Overview
Our civilization is dependent on a few energy sources, most of which are non-renewable. In order to make our world a better, more sustainable place, alternative energy sources are increasingly being explored. Currently, most energy is produced via oil, coal, wood, or nuclear fuels.
Wind power is an ancient form of alternative energy that dates back to Persia, where it was used not to generate electricity, but to reduce manual labor by pumping water and grinding grain. In modern times, it is one of the fastest growing forms of alternative energy and one of the cheapest. It can be created for half the cost of coal generated electricity and a third of nuclear.
Solar energy is one of the few inexhaustible forms of energy, but it does have limitations. In areas that see less sun, and because of the cost and capabilities of batteries at this time, it cannot be relied on as a primary source of energy. It is, however, a truly passive form of energy collection, and it can be tied into the “grid” to lessen costs.
Hydroelectric is an infinitely renewable energy source. Harnessing gravity to create electricity, this can be disruptive to habitats done on a large scale. On the smaller scale, it is very affordable for the homestead-sized production, only a few thousand dollars to set up, and easily engineered to be minimally disruptive of fish and wetlands.
Geothermal energy is often misunderstood to only refer to the generation of electricity at certain locales where the Core temperatures break through to the surface of the Earth. However, it is mostly used on a practical scale to use the thermal mass of the earth to heat and cool buildings as a supplement to air conditioning and heating. It is the use of the constant temperature of the earth only a few feet below the surface.
Biomass is a catch-all term that refers to the materials that have stored energy generated by photosynthesis. It can be anything from wood, oils pressed from corn or canola, charcoal, or even algae. It is one of the most commonly used forms of alternate energy, and one of the easiest to access.
Hydrogen fuel cells are not a renewable resource, but certainly cleaner than the hydrocarbon burning engines they replace. Their only waste product is water, compared to massive amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful volatiles.
Five simple things you can do to protect the global climate
Global climate change has been part of political agendas for more than a half century. Community organizations, schools, churches and institutions have taken positive strides–experimenting with solar power, reducing consumption, and recycling resources. Consider the following guidelines. Discover how you can contribute to protecting earth’s atmosphere.
Conserving the ozone layer entails diminishing your carbon footprint. This means you must reduce the amount of fossil fuels you produce. Fossil fuels, also known as greenhouse gases, damage the layer of atmosphere that protects us from the sun’s harmful rays, resulting in global climate change.
Modifying your lifesyle begins with changes at home. Heating and cooling should be done efficiently. Windows and crawlspaces must be insulated properly. Frequently check and clean air filters. Use high-performance appliances and lightbulbs. Homebuilders can install solar panels. Buyers, consider a smaller home. Electrical items should be unplugged when not in use.
Vehicles burn a substantial amount of fossil fuel. Buyers, look for a hybrid model, or opt for a small car. Drive at speeds of less than 60 miles per hour. Keep your car in good repair. Have it inspected yearly, and use the proper grade of motor oil. Commute to work by carpool. Choose mass transit, walk, or bicycle when possible. Minimize air travel, or take direct flights.
You can reduce consumption, reuse some products, and recycle others. Be a wise shopper. Don’t buy what you don’t need. When you are finished with clothing or household items, donate them. Double-copy paper at the office. Reuse paper for memos. Shred the excess and recycle it. Glass, aluminum, and some plastic can be recycled too. Keep your garden thriving by using food waste and yard debris as compost.
Modify your eating and food-shopping habits. Eating more vegetables and fewer meats is environmentally healthy. Buy local produce. Pick foods with minimal packaging. Avoid bottled water. Carry a reuseable tote for marketing. If bags are necessary, choose plastic ones rather than paper ones.
Make change a group effort. Cooking and sharing meals saves time, energy, and money. Consolidate your errands by shopping with a buddy. Buy food and household items in bulk. Exchange goods for services. Most importantly, keep learning about how you can affect a change in global climate. Take action, and share what you know.
What everyone can do for a better climate
The quality of the air that we breathe is essential to our health. Some plants and animals cannot survive harsh climates. These are some reasons why the climate that we live in is also important. Below, are some steps that everyone can take for a better climate.
Carpooling
To reduce emissions, carpooling is a great idea. If there are many people that are going to the same place, they should all take one vehicle. Taking one vehicle, instead of many, reduces harmful emissions and greenhouse gases which go into the air and increase our temperatures.
Use Public Transportation
Instead of driving, riding the bus or some other form of public transportation can greatly reduce the harmful pollutants that contribute to a harsh climate. Another benefit of public transportation is that a large portion of the money paid for the ride is directly being used utilized by the city that is providing it.
Plant a Tree
Trees not only look beautiful, they also serve a great purpose. Humans inhale oxygen, and exhale carbon dioxide. A tree breathes similarly like a human, except they inhale carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen. This is directly beneficial to humans because trees actually take in the air that is harmful to us, and give us air that is helpful to us.
Ride a Bicycle or Walk
To be healthy, everyone should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Your heart, as well as your mood will benefit from physical activity. Walking to work, instead of driving, is completely emission free. This is one of the best steps to take for a better climate.
Use CFC’s Sparingly
Chlorofluorocarbons, commonly called CFC’s are found in some household products. Products such as aerosol hair sprays, air conditioners which use freon, and some household cleaning products contain CFC’s. CFC’s are damaging to the earth’s ozone layer, which protects the earth form the suns harmful rays. Without the ozone layer, the suns rays would directly hit the earth, which will make our climate very hot.
Taking the steps above, everyone can do their share greatly reduce greenhouse emissions, and make the earth a better place for sustaining human life. Everyone can benefit from cleaner air, because afterall, it’s one of the most important reasons that we are here.
The 10 most threatened species in the world today
With less than 3500 left in the wild, the tiger is one of the top endangered species. While still bred in zoos, there is less genetic diversity in captive tigers, resulting in physical defects that prohibit many from ever being released into their natural habitats. While organizations work to retain the natural habitats of tigers around the world and stop poaching, they still meet with resistance.
Eight of the 19 known populations of polar bears are in decline, leaving only around 20,000 in the wild. Global warming, pollution, and hunting continue to threaten and lower the population. If threats continue, experts predict that polar bears will be extinct in less than 100 years.
Global warming is also threatening the Pacific walrus, who rely on floating ice to rest and raise their calves. As ice melts, so goes their habitat. Hunting and poaching also continue to be a problem, though there are hunting communities that still allow it. The current population rests below 20,000.
Oil spills and rising ocean temperatures threaten Magellanic penguins, who are being forced to swim farther to find sufficient food for survival. Declining numbers of fish is also contributing to the rapid population fall of this species. Colonies of Magellanic penguins have declined by over 20 percent within the last 20 years.
While leatherback sea turtles they have few natural predators once adults, very few survive to maturity. Birds and small mammals dig up nests of eggs and prey on hatchlings, and most of those that do manage to get to the water succumb to other predators. This species of sea turtle is a major predator of jellyfish, keeping the population in check; if they go extinct, jellyfish blooms are projected to further skyrocket.
The bluefin tuna is a victim of overfishing caused by the worldwide demand of sashimi and sushi. Though farmed in Australian and Japanese captivity, extinction in the wild is a high possibility in the very near future.
Less than 800 mountain gorillas survive in natural habitats. Disease, poaching, and habitat loss caused by war, deforestation, and road construction have caused this gorilla subspecies to become critically endangered. Conservation work continues.
Parasites, genetically modified crops, and illegal deforestation of the monarch butterfly’s Mexican wintering grounds threaten populations. Efforts to restore its habitats are underway, but there has been a drastic drop in the monarch’s numbers.
Agriculture and loss of habitat have decimated the Javan rhinoceros’ population. On the verge of extinction, fewer than 60 Javan rhinoceroses remain in the world, currently in two nationally protected parks in Indonesia and Vietnam. There are no Javan rhinos in captivity.
For decades, scientists have been struggling to save giant pandas. There are still less than 2500 surviving in their natural habitats. Significantly low birthrates both in captivity and in the wild, and continuing loss of habitat threaten these pandas.
Overview
What exactly is meant when one says ”threatened species?” And how does that differ from “endangered species,” or is there a difference? A threatened species is any species of fungi, plant, insect, animal – in other words, any living thing – that is in danger of becoming extinct in the near future.
The most relevant authority regarding threatened species is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN groups threatened species into three categories, depending on the degree of threat to the species, listed in increasing degrees of threat of extinction. These categories are: 1.) Vulnerable species 2.) Endangered species and 3.) Critically endangered species.
How these categories are arrived at for any particular species being observed as possibly threatened is determined by a mathematical computation of the rate of its population growth. This computation is referred to as “critical depensation.” Critical depensation is the effect of certain causes that lead to a decrease in the mature breeding adults, which leads to a reduction of survival of offspring or a reduction in the production of eggs.
Causes of the critical depensation may be due to an increase in the population of natural predators. Or the depensation may be because of the allee effect, which, in simplest terms, states the an individual member of the threatened species has a low probability of finding a suitable mate.
When a population reaches a critical depensation, it is no longer able to reproduce adequately to sustain the species. The population falls below a certain level, which can possibly lead to extinction.
The two terms, “threatened species” and “vulnerable species,” are sometimes used interchangeably, but technically “threatened species” is the umbrella term for the three categories altogether, with the category of “vulnerable species” representing the least endangered of the three.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s threatened species list is kept in a database known as the “Red List of Threatened Species.” Thus, a species may occasionally be referred to as red-listed.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the US defines a threatened species as “any species which appears likely to become endangered throughout all, or a significant portion, of its range in the foreseeable future.” The ESA in the US has the authority to manage threatened or endangered species within individual states. This, therefore, protects a species that is threatened or endangered in one state, even though a viable population of the same species may be present in another state.