Category: Environment 1339

The sampled article, authored by Offenberg et al. (2004), has a local significance and not a global impact. This is because it focused on analyzing aerosol compounds that occurred during the collapse of the World Trade Center (W.T.C)  an American phenomenon. The article compared the similarities between the dust compounds found at the W.T.C and those found indoors (in different buildings that were around the epicenter of the disaster). Although the paper largely focused on assessing the impact of indoor dust on human health, the focus on Manhattan and the W.T.C showed that the article had a local significance. Stated differently, the chemical compounds used in the chemical analysis were unique to the American disaster. Furthermore, since different countries use different building materials, it is difficult to have the same chemical compounds and health implications, globally, like those highlighted by Offenberg et al. (2004).

The studys findings do not fill an important research gap because they focus on analyzing a rare phenomenon  the collapse of buildings and the exposure of human populations to harmful chemical compounds that emerge from the incomplete combustion of construction waste. Furthermore, few health complications, primarily, arise from exposure to indoor dust (American Board of Environmental Studies and Toxicology, 2008). This assertion is true, based on the number of human health complications that arise from other types of pollution, such as air pollution, that occur from landfill waste.

I agree with the results reported by Offenberg et al. (2004), which showed the similarity between the chemical compounds of indoor dust and the chemical components of outdoor dust that emerged immediately after the W.T.C disaster. Indeed, the chemical compounds of the 13-bulk indoor samples, collected by Offenberg et al. (2004) from Liberty Street and Trinity Place, were similar to the samples of dust collected from the windowsills of buildings that surrounded the epicenter of the W.T.C disaster. Other similarities in chemical compounds, such as hexachlorobenzene and hydrocarbons, between both places, also highlight the similarity in dust samples between the two areas. Eliminating bias by adopting effective research methodology also minimized the possibility of error when developing these research findings. Therefore, I agree with Offenberg et al. (2004) because their findings had high reliability and validity.

The sampled article safeguarded the quality of its findings through surrogates, blanks and comparisons with standard reference materials. These steps were instrumental in making sure that the quality of the information provided in the study was high. For example, the surrogates made sure there were limited sample losses from the collected dust samples (Offenberg et al., 2004). These steps ensured that the researchs processing and handling stages were of high integrity. Stated differently, this process made sure that there were minimal losses from the recovery of surrogate compounds (Offenberg et al., 2004). The blanks process went a step further from the collection of surrogate compounds by improving the integrity of the chemical analysis process. The comparison of standard reference materials by the researchers also improved the integrity of the entire research process by ensuring that the sample handling and analysis techniques provided accurate measurements of the concentrations used in the chemical analysis process. Furthermore, this step helped in eliminating bias throughout the analysis process.

The studys social change impact comes from the need to minimize the negative impact of environmental exposures on human health. The similarity between the indoor dust samples, from neighboring buildings of the W.T.C, and outdoor dust samples show the need for maintaining proper hygiene standards when cleaning buildings. This process is helpful in minimizing the risk of long-term exposure to harmful aerosol compounds that emerge from fires, or the incomplete combustion of construction waste (Carlin, 2014).

References

American Board of Environmental Studies and Toxicology. (2008). Respiratory Diseases Research at NIOSH: Reviews of Research Programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Carlin, D. J. (2014). Nanotoxicology and nanotechnology: New findings from the NIEHS and Superfund Research Program scientific community. Reviews on Environmental Health, 29(102), 105107.

Offenberg, J. H., Eisenreich, S. J., Gigliotti, C. L., Chen, L. C., Xiong, J. Q., Quan, C.,&Lioy, P. J. (2004). Persistent organic pollutants in dust that settled indoors in lower Manhattan after September 11, 2001. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology, 14(2), 164-72.

Introduction

Amidst the natural disasters that occur globally, some of the more dangerous are a product of warm air from the ocean rising and rotating rapidly due to the Earths Coriolis effect. When this happens, tropical cyclones are formed. A typhoon is a tropical cyclone formed over the western Pacific Ocean, while a hurricane is formed over the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones formed in other areas are usually referred to as simply cyclones. When a cyclone reaches land, the movement of wind leads to the formation of tornadoes. All tropical cyclones are dangerous, with winds over 75 miles per hour. When they occur in or near inhabited areas, they cause immense damage to infrastructure and endanger many lives. However, among all the tropical storms and wind-related disasters, the worst is the tornado.

Tornados

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air travelling over land, which can reach wind movement speed of 480 km per hour. This force is devastating enough to remove roofs off of buildings and lift cars. While other types of cyclones occur seasonally and can be somewhat predicted (such as hurricanes), tornadoes are more dangerous because they occur suddenly. Though they typically last approximately 10 minutes, some have lasted several hours. Even those tornadoes that last minutes leave devastating consequences in areas where they pass. In 2011, there were 701 tornadoes in the United States alone, which killed 551 people (Lim et al, 2017). There is little anyone can do to prevent the effects of a tornado. Populations affected by them frequently are given instructions on what to do in case of a hurricane, such as tying all of their belongings down to prevent them from being displaced, among others. However, this does not prevent the damage to property that a tornados passage inevitably incurs.

The main danger of tornadoes is the fact that they often occur over land. While larger hurricanes like Hurricane Katrina affect wider areas and last longer than any tornado, the majority of their effects occur over the ocean. In many cases, the majority of the regions affected by the tropical cyclones only experience severe adverse weather effects. These are often mitigated by advanced knowledge of the hurricane approaching. As they start their movement far in the ocean, most affected regions have time to prepare for their arrival, such as planning to stay indoors. Tornadoes, on the other hand, occur over land and cause damage to anything that exists near their path. Though warning systems and proper education lessen the danger to human life, many are still left injured or homeless as a result of the tornados passage. Furthermore, a particularly powerful tornado can form several smaller ones, making it even more devastating.

Due to the dangers posed by the tornado, it is ill advised for people to live in areas where these disasters occur most frequently. However, it would be difficult or near impossible to completely avoid building or living in areas where tornadoes occur, especially in the United States, where more than half of the country is affected to some extent. Therefore, with complete avoidance being impossible, focus should be given to prevent people from living in hotspots of tornado activities. In other regions, proper precautions should be used to protect the populace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tornadoes are highly dangerous, more so than even typhoons, cyclones, and hurricanes, because they are very frequent and occur on land, thus doing more damage to property and the population. They are short-lived but devastating and a large tornado can form several smaller ones. Though it would be best to avoid living in areas where tornados are active, this would be impossible due to how much territory is affected by them.

Reference

Lim, J., Loveridge, S., Shupp, R., & Skidmore, M. (2017). Double danger in the double wide: Dimensions of poverty, housing quality and tornado impacts. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 65, 1-15.

The topic of the relationship between people and animals is one of the most relevant, acute and burning. The world of animals is one component of the entire natural environment. In nature, everything is interconnected and balanced. Animals contribute to the constant natural selection that takes place in both the plant and the animal world. The role of animals in the life of man and man in the life of animals with which he has coexisted for many centuries is enormous. Commenting on this topic, it should be noted that people are involved in any living entity that is adjacent to them. It is necessary to maintain a balance in nature, not to mindlessly destroy those with whom we have been neighbors for centuries.

Communication with animals brings a lot of positive emotions and is good for both the psyche and health. Animals make people kinder, teach them to care and show compassion. As children of nature, we all need communication with living beings who are able to give us their love and devotion, entertain and calm, make our home beautiful and comfortable. Animals are excellent healers. Communication with horses and dolphins formed the basis of therapy for many diseases in children. Having a pet in a family with a small child will give the baby a true friend. Thanks to animals, children quickly forget about their problems and troubles, gain peace of mind. Children who grow up in contact with animals rapidly acquire immunity and resistance to allergic reactions. It is very important to instill a good attitude towards all life on the planet and demonstrate how to care for a pet. The rationale above is the foundation for my interest in animals.

Ever since humanity gradually transitioned toward a sustainable way of living, nature is no longer perceived as a set of resources for civilization to use. Nowadays, people believe that environmental concerns should be taken into consideration above the majority of other factors. While natural disasters still occur, they are the indicators of the imbalance left within the system after decades of irresponsible consumption from the past. The lasting effects of desertification still exist, yet the land is gradually being restored. Such a transformation reduces the chances of landslides, droughts, floods, and other major incidents (Liu et al., 2021). People cope with such occurrences by seeking new strategies to restore the planets systems. Civilization strives to live in harmony with nature rather than take an exploitative position and drain resources in the name of progress.

Natural processes are not only well-understood by humanity but actively preserved to ensure that the environment remains in balance. Earths biodiversity is restored to incorporate complete food chains and is actively protected against any detrimental factors, such as agricultural expansion and the introduction of invasive species. For example, fields can no longer consist of monocultures, as the adverse impact on biodiversity made such an approach prohibited by governments across the globe (Bensel & Carbone, 2020). Instead, the role of each species in the environment is being closely studied, and the impact of human activities on them is minimized through policies that promote responsible behavior. Animal habitats are clearly outlined and protected by governments that consult with specialists knowledgeable in local ecosystems.

In the past, agricultural activities were among the primary sources of significant damage to the environment. Nowadays, farmers understanding of biodiversification, soil management, and other strategies that mitigate depletion enable new technologies to optimize the processes in ways that do not expend resources irrevocably (Malhi et al., 2021). Innovations in bioengineering allow humanity to get higher yields, thus making it possible to free up space for nature to reclaim. Irrigation no longer relies on water extraction but rather on conversion and retention. Traditional approaches, such as plowing, became obsolete as new ways of fertilization that are further enhanced by crop rotation are now in use. A growing population does not imply the need to clear more forests for farms but instead calls for funding of research on better optimization strategies.

Water resources are now being strictly protected since life on Earth relies on their availability. The preservation of natural freshwater reservoirs is now a combined effort from the entire civilization. Further acidification is no longer an issue, as carbon-capturing facilities have been upgraded to the point of being able to collect excessive amounts of emissions and negate humanitys past mistakes. Technologies that restore oceans pH levels are actively in use in an attempt to reverse the damage. In comparison with the past approaches, oceans are heavily protected against pollution by a global organization that governs humanitys interactions with aquatic resources. Factories that pollute water with dangerous chemicals were forced to either get refitted with environmentally friendly technologies or closed under heavy taxation.

Energy production relies on sustainable methods that use renewable sources in the majority of cases. There is an abundance of ways through which energy can be drawn from the environment without damaging it. Electricity from wind, solar, and hydroelectric facilities had to be made more affordable than power from coal and gas plants (Bensel & Carbone, 2020). In correlation with past approaches, humans no longer perceive their energy use as a given and strive to preserve natural resources. Finite fuels, such as coal and gasoline, are now taboo in society. Economic policies drive the change through the differentiation of commercial and residential use of electricity to encourage reasonable expenditures of energy on the production and transportation of goods.

Nowadays, waste management does not imply storing garbage but rather outlines the ways for factories to reuse what minimal resources were left unneeded by others. Traditional landfills are no longer an option, as they continuously pollute the environment and come as a result of a flawed economic system (Bensel & Carbone, 2020). Any good must be designed in a way that it will last longer and can be recycled. Product lifetime plans are not allowed to be linear, as their recyclability is the primary requirement before a good is released into the market (Bensel & Carbone, 2020). Unlike before, different methods of waste decomposition are actively employed in every existing landfill to sanitize the stored material and transform it back into resources.

In conclusion, the structural changes that have to occur in order for civilization to shift its trajectory toward the described future are challenging to accept and require significant alterations of social and technological processes. Humanity has to comprehend that its current behavior is destructive and accept tradeoffs, such as higher fuel and product prices. There is a need to turn away from rampant growth in favor of resource preservation through more ecologically conscious political and social stances. It is possible that the global economy will experience a period of downsizing, as environmentally friendly facilities might not produce goods at the current rates. However, if people are able to reverse climate change, the benefits will outweigh the losses. Adapting to such a way of living will require significant investments in sustainable technologies, which must be actively supported by both authorities and the public itself.

References

Bensel, T., & Carbone, I. (2020). Sustaining our planet. Web.

Liu, H., Xiong, K., Yu, Y., Li, T., Qing, Y., Wang, Z., & Zhang, S. (2021). A review of forest ecosystem vulnerability and resilience: Implications for the rocky desertification control. Sustainability, 13(21), 11849. Web.

Malhi, G. S., Kaur, M., & Kaushik, P. (2021). Impact of climate change on agriculture and its mitigation strategies: A review. Sustainability, 13(3), 1318. Web.

Introduction

Economics of environment as a unit is the study of the impacts of a healthy as well as unhealthy environment to the macro and micro economics. When we talk of a healthy environment, we mean an environment that is well managed such that it satisfies the current generation needs without limiting the level of utility of the future generations. This will thus mean that the environment should be protected today, for it to be of benefit to the current generation and protect it for the future.

Professor Wangari Mathai, Nobel Prize winner 2004 said If you want the future generations to live in peace, we must invest in the protection of the environment and we must train especially our young people, nature is very unforgiving, if you destroy it, it will destroy you. When the environment is well maintained it has an impact to the macro and micro economies. It may be in a direct way or as matter of consequences.

Lets take an example of well conserved water catchments areas, they will ensure that the rivers are flowing and the lakes are full. The water from the lake is then used for irrigating say flowers. The flower farms have employed a certain number of people; thus their living standards will be improved as a result. This is at a micro level. From a macro level, the flowers are exported and earn foreign exchange to the country.

This will assist in curing a balance of payment. Along the way there is the transporting, storage, packing sectors that are affected by this one sector. If the water catchments area had not been conserved, then the exact opposite of the above would happen. By the above analysis via an example, we can clearly see the benefits of conserving the environment. The environment is the source of raw materials that a country depends on in the production, these ranges from the farm produce to construction materials.

To be in a position to give an in-depth analysis of how the environment affects the various sectors of the economy as well as how the economies have affected the environment, I will focus on one area of environment and analyze it. My focus will be on rain forests. This paper therefore focuses on the economic importance of rainforests today, the reasons for deforestation in rainforests compared to the effects of deforestation in rainforests and why their cutting should be limited. It will also give a recommendation on how to conserve the forests.

Methodology

Most of the information that I will use in this paper will come from secondary sources. I will get information from environmental books, magazines, newspaper articles and the general information in the media. I will also us the knowledge that I have gained in class to expound on various issues.

Format

I will be taking a benefit that can be derived from the rainforest, analyze it from a general point of view and then give the economic impact on it. I will also have a recommendation about what should be done to reverse the bad trend.

Tropical Rain Forests

They are characterized with tall trees forming canopies, lots of rain, and warm climate. Some receives up to one inch rainfall in a day. They have a hodgepodge of species (both tree and animal). The species populace at this place is estimated at 50-90% of the entire global population. The forests cover up to six percent of the available earth surface. The rain forest is believed to provide for over million inhabitants. These areas are the home of various animals. An estimated 40 species (animal and plant) lose their life on a daily basis following the (tropical) deforestation.

Importance of Rainforests

Forests are associated with many values and this should be understood by people so that we can be in a better position to protect our forests, some of these values include;-

Climate and the Green House Effect

Rainforests are like a dark mass on the earth that absorbs heat from the sun which makes the air above it cooler hence more likely to rain. Below the dense canopy in the forest, humidity is high and steady compared to the rest of the world, they evaporate large amounts of water into the atmosphere which leads to formation of clouds that cause rain again not just in the forest but some are carried away with the wind and cause rain in other parts of the world. As rainforest clear however, they are replaced by deserts and grasslands above which the air is hotter, this discourages cloud formation and the areas remain dry, eventually, this alters the water circulation in the atmosphere altering the weather conditions of the region largely up to many miles away (Jacobs, Kruk and Oldeman 19).

The agriculture sector is the backbone of any economy; over fifty percent of the world population depends on the environment for their livelihood (Jacobs, Kruk and Oldeman 19). If we destroy these rain attracters, we will be rendering the greatest percentage of the population helpless. The country will suffer trying to feed this population. If the forests are well maintained, they will attract rainfall that will lead to a healthy productive nation thereafter.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to biological variation and diversity; it is used to describe all plant and animal species living in a particular area and their complex interactions with each other and with the natural environment. With rainforests having more than 50% of the world species today, they have the most biodiversity nature on earth. People today do not understand just how much we depend on the rainforests, but it is estimated that in next 30 to 50 years rainforests will vanish if the current rate of losing at least 40 species a day continues (Gaston and John 1).

With growing industrialization and urbanization, greenhouse gasses increase in the atmosphere and this is likely to increase the harsh environmental conditions man is exposed to. The forests however play a crucial role in curtailing this through carbon absorption in the photosynthesis process. With forests destruction, carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere thus increasing the global warming rate (Horcan 1).

These animals and plants are the ones that attract tourists in a country and the country earns foreign exchange. They are the ones that medicine can be gotten from and the expense of medical is reduced at an individual as well as national level. Some of the world economies for example the Switzerland depend to a large extent on tourism to finance their budgets.

Water Shed

Forests play a vital role in controlling rainfall run-off into water bodies, they absorb or hold rainwater up to 95% in forested areas and release small amounts at a time, and this maintains water bodies throughout the year even in the dry seasons, this clean water throughout protects myriad creatures that depend on water for their survival. When forests are cut however, there is no absorption of rainwater, this leads to increased runoff that leads to massive flooding, siltation, and soil erosion along water ways and this causes the water to be muddy suffocating myriad creatures (Hance 4).

This water that this rainforests protects is used in factories in the production of goods. It is an input that is crucial to almost all the productions that take place. The economy is said to be developed when it can feed the population and able to undertake various developmental processes (like building infrastructures) and water is needed in all this (Chiras 209).

Food Security

It is estimated that 75,000 edible plants are found in natural forests. With modern Agriculture being so vulnerable to disease, pests and climate change, the importance of rainforests is becoming increasingly important like in South Africa in the 1920s when their sugarcane was affected by disease, a forest wild sugarcane species came in handy to save the industry from being ruined. Wild coffee from Ethiopian forests secured Latin Americas (coffee) plantation from being cleared.

In Chile, Peru, as well as Ecuador a range of fruits has been cross-bred with other fruits in the wild. Forests play a major role in maintaining the food security and the world agriculture through climate change where forests boost agriculture in any given region as they increase the rainfall amounts that favor food production. Crops originating from forests include coffee, cashew nuts, and bananas, among others (Lipper 3).

A well fed population is a highly productive population. Feeding the population is the first goal of a country before the other developments are considered, so maintaining the environment will lay the platform for other developments to be laid on.

Medicines

Plants from forests have always been known for their medicinal value. However, much has not been done to acquire full benefits as per the forest potential. Pharmaceutical companies purchase plants in terms of billion dollars. Quinine, physostigmine among others is some of the forest-extracted. The potential and importance of rainforests as source of medicine has been illustrated in such reports as the World Rainforest Report, no. 26. Having more than 50% of the worlds plant species in forests, we expect an array of chemicals for different functions to be discovered and derived from the rain forests (Prance 2).

Once more a healthy population is a productive population, we need to protect the population from diseases and the forests are one source of medicine. It will have an effect to the economy because of the reduced medical bill and thus the money can be used for other developmental projects.

Homeland for Forest People

Out of the current 300,000,000 (indigenous) people in the globe, 50,000,000 have forests as their dwelling places. This populace derives their livelihood solely from these forests. They source their daily needs from the forests and it would be practically impossible for them to survive without the forests. With the growing populations however many forests are in a threat of being destroyed for agriculture and food production to feed the growing population or for settlement of these populations. Some of these populations include the Incas, Mayas, and the Aztecs (Lipper 5).

Non Material Values

Besides the material values, forests are associated with such values as aesthetic where they beautify the environment and serve as beautiful environments for strolling and relaxing of people around. They attract tourism.

Decay and Renewal

In the forest system, everything is utilized where materials like leaves and barks shed from trees and other plants mix with animal decay and carcass to form manure which is later broken down by fungus and bacteria in soil improving soil nutrients that are absorbed through the roots of trees and later serve as food for plants and animals.

Causes of Deforestation

Besides the many values associated with forests, deforestation is still high, some of the driving forces to deforestation include; overpopulation whereby with the growing number of people, more land is required for their settlement and agriculture. Corruption is another cause of deforestation where besides the tight laws and regulations, some people still manage to gain access to forests and cut trees. Inequitable distribution of resources and poverty in particular attracts some communities to invade forests and cut trees as a means of getting resources for their livelihood.

Urbanization and industrialization have also played a major role in deforestation where some industries like the paper factories use wood directly from forests to make paper. Towns and cities are also expanding today to accommodate more people and they sometimes end up expanding into forest land (Hance 2). The above causes are as a result of the human being trying to economically benefit himself with this important resource. However, he ends up misusing the resource and the resource destroys him in return. The effect is even more severe because it is in the long run as well as in the short run. Lets talk about how to manage these important resources and the recommendations.

Management of Rainforests

Considering the value of rainforests, it is important to come up with ways of managing their destruction, there are four main ways of harvesting trees; they include strip cutting, shelter wood cutting, selective cutting, and clear cutting. Clear cutting is one of the cheapest and fastest ways where all the trees are cut down and the remaining vegetation is burnt down. Clear cutting is done to allow regeneration of trees but it is likely to increase desertification where land once occupied by vegetation is made clear and this is likely to interfere with the weather and climate of the region and surrounding areas as discussed above.

It will also increase rainwater runoff which will increase the risk of flooding and drying of rivers and other water bodies as there is no water absorbed into the soil to be released later, this will also increase the risk of myriad creatures to lose their lives. Clear cutting of trees exposes soil which may increase erosion and siltation lowering land productivity. There is also a need to protect the biodiversity of both plants and animals considering that the rate at which they are seizing is as high as it is estimated (at least 40 species are lost each day worldwide).

It is therefore important to come up with ways of regulating and limiting clear cutting of forests so as to create a sustainable society (Chiras 247).

Governments and individuals need to come up with ways of controlling the amount of clear cutting on rainforests so as to protect our environment. This can be achieved through legislation where governments make laws and policies to govern their forests; this should be associated with a fine so that people do take them more seriously.

It is also important for the government to take civic education campaigns so as to make people cautious on the impacts of their acts and consequently everyone becomes responsible in watching the forests and the environment in general. As population grows every day, our forests stand a greater risk of being destroyed for settlement, agriculture and resource exploitation. There is therefore a need for the governments to come up with measures of controlling population growth (Chiras 254).

Recommendations

Every government should recognize the economic importance that the environment has on the country. It should develop policies that are meant to protect the environment. Rain forests have overwhelming benefits to the micro and macro economies. Institutions that have full power that they can prosecute those who destroy the resources should be developed and kept free from politics. The management of the environment should be given to bodies like the National Environmental Management Authority in Kenya that work independently but are supported by the constitution. Companies and the private sectors should be encouraged to embrace conservation of the environment even if they will do them as part of social corporate responsibility (C. S. R.).

Countries should join effort in this fight and ensure collaboration that will be beneficial to the environment. There should be laws that govern the use of the environment. The most effective way the countries should adopt is to educate their citizen on the need to conserve the environment.

Conclusion

The globes rainforests occupies close to 12 per cent of the entire global surface harboring 50-90 percent of the (earth) surface. The loss of these forests is therefore highly associated with loss of biodiversity, changes in weather and climate, loss of and drying off of water bodies, increased erosion, loss of raw material for industry and pharmaceuticals, increased siltation, loss of homeland for indigenous communities among others.

The most important role of forests is however to regulate rainfall and serve as a water shed for the water bodies, this protects population from not just the threat of hunger but also harsh weather conditions like global warming increased by carbon in the atmosphere that can otherwise be absorbed by the rainforests. It is therefore important to come up with measures to control and limit the clear-cutting of the rain forests. Finally, we as human beings have the potential to destroy the environment and the opposite is true, the environment can destroy us too, lets conserve it for our own good and the good of future generation.

Works Cited

Chiras D. Daniel. Environmental Science; spotlight on sustainable development. New York: Jones & Bartlett publishers, 2009.

Gaston J. Kevin and John I. Spicer. Biodiversity: an introduction, 2nd edition. New York: Wiley- Blackwell, 2004.

Hance, Jeremy. Protecting water sheds secures freshwater and saves millions of dollars. Mongabay, 2009.

Horkan, Conor. Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Goodreads Inc. 2008. Web.

Jacobs Marius, Kruk Remke, Oldeman A. A. Roelof. The Tropical rainforest: a first encounter. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1988.

Lipper, Leslie. Forest degradation and food security. FAO Corporate Document Repository. 2010. Web.

Prance, Ghillean. Medicine hunting in rainforests. Reed Business Information Ltd. 1994. Web.

Australias main problem right now is the forest fires raging there. They are dangerous for several factors, but in the first place, they pose a threat to the life of many animals, including those that are already threatened with extinction (Silent Death). The spreading flame threatens not only directly to creatures on the surface, but also to those who are underground, since the destruction of areas where animals live is rapidly continuing. One of the creatures, whose position symbolizes the severity of the situation, is dunnart. According to experts, the forecast for their continued existence is severe (Silent Death). Various other species are in a similar situation, as many places of distribution of these animals were burned due to fires.

By the time this article was being written, an Australian fire had grown to unprecedented proportions. Flames captured nearly 6 million hectares of shrubs, endangering unique flora and fauna (Silent Death). This fire threatens several species of animals at once, endangering their extinction. The flames power is so high that it destroys all efforts to preserve nature over the past few decades. The presence and spread of greenhouse gases additionally threaten animals. The combination of natural and human factors makes scientists think that this moment can be a turning point in the history of the development of flora and fauna in Australia (Silent Death). Scientists fear that many native species will never be restored, and the natural balance of this region will be irrevocably damaged due to a rapidly changing climate. Thus, the consequences of Australian fires can be truly terrifying for the entire continent.

One of the acute problems of spreading disaster is its effect on the environment in which animals live. A considerable number of animals die not directly in the flames of fires, but because of the destruction of the habitat, the disappearance of food sources, and climate change. Although there are many frames with fleeing kangaroos and flying birds, their escape does not guarantee survival. According to experts, at the moment, the fire is spreading so widely that the animals have nowhere to run (Silent Death). Besides, there is a part of the inhabitants of forests and shrubs who cannot quickly leave the zone of flame spread due to their physical characteristics. Other species can hide underground, like wombats; however, this does not save them from the destruction of their environment and food sources. Examples of extinct creatures are long-footed potoroo, whose territory was almost entirely restricted to East Gippsland, as well as silver-headed antechinus living in southern Queensland (Silent Death). Both species were destroyed by fires that devastated their habitat and made it impossible to stay in it.

In the current environment, the rapid exploration of animal kinds in Australia is necessary. Given all the factors that determine their existence, it is essential to study and identify species at risk to take appropriate measures promptly. According to experts, up to 480 million animals of various species (Silent Death) could be affected during the fires. Not all of them were killed by direct flame, but fires affected the entirety of them. Transforming some animals living conditions leads to a change in the entire ecosystem as a whole due to the significant number of complex and diverse relationships in nature.

Bushes are no less endangered since fire affects them in the first place. Since there is no way to save plants other than stopping the flame, many plant species die. Among them, there are many rare species that live in small areas (Silent Death). The complete disappearance of them may be associated with the burning of the seed bank, which deprives people and nature of the possibility of restoration. Following this, it is necessary to analyze climate changes that lead to the appearance and development of these fires. Given the ecological situation, such flames can become a frequent occurrence, in connection with which it is necessary to carry out preparatory measures and develop strategies to protect the environment.

Work Cited

Silent Death: Australias Bushfires Push Countless Species To Extinction. The Guardian. 2020, Web.

Miami has experienced various issues related to climate change, including hurricanes, storm surge, and floods. Still, the city was able to recover after significant crises and thrive in the face of adversity. However, over the previous years, the situation associated with the excess of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and groundwater level in Miami has deteriorated substantially. This paper will analyze the article Miami sets ambitious emissions goal: carbon neutral by 2050. How to get there isnt clear by Alex Harris (2020), highlighting emerging policies affecting Miami.

To ensure a sustainable life for citizens and the citys development, the authorities aim to implement a different approach to mitigate the crisis. The article discusses the city government plans to achieve carbon-neutral status by 2050, a policy that will change the citys operations, citizens habits, and how the city powers itself. Miami became the first city in Florida to join an international climate organization called C40 Cities, which helps municipalities decrease their carbon footprint.

Miamis Climate Ready Plan strategy that facilitates the activities of the authorities to go carbon neutral status by 2050 has broad objectives that the city must implement, such as moving from gas-powered city cars to electric vehicles, installing more solar panels, and focusing on energy efficiency in city buildings. Harris (2020) emphasizes that under activist pressure, authorities decided to declare a climate emergency and address the pollution from traffic jams, emissions from plants, and carbon footprint from citizens and businesses activities.

The author of the article presents the view of experts that the public authorities initiative will positively impact the citizens of Miami. It is suggested that people will benefit from the cleaner air and new job opportunities that solar farms will provide Harris (2020). However, the same public policy in 2008 did not achieve significant results towards lowering the emission rate by 25% and getting control over climate change due to other priorities Harris (2020). Moreover, Miami-Dades Chief Resilience Officer stated that the emission level increased from industrial activities. Overall, the author says that the major changes and initiatives are going to be done soon to achieve the ambitious goal of going carbon neutral by 2050 in Miami.

The article by Harris is relatively neutral but leans towards a positive overview of public policy decisions regarding climate change and presents a favorable opinion of leaders in different organizations that support new plans. At the end of the article, Harris (2020) presents the words of Miami-Dades Chief Resilience Officer, who told the media that the previous initiatives and projects did not have a significant impact on the climate change consequences and reduction of emissions in Miami. Summarizing the article, one can say that the author aimed to show different points of opinion leaders that support changes without presenting adverse consequences that might arise for citizens due to the implementation of the policy.

It can be stated that the challenge to gain carbon neutral status by 2050 and implement a Climate Ready Plan will affect my life and the lives of Miami citizens, commercial organizations, and interactions among communities. Experts suggest that the public policy objective to decrease the emissions will help create jobs and business opportunities in the low-income areas of the city that can help reduce criminal issues and enhance the safety of citizens and me (Miami-Dade County, n.d.). Simultaneously, the plan might include the increase of taxation on gas-powered cars that will be a burden for me as a citizen and organizations, which will be allocated to the development of solar energy and water energy plants to mitigate the carbon footprint.

Experts state that to reduce carbon emissions, all stakeholders in the city should be involved and will be influenced by the introduced plans (The International Energy Agency, 2020). The purchases of electric vehicles, energy efficiency programs, IT systems to track the usage of electricity are useful options (The International Energy Agency, 2020). Still, they might require changing behavior, raising awareness about the situation among citizens and business owners. Harris also emphasizes public representatives opinion that to achieve the goal, the community will need to implement meaningful resource conservation measures that include fuel, energy and waste reduction as well as investments in renewable energy (Harris, 2020, para. 2).

Besides the activities that I already mentioned, I would influence the new policy to make businesses and citizens more compliant by introducing fines or taxes that would motivate stakeholders to track their energy spent and use the resources efficiently. Electric vehicles should be taxed according to specific rules, and the usage of fuel and energy should be more expensive than the utilization of renewable sources of energy. Waste recycling and water usage reduction might also be needed, according to analysts, to address climate change and reduce floods in Miami (Harris, 2020).

Finally, partnerships with international organizations and local communities should support sustainable initiatives and create impactful events (The City of Miami Government, n.d.). To conclude, one can say that the necessity to respond faster to climate change has emerged as a new factor influencing the public authorities and their policy in Miami. To address the situation, all stakeholders must unite to change their activities and ensure that the city area will be thriving in the future.

References

Harris, A. (2020). Miami sets ambitious emissions goal: carbon neutral by 2050. How to get there isnt clear. Miami Herald. Web.

Harris, A. (2020). Miamis plan to survive impacts of climate change: figure out a way to pay for it. Miami Herald. Web.

Miami-Dade County. (n.d.). Climate Change Action Plan.

The City of Miami Government. (n.d.). What is City of Miami doing about climate change? Web.

The International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2020. Web.

Introduction

In the course of a lifespan, people engage in multiple activities for survival and recreation, which often go beyond mere necessities. The consumerist society that inhabits the planet now tends to increase consumption by driving economic forces to expand industries for goods production. Given such intensity of goods purchasing and the fact that the population of the world significantly grows, humanity now exhausts the planets resources without acknowledging it. Indeed, even with the advancement of environmental studies and ecological awareness, people know little about their ecological footprint on the environment. Thus, in this paper, I will explore the phenomenon of ecological footprint and reflect on my own consumption characteristics to enhance my understanding of the complex nature of interdependency between everyday life and the environment.

Ecological Footprint Defined

In the context of environmental studies, human behavior and lifestyles are viewed from the perspective of their impact on the planet and nature. Indeed, to support the life of a person, multiple resources are spent. Also, every person produces waste as an outcome of daily activities, which places a burden on the environment. Thus, the ecological footprint is the effect of the consumption of natural resources and the production of waste a person triggers by his or her use of goods on a daily basis. The ecological footprint might be calculated as a sum of all resources involved in the invention, designing, production, transportation, consumption, and utilization of goods and services and the time needed for nature to absorb the waste and revive.

De Botton vividly portrays the multifaceted nature of the modern-day societys dependence on industry and active resource usage by describing the interrelated links between various manifestations of human existence (39-40). According to the author, people commonly do not realize where their goods come from and what it takes to produce them and deliver them to their houses. Moreover, such industrial giants as plants, factories, warehouses, ships, and ports are invisible to the people despite their both practical importance and emotional resonance (De Botton 24). However, the ecological footprint of a random individual living a conventional lifestyle involves far more than major industries.

My Consumption and Ecological Footprint

As an average citizen in a dominantly consumerist society, I consume multiple goods and services. However, the comprehension of the concept of ecological footprint helps me understand that many issues remain unclear as per the actual impact my lifestyle choices have on the environment. Indeed, some of the activities, such as driving a car or using plastic straws, have obvious adverse implications for the planet and might be minimized or avoided to eliminate the harm. Nonetheless, it is difficult to establish clear links between more implicit consumerist choices with the environmental impact.

In an attempt to explain my ecological footprint, I will describe what I consume as an individual. Firstly, it seems obvious to state that I buy food to survive daily, as well as purchase clothes, household items, furniture, electronic devices, and make virtual purchases of media content. In terms of accommodation, I use water for cooking, showering, and cleaning; I need gas and electricity to live through the day. For education and work, I have to use transportation, which involves fuel, roads, city lights, road markings, and other elements created by people to make the transport function properly. For recreation, I consume TV content, the Internet, music, social media, movies, dancing places, restaurants, cafes, parks, and travel sites. When I shop, I commonly buy things to provide me with comfort, which is why my choices of goods expand beyond my primary needs. When thinking about where my things come from, I realize that in many cases, I do not acknowledge that. Knowing the trademark or the name of the company that produces the goods is usually enough. However, when elaborating in the context of my ecological footprint, it is necessary to state that all the items I buy involve a wide range of activities, resources, and people to become my possession.

In addition to the identified elements of my consuming activities, there might be more important issues presented. The ideas expressed by De Botton have contributed to the scope of my knowledge about the ties between nature and a consumer, namely the description of logistics behind economic processes aimed at satisfying consumers needs (38-39). Indeed, for me to drink a cup of coffee in the morning, water, coffee, sugar, a cup, and a teaspoon should be extracted, processed, packed, and delivered. Large plants must be involved in the production of the mobile phone I am using. Large groups of people must be involved in inventing, designing, manufacturing, distributing, and selling the smartphone. Also, significant resources, such as electricity, water, gas, oil, and others, must be used for me to have the phone. In essence, all elements in the industrial world are interconnected, which implies that more consumption leads to a higher level of environmental damage.

Conclusion

In summation, the ecological footprint people leave on the planet is composed of the daily choices and lifestyles people have. I managed to view my life as a consumer from the perspective of its ultimate impact on the environment, and it helped me clarify the complexity of links in the contemporary industry-driven society. However, it is still unclear to what extent my daily activity impacts the planet, and if the minimization of individual consumerism tendencies is capable of making a change on a global scale.

Works Cited

De Botton, Alain. The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. Vintage, 2009.

One of the worlds most preferred fossil fuel is natural gas. Experts believe that the energy has the potential of becoming the worlds number one in the coming decades. In its structure, natural gas has varied composition, which makes it more expedient. Principally, consumers have been receiving methane that contains a small amount of heavy hydrocarbon and ethane as natural gas (Franco et al. 112). Natural gas, however, has its specific definition, how it was formed, and history, its existence in the United States and the world, and itemized location.

The Natural Gas Definition

Natural gas is considered the worlds absolute produce in energy sector. This fuel is one of the innocuous, uncontaminated, and useful compared to all other coals. The outstanding characteristics of the gasoline are its explosive nature and the gaseous mixture of hydrocarbon compounds found in its structure before its processing. Some porous rocks are made to have aptitude of harboring methane as the primary constituent. Other substances such as propane, ethane, and pentane are the ingredients of this gas but appear in small quantities in every sample of the whole product (Zhang et al. 34). During burning, the gas produces carbon dioxide as the primary product, small amounts of nitrogen, and water vapor.

The Formation of Natural Gas

The occurrence of natural gas is similar to oil, with the decomposed organic matter being the main opus. The decomposition is typical dependent on marine microorganisms, working on deposits of over 550 million years (Zhang et al. 42). Once in its location, silt, mud, and sand gradually burry the deposits while introducing oxygen. The materials are subjected to pressure and heat in a natural way, breaking down the substance to hydrocarbons. These dregs occur in gaseous state while in standard conditions, but in a refined state, the organic substance produces natural gas.

The History of Natural Gas

The first users of natural gas were the Japanese and the Chinese. At this time, the transportation was through bamboo pipes because of the underdeveloped state of the world. The widespread of this product started making headlines in 1821, in New York State (Ristenen et al. 41). Later, numerous sources of this product were discovered in the United States with Texas and Kansas becoming leaders in production. The development of this commodity was slow due to lack of pipe systems (Xie et al. 67). The rapid expansion of using energy took place during and after World War II, consequently, making it advance to a level of being the most admired and used energy.

The natural gas in the Unites States and the World and where found

Since its first discoveries in Alaska to 2012, the production of natural gas recorded 1235 trillion cubic feet (tcf). There has been a substantial improvement in reserves because of the technological growth (Ristenen et al. 43). The preponderance of the consumable gas is produced domestically, unlike oil, which manufacturing process is commercial. Many more countries are now producing the energy across the world, with the United States reserves constituting only 3 percent of the entire worlds stock. Some of the conceivable signs for natural gas are oil seeps because gas and oil are in some scenarios found together. It means the principal place where natural gas is found is underground in rocks suitable for holding gas.

In conclusion, natural gas is the safest, the cleanest, and the most useful energy among its other types in the current world. The secret to this is that the fuel produces clean products when burning and, thus, its destructive mechanism in terms of pollution is feeble. The product has a rich history; the United States was its place of origin before spreading to the rest of the world. The product is found underground, due to compositions of organic matter in the form of gases, before lodging in specific rocks.

Works Cited

Franco, S, De Almeida., et al. A Comprehensive Approach to Evaluate Feed Stream Composition Effect on Natural Gas Processing Unit Energy Consumption. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, vol. 83, no.2, 2020, pp. 111-167. d

Ristenen, Robert, et al. Energy and Environment. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.

Xie, Yan., et al. Review on the Accumulation Behavior of Natural Gas Hydrates in Porous Sediments. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, vol.83, 2020, pp. 67-118.

Zhang, Haitao., et al. Oedometer Test of Natural Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sands: Particle-Scale Simulation. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, vol.84, 2020, pp. 21-56.

Introduction

Tsunami: Killer Wave tells about several devastating tsunamis  the giant waves generated by earthquakes. They can reach up to a hundred feet in height and pose a deadly threat to the population of the coastal areas, racing across the oceans and swallowing people and structures. Tsunamis remain one of the most dangerous and mysterious natural phenomena since they can emerge and strike unexpectedly and cause terrifying amounts of destruction.

Important points

• Tsunamis are not rare, any earthquake can generate one, and significant earthquakes happen 2-3 times a week;
• Warming centers are crucial for predicting and spotting tsunamis and issuing warnings to the population;
• Ordinary people know very little about tsunamis. This statement was true in the timeline of the documentary (the mid-1990s);
• Warning systems are vital in saving people; however, excess warnings can cause mistrust and lead to disaster in case of a giant tsunami;
• Even warning systems can be insufficient in stopping tsunamis because an earthquake can occur close to a shoreline.

Description of the demonstration

Documentary makers used a significant amount of real footage, for example, from Hilo, Okushiri Island, and Crescent Bay. That helped to realize the devastating power of tsunamis and understand how fragile human civilization can be in the face of raw natural power. The interviews with survivors from Hilo and Okushiri added an emotional element to the scientific narrative. Overall, the documentary successfully created an atmosphere of awe and horrifying helplessness while raising public awareness of tsunamis.

Most interesting moments

Watching this documentary was an engaging and thought-provoking experience in general. Personally, the most interesting moment was when Dr. Walter Dudley confidently predicted the next big tsunami in the near time. The future showed how right he was, as in 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean generated a tsunami, which killed more than 200 000 people. It was also interesting to see the countermeasures against tsunami threats in action, such as the warning centers or special seawall from reinforced concrete in Taro.