Acid Rain in the Mediterranean. HOW ITS FORMED Imagine all of the chemicals, and other toxic things you can think of floating up into the air, mixing with the clouds, and raining down on your neighbors, children, and friends. Acid rain is formed when chemicals like sulfur, carbon dioxide, and everyday household cleaners are released into the atmosphere. After toxic chemicals come in contact with the clouds, it mixes with the evaporated water. Then the clouds release moisture containing toxins, creating acid rain.
EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN Acid rain causes statues and buildings to fall down, drinking water to be poisoned, and health problems. If you think about what acid rain is called, you should probably be able to find out that it is acidic. So it breaks down materials just like viniger can break down chalk. Because of its acidity it will slowly destroy buildings and statues. But this isn’t the only
thing it will do. It will also poison our drinking water; if you drink too much you can get health problems, and some fatalities have occured. Think about all of the plants and trees on earth and of the water that they take in to produce food for themselves. Now imagine them taking in poisoned rain water. If you actually thought about it you would have realized that this might kill or harm the plants. This is a serious problem because it kills or damages about a hundred trees every single week. Acid rain also gives us health problems like athsma, coughs, and headaches. It is more dangerous to elderly people and people with heart problems.
SOLUTIONS One of the only known solutions to fix the issue of acid rain posioning water is a process called liming. Sadly this process is only a temporary fix, and it is very expensive. It is only a temporary fix because after the water is clean, more polluted rain gets back into the water and overpowers the purity of the clean water. It costs about a quarter
of a million dollars just to clean a small lake.
PREVENTION OF ACID RAIN One of the ways to prevent acid rain is to cut down on the use of carbon dioxide. A reason for this is because the gas mixes with precipitation and comes down as acid rain. Another tip to prevent acid rain is to use less aerosol products, like hairspray, cleaning products, and even whipcream bottles. Another way to prevent acid rain is to use alternative energy sources like using electric cars insted of gasoline and cutting back on coal burning.
CONCLUSION Acid rain is becoming more and more of a problem as global warming increaces. If we don’t take action soon our fresh water supply will be diminished, our buildings and statues will also take a toll.
Elizabeth Crawford #5
Many people know about pollution in the oceans, but do people know that it can also affect our future? And that they are affecting many animals?
Humans Polluting the Indian Ocean and How it’s Affecting the Animals Human’s Are Affecting Pollution More than You Think! Humans have been pinpointed to be the main cause of ocean pollution. A few reasons that people are polluting in the Indian Ocean are, some people think that the oceans, seas, and rivers are just large places for trash, chemicals, sewage, etc., so people just dump all kinds of those things that I just listed into the water. Some people just litter on the beaches, and when the tide comes in, the trash goes into the water with the tide. Pollution is high especially in the Indian Ocean since there are a lot of the countries that have major industries that dump toxic waste, sewage, and have ships that dump their ballast water into the seas that lead into the Indian Ocean that carry bacteria, invasive species, and new dieses that the people there have nothing to protect themselves from. We can help stop the polluting, but only a few percent of millions in the world are trying to stop the devastating pollution. What are the Consequences? There are many, many consequences of pollution and polluting. Here are just a few. The polluting is causing many animals to die, including some
native species that were already endangered. Various types of plants, fish, and coral reefs are dying, and that is affecting the whole ecosystem of the ocean. Trash like plastic bags can get caught around bird’s necks. Along with plastic can packages. When the chemicals and toxins get into the plants, they become poisoned, along with the fish that eat those plants. The polluting is also affecting us. Many beaches that were once sparkling, relaxing, and clean, are now a wasteland of garbage that has come from the ocean. Also with that bad deal of spoiled beaches, comes the spoiled swimming areas. Now the water in the swimming areas are contaminated, so they make people ill. Some people, who can’t treat the illness, die. Are We Trying to Save the Future of the Water? You bet! Some people are making laws to stop the dumping of chemicals like PCB and DDT in the lakes and oceans. They are especially trying to protect the Indian Ocean because of all the coral reefs there, because the coral reefs are a major food source for other animals. Some scientists are
working to study new ways to protect the oceans from water pollution. For example, they are putting up many boundaries along coasts and beaches, away from the tide, so no more trash can go into the ocean by tide water. A lot more people are going to try to keep the Oceans safe for the future and many years to come. Ocean pollution can also be prevented by banning the use of the dangerous forms of agricultural chemicals, building sewage treatment plants, using aircraft to follow and monitor ships that dump chemicals, toxins, and/or ballast water into the oceans, and using laws to stop industry dumping waste in the rivers and seas. The Overall Performance Right now the overall condition of the animals that we are hurting is very poor. Many animals are still dying as we keep on polluting the oceans. Many more have gone onto the endangered species list, and some are even in grave danger of going extinct. So, the question is, what are you going to do to help protect the oceans? Or are you going to even help all?
Global warming is warming our world, causing Antarctic animal population to go down and causing animals to migrate South because of habitat destruction.
Global Warming, a Threat to Antarctica.
Global Warming
Global Warming’s Effect on the Arctic Animals
disappearing of sea algae affects every animal above them in the food chain, because sea algae are at the bottom of the food chain.
Have you heard about the recent wild fires in Texas, the three days of tornados in the With our world warming like Central United States or even a green house animals in the snow on April 18th in Antarctica are having a hard Michigan? Some would say time. For example, the Adelie that this bizarre weather penguin population has comes from global warming. reduced by 33 percent. Global warming is that over Global warming is also the past hundreds of years causing the Adelie penguins certain gases (carbon to migrate south because of dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane which are also Antarctica’s ice caps are melting green house gases) have which is a problem for many created a blanket around animals that feed off of the ice. the earth. Soon the warm heat from the sun gets trapped. When the earth Carpool, Prevent gets to hot it can’t take of Global Warming. the blanket. This causes This is a picture of an Adelie penguin; global warming. Some of With global warming they are being greatly affected by this bizarre weather might affecting our earth there are global warming. come from the sun passing a few things that you can do through the earth’s the warming temperatures. to help slow down global atmosphere, which is also Another species that is warming and the green referred to as green house having a tough time is sea house gas process. One thing gas effect. Our world is algae. The sea algae that that you can do is use the warming like a green house. normally live under the sea three R’s, reduce, reuse and ice are disappearing because recycle. If you use reuse able the sea ice is melting. The water bottle instead of
Global warming is warming our world, causing Antarctic animal population to go down and causing animals to migrate South because of habitat destruction.
Global Warming, a Threat to Antarctica. plastic water bottle then less plastic will go into landfills. Also you can carpool or ride your bike to work. If you carpool less pollution from the oil in your car will go into the air. You can also help the earth by using the off switch. By turning off lights when you leave the room you can save energy. If you do these three simple things everyday you can help save the arctic animals and help save the earth.
If you turn off lights when you leave the room you can help save energy and electricity.
Where are all our fish going? Is there anything we can do to help?
Overfishing in Northern Africa
Killing the Sea Fishermen are commercial fishing and killing other animals. When fishermen are commercial fishing they have big nets. The nets go under the water and catch big schools of fish. If different species of fish are with the schools of fish getting caught, they get caught too. The fishermen keep all the fish and the ones they don’t need, they just let die. These fish are casualties of commercial fishing. There is a big decline in the fish and it is going in a cycle. If a fish that is a casualty of commercial fishing is food for another species, then the other species will end up dying. The cycle just continues. An example is a big fish likes to eat the smaller fish and the smaller fish eats algae. If the big fish gets caught then they can’t eat the small fish. The small fish end up getting over populated. The small fish need to eat, so they eat all
the algae. The algae can’t grow quick enough, so the smaller fish die. If this cycle keeps going, then most of the sea will die.
bag. Once the school of fish is in the net, the fishermen have a button on the ship to make the net close. There is no way for the fish to escape.
Causes of Overfishing
The boats are close to shore. They act like floating factories. They have everything a fish factory would have. They have big machines to scale, clean, and package the fish.
An overpopulated city by the ocean is a major cause of overfishing. If so many people like to eat at fish restaurants, the restaurants need more fish. The restaurant needs to pick a company to get their fish from. The fish come from commercial fishing. Another cause is too many people out on the sea at one time. The government needs to get patrols out on the docks so fewer people can commercial fish in that area. Huge Boats Are
Commercial Fishing Commercial fishing is done with a big boat. The boat has a GPS system for finding large schools of fish. They also have the big nets to catch the schools of fish. The nets act like a drawstring
The boats even have a compartment for the workers to sleep, eat, use the restroom, and play games.
Humans? Helping? How are humans helping this situation? Citizens are putting fish trackers in the fish to see what species of fish are getting caught. The government is putting patrols out on the docks, so not as many ships can go on the sea at once.
This is a commercial fishing boat.
Air Pollution in the Rocky Mountains
S cientists h as d iscovered r ising p ollution levels in t he
Rockies.
Subtopic #1 You can see that this is a good place to type your article. To help you see how that will look, I’ve copy and pasted the text of the Declaration of Independence. When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Subtopic #2 We hold these truths to be self-‐evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it
is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. -‐-‐Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
Subtopic #3
Air Pollution in the Rocky Mountains
S cientists h as d iscovered r ising p ollution levels in t he
Rockies.
The Culprits Air pollution in the Rocky Mountains is rising. Car exhaust, factories, and agricultural activity are raising those levels too high. Smoke from factories has been contaminating the air, making it hard to breath. Pesticides farmers are using also are contaminating the air. Scientists have been testing the air quality of the Rocky Mountains and have found that the air pollution has increased since 1990. They have found nitrates and ammonium in the causes that have polluted the air. These causes need to be stopped before the air pollution rises too high.
“Don’t breath here!” The pollution in the Rocky Mountains creates dangerous health issues. These issues aren’t just for animals, but for humans that visit the mountains, too.
These issues nation’s air make it quality. It was unsafe to passed to breath lower the there. The cause of air pollution pollution and has affected the loss of You can see the air pollution in the whole biodiversity in this picture. ecosystem the nation. of the Rocky Mountains. The There have been several biodiversity in the mountains changes to this act in the has created development past several years to problems such as being enhance the law. This act has unable to grow and unable been improving the air to produce oxygen, which quality in the Rocky adds to how unsafe the air is Mountains, and we need to to breathe in the Rocky keep it that way. Mountains. This is part of the reason the air quality is so bad. These factors all contribute to an unsafe environment.
The Act to Change the World To stop the air pollution in the Rocky Mountains, Congress made a law. The law is called the Clean Air Act. Congress enacted this law in 1990. This act defines the responsibilities for protecting and improving the
This picture shows a clear day in the Rocky Mountains.
The worst environmental disaster the U.S. has faced…
The B.P. Oil Spill Affecting Animals
The B.P. Oil Spill Many people agree with President Obama that the B.P. Oil Spill is the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. The oil was spilled in the Gulf of Mexico. It destroyed many habitats that many animals use. Beaches near the gulf were covered in oil and the spill killed thousands of animals. It was an unexpected and tragic event. The B.P. drilling rig failed and later exploded. B.P. faced many disastrous events during the spill.
When the rig exploded, eleven people were killed and a lot severely injured. For many of the men and woman who survived, the explosion is just a memory, along with the people who died in it.
Death to an Ecosystem
Along with the people killed in the explosion, much of the wildlife in the gulf was destroyed because of the explosion. Many of the animals in the gulf were killed because they Start of a Disaster swallowed oil. Most animals, like seals seals and pelicans The drilling rig exploded don’t realize they are because it had a bent drill swimming and pipe which feeding in oil. cut off the They are covered flow of the in a thick coat of oil the oil because they drillers were swimming were in oil. The coat getting gets stickier over A dead bird floating on top from under of water after being covered time. This can the sea. cause wings or in oil. This caused flippers to stick mud and water to spray all to the body of the animals, over the rig. It later exploded causing them to drown. The and sank, spreading the oil. coat of oil can cause
hypothermia, dehydration, and damage to red blood cells and eyes. It interferes with breeding and sent, which seals and their pups use to find each other
Destroying a Destroyer Many people take time out of their life to help clean the oil out of the gulf and beaches. The helpers cleaning the beaches are using machines, such as the Kettner Robot, to clean the beaches and rid them of oil. Others are finding surviving animals and are cleaning the oil off of them to make them look new. They are keeping the animals, after they clean them, in an aquarium or zoo until a new home is found for them. The gulf is still in need of help but has improved since the Deepwater Horizon Blowout.
Global Warming in the Arctic area is a serious deal. It affects the polar bears a lot, but before you learn about the polar bears you need to know what Global Warming really is.
Global Warming in the Arctic Area
Learn what Global Warming is Global warming is a rise in earth’s temperature of about three degrees. Global warming can melt ice due to the rise in temperature. The rise in temperature, overtime, will cause most of the ice in the Arctic area to melt. If we don’t stop global warming, all of the ice in the Arctic area will completely melt and lots of animals will loose their homes. Global warming is caused and being prevented by ordinary people.
How Global Warming
is caused and how they affect Global Warming There are a lot of causes to global warming. For example, the gas inside your car is burning fossil fuels, which cause carbon dioxide to release into the air. Another human cause of global warming is building factories and plantations. Factories and plantations have a big part in the start of global warming. Both produce greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas is a gas that mostly comes off of
factories and plantations. The gas rises into the air and thins some of the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects earth from the sun’s direct hear and radiation. The more the ozone layer thins, the warmer the earth gets. Plantations and factories also dump pollution, which is filled with dangerous chemicals, into the water. The chemicals, then, pollute the ice and cause more radiation.
America is working to Stop Global Warming
America is preventing global warming by research and school-‐wide activities. The research that America is doing is working with Britain on geology and deep ice drilling program. America’s scientists are also using the British Antarctic Survey to test the temperature and to see how much it Global increases. Schools are also Warming is trying to prevent affecting global warming. Schools are polar bears making donations to scientists that Global warming are preventing is hurting the global warming. polar bears a Polar bears are trying to Schools are also lot. The melting find their way on what is car-‐pooling to of glaciers and left of the ice in Antarctica. prevent burning ice sheets is fossil f uels. causing the polar bears to loose their habitat. Polar bears live on the ice and can’t survive in the water for too long. The polar bears are also loosing their food because the loss of ice means the loss of polar bears’ hunting grounds. Thus, polar bears have an increased scarcity of food.
Global Warming is causing animals to die or migrate south.
Global Warming in Antarctica. Global Warming.
Carbon dioxide, nitrous, and methane create a heavy blanket causing the sun’s energy to get trapped. The Earth can’t take off the blanket causing the Earth to get too hot and that creates global warming. When global warming occurs there is an increase in temperature causing it to be sixty degrees warmer. That’s bad for the animals because they aren’t adapted to the heat and could die. If the gases escape it would be sixty degrees colder.
Causes of Global Warming. One problem that causes global warming is the greenhouse effect. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere causing the release of radiated heat into the Earth. Another problem causing global warming is lot of
gas and exhaust from cars and factories. Gas and exhaust causes global warming because it causes thereto be more greenhouse gases in the air.
the animals aren’t adapted causing them to either die or migrate south. Another problem is the ice caps melting. When the ice caps melt, sea levels raise causing animals to loose their habitats.
Ways humans can stop Global Warming in Antarctica.
Penguins are one of the animals are affected by global warming.
Humans can do things to stop global warming by not using their cars as often as they can. They can carpool, walk, and ride bikes to use less exhaust and gas. They also need to reduce the amount of gas coming from factories in the cities.
Effects on the Animals of Antarctica Global warming in Antarctica is affecting the animals. One problem is the heat. If the temperature all of a sudden gets sixty degrees warmer
People are walking places to not use their cars as much.
Everyone knows what global warming is. But they may not know exactly how bad it actually is for everyone.
The Dying Tundra Destructive Humans Killing the tundra can be a part of your daily life. Killing the tundra can be a part of you life when you burn fossil fuels while using electricity or driving automobiles. Fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum, are burned to generate these. The gas from
without getting sick. Along
humans are exposed to
with pollution, the extra heat
radiation, it can seriously
is melting animal’s ice homes.
damage their skin and health.
The heat is also melting ice, which causes the water level to go up. The excess water is running over organisms’ habitats, and drowning the organisms too.
The Tundra’s New Allies There’s no way to re-grow the ozone layer, but there are ways to help global warming in general. For instance, the Alaskan government saved
the burning fossil fuels is sent
Humans Hurt Humans
into the atmosphere, polluting
Along with killing animal’s
parks so it’s illegal to litter or
it and also bringing the
habitats, the ice melting
take resources from them. It’s
temperature up because fossil
causing the sea level rising also
not just governments that can
fuels need heat to burn.
kills human
help, though. It can
Another thing leading the
habitats.
become a part of your
tundra to destruction is the
The excess
daily life. For example,
thinning of the ozone layer.
water will
carpooling is a great
The ozone layer protects
cause
help to stop global
Earth from the sun, but now
floods all
warming. Carpooling to
it’s thinning due to chemicals in
over the
aerosol foam, such as
world. In
Chlorofluorocarbons. Aerosol
the United
foam is a substance covered in
States,
glue used to fill spaces in
thirteen of
hardwood floors. With the
the largest cities are on or
part, too. Now, instead of
ozone layer depletion, humans
near coastlines. Floods can ruin
staying inside burning fossil
and the tundra are exposed to
the cities completely, which
fuels while using electricity,
the sun’s burning heat and
is destroying homes and
they are spending more time
radiation.
lives. To follow the floods,
The polar bear stands on the little ice left the Arctic.
the ozone layer thinning will
Trouble in the Tundra
make a big impact on people
Everywhere, humans are
everywhere. Without the
covering the earth’s thin
thick blanket of the ozone
atmosphere, which can get into
for protection from the sun,
the tundra’s water, not allowing organisms to drink from it
some tundra areas as state
humans are being exposed to the sun’s radiation. When
work or school can help reduce the amounts of fossil fuels going into the atmosphere. Children are taking a
outside. Saving your own home, the earth is very important, so clean up and save energy; it’s your own home.
This essay will tell you all the things you need to know about…
Desertification in Africa
Causes of Desertification Desertification is very bad because it turns semi-‐arid land into desert. Desertification happens because it gets really hot, it doesn’t rain for a long time and the ground dries up. Eventually the lands where desertification is happening slowly turns into a desert. Desertification is a big problem in Africa because the northern part of Africa has some semi-‐arid land and desertification is happening there.
Ways of Preventing Desertification People need to prevent desertification. Some people plant new trees and plants. People also keep plants alive by watering them. People can dig deep wells to get water. People can use the water to make ponds and streams.
desert animals, but desertification makes semi arid land smaller, which is bad for animals that live in semi-‐arid areas. People need to take action and prevent desertification as much as possible.
Desertification’s Affects on Plants and Animals Desertification kills animals and plants. The animals either leave the area that turned into desert or they stay and risk dying. Usually only cold blooded animals, such as snakes and lizards, stay in the area where desertification occurs. Plants run out of water and die unless the plant is adapted to life in the desert.
This is a picture of desertification happening in Africa.
Desertification’s Affects the Deserts Desertification makes deserts bigger, which is good for
The 2 010 o il s pill b ecame a b ig d estruction to the G ulf o f M exico. It w as a b ig p roblem that affected n ot just s ea life b ut u s.
Effects on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
The Effects on Sea Life The Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a disaster. It affected many things including sea life. The oil can hurt many animals and sea creatures including sea birds, fish, oysters and more. The oil can coat sea birds forcing them not to fly. Also, if fish digest the oil into their system it can poison Oil covers them. This can seabirds just like kill the this one. innocent fish. The oil can also harm a fish’s eggs. Furthermore, the oil can lie on top of an oyster, coving his only breathing whole. This can cause the oyster to die from no water and air. Even maybe a little oil can do a huge damage.
Effects on People Oil doesn’t just hurt sea life, it can hurt us. Even though we don’t live in the contaminated water, it can still get to us. If you come in contact with the oil, it can cause many health issues.
For example, flu-‐like symptoms, dizziness, headaches, and skin dieses are all causes from oil. People say to stay away as best as they can. Oil is highly toxic and full of chemicals. It can do lots of damage to anything that comes in its way.
Solutions They Used After about 3.3 million gallons of oil got dumped into the Gulf the oil spill was stopped. The workers put a lot of work into fixing the problem. Before they ever got the winning idea, the used sub-‐sea robots to see where the problem was and how they could possibly stop it. When the idea of a cap came to them they had to try. The cap actually was a good idea. After a lot of tries, they got the cap to work. That was the end of the oil Spill.
Solutions to Clean Up Imagine how long it would take just to stop an oil spill, but now you clean it up. Cleaning up the oil took a
long process also. They got ideas from outsiders and used methods from scientists to find a way to clean up the contaminated water. One method was to leave the oil alone and hope it dissolves. Another was to use disappearance to break down the oil. Lastly, they had the idea of skimming the oil. They used the method of skimming the oil with ropes or other tools to clean it up. Even though the oil spill on April 20th, 2010 was over, there’s still oil left behind. Finding ways to collect all that oil left over today will be hard. But at least the oil is stopped.
Workers used a tool to skim the oil and bring it back to shore
The 2 010 o il s pill b ecame a b ig d estruction to the G ulf o f M exico. It w as a b ig p roblem that affected n ot just s ea life b ut u s.
Effects on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Enter the Amazon to see the truth of the dying rainforest.
Clear-cutting in the Amazon Clear-‐cutting
animal habitats in the rainforest less time to help
Clear-‐cutting is cutting down
these animals in need.
trees at a faster rate then they can grow. People use different methods for this such as slash and burn or just logging. Slash and burn is
Uses and dangers for clear-‐cutting
cutting down a selection of trees and allowing them to dry, and then setting a fire. This is an easy method for most people because it is faster. But this method is also very dangerous and can cause forest fires, which can be a huge problem and will take out so many animal habitats, and will also eliminate many, many animal species from the rainforest if these people are not careful. Also, since this process of slash and burn is faster than most methods people still do it, which gives people trying to save the
But, there are actually many different uses for clear-‐ cutting. Such as, furniture, farming, cattle ranching, settlements, and many other land uses. The causes for deforestation problems are mostly for economic and social reasons. As they say the trees are the worlds lungs, meaning that trees recycle the worlds oxygen through the process of photosynthesis of course. Trees also maintain the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide which none of us would be on earth right now.
Endangered animal and plant effects In most parts of the Amazon we are clear-‐cutting too much causing animals and they’re habitats to suddenly disappear. But logging is not only affecting animal species but is also affecting plant life in the rainforest. Did you know that 80 percent of the world’s plant life was all in the Amazon rainforest, and there were about 1,500 species of higher plants, like Ferns and conifers, and 750 types of trees? Here are some endangered plant species, orchids, the rafflesia flower, mangrove trees, kapok trees, and many more varieties of plant life. There are also many species of animals on the endangered list that are about to become extinct from logging. Such as,
Enter the Amazon to see the truth of the dying rainforest.
Clear-cutting in the Amazon pandas, parrots, river dolphins, and much more animal varieties.
Global warming is the cause and everything is……
Melting Away
Main Causes The Greenhouse effect is the main of global warming. The Green house effect is caused by gases in the atmosphere. These gases are released when people burn fossil fuels such as oils, coal, and natural gas. Most of the gases come from people driving cars. The gases in the atmosphere let heat from the sun in but it doesn’t let the heat out. This warms the world.
Global Warming Continues If global warming continues the sea level will rise because of two factors. One the ice sheets are melting and two the sea water is expanding because the water is warming up. Hurricanes and regular storms because there will be more warm air to mix with the cold air. This is how storms are formed, so now they will be stronger. Also, droughts and floods will become more common because of the irregular storm patterns. The total amount of fresh water in the world will drop because the
increased temperature will cause the water to dry up.
as washers, dryers, and light bulbs. These use less electricity so they help stop global warming. People are Affects on Animals driving less and biking, jogging, and roller skating more. When The ice sheets are people don’t melting due to drive their global warming. cars don’t The people who give off live on the ice and harmful use it as hunting emissions. grounds will be New trees affected. Not only The ice sheets are suck up co2 melting because of global will the people be warming. and put affected but also oxygen into the air. A lot of the animals that rest on the new trees have been ice will be affected by the planted. These are some loss of the ice. Small ground ideas people have had to hugging shrubs that use the help stop global warming. ice as a habitat will lose the ice they need. Some scientists say that the land that was covered with ice will be replaced with coniferous forest.
What People are Doing People are lowering their thermostat in the winter and raising it in the summer in a push to help stop global warming and save some money. People can use energy star appliances such
A solitary man stumbles towards an endless horizon; the mountains of bleached sand barely distinguishable from the skimpy clouds in the sky. Animal bones dot the sand like a postcard or cartoon…some may be his cattle. Is this to be the fate of the desert?
Causes and Effects of Desertification
Desertification The cause for this could-‐be fate is desertification. Desertification is ultimately the loss of plants in deserts, but it can have many unexpected and dangerous outcomes; all affecting plants, then animals, then ultimately people. But we made this mess, and now we need to clean it up. The Soil Plant Cycle Let’s start at the beginning, which is obviously people, so let’s start with the first thing that we
mindlessly kill, plants. If only we could have chosen to kill something else off, because plants happen to be at the very bottom of the food chain. Why is that a problem you ask? If the plants die, the animals eating the plants die (not to mention the humans have it pretty bad as well). On top of it all, it’s nearly impossible for them to come back! You see, the only way water is held in that desert soil is the roots of plants, without those roots the water simply flows over the surface causing
mudslides and erosion. That’s just another reason plants really need to come back, which unfortunately is not happening enough. Up the Food Chain Now that we know what’s happening to the backbone of the food chain, let’s see what affects it has on everything else. Almost every solitary animal in the desert eats plants, and of coarse it’s not enough for humans to kill off there most vital food source, we must find ways to hurt them further. One way we have found to
A solitary man stumbles towards an endless horizon; the mountains of bleached sand barely distinguishable from the skimpy clouds in the sky. Animal bones dot the sand like a postcard or cartoon…some may be his cattle. Is this to be the fate of the desert?
Causes and Effects of Desertification
accomplish this is building fences. Plants are far and few between as it is, correct? Well then, what happens when we cut animals off from wide ranges of space? They are blocked from those plants, eat almost all of the ones they can reach, and then run out. This process is called overgrazing. Of coarse we’ve found other ways like farming of average land to kill the desert, but overgrazing is one of our biggest problems. Are you starting to see the pit of a cycle
desertification can cause? Breaking the Cycle As much as I hate to admit it, some people are slightly smarter than the idiots destroying the deserts. Smarty’s like these have invented and are activating their plans. Some are as simple as planting new trees, but others are epiphanies like making fertilizer from stone! Farming methods are improving as well, and with them the lives of farmers and their animals alike. Finally, there is hope. The Beginning
Slowly but surely, deserts are beginning to improve. Problems like overgrazing are still they’re, but getting smaller. The deserts may never be as they were in the beginning, but who knows? Green starts to tinge the mountains of sand, now slightly tan instead of bleached. Animals graze on the new plants, and an occasional seedpod blows past in the breeze. Is this to be the fate of the desert?
Find out what it is, why it’s happening, the consequences of it, and what people are doing for it. It is our super populated southwest semiarid.
Super Populated Semiarid
What is Over Population
Consequences of Over Population
Over population happens when too many people move to one area in a country. A great number, such as 100 people, just keep moving to the area and the habitat gets destroyed. The semiarid habitat, then, becomes a city and the natural beauty vanishes from the land.
Consequences of over People are preventing this population include loss of over population by having semiarid areas and many less people move there and animals losing their habitat. by not building on top of the The animals will then invade semiarid habitat. The people human territory, become that aren’t moving to the endangered, and maybe semiarid are staying home, even staying local, or become moving to extinct. other places. Humans Also, instead of will then building on top live with of the habitat, the guilt construction of killing workers are even building near the habitat, so more innocent people can still Over population is a major animals, enjoy the problem in the southwest and I, climate, but semiarid areas in the United along they aren’t States. with destroying the many other people, would habitat, or the animals. not like living with that guilt in our lives. If our country loses part of its semiarid habitat, then we lose more of our natural beauty and I don’t think people would like the beauty disappearing from our land.
Causes of Over Population The over population in the semiarid area is caused by retiring people, lots of building, and a great climate. People retire in the semiarid area because of the great climate. The climate includes hot and humid weather, mild precipitation, and good soil for agriculture. Construction workers are spending a lot of their time building things like homes, retirement homes, and industries. They are building those things because many United States citizens are retiring, or just moving to the southwest semiarid area.
Solving Over Population
“Honey, turn of the lights when you leave the room.” That was the sound of a mother caring and trying to stop air pollution. Simple things like this can reduce the thinning of the ozone layer.
Against Air Pollution in Australia
Effects of air pollution Air pollution does serious damage to our Earth. Air pollution can hurt or even kill animals. If air pollution is a very harmful thing and air pollution kills animals that will reduce some of our food source. Air pollution can also kill plants. Plants that we grow, is a major part of our food source too. Air pollution could kill vegetables that we grow and if we don’t try to stop air pollution we could all be in danger. Over time in Australia the pollution is getting so bad that it is putting a hole in the ozone layer. If air pollution is that bad it can harm humans because the ozone layer protects us from the suns powerful rays. If we don’t have a ozone layer and people are outside or at a beach in the sun, then you could have a chance of getting skin cancer or skin poisoning. Scientists are predicting that by 2050 the
ozone layer will be completely gone.
Causes of air pollution Aerosol spray cans, refrigerators and air conditioners are just some things that cause air pollution. When CFC gets released into the air that is what destroys the ozone layer. If you feel air pollution is doing you harm or you don’t want these terrible effects to happen to you then don’t buy the items that I listed above. By turning of lights when you leave a room can help stop air pollution. It can help stop air pollution because the less electricity you use the less air pollution we have. By making these small changes in your life are not hard to do. If air pollution continues that’s a different story.
Why air gets polluted Air gets polluted because of what is in, air conditioners, aerosol spray cans ect. The chemical that is in those
objects is called CFC. CFC is a chemical compound developed as an alternative to more dangerous chemicals. CFC can harm people by raising the percentage of getting skin cancer and or skin poisoning. It also can hurt plants and animals because it is a toxic chemical that is very harmful. People can help stop pollution by not buying air fresheners, whip cream spray bottles, or air conditioners. Also by not driving so much can help too. If you only have a short distance to go, you can walk instead of drive.
Reducing of air pollution When you are at home or anywhere else, and you own an iPod, cell phone ect. Don’t leave your chargers in the wall. If you do, at the end of the charger, electricity comes out as it is plugged into the wall and pollutes the air. Leaving a charger in the
“Honey, turn of the lights when you leave the room.” That was the sound of a mother caring and trying to stop air pollution. Simple things like this can reduce the thinning of the ozone layer.
Against Air Pollution in Australia wall can lead to holes in the ozone layer because air pollution is what creates the hole. To get air pollution you have to have objects that pollute the air. Chargers happen to be one of those objects that pollutes the air.
The pollution of our oceans is threatening dolphin populations all around the world.
The Effects of Ocean Pollution on Dolphins For dolphins, the ocean is their home. We must all help to preserve their beautiful habitat.
and liver diseases. In addition, young dolphins may face problems with growth development.
Industrial Dumping
A dolphin enjoying its natural habitat.
Littering Dolphins often confuse trash in the ocean for food. Plastic is especially dangerous for dolphins. Everything from plastic cups to plastic bags and plastic rings from pop cans can cause serious issues. If they eat it, they could get diseases or even choke to death. The trash can cause digestive system problems
Companies are also The oceans have become so dumping sewage and polluted with trash that dolphins other chemicals into the struggle to survive. oceans. Dolphins are then The United Nations automatically exposed to Environment Program these toxins. Many of (UNEP) has formed an these toxins cause them to agreement to help clean get sick or die. up beaches along oceans. Organizations like the UNEP are also going out on boats to help clean up the water.
Companies are dumping toxic chemicals into the ocean.
Sources of Help
There is still hope to save our dolphins. By cleaning up our oceans, we can ensure that these magnificent creatures live on for generations to come.
Step into the Amazon and see what we are destroying.
Amazon Annihilation Clear-cut Logging Clear-cut logging is when all or most trees in one area are cut down. When this happens trees can’t grow back because they are cut down too fast. Loggers also burn down the trees because it is easier but the flames are harder to control so loggers don’t use that method as often. Clear-cutting causes deforestation. Deforestation means to clear the forest. When anyone cuts down a tree in a forest, that starts deforestation.
The Animals Mammals, like monkeys, that live in the Amazon mostly live in or around trees. The three-toed sloth lives in the trees and is now endangered because of clear-cutting. The gorilla and pangolin live around the trees for protection and if trees are cut down they will be forced to move.
Reptiles are affected too. Pythons, for example, lay eggs and lie next to them until they hatch. When trees are cut down pythons could lose their homes and have to abandon their babies. Birds are affected the most by clear-cut logging because their nests are in the trees. One bird that was affected is the green violet ear hummingbird. It is now endangered because their homes were cut down.
The Effects Degradation of animals is one effect of clear-cutting. Degradation means to decrease or to disappear. It’s not just the animals that are affected, trees are affected too. All of the endangered animals will be extinct if clear-cutting continues. Also the animals that are not endangered will become extinct. If that happens even more animals are in danger of becoming extinct.
Preventions This is a pangolin, one of the endangered animals.
The Endangered Species Act (E.S.A.) is a law that bans clear-cut logging in the Amazon. Some people don’t follow this law, though. This
is why the effects are still taking place. Nature preserves help prevent clear-cutting so there is more than just the E.S.A. to stop loggers. Nature preserves help save the habitat of many animals because people can’t walk in and kill animals with litter. These preventions and later preventions could save the Amazon and all the animals that live inside.
The Mediterranean was full of life, now it is a barren sea. We are
Overfishing the Mediterranean Sea life. Soon there will be no more fish to fish Overfishing Affects the Mediterranean Sea The fishermen of the Mediterranean Sea are taking too many fish out of the waters at once before the fish are ready to reproduce. This is called overfishing. Since the fishermen are running out of adult fish so they are catching younger fish before they are ready to mate. Since less and less fish are being caught, fishermen are loosing their main supply of fish. If overfishing continues Egypt’s economy will face disaster. The Mediterranean is a barren sea. Sixty-‐five percent of the species that live here are in danger of going extinct. The Mediterranean Sea is loosing a wide range of species due to fishermen wanting profit and being careless.
Illegal fishing causes many of the big fishing problems in the Mediterranean Sea.
A driftnet trapped this shark.
Illegal and Careless Fishing When fishermen put driftnets of Spanish lines out into the water they are catching unwanted fish. By accident fishermen are catching sharks, dolphins, and even sea turtles! Plus by the time the fishermen put the unwanted fish back in the water the fish are almost dead due to the time out of water.
Many of the fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea use illegal driftnets. . Driftnets catch many unwanted species like sea turtles, dolphins, and sharks. Some driftnets can be up to 12 miles long. A lot of fishers are catching more fish then they need, just to make an extra buck.
Fish Species Being Affected Many species are being affected by the overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea. Here are just a few examples of the hundreds being affected. Due to overfishing the blue fin tuna has decreased 80% in the past 20 years. Forty percent of shark and stingray species are in danger of going extinct.
The Blue fin tuna is fading fast
Some other species that are in danger are, the red mullet, hake, swordfish, sea bream, marlin, and even sea turtles! If overfishing continues scientists have made some pretty astounding predictions. The scientist predicted that without immediate action the blue fin tuna will go extinct very soon. Also in 2006 scientists predicted that without immediate action, in 2048 all the fish species will be gone.
We are also trying to get rid of the driftnets for good.
We are also trying to regulate fish counts. It makes this extra hard when countries have been under showing their fish counts. France has just recently revealed their fish counts and they were way higher then expected. These are the ways that the Mediterranean Sea life is being affected by overfishing.
Fixing the Problem Today. Today we are trying the fix the overfishing problem in many different ways. For example, there are laws being made that only so many fish can be caught at one time. Another example is fishing vessels are being registered to fish in the Mediterranean Sea.
This sea turtle was caught by a Spanish long line.