Most Americans aren't aware that there is a World Environment Day. June 5 of every year since 1972 it has had a different theme. WED is hosted every year by a different city and commemorated with an international exposition. WED of 2005 focused on green cities and included some tips for kids.
Six really important Things I can do as a kid to help the environment
1.Shop locally: Walk to a store near your house, Go to one store for every need instead of driving all around town for 2 different items, if a store like that is to far away then ride a bike or a skateboard etc., By doing these you will already be saving the earth and tons of $.
2.Reduce Recycle Reuse: Reduce the amount of thrash by buying stuff with less packaging. Recycle used plastic, paper, aluminum, and Styrofoam. Reuse old leather, clothing etc.
3. Use less energy you will save Money and the earth: Turn off appliances when you are not using them. It might not make sense to a kid to turn off every light in their house before they leave their house, This is the biggest money saver of all 12, and by turning off all of the lights you will save the earth the sun and us.
4.Eating: If you learn to cook yourself a meal you will be reducing the amount of pollution in the world. Why, because most people in America buy fast food every day and half the people who buy fast food throw the thrash on the ground.
5.Saving trees: Use Sunday comics as wrapping paper
6.Put rotten food in the Compost. Also if you don’t have a compost don’t buy one make one.
Mexico, a country at the crossroads of the Green Economy and one increasingly in the centre of regional and global affairs will host the international 2009 World Environment Day celebrations. The theme chosen by the UN Environment Programme, which coordinates the day on 5 June on behalf of the UN system and the peoples of the world, will be 'Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'.
I encourage everyone to participate by doing any simple thing and raise awareness for World Environment Day. If each person contributes a little then we can all make a difference. =)
Monday, October 13, 2008
mini project #6
Bioterrorism in the United States:
Bioterrorism is terrorism by intentional release of bacteria, viruses or toxins. These may be in a naturally-occurring or in a human-modified form. These are bacteria with a high potential for adverse public health impact. An excellent example of bioterrorism is the anthrax attack of 2001. That is exactly what bioterrorism is, scaring a population of their personal health with deadly toxins. Biological viruses are relatively simple to obtain by terrorists and are becoming a major threat to the United States. The government is working on advanced technology to have early warning systems, and identifying contaminated areas. Methods for predicting the use of biological bacteria in urban areas as well as assessing the area for the hazards associated with a biological attack are being established in major cities. Although the threat of bioterrorism will most likely always be in our society...we can feel confident that it is being observed closely, and hopefully we will always be one step ahead of the biological terrorists. =)
Bioterrorism is terrorism by intentional release of bacteria, viruses or toxins. These may be in a naturally-occurring or in a human-modified form. These are bacteria with a high potential for adverse public health impact. An excellent example of bioterrorism is the anthrax attack of 2001. That is exactly what bioterrorism is, scaring a population of their personal health with deadly toxins. Biological viruses are relatively simple to obtain by terrorists and are becoming a major threat to the United States. The government is working on advanced technology to have early warning systems, and identifying contaminated areas. Methods for predicting the use of biological bacteria in urban areas as well as assessing the area for the hazards associated with a biological attack are being established in major cities. Although the threat of bioterrorism will most likely always be in our society...we can feel confident that it is being observed closely, and hopefully we will always be one step ahead of the biological terrorists. =)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
visitors from many different places...=)
The first turtle we analyzed was the box turtle. Turtles are water animals and tortoises are land animals. The box turtle however also lives on the land and does not have particularly webbed feet to help it swim through the water currents. This box turtle had a patterned shell, which was yellow and black but all in all the shell was rather plain as the turtle was a female. These box turtles are native to Florida.
Tortoise number two was a red foot tortoise native from South America. The flat belly showed us that it was a female as this is a specific feature adapted to the way these tortoises mate. The tortoise moved very slowly, which also gave us a clue it was not a water animal. Although the name suggests that the skin on the tortoise was red, it was actually more brown/grey. This tortoise is a vegetarian and therefore had a soft mouth.
The third turtle was the Central American Wood Turtle. This turtle was very active and seemed rather agitated. It had a pointed mouth, which is perfect for shredding the fish which it eats. Its shell was slightly raised and triangular in shape which would allow it to glide through a water current easily. In appearance this turtle was much brighter with orange and black eyes, and a brown with orange shell.
The Russian tortoise is a vegetarian and has a pointed mouth, perfect for shredding foliage. This tortoise also looks like it may be able to dig as his claws were also long and sharp. When we put him down on the table to look at him he also tried to dig into the wood. He was very heavy , ran very fast, had a yellow/brown shell, but the bottom was completely black.The mud turtle we looked at was only young and therefore very small in size. He had very webbed feet and a triangular shell to glide through water. His face looked completely different to the others as he had a more triangular and stream lined face and mouth. His bottom jaw was very pointed and this shows that he probably eats fish in the water. For camouflage the turtle was green with black spots on his belly. This turtle originates from North America.
The snake neck turtle we saw was a very interesting looking turtle. It lives in the water and is native to Australia. Its neck is very long and uses it to catch fish with since it lives in the water. It also had very webbed feet excellent for swimming and maneuvering its way in the water. It was also very fast so I imagine it is considered a predator in most environments in Australia
The soft shell turtle was also a water turtle, it is native to North America and can be seen in several environments throughout North America. It had a very small pointy little nose, very similar to a straw. It was also very small so it can fit in many places in ponds and lakes. It had a very soft shell which it also flexed and moved every once in a while. Like the snake neck turtle, it had webbed feet and a somewhat long neck but nowhere near the extension of the neck on the snake neck turtle.
Tortoise number two was a red foot tortoise native from South America. The flat belly showed us that it was a female as this is a specific feature adapted to the way these tortoises mate. The tortoise moved very slowly, which also gave us a clue it was not a water animal. Although the name suggests that the skin on the tortoise was red, it was actually more brown/grey. This tortoise is a vegetarian and therefore had a soft mouth.
The third turtle was the Central American Wood Turtle. This turtle was very active and seemed rather agitated. It had a pointed mouth, which is perfect for shredding the fish which it eats. Its shell was slightly raised and triangular in shape which would allow it to glide through a water current easily. In appearance this turtle was much brighter with orange and black eyes, and a brown with orange shell.
The Russian tortoise is a vegetarian and has a pointed mouth, perfect for shredding foliage. This tortoise also looks like it may be able to dig as his claws were also long and sharp. When we put him down on the table to look at him he also tried to dig into the wood. He was very heavy , ran very fast, had a yellow/brown shell, but the bottom was completely black.The mud turtle we looked at was only young and therefore very small in size. He had very webbed feet and a triangular shell to glide through water. His face looked completely different to the others as he had a more triangular and stream lined face and mouth. His bottom jaw was very pointed and this shows that he probably eats fish in the water. For camouflage the turtle was green with black spots on his belly. This turtle originates from North America.
The snake neck turtle we saw was a very interesting looking turtle. It lives in the water and is native to Australia. Its neck is very long and uses it to catch fish with since it lives in the water. It also had very webbed feet excellent for swimming and maneuvering its way in the water. It was also very fast so I imagine it is considered a predator in most environments in Australia
The soft shell turtle was also a water turtle, it is native to North America and can be seen in several environments throughout North America. It had a very small pointy little nose, very similar to a straw. It was also very small so it can fit in many places in ponds and lakes. It had a very soft shell which it also flexed and moved every once in a while. Like the snake neck turtle, it had webbed feet and a somewhat long neck but nowhere near the extension of the neck on the snake neck turtle.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
evolution...in a nut shell.
In biology, evolution is the change of traits in a population of organisms from one generation to the next. There is one major mechanism that drives evolution. That is natural selection, a process causing traits that are helpful for survival and reproduction to become more common in a population, and harmful traits to become more rare. This occurs because individuals with the beneficial traits are more likely to reproduce, so that more individuals in the next generation will inherit these traits. Darwin's Theory of Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers are all related. Darwin's general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic view. That is that complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell, as random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival -- a process known as "natural selection." These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations accumulate and the result is an entirely different organism (not just a variation of the original, but an entirely different creature).
mini project #5
This weeks project was to go to the EPA's web site (www.epa.gov) I had to find the closest Superfund Site to Nova. First I entered all my details so that a map could be formed and then they gave me a color coded key to see where the sites were. it turned out that the closest Superfund Site is the Davie National Resource Recovery in 3250 Field RD FLD984182014. I found this on http://www.cqs.com/super_fl.htm
I also saw a map of Davie with Superfunds on the EPA website. http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/goemp.redirect?appl=wme&cmd=ZoomInByZip&min_x=-80.251293&max_y=26.093835&max_x=-80.199765&min_y=26.045421&selected=
I also saw a map of Davie with Superfunds on the EPA website. http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/goemp.redirect?appl=wme&cmd=ZoomInByZip&min_x=-80.251293&max_y=26.093835&max_x=-80.199765&min_y=26.045421&selected=
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
mini project #4
Genetically Modified Products on the Market today.
We all look back on the back of food packets to check how many calories, or how much fat there is in our food but do we look to see if it has been genetically modified? I don't think we take enough care when choosing food for us to eat as we assume, if it is on the store shelf then it is safe to eat. i found a really great website, the link is posted below, which gives vital information on every genetically modified product out there.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
environmental studies mini project #3
For this next project we are asked to find some of the endangered species in our country of origin..I was brought up in Sweden so here are some of the threatened and endangered species of Scandinavia.
The Gray Wolf- Canis Lupus
The Gray Wolf is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago. DNA sequencing and genetic drift studies indicate that the gray wolf shares a common ancestry with the domestic dog and might be its ancestor. Though once abundant over much of Scandinavia, the gray wolf inhabits a very small portion of its former range because of widespread destruction of its habitat, human encroachment of its habitat, and the resulting human-wolf encounters that sparked broad local extinction. Today, wolves are protected in some areas, hunted for sport in others, or may be subject to extermination as perceived threats to livestock and pets.
The Arctic Fox-Alopex lagopus
The Arctic Fox is also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, it is a small fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The conservation status of the species is good, except for the Scandinavian mainland population. It is acutely endangered there, despite decades of legal protection from hunting and persecution. The total population estimate in all of Norway, Sweden, and Finland is now a mere 120 adult individuals. This population decreased drastically around the start of the 20th century as a result of extreme fur prices which caused severe hunting. The population has remained at a low density for more than 90 years, with additional reductions during the last decade. The total population estimate for 1997 is around 60 adults in Sweden, 11 adults in Finland and 50 in Norway.
European crayfish- Astacus astacus
The European Crayfish was once the most common species of crayfish in Europe, and is a traditional food. Like other crayfish, the European crayfish is restricted to fresh water, living only in unpolluted streams, rivers and lakes. nce abundant in Europe, although it was expensive to buy, and is considered to be the finest edible crayfish. It is, however, susceptible to the crayfish plague carried by the invasive American species Signal Crayfish, and is therefore listed as "vulnerable".
The Basking Shark- Cetorhinus maximus
The Basking Shark is the second largest fish, after the whale shark. It is a slow moving and generally harmless filter feeder. Like other large sharks, basking sharks are at risk of extinction due to a combination of low resilience and overfishing to supply the worldwide market for the shark's fins, flesh and organs. It prefers waters between 8 and 14° C (46 and 57° F). It is often seen close to land and will enter enclosed bays. The shark will follow concentrations of plankton in the water column and is therefore often visible on the surface. They are a highly migratory species leading to seasonal appearances in certain areas of the range. Historically, the basking shark has been a staple of fisheries because of its slow swimming speed, unaggressive nature and previously abundant numbers. Commercially it was put to many uses: the flesh for food and fishmeal, the hide for leather, and its large liver for oil. It is currently fished mainly for its fins (for shark fin soup). Parts (such as cartilage) are also used in traditional Chinese medicine and as an aphrodisiac in Japan, further adding to demand. It is tolerant of boats and divers approaching it and may even circle divers, making it an important draw for dive tourism in areas where it is common.
The Wolverine- Gulo gulo
The Wolverine is the largest land-dwelling species of the weasel family. The wolverine lives primarily in isolated northern areas, for example the arctic and alpine regions. The world's total wolverine population is unknown. The animal exhibits a low population density and requires a very large home range. The range of a male wolverine can be more than 620 km (240 sq mi) while encompassing the ranges of several females. Adult wolverines try for the most part to keep non-overlapping ranges with adults of the same sex. Radio tracking suggests an animal can range hundreds of miles in only a few months.This requirement for large territories brings wolverines into conflict with human development, and hunting and trapping further reduce their numbers, causing them to disappear from large parts of their former range; attempts to have them declared an endangered species have met with little success.
The Harbor Seal- Phoca vitulina
The Harbor Seal is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. Local populations have been reduced or eliminated through outbreaks of disease and conflict with humans, both unintentionally and intentionally. While it is legal to kill seals which are perceived to threaten fisheries in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada commercial hunting is illegal; the seals are also taken in subsistence hunting and accidentally as bycatch in fishing nets. In Sweden stricter protection applies, and it is illegal to kill any seals or any marine mammals.
The Gray Wolf- Canis Lupus
The Gray Wolf is an ice age survivor originating during the Late Pleistocene around 300,000 years ago. DNA sequencing and genetic drift studies indicate that the gray wolf shares a common ancestry with the domestic dog and might be its ancestor. Though once abundant over much of Scandinavia, the gray wolf inhabits a very small portion of its former range because of widespread destruction of its habitat, human encroachment of its habitat, and the resulting human-wolf encounters that sparked broad local extinction. Today, wolves are protected in some areas, hunted for sport in others, or may be subject to extermination as perceived threats to livestock and pets.
The Arctic Fox-Alopex lagopus
The Arctic Fox is also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, it is a small fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The conservation status of the species is good, except for the Scandinavian mainland population. It is acutely endangered there, despite decades of legal protection from hunting and persecution. The total population estimate in all of Norway, Sweden, and Finland is now a mere 120 adult individuals. This population decreased drastically around the start of the 20th century as a result of extreme fur prices which caused severe hunting. The population has remained at a low density for more than 90 years, with additional reductions during the last decade. The total population estimate for 1997 is around 60 adults in Sweden, 11 adults in Finland and 50 in Norway.
European crayfish- Astacus astacus
The European Crayfish was once the most common species of crayfish in Europe, and is a traditional food. Like other crayfish, the European crayfish is restricted to fresh water, living only in unpolluted streams, rivers and lakes. nce abundant in Europe, although it was expensive to buy, and is considered to be the finest edible crayfish. It is, however, susceptible to the crayfish plague carried by the invasive American species Signal Crayfish, and is therefore listed as "vulnerable".
The Basking Shark- Cetorhinus maximus
The Basking Shark is the second largest fish, after the whale shark. It is a slow moving and generally harmless filter feeder. Like other large sharks, basking sharks are at risk of extinction due to a combination of low resilience and overfishing to supply the worldwide market for the shark's fins, flesh and organs. It prefers waters between 8 and 14° C (46 and 57° F). It is often seen close to land and will enter enclosed bays. The shark will follow concentrations of plankton in the water column and is therefore often visible on the surface. They are a highly migratory species leading to seasonal appearances in certain areas of the range. Historically, the basking shark has been a staple of fisheries because of its slow swimming speed, unaggressive nature and previously abundant numbers. Commercially it was put to many uses: the flesh for food and fishmeal, the hide for leather, and its large liver for oil. It is currently fished mainly for its fins (for shark fin soup). Parts (such as cartilage) are also used in traditional Chinese medicine and as an aphrodisiac in Japan, further adding to demand. It is tolerant of boats and divers approaching it and may even circle divers, making it an important draw for dive tourism in areas where it is common.
The Wolverine- Gulo gulo
The Wolverine is the largest land-dwelling species of the weasel family. The wolverine lives primarily in isolated northern areas, for example the arctic and alpine regions. The world's total wolverine population is unknown. The animal exhibits a low population density and requires a very large home range. The range of a male wolverine can be more than 620 km (240 sq mi) while encompassing the ranges of several females. Adult wolverines try for the most part to keep non-overlapping ranges with adults of the same sex. Radio tracking suggests an animal can range hundreds of miles in only a few months.This requirement for large territories brings wolverines into conflict with human development, and hunting and trapping further reduce their numbers, causing them to disappear from large parts of their former range; attempts to have them declared an endangered species have met with little success.
The Harbor Seal- Phoca vitulina
The Harbor Seal is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. Local populations have been reduced or eliminated through outbreaks of disease and conflict with humans, both unintentionally and intentionally. While it is legal to kill seals which are perceived to threaten fisheries in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada commercial hunting is illegal; the seals are also taken in subsistence hunting and accidentally as bycatch in fishing nets. In Sweden stricter protection applies, and it is illegal to kill any seals or any marine mammals.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Environmental Studies 2nd Mini Project
The Carbon CycleCarbon is all around us, every living thing on our planet is made up of carbon. Sunlight is used by plants to make their own food in photosynthesis and to grow. The carbon then becomes part of the plant. Dead plants, organisms ans other waste products turn into fossil fuels made of carbon like coal and oil, this is a process completed over millions of years. Burning fossil fuels emits carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas,which traps heat in the atmosphere. Without it and other greenhouse gases, Earth would be a frozen world. Too much of it however can cause global warming, which researchers are claiming will have huge effects on our planet.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Environmental Studies Mini Project #1
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There are many organizations around the world which promote a safe and healthy environment for humans and animals to live in. Each organization focuses on different aspects of the environment to improve on. Three organizations I researched were Greenpeace, National Resource Defense Council, and the Wild Spots Foundation. Each one presented me with several new and innovative ways to improve the world in which we live in, however I would ultimately choose to join the Wild Spots Foundation. The Wild Spots Foundation is committed to protecting life on earth, and promoting and protecting biodiversity. I think that the Wild Spots Foundation was the best one for me because it was the only organization out of the three which really tried to teach and educate the people around the world about biodiversity and how everyone can live in a peaceful environment.
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