Article- To Save the Environment, Let’s Put Humans on Birth Control, Niki Rust and Laura Kehoe, July 19 2015, http://qz.com/452614/to-save-the-environment-lets-put-humans-on-birth-control/
Topic: Family Planning
Summary:
The human population is increasing; threatening 14% more of our plant's species along with causing 52% of species extinction. Conservationists are being called out for their lack of concern to reducing the population. It is stated that we are causing a lot of damage to our environment: ice free lands, climate change, and sixth mass extinction are all done by us. Family planing and providing female education is a suggested method to save our environment. Females who have access to education and family planning will have fewer children; reducing the population by 2050 of 1 billion. Also, wildlife conservation is being mixed in with family planning. For example, Women are trained to give out contraceptions in rural villages close to protected areas. This helped to reduce the ecological footprint by 267 global hectares by introducing family planning. Challenges that are being faced are the annual cost of $8.1 billion to distribute family planning around the world, and meeting the demands of suppling contraceptions; religion and cultures are limiting females from education and contraceptive use. In the article, the writers want conservationists to look at population growth as a major concern; in the hopes that they see that in reducing population can create sustainability and protection to our environment.
I chose this article because I wanted to learn on how reducing our population helps the environment. What I found interesting is that conservationists are not considering population growth a major concern. I can connect to this article to one of our readings in the environmental text book; reading about population growth and its effects on the planet, and about the importance of family planning.
This article is important to environmental science because this helps to show that female education and family planning does help to reduce population size, which in turn helps to reduce the use of natural resources and species extinction, protecting our environment. The next step is to try to spread the word of the importance in family planning and saving our environment. Now we should conduct more research in finding ways to better our environment.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Saturday, December 12, 2015
"ScrAPES #15- Scotland to ban GM crop growing"
Article- Scotland to ban GM crop growing, (Author Unknown), August 9 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-33833958
Topic: Genetically modified crops
Summary:
The Scottish Government is going against the idea of having GM crops in Scotland. Scotland is known for it's "clean, green status," for having a natural environment. The government doesn't want to ruin Scotland's reputation, and ruin their natural food and drink brands; which can cause consumer backlash if their brands were suddenly GM. An amendment was created to allow member states and developed administrations to ban or restrict genetically modified organisms within their area. However, farming leaders and environment groups are disappointed in the government's decision. They believe GM crops will help to sustain agriculture and protect the environment. They see the GM crops are safe to use, and should be allowed in Scotland due to other countries allowing it.
I chose this article because I wanted to learn more about why Scotland wanted to ban GM crops. What I found interesting was that Scotland wanted to keep their reputation clean, which I thought was a good idea. The other thing that I found interesting was that there were still some people who disagreed with the government's decision because of other countries were using it. This article connects with Chapter 5 that is in the environmental textbook; connecting with the genetic engineering method scientists are using to create desirable traits.
This article is important to environmental science because it shows how not everyone desires to use GM products- which is a good decision. The next step is to spread the word that if one country declines the use of GM crops, then every other country can do the same. We now need to examine thoroughly the use of GM crops and how it might have an effect in our health and the environment in the long run.
Topic: Genetically modified crops
Summary:
The Scottish Government is going against the idea of having GM crops in Scotland. Scotland is known for it's "clean, green status," for having a natural environment. The government doesn't want to ruin Scotland's reputation, and ruin their natural food and drink brands; which can cause consumer backlash if their brands were suddenly GM. An amendment was created to allow member states and developed administrations to ban or restrict genetically modified organisms within their area. However, farming leaders and environment groups are disappointed in the government's decision. They believe GM crops will help to sustain agriculture and protect the environment. They see the GM crops are safe to use, and should be allowed in Scotland due to other countries allowing it.
I chose this article because I wanted to learn more about why Scotland wanted to ban GM crops. What I found interesting was that Scotland wanted to keep their reputation clean, which I thought was a good idea. The other thing that I found interesting was that there were still some people who disagreed with the government's decision because of other countries were using it. This article connects with Chapter 5 that is in the environmental textbook; connecting with the genetic engineering method scientists are using to create desirable traits.
This article is important to environmental science because it shows how not everyone desires to use GM products- which is a good decision. The next step is to spread the word that if one country declines the use of GM crops, then every other country can do the same. We now need to examine thoroughly the use of GM crops and how it might have an effect in our health and the environment in the long run.
"Bee Reflection"
The Boston Honey company is owned by a small family that started in 1996. There are 2,200 hives in MA, GA, FL, and NY. There is a declining in the bee population due to habitat loss, pesticides, and other factors. Bees depend on a queen bee; however, when a queen bee is not present it can lead to stress. A queen-less hive will first cause the bees to panic and become aggressive, leading them to rely on the queen's eggs to hatch; the first one to hatch will be the new queen and that queen will kill the other eggs. Additionaly, beekeepers would also be able to replace a queen-less hive with a new queen. A fun fact that I learned is that wearing dark colors, deodorant, or perfume will cause bees to become aggressive, and eventually lead them to sting. I also learned the difference between Honeybees, Bumble bees and Mason Bees, Yellow Jackets and Wasps, and Hornets. Honeybees produce large amounts of honey and are not native to the area; Bumble bees and Mason Bees make their own nests in stone or wood; Yellow Jackets and Wasps survive in the cold, do not produce honey, sting repeatedly, and are scavengers; Hornets at any given time, for no reason, are more aggressive and will sting you, which will cause damages to your body. Furthermore, I learned that the Japanese Knotweed and Purple Loosestrife are invasive plant species in MA. These plants help to feed bees.
Bees are very important in our lives and to our environment. The decline of bee population will have a great effect to our planet. Bees provide beautiful habitats for different species by pollination. Another thing that bees help to provide through their process of pollination is agricultural crops. They have helped tremendously for providing us with sources of food. For example, the honey they produce helps diabetics to control their blood sugar. Bees are very important to our lives and to our planet; this means we should take good care of our bees, and try to stop the decline of their population.
Bees are very important in our lives and to our environment. The decline of bee population will have a great effect to our planet. Bees provide beautiful habitats for different species by pollination. Another thing that bees help to provide through their process of pollination is agricultural crops. They have helped tremendously for providing us with sources of food. For example, the honey they produce helps diabetics to control their blood sugar. Bees are very important to our lives and to our planet; this means we should take good care of our bees, and try to stop the decline of their population.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
"ScrAPES #14- Roadside Litter Piling Up: Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute"
Article- Roadside Litter Piling Up: Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute, Kevin Proft, November 24, 2015, http://www.ecori.org/pollution-contamination/2015/11/24/roadside-litter-piling-up-give-a-hoot-dont-pollute
Topic: Land pollution
Summary:
The region's DOT employees, litter removers, are responsible for cleaning and keeping the roadsides neat; however, it is taking a lot out of them. The on going problem is that trash is continuing to be thrown out of cars window on the side of highways. The types of trash that are found are coffee cups, cigarette butts, plastic bags, hypodermic needles, bottles with urine, mattresses, etc. In Connecticut, $2 million annually is spent on litter and graffiti removal; MassDOT increased the roadside litter removal budget to $1.3 million annually, and RIDOT spends $1 million annually in roadside litter removal as well. With a total of $4.3 million used in removing trash that other people have caused. The price went higher due to the restriction of only cleaning state owned roads. Consequences are building up as the action of littering continues. DOT workers are being killed as they pick up trash on the roadside; the trash that is left behind are clogging storm drains that are leading to flooding issues and other environmental problems. The major issue now is making people understand that throwing trash on the ground is wrong and has to stop.
I chose this article because I agree that land pollution, especially on roadsides, must stop. What I found interesting is the cost of clean up; I did not imagine the price being that high. Also, finding out the kind of trash that is thrown out of cars window was interesting plus disgusting.
This article is important to environmental science because all the trash that is building up is creating major issues in the environment and to people's lives. The next step is to continue cleaning, but to also start preventing people from throwing trash on the ground; to spread the word of the damage being done. The DOTs are now creating methods in teaching people about the consequences of their actions and increasing prevention methods.
Topic: Land pollution
Summary:
The region's DOT employees, litter removers, are responsible for cleaning and keeping the roadsides neat; however, it is taking a lot out of them. The on going problem is that trash is continuing to be thrown out of cars window on the side of highways. The types of trash that are found are coffee cups, cigarette butts, plastic bags, hypodermic needles, bottles with urine, mattresses, etc. In Connecticut, $2 million annually is spent on litter and graffiti removal; MassDOT increased the roadside litter removal budget to $1.3 million annually, and RIDOT spends $1 million annually in roadside litter removal as well. With a total of $4.3 million used in removing trash that other people have caused. The price went higher due to the restriction of only cleaning state owned roads. Consequences are building up as the action of littering continues. DOT workers are being killed as they pick up trash on the roadside; the trash that is left behind are clogging storm drains that are leading to flooding issues and other environmental problems. The major issue now is making people understand that throwing trash on the ground is wrong and has to stop.
I chose this article because I agree that land pollution, especially on roadsides, must stop. What I found interesting is the cost of clean up; I did not imagine the price being that high. Also, finding out the kind of trash that is thrown out of cars window was interesting plus disgusting.
This article is important to environmental science because all the trash that is building up is creating major issues in the environment and to people's lives. The next step is to continue cleaning, but to also start preventing people from throwing trash on the ground; to spread the word of the damage being done. The DOTs are now creating methods in teaching people about the consequences of their actions and increasing prevention methods.
" Parking Lot Data"
In the Parking Lot Ecology Lab, my team and I decided to differentiate each species by the automobile brand. As a result, Community B was the most diverse because it has a higher H (Shannon-Weiner Index) with 2.51, R (richness) with 19, and E (evenness) with 0.89 when compared to Community A that has a H with 2.14, R with 16, and E with 0.77.
If both "communities" were similar in make-up, Community A has most likely experienced some sort of human disturbance. Community A has a lower biodiversity because of the restriction of cars that can be parked in the school parking lot near the building and the back lot, and by the continuous use by the same people with the same cars, whereas in Community B has more diversity because of the additional freedom to park on the White Street by anyone; creating different variety of cars.
The species that dominated in both "communities" was Toyota; in Community A it had 23 Toyotas and in Community B it had 18 Toyotas. Toyota is a popular brand. Advertisement makes Toyota seem better then other cars with having specific features that are designed to make it more desirable.
There were opportunities for errors in my calculations. There was a lot to calculate; adding up the numbers to get the Shannon-Weiner Index was a challenge because inputing the decimals in the calculator made me miss some numbers; however, I did caught myself making those mistakes, so I redid the calculation over again to get the right numbers.
If both "communities" were similar in make-up, Community A has most likely experienced some sort of human disturbance. Community A has a lower biodiversity because of the restriction of cars that can be parked in the school parking lot near the building and the back lot, and by the continuous use by the same people with the same cars, whereas in Community B has more diversity because of the additional freedom to park on the White Street by anyone; creating different variety of cars.
The species that dominated in both "communities" was Toyota; in Community A it had 23 Toyotas and in Community B it had 18 Toyotas. Toyota is a popular brand. Advertisement makes Toyota seem better then other cars with having specific features that are designed to make it more desirable.
There were opportunities for errors in my calculations. There was a lot to calculate; adding up the numbers to get the Shannon-Weiner Index was a challenge because inputing the decimals in the calculator made me miss some numbers; however, I did caught myself making those mistakes, so I redid the calculation over again to get the right numbers.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
"ScrAPES #13- Prenatal Chemical Exposure Linked to Obesity"
Podcast: Living on Earth Podcast, Prenatal Chemical Exposure Linked to Obesity, Start: 00:01 End: 05:39
Topic: Toxic Chemicals
Summary:
Pregnant women in the Cincinnati area, downstream from some Industrial dumping in the Ohio River, have high perfluorooctanoic acid, a toxic chemical, in their blood due to being exposed to contaminated water. It is still not definite how the women where exposed to the chemical, but studies are being conducted for possibility that it came from their diet. By having the perfluorooctanoic acid in their blood, it provides a higher risk for their born child to develop obesity or other types of diseases relating to obesity. This toxic plus other obesogens are effecting hormonal systems that involves with fetal growth. The levels of chemicals are decreasing because manufacturers are stoping the production of it; however, 90% of chemicals are still found in people. Concerns are that the chemicals will stay in our bodies for over three years due to how long chemicals can stay in the environment and in our body. Although there is uncertainty if the perfluorooctanoic acid or other obesogens cause the obesity epidemic in America, there are some chemical exposures that do increase body fat or the risk of obesity.
I chose this article because I wanted to learn more on how chemicals can affect our health. The most interesting thing to me is learning about how chemicals can stay in our bodies for many years. I also found interesting that there are chemicals out there that do have effects on increasing our fat that can cause major problems in the future.
This podcast is important to environmental science because it shows the connection between obesity, genetics, and the environment. It shows how toxic chemicals can contaminate our waters, and have a later effect on our health. Our next step is to conduct more studies on the cause of obesity and try to reduce it. Now we need to figure out alternatives instead of using chemicals in our lives.
Topic: Toxic Chemicals
Summary:
Pregnant women in the Cincinnati area, downstream from some Industrial dumping in the Ohio River, have high perfluorooctanoic acid, a toxic chemical, in their blood due to being exposed to contaminated water. It is still not definite how the women where exposed to the chemical, but studies are being conducted for possibility that it came from their diet. By having the perfluorooctanoic acid in their blood, it provides a higher risk for their born child to develop obesity or other types of diseases relating to obesity. This toxic plus other obesogens are effecting hormonal systems that involves with fetal growth. The levels of chemicals are decreasing because manufacturers are stoping the production of it; however, 90% of chemicals are still found in people. Concerns are that the chemicals will stay in our bodies for over three years due to how long chemicals can stay in the environment and in our body. Although there is uncertainty if the perfluorooctanoic acid or other obesogens cause the obesity epidemic in America, there are some chemical exposures that do increase body fat or the risk of obesity.
I chose this article because I wanted to learn more on how chemicals can affect our health. The most interesting thing to me is learning about how chemicals can stay in our bodies for many years. I also found interesting that there are chemicals out there that do have effects on increasing our fat that can cause major problems in the future.
This podcast is important to environmental science because it shows the connection between obesity, genetics, and the environment. It shows how toxic chemicals can contaminate our waters, and have a later effect on our health. Our next step is to conduct more studies on the cause of obesity and try to reduce it. Now we need to figure out alternatives instead of using chemicals in our lives.
Monday, November 23, 2015
"Aquarium Reflection" Assignment
The new things that I have learned are biodiversities and adaptations. In the Amazon Rainforest, there are many different species, especially 2,000 species of fish living in the Amazon River. A couple of the different species are the Plumed basilisk lizard, Arapaima, and Capybara. The Plumed basilisk lizard is found in the streams and rivers in the rainforest of Central and South America. Their nickname is "Jesus Christ lizard" because they can walk on water due to great speed as they escape from danger. The Arapaimas an Amazon River fish that grows up to 10 feet long and weigh more then 250 pounds. An interesting fact about them is that they have to rise at the surface to breathe air. Finally, the Capybara is a guinea pig that is 4 foot long and weighs 150 pounds.
Another group of biodiversity is found in the Blue Planet, Earth. Because Earth is surrounded by water it has many biodiversity in the ocean. They are different species of fishes that live in the icy polar seas, mountain streams, hot volcanic streams, etc. Biodiversity is important to our planet because it helps to keep productivity within each ecosystem; everyone of these species has an important role in their environment. Biodiversity also helps scientists to examine the environmental health. I chose this because it was fun learning about the different types of species in an ecosystem. What I found interesting is the nickname that people give to the Plumed basilisk lizard.
The adaptations that I learned about are the penguins and Capybara. Penguins adapted to have sharp beaks with a hook at the end to trap wiggling fish. They also have heavy bones that helps them to dive underwater. Their steering feet allows them to swim, stand, waddle as they walk. Furthermore, they have adapted a keen eye sight with flattened corneas that helps them to see clearly above and below the water. The Capybara, in the Amazon Rainforest, adapted to their ecosystem by evolving webbed feet and nostrils allowing them to spend more in the water. This is important to our planet because in order to maintain biodiversity each species must adapt to their environment to survive; adaptations help many species to thrive in their ecosystems. What I thought was interesting was the different kind of adaptations.
Another group of biodiversity is found in the Blue Planet, Earth. Because Earth is surrounded by water it has many biodiversity in the ocean. They are different species of fishes that live in the icy polar seas, mountain streams, hot volcanic streams, etc. Biodiversity is important to our planet because it helps to keep productivity within each ecosystem; everyone of these species has an important role in their environment. Biodiversity also helps scientists to examine the environmental health. I chose this because it was fun learning about the different types of species in an ecosystem. What I found interesting is the nickname that people give to the Plumed basilisk lizard.
The adaptations that I learned about are the penguins and Capybara. Penguins adapted to have sharp beaks with a hook at the end to trap wiggling fish. They also have heavy bones that helps them to dive underwater. Their steering feet allows them to swim, stand, waddle as they walk. Furthermore, they have adapted a keen eye sight with flattened corneas that helps them to see clearly above and below the water. The Capybara, in the Amazon Rainforest, adapted to their ecosystem by evolving webbed feet and nostrils allowing them to spend more in the water. This is important to our planet because in order to maintain biodiversity each species must adapt to their environment to survive; adaptations help many species to thrive in their ecosystems. What I thought was interesting was the different kind of adaptations.
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