APES Current Events

Over the span of 2019 so far, the polar ice caps have dwindled in size at an alarming rate to humankind. The caps have just undergone their 2nd most destructive summer in recorded history and the rate at which they are melting is dangerous. If nothing is changed soon, the Earth will run out of its Carbon Allowance, which will result in more damage and melting to the ice caps, but near irreversible by that point. The caps will melt, sea levels will rise, and the Earth will undergo extremely dangerous and abnormal shifts in the polar jet streams. I believe that what is happening with the climate and polar ice caps is extremely alarming to anyone who can grasp the concept of the Earth dying. The polar ice caps play huge roles in the maintenance of our weather patterns as well as our global temperatures, and if nothing is done to prevent their destruction, then the Earth could be looking at some major issues in the very near future. https://earthsky.org/earth/climate-change-warming-arc

Summary: The article, written by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, a representative for the African Indigenous Peoples Committee, explains a somewhat intuitive idea: that the people who spend the most time with nature have an extraordinary insight into it. She writes that a more accepted inclusion of indigenous people into the climate change conversation would be beneficial. Indigenous people would be able to provide a rawer perspective based on their understandings of the balance of nature (as their lives, without many modern conveniences, are controlled by the temper of Earth). Response: I agree with Ibrahim on a basic level. I think indigenous people reflect a sort of essential level of humanity. Without pressures and constraints imposed by modern society, there must certainly be some wisdom (at least in the form of a change in vantage point on the issue) that would prove to be beneficial. I also think that a more widespread inclusion of indigenous people into the conversations surrounding

The Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) made an announcement that Gabon will be paid $150 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight against deforestation. The CAFI consists of a partnership between the UN Development Program, FAO, the World Bank and other donors.  80% of Gabon is covered in rain forests and CAFI believes 98% of that can be saved with this partnership. This partnership is seen as a way to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, which will help with global climate change. https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/23/africa/gabon-paid-to-fight-deforestation-intl/index.html It is interesting to me how different countries are taking different approaches to reduce emissions and greenhouse gases.  I have never heard of any of the organizations involved in this article before so I definitely learned something new.

Corals species typically reproduce at the same time at some mass egg release at certain times of year, but as of lately that has not been the case. The corals have cues that allow them all to be aware to release their eggs at that time, but because of climate change and the increase in water temperature the coral are not aware and it seems the number of younger coral is much smaller than it typically is. Not only is the warmer water stop some reproduction, but it also can cause the coral to die. This is not anyone's main point when it comes to why climate change is bad, but this is certainly another point. Coral reefs are an important part of the environment, offering protection to shorelines and a home to marine life. Coral do tend to live for thousands of years, but if they die off because of warm temperatures, and they also can't reproduce because of those temperatures, eventually a small number of them would exist, which may spell trouble for a multitude of species. lin

Many scientists are greatly concerned that greenhouse gas emissions are becoming threatening to the environment. They say that these emissions could lead to "catastrophic circumstances" all over the world if we do not change the amount of green house gasses we emit. These green house gasses mainly effect climate change. Climate change has already affected everything from food supply to the existence of island nations. Because of green house gasses heatwaves are intensifying in North America and Europe. Underwater heatwaves are also killing deep water habitats and coral reefs. Adding to that, insect populations are declining which is changing the food chain in many ecosystems. Another devastating affect of climate change is forest fires. The fires have killed more than 100 people in California since 2017, and continue to destroy ecosystems and communities around the world. The U.N. is trying to take action to stop climate change. They have invited world leaders to cut their

The recent five-year drought in California has caused over 129 million trees to perish.  Those trees that survived however, are being closely studied for they may bring hope of stopping climate change.  Scientists believe that if the trees could survive the intense heat there would have to be some type of coping mechanism the trees use in severe circumstances.  Scientists have also being experimenting with coral that can withstand high temperatures because the ocean's are warming causing the reefs to perish.  I believe that if we continue to make discoveries like these ones we could prevent climate change from happening.  By experimenting and finding solutions to keep out ecosystem alive, we will be able to keep the Earth from massive destruction.   Link to Article

Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory have found that nitrate stimulates the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In their study, the scientists have found that the abundance of nitrate among salt marshes decreases their ability to store carbon. The scientists suggest that if we, mankind, wish to rely on salt marshes for and carbon systems for the storing of carbon, that we must better understand the abilities of nitrate and it's effects on salt marshes. Without the salt marshes ability to hold carbon, due to the nitrate pollutant, our Earth will become further polluted and the carbon and respiration cycles with find struggles to come. The scientists are further looking into the nitrate and it's effects on the salt marshes as well as the carbon emissions in the salt marshes. I believe the article was informative and described what and how the nitrate is as well as the possible side effects of too much carbon in a salt marsh ecosystem. Link to the article

Summary: More than two thirds of UK business leaders think people with tech skills are much more valuable than people with backgrounds with math or science. There was a poll of 502 IT employees from different UK companies who believed children aren't receiving or taught enough in technology. 62% of UK executives said the talent in tech right now isn't meeting their requirements to carry out their digital plan/strategy. Another study showed that 63% of UK business leaders would hire someone with a background of technology than someone who doesn't have any. This is because the business leaders believe that someone with background in tech. Can easily train others and help their company get ahead in this rapidly growing technology era. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/01/two-thirds-uk-businesses-opt-for-tech-skills-over-math-and-science.html Reaction: I know from going to job fairs that technology is starting to replace jobs that humans use to do. The technology is eliminating

Essentially, researchers at Florida State University were given funding to help them better understand the ocean's carbon storage, the organisms that are involved, and what may be preventing its productivity. What they are trying to understand is the biological carbon pump, which is basically a process that take photosynthetic algae and turns it into carbon dioxide. The organisms (zooplankton) within this process create fecal matter that is packed full of carbon, which sinks down into the ocean. The research seems to have helped them more in understanding the actual organisms themselves rather than the carbon pump and storage systems. I thought this article was interesting because it pertained closely to what we have learned in the first unit: the carbon cycle. I also think that I'll be saying this all year, but it's amazing to see just how things you don't think about in nature that happen all the time, even when you're not specifically thinking about them. I thi

Summary: Essentially the article is the most recent update on how global warming is affecting the sea. The ocean have always been a critical part in slowing climate change due to the amount of greenhouse gases they directly absorb. However, our carbon emissions continually increase annually each year and the ocean's ability to slow the heating of earth. The article goes on to say how many scientists speculate that if we can mange to slow our carbon emissions and the rate in which the ice is melting that while we wont be able to fully stop the world's ice from melting we can slow it to a point where we could maintain flooding and others events caused by the raised sea levels. Reaction: If we can manage to slow the baron emissions we put out not only would this be incredibly beneficial for us but also the environment. If the sea levels raise a significant amount it could completely alter multiple ecosystems found in the ocean. Multiple ecosystems found in the ocean depend on s

This article explains how SpaceX has developed a space ship that is designed to travel to the Moon, Mars, and back and be available to use again. In my opinion this is an important first step in space colonization. eventually we may need to live on separate planets so having something that is somewhat reusable to go back and forth is almost necessary. https://www.npr.org/2019/09/29/765526405/elon-musk-unveils-spacexs-new-starship-designed-to-fly-to-the-moon-mars-and-beyo

Over the past 50 years North America has lost about 3 billion birds and experts are not really sure why. Species like sparrows and blackbirds are taking the biggest hit in population drop. However, some species of birds are reporting stable numbers. If this trend continues, we could could see a huge problems arise among ecosystems. Birds play huge roles in ecosystems such as insect control which could lead and insects running rampant in ecosystems.  Also some species of birds are considered keystone species so we could see ecosystems start to fail. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/north-america-has-lost-nearly-3-billion-birds-180973178/

A giant glacier on Mont Blanc in Europe is at risk of collapsing. The mayor of Courmayeur, the town right below Mont Blanc has sounded an alarm and closed roads going up to the mountain.  Experts do not know if the glacier will come down in pieces or as a whole. Glaciers around the world are melting faster and faster. The world has been losing 220 billion metric tons of ice every year. Experts say that the glacier melt is accelerating faster then it ever has before. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/mont-blanc-glacier-risk-collapsing-due-climate-change-ncna1058696 I believe that climate change is playing a major role in the falling of glaciers. To try and stop climate change we can change our way of life by reducing water waste. Since the glaciers are starting to melt faster, humans need to do something reduce the amount of water we waste. For example we can turn off the water while brushing our teeth. It may not be that big of an impact when one person does it, but if we can al

NASA is building a telescope that can detect asteroids that could threaten earth. This could potentially launch within the next decade. This infrared telescope will  The Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission, which will cost $500 million to $600 million.   first thought of by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in California 15 years ago. A telescope is needed for meeting a congressional requirement that NASA is to detect 90% of all potentially dangerous asteroids and comets of at least 140 meters in diameter by the end of 2020. To have this kind of telescope to identify asteroids that could harm earth is huge for lots of reasons. If we don't identify them, they could hit earth and cause issues for people, animals, habitats and lots of other things. So to have this kind of technology is revolutionary. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/nasa-build-telescope-detecting-asteroids-threaten-earth

   9/30/19          Recently, the Department of Energy has begun an initiative to find solutions to recycle the batteries of electric cars.  The department awarded several checks to contest winners with the most viable ideas on how to reuse or re purpose the batteries.  The large monetary incentive for the best ideas in the contest is likely a response to the worrying information that fewer than 5% of materials in car batteries are ever recycled.  There need to be ways to recycle the components of the battery like metals such as lithium, copper and cobalt.  Alternatively, instead of scrapping electronic device for its raw materials, plans have been proposed to use the batteries for other purposes, such as energy storage if they are able to be recharged.           It appears that many groups are interested in making every step of an electric car's production and usage more environmentally friendly.  This is a noble goal, however recycling the battery is only a small part of the pr

The oceans have long helped to stave off climate change by absorbing heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The rate at which oceans are warming has doubled since the early 1990's and marine heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense. As the oceans absorb CO2, they are becoming more acidic and threatening the survival of coral reef and fisheries. The report projects that sea levels could rise up by 1.1 meters by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Click Here , for link

The magnetic field shields the planet from solar particles; it also provides a basis for navigation and it might have played an important role in the evolution of life.  If the magnetic field disappears it will increase the levels of cancer- causing ultraviolet radiation. It won't disappear at least not for billions of years. We owe it to the fields molten outer core which is made mostly of iron and nickel. Click Here , for the link

   What is going to happen next? Where will this lead the country? These are questions that many people are asking after President Donald Trump announced that the United States will no longer be a part of the Paris Climate Agreement. Without being a part of this agreement, we will produce more greenhouse gas, fossil fuel pollution etc. If we were to have stayed with the Paris Climate Agreement, we could work together with other countries and come up with a better solution to plastics, greenhouse gasses, fossil fuel burning, and other pollution. The reason President Trump pulled out is because he thought that by illuminating the production of greenhouse gasses, this will affect the jobs in the US. Click here , to access the link

sea ice minimum "The extent of Arctic sea ice at the end of this summer was effectively tied with 2007 and 2016 for second lowest since modern record keeping began in the late 1970's" Due to global temperature increase, in the past decades have caused noticeable drops in the ice levels in the Arctic.  This causes sea levels to rise which affects all life forms there.  

Less than a decade after the Mayan calendar scare, modern doomsday threats come in the form of climate change time tables. Most recently, freshmen Representative Ocasio-Cortez stated that the world would end in 12 years due to carbon emissions. The statement was said among her push to popularize the New Green Deal legislation. This legislation puts forth radical measures to cut down carbon emissions, at the cost of trillions of dollars. According to the article, the deadline given is inaccurate and the 'climate change' is more of a slope than a cliff to fall off. I find articles like this nice to hear because the media will tell us that plans like these are perfect because, surprise, the world is coming to an end in 12 years. This actually gives an objective factual view with information from people who know what they are talking about, not an ill-informed congresswoman. I would hope this would be an eye opener for the world, but i know that news sites where facts are present

Omega-3 fatty acids are nutrients that the human brain needs for proper effectiveness. Our own bodies produce fatty acids, but not enough to support ourselves. The rest of the fatty acids we obtain are gained through digestion of plants and animals, but mainly through eating of fish. Recent collection of data has shown that by the year 2100, 96% of the world's population may not have enough access to omega-3 fatty acids due to raising of water temperature. Fish obtain DHA (or omega-3 fatty acids) through eating of algae, and increase of water temperature will kill off most of this much needed algae. Solutions that are being considered are the farming of this algae and genetic engineering. This situation is one of much needed preparation. If global warming is real, then new inventions and ideas are needed to be made in order to keep up with humanity's need for omega-3 fatty acids. Unless we can slow global warming or put it to a stop, being prepared with how to create the ess

Skittle-D is a coral disease that is killing all the coral in many different coral reefs around the world. In January, divers noticed that all but one coral was dead in a specific reef. It was not a singular occurrence because the same thing has been in other parts of the world. The only positive note is that some where cause by a lesser disease called the white plague. The warmer waters could be the reason for these individual outbreaks, but if so how do we stop it. Along with this, is there a solution to Skittle-D if it does take over more coral reefs? Will we be able to stop it? With the lose of the coral reefs how will the animals and plants that thrive in those ecosystems survive? https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/mystery-disease-killing-caribbean-corals Overall, I am shocked to hear about the coral reefs dying out because even though they only take up 2 perfect of the ocean floor. They support nearly a forth of all marine life. Without them the earth will not be th

A lack of empathy is the true cause of our environment taking a downward spiral towads becoming a frightful danger. The problem is no longer about facts but the ignorance of them. People are too naive to believe the evident problem at end because they simply don't care.

Drinking water that is served to over 7 million people living in California has been found with chemical contaminants. The Environment Working group has found water sources from 74 community water systems containing PFAS chemicals which can cause increased cholesterol, immune system problems, thyroid problems, and even cancer.  PFAS chemcials are perfluoroalky and polyfluoroalkyl substances which are a group of man-made chemicals. The problem is these chemicals don't break down over time they are called "forever chemicals" which means they build up in our environment and bodies. This has made California create laws about PFAS chemicals in public water system and monitor and report if detections are seen. I think more states need to make sure there is no harmful chemicals like PFAS in public water systems because they can seriously harm people and there needs to be laws so we can stop this problem from occurring. https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/27/us/pfas-california-contamin

Trump's plan for increasing the use of fossil fuels, throughout the nation, includes withdrawing from the landmark 2015 Paris climate change accord, in which a total of 195 countries had signed in attempt to help reduce rising global temperatures. Trump also is intending on ending the Obama administration's Clean Power rules, regarding how exactly to suppress coal-fired power plant emissions (inevitably leading to reduced carbon emissions). All the big fossil fuel industries are dialed in on these goals Trump has for the future, because it is ultimately going to benefit them in the long run. Some contributions made to the Trump administration by the fossil fuel industry include Murray of Murray Energy's (the largest privately owned coal company in the nation) contribution of $1 million, as well as Texas lobbyist Miller's (who has multiple big fossil fuel clients) contribution of about $1 million in which he raised to put toward the Trump Victory Committee. Overall, many

Recently the first actual complete picture of a black hole has been taken. This picture is very close up and tells us a lot about black holes and how they form and why they look the way that they do. In this picture you can see how gravity is warping light around the black hole which leads scientist to believe that this light around the hole is clumps of gas being stretched out. Even though there is only one image seen here this picture is unveiling things that were previously unseen by scientists. They are now able to guess how black holes work and how they change and move overtime. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/nasa-new-black-hole-visualizations-showcase-how-gravity-warps-light

Since 1970, the amount of birds in both the United States and Canada have dropped by 29%. There are 2.9 billion less birds than there there were 50 years ago and more than 500 species are vulnerable to extinction. Common species like robins and sparrows, which are traditionally abundant, have been disappearing. This means that species that weren't typically on the endangered species list have been disappearing. In fact, previously endangered species, and strangely, even some random species, have been thriving. Reasons for these disappearances are thought to be linked to habitat loss, from agriculture and development, which reduces the amount of birds in that area, and the over-abundance of pesticides, which is making it harder for the birds to gain the weight they need when they are migrating. In order to gather the information for the loss of these species, researchers have turned to the observations and surveys of bird watchers. Click  Here  for more The loss of these common

Scientists recently created two embryos of the northern white rhino, which there are only 2 females left in the world. The embryos were created with eggs from the females and sperm from dead males, it is planned that they will be transferred into a southern white rhino sometime in the near future. This is very important because we can start to slowly bring back the near extinct northern white rhino species. If we are able to do this it gives us hope to be able to help other species in the future. This is an amazing achievement and I am excited to see what else it leads to. https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2019-09-11/scientist-succeed-in-creating-2-northern-white-rhino-embryos

People are trying to think of new conservation strategies to help preserve the environment. One idea being implemented is giving bodies of water their own bill of rights. The main goal of doing this is to legally protect the environment, but it also is trying to get people to think about how they affect the environment, negatively or beneficially. The rights try to get people to think of nature differently than just as something we're entitled to and that we should respect our environment instead of abusing it. This would also hold companies and governments accountable for polluting land. I think that this idea could help prevent Earth from becoming even more polluted and reaching a point we can't return from. This idea is feasible if local and higher governments will pass the laws, but it would cause them to possibly lose money, so they might not like the idea. Link

A Norwegian Cruise Line has decided that by November, there will no longer be plastic water bottles offered on the ships.  The plan was made to reduce as much plastic and waste that is created with 4,000 passengers on ship.  Instead of plastic, they are using a brand called Just Water.  Just Water makes their cartons out of paper and the cap of the bottle is made of sugar cane.  This creates a big significance since Norwegian Cruise Line is the third-largest cruise company.  Due to this action, a program has been highlighted which is called, O.S.C.A.R.S.  This program helps tourist operations lower their waste consumption which is a big step in improving our environment.  If more and more companies get involved, the bigger the difference will be made.  I believe that this is a great starting point in improving our environment. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/travel/norwegian-cruise-plastic-water-bottles.html

l inky Over the years of dogs being domesticated, dogs evolved in ways to better communicate with their human companions. Dogs evolved something that wolves do not have, they evolved small muscles around their eyes that allow them to raise their inner eyebrow to communicate. My reaction to this article is that I never realized how evolved dogs were, or how intelligent they were. They use only a small muscle to communicate with humans, who they depend upon for survival.

Road salt help people stay safe during winter storms, but for aquatic ecosystem this salt is extremely harmful and can be fatal to some aquatic animals. Many lakes, marshes, and streams that reside alongside of road and highways are exposed to salt containing chlorine and sodium. These chemicals change the way the water mixes which forms salty pockets near the bottom of the body of water, creating biological dead zones. At low concentrations it is mostly harmless, but as more salt mixes with the water it has killed many plankton and fish. Some communities in North America are looking for safer alternatives such as, beet wastewater, cheese brine, pickle juice, and potato juice. Although nothing is 100% effective or completely solving the problem, scientists still work to create a safe solution for both people and the aquatic life. https://www.popsci.com/road-salt-bad-for-environment/

 The insecticide imidacloprid has serious side effects on many species, including bees and birds.  In the article, the way the chemical affects birds is explained.  This chemical is used on a wide variety of American agricultural crops, and it falls into the neonicotinoids, which resemble nicotine and it's effects.  In order to understand how the chemical affected the birds, scientists created three groups of birds (one with a high-dosage of insecticide, one with a smaller dosage, and one with no ingestion of insecticide) in order to see how each one reacted to the chemical.  The high-dosage birds lost an average of 17.1% body fat and 70% decrease food consumption.  The low-dosage group saw a 9.3% decrease in body fat and 8% decrease in food consumption, which is hardly impactful.  The control group saw no changes.  The higher the dosage the birds had, the slower they migrated north, which affects their breeding cycle.  Scientists are lobbying for an integrated pest management (IPM

Most people when they think of military trucks, they tend to think of the classic 6x6 cargo truck. These trucks, formally known by the designation M35A2, were powered by brands like Continental Motor Company, Hercules, or White Motor Company. The 7.8 liter LDT 465 inline 6 while turbocharged would produce 134 bhp and 330 pound-feet of torque. These engine were unique though in the respect that they were multifuel engines. If no diesel was around, a wide variety of fuels could be used like aviation fuel, vegetable oil, animal fat, gasoline, and kerosene. The fuels like gasoline and aviation fuel would be required to be mixed with a higher viscosity petroleum product like motor oil to lube the injector pump. If not the pump would fail leaving the truck stranded. This technology is still in use today, but to run biodiesel. The appeal of biodiesel is that it is biodegradable and it is classified as a renewable resource. Bio diesel does have it drawbacks though. It does not solve the proble

As the glaciers off the coast of Greenland go through melt cycles water drips into crevasses and then freeze. This is leading to denser sheets of ice. The problem with dense ice is that if there are larger cracks near the bedrock layer it will create lubrication for the glaciers to slide on creating the possibility for the ice to slide into the ocean raising overall sea level. Another issue surrounding this is that ice does not reflect sunlight like snow does. this means that the ice will melt even faster contributing to rising sea levels more rapidly. I think this is incredibly important because the melting of glaciers is already causing sea levels to rise by millimeters each year. Imagine how drastically that can change if the glaciers actually do start to break off into the ocean in larger more prevalent chunks than we have now. Linky link

On Friday, June 21, 2019, Philadelphia Energy Solutions had an explosion at the oil refinery. Philadelphia Energy Solutions is the largest oil refinery on the Eastern Seaboard and can produce up to 335,000 barrels of crude oil per day. There were reports of a small fire earlier on in the month but this explosions rattle was felt as far away as Delaware. Residents say the air quality has given them health issues and illness before the incident. Mayor, Jim Kenney, said he expected the plant closure to affect 1,000 jobs. I believe it was a very different, exciting, and scary thing to witness in the middle of the night. It was also probably harder to breath days after the explosion. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/21/us/philadelphia-oil-refinery-fire.html

Fires such as these are running rampart around the world; such as the wild fires in California. The pressures from the outside are putting heavy pressure on the president of Brazil. This shows the heavy connection between politics and environmental catastrophes.

September 06, 2019 Trump Administration has planned to scrap the requirements for energy-efficient light bulbs. However, that does not mean that you can't phase out old-style light bulbs in your house. Doing so would lower your electric bill and be good for the environment. Over the past decade there has been a move to more energy-efficient lighting in the US and it has already decreased the demand of electricity in the country. Completing the revolution would bring carbon savings equivalent to taking several million cars off the road. There are about six billion screw in sockets in homes across the United States. Two-three billion of those still have an inefficient incandescent or halogen bulb in them, according to a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Interested to read more? Click Here!

Since the last report was taken in 2014, the Australian federal government says that the look of the barrier reefs has progressed from poor to very poor. Although the concern for saving the reefs, scientists say it is due to the increasing prominence of climate change. By 2030 the reefs' could be looking worse than ever if we soon don't see any signs of improvement. I think this is a tragic event taking place, being that the great barrier reef is homes to thousands of animals and species. If we cant help the climate change soon, not only will the reefs be dying, but so will the species that they house.    Click here for link

Through out the past 2 weeks there has been a lot of talk about how the Amazon is the Earths lungs and creates a considerable amount of the Earths oxygen. While it is true that the Amazon Rain forest generates a lot of oxygen. It also needs to use most, if not all of the oxygen it generates meaning it has very little surplus. Half of Earths breathable oxygen is actually generated by algae and photoplankon in ocean. But this doesn't change that the fires are causing many different problems. They are contributing considerably to green house gas emissions and are destroying habitats that many endangered species call home. So while the fires in the Amazon aren't destroying Earths oxygen supply it is damaging ecosystems and adding to the growing climate crisis. Link

Everyone cares about the environment and tries to help out by doing things that citizens think will help the environment. Some of the things citizens do to help, do not help at all. Here is a list of things that do not help the environment. 1. Recycling things "just in case"     Across the country, the average contamination rate was calculated at 16 percent. Citizens are recycling products that are non-recyclable. China announced that it would no longer take our recyclables, therefore new policies are being created. Where you live depends on what you can recycle. 2. Recycling plastic bags     Plastic bags can not be put into a regular recycling bin because most of the time they end up going to a landfill. Now, plastic bags are recyclable, but you must put them into a designated plastic bag recycling bin. Most of the time at grocery stores there are bins where you can recycle your plastic bags.  3. Tote bags     Research was done by the Administration of Environm

As Hurricane Dorian skirts the Florida and Georgia coasts, a landfall in the Carolinas is not yet out of the question https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/us/hurricane-dorian-wednesday-us/index.html Hurricane Dorian is a category 2 storm that has reached winds up to 105 mph. This storm has had a big effect on the Bahamas destroying many neighborhoods and killing seven people. But now the storm is headed to the U.S. and is supposed to hit the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. This storm is affecting everyone who lives in Southeast America as more lives could be lost.

The remainder of the 19 th  century was effectively an ideological war between the old guard (religionists and scientists who felt the evidence for Darwinian evolution was not strong enough at the time) and the Darwinists who were eager to build on the work  (16, p1) . But the war would soon be over at least as far as the academic community was concerned. Researchers began developing new methods and sciences in broad areas ranging from  genetics  to geology, from ecology to botany, zoology and human anatomy and many more.  Microbiology  had implications for human health, and for botany and zoology. The nature of zoology from the 20 th  century and beyond is about relationships. It became a profession in the early part of the last century at a time when natural history and essentialism (function and form) gave way to experimentation. The following decades would see the arrival of intensive farming, fueled partly by developments in both zoology and botany. But more academic pursuits in

Plastic waste currently covers about 40% of the ocean's surface and several countries and states have elected to ban plastic straws in order to fight against pollution, but plastic straws are not the problem. Yes, single use plastics are damaging to the environment and should be banned, but plastic straws make up less than one percent of the ocean's pollution. Enforcing the belief that banning single-use straws will solve the problem is a tactic used by corporations that allows them to feel they have done their part in fixing the problem, when in reality the ban of single-use plastics needs to be a first step to rethinking our waste production and finding alternative methods to all non-biodegradable waste. Website Link: https://earth.stanford.edu/news/do-plastic-straws-really-make-difference

   Pollution effects many different ecosystems especially the ocean recently. As many people know, pollution has been causing a lot of controversy with the sea turtles recently. Many people have been hearing about straws getting stuck in their noses, and bottle rings getting caught around their necks. Within this article, you can find information about how pollution is actually causing the turtles to contract diseases! In order to prevent this from happening in the future, and to lessen the issue, we need to come together and stop using plastic materials and work on coming up with more effective and biodegradable materials. Website Link:  https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-threats-marine-pollution/

     All around the world in places such as Brazil, Siberia, Africa and Indonesia major land regions are burning. Regions like the Arctic and Rainforest should not be on fire. These fires will continue to affect climate change because they send of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon Dioxide is a major greenhouse gas and can kill trees that remove those harmful gases from the air. Many Scientists believe that if we do not try and stop these fires, the earth will have a big problem resulting in major climate change.  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/climate/fire-amazon-africa-siberia-worldwide.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Summarize any current environmental science article. You may NOT use Science Daily. Respond to the topic... here are some questions to help guide your response: does it relate to something else that you have learned? what ramifications does it have? why is it important? is it feasible? etc. Insert a link to the article https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/31/greatest-threat-to-life-on-earth-may-come-from-space-asteroids-satellite-debris I feel it is important for everyone to be knowledgeable in the current state of our planet and be aware of the things that could possibly and most likely will at some point in time happen.  The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is be to launched next year.  This test is to be the most impactful space mission to date.  The test is to see if we have the technology to redirect asteroids away from our planet in the event that there is an asteroid of space debris on it's course towards Earth.  If approved, it will begin with the launc