Abstract Our Contribution Our Oceans What YOU Can Do
Transcript of Abstract Our Contribution Our Oceans What YOU Can Do
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015
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Global warming is the concept that the earth's overall
temperature is heating up. Due to the emissions of
greenhouse gasses. Heat is trapped in the atmosphere,
increasing the overall temperature of the planet. As the
climate warms up, so does the ocean. The ocean makes
up most of the planet and therefore is affected severely
which in turn will affect all life within it. Our contribution to
green house emissions have lead to these
consequences. The rise in sea level, change in salinity
and pH are some negative effects happening currently.
Negative effects like flooding, spread of disease, and less
resources are likely to occur if action is not taken. There
are easy and inexpensive ways to start helping the planet
today.
Abstract
What is happening to Earth:
Our Contribution
Deforestation, the act of cutting and burning trees without
replanting new ones, has released an abundance of CO2
meanwhile be ridding of the most efficient Carbon absorbers we
have. Trees naturally process CO2 and simultaneously release
oxygen to clear our air of the gasses. However more gasses are
emitted than trees are able to absorb because they’re diminishing.
Fossil fuels are also a very common way we’ve contributed to
Carbon emissions alone. Methane is another greenhouse gas we
release through our methods of decomposing waste in landfills,
agriculture and domestic livestock, along with rice cultivation.
Nitrous Oxide is another gas we provide an abundance of through
specific activities. When we produce commercial and organic
fertilizer, engage in fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production
and biomass burning we also produce Nitrous Oxide. All the
gasses we produce work together against us in our inner
atmosphere which is smaller than our total atmosphere. Most of
the effects are directly causing our oceans to suffer and eventually
us as well. The Ocean has already felt the heat of the threat and it
is crucial to understand the problems in our oceans as they will be
ours (nasa.gov, accessed 2019).
Our Oceans
Negative Effects to Come
The most obvious and most likely, if there isn’t change, is that
Earth will become warmer and warmer. Warmer climate is going to
lead to more evaporation and perspiration meaning we could be
approaching a long term dry spell on land. Due to the rise in sea
level, it is hard to determine how much land will be left if the
glaciers reach a point of nonexistence. It is possible that certain
crops will flourish from the CO2. In return, crops that grow
sufficiently now may not respond well to the increased greenhouse
effect. According to worldresourcesinstitute.org, results of CO2
emissions in 2018 have not shown promising numbers. Emissions
have sadly risen to a record breaking 37.1 Gigatonns showing that
an increase has not stopped and is unlikely to decrease in the
future. The world's top emitters of the gas are not doing enough to
even halt the increase, and there's a possibility they never will.
Use of natural gas and oil use is also rising contributing to the
continuous acceleration. According to the article, natural gas is
rising 8.4 percent each year, oil is rising at 1.4 percent per year.
CO2 emissions have already cause enough damage, methane
levels increasing are causing a major threat to the entire planet as
we know it. Scientist reporting on the Los Angeles times say that
the temperatures will no longer be able to be kept in check with
CO2 and Methane contributing to the warming of the planet.
Potential growth of methane could rise 14%. With temperatures
increasing at a staggering rate and no intention on stopping, ocean
acidification will follow (K. Levin, 2018). NASA scientist Doney
explains that even if all emissions stopped today, acidification
would not only remain, it will continue to increase. It is unclear the
long term effects the ocean will endure and how catastrophic the
breaking point may be, and when. As with the ocean, terrestrial
land is to be heavily impacted as well, impacting humans and
animals (R. Sullivant, 2008). Usgs.gov explains the long term
effects of climate change by the regions. North America is to
experience a decrease in snow in the mountains. There's also to
be a 5-20 percent increase in rain fed agriculture. Heat waves are
to happen more frequently and more intensely as the climate heats
up. Latin America's tropical forests are at major risks along with the
species within them which will cause of a loss in biodiversity. Water
availability is also going to be scarce affecting all life beyond the
tropics. Europe will have an increase in flash floods, storms will
become more frequent along with related erosion. Mountain
glaciers will decrease with less snow cover. Species will be lost
along with crops decreasing productivity. Africa is said to be under
significant water stress by 2020. 75 to 250 million people will
struggle for water and food due to a 50% decrease in agriculture.
Asia will also struggle for freshwater access by the 2050s.
Increased flooding will endanger coastal areas due to sea level
rise and unstable weather patterns. Floods and droughts will both
lead to easy spread of diseases increasing casualties. Other
threats are and will remain undiscovered until it is too late to stop it
from happening. The human race must take responsibility for its
actions before the entirety of the planets pays for it (usgs.gov,
accessed, 2019).
References
https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ , accessed 4/25/19
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/13/climate-change-seeps-into-the-sea/ , accessed
4/25/19
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2328/warming-seas-and-melting-ice-sheets/ ,
accessed 4/25/19
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/58/with-a-pinch-of-salt/ , accessed 4/25/19
https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-methane-atmosphere-
accelerating-20190301-story.html , accessed 4/25/19
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-
overview/ , accessed 4/25/19
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming , accessed 4/25/19
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-long-term-effects-climate-change-1?qt-
news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products , accessed 4/25/19
https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/new-global-co2-emissions-numbers-are-they-re-
not-good , accessed 4/25/19
Source: https://www.c2es.org/content/climate-basics-for-kids/
This image explains the difference between the natural and human
greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses are being trapped in while
less heat is being released back into space.
What YOU Can Do
Agriculture and food waste are big contributors to the
endangered climate. Eating all the food you purchase will
reduce food waste. Eating less meat will contribute heavily in
the long run as well. If you're truly passionate you could
consider going vegetarian or vegan. It is not necessary to go
cold turkey, even cutting the amount of meat your family
consumed in half will make a difference. Light bulbs can also
contribute to saving energy, LED save 80% than its
competitors and will last longer. Avoid leaving unused plugs
into the wall which will also reduce electricity and your bill. One
of the most common and effective ways is driving a fuel
efficient vehicle or a hybrid. Electric and eco friendly cars are
becoming more affordable and reduce the already common
emissions from cars. If you can’t buy an eco friendly car right
now, try to walk or scooter to places close to home. This will
prevent gas usage and keep your tank filled longer. When
relocating or moving, consider being close to places to avoid
driving if you cannot afford an eco car. This last one goes with
all of the suggestions but thinking about your carbon profile.
Always keep in mind with everything you do, where you go,
and how much this is going to affect the environment when
you're gone (M. Denchak, 2017). It may seem dramatic but
that's what is required for consistent improvement to be made.
Humanity has to come together and go above and beyond
even the tips above. Things like beach cleanings, planting
trees and other oxygen emitters, composting, recycling,
reducing plastic waste. Donating to charities that focus on
environmental change and seeing what more you can do. We
have to go through every step and more because at this point
each and every one of us needs to ask ourselves this
question:
Am I going to be part of the problem or the solution?
There are currently five greenhouse gasses that are the most
common or trapping in the most heat according to
climate.nasa.gov. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and
nitrous oxide. These gases are semi permanent which is why
once they’re released into the atmosphere they tend to linger
for long periods of time. Before the industrial revolution, plant
life was able to naturally absorb these gases and produce
enough oxygen to clean the air. Now trees, the most efficient
of all plants, are cut down at a significant rate known as
deforestation. More trees are being cut down than gases are
being absorbed which contributes to them building up. Now
that the gasses together have been discussed it is
appropriate to go into the details of each of them and how
they contribute.
Water Vapor: According to NASA scientists water vapor is
thought of as a feedback for its direct response to the
temperature of the earth. As the planet heats up water vapor
increases in the form of clouds, fog and other forms of the
substance. Water vapor however, does not linger in the
atmosphere as long as the other gasses. The effects water
has on our atmosphere last longer than the water itself. The
properties of water amplifies the effect that the other gasses
have on our planet. Water vapor is also one of the most
abundant gasses due to human activity to be discussed later
on. Water is reactive which is going to have a big impact on
all the qualities within it and around it.
Carbon Dioxide: CO2 emissions, are not only the most
common but one of the most destructive of our atmosphere
currently. Although heavily implemented by humans, there
are also natural occurrences that release this gas such as
respiration and volcanic activity. Carbon dioxide is directly
related to the rise in temperature in our atmosphere because
of its efficiency in trapping in light and heat with the help of
water vapor. Mostly however, Carbon is released through
human interference and has grown at a significant rate
starting around the industrial revolution.
Methane: Methane is a hydrocarbon gas that is also man
made and produced through natural resources. Although it is
less abundant, methane has molecules that are far more
active and therefore destructive to our atmosphere.
According to Debra Wunch, an atmospheric physicist for
University of Toronto told the Los Angeles Times that
Methane increases temperature 32 times more than Carbon
Dioxide. It's been rising since the 19th century and has
worried scientist in recent discoveries to be revealed.
Nitrous Oxide: This powerful gas may not be as abundant
as its competitors but it is definitely making its way thanks to
humans. This gas is produced through soil cultivation
practices like the production of both organic and commercial
fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and
biomass burning. These activities fuel the emission of this
gas and combined with all of the greenhouse gasses has put
us in the risks we are at today. Before we get to the
consequences, we must understand how we’ve propelled it
to this point (nasa.gov, accessed 2019).
Alyssa Marine
Professor Lowe
Source: https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/new-global-co2-emissions-
numbers-are-they-re-not-good
This graph shows the steady increase of emissions over recent years.
Almost every year reaches new records indicating there will not be a
decrease.
Source:https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_sum
mary-for-policymakers.pdf
This image depicts the CO2 emissions directly contributed from each of the
human activities on the chart. The most impactful activities are our energy
usage.
As we all know the Earth is mainly Ocean and filled with life. If we
do not protect it, there will be no more life in the ocean or on land.
Temperatures rising has lead to glaciers melting causing a rise in
sea level, salinity that has disturbed the already endangered
creatures of the sea, and acidification of our ocean as a whole. It
is easy to assume that if temperatures are heating up, ice is
melting and lots of it. According to NASA, the sea level had been
steady for thousands of years until now. Basic physics explains
that when ice melts into water, that water expands. As our glaciers
melt or float into the sea as icebergs, the sea level is rising and
our waters are expanding with it. The rise has increased steadily
measuring from a rise of eight inches from the 20th century and
has risen two inches within the last 20 years. Greenland and
Antarctica are unstable, according to scientist, as the planet
continues to heat up causing a major threat. This is significant
because polar ice sheets play a key role in the shift of tectonic
plates not only changing Greenland and Antarctica but all of the
continents. Shifts in water temperature directly affect the salinity in
our oceans as well. Studies have found an increase in salinity
over the past 50 years in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
NASA has found that it is man made global warming from CO2
emissions that have actually made our oceans saltier.
Temperature and salinity have a cause and effect relationship with
each other, so it makes sense that as the temperatures rise, so
does the salinity.
Salinity and temperature both have a direct effect on water density
which plays an important part in ocean circulation. How heat is
carried through currents regulates the world's climate, which you
could guess makes it pretty important. Another reason salinity is a
major factor is that its responsible for the recycle of freshwater
and how it evaporates or precipitates. Scientist have discovered
the possibility of global warming changing precipitation patterns by
increasing evaporation. This makes sense if more freshwater is
being evaporated, than less water is left with more salinity than
when the freshwater was present. Apart from salinity, global
warming is also affecting the pH in our waters and life within it (A.
Jenkins, 2009).
The ocean has done a considerable job of absorbing lots of CO2
from our atmosphere, but is now paying the price. Since the
ocean is absorbing CO2 it is absorbing the heat that comes with it,
causing the rise in temperatures. Heat and pollution combined are
causing the oceans chemistry to alter into an uninhabitable PH
called acidification. This is killing off key ecosystems that can
eventually harm the Earth more than the pollution in the air. A
good example is the species of Coccolithophores who play a
critical role in what is called the carbon cycle. They absorb the
carbon in the air and form into denser structures that sink to the
bottom of the ocean. Acidification has put some of these critical
organisms in danger making it harder for them to recycle the gas
but also benefiting others. According to scientists at NASA, the
ocean absorbs one third of carbon dioxide along with the animals
that either benefit or suffer for it. The ocean becomes more acidic
because of the mixture of water and carbon dioxide called
carbonic acid. This effect takes away from the useful carbon that
organisms need to make shells and skeletons. Many mollusks
such as clams, oysters, and reef building corals are already
directly suffering from the pollution and acidification called tropical
bleaching. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecologies and
will have effects that reach far further than their ecosystems.
When coral reefs die there is never a guarantee that they will ever
recover, permanently altering the food webs and consequences.
The scariest part is that scientist are unaware to what extent the
ocean is going to suffer or how drastic these changes in dynamics
and chemistry will be long term (R. Sullivant, 2008).
It is not going to be an easy job, but it is a job that needs to be
acted on now. NRDC.org has an article on simple but effective
ways you can reduce your mark on the planet. The first and
most important thing is to make sure you are not doing it
alone. Talking to friends and family is going to make a bigger
impact than trying to change the world and hoping others will
as well. As stated we are past the point of hoping and now
must start doing. Next is using efficient and renewable energy
to power your home. The more we use our sun to our
advantage like solar panels, the more we are putting the heat
into good use. Weatherizing and making your home
improvements as energy efficient as possible is going to make
a big impact on emissions and save you money in the long
run. Energy efficient appliances will also help significantly,
keeping 2.3 billion tons of carbon emissions from reaching the
atmosphere. Appliances as such will advertise energy
efficiency or a green star for easy finding. Another incredibly
important tip is to reduce your water waste. This is as simple
as not taking half hour showers or leaving the water running
while brushing your teeth. Although it may not seem like it will
have a huge impact, if you’ve convinced your family and
friends to do the same, it will add up quickly. According to the
article if just one out of every 100 homes were water and
energy efficient, it would save 800,000 tons of water pollution.
Scientist have plenty of proof that has removed any doubt that we
are responsible for the change in our atmosphere and everything
with it. Our contribution to these gasses and lack of action has
brought us to where we are. Humans have accelerated the amount
of Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide that
is suffocating our planet. According to nasa.gov Scientific experts
from across the globe have concluded that there is a 95% chance
we are directly responsible for global warming. We have risen the
amount of CO2 in the air to 400 parts per million within only 150
years. This has lead to an overall increase in the Earth's
temperature for the last 50 years. We have risen the amount of
CO2 in the air to
400 parts per
million within only
150 years. This has
lead to an overall
increase in the
Earth's temperature
for the last 50
years. Beginning as
far back as the
Industrial
Revolution, many
practices have
shaped our modern
world and will also
shape the future
(nasa.gov,
accessed 2019)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sectors
Source: https://www.mbari.org/ocean-acidification-resources/
This image explains the chemical reaction that causes the ocean to acidify. As
carbon enters the ocean, it is absorbed and transformed into carbonic acid.