Go to crf-usa.org. Scroll over the tab labeled "Free
Lessons" and click on Bill of Rights in Action. Scroll down until you find
the heading, Environmental Issues Summer. Then click on the current issue:
"Are We Headed for a Sixth Mass Extinction?". Read the article and
answer the following questions.
1.
What do you think
are the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent
species extinction? Why?
2.
The subheading The
Human Impact Today lists some effects that humans have on the environment.
Which one do you believe most greatly affects animals and their habitats? Why?
3.
What are some ways
that people can reduce their impact on the environment? What can you
specifically do?
Go to www.epa.gov and scroll
over the Laws and Regulations tab. Click on Laws and Executive Orders. Then
answer the following question.
4.
Choose one example
of legislation where the primary focus is the protection of animals or their
habitats and cite it with proper MLA format (You can use Noodlebib!). How did
it achieve its goal? What steps did it take to stop the endangerment of the
environment? (Please try to pick a law that not many classmates have written
about)
5.
Read all of your
classmates’ posts and respond to at least one.
Sixth Mass Extinction
ReplyDeleteAre we headed for a “Sixth Mass Extinction”?
1. I think the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction are decreasing human activity. There are a number of human impacts that directly kill off animals and plants. Human activity is said to be increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere which causes global warming. The decrease in human activity would eliminate the excessive amount of CO2. The populations of the species are dying at a much faster rate than usual. The knowledge about awareness of endangered species and global warming should be spread among the world. When people know about the endangered species, they can create suitable habitats and stop the destruction of current habitats. There is a lot that the U.S can do to prevent the extinction but their first priority is to keep human activity to a minimum.
2. The human impact that I believe most greatly affects animals and their habitats is habitat damage and loss. Most habitats include several different species. One damaged habitat kills many living things. When animals lose their habitats they lose their food, shelter, and their ability to reproduce. Species around the world are affected by the loss of their habitat. Therefore, the species dye. Habitat damage and loss is the number one killer of species because it affects multiple species at once. It also is the most common (out of the human impacts listed) in the world. Global warming is one impact that does not greatly affect animals the most because it is a process that takes a longer period to expand. Habitat damage and loss can take place is a matter of days. Global warming is also more of a shared opinion than a known fact.
3. There are several ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment. Some things people can do are decreasing unnecessary building and expansion. They can also be aware of the habitats and species around them. People can also use machines that do not have exhaust or any waste that damages the air. We need to grow more trees and plants. Our agriculture should include more organic techniques. There should also be a limit to the amount of hunting or fishing especially to the species that are already endangered. To help, I can conserve energy and I can be respectful to the species around me. I can also use organic products and recycle used materials. I could grow my own garden to create more food for my family. This way I can decrease the number of times my parents have to use the car to go to the grocery stores. I can decrease my shopping to only when I need something.
4. One example of legislation where the primary focus is the protection of animals or their habitats is the Endangered Species Act ("Summary of the Endangered Species Act." EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Dec. 2012. http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/esa.html). This act achieved its goal by conserving threatened or endangered plants and animals and their habitats. They make sure that federal agencies do not allow actions that would disturb habitats. It also prohibits any taking of a listed endangered species as well as maintaining a worldwide list of endangered species. The steps they took to stop the endangerment of the environment were: providing a program for conservation, maintaining a worldwide list of endangered species, requiring federal agencies to ensure the actions they authorize do not damage any species listed, and prohibiting any action that causes the taking of any listed species.
I think that making precautions in your own home is a great idea! One idea that I really liked you said was to make a garden to get produce from that instead of overstocking at the grocery store. I also like your idea of using organic products. I think that's really smart.
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DeleteI agree on how you think that animals and their habitats are important because when a habitat is destroyed, many different species are killed and destroyed. That kills many species and animals.
DeleteI also liked your idea on how more things should be organic in our environment to help the Earth.
DeleteSixth Mass Extinction
ReplyDeleteAre we headed for "Sixth Mass Extinction"
1.)I think the most important steps the U.S should take to prevent mass extinction is to put limitations of human needs for human activity. By this statement I mean that the government should put limits on the amount of gas we buy. In the U.S we tend to overbuy on things that are not close to running out, which allows the people to buy as much as they want. This increases the amount of CO2. CO2 is a huge part of extinction and if we put limits on it,the human activity will decrease and hopefully save endangered animals and the atmosphere. It would also provide a better future for the U.S.
2.)I think that the pollution humans inflict onto animals is the biggest and most problematic issue. I believe this because there is something we can do to prevent it. Pollution is a result of dangerous and harmful gases spreading throughout a nation. These gases damage the O-zone and cause permanent damage toward our country. It kills animals nearby, by inhaling the gas or the gas destroys their main food source and the damage spreads to the rest of the food source. They starve to death or are forced to immigrate somewhere else. This leads to overpopulation, which also results in death. Also, pollution is present in the oceans. This means that it can spread to other nations and damage their animals and plants. The U.S would also be blamed for all the damage and have to pay for it somehow.
3.)Some ways that people can reduce the impact they have on the environment is by making a commitment to tell people that they know about the extinction problem. This would encourage and inspire others to try to adjust their lives to being more eco-friendly and aware of what is happening in the world around them. I also think that there should be more limits on where you can hunt and where your are allowed to hunt. Some things that I could do to be more aware of the environment is conserving more energy when I buy food. I should look at any boxes or things that could be recycled in a local dump. I could also try to turn off more electronics that I am not using to save energy. Also, turning off lights would save a lot of energy and money. This could also spread.
4.)An example that I found where the Legislature wanted to protect animal endangerment was the Pollution Protection Act (Summary of Pollution Protection Act." EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d Web. 30 Dec. 2012.http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/ppa.html). This act achieved its goal by alerting the public about pollution coming from factories. They work hard to inform others on pollution and take steps to stop it in their own factories by using raw materials,training others, and protecting resource bases.
Bhumi Patel
Delete12-23-12
Sixth Mass Extinction
Are We Headed for a Sixth Mass Extinction?
I think the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction are using vehicles that use carbon dioxide, like cars, less. The more CO2 we use and add into the air, the more the air will warm, causing animals to die. The result of that will will be mass extinction. We also need to help organizations that help animals out more, as well as cut down forests less, and plant trees instead, for the environment to release more oxygen rather than carbon dioxide.
The subheading The Human Impact Today lists some effects that humans have on the environment. The one I believe most greatly affects animals and that habitats is global warming. I think that because when the air is filled with carbon dioxide, the air warms up. Many animals cannot handle the increase in temperature, causing them to die. If that continues, then extinction can occur, causing many species to disappear.
Some ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment are by polluting less and being efficient. People could throw away trash into actual trash cans rather than just throwing it on the ground. They could also use their cars less and not keep them running for long periods of time, unless necessary. When people use electronics, they could turn them off after, instead of keeping them on. There are many ways that people could help the Earth; even the smallest things could help.
Endangered Species Act
primary focus is the protection of animals or their habitats
One example of legislation where the primary focus is the protection of animals or their habitats is the Endangered Species Act ("Summary of the Endangered Species Act." EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Dec. 2012. .).
It achieved its goal by providing a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. They require federal agencies to ensure the actions they authorize, fund, or carry out do not damage endangered species or their environments. They also prohibit any action that causes any endangered species to become extinct. That includes, import, export, interstate, and foreign commerce of listed species.
The steps that it took to stop the endangerment of the environment are:
Listing and delisting species- They determine whether to add a species to the Federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants.
Designating critical habitat
Formulating recovery plans
Lilly, I think you are absolutely correct when you mention that we should spread the word to help with the massive problem of extinction. Maybe if people really knew what was going on in the world they would make more of an effort to protect the animals and our environment. I think that some people try to pretend the problem doesn't exist which is the exact opposite of how the problem should be solved.
DeleteI agree with your idea of the government putting limits on the amount of gas people buy. Unfortunately, limits might mean increased prices on gas, which is already happening, but people complain about it and still by it. I think that public transportation being encouraged is a good idea to help reduce CO2. I also like your idea in #3 about informing people about the problems peopl are creating for the environment and animals.
DeleteLilly, I agree that the United States needs to put limitations on human activity. I believe that humans are causing the global warming. I also agree that we can decrease the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. I agree we should have limits on the amount of gas we use. I also agree that humans should know about the extinction problem.
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ReplyDeleteOlivia Banks
ReplyDelete12/5/13
Block 1
Sixth Mass Extinction and Legislation Act
I believe that the single most important step the United States should take to prevent species extinction is to find some sort of affordable alternative to gasoline in vehicles, so that vehicles do not pollute the air as badly and increase the CO2 level and temperature in the atmosphere. There are billions of vehicles on our planet and each one contributes to global warming immensely. Another important step the United States should take is to significantly limit the amount of forests that are cleared to make room for buildings that, most of the time, are not really needed. It would also be a good idea for the U.S. to enforce all laws about hunting and protecting endangered animals and to create new ones reguarding animals that are not protected.
I believe that pollution greatly affects animals in their environment the most because there are a lot of factories and vehicles that expel harmful chemicals in the air, which animals inhale and can eventually die from. Also, there have been multiple instances where companies have not been careful and caused oil spills or chemical dumpings in water, which animals drank, only to be killed because it is poisonous to them. The frequency of these events occuring is not as bad as the fact that the effects of them take many years to recede.I believe a close second to what is most harmful is habitat damage and loss, but when trees are cut down, they can be planted again. However, when an animal's surroundings are extremely toxic, it is hard to undo.
People can reduce their impact on the enviroment by being conservative and only using what they need. If they need to go somewhere, they can walk instead of using their car, or carpool with someone else. They can turn off all of the lights when they are not in a room and try to cut down on their use of electronics. Recycling is also a way to conserve materials and help the earth. I specifically could walk home from school instead of being driven home, and unplug all of my electronics when they are done charging and use them less.
One legislation act that I found was the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. This act makes it illegal to transport material from the U.S. to another country for the purpose of dumping it into the ocean, and also to physically dump substances in the ocean that could potentially endanger human health and the habitat of marine life. This act achieved its goal because of one man, James Agee, then the Assistant Administrator for Water and Hazardous Materials, reported to the House committee that there was a 2.1 million ton increase of waste dumped in oceans from 1973 to 1974. The House committee agreed, and passed the act under the condition that frequent reports would be given about the status of water pollution and dumping.Since then, well over seventy permit applications for chemical dumping have been denied, but people are still trying to figure out how to dispose of sewage sludge safely.
"Administering the Ocean Dumping Act." EPA United States Environmental
Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2013.
Olivia, I completely agree that finding an alternative to gasoline vehicles should be a priority within the U.S government. There are some alternatives that exist, such as hydrogen-powered cars, which would not contribute to carbon-dioxide emissions, and if these vehicles were produced on a mass scale, this problem could be solved. I was also pleased by your list of things that people can do to reduce their impact on the environment. Carpooling, walking biking, recycling and reducing electronics usage are all fairly easy to complete, yet great ways to limit CO2 emissions, and preserve the environment. Overall, I thought your response was written out very well, and was clear and concise.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Are We Headed for a Sixth Mass Extinction?" Questions
ReplyDelete1. I believe finding viable solutions to stop global warming, and reverse its effect, is the most important step the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction. I believe this because CO2 makes up 56.6 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions and already exceeds what scientists think should be its maximum level in the atmosphere. A higher concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has lead to higher temperatures around the globe. Animals and plants that cannot adapt to the higher temperature will die off, or become an invasive species in cooler environment, contributing to the extinction of other species. Therefore, putting a limit on CO2 emissions, and finding a solution to global warming should be the most important step in preventing species extinction.
2. I believe the human impact that most greatly affects animals and their habitats is CO2 emissions and their contribution towards Global Warming. Global warming is the climate change occurring today which results from the burning of fossil fuels. When these fuels burn, gases such as carbon dioxide escape into the atmosphere and trap heat from the sun, causing a warmer global climate. This “climate change” will force many heat sensitive plants and animals to seek a cooler climate in higher altitudes. Many species of plants and animals may not be able to migrate fast enough, while migrating animals may become invasive and replace indigenous species.
3. Some ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment is by driving eco-friendly cars which release less carbon into the atmosphere, and by taxing emitters of CO2 . By doing so, less carbon is released into the atmosphere, and humans contribution to global warming will decrease. Other ways people can contribute to saving the environment is by off-highway vehicle regulations in forests, and notpoaching endangered animals. Things that I can do specifically include limiting use of carbon emitting cars by walking or biking more often, and not litter or pollute the environment.
Laws and Executive Orders. Then answer the following question.
4. I choose the Pollution Prevention Act (Browner, Carol M. "Pollution Prevention Takes Center Stage." EPA. N.p., July 1993. Web. 4 Jan. 2013..) This act achieved its goal by receiving a $33 million increase in spending for pollution prevention programs at EPA. Using this money, this act took steps to alert the public of pollution, and reduce the amount of pollution through cost-effective changes in production. Pollution prevention includes practices that increase efficiency in the use of energy, water, or other natural resources, and protect our resource base through conservation.
Spencer, I agree that people should start driving energy-efficient vehicles. This lowers the amount of fossil fuels being released in the air, while also saving the driver money. The Global Warming
Deletedefinitely has a lot to do with species extinction. Like you said, the animals either don't adapt and die, or migrate. The migrating animals/plants can become invasive, and contribute to the extinction of other organisms.
Spencer, I completely agree that one of the most important steps the United States should be taking to stop global warming and bring down the CO2 levels in the atmosphere is by trying to reverse the effect and use Eco friendly cars. I believe one solution to this major problem is creating more gardens and forest since since they can consume the CO2 and produce more oxygen in the atmosphere. I also agree that we should reduce the usage of our fossil fuels and i think we should try and use more solar energy by harnessing the suns energy instead.
DeleteI agree with your ways to prevent species extinctions and I thought you did a great job.
Delete1. In order to prevent the extinction of other species, human expansion needs to be subsided. If this were to decrease, not only would the habitat of the indigenous be preserved, but the production of CO2 would also be lowered. Litter let off from the human population could potentially be harmful to the species, which, in turn, could kill them. Transportation, factories, or workplaces contribute greatly to Global Warming. Species unable to adapt to the spike in temperatures face the risk of a complete species extinction. Migrating plants/animals moving to a cooler environmenmt could become invasive and pose as a threat to the native organisms.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the "habitat and damage loss," greatly affects the animals and plants, as this attacks the species in two ways. For one, the littering and housing destroys the habitats. The littering could kill or cause severe problems to an animal if ingested, and building a house for humans ruins one for the species. Global Warming is also an effect here. Through cars and factories, CO2, among other fossil fuels are released into the air. This causes a temperature change, which in turn either kills unadapted plants and animals, or forces a species to migrate to a cooler area. The migrating species may become invasive, and actually kill off another species in the area they've settled in.
3. People can reduce their impact on the environment by shutting off any lights or electronics that aren't in use. This conserves electricity and lowers the cost of the electric bill. Also, instead of driving multiple cars, people can carpool instead. This saves gas and makes for one less car on the rode. Laws against poachers can help protect animals that are endangered, or are illegal to hunt. Things that I can do include walking or biking instead of taking a car, recycle to conserve resources and materials, and not littering, which can pose as a serious threat to animals and plants alike.
4. I chose the Clean Water Act ("History of the Clean Water Act." United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA, n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. .). This act achieved its goal by growing public awarness and concern for water pollution, and eventually creating amendments for the cause. These made it unlawful to release any pollutant from a point source (pipes, man-made ditches) into the water, unless a permit had been previously obtained. This also gave the EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs if needed. Water pollution poses as a seroius problem for marine life, with things like oil spills and trash killing the animals.
1) I believe the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction is trying and slow down pollution caused by humans and try to reverse it by planting more wildlife. I believe the United States should try and have more public transportation and find a way to reduce the amount of cars and pollution. We should also be looking to find an alternative other than gas that we can use as a fuel source. I think that solar energy would be the best to use since there is not only plenty that can be taken but harnessing the energy will also stop it from warming the earth and it will prevent global warming. Finally I think the United States should introduce lots of programs to get more gardens and try and rebuild wildlife. If every town gets their own little forest we can easily reduce the CO2 levels and stop global warming.
ReplyDelete2) I believe that Pollution is the greatest affecting impact humans have on animals and their habitats. I think this because humans are constantly polluting the earth whether it is intentional by throwing trash on the ground or without even knowing it by driving a car. Pollution is one of the major impacts causing global warming which is slowly heating up the earth. If this temperature some bird needs rise continues several animals and plants will die since if just one species dies it usually will affect another. For example if global warming kills a special plant in Australia that to survive, not only will the plant die but also the bird and any other animal needing the bird or plant to survive. Once one species dies it is just a chain of extinction that occurs.
3) There are so many things that people can do to reduce their impact on the environment. For example people could stop driving gas consuming cars and take the public bus or train. Or even better yet ride a bike if they work close enough. Also people could stop littering and reduce pollution that they do. People could also try and go more solar and find alternative energy sources other than gas. Lastly people could try and grow more plants in their town and start up a community garden or anything of the sort that would reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Personally if I wanted to reduce my impact on the environment I could recycle more and try not to pollute. I could also ride my bike or walk to more places if they are close by like school. I could also try and buy more organic products and buy other items that when created destroy the earth.
4) I chose the National Environmental Policy Act (EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. ), This act achieved its goal since it was the first law ever made that created framework for the protection of our environment. This law made sure that all branches of the government always took the environment into consideration before acting on anything. The steps taken by this law is that now all of the government must be constantly thinking about the environment and changing some of their decisions based on what it may cause the environment to do.
I can agree with that polluion is the greatest affecting impacts that humans have on animals and their habitats, it affects global warming which is one of the main causes of extinction.
Delete1. I think the most important step to prevent species extinction would be to decrease human expansion and activity. If humans were to stop expanding, dying plants and animals could grow and populate without our interference. If there is less expansion there is a larger chance of less pollution and emittance of CO2 into the environment. Also, if Laws regarding animals and plants are followed then species extinction could be helped.
ReplyDelete2. I think habitat loss greatly affects animals because they have no place to live. Without a place to live, animals can not create safe environments for themselves. They are confined to smaller spaces which are not healthy places for animals to survive in. Also, clearing an area can kill and displace many species. Whatever is the cause of the habitat loss can also pollute the surrounding environment and make an unsafe place for species
3. If people were to control the waste they produce they could reduce their impact on the dying species would not be so great. Buy recycling, shutting off lights, and using less harmful products people can reduce their impact. I can also do these things buy recycling in my home and and not leaving electronics on when I am using them.
4. I chose the Clean water Act. They have achieved their goal by setting up wastewater standards for industries and set water qualities for contaminants in surface water. They have stopped endangerment to the environment by making it unlawful to discharge water into navigational waters where species are living,
“Summary of the Clean Water Act.” EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. .
Hannah, I agree that decreasing human expansion would help prevent extinction in some species, but in order to do that people could find that feels like their rights are being infringed upon, and could cause some serious arguments
Delete1. I think the most important steps the U.S should take to prevent species extinction is to try to use less machines and activities that produce CO2 and to stop poaching species that are endangered. To do this, there should be some kind of human population control where an area cannot exceed a certain number of people. This will reduce respiration in humans and would therefore decrease the amount of CO2. Public transportation should be encouraged and enforced so that everyone is not using their own vehicles. Poaching is not only illegal, but it is unnecessary. Species should only be hunted if their population is overflowing and might mess up the food chain. Finding a different substance to use as gasoline should also become popular, and only gas should be used if there is no other possibility.
ReplyDelete2. I think the human impact of habitat damage and loss has the greatest impact on animals and their habitats because farming and other human expansion deliberately targets how they live. It not only destroys their actual homes, but it can also kill the animals. It would also effect the surrounding areas of the habitat because chemicals can travel through the water and the air, making them sick and potentially killing them. Because the space is filled up with "human footprints", the sizes of the rainforests and animal habitats are a lot smaller. The animals would have to migrate away, overtaking space of other animals. This would cause a food shortage and fights.
3. There are a lot of ways I and other people can reduce our impact on the environment. More public transportation is a good idea because more people can go to one place at a time without wasting a ton of CO2 gas. Population control will reduce the fight for space as well as food shortages for both animals and humans. Pollution is also an issue that is easy to reduce. Everyone should be recycling so that less trees will be cut down for paper and other products. Hunting and fishing should only be done if that species is over it's carrying capacity or if the species is invasive. Poaching is illegal and should not be done anyway.
4. The Clean Water Act is an act that tries to limit the input of pollutants in water. The made it illegal to put any pollutant into water unless they are permitted to. Homes that are part of a municipal or septic system do not need to have a permit to put bad substances in the water.They make sure that the water people drink is safe to consume and help to obtain a healthy environment for aquatic species and habitats. They stil make sure that recreational activities can be done while the water remians clean so taht people will still be pleased. They also ensured that pipes and other man made devices are able to be used by humans without harming or polluting the environment.
WCMS, ed. Summary of the Clean Water Act. EPA, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013.
.
Jen, I completely agree that stoping poaching would prevent species extinction. You're right that there is no need for it to be done. Also that having population control can cause less pollution and stop creating so much CO2 because pollution in air and water is harmful to species.
DeleteJen, I agree with you that the one step the United Sates should take would be to use less machines and activities that produce carbon dioxide. I believe that Carbon dioxide is the main issue that causes global warming and mass extinction. I agree that they should try to develop other ways in which they are not polluting the earth like Carbon dioxide does.
DeleteJen, I completly agree that public transportation should be enforced. If that is enforced less people need to use there own cars, which will result in less CO2 in the air. I also agree that poashing could prevent extinction too.
DeleteJuliana McCabe
ReplyDeleteSixth Mass Extinction
1. I believe the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction is to give credit to auto companies that switch to hydrogen and hybrid cars. This would prevent species extinction because it would decrease the amount of carbon dioxide that this being polluted into the air which therefore will reduce global warming. Another step the United States should take is to enforce laws on which animals are allowed to be hunted and killed and limit the amounts that are allowed to be. This will help the species that is allowed to be hunted and killed so that it does not become endangered and so the species that are endangered can be preserved for years to come. Lastly another step the United States should take is to fund and create organizations that can preserve the rain forests,rebuild them and to help the endangered species inside them. This will create homes for billions of species and have them continue to help the world and be a part of it.
2.The subheading The Human Impact Today lists some effects that humans have on the environment the one I believe that greatly affects animals and their habitats is global warming. Global warming caused by the Greenhouse effect is mainly the gas carbon dioxide that is polluting the earth and leading to temperature increase. Global warming is causing animals to migrate quickly to higher altitudes which led to some plant species to become extinct and other animal species to become invasive. By the animals become invasive this is causing native species to be replaced and therefore extinct. Other animals are left homeless with no place to go and become extinct. Global warming causes a massive increase in extinction because of the animal's inability to deal with the temperature increase and most animals are losing their homes due to the pollution.
3.Some ways people can reduce their impact on the environment is to use Eco-friendly fertilizer or by polluting less. Another way is to plant trees,plants and create organizations that work to rebuild rain forests and try to find new ways to help endangered species. Also they can cause less pollution by switching to hydrogen powered cars. There should also be more laws put into place against hunters and limits on which animals are allowed to be hunted and killed so the endangered species can survive and begin to reproduce and become a healthy and thriving species again. Ways that I can help the environment is buy recycling and informing people about these serious issues of endangered species and what they can do to help. Most important is to help the people willing to help that the small things can help make a difference in the world.
4. I chose the Shore Protection Act of 1988.Citation= United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Aug. 2012. . It achieved its goals by developing the regulation governing the loading, securing, offloading and cleaning up waste, reception facilities and vessels. They work very hard in cleaning up waste and prohibiting it in certain areas to protect the habitats of ocean creatures. The steps it took to stop the endangerment of the environment was to enforce the rules that no one can transport waste in coastal waters without a permit and the permit only lasts 5 years. This helps the environment because it does not allow fisherman to dump waste to harm ocean creatures.
I agree with you Juliana McCabe. People should plant tree's and try to rebuild our rain forest to hep the environment. Planting more trees can also help filter out the CO2 carried in the air. The tees we plant can also make habitats for animals and the forests, too.
DeleteLuc Bernier
ReplyDeleteSixth Mass Extinction
1. I believe the most important steps America should take to prevent species extinction is to make laws banning interactions with endangered species. Also I feel like people should try to switch to electric cars to use less gas and not pollute as much gas into the air.
2. The heading that I feel most greatly affects animals and their habitats is global warming. One way is in the arctic it is warmer and the snow is starting to melt so the animals aren't used to it and are at risk.
3. Some ways people can reduce their impact on the environment is to use less energy by not letting the water run, turning off all the lights, and watch less TV. Also people can plant trees to produce more energy. Some things I can do is recycle and use less energy.
4. I chose the endangered species act. It achieved its goal by making it illegal to take or interact with endangered species. With doing this it lets the species have peace and be left alone. http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/esa.html
I agree with the steps the America should take with the endangered species helping the environment at the same time
DeleteI agree with using more eletric cars, but the only problem is that they are unable to travel very far.
DeleteCameron LeBlanc
ReplyDeleteArticle Answers
1. I believe one of the most important things the U.S could do to ensure the safety of endangered species is to protect natural habitats from farming and other production and development. As humans continue to build, forests are cut down and burned for materials or space to build into. We need to limit the destruction of forests and start efforts to plant new trees to replace those cut down. Preservations of forests will give animals and plants the space they need, and will also limit the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning the trees, also helping endangered species. We also need to develop and seriously implement alternative and cleaner forms of energy production. Clean energy will slow done global warming and help keep habitats healthy.
2. I believe pollution is the most harmful human effect to animal and plant species and their habitats. Pollution of the Earths air and water is severely harming ecosystems around the world. The pollution of the air caused by burning fossil fuels can cloud sunlight from plant species and make certain animals unhealthy. Oil spills, improperly disposing of waste and runoff can contaminate fresh water sources and the ocean.
3. People can reduce their impact on the environment by buying hybrid cars, recycling more often, reducing their consumption of electricity, and spreading the message to do the same. To help the environment, I can remember to recycle and remember to turn off lights when I leave the room.
I chose the Summary of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund). "Summary of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act(Superfund)."
EPA. United States Environmental Protection
Agency, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. .
This act protected animal and plant habitats by ensuring funding and immediate action to the cleanup of chemical spills and other environmentally harming accidents. It also gave EPA authority to enact the clean up themselves if no party is found responsible or if those responsible failed to act. The steps taken to ensure this protected the environment were establishing prohibitions and requirements concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites; providing for liability of persons responsible for releases of hazardous waste at these sites; establishing a trust fund to provide for cleanup when no responsible party could be identified; short-term removals, where actions may be taken to address releases or threatened releases requiring prompt response; and long-term remedial response actions, that permanently and significantly reduce the dangers associated with releases or threats of releases of hazardous substances that are serious, but not immediately life threatening. These actions can be conducted only at sites listed on EPA's National Priorities List (NPL).
1. I think the steps we need to take to stop the sixth mass extinction would be to reduce the amount of CO2 we use. We could do that by driving less. But of course that would be very hard so an easier way to do that would make cars that run on less gas. Like they already have some cars that run on batteries which would make less carbon go in the air. Also I think that there should be more laws enforced about hunting. Putting a limit on the amount a person can hunt and shortening seasons in which animals can be hunted.
ReplyDelete2. I think pollution and global warming affect the animals the most. Pollutants can affect the food chain which affects the survival and health of all the other animals in the environment. Some environments that have been affect by pollution can be long lasting. Global warming affects animals by bringing CO2 to some environments. That will cause some animals and plants to seek cooler climates. But some plants will not be able to leave fast enough. Also moving animals the like the north or south pole will make it so animals that have always been there will have nowhere to go.
3. There are many different ways people can help stop the “sixth mass extinction”. One way could be to drive less, so that less CO2 will go in the air. There is no need to drive to a place that is just down the street. Another way would be for people to help would be to not over harvest. They should not hunt more than they need, or fish more than needed. They would be killing animals for no reason. One way I could help would be to not make my parents drive a lot. If they needed something from a store that was close instead of making them drive walk there. That would stop some of the amount of CO2 that is going into the air. Another way I could help would be to grow a garden which would make more food for the family. Also doing this would eliminate using the car as much because we would not always have to drive to the grocery store.
4. I chose the Pollution Prevention Act ("Summary of the Pollution Prevention Act." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013.) They received 33 million dollars to spend for Pollution Prevention programs. They used the money to tell the public of pollution. They then reduced the amount of pollution with the money they got. This act protects our resources through conservation.
The Sixth Mass Extinction Questions:
ReplyDelete1. The most important steps the United States can take to prevent the sixth mass extinction are making clean energy advancements, encourage the use of hybrid vehicles, and keeping a more strict watch over endangered species and increasing protection on them. With clean energy advancements the power plants that burn coal and make Co2 which goes into the atmosphere will become obsolete and will reduce in numbers lessening the amount of Co2 being put into the atmosphere. With more hybrid vehicles being used they will require less fossil fuel to be burned less and at the same time less Co2 to be put into the atmosphere. If the U.S is putting more effort into protecting the endangered animals then they will also be helping the environment because with the animal and plant life remaining it will keep everything in balance and working more efficiently.
2. I believe that habitat damage and loss is the most crippling effect on endangered species today. Like the article mentioned about Polar Bears with the lack of ice which is their habitat they are losing hunting ground. The less habitat they have the less ability to fend and provide for themselves they have. If this continues and they lose their entire habitat what will they have to keep them alive? This applies to every living organism. If they lose what they are depending on they will have nothing to keep them alive.
3. There is a multitude of thing that people can do to reduce their effect on the environment. They can become more “green” as people have been saying. Recycle as much as possible to reduce the need to have factories make new things when their old things can just be reused for a different thing. We can also use more solar panels to reduce the amount of electricity needed to be used and just use less electricity in general. This can be done by using remembering to shut off lights and use energy saving bulbs which are two simple things but they can both make a large impact. Little things like those can be the difference between a clean environment and another mass extinction.
Legislative Questions:
4. I chose the Clean Water Act (CWA) from 1972. This Act regulates the pollutants and other things being dumped into the waters of the United States. It places strict standards for wastewater from industries. It makes a permit required to dump anything from a point sources such as pipes and man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need a permit. A permit is required if the waste goes directly to surface water.
ReplyDeleteSixth Mass Extinction
Are we headed for a “Sixth Mass Extinction”?
1. I think the most important step the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction is inventing some sort of way were we use less fossil fuels. When burning fossil fuels, we create CO2 which is let out into the air. When such gasses are present, they trap heat being released from the earth and create a “greenhouse effect”. As a result, global warming takes effect. When global warming is into effect, it causes the earth to heat up more than to its natural extent. This causes artic ice which is crucial to Polar bears. They need the ice to travel to mating places. If there is no ice, less polar bears mate resulting in less and less cubes each year. Thus, a way to prevent such events is by having a way were human beings use lessor none fossil fuels.
2. A human impact that I believe greatly effects animals is pollution. We have polluted the earth greatly which has caused much damage to the animals around us. Oil spills have killed many ocean animals such as fish and whales. The coral reefs get destroyed which houses many marine life forms. This has caused such a disaster because it can spread around other nations affecting their animals, too. If pollution is done somewhere, it is easy for it to be spread easily elsewhere. Not only has pollution killed many animal species and has caused some to go nearly extinct, but it also has caused mother earth to turn into a waste land.
3. Some ways humans can reduce their impacts on the environment is recycling. It’s a great way to save the environment. It’s an easy way to do such great good. Recycling can reduce the amount of usage do to factories which let out gases such as CO2 into the air. Humans can also find a way to limit the usage gases like CO2 that greatly result in Global Warming.
4. An example of legislation I chose that focused on protection of animals and their habitats is the Summary of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/mprsa.html). It prohibits ocean dumping. It also prohibits any foreign bats to dump and material into the ocean that is part of U.S territory. As a result, it keeps or ocean clean and our marine life healthy.
Sixth Mass Extinction
ReplyDeleteAre we Headed Towards a Sixth Mass Extinction
1. I think the most important steps the government should be taking to prevent species extinction is to create wildlife reserves in areas where there are endangered animals. They could also take certain animals captive, and help them to mate, so then they can be released back into the wild, living their lives how it would have been naturally.
2. I believe that the greatest human effect on animals and their habitat is habitat damage and loss. This is because when people chop down trees and ruin habitats, it is usually for the wood or for people to move into the area. The actual chopping down of the trees causes pollution which can lead to global warming. When people move into new areas it can cause species to invade, because of the people bringing them their on purpose or accidentally which could lead to a disrupted food chain or other problems. Habitat damage and loss is definitely the worst thing humans can do because it can lead to almost every other problem in that part of the article.
3. Some ways people can reduce their effect on the environment is by driving less, or only when necessary and carpooling. They can also use less energy in their homes by using lightbulbs that are more energy efficient, and even turning off a light when they leave a room; by doing these things less CO2 would be omitted to the atmosphere. Some things I can do personally are unplugging electronics from the wall outlet when I am done using them, and just try to use less energy in general by doing things as mentioned before.
4. The Noise Control Act is doing its job because it helps so animals can live about in their daily lives, and not be bothered with loud noises caused by industrial equipment, factories, etc. This goal is achieved by the government controlling what is allowed to make noise, and coordinating things of the government that are going to make noise.
Environmental Protection Agency. "Summary of the Noise Control Act." EPA United
States Environmental Protection Agency. WCMS, 23 Aug. 1012. Web. 6 Jan.
2013. .
I agree with what you said about the habitat damage and loss- I never thought about the actual equipment used to chop down the trees/ the pollution that would result from burning them. That's just another reason not to chop trees down...
Delete1. I think that restrictions and regulations are the most important things the US could do to prevent species extinction. For example I think emission control for cars would be very significant because it would encourage companies to sell more hybrid cars and would greatly reduce our carbon footprint since cars are so numerous. Another thing that I think could be done not only by the US but by the whole world would be to cut way down on logging and burning for farmland. I knew that deforestation was a problem but was surprised to learn that eight percent of the rainforest in Madagascar has been cut or burned down. If we really care about protecting endangered species, and it half of the world's species live in rainforests, than we really cannot afford to be burning them all down.
ReplyDelete2. I think habitat damage and loss had the greatest impact on wildlife because there is so much of it. Every time humans log or clear land for houses or farms, they are taking away the habitats of animals. Much of the world's wildlife lives in these forests and they will become extinct if they physically have no place to live.
3. People can reduce their impact on the environment by observing posted signs about where it is okay to hunt, fish, etc. and where it is not. We can also drive more hybrids cars and drive less overall, therefore burning less fossil fuel and reducing the "greenhouse effect." Energy efficient appliances also can help. People can check their boats and other vehicles to be sure they are not accidentally bringing along any invasive species when they travel.
4. The Marine Research, Protection, and Sanctuaries act is helping to protect marine life. It achieves this goal through monitoring ocean dumping- it says that no one can bring anything to or from the US specifically to dump it in the ocean. It also says that the EPA monitors dumping of all materials into the ocean and that ocean dumping is prohibited where it may endanger people or animals/ their habitats. Because of this, chemicals and other industrial waste cannot be dumped in places where they may interfere with marine life, endangering or killing animals or plants.
"Summary of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act." Environmental Protection Agency.
N.p., 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 7 Jan. 2013. .
What do you think are the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction? Why?
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important steps he United states should be taking to prevent species extinction is limiting human interactions that harm nature. One major way to help limiting human interactions is to try to have people drive their cars less. Cars produce CO2 along with other toxic gases and dispense them into the atmosphere. It would be almost impossible to convince people to use their cars less so another suggestion would be to produce more hybrid cars. Electric cars would be nice but that is only if dealerships could figure out a way to make them last longer on a single charge. Or dealerships could also attempt to up the gas mileage on cars so they would have to use less gas and therefore less CO2 would be put into the atmosphere.
The subheading The Human Impact Today lists some effects that humans have on the environment. Which one do you believe most greatly affects animals and their habitats? Why?
I believe that pollution most greatly affects animals and their habitats. Pollution is the main cause of global warming and truly destroys anything it wants. In many habitats, they require certain conditions to thrive and function properly. So if global warming increases the temperature in the habitat, plants could die off and if the animals could not adapt to not having some of those plants, then they too will die. Also, when those plants die off, they can no longer take in CO2 and release oxygen so now there will be more greenhouse gases in the air and will continue to eat away at the atmosphere.
What are some ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment? What can you specifically do?
Some major ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment is to drive less, recycle more; which is what I specifically do, and also try to stop poaching. If people used their cars less, then there would obviously be less CO2 being produced and put into the atmosphere. When people recycle, then less trees are needed to be cut down to make paper. Therefore, the trees could take away the CO2 in the air and change it to oxygen for us to breathe. Eliminating poaching is also an essential step because it stops the hunting of already endangered animals so they can reproduce and hopefully thrive once again.
How did it achieve its goal? What steps did it take to stop the endangerment of the environment?
I chose the Clean Air Act (EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2013.
.) This act regulates the usage of stationary and mobile sources that produce gasses that are harmful to the environment. This act achieved its goal by slowly introducing the act to each state until eventually every state followed it. IT took some states quite some time to actually follow it even though they had already agreed to it. It was by 1975 that they wanted things to be squared away. Then the act was amended in 1977 a to set new dates for the deadlines. So this further pushed back the act until finally it was all said and done in 1990.
I completely agree with what you said about preventing CO2 build up in our atmosphere. If we don't control what we put up there, no heat can get out and global warming levels will go sky high, leading us to a sixth mass extinction.
DeleteWhat do you think are the most important steps the United States should be taking to prevent species extinction? Why?
ReplyDeleteI think the most important way we can prevent a sixth mass extinction is to limit CO2 build up in the atmosphere. Anything that requires fuel, like cars and generators, create too much CO2 for leaves to handle. At the moment, many car companies are trying to create hybrid cars, vehicles that require much less gas than a normal car to get somewhere, and sometimes an electrical car, one that only requires a charging station to "re-fuel". Besides that, we can also cut down on fossil fuel as well by using different power sources such as solar, wind, water, and even biological to create usable food.
The subheading The Human Impact Today lists some effects that humans have on the environment. Which one do you believe most greatly affects animals and their habitats? Why?
I think that pollution affects every plant and animal the most. For one thing, it started global warming which is melting the ice caps and having the water level rise, but it also makes it harder for plants to grow, which completely interrupts a food web as certain animals cannot get the food they need. It's mainly a chain reaction of extinctions that will ultimately lead to humanity's, if we don't watch out.
What are some ways that people can reduce their impact on the environment? What can you specifically do?
One of the first ways they can help the environment is to turn off electronics whenever they don't need them. Leaving the TV on while you're away is awfully expensive to both you and the atmosphere, and it also serves no purpose. Another thing you can do is to drive less. Take a carpool or a bus to work, even a bike. It's healthy option for you and the environment, and can even get you more social.
How did it achieve its goal? What steps did it take to stop the endangerment of the environment?
I chose the Pollution Prevention Act, (EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013). Basically, the act makes sure that the industry, government, and public has attention on the issue of pollution, making them be more careful about where they throw their trash away. It achieved its goal by making sure that everybody knew the dangers of throwing waste on to the ground. Overall, it reduced pollution in the environment, making life better for all plants and animals.