Scientists have been keeping track of the amount of ice sheets melting in Greenland with the use of satellites that survey the sky above the ice, which determines whether the ice is melting based on gravitational pull; if the ice sheets are melting, the pull will be weaker than the previous surveillance and a stronger pull means there is more mass located in the area, which is made up of rock and ice. During the last ice age, the ice's weight caused the island to sink into the crust below, when the ice began to melt, mantle went under Greenland and the land started to rise. This affects satellite readings because even though the ice is melting, which should cause the gravitational pull to become weaker, the mantle beneath the ice is adding more mass, which causes the pull to become stronger, making scientists believe that the ice sheets are not melting as fast. The ice sheets are melting faster than researchers thought, which signals to the rest of us that global warming is still increasing. The weather's temperature will increase globally and the sea levels will also begin to rise due to the drastic melting measures of ice sheets. Global warming will negatively impact the world, causing plant and animal species to die out if they cannot adapt to the warmer temperatures, which will negatively affect agriculture and the economy. The rest of society must become aware of the negative impacts that melting has on the environment and the economy. In order to prevent global warming, we must work together to reduce the amount of carbon we are emitting into the atmosphere. www.ecowatch.com/greenland-ice-sheet-melting-2012329988.html
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1. "Temp trend is unreliable" People believe this myth because US weather stations are located near air conditioning units, hot-rooftops, and scorching asphalt parking lots, which do affect the temperature recordings. Although there are factors that affect the temperature, weather stations take these factors into account. The temperature trend is recorded by the average temperature of all weather stations. Due to taking the mean temperature, factors that could change the temperature do not create a significant change to the trend. Climate change is based on ground temperatures and sea temperatures that make the trend more accurate. 2. "We're heading into an ice age" This myth is based on the fact that since the last ice age took place 11,500 year ago, we are bound to have an ice age soon because the ice ages are a predictable cycle that return every 11,500 years. Although the trend of an ice age concludes that one should happen in the near future, the occurrence of an ice age is highly unlikely. Two factors that are preventing an ice age to form are orbit and tilt. When the orbit and tilt of the Earth are strong, an ice age can occur because sunlight is reflected into space instead of the northern hemisphere. So when orbit and tilt are strong, more sunlight is reflected into the northern hemisphere and ice sheets begin to melt. Human's impact on the climate have also contributed to the likelihood that an ice age will not occur. Since carbon emissions are increasing, temperature is also increasing. Countries are demanding that ivory becomes a legal trade internationally, but this could cause the extinction of the species due to the high demand that is not in proportion to its sustainability. Changing the trade from illegal to legal will not solve the issue of extinction because the demand for ivory is still increasing even though the trade is considered illegal. During April, Kenya tried to make a statement to persuade the nation that the trade should become legal. Kenya set 105 tons or 6,500 elephants on fire to convince the government that not making the trade legal is the cause of the near extinction. The demand for ivory is increasing in Asia and is putting pressure on Kenya and other African nation to legalize the trade. If the legalization occurs, a large amount of young elephants will be killed in order to gain the same amount of ivory that would be seen on an older male elephant. Older male elephants will become extinct and the younger generations will become the next targets. If poaching stops during legalization, the elephants could still be victims of extinction due to the high demand of ivory. The legalization of ivory is a concern to nations. Ivory is used in many commercial products and this affects not only Asia and Africa, but the world because the utilization of ivory is seen internationally. Elephant's extinction will eventually put a stop to the use of ivory and if nations want to prevent this species from going extinct, nations must find a solution to decrease poaching and possibly replacing ivory with a different resource in order to decrease the demand for ivory. news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/wildlife-legal-ivory-trade-not-sustainable-study/ Global warming is affecting oceans, which can negatively impact life within and out of the water. Oceans have been the protective barrier between us and global warming, without oceans, we would experience rapid temperature increase. Now, oceans are no longer able to serve as this barrier, which will cause temperatures to rise 1-4 degrees Celsius by 2100. Some species are beginning to move to cooler areas of water because of this increase. This ultimately affects fisheries that rely on these organisms to settle near by. Fisheries will see a negative economic impact due to the migration of fish to colder waters. Scientists predict by 2050, a majority of the coral reefs in all waters will be bleached. Residents along the coast could potentially receive an illness due to temperature increases causing bacteria to grow rapidly. If climate change continues, we will all serve the consequences.
Global warming exists and in order to prevent rapid climate change, we must become aware of the effects of this universal issue. Oceans can no longer serve as a barrier to prevent the increase in ocean temperatures, which means we have to take action to prevent this rise. Decreasing the amount of carbon that pollutes the air will allow the aqueous temperatures to drop, but this change must happen worldwide. news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/oceans-warming-global-environment-climate/ Florida's hurricanes are threatening the lives of residents near the coast. Tallahassee has already experienced the storm's maximum wind speed at 80mph. The storm surge is said to be life threatening and Gulf Coast communities have been told to evacuate the area. This storm is predicted to be the largest one since 2005. Residents are worried that their homes will be destroyed due to flooding, which has increased as the rain continues to fall heavily. The rapid winds are threatening wildlife. It is predicted that if wind speed increases, trees will be destroyed and power lines will be tore down, preventing people to use power. Although the hurricane has not taken place yet, it is crucial for residents to be aware of the possible effects of the natural disaster so they can take precautions. Hurricanes do not only affect humans and homes, they also damage animal's natural habitats and food availability. If a strong storm with gusty winds and heavy rainfall occurs, forests will be defoliated and force species that live within this habitat to adapt elsewhere. If a forest is directly affected by the storm, it is highly unlikely for the animals within the habitat to survive. There is also a chance that Hurricane Hermine will spread the Zika virus across the coast. If there is heavy rainfall and flooding, a mosquito that could potentially spread Zika will be washed away, experts say instead "nuisance mosquitoes" will remain after the hurricane and infest in water near flooded areas.
Hurricane Hermine is among recent news and the effects of the storm will play out within the next couple of days. This is an issue that we must not take lightly because the storm is life threatening due to its increasing winds and heavy rainfall, homes and families will take the toll as an effect, as well as animals and their natural habitats. Hurricanes cause mass destruction, which in turn affects the economy and the availability of resources when natural disasters decrease the amount of resources in the environment. This issue should be approached with great concern because the destruction will cause a domino effect. http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/weather/tropical-storm-hermine/index.html |
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