Global Warming

Global warming is the rising of temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. This is caused by green house gases and excessive human activity such as the burning of fossil feuls. Green house gases are what capture heat in order to keep the Earth's surface warm enough for us to live on. However, these gases have built up over time and is becoming to much for our planet to handle (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia).The constant rise in temperatures that seems to increase by a larger number every decade can destroy and lead to the inevitable.
The main cause of global warming comes from CO2 or carbon oxides. Carbon oxides come from the combustion of fossil feuls that can deter our breathing abilities. Today, a 31 percent in the increase of CO2 has been emitted by people and growing. A pollutant of this magnitude is sadly caused by humanity ( Cooler Climate). Global warming can bring forth all types of shifts in our climate, such as increased droughts, increased floods, species unable to adapt to the changing conditions and face extinction, hurricanes will become more prevelent, and the sea levels that continue to rise.
The reaction to global warming most saught after would be the act of mitigation. Mitagation is a process by which it condenses or milds out conditions. Mitigation can be used in this global warming crisis to moderate the amount of fossil feuls being burned. What we have done to our environment through carelessness and the over-burning of fossil feuls has more than trippled our temperatures in the last 650,000 years (environmental defense fund). Through the use of conservation of our non renewable resourses (fossil feul) the constant temperature rising phenomenon can be reduced. Reduced global warming means life not just for humanity but the many ecosystems that live around as well as our climate.
Sources:
Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (August 4, 2011). Global Warming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

Environmental Defense Fund. (August 4, 2011). The Basics of Global Warming.
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=63999&gclid=CJ2Rn7OntqoCFcE42godvDJR7g

A Cooler Climate. (August 4, 2011). How Do Humans Cause Global Warming?
http://www.acoolerclimate.com/how-do-humans-cause-global-warming/

Whatever Happened to Biodiversity?

What exactly is biodiversity and what does it mean for our environment? Biodiversity is the variation or differences within an ecosystem, biome, or even an entire planet. We are able to use biodiversity to measure the health of our ecosystems or earth as a whole (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 2011). Biodiversity is key to our ecosystems in that it boost the productivity. The larger the number of plant species the larger the crops. This will in turn extend all life forms (Shah 2011).
Due to the levels of extinction between species the loss of biodiversity has inevitably happened. The main causes of extinction are the oblivious as well as well aware human acts. Most of the time some ecosystems are destroyed in the name of progress to our human society. If the ecosystems are not destroyed they are decreased in their size. Also, the dumping of waste into seas and oceans cause potentcy to the ecosystems (Causes of loss 2010). This chain reaction of bombarding their ecosystems, destroying them in turn, then the inevitable extinction, leads to lower productivity. Lowere productivity means we as human beings suffer loss in crops and other resourses used from these ecosystems.

An example of what a lack of biodiversity can do is the Great Famine (Ireland). The Great Famine in Ireland in the mid 1800s was the massacre of some sort to a million of it's residents. Their deaths were the result of a potato disease called a potato blight. Potatoes were one of Irelands most highly consumed resources. However, the lack of biodiversity in the types of potatoes planted and where they planted them lead to starvation and a great drop in their population. They planted the same type of crop in which this crop unknowingly was tainted and later consumed (Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 2011). This example would be an anology to our world of ecosystems without biodiversity. Preserving our ecosystems and the species that reside in them is very key in boosting our biodiversity (Shah 2011).

Sources:
Wikipedia the free encyclopedia (28 July 2011). Great Famine (Ireland).
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)

Wikipedia the free encyclopedia (28 July 2011). Biodiversity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity

Shah, A (28 July 2011). Why is Biodiversity So Important? Who Cares? Biodiversity.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity

Causes of Loss (28 July 2011). Causes of Biodiversity Loss.
http://www.airheadsscuba.com/kayesite1/causes.html

The Real Animals Toward the Environment

The infinitely placed rule that humanity has superiority over animals was set over hundreds of years ago. Animals were to live outdoors because it was their habitat. Humans had the freedom of choice in where they wanted to live. Animals were thought to sustain themselves through harsh weather and treatment by humans or another animal because it was simply in it's nature. Both species were given two different paths or missions in their lives.

Some might ask, which species is fulfilling their purpose or their specific duties to themselves and to their environment around them?

Animals were naturally programmed or trained to find their food, find a mate, take care of their young, protect themselves, and most of all take care and look out for their surroundings. Everything an animal does, not only helps them but it helps their environment. In environmental science we like to call this process mutualism. Mutualism is one host benefitting from another and neither is affected. Animals naturally use the environment without leaving such an impact that would destroy it. Animal's way of thinking and how they are trained to follow their natural missions is not manipulative and power hungry as a humans way of thinking tends to be.

Humanity is supposed to work and prosper with the environment through this mutualistic process, but sadly this is not the case. The superiority that humanity has aquired has ruled their decisions on how they treat the environment. Humanity is inevitably destroying the environment. Most are too busy or unaware to care to find out how to take heed to their environment (Blurtit). An example of an environmental crisis is the waste and global warming due to pollution and not recycling. These crisis arise more and more from carelessness to our surroundings. These facts make you wonder who should live outside.

The superiority that humanity is given should allow us to do above and beyond than animals for our environment and this can still happen. We as humans could actually learn from the animals we pay little attention to because of their superior status.

Sources: Blurtit (July 21, 2011). Why Do People Destroy the Environment?

http://www.blurtit.com/q857917.html

How the Lumber Industry Benefits the Environment

The use of lumber greatly benefit our lives and environment. Lumber is used two ways depending on it's state. The rough state of lumber can be shaped and molded into different fixtures. This state of lumber is used mainly for our domestic necessities such a s furniture making. The other state, finished lumber, is mostly used for construction. The finished state of lumber is soft wood coming from coniferous areas. (Wikipedia the free encyclopedia). Using wood instead of concrete or metal helps preserve more energy use, resource use, decrease our pollution levels, and reduced impact on our environment.Wood produces far less green house gases than that of other resources used to build.

The lumber industry has also helped pick up the forests growth in more northern continent. This industry also provides a job or career to the nation. Working in the lumber industry is not an easy task but shows ones tenacity to serve its environment. Upon working in the industry, a pension plan was created as a benefit for those who work in the field of the production of lumber.

sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumber

The pH Effect on Commercial Farming

Our environment supplies us with the natural equipment needed to grow our foods, but without proper care it can damage the outcome. One of the mainstream ways our nation distributes its crops is through commercial farming. Commercial farming is a process that includes mixed or diversified farming by a farmer who intends to sale their crops for mass consumption (Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia). These crops grown by their farmers consist of the main foods we need to maintain health. The farmers grow foods such as wheat, milk, butter, corn, green vegetables, sugar cane, and maize. Engaging in commercial farming is beneficial to the nation in that is broadens incomes for families and their generations to come.

However, overtime commercial farming has required more land usage due to bad soil. More and more land is being taken away from people and is forcing them to migrate to cities. This migration post harsher living conditions for the population. The 100 acres of land that was used to support a family of eight in the early 1930s is now ten times that amount to only feed half as many people (Ohiorganic). The factors affecting the soil the crops grow from are the pH level embalances of water and soil.

Soil's prefered pH level in growing certain crops is neutral which is about 7 on the pH scale. That being said, there are also other certain crops grow best in a slightly acidid or akaline
pH level. The same attention should be payed toward the acidity or alkalinity of water that is used to grow the crops. If a crop is tested to be acidic or alkaline, the farmer must balance this pH level to one that benefits the soil as well as the crop. Farmers are presumed to take heed of these pH rules in order to produce a better outcome of crops and land conservation.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_agriculture

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091110164748AARM1kN

Profits and Deficits of the Oil Industry

The oil industry profits about $100 billion per year and growing.There's also 1.73 trillion businesses in petroleum. The petroleum industry contains processes such as exploration, extraction, and refining of petroleum. The biggest part of the petroleum industry process is the marketing of oil and gasoline.(Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia).

The oil industry is a monopoly and the only way they profit and or benefit is by consumers using gasoline and oil. The marketing process of the oil industry to retract profit always ask these question: How will the consumer drive his or her vehicle with out the distribution of our product? How will consumers get their day to day energy? This is the monopoly effect that has been executed to rake in more profit. For years profits went up and sky rocketted until they reached what we call a peak oil, and this brought profit down, the U.S. in particular. America had to send close to $1 billion worth of oil to overseascountries because of the deficit.(Weiss, Vasquez)

The oil industry marketing deficit lingered due to our nations persistent recession. Because of these deficits it has caused gasoline prices to increase greatly and threatens production. In order for the deficit to reverse the U.S. would have to reduce oil imports and conserve energy. In turn the monopoly effect would become less stress ful on consumers and the marketing profit of oil would increase again, hence the price of gasoline would go down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_industry

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/profits_v_prices.html

Air Pollution Facts

Our primary source of living is air. Without air our human race would become extinct. Air pollution is one of the main problems that is robbing us of our fresh air. Air pollution is a chemical or type of matter that causes harm to the human race as well as the environmental atmosphere. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Some air pollution is visible but some are not and add to the global warming issues we currently face now.(National Geographic Society). Our bodies need a certain balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Air pollution throws off this balance leaving more carbon dioxide than oxygen, and this can harm us. This embalance in carbon dioxide versus oxygen is do to the over population of cars on the roads, air planes, anything involving the use of fossil feuls. Taking into consideration the recent Peak Oil issue, the use of fossil feuls are rising and causing more air pollutants. 2.4 million people die each year of air pollution contaminants. Over half of those people died from indoor air pollution. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

The air pollution in our atmosphere can be limited through a process of conservation. Taking better care with the environment means taking better care of ourselves.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview.html

The Affects Water Pollution Has on Humans and The Affects We Can Have on Water Pollution

HOW IS WATER POLLUTION CREATING SUFFERAGE?

One of the causes of death in developing countries is water pollution.Water pollution refers to the addition of foreign substances (pollutants) to a water source.(water-technology.net 2011). The water pollution occurring in these developing countries is costing the residents their health and lives at an increasing rate. Their health is suffering because of the plummeting decrease in natural resources used to nourish themselves. The two main resources are of course, fresh water and sea animals. The consistent rate of waste being dumped into the water supplies for these countries is not only contaminating the water, but killing and contaminating the food resources that live in these waters.

Developed countries are less affected by this water pollution crisis and can do things to help, but often don't or take their clean water for granted. Children in these devoloping countries are hungry, sick, and thirsty because of the toxic waste, and sewage being dumped into their water.  

Is this increasing problem treatable?

I would YES!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! "Pollution laws and pollution control technologies have succeeded especially well in cutting emissions from concentrated "point sources" like factories and sewage treatment plants."(Revenga and Mock 2000). Water pollution is a problem that is more prominent in developing countries, but does not mean that the developed countries cannot help those in need. I believe any able or willing person can make a difference. "For example, from 1972 to 1992 the amount of sewage treated at wastewater treatment plants in the United States increased by 30 percent, yet the organic pollution (measured as the Biological Oxygen Demand) from these plants dropped 36 percent (CEQ 1995:229)."(Revenga and Mock 2000). There are many websites and groups we can join to support the stop of water pollution.What can we start to take into consideration that we usually don't? Try watching what you flush down the toilet or sink or even throw in the trash. Conserve water and try picking up any litter that you see.(The Guides Network). These are just a few things we can do, but will help decrease water pollution and save a life.

water-technology.net (2011). Water Pollution - Glossary Definition - Water Technology.

http://www.water-technology.net/glossary/water-pollution.html

Revenga and Mock (October 2000). Dirty Water: Pollution Problems Persist.

http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/water-resources/feature-16.html

The Guides Network (2003-2011). What Can You Do? Water Pollution.

http://water-pollution.wp.fubra.vc.catn.com/preventingyou.html