On his visit to Alaska, President hiked to a quickly melting glacier (the white glacier is in the background and is shrinking daily) :
The purpose of the visit to Alaska was to set the stage for his platform for climate change. Below is the link to the Obama Action Plan for Climate Change:
Climate Change and President Obama's Action Plan:https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change
The Arctic region is one of the areas that is directly feeling the impact of global warming. Global greenhouse gas emissions exceed 400 ppm and the world races toward a 2 degree Celsius warm-up. For this week's blog assignment, I want you to read President Obama's speech below:
President Obama's Remarks about the GLACIER Conference in Anchorage, Alaska:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/01/remarks-president-glacier-conference-anchorage-ak
Once you have read the speech, post a scholarly response to the article. What did you think? How is human activity disrupting the climate? Why is the Arctic the leading edge of climate change? Why does it matter if the permafrost layer is melting? How does this relate to the drought and forest fires in California and the West? How does this affect you? What can you do to make a difference? I expect you to write this paragraph in the same fashion that you would write a paragraph for English class. Capital letters, proper punctuation, correct spelling and format are expected. You classmates will also write a response to this article. Can you include a link to other sites about global environmental issues? What other issues are you worried about? Endangered species? Over-population? Deforestation? In addition to your own response, I would like you to comment on at least one classmates response to the article. All of these initial responses will be posted to my blog for the world to see, so do your best.
Overall, I found this speech very interesting. It is true that humans are the main source climate change, due to the high levels of Carbon and other gases we have put into the air. It’s good to see people starting to react more and wanting to make a change. Over the years, temperatures have risen, glaciers are melting furiously and there are more natural disasters. That’s scary to think about, but it also makes you challenge yourself to make a difference and fix the world’s issues. Since Alaska is receiving more climate problems than anyone else, it makes sense that they would be the leaders (or at least the greatest supporters) of cutting the amount of waste people produce. As mentioned before, natural disasters are a more common thing nowadays. With the higher temperatures, ice in the Northern parts of the world are melting quickly, putting more and more people in danger. It is unsettling to think that people are in life threatening situations because of me and other people’s actions. We can all take a stand and try to keep the planet beautiful for future generations. Using less electricity, shorter showers, etc. will help lower the rates of climate change, even if it is in the smallest percentages. After all, every little thing counts when it comes to saving the world.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I too think its good that we are finally starting to make a change, especially with all the evidence (natural disasters and such) that global warming is real, and it is happening now. Well said!
DeleteAnnika,
DeleteWhat are the statistics on natural disasters? Are there really more natural disasters or just more publicity?
I really liked Obama’s speech, I feel he’s actually doing something for the better. I also admire how much he cared to get the point that the global climate changes are drastic that he did an episode with Bear Grylls. Even though it was a publicity stunt he did eat a piece of salmon for a carcass that was killed by the bear. Human activity is disrupting the climate because of all the dirty power and emissions we have been giving off. the Arctic rests on something called a permafrost. The permafrost is a frozen layer that essentially holds up Alaska, and because of the rising temperatures this is starting to melt which means unless we do something to stop this Alaska could melt away. Other states or countries soon following. When the permafrost melts it causes floods and storms which can lead to wildfires. Wildfires just this year in Alaska have burned away the size of Massachusetts. This makes a domino effect because of Alaska disappears then next permafrost would start to defrost and the process would keep continuing. Everyone can do their part so this can be avoided in our future. Start trying to use clean energy and emissions. Meaning solar or wind power. Unplug things not in use, turn off lights. All the little things we’ve been told since kindergarden can help save the future. My concern for the world wide issue is lack of respect. Humans tend to think, “It won’t make a difference if I don’t use clean energy,” but when everyone thinks this what are we left with? http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/ this website highlights the effects of global climate changes and how we can all do our part. I’m terrified that we will run out of clean water and that there will be too many people occupying space we don’t have.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thinking of the domino effect. It really shows how detrimental global warming is. Your statement on how people are lacking respect for the world is very true. If everyone did their part, we'd be on the right path for improving our environment, and future.
DeleteI definitely agree with your point on how human activity is disrupting the climate. There are huge amounts of power emissions that are being given off by humans which needs to be stopped. We are losing our respect for the world, which is something very bad. We need to start doing something to change the Earth before it's too late.
DeleteAfter reading the article, I feel rather happy that we have finally decided to go forth, and do something about the glaciers and global warming. I think that it’s a good idea that we embrace what is going on around us, before it’s too late and we lose it for good. But, on the other hand, humans have been polluting constantly with are Carbon Monoxide emissions and that surely does not help when it comes to the rebirth of the ice caps. In my opinion, the arctic is the leading edge of climate change because it is constantly changing each day. Whether it's the ice melting, or the ice freezing, a different occurrence happens each day in the arctic providing new info on how the arctic and its environment works. Although all this is happening, (and it is good in my opinion) here is also some bad. The permafrost layers are melting which (if melted) will cause the ice to form and grow more slowly, and even potentially stop all the ice growth in the arctic for a long time. But, that's not all. With all the temperatures rising in the arctic, it's also causing the temperatures to rise in other places as well. For example, the California wild fires that have been going on and continue to burn, because of the constantly rising temperatures and drought that is being caused by global warming. This can also have a large effect on the people who reside in Illinois as well. The temperatures can continue to rise, and possibly even cause a drought, which can lead to wildfires and other things, much like what is happening in California. Meanwhile, there are also things we can do now to make a difference in our future. We can reduce our carbon emissions into the air and reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses created, etc.
ReplyDeleteHere are also some websites about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and more info about what's going on in California:
Wild fires:
https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fus%2F2015%2F09%2F16%2Fnorthern-california-wildfire-evacuees-tell-stories-devastation-survival%2F
Reducing green house gasses:
https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikihow.com%2FReduce-Your-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions
I agree it is great that we are finally responding to climate change. Embracing it is a great first step in the right direction, and thank you for providing the links so I could do more research.
DeleteI agree with you that the constantly changing environment on the arctic will affect the other regions more south of it and that it is very important to stop the climate from changing even more
DeleteI agree that it is great that the people who made this mess (us) are finally doing something to fix this problem one step at a time.
DeleteI agree with Barack Obama. Humans are to blame for global warming because of how much we use carbon and other gases that pollute the air. But we as a nation are changing and we are starting to use solar and wind power. We need to stop Alaska and the permafrost from melting otherwise Alaska could melt or even break away. Villages are worried they will be dumped into the ocean by melting ice. Village everywhere will need to relocate inland where the permafrost hasn't melted yet. Global warming is a cause of the wildfires in California right now because they are is hotter and the forests are drier. We need to do everything we can to stop global warming like turning off the lights and conserving water. www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/ this websites talks about causes of global warming and how to prevent it. I am worried about animals going extinct. The global warming can affect the animals and we need to also stop poaching and ruining the animals habitats.
ReplyDeleteA majority of the Animals will go extinct if we don't do something about global warming and the climate. Using all this natural energy will help our world out tremendously.
DeleteWe had a lot of the same facts and analysis in our paragraphs. However, I did not add anything about the animals habitats. I also liked how you added wind power. The video only briefly talked about mainly focused on Solar power. Well done.
DeleteAnimals are a very important part of our ecosystem and are often times forgotten. When people do things that hurt the environment, many times, they don't think about the animals and the harm that they are bringing them.
DeleteI totally agree with all three of you animals are the most affected by this claimate change if we don't do anything soon many of the animals in this generation won't be alive in the next.
DeleteI agree with your thinking of how the animals will be affected too, not just humans. If we don't change anything soon, we are not only going to doom our futures, but countless species of animals' too.
DeleteI agree with Alex that animals are important to the ecosystem and they will and they will be affected too. Then if we don't change things we do we will be a goner
DeleteIt matters that the permafrost is melting because all those big sheets of ice will at some point melt into a ton of water. This water will go through the mountains, overflow the rivers and most likely get to the city's. The permafrost melting is already a big deal, so if the water gets to the city then it will cause even more problems. I think this can affect me because if all the permafrost melts and it gets to the city's, then they will ask for people to help so we can help. So it will be bad if it melts and goes to the city, but if i t does it will be interesting to see how the community comes together to help out.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it will be interesting to see how the people react if the water does end up in the city. I wonder if people will help or leave?
DeleteI totally agree with you. It's a really good question to ask, it is really interesting to think about people's integrity in a situation like that. I wonder if the permafrost completely melts if life could completely come to situations we often read about in post-apocalypse novels. Though hopefully no one will ever be able to answer that question from first-hand experience.
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DeleteI totally agree with the point that you have made here but I thought that it was interesting that you focused on the water rising but what if in the middle of a city there was a super strong storm due to the same global warming. Just a thought there is more that just floods that will cause this problem to occur.
ReplyDeleteThe Wildfires out west are primarily because the climate is getting warmer as the years go on. Some people think people are causing this and others think that it is just what nature is doing. President Obama has performed many experiments and the experiments have come back with a ton of data. Some of that data is that since 1979 the sea ice has decreased 40 percent. 82% of the pollutants are carbon dioxide(CO2). That is all of the fossil fuels we burn, solid waste, and chemical reactions. These firefighters are risking their lives for us because they have to put out these fires that are caused from these hot temperatures. The Arctic is leading this cause because if the Arctic starts to melt then the sea levels rise and then it leads to flooding in major cities and suburbs. Our clean water sources will be polluted and we won't have any freshwater sources.
http://www.globalissues.org/ is a great site to show you how Barack Obama was right and wrong
Christian,
DeleteI looked at that website that you suggested. There is a plethora of information there. Do you think global warming is a big deal or not?
As a whole Obama makes an busting point about the carbon pollution that is spread into the air. "We limit the amount of toxic chemicals like mercury, sulfur, and arsenic in our air and water, and we're better off for it. But existing power plant can still dump unlimited amounts of harmful carbon pollution in the air we breath." (Obama video) This is causing a major factor in the climate change across the world. The carbon in the air is heating the climate and melting the polar ice caps which raises water levels. All this is from the plants that humans create and work in to, unknowingly ruining the planet’s climate. Alaska’s climate has been drastically increasing over the past 60 years, and, “Thawing permafrost destabilizes the earth on which 100,000 Alaskans live, threatening homes, damaging transportation and energy infrastructure, which could cost billions of dollars to fix.” (Obama paragraph 8). Also due to the increase in climate Alaska’s fire season is at least a month longer and more fires are being caused, not just in Alaska. If the fires in America, Canada, and Serbia are added up it reaches 300 acres of land that are being set ablaze in forest fires. Overall the global climate change is a serious issue and is causing many problems and as humans we have a duty to do whatever we can to prevent these problems.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe Arctic temperatures have risen about twice as fast as the global average, and over the past 60 years, Alaska alone has warmed twice as fast as the rest of the United States. This is a staggering statistic that we have partial blame for. According to a report from the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), it is with greater than 90 percent certainty that emissions of heat trapping gases from human activities have caused most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures. Basically what that means is when humans burn coal, oil, and gas to drive cars or generate electricity Carbon dioxide is let go into the air, where it gets trapped by the atmosphere and begins to warm up. This relates to the drought in California because the Sierra Nevada has less snow on it, because of the increased temperatures, so less snow is melting and running off into rivers and streams. for more information visit www.ipcc.ch/. Connected to global warming, many animals who depend on certain temperatures, like polar bears, are being affected by the drastic temperature fluctuations. Polar bears have evolved overtime for a life on the sea ice. With the sea ice melting, the polar bears habitats are decreasing and it is harder to hunt for seals, which they need the sea ice to hunt for.
I really like the fact that you put something in about animals. Almost every human dose not realize that our ever day thing like cars and factors are affecting way more things then just the permafrost layer and globe warming. Good job Brandon.
DeleteI agree that we have to look out for our wildlife too. I find it interesting that the speech didn't really touch on the subject of animals. Humans are just so set in their lifestyles that it can be hard to pull back and see the bigger picture. Burning fuels and other resources is completely wrecking our Earth's temperatures which is bringing about the devastating melting of ice and permafrost. That isn't okay if we still want a decent planet to call our home. Hopefully, this speech is the beginning of better actions that can lead to a better future.
DeleteAfter reading President Obama's Remarks about the GLACIER Conference in Anchorage, Alaska I am very pleased to hear that Obama is making an effort to reduce global warming. Us humans are to blame for global warming, but we are also the only ones who can reduce global warming to a minimum. Obama is calling out to other great nations to help carry out his plan to fight global warming. We need to do something about global warming because “Thawing permafrost destabilizes the earth on which 100,000 Alaskans live, threatening homes, damaging transportation and energy infrastructure, which could cost billions of dollars to fix.
ReplyDeleteWarmer, more acidic oceans and rivers, and the migration of entire species, threatens the livelihoods of indigenous peoples, and local economies dependent on fishing and tourism. Reduced sea levels leaves villages unprotected from floods and storm surges. Some are in imminent danger; some will have to relocate entirely. In fact, Alaska has some of the swiftest shoreline erosion rates in the world.”, as stated by President Obama. This relates to the forest fires in California because both are caused by global warming. Global warming = fires and melting. All of this affects my emotional health because if the Earth gets too hot we would all die and that would be bad because I would die also and I don’t want that to happen. Something we can all do to help our earth is to ride bikes or electric cars whenever possible to not let out gas.
Yes Evan I agree that global warming is a major problem and that we are the only ones who can stop it. Global warming will affect thousands of Alaskans who will lose their homes and their way of life. But the arctic north is not the only place affected. The forest fires in California that are destroying homes and killing people are global warmings fault too. We need to put an end to this!
DeleteEvan,
DeleteYour post is rather grim. I don't think that global warming will result in human deaths in your lifetime.
The reality of climate change is very troubling and I am glad that world leaders are starting to take our planet seriously. The Arctic is the “leading edge” in climate change because its reactions to an increased temperature are examples of what we can expect everywhere if we let the problem progress much longer. This includes a change in the sea level, tons of melted ice (literally) and better conditions for forest fires to rage on. According to the president’s speech, last year was the warmest year in the world with Alaska raising in temperature twice as fast as the U.S’s other 49 states. One statistic I found shocking from the speech was that glaciers in Alaska will lose 75 gigatons of ice per year, which is the equivalent of 75 times the length of the National Mall and the height of four stacked Washington Monuments. I personally have walked this distance and have stared directly up the side of the magnificent Washington Monument. First off, the mall’s a much longer walk than it looks. Secondly, the monuments’ height is almost dizzying. I can’t even fathom this idea and is hard to believe that if ice of this volume has already been lost that there is still any left. We really need to step up our game as not only the American population, but as part of the world’s population. It may seem a bit cliche, but every single person has the ability to start a chain reaction of change. We need to take part in reducing our usage of fuels and energy. Transferring to the usage of “clean energy” like wind and/or solar can also make a difference. Just a little bit of effort on our part now can make for a longer lasting future.
ReplyDeleteI really love how you included background info about the National Mall for those who have maybe not been there and tied it back to the topic. You did great job explaining the speech. I don't think that people see this is a terrible thing thats happening in our world. I think it's crazy how out of control this situation is getting. Good job Olivia!!!
DeleteI think Obama’s speech was very effective, and eye opening. Humans are the main cause of the growing threat; climate change. We release many pollutants into the air such as carbon dioxide. The arctic is the leading edge of climate change because it’s climate is warming twice as fast as the rest of the nation's. Its causing the permafrost layer to melt. Thawing permafrost will weaken the earth, threatening homes, damaging transportation and energy infrastructure. It could cause billions of dollars to fix. A change in climate could also cause heat and drought. Humans need water to survive. If the climate continues to worsen, we will have a major problem on our hands; just like the drought occurring in California right now. http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/droughtinfo.cfm This link gives information on the drought. If we want to see a difference in our climates then we need to decrease the amount of pollution we produce everyday. That way, we will be on the right track to bettering the future.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you, Obama's speech was very effective since it moved me as well. Also that the best way to help change the climate is to reduce the energy/ pollution we use. Good job!
DeleteI agree with you that it could lead to much bigger issues like drought and affecting humans. If we don't change something it can become much worse than it already has. Many people don't realize this when they are using things and doing things that cause so much pollution that causes the permafrost layer to melt.
DeleteI also wrote that a change in climate could cause heat and drought. Also its true that humans do need water to survive and if the drought keeps occurring it would cause huge problems within our world.
DeleteAfter reading and listening about President Barack Obama’s trip to Alaska to see how our climate is changing, I am more informed on what is going on with the Earth’s climate. The Arctic temperatures have risen about twice as fast as the global average, and over the past 60 years Alaska alone has warmed twice as fast as the rest of the United States. This statistic is something that we have most of the blame for. Nearly a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere’s land surface is covered in permanently frozen soil, or permafrost, which is filled with carbon-rich plant debris — enough to double the amount of heat-trapping carbon in the atmosphere if the permafrost all melted and the organic matter decomposed. In some parts of the Arctic, trees, buildings and roadways have started leaning to one side, or even collapsing, as soil that was once hard as a rock has softened from the warming that’s already taken place. This will get worse if global warming continues. As the climate warms, moisture and precipitation levels are changing, with wet areas becoming wetter and dry areas becoming drier. This causes increased chances of forest fires in California and the West. The global climate change is a very important issue that needs to be resolved before it’s too late.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you talked about all the statistics that have been given. Hearing these really make you think about how much the environment is changing and how fast everything is changing.
DeleteI think it was important to mention the not only the issues we are facing now, but also the issues we will be facing in the future. Climate change is definitely an issue that needs to addressed immediately. I like how you effectively embedded facts into your paragraph.
DeleteI think the climate changes in Alaska will change the way people consume resources that we use for energy. Pretty much all the climate changes are our fault. We have used so many resources that they are running out. One example is deforestation, which kills the trees that are one of our main sources of the oxygen that we breathe. It also takes away the animals that live on trees' homes, like owls, squirrels, birds, tree reptiles(tree frogs, snakes, lizards) monkeys, and so many more. How would we feel if someone just randomly destroyed our houses? Deforestation is also why many animals are endangered. Besides the tree animals being endangered, their predators also being affected because we are killing their food. Also, consuming resources adds to the problem by producing carbon monoxide and dioxide. I'm glad President Obama pointed this out in his speech so we can change our ways of consuming resources for energy.
ReplyDeleteJoseph,
DeleteI agree with you about the use of resources and the health of Alaska. With all the oil pipelines running through Alaska, I have to wonder what will happen in the future.
While understanding how terrible this situation is becoming, it makes me very happy that somebody is trying to contain and fix it. On record, last year was Alaska's warmest year and and it has had a HUGE impact on the people of Alaska. The climate change is disrupting ecosystems, communities, and even animals. The fire season is way longer than normally was and there is devastation everywhere. With this rise in the climate, the ice glaciers are rapidly melting. When the fires burn through the permafrost, it is releasing carbon which will further accelerate global warming. This is the loop that continues to cycle, eventually getting warmer and warmer. To end limitless carbon dumping, Obama set nationwide standards. This was a very important step for slowing down global warming.
ReplyDeleteI really like how Obama is trying to get other nations and countries involved. This is a very big problem and we can't do it alone. If we do not stop and think about how we are harming the Earth, then many Nations, people, and Economies will suffer severe problems. We all have to work together or we all will suffer.
I think this article is a good wake up call to show how much we are impacting the environment. Not only are we hearing statistics about how great we are impacting the environment, we are physically seeing the impact. One very visible way we are seeing this environmental change has recently been in the news, President Obama has traveled to Alaska to help inform people about climate change, and how fast glaciers are melting. The permafrost layer is melting quit rapidly due to climate change and how much humans are disrupting the environment by air pollution. This relates to the droughts and forest fires in California and the west because the world is growing warmer, or global warming is occurring, making the West is getting warmer and warmer. This affects me because global warming is occurring everywhere, even around me. I think in order to make a difference we all need to become more aware of how great our impact is on the environment, and try to reduce that impact.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said! We should all change how we live to prevent this from happening, because it will harm everyone on earth.
DeleteThis one:
ReplyDeleteGlobal Warming is the main problem to wildfires, glaciers melting, etc. This is caused by the amount of Carbon released, how America uses their energy, and the melting of permafrost. “Power plants are the single biggest source of the harmful carbon pollution that contributes to climate change.” If we limit the amount of mercury, sulfur, and arsenic that go up into the atmosphere, then we will have somewhat defeated climate change. There is no rule that states how much Carbon a power plant can release. But, if Americans went to using solar energy, America would be doing their part, and the problem will soon have a resolution. Americans need to stop the melting of the permafrost, or all of Alaska could suffer major flooding, if they haven’t already. As stated in the video speech, villages will have to move inwards in Alaska, where the glaciers have not yet melted. If Americans can do the simple things such as turning off water and lights when they are not at use, America will have solved global warming and wildfires in no time. The webstite: http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/gsteps.asp shows how Americans can do their part to stop the fight against Global Warming.
We live in a world of rapidly advancing technology and yet the most potent threat to the world and civilization as we know it isn't robot uprisings, that honor belongs to our degrading planet. We are all guilty, driving our cars and using electricity from coal power plants, but thanks to these recent restrictions set by our president we should be able to at least reduce how much we pollute. I have heard the argument of climate change not being deadly but if we were to look to the past we would find out it caused one of the greatest mass extinctions; the great Permian extinction (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/2/l_032_02.html). Over half of all families in both the animal and plant kingdoms died off with the stranglers hanging by a thread. Unless we change our way us as a species our world, the entire world and all manners of beasts that liv on it will tumble into the dark spiral of extinction.
ReplyDeletewell robot uprisings could soon be a problem because of how fast technology is advancing but for now you are correct the most potential threat is our degrading planet.
DeleteI think that by stopping carbon pollution, we could almost eliminate the threat of global warming.
DeleteRobot up-risings are fun to think about and they do make great movies!
DeleteI both agree and disagree with what President Obama stated. I agree that humans are the biggest contributor to the pollution and global warming problems of the world, and that is a problem, but I believe taking action is a bit out of our hands.
ReplyDeleteThe U.S. seems to be doing quite well already. In my recent trip to San Fransisco, I observed that one in every five cars was a Toyota Prius, a vehicle known for being very environmentally green. We (as a country) spend nearly eight billion dollars per year (source 1) to fund the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The real main sources of pollution come from places outside the U.S., places we can’t control. “Air pollution in China, for example, kills about 4,000 people every day, about 17 percent of all deaths in China” (source 2). “It's as if every man, woman and child smoked 1.5 cigarettes each hour” (source 2). Meanwhile, in the U.S. -according to the article given- emits a plurality of its greenhouse gases via electricity. There really isn’t a whole lot that we Americans can do about that. Are we to light our houses with torches? That, too, would produce gases that would affect our long-term health.
Asthma, another topic brought up by Obama, is completely unrelated to what we can do for our planet. “The latest research does not support a link between outdoor air pollution and asthma. First, the increase in asthma has increased while air pollutants according to EPA data have decreased” (source 3). My condolences, President Obama, but Alaskan permafrost didn’t contribute to your daughter’s hospitalization-causing asthma attack.
Overall, there are definitely problems with the environment, like the forest fires and melting glaciers, but you should still feel free to turn the lights on upon entering a room. I believe we are doing our part.
I enjoyed reading your article and seeing two sides of the topic. I also thought that the connection to your trip to San Francisco was a new enlightening perspective on America's pollution.
DeleteI agree with you on this partially, I believe that the average American can't do much, besides things like turning off lights when you leave a room, having energy saving hardware, and other common eco-friendly things. The part I don't agree with you is on blaming other countries for Earth's situation. Consider if all of our "Made in China" products were made in America. We would probably be contributing more to the pollution than you think.
DeleteTravis,
DeleteThis is a well-written response. I appreciate the effort that you put into this.
I really l liked this article because it shows two sides of the spectrum. I like how you used sources and your brains to rack up these statements. This was a really fun article to read and I enjoyed. Good job Travis!
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ReplyDeleteI support Obama’s plan, his speech has touched me and have made me concern about our climate change situation. We have to realize that we are to be blamed for the disasters that the world has been experiencing such as the deeper droughts, longer lasting wildfires, and rising sea levels. The Arctic is our leading indicator of what the entire planet faces, and its temperatures are rising about twice as fast as the global average. The permafrost is at risk of melting in the Arctic, it contains a massive amount of carbon that can be a big treat to us if released. It would especially be a treat to the Alaskans that live there causing serious damage that would cost billions of dollars. If we don’t act fast our world would be in danger. The use of power plants of carbon gases are the single biggest source of the harmful carbon pollution that contribute to the climate change. Under these circumstances, we must change our ways, and we can start by reducing the amount of energy we use. Since our technology is advanced, we can also help this situation using renewable energy (solar, wind, and biomass energy) instead of non-renewable energy. Together we can make a difference.
I found some website that relate to climate change:
http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/global-warming/solutions/global-warming-solutions-reduce-emissions#.Vf2ZkZUtDIU
This website talks about solutions into effectively address global warming.
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/species/
In this website it shows endangered animals from around the world that are affected by the climate change. I am worried that these beautiful animals would be extinct and I hope we can find a way to prevent them from disappearing forever.
After reading the article "The Bear is on the Loose" I thought that the polar ice caps melting is a very big issue, that truly does need to be fixed as soon as possible. The houses in the Arctic are being destroyed because the polar ice caps are melting and the water is running off into the towns and putting houses underwater. Human activity is disrupting the climate because humans are burning fossil fuels which are release more carbon dioxide into the air. This is causing problems like prolonged drought, heavier rain falls, retreating glaciers, melting permafrost, loss of sea ice, and rising sea levels. The Arctic is the leading edge of climate change because Alaskan glaciers have lost 75 gigatons of ice. Climate change is disrupting our agriculture and ecosystems. It matters if the permafrost layer is melting because that layer contains carbon and Meghan, and when in a warming environment it's supposed to degrade, and the gases are supposed to be released. As the air temperature increases the ground warms, and the active layer thaws out the organic matter decomposes, and releasing carbon into the air. Climate change affects me and the people in my community also because it causes an increase in rainfall in areas which make conditions ripe for diseases spreading. It also brings an increase in heat waves, which can cause buildup of pollution , including ozone, a primary component of smog, which cause more cardiac problems, heart attacks due to the heat, and air temperature and ozone may be bad for the heart because they change the way the autonomic nervous system functions. Carbon dioxide and warming temperatures causes a rise in allergies, because plants are flowering earlier. Global warming may bring an increase in heat waves, floods, large storms, which could come with high death tolls. Another issue I'm worried about it pollution because it is getting into the ocean and causing animals to die or grow up into an unnatural piece of pollution that was thrown into the waters.
ReplyDeleteOther environmental issue links are shown below:
http://www.nrdc.org/issues/
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/
After reading the article stating President Obama’s response, I was very pleased. The president is taking action to solve this problem in a strategic and thoughtful way. I also found it relieving how quickly he took the action to find a solution, that shows responsibility. He came to one conclusion that human activity such as letting off numerous gases and all of the other foul things we’ve been putting into the air. Alaska is often referred to as the “leading edge”in climate change because of permafrost. Permafrost is a frozen layer that is keeping Alaska stable. So if this were to melt as it is, then the entire state could be in serious danger. The massive changes in climate have also brought about forest fires. Over these last few months, a chunk of land approximately the size of Massachusetts has been scalded by the ongoing fires. Furthermore, each year Alaska loses 75 gigatons of ice per year. That’s 75 billion tons of ice! Which could cause flooding all over the western coast of the country. With all of the climate change on such an enormous piece of land, the places around Alaska are also being affected by fires or droughts, like the one California is currently experiencing. But people can do there part with even the most minimal of efforts. We just can’t keep letting off these hideous gases into the atmosphere. They are causing too much rise in the temperature and if continued, could melt all of the United States arctic region. We could also minimize the use of gases and fumes by conserving energy. Limit the use of electricity, it’s as simple as that. On a different note, the main issue in this world that I am worried about is abuse. Businesses, corporations, and countless other people in search of wealth, have abused the beautiful place we live in to extract oil, wood, minerals, entire forests, they have even flattened land just to make money or create the space to advertise their company. The world is dying every minute that we do this. The link http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues explains the global issues the world and those who inhabit it are experiencing. We need to fix the world one problem at a time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we need to make sure that even if one part of the environment becomes damaged we don't let there be a huge chain reaction that could hurt more people than necessary. Also that no matter the size of the action we should try to help save the environment
DeleteI like how you showed many ways that we could help to stop climate change and how you called out major companies for abusing the land. Hopefully people can start to do these changes to help out!
DeleteYou're right, humans are the main cause of this problem and i think that people don't realize how bad the situation really is now. I think that if we are able to inform others about whats going on we will have a better chance of stopping climate change.
DeleteI think Obama is right and global climate change is a very real problem for our generation, and an even bigger problem for future generations. It really struck me about how the permafrost layer was melting, If that melts we will have sort of a butterfly effect and our climate could spiral out of control to the point where what we do does not matter as more carbon will be released no matter what we do. I was surprised when he mentioned forest fires because before I had never heard about forest fires being caused by climate change. I think it's scary more forest fires are happening because if forest fires keep becoming more common firefighters might not be able to combat them, and we could end up having things like buildings burnt down by the fires rather than just the trees and plants. We as individuals can make a difference by using less electricity, and doing things like carpool so we use less gas. For the future I am worried about overpopulation because if our world runs out of resources then we will probably go to war over the few remaining resources, and totally deplete our storage's. Another good place to learn about climate change is NASA, this is a link http://climate.nasa.gov/.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a huge problem for us and future generations especially if we don't conserve our usage of resources I most like you insight about over population and going to war for remaining resources if we don't fix this problem now
DeleteAfter reading president Obama's speech about the GLACIER conference I am very concerned about global warming. I now understand that this problem affects everything. Such as our health, our safety, our economy, and our future. It is interesting that in the Arctic (Alaska) temperatures are rising two times faster than the global average. These warmer temperatures are causing the permafrost layer in Alaska to melt. This melting is causing many problems of its own by putting the homes in danger, damaging infrastructures, affecting the tourism and fishing. Things like this are big problems because they will cost billions of dollars to fix.
ReplyDeleteGlobal warming also relates to forest fires and droughts. These fires burn through the permafrost layer and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which speeds up global warming. In addition, now that the fire season is longer there are more acres are being burned which also affects our water supply which affects our agriculture and then our food supply.
I now know that I can help these problems by doing my part and finding ways to conserve energy and find energy efficient ways to live. I can also encourage others to do it too. For more information about global environmental issues go to. http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php
I definitely agree with Obama that the world should be worried about global warming, and I appreciate the six years that he has spent trying to figure out a way for communities to be less reliant on harmful gases and use cleaner, more efficient energy. He also went into depth about how humanity has affected climate change drastically. Obama said “Human activity is disrupting the climate, in many ways faster than we previously thought.” We are the ones that have been polluting the air with carbon dioxide and other harmful gases. Carbon dioxide , in particular, warms the environment when it gets trapped in our atmosphere, causing the glaciers and permafrost to melt, which releases more carbon. In his speech, Obama states that “ Since 1979, the summer sea ice in the Arctic has decreased by more than 40 percent -- a decrease that has dramatically accelerated over the past two decades. One new study estimates that Alaska’s glaciers alone lose about 75 gigatons -- that’s 75 billion tons -- of ice each year.” One gigaton of ice is a block the size the National Mall in Washington and four times as tall as the Washington Monument. So when 75 of those blocks are melting each year, with the pace only getting faster, we know that we have a problem on our hands. As the permafrost in Alaska melts, more and more of the land is slipping into the sea. Along with that land many Alaskan villages are sliding towards the sea too, threatening their community's. If we don't do anything about it soon, their villages could be totally under water in a matter of decades. Obama posed some very good ideas about how we could change our future for the better, saying that we could increase the uses of solar and wind powered energy and end the limitless dumping of carbon pollution from our power plants. I think that anyone can help the environment by installing solar panels in their house and cutting down on how much electricity you use in their home. Over all I think Obama had some very concerning information, but also ways to help our environment, saying that the whole world needs to work together and have everyone making a conscious effort to have a cleaner, more eco friendly environment.
ReplyDeleteI really thought global warming was a bunch of crap but after reading Obama’s impactful speech it really made me think twice about the whole situation. Human activity is giving off huge amounts of carbon and other unwanted gasses into the air every day. The permafrost is a frozen layer that holds up Alaska. Now that the temps are rising from global warming the permafrost is melting, and without permafrost, there is no Alaska. Now some people in the lower 48 might think that this won’t effect them but what they don’t know is that they are totally wrong. Once the permafrost melts, it will cause severe storms, floods and wildfires. For example, in Alaska, wildfires raged through the state like no other. The wildfires burned as much area as the state of Massachusetts. Even though it seems too late, it is definitely not. If people get their act together then all these horrible side effects can be avoided in the future. I used to be one of those people who thought “ It won’t make a difference” but after doing a little extra research, I found out that people actually can make a difference. The best part is that to make a difference, it barely takes any effort. Some things people can do to make a difference is turn off lights when not using a room or space and unplug something when not in use. http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/ is a great website that shows the facts, causes and the effects of global warming.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you there is only so much time until states like us in the Midwest will be facing enormous consequences all because of not paying attention to what's going on in Alaska.
DeleteDean,
DeleteI am glad that you no longer think that global warming is a bunch of crap.
I also thought global warming wasn't really a true issue before reading this this article. I agree with you about the consequences we might face as well. We need to pay more attention to the problems in Alaska.
DeleteI agree with you that if people want to make the change to try and stop global warming that we can slow it before it becomes irreversible.
DeleteI agree with your emphasis on the impact that global warming will have on us, despite us not being effected by it at the moment. It's not easy to remember that what we do/don't do now can effect us centuries afterwards.
DeleteAll of our actions have consequences, driving to school, lighting your house, and many other common daily actions contribute to the pollution of our world. Pollution is a ticking time bomb that has and will further change this planet forever. China is the world's worst polluter and has “committed, for the first time, to limiting its emissions”. The United States at a close second in the world for pollution has stated that it will “double the pace at which [they] will cut [their] emissions.” This is a critical step in saving our planet, and helping to stop the increasing climate change, and natural disasters increasing strength , along with many other negative effects that are spawned from pollution. If governments stepped in like this for other issues, the world would likely be in a healthier state. A issue that would be greatly helped is overfishing, if the government placed laws on the quantity of fishers or amount of fish caught, much marine life wouldn’t be spiraling into extinction for human consumption. See how you can help push the government to handle this issue by going to http://overfishing.org/.
ReplyDeleteThis is very well written and is backed up skillfully with relevant evidence.
DeleteI agree with Alex. Our everyday lives affect the world. I have heard the we are turning the ocean into acid, and it could be because we are having that bonfire or watching that new episode of Criminal Minds. That all affects us one way or another. If it has not affected you yet, just you wait. And like Alex said, If the government stepped in with more issues… That I think would be great but the government can't just make a problem disappear, that is why we need to be more efficient and less lazy in our lives. Go to http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/ to see how much you damage the world and how you can help.
DeleteI agree with Alex on his point regarding our actions having consequences. If we don't watch ourselves now, what will be left for generations to come? I hadn't considered the threat of overfishing, though. Your link to it has given me some powerful insight onto a problem larger than it seems.
DeleteI agree and I really liked how you brought up the over fishing issue, because it is true that there should be laws to preserve marine life. I also liked how you used "ticking time bomb" because it represented how time is counting down, and if we don't do something about it pollution will explode and infect the planet.
DeleteI can definitely say that for me personally global warming was a myth from years seven to 13. Although last year I read a book titled The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. In this book the author talked about many problems on earth that we faced or will face, all caused by us, including global warming. As I was reading through the speech the first thing that came to me was the book and how I sort of brushed off the focus of global warming but after reading this article it almost put me back in line to realize that global warming is a growing problem that in only a short time will be completely irreversible. What happens then because at the point is irreversible the permafrost is essentially gone because the effects of global warming can't be contained which leaves you with 100,000 Alaskans that have been removed from their homes. Luckily in Illinois we have not been affected nearly as much as Alaska but how much longer until we are affected and we are faced with problems like the forest fires in the west? The only way to stop or at least slow down this process is to get more people to notice that everything they do such as forgetting to turn off a light switch is what's causing this major issue. For more visit
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/global-warming-climate-change/threats-impacts/
I agree with Obama that we, the people, are a a main cause for climate change in Alaska and the permafrost layer melting. We need to change it because if this continues the temperatures will rise and this will cause more and more fires which will melt the ice. I am glad that Obama has realized this and is trying to make the change. This is not only causing fires it is causing species to become endangered, for example the polar bears. Their habitat is being affected and they can’t survive in warm weather and their population continues to shrink. Polar bears are not the only animal that is being affected and eventually it can even affect us, the human species. One way we can help is by minimizing pollution,such as minimizing the amount of gas we use from vehicles and factories. If we reduce the amount of everyday pollution we could be on track to stop the permafrost layer from melting and to stop global warming. Think twice before doing something that cause pollution because, remember, that it always leads to something worse.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the urgency of president Obama's speech. I think that him saying "the point is that climate change is no longer some far-off problem," will be eye opening to many (GLACIER speech). I know that lots of people don't really consider global warming an urgent matter, because it doesn't directly affect them yet."Everything will be impacted," everyday lives of all Americans, and people all over the world, will be affected directly and indirectly by global warming (GLACIER speech). I think president Obama's relation of the ice that melts to areas in Washington D.C. is very helpful, I think it clearly explains how important this matter should be to everyone. 75 gigatons of ice is no amount to ignore. I think the quote “Climate is changing faster than our efforts to address it. That, ladies and gentlemen, must change,” summarizes this speech very nicely (GLACIER speech). It shows that global warming is a problem that isn’t going to change itself and that we must do something to affect it. We need to do something as a people to change how we impact our world.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “The Bear on The loose” I have realized the rising temperature in Alaska is causing many problems for the polar ice caps, humans, and animals that live in Alaska. It is threaten homes, damaging transportation and energy infrastructure, which could leave us paying billions of dollars to fix it all. Also from the rising temperature it will affect the food web in Alaska because the oceans are becoming more acidic, fish that many humans and animals eat will begin dying off. Also it is causing more wildfires which are killing many firefighters that go out everyday to save lives and these fires have damaged more than 5 million acres of land just this year! All of these dramatic changes are affecting humans and we will all need to do our part and change the way we live sooner rather than later. Some ways we could slow down global warming is to use solar and wind energy more than carbon emission. We can do this by having more solar panels in homes, stores, and restaurants, and also have more windmills to use the most wind energy as we can. We are having rises in the sea level which will cause more flooding for those who live in Alaska. The pollution is also causing problems killing the animals of the sea and could eventually kill entire species. Also the permafrost melting will cause huge issues. It's letting off carbon into the atmosphere which could kill the entire human race. There are many other issues that are coming about as the temperatures rise and global warming gets worse so we need to change what we are doing as humans to at least slow down the process of this taking effect and hopefully stop it completely.
For more ways to help prevent global warming please go to the following sites
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/gsteps.asp
http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/
I agree with you, these wild fires are eating up a lot of land and people due to the rise in temperatures. And how the sea levels would leave the Alaskans more voneriable to flooding and storms.
DeleteI think that humans are disrupting the climate because the cars that we use are older not as efficient. They create a lot of emissions which in turn causes the climate to change for the better or worse. as obama said at the GLACIER conference “ Over the past 60 years, Alaska has warmed about twice as fast as the rest of the United States.”
ReplyDeleteThe glaciers are melting rapidly compared to earlier this century. the reason that the permafrost layer is melting is because the ground underneath 100,000 Alaskans homes is unstable and could be dangerous for them.
I think that it’s good that the president is taking action in trying to control climate change. By him going out to Alaska and talking to others about what’s been happening and how to stop more from happening it shows that he is trying to fix the problem as best as he can and that he understands that we (the people) need to take charge and try to fix our mistakes. Even though some of the problems come from our everyday lives, were are trying to fix them. We’re trying and succeeding in using more natural material to incorporate into our everyday lives. Even if we were able to decrease the amount of pollution that we create in a day it wouldn’t stop all of our problems. One problem that wouldn’t be completely in our control would be the melting of the of the permafrost layer due to fire. While we can’t make sure their aren’t droughts we can control how many fires there are. We can stop the accidental fires started by cigarettes or unsupervised fires. By doing this, we can make sure there aren’t as many unnecessary fires melting the permafrost layer. Even if it takes a while to fix the problems we have to try. just like president Obama said “ it’s not enough to talk the talk, we’ve got to walk the walk. We’ve got work to do, and we have to do it together. If we all work together there's a better chance that the problem will be fixed.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the president was 100% right. He Stated facts right from the beginning that got you wondering what was causing those problems. As everyone may have known those were us. Global warming is causing this. Of course this could've been prevented but we don't like to listen. “the global economy grew and global carbon emissions stayed flat.” We are the leading cause villages are sinking GIGATONS of ice caps are melting. But at least America is trying to do something, Since Barack Obama has sworn into office America is using 20 times more solar energy than it was before, but it seems as if that is not enough. He was also talking about the permafrost layer. I didn't know what that was but he had luckily explained it. If the permafrost melt the WHOLE WORLD gets destabilized. It also makes it more hard for us to fix the permafrost as it could cost billions of dollars to fix it. Because it is getting hotter its fire season is a month longer which makes it more often where there are forest fires. Same thing for California, but it is already hot in California so it occurs more often. Same for the West. So if it gets hotter than it is, it could happen to us. But we are also causing it. To help we must not burn fossil fuels or release toxic or carbon into the air.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statement regarding the permafrost layer. Fixing it would be a disaster with the amount of money we would have to spend on to fix it. Also the gigatons of ice caps melting hugely affect the natives living there with their villages destroyed, but also the species living there are having their homes destroyed as well, which has and will cause the death of many creatures living there.
DeleteI agree with President Obama. For years this issue has been a topic not familiar to many, but by giving this speech President Obama has turned this into to a huge issue. Humans are 100% to blame for global warming and need to cut down on the many pollutants that ruin our air. Also animals are most affected by this climate change polar bears are moving moe west looking for colder regions. If this continues many animals will go extinct. No one party is not affected in their own way. I believe this clean power plan can be the step in the right direction to cleaning up the earth.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is really scary how climate change is happening. It is crazy how much everyday life for the Alaskans has been affected by climate change. Their seasons are all off and people who rely on fishing for food cannot catch as many fish because they are migrating. It is also crazy how many forest fires there are now. At one point, there were 300 wildfires happening at one time and with these forest fires happening, permafrost is melted. The problem here is that permafrost contains a lot of carbon. When the permafrost melts, carbon is released into the air and into the ozone causing even more problems. It is good to see that Obama is trying to make a difference in this whole situation because it is changing the entire world for the worse. Although there hasn’t been much change here in Crystal Lake, this a very real thing that hopefully we can stop.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that climate change is scary and that we need to do something about it soon. Also it is not just affecting us it is affecting the whole as well.
DeleteI like how you put your thinking in there. I agree that it is scary how the climates changing even though we're not effected here in Crystal lake. It may not be a real problem here but it Definetly is in the world.
DeleteAfter reading about president obama’s plan to stop global warming. I realized that it’s not only the glaciers melting and the waters rising causing floods. It also includes all the heat in the summer the droughts in california and longer wildfires all over the country. It is kind of scary that we have let this happen to the world that we live in and that our children and grandchildren will live in after us and we could let it go to waste. I think that this speech and plan that the president has put forth as an option is beneficial for the world. His plan includes the reduction of carbon pollution from power plants, the expansion of a clean energy economy, the building of clean energy infrastructure, and support and leadership from the federal government. There is more that is in that plan those examples are just a few highlights. I agree that we need do something and this is a good step into that.
ReplyDeleteMany stats to support this can be found on the following websites:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/01/remarks-president-glacier-conference-anchorage-ak
https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change
I too did not realize how much global warming really affects everything and that if we don't start working now, there will be nothing left for our children, grandchildren, and our great grand children. It's great that we realize our faults, and plan to work to make it better.
DeleteI agree and see how much global warming will affect our future generations we need to start working as a whole to stop this problem before it cant be stopped and goes to far.
DeleteI think it is important to have such an influential political figure recognize the potential global warming has to alter our future for the worst. President Obama also realizes that even though our country holds a lot of power, we don’t have the capacity to truly make a change by ourselves. This is vital in provoking worldwide change. Humans are relying too much on carbon-emitting products like cars that impact global warming on a global level. Not to mention, the general inactivity among much of the population that does so little to revoke the problem at hand is not benefiting the cause. The arctic is the leading edge of climate change because of the rapidly rising temperatures that are inarguably causing glaciers to melt and villages to be engulfed by rising waters. The very earth made up of permafrost in the polar regions is melting. This instability of land could lead to billions of dollars of spending in order to restore the destruction of homes, transportation, and more. This heat has also lead to more than a month's increase in Alaska’s wildfire season. Not only are these wildfires destroying Alaska but also the rainforest, Canada, Siberia, and western America. If the dire change being communicated through the President’s speech doesn’t come soon, my whole generation and future generations will be left helpless in irreversible environmental distress. Droughts, rising temperatures, increasing sea levels, and so much more will steadily worsen if today’s people don’t start to take advantage of their power to make a change. Another issue that threatens society is increasing overpopulation. With the shrinking earth mentioned above, there is no benefit to the increasing number of human population.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement on humans being too dependent on resources that are damaging the environment, and that overpopulation is a problem. I also liked how you provided an image of what will ensue if we don't do something to change how we're negatively affecting our planet.
DeleteThis article really hits hard. The world is changing, and human activity is not helping in our favor. Climate change is a huge problem, not only in Alaska, but the rest of the world too. However, Alaska is growing to see these effects very rapidly and is being affected in greater ways. The president had expressed great emotion to these effects and clearly believes that this can be changed. I feel as though these effects could be slowed down based on human activity or rather inactivity. Humans need to take charge and make a change before it's too late. If we don't do anything now we will revive the condo quenches later.
ReplyDeleteHere are some articles relating to climate change:
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/2015-could-become-warmest-year-19453?utm_content=bufferbee81&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/
I think that we need to stop and at least slow climate change and global warming. When we burn fossil fuels it releases gasses into the atmosphere and then more light shines into the artic and it melts the permafrost. Human activity also changes the climate, because if you start a fire in the wilderness and it spreads into a wild fire, then it’s been influenced by humans. If the permafrost layer keeps melting then the carbon will rise to the surface and begin to burn and release more gases into the atmosphere so more burns. The more gasses that get into the atmosphere, the dryer our plant becomes and more droughts and fires appear, like in California. It affects us because a drought or and forest fire could affect Crystal Lake. We can all make a difference by driving energy efficient cars and walking, we could also use renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteHere are some links for other issues in our world.
http://www.overpopulation.org/
http://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html
I agree, we need to try to slow down climate change and global warming. Those two things are definitely problems in our world.
DeleteI agree on all of your points you made here, I also checked out the websites you posted at the end and they were pretty interesting, I feel like our nation is headed in the right direction when it comes to stopping/slowing down Climate change it's just a matter of time.
DeleteI agree with when u said we need to slow down climate change. Everyone says we need to completely stop climate change but we need to think realistically and focus on slowing it down.
DeleteI found the article to be a very interesting and powerful way to convey our impact on climate change. There is no doubt that humans are the cause of climate change, through all of the carbon put into the atmosphere from factories and other items we use every day. We are affecting the Arctic the most, and this is what is hurting the planet most. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the global average, which is causing rising and more acidic sea levels and unstable Arctic permafrost. This change in the Arctic also leaves the people who live there in hopeless situations, from local economies failing due to fishing migrations to the melting permafrost that threatens to wipe out towns. Depleting permafrost releases more carbon in the air, which leads to more forest fires in not only Alaska, but also in the Pacific Northwest and even the rainforests in South America. While this affects people living in the Arctic now, it is also affecting us. Rising carbon levels there means a higher global temperature. However, we can still help this issue and avoid further harm. President Obama has teamed up with major power corporations around the country to enforce his Clean Power Plan. This plan is supposed to cut carbon emissions by 32 percent by 2030. We can do a lot too, by using less electricity in our homes (which reduces carbon emissions and electric bills) and using energy-efficient ways to be transported. Making a difference is as simple as that.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this speech by our President Barack Obama,it is clear that a source of action must take place if we are to stop this already opposing threat. Alaska over the course of sixty years has warmed twice as fast as the global average. This is a very alarming fact because our culture is as already seen by the forest fires in California and in the West. Reducing the amount of Carbon pollution being dumped from power plants has already shown significant results. In the speech President Obama said that we are back to where we were twenty years ago by how much Carbon emissions we are using which shows that we are making a difference by converting to wind and solar energy. The melting of glaciers has impacted the Natives to the Arctic which will result in about a six to twelve degree difference. Everybody can make a difference by using less time in the shower or not leaving the sink on. A great link to help conserve the amount of water used is eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm. Even after reading this article, I feel hopeful and glad to hear that our president and others are being made aware of the danger and finding out how to prevent these problems.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great how president Obama is truly trying to make a difference in the world with the climate change. It is very crazy how much human activity is changing the climate and disrupting how our earth functions. It's so weird to think how the problem of climate change was never made such a big deal until now. I'm glad that it is because this is an issue that needs to be solved and it's great someone is finally stepping in. The climate change is causing many, many problems like melting of glaciers and permafrost that is causing floods and the temperature rising way too much in the arctic. Due to the temperature rising it could cause many problems in the next few years. High heat is not good during the summer and this could be an issue. One website i found that related to global isssues is this http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-change-and-global-warming Overall, climate change is is a very big issue that needs to be stopped.
ReplyDeleteClimate change is an important issue that the entire world has been experiencing for many years, but is now a true conflict. As humans, we use a lot of energy, putting high levels of Carbon and other harmful gases into the atmosphere. The Arctic area of the Earth is the most affected as of now, which means the permafrost layers are melting. If the layers of ice are melting, then the sea levels are rising, which would cause the Alaskan villages to get washed up. This climate change is causing extreme heat and drought to areas of America, which will get worse and strongly affect our agriculture and economy if we don’t act now. President Obama states that we are not acting fast enough many times in his speech, and he is right. We really need to become more involved in the help of solving this issue, since we are the main cause. We can all turn off lights after we leave a room and keep things not in use unplugged. The following website can be viewed to show other ways to help save this planet: http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/gsteps.asp
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you say that we aren't acting fast enough because we don't really think about what we are doing and how much it is affecting the world until we see a video and article like this.
DeleteIt is clear that climate change is a real, right now issue that needs to be addressed. Obama made it clear that if we don’t start changing our ways as a culture, then climate change will continue to wreak havoc on the shorelines in Alaska, shrinking them, threatening homes, transportation and the energy infrastructure. This puts the people at risk, and could cost us billions. The reason why all of this is happening is because of our massive overproduction of carbon and other gases, that create the greenhouse effect, gradually trapping more heat year after year in the atmosphere. This increase in temperature is also the reason why California has had so many wildfires, the heat dries out the trees, making them more susceptible to fire. Scientists predict that in century the temperature will increase by six to twelve degrees, creating even more problems. In order to stop this from happening, we all need to do our part of conserving energy, through gasless activities like biking, walking and switching off lights. Obama may be leading his own Clean Power Plan, but we need to do our part too to save the future of the air, forests and the Arctic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Obama is making his own case on how to help change the world for the better, but we also need to do our own things to help. I think you should have added more on how the climate change will affect wildlife.
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DeleteClimate change is an issue that is currently going on and needs to be dealt with. Obama states that we need to deal with this now and find a solution. Ice and permafrost are melting fast, and people houses are being threatened because of it. As the climate changes more natural disasters occur costing us lives and money. Reducing the greenhouse gases that cause the climate change will make a major difference. The change is also harming wildlife, like polar bears. Many of the animals in Alaska are used to, and are supposed to live in the Alaskan cold climate, but as temperatures rise this can hurt the health of the animals and how they hunt because of the ice melting. The climate change is not just hurting Alaska, it’s hurting the entire world. In California, more and more wildfires are erupting and stronger then ever. That is because of the rise in temperature, making the trees and plants more susceptible to start on fire.Overall, Obama’s plan can’t be the only one to help the Earth, we need to help too. We can reduce, reuse, and recycle. We can cut down on using fuel and electricity. If everyone chips in and helps we can all change the world for the better.
When I read President Obama’s speech on Climate Change, I was very pleased. Our planet is being impacted by the threat of climate change and it’s entirely our fault. Human activity such as, pollution is disrupting our climate. Greenhouse gas emissions are entering our atmosphere because of human actions like, burning fossil fuels, solid waste, and certain chemical reactions like the manufacture of cement. Industrial processes, agricultural and industrial activities and the biggest problem, power plants are also some of our activities that are negatively impacting the environment. The Arctic is the leading edge of climate change, and that’s because, temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as the global average and this threatens the very lifestyle of Alaskans and all organisms that live in the Arctic. It’s especially significant that the permafrost layer is melting because, the permafrost layer is the layer that is holding up Alaska. If this layer were to melt it would negatively change the way Alaskans live, affect homes, transportation, infrastructure and can result in costly repairs. These massive changes in climate are causing forest fires all over Alaska. There have been fires burning across an area the size of Massachusetts, putting people and animals in danger. Because of the warming of our planet, 75 gigatons of ice are melting per year and is causing catastrophic floods. Alaska takes up such so much land that, the changes in climate in this area are resulting in disastrous droughts in neighboring regions such as the drought in California that is currently occurring. This issue is affecting me because as president Obama earlier stated, “Climate change is not a problem for another generation. Not anymore.” This is a serious problem. Climate change is affecting our very lifestyle and it’s our actions that are causing these destructive changes in our environment. In order to ensure the safety of future generations, we have to act now, we can’t push this off any longer. It’s the little thing that can make a difference in climate change. You could carpool and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases or cut the amount of energy you use in your home. This is a big issue and everybody needs to help. Although your actions may be small, you can help make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article I realized that Global warming is a serious problem. If it continues People who live in certain towns are in serious danger. I never realized the climate change could cause forest fires and that there was a whole season called fire season due to weather causing forest fires. If temperatures continue to rise I fear that the forest fires will be too big for the fire fighters to extinguish and that more fire fighters will die. The part about the permafrost is what made me think the most. These forest fires are melting and burning the gasses in the permafrost which is only causing the global warming to get worse. This is a horrible cycle that we need to stop so our generation and future generations wont have to worry about global warming. We can make a difference and try to low global warming by using solar powered things and energy efficient cars, walking and biking places.
ReplyDeleteI like that the President did that speech because not many people are doing something to help the climate change even though it’s a big issue. I like that he is making laws on the pollution so this problem can be fixed. Human activity is disrupting the climate change by the factories use of pollution and also are cars use pollution. Some stuff that humans do use a good amount of pollution. I think that the Arctic is the leading edge is because there temperatures don’t really differ but right now their temperatures are getting a lot warmer so the most changes are being made (ex:Glaciers melting). The permafrost layer being melted matters because it shows that Carbon is being let into the air which help plants but hurts us because of pollution. The crazy weather is affecting the West side of the country with all of these forest fires and the less rain is causing a drought in California. This problem affects me because it could change how I live my future. If I make a make a commitment to lessen my use of pollution and other climate destroying things then I can live a nice future. If I refuse to do these things my future could end up with a lot of bad storms,tornadoes,heatwaves, and more. To find out how much climate change is affecting the world vist this website: http://climate.nasa.gov/. I like it because it shows how big this problem is and how fast I can fix it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Obama on the fact that our changing environment will impact us negatively if you do not act now to change it. Because of humans overly using natural resources such as Carbon, the pollution from that is causing the Glaciers to melt at a rapid place. If we do not stop this soon, the melting will speed up and there will be even more negative effects such as droughts and wildfires. Personally though, I believe that droughts are the biggest threat to us in the future, because it will affect our food and water supply. I believe that we should listen to Obama in his plans to cut down on our use of natural gasses and look for better alternatives to use. Thanks to the article on Obama’s plans for stopping global warming I have realized the importance of protecting the environment and what the long term effects would be if we didn’t.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the fact that you said that droughts are the biggest treat to us in the future because of the fact that it will affect our food & water supply. The results of droughts would definitely affect the ways in which we would live because for example, things like produce may not be as readily available so the prices could dramatically increase causing other variables to not go along as smoothly. I think that climate change is most definitely a negative chain reaction if we don't come up with a solution quick enough.
DeleteI agree with you about how wildfires are a bigger threat because there are so many animals that we need and without them we have no food. Every animal goes through the food web and/or chain. Each animal either has to eat another animal or plants and well, either way they both would be gone. The rain forest helps supply us with water too with the rivers and streams. With the fires, they could very quickly dry out all the sources of water we have.
DeleteI am happy to hear that obama is working to help prevent climate change, and in such a fast and thoughtful way. We are using too many harmful gases and pollution, this doesn't just affect us but the whole world. As the permafrost starts melting more and more of the land is slipping into the water. Obama states in his speech that “Since 1979, the summer sea ice in the Arctic has decreased by more than 40 percent -- a decrease that has dramatically accelerated over the past two decades. One new study estimates that Alaska’s glaciers alone lose about 75 gigatons -- that’s 75 billion tons -- of ice each year.” We can help change this by producing less harmful carbon pollution, Obama went over ways to accomplish this goal. One way was to increase the use of solar panels and windmills. But a way that everyone can get involved is to just limit the amount of energy we use daily in our homes. Just by taking simple steps we are able to help save not just the arctic but the whole world little by little.
ReplyDeleteFor more information about how to get involved go to http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/gsteps.asp
I agree with you on the this. Obama made a great choice on helping to shove this problem. It is true us humans are causing a lot of problems and making climate change worse.
DeleteI liked all the stats that you used. I also like how u added a link at the bottom to support your last sentence of working together. This is a very good response!
DeleteObama’s speech was very well written, and included a very large number of facts about climate change I hadn’t heard before. All the different ways of producing energy, and even landfills produce enough greenhouse gasses to cause climate change. Alaska is the leading edge of climate change, because it has the most visible effect. The melting glaciers “lose about 75 gigatons” each year, and it is increasing over the years. The warming is causing hotter temperatures than ever seen before and in turn are causing drought, and drier forest more prone to wildfires. Climate change has a huge effect on our entire generation. If we don’t do anything to combat the effects, we will have to live with those effects our entire lives. This could mean less land to live on, because of rising waters, and even in the long run having to deal with the polluted air the same way china does, by wearing masks so you can’t breath the air. The ever increasing amount of technology used in our daily lives is not going to go down, and with more and more tech being made every day, it will most likely go up. One thing that interests me is looking into a better energy source, so with the ever increasing use of energy, we won't have as much pollution. The Renewable Northwest Project is trying to harness other forms of energy to use, such as geothermal, solar, wave, and wind power. Their project website can be found at: http://www.rnp.org/project_map.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama made multiple good points in his GLACIER speech. It’s crucial that countries work together and major political figures start to draw attention to this dangerous situation. Climate change has been a looming threat of disaster for decades, and we can no longer ignore it. Everyone seems to know this issue, yet there isn’t nearly enough action taking place to resolve it, even though this is a problem that has a monumental domino effect on political and economical systems too. It’s also well known that humans are undeniably responsible for this situation. The amount of pollution dumped into our environment today is overwhelming. The Arctic is already showing the major effects of climate change that will soon spread to the rest of the world. As Arctic temperatures rise twice as fast, global temperatures begin to climb as well. The melting permafrost “destabilizes the earth on which 100,000 Alaskans live, threatening homes, and damaging transportation and energy infrastructure.” (GLACIER speech). The warmer climate is also worsening the draughts and forest fires everywhere, especially in the western United States. I live in the Midwest, right next to this area. The fires combined with deforestation leads to more endangered species, which destroys more land, and even though we keep killing the one planet we have, the space we create still isn’t enough to change the fact that we are overpopulating the Earth. These changes aren’t just something for someone else to deal with. Eventually, they will affect everyone’s daily life if people don’t start trying to change how they treat the environment. For example, cars can be used for years. Just buying a more eco-friendly car is a step towards helping to preserve the environment for future generations.
ReplyDeleteThis link provides more info on major developments in climate change:
http://climate.nasa.gov
I agree with Obama on this one, these are not future generation’s problems these are our problems and we need to act now. We have so much pollution in the world today that we need to cut down on it. I’m glad he brought this up because it really is a big issue in today's society; These type of messages can motivate a ton of people to get involved in helping the environment world-wide. I feel as if the actual steps he’s taking to lower all the pollution will be good for example, “he’s working with states and power companies to make sure they have the flexibility to cut down this pollution, all the while lowering energy bills, ensuring reliable service, and paving the way for the new job-creating innovations that help America lead the world forward.” This affects us in many way; we, the new generation, are going into this world and we need to help it just as much as the generations before us have started to do. Right now I am most concerned on Climate change, I know there are huge issues other than this but I feel as if this one needs to be addressed ASAP.
ReplyDeleteI checked out a few Environmental websites below.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php
http://www.nrdc.org/issues/ - This one had some really good points.
I believe once we all officially start our adulthood there will be a lot of progress done on this topic, but until then we can continue educating ourselves on many global issues.
After reading Obama's speech on global warming due to man made carbon emissions, Instead of taking what Mr. Obama said as fact, due to my own research. I have found out, the climate has changed dramatically throughout each century, even before man could emit carbon. Even though Mr. Obama says there is nothing we can do to deny that global warming is caused by man, we can deny it, because It is highly disputed that human carbon emissions caused global warming. Based off of Mister Obama's statements, he believes The arctic is the leading edge of climate change because of temperatures there have raised twice as fast in the last 60 years. Based on the text, the permafrost layer melting Matters because it will effect the way Alaskans live, their means of transportation, and could end up costing our nation billions of dollars. The article relates man made carbon emissions to forest fires in the west, because it supposedly links to global warming. This article effected me, by giving me another side on weather human carbon emissions link to global warming. I don't believe i can do anything to make a difference, because i don't think humans are causing global warming in the arctic.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great idea that they're finally putting more focus towards the climate change problem. Human activity disrupts the climate and creates more dilemmas, this is affecting 100,000 of Alaskans. Not just them but everyone single person on the world. Climate change affects our lives and if we don't do anything about it we're going to regret it. It damages homes, transportation and energy infrastructure which causes billions dollars to fix. This problem cannot be solved over night this is a process that everyone needs to part take on.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. Pollution and global warming have been a large issue for quite a while now. I am pleased to know that the United States is going to make some big changes to lower our country's impact on the environment. If we all chip in we can truly make the world a better and safer place without the threat of pollution and global warming.
DeleteWhile climate change and global warming have been an issue for the longest time, it’s good to see one of the most influential people in the world discuss it and it’s relevance to our real life. When talking about issues like these, it’s easy to question why it should even trouble us: why would I care about global warming? However, President Obama does a great job of answering that question by reminding us of the importance of our Earth and the need to keep it in good condition for the next generations to come. He mentioned the consequences of a polluted world: houses lost, destroyed land, scarcer resources such as food and water. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how these big issues can affect individuals. If I did have a complaint, it would be the the lack of ideas going towards our improvement. I would love to be an active participant in creating a less-polluted world, but how am I supposed to do that? If you use the following link here you will find many different ways to prevent the pollution Obama mentioned in his speech and to some other issues that affect our Earth: http://www.ecoants.com/stoppollution.html .
ReplyDeleteI think it is about time that we try to help our planet. We always have just thought about and said we would help but we haven't and like Obama said "It's happening now. Today," and we need to make an effort now before it's too late. Humans are hurting the atmosphere with all the carbon monoxide which makes holes in the layer that protects us from the dangerous rays of the sun. The more power plants and cars that we have the more holes in that layer which means more heat. This heat wave is melting the glaciers and the permafrost layer which is starting to kill the polar animals, fish and human structures like houses. With the permafrost layer melting, it is letting more carbon out into the air and more water in the sea. In a decade we could have floods everywhere on earth. The sun rays is also so hot that it is making our forests go up in flames killing animals and people;which is putting more carbon into the air. If this keeps going on, in the close future we may not have anymore trees limiting clean air and animals. If everyone used solar and wind energy for everything then we could start a chain reaction and our world would get better. The only problem is, is that we need to start making these changes now and everyone has to be on board. We can't even have one slacker because they can do so much damage even if by themselves.
ReplyDeleteWe already have so many endangered species and if we keep going at this rate, we wont have an animals left on Earth. That means no meat and no food for other animals. The food chain would be demolished and that is what every animal follows.
Without Alaska's glaciers and permafrost layer, there would be no more coldness. The cold air from Alaska and cold water goes up to the U.S.A and the rest of the world. Without Alaska we all would be screwed.
More information about what the carbon monoxide is doing to our atmosphere check out the link below.
http://www.theozonehole.com/fact.htm
Obama's plan to help prevent climate change is very important. I think we all need to do our part so that we can live in a better and safer world. Obama has a very good point when he says that we need to clean up the world for upcoming generations, because our future is them and for them to succeed they can't be worrying about a problem that we can be fixing right now. We need to be doing everything we can to make our planet clean and safe. Human activity adds chemicals to the air and causes pollution, which disrupts the climate. A large part of the world that is affected by this is the Arctic. The permafrost layer is now melting and overtime will cause the sea levels to rise and cause flooding. The climate change is also causing other issues such as the drought and forest fires in California and the West. To make our contribution to help prevent climate change, we could try to make our community use less harmful chemicals and make sure we aren't causing pollution. Before doing things we need to ask ourselves if what we are doing is harmful to the Earth. By making simple changes in our lives and community, we can make a big change. If everyone makes a contribution to preventing climate change, then we can save the world. This will happen gradually, but there will be change.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading President Obama's speech about his recent visit to Alaska, it really brought to my attention the massive impact we have as humans on our Earth, especially the ever-so-changing climate. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising rather rapidly, about twice as fast as the global average over the past few decades. And if we don't start working fast enough, the end result will be irreversible. President Obama says time after time in his speech that we aren't working fast enough to emphasize the fact that if we don't work faster and better to improve our daily lifestyles, it will only affect ourselves. The Earth is changing, which means that we have to start making changes too, before it's too late. Humans are using dangerous amounts of harmful gases and polluting which is contributing to this major global warming issue. Ice is melting, water levels are rising, wildfires are burning. This not only affects the United States, but the whole world, too. We can slow down this problem if we understand that this is an issue caused by us, and an issue that can only be resolved by us. Cutting down on our energy usage just a little bit at a time won't completely save the world, but it can help us take a step closer to creating a better home and planet for future generations.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading Obamas speech about global worming I always though it was something that was never going to effect me, and didn't really. Now that I know about the statistics of what is happening on our earth it seems to be a more pressing issue. We use too many gases and pollute way to much in this earth. It is easy to tell because the arctic is warming twice as fast as we predicted. As the permafrost starts to melt our glaciers lose about 75 billion tons of ice each year. I think Obama talking about how how the use of windmills and solar panels instead of harmful carbon gases is a beneficial alternative hat we should take action to. I think if everyone was to chip in to help the cause then I think we would have better chances saving our Earth.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I didn't really know about how much global warming was affecting the earth until seeing the statistics. If we start using the windmills and solar panels, that will help the global warming slow down or even stop it.
DeleteI love your response and agree with everything stated. Although do you have a prefrence on what we could do to help?
DeleteObama’s plan to stop global warming is very important and it’s something we as as nation really need to start to help or put in a little effort. After reading the speech obama presented it showed me how much the rising temperature in Alaska is causing problems. For example the polar ice caps, humans, and animals that live there are having problems. It is threatening homes, damaging transportation and energy infrastructure, which could leave us paying billions of dollars to fix it all. Also The climate change is causing drought ( water loss) and forest fires in California. Personally I never thought I would have to worry about global warming. I thought it was just an “in the future” type of thing but , Now that i know of all the problems it is causing i’m actually beging to stress. So i believe Obama is correct and we need to start making a change fast. To make our contribution to help, we could try to make our community use less harmful chemicals and make sure we aren't causing pollution and just that simple step could change the outcome by a lot.
DeleteI liked this article, it was interesting. Human activity is heating up alaska’s climate.This affects me because if the climate is changing its gonna change how I live. If the permafrost is melting then the soil will become more uneven which will cause the structures and roads to become damaged. If this happens then it will cost millions to rebuild. The temp's in Alaska are rising twice as fast as in the rest of the United States. Due to this climate change there has been more wild fires that have started because it was to hot for the trees and plants to handle.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching President Obama's speech on Climate Change I felt very motivated to make a change in the way that we live as Americans. It is obvious that this growing problem called climate change is real and 100% our fault. It is researched that if we keep doing harmful things like burning fossil fuels and other industrial activities our world will become more and more harmful as will as disastrous. These actions have caused major problems for our environment; forest fires, species becoming endangered (because of their habitat being changed), long droughts, very high temperatures in the summer, etc. We can’t keep polluting our Earth; there needs to be some huge changes made and that has to start now. Human activity is infact negatively disrupting the way that our world is working. To benefit the health and safety not only of today's generation but generations to come, it’s crucial for us to find smart solutions to cut out the massive amounts of pollution that we are emitting into the air. The human population can start with small steps such as riding your bike instead of driving places because the gas from the cars is contributing to the problem of climate change. Another easy solution is to simply turn off the in a room when you leave. Remember, every little bit of effort you put into saving our earth is going to help make a big change in the long run, so think twice before doing something that may cause pollution. By decreasing the amount of pollution in the air, the rate at which the permafrost layer is melting will hopefully decrease as well. I feel that people in my area are not as aware of this problem because we are not as affected by climate change such as places like California and Alaska.
ReplyDeleteWell what I got out of this article was a few key points and ideas but it all came down to one thing, stop global warming. I did know about how the ice glaciers were melting but they are melting faster than I ever would have guessed. Plus with forest fires in Alaska that reach the size of Massachusetts, and that's not including Canada which then equal fires the size of the whole state of New York. At the very least if what Obama said was true that America one of the biggest factors in this mess, is doing its part to stop Florida from being submerged. Hopefully when Trump becomes president he will at least keep what Obama started here and keeps on going with it.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Obamas speech, I realized how much the climate is changing and affecting us. According to the article, in the last 50 years the weather is increasing twice as fast. This is causing fire because its getting to hot. The artic has been predicted to increased 12 degrees if nothing is do about it. The water has raised about 8 inches already and expected to rise 4 more before the century ends.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if everything was wrong, but we can help and prevent this to keep happening. Obama said that we need to stop using energy from carbon and start using more natural energy resources such as electric energy from the wind and the sun. If all the countries start doing this together it will benefit us all, not just with helping the environment but also because its been proven that you save more money by doing this. In conclusion I think Obamas speech should inspire people to collaborate more on this things to help the planet.
This speech was very powerful, it showed how Obama is doing things against carbon emissions, and how he really cares about the climate. In Alaska, 75 megatons of ice are melting each year, and temperatures are rising higher than the global average. If this trend continues, there will be massive repercussions for everyone. More wildfires, more droughts, more floods, and rising sea levels, among other things. All of this, caused by humans. It is estimated that each year humans release 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. This is a staggeringly high amount, and something needs to be done about it. If nations do not start reducing this output level soon, this might become irreversible. Rising sea levels could leave abandoned cities, droughts could plague the earth, and more things too terrible to even think about. Humans need to start doing more to prevent that from happening. If everyone changes their ways just a little, we can make a massive difference. Whether it’s using less electricity, water, or natural gas, we can all do something to make a difference. We can reverse this, if we all work together, to change the future of the planet.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree that pollution is a very serious issue in America, I question pollution’s significance in the problem of global warming. After reading this I wondered to myself "What about the ice age?" and "Hasn't the world gone through these warming and cooling cycles before?". I decided to do some research and found that the world has gone through at least 5 major ice ages and that we are still technically in one now. My thoughts are that the Earth is still recovering from the past ice age and only part of the Earth's warming is from pollution. Although I don't feel like pollution is warming the Earth substantially, I still see that pollution can become a major issue, so it must be stopped early. I am pleased to see that our country is taking the necessary steps to help the environment. I hope that President Obama follows through and continues to take strides to reduce pollution, so that we may one day live in a world without the burden of pollution.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading bear on the loose i think it is important that we have the president looking to figure out and try to fix the the global warming issue.The global warming issue is not only melting glaciers and causing floods it's also affecting the u.s like droughts in California and more/longer wildfires.the food web will be affected because the water is changing with fish dying off humans and many animals will have a small amount of fish to eat and survive off of.With all of these dramatic changes all coming from global warming we need to find ways as a world together to fix the global warming issue.
ReplyDeletePollution and global warming are a growing problem all across the world. I believe it’s important that me are finally taking global warming seriously. Humans are unaware on how much they affect climate change. They drive cars, use electricity and support companies dumping dangerous green house gases in our air. Not only are humans putting their own life in danger, they are also putting wildlife's habits and life in danger. It makes sense that the arctic is the leading edge of climate change, because since it is normally very cold the arctic is getting the worst effect of global warming. In the arctic, the glaciers are melting, the ice is cracking and the wildlife is becoming endangered. If the permafrost layer melts there is a chance that it won’t refreeze which means entire glaciers well melt, causing rise in sea level. Rise in sea level can lead to contamination of our fresh water and floods to big cities. Not only is global warming affecting the arctic, it is affecting states in the U.S too. The drought and forest fires in California are directly connected to global warming. When there is consecutively hot weather because of global warming it cause dryness, which is the cause of droughts and forest fires. This needs to stop, some ways to help prevent global warming are walking or biking to places to avoid using gas or turning off electronics and lights when you leave a room. But maybe the most important thing people need to do is move towards the use of renewal and cleaner forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and plant based fuels. http://www.wunderground.com/resources/climate/melting_permafrost.asp?MR=1
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ReplyDeletehttp://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/truth-about-gmos
I read in the Time magazine article that many countries in Europe were going to ban the use of GMOs. They claimed they wanted to keep their reputations clean and also that GMOs had not lived up to their hype. These countries opting out of using GMOs has put the European Union in a tough spot where they might have to go back and require more testing. I think we should use GMOs because they will help end world hunger and are not as bad as people are saying they are. I mean the United States has had GMOs approved for the last 21 years and nothing bad has happened. I think it should be up to the people; if they want to eat GMOs then let them but companies should be required to label their boxes if they contain GMOs. I would say no GMOs are not worse than pesticides and no I would not try to avoid giving GMOs to my kid. This is the world we live in and we will need to rely on GMOs in the future.