Download What is the rot cause of your chosen environmental issue? f the root

# What is the rot cause of your chosen environmental issue?
f the root cause is not dealt with, then it is easy to be caught up with trying to deal with secondary and
tertiary problems arising from the root problem, which is rather senseless.
Global warming, air pollution, contamination of the rivers and seas, and recycling are all typical examples of
secondary problems.
There is a single root cause to all global environmental problems and that is the meaningless and useless
striving of people to dominate one another.
This striving to be better than one another militarily, politically, economically, academically, artistically, and
in religion and sport is nothing but nonsense. And, it is the root cause of all environmental problems.
#The link between climate change and biodiversity has long been established. Although throughout Earth’s
history the climate has always changed with ecosystems and species coming and going, rapid climate
change affects ecosystems and species ability to adapt and so biodiversity loss increases.
From a human perspective, the rapid climate change and accelerating biodiversity loss risks human security
(e.g. a major change in the food chain upon which we depend, water sources may change, recede or
disappear, medicines and other resources we rely on may be harder to obtain as the plants and forna they
are derived from may reduce or disappear, etc.).
Climate change is already having an impact on biodiversity, and is projected to become a
progressively more significant threat in the coming decades. Loss of Arctic sea ice threatens
biodiversity across an entire biome and beyond. The related pressure of ocean acidification,
resulting from higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is also already being
observed.
Ecosystems are already showing negative impacts under current levels of climate change …
which is modest compared to future projected changes…. In addition to warming temperatures,
more frequent extreme weather events and changing patterns of rainfall and drought can be
expected to have significant impacts on biodiversity.
— Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010), Global Biodiversity Outlook 3,
May, 2010, p.56
# Where is it occurring?
The past half-century has seen an explosive growth in aquatic dead zones, areas too low in dissolved oxygen
to support life.
Aquatic dead zones often occur near high human population density. Source (including larger image): NASA
Earth Observatory.
Around the world, coral reefs have been dying largely due to climate change.
Coral bleaching results in white, dead-looking, coral. Healthy coral is very colorful and rich with marine life.
At the beginning of September, 2009, the Australian agency looking after the Great Barrier Reef released an
outlook report warning the Great Barrier Reef is in trouble.
But it is not just the Great Barrier Reef at risk. All of them are at risk, says Charlie Veron, an Australian
marine biologist who is widely regarded as the world’s foremost expert on coral reefs.
“The future is horrific”, he says. “There is no hope of reefs surviving to even mid-century in any form that
we now recognize. If, and when, they go, they will take with them about one-third of the world’s marine
biodiversity. Then there is a domino effect, as reefs fail so will other ecosystems. This is the path of a mass
extinction event, when most life, especially tropical marine life, goes extinct.”
Coral reefs provide many ecosystem services to humans as well, for free. This site’s page on coral reefs goes
into these issues in more depth.
# Why is this this occurring?
Global temperatures are expected to increase 3.5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050, and there is a 1-in-10
chance that the increase could be far worse, a risk that many experts believe is too great to ignore.
Rising temperatures will alter global weather patterns that have a direct effect on water supplies and
agriculture. Deserts will expand, the frequency and severity of droughts and deadly heat waves will
increase, and snow will disappear in most areas—except on the very highest mountain peaks.
Sea levels worldwide are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches by 2100, and will continue to rise for at
least the next 1,000 years.
Fierce storms, such as hurricanes, will become more frequent and more floods will occur, due to rising sea
levels and heavier rainfall in some areas.
Continuing global warming will also lead to a rise in many diseases that are deadly to humans. Flooding will
contaminate water supplies in some areas, giving rise to infectious diseases. Rising temperatures will also
increase the range and breeding grounds of mosquitoes and other disease-bearing insects, exposing more
people to diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis.
# What is being done or can be done to handle this environmental problem?
Handling environmental problems oftentimes is a complex issue, involving input from a variety of agencies
and including the general public. Environmental problems of themselves are often complicated, especially
when the source of the issue is not easily identified. Often, an environmental problem does not exist in
isolation. Rather, it can be part of a complicated chain of issues, each with its own impact. Another factor
complicates environmental problems---people. Most pollution is caused by human activities. Therefore, a
solution may involve restrictions or cessations of certain activities.
Instructions
1. Identify the specific problem. In order to solve an environmental problem, it must be clearly
defined. This step will allow environmental managers and other agencies to develop an appropriate
solution.
2. Create a plan of action. After identifying the problem, agencies and interested parties can begin
developing a plan for a solution to the environmental problem. A plan creates focus. Each party can have a
clear role in its implementation.
3. Perform initial testing. Testing provides a baseline and means to measure the success or failure of
solutions. Initial testing can include soil and water testing, wildlife inventories and plant surveys.
4. Look for a possible source of the problem. Sometimes, the source of the environmental problem is
evident, as in acidic mine drainage from an abandoned mine contaminating local water resources. Other
times, the source is not clear, as in nonpoint source pollution (NSP) caused by runoff.
5. Attempt to identify the causes by the process of elimination. Consider restricting access to the
affected area to determine if human traffic is causing the issue. Sometimes just reducing the environmental
pressures can allow the land to recover.
6.Retest and resurvey affected sites. As possible causes are eliminated, retest to find out if the effect is
being mitigated. Recovery can occur slowly and not be readily visible. Testing can provide the necessary
information.
7. Investigate possible violations of environmental law. If an industry is the source, for example, state or
federal law may provide the tools necessary to halt the violator. Be aware that environmental issues can be
caused by sources far from the point of impact.
8.Contact legislators to create laws and regulations. The Clean Water Act of 1972, for example, does not
have the provisions within it to regulate sources such as agricultural runoff. Another concern is cost.
Cleanup is often expensive, requiring additional funding.
9. Educate the general public about its effect on the environment. Many environmental issues grow into
problems because of the failure of people to recognize their impact. Environmental problems caused by
continually littering or failure to recycle become greater over time.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5711846_handle-environmental-problems.html#ixzz1FKNFBnL7
# Reflection: What did you learn after completing this assignment and how has it impacted you?
sure your reflection for this assignment is italicized
Make