http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/46699
The article starts off by explaining how beneficial coal was to the economic development of humans in the past 200 years. It allowed for affordable energy and was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, however, we know that the extraction and use of coal is actually damaging to humans and to the environment. Using coal as an energy source the way we are right now is impacting climate change drastically and if we do not change how much we use or transform the way we use it, it will cause the atmosphere to raise 2 degrees Celsius, which is what we have been trying to avoid. Emissions from coal use are on the rise and need to be stopped, as it is posing a great risk to our environment. The coal industry must shift and transform the way it works, or its effects will be irreversible.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Eco-Fruit Farming: Reducing Pesticides while Promoting Best Farming Techniques
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/46657
In 2005 an apple study on 774 different apples was done. This study turned out the result that 98% of the apples studied contained some form of pesticide. Apple growers want to try and have the best turnout possible with their harvest, so in order to do so, they use many forms of pesticides. These pesticides, however, are dangerous for the consumers, apple growers and the environment. An effort to find a middle ground between stopping use of pesticides and trying to maintain the maximum amount of harvests resulted in the Eco-Fruit Program. This program has helped to reduce the danger of pesticides to humans, and has reduced the impacts of pesticides on the environment by 46%. Overall, we just need to try to move away from pesticide use on the foods we will consume, because they are harmful to both the environment and the consumers.
In 2005 an apple study on 774 different apples was done. This study turned out the result that 98% of the apples studied contained some form of pesticide. Apple growers want to try and have the best turnout possible with their harvest, so in order to do so, they use many forms of pesticides. These pesticides, however, are dangerous for the consumers, apple growers and the environment. An effort to find a middle ground between stopping use of pesticides and trying to maintain the maximum amount of harvests resulted in the Eco-Fruit Program. This program has helped to reduce the danger of pesticides to humans, and has reduced the impacts of pesticides on the environment by 46%. Overall, we just need to try to move away from pesticide use on the foods we will consume, because they are harmful to both the environment and the consumers.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Increase in asteroid strikes?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/science/space/more-large-asteroid-strikes-are-likely-scientists-find.html?ref=science&_r=0
In February a Russian town was hit by a 60 foot asteroid and injured over 1000 people. That asteroid was ONLY 60 feet. Many asteroids are floating throughout our solar system. We have been able to track many of these asteroids, especially those that are large enough to destroy the Earth as we know it. We have estimated to have found 95% of these asteroids, over 1 kilometer wide, and none of them seem to be on a path to hit Earth any time soon. However, if we look at smaller asteroids, we have only found 0.5% of them. They are not as easily found and can pose a problem. Perhaps if a few of these smaller asteroids hit Earth rather than a single large one, the whole Earth would be destroyed. These asteroids that can move at tens of thousands of miles per hour could devastate Earth if multiple smaller asteroids hit at once. Scientists originally thought occurrences such as this would only happen maybe once a century, however now they are being pushed to believe that asteroid impacts might occur once every few decades.
In February a Russian town was hit by a 60 foot asteroid and injured over 1000 people. That asteroid was ONLY 60 feet. Many asteroids are floating throughout our solar system. We have been able to track many of these asteroids, especially those that are large enough to destroy the Earth as we know it. We have estimated to have found 95% of these asteroids, over 1 kilometer wide, and none of them seem to be on a path to hit Earth any time soon. However, if we look at smaller asteroids, we have only found 0.5% of them. They are not as easily found and can pose a problem. Perhaps if a few of these smaller asteroids hit Earth rather than a single large one, the whole Earth would be destroyed. These asteroids that can move at tens of thousands of miles per hour could devastate Earth if multiple smaller asteroids hit at once. Scientists originally thought occurrences such as this would only happen maybe once a century, however now they are being pushed to believe that asteroid impacts might occur once every few decades.
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