, one affect deforestation has is providing less oxygen for humans. Other plants besides trees provide oxygen, so planting other plants could also help provide more oxygen that was taken away by deforestation. Deforestation endangers animals and their ecosystems , so putting animals in zoos or not cutting down trees in areas where animals are will help.
DeleteThere are many ways humans have impacted the planet. One way is air pollution. People exposed to high enough levels of air pollutants can experience wheezing, coughing, and lung problems. They will have an increased risk of a heart attack. Air pollution is also destructive to our environment. Like humans, animals can experience health problems if they are exposed to adequate concentrations of air pollution overtime. Air pollution by humans is also a factor of global warming. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane has been overproduced. As a result, the Earth;s atmosphere appears to be taking in more of the sun's heat, which makes the Earth;s average temperature to rise. Reducing air pollution will greatly affect our planet in a positive way, and will hinder many devastating effects of air pollution.
ReplyDeleteGreat Message! I definitely agree that air pollution can be solved and that there are numerous ways to fix it based on today's modern technologies such as harnessing renewable energy, using electric cars, electric bikes etc. I dont really see a solution written by you, all you imply is that we should reduce air pollution but not how. One solution I propose is that we eliminate or reduce the amount of fossil fuels used by converting to electric cars and solar rather that gas or fuel cars. It is never too late to start and with the problems in China, India and even the US I think we need to act fast!
Delete-Daniyaal Qazi
This is a problem that seems like it can be solved. Once again, this seems to be a problem that has been caused by human faults. One solution for this could be switching to different types of energy sources. These sources could be solar or wind power, but the main point is that switching to these methods would reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere in a drastic manner. It might be too late to help, but it is better late than never.
DeleteDeforestation has had a tremendous negative impact on our planet. It is destroying many of Earth’s natural habitats that are the home to endangered species. 46 to 58 thousand square miles of forests are cleared by humans each year. Deforestation is especially dangerous in tropical rainforests such as the Amazon due to the vast biodiversity that exists there. Seventeen percent of the Amazon rainforest has been lost in the last fifty years due to deforestation. I believe that it is too late to reverse the damage to our planet created from deforestation. It would be nearly impossible to replace all of the thousands of square miles of forests with new trees and restore habitats to many species. If humans put forth enough effort, we can slow the immense effects of deforestation. But, it may be too late to stop them.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation
Ali, I agree that the effects of deforestation can be slowed if people are willing to put forth the effort needed. I think a solution might be to make people more aware of the damage deforestation causes to the Earth and how it could affect the human population. We can help animals by providing habitats and food to the animals that are affected by deforestation so their populations don’t fall because that could affect the whole food chain, and eventually human populations. Great job!
DeleteAlexandra! Your paragraph was very informative. I do agree that the problem of deforestation cannot be solved, but like you, think that we can slow down the effects of it. As you mentioned, it would be immensely difficult, impossible even, to bring back thousands of square miles of forests, and many lost habitats of animals. If we all put forth a great effort to stop any further deforestation, we may be able to slow down the effects of it. Some solutions that could have helped whether it is too late or not are reusing and recycling to stop the need for materials found in forests, promoting lesser new buildings, planting more trees, and changing and making new laws to protect wildlife and forests worldwide. Overall, amazing job!
DeleteOverpopulation is our new problem. In the year of 1800, only one billion people lived on the Earth, but it soon grew to around 7 billion. In a span of 212 years, the world population grew seven times itself! However this massive growth in the population, especially in growing countries like China, where the population jumped from 563 million in 1950 to a 1.3 billion people by mid-2011, is causing the new problem of too many people. The demand for things now is so high but we are running out ways to supply it. We need more space for people, so we resort to cutting down land and destroying habitats to make room. However, we don't realize the consequences of that. When we destroy habitats, we destroy homes for species. When these animals don't have homes, they end up dying off. Even if only one species goes extinct, that still can have a major effect on the food chain causing everything to be thrown of balance. Even though we can't bring species back, there is a way to reverse things and prevent things from happening. We could create more population control laws to prevent overpopulation and we can find more creative and sustainable ways for people to live. People can find ways to live comfortably in a small space. Overall, overpopulation is a big problem, but there is a way to reverse it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.everythingconnects.org/overpopulation-effects.html
Overpopulation is a big problem today and it can definitely be solved. Though this crisis is very hard to reverse, we can still do the best of our ability. Solutions such as conserving materials would've helped so we don't have to worry about losing more and more supplies. Now, we can help sustain the population by creating new laws to control and keep the population balanced. Great job, Stella!
DeleteI don't agree that overpopulation can be solved. I think that right now, the only solution to overpopulation is a mass extinction, wiping out much of the human population. I believe this because I don't think that population control laws would be effective; accidents could always happen and people could easily disobey that law if not properly enforced. Not to forget, limiting how many children one can have takes away from a person's rights. I do agree with your second possible solution of finding more sustainable ways to live. We could try to live and travel to other planets, like how we're trying to get humans to Mars. But, this can take years still, so it won't help the problem of overpopulation much at this time. Overall though, great job!
DeletePerhaps a somewhat overseen but immense problem is out impact on our Fauna and Flora, our animals and plants. It is commonly known of our five mass extinctions in the 4.5 billion years of Earth, but scientists now say we may be entering our sixth. We are killing off our biota at an inhumane rate. Deforestation and pollution only contribute to this problem. And this time instead of natural events causing the mass extinction, it's humans. Global warming, climate change, pollution, littering, plastic in our seas, deforestation, and more, can all be circled back to humans. And even worse, poachers. These villainous hunters kill and dismember animals for the high profits, or for the hell of it and a trophy. Elephant populations are declining severely because poachers kill the animals and cut off their face and tusks. Then sell the precious ivory for thousands of dollars. American and Asian bear numbers are declining because their gallbladders are used in Asian remedies. But can these despicable acts of poaching and slaughtering and extinction be reversed? Truth be told, it may be too late for many species. Extreme measures would need to be taken to save a few endangered species, let a lone thousands. The race of Homo sapiens must take some big steps forward for our animals and planet to forgive us.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.open.edu/openlearn/nature-environment/natural-history/human-impacts-on-the-lives-animals#
I completely agree with you that the damaging of biodiversity is taking off at an alarming rate. Also, the problem CAN be solved, however it will be extremely difficult. One of the biggest causes of damage to biodiversity is acid rain, and we could reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere by using clean, renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
DeleteI completely agree with you that the damaging of biodiversity is taking off at an alarming rate. Also, the problem CAN be solved, however it will be extremely difficult. One of the biggest causes of damage to biodiversity is acid rain, and we could reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere by using clean, renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
DeleteBeautifully written paragraph Jaiden! This is most definitely a major problem, destroying the biodiversity for some paper that will be worthless when we destroy the planet. I do believe that this can be fixed, but it will be no easy task. Humans have been destroying the ecosystems for a long time and even if we resort to extensive measures, people will still break the law. One solution to this vast and ever-growing problem is to pool all of our efforts to stop this. Government funding for other things should be limited until we secure the safety of our ecosystems. It will take everything to fix this so we need to put our everything forward.
DeleteHumans have created things over time that we never knew could exist. We broke the barrier of belief with our new technology. The sad part is. Are our inventions going to lead to our downfall. Our main mode of transportation is currently running on a majority of fossil fuel burning engines. This is releasing CO2, carbon dioxide, into our atmosphere. Well because carbon dioxide is an Infrared Radiation absorbor, heat from the sun that would normally bounce off is getting trapped on the Earth's surface. Now this rise in global temperature is melting land ice by 281 gigatonnes every year. 1 gigatonne is 1,102,311,310.92 tons, so 281 gigatonnes would equal 309,749,478,369 tons of land ice every year is melting. This is also causing sea level to rise because of all the ice melting. I do not think humanity can come back from global warming. We currently have a president who calls it a hoax, and is putting budget cuts on the agencies trying to fix global warming. Also the new head of EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, doesn't believe that carbon dioxide is a contributor to global warming. These facts alone lead me to believe that if we do not do something about this now, then sooner than later; Antarctica will be water, and Florida will be an urban legend.
ReplyDeletehttps://climate.nasa.gov/
I agree that the problem can't be fixed because if our country isn't taking measures to slow down global warming, then there is no way for us to solve this problem. If we were trying to help solve this problem though, we could try to limit how much fossil fuel is being burned and released into our environment. This would help slow down global warming.
DeleteFlynn, I do not agree with your statement about CO2 and global warming because Co2 has not been proven to actually affect the global temperature negatively, but all the same it hasn't been proven not to, so if CO2 does actually affect the global temperature than I think one way that we could stop it is by using multiple sources of power instead of just fossil fuels such as hydropower, solar power and nuclear energy.
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