Current Events
3/2016
Article: "How Our Favorite Fish Could Recover in a Decade"
by Brian Clark Howard
Published March 28, 2016
by Brian Clark Howard
Published March 28, 2016
Analysis
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160328-fisheries-reform-catch-shares-fishing-science-conservation/
2/2016
Article: "Mining Director Busted for Elephant Poisonings"
by Adam Cruise
Published Febuary 27, 2016
by Adam Cruise
Published Febuary 27, 2016
Analysis
The article "Mining Director Busted for Elephant Poisonings" talks about how the managing director of a Zimbabwe mining company, Godfrey Nyakudya killed elephants by placing cyanide in the elephants water and food. Several controversies arised when it was discovered that they were importing cyanide illegally and due to that elephants were being dying. The Nyakudya’s mining company had an employee involved in the situation, but decided to remain anonymous due to feeling that his life would be in danger due to how angry to villagers were. This article relates to what we have been learning because it shows how we need to conserve nature due to the recent incidents involving animals therefore putting animals that were not endangered before endangered.
The article "Mining Director Busted for Elephant Poisonings" talks about how the managing director of a Zimbabwe mining company, Godfrey Nyakudya killed elephants by placing cyanide in the elephants water and food. Several controversies arised when it was discovered that they were importing cyanide illegally and due to that elephants were being dying. The Nyakudya’s mining company had an employee involved in the situation, but decided to remain anonymous due to feeling that his life would be in danger due to how angry to villagers were. This article relates to what we have been learning because it shows how we need to conserve nature due to the recent incidents involving animals therefore putting animals that were not endangered before endangered.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160228-wildlife-trafficking-elephants-wildlife-crime/
1/2016
Article: "Could What Happened in Flint Happen Anywhere?"
by Randy Lee Loftis
Published January 26, 2016
by Randy Lee Loftis
Published January 26, 2016
Analysis
The article "Could What Happened in Flint Happen Anywhere?" explains how the lack of rule enforcement by utilities on the regulation of water can lead to " lead [leaching] from utility pipes and household plumbing systems and wind up in people’s water". There are several different perspectives on this issue such as the one from Edwards, a civil engineering professor who says "The system is hard on trust" and another perspective in which criticizes these water treatment plans is “Unfortunately, it’s not trustworthy. They’re not doing the job they’re being paid to do.” I believe that if more regulations are not placed on water treatment facilities the amount of lead will spread to more places and affect the health of several other people. This article relates to what we have been learning because it shows the pollution in the environment due to human interference.
The article "Could What Happened in Flint Happen Anywhere?" explains how the lack of rule enforcement by utilities on the regulation of water can lead to " lead [leaching] from utility pipes and household plumbing systems and wind up in people’s water". There are several different perspectives on this issue such as the one from Edwards, a civil engineering professor who says "The system is hard on trust" and another perspective in which criticizes these water treatment plans is “Unfortunately, it’s not trustworthy. They’re not doing the job they’re being paid to do.” I believe that if more regulations are not placed on water treatment facilities the amount of lead will spread to more places and affect the health of several other people. This article relates to what we have been learning because it shows the pollution in the environment due to human interference.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160125-flint-michigan-water-crisis-lead-poisoning/
11/2015
Article: "How Fish Make Themselves Invisible—Mystery Solved"
by Jenny Morber, National Geographic
Published November 23, 2015
by Jenny Morber, National Geographic
Published November 23, 2015
Analysis
The article "How Fish Make Themselves Invisible—Mystery Solved" talks about how fish have evolved to their environment and have now evolved to be practically invisible to predators. "Brady" says "Besides the scientific value in understanding fish behavior, other human-relevant applications could include screening marine eyesores around tourist eco-lodges, making exploratory submersibles stealthier, or improving fishing practices by making lures that fish can see" which will help the whole ocean in being a safer environment for other creatures. This article does support the information I have heard because it confirms that the creatures in this earth are constantly evolving to meet the adequate environments that they live in as stated by Darwin's "Theory of Evolution". This article relates to what we have learned in class because it demonstrates the amount of biodiversity we have in our environment and how that helps the animals thrive and survive, as well as create a balanced environment.
The article "How Fish Make Themselves Invisible—Mystery Solved" talks about how fish have evolved to their environment and have now evolved to be practically invisible to predators. "Brady" says "Besides the scientific value in understanding fish behavior, other human-relevant applications could include screening marine eyesores around tourist eco-lodges, making exploratory submersibles stealthier, or improving fishing practices by making lures that fish can see" which will help the whole ocean in being a safer environment for other creatures. This article does support the information I have heard because it confirms that the creatures in this earth are constantly evolving to meet the adequate environments that they live in as stated by Darwin's "Theory of Evolution". This article relates to what we have learned in class because it demonstrates the amount of biodiversity we have in our environment and how that helps the animals thrive and survive, as well as create a balanced environment.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151123-fish-invisible-science-animals-oceans/
Article: "Scientists Are Mapping the World's Largest Volcano"
by Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic
Published November 21, 2015
by Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic
Published November 21, 2015
Analysis
The article "Scientists Are Mapping the World's Largest Volcano" focuses on the discovery of a new volcano that has awoken the curiosity of scientists due to its magnetic anomalies and how it will help understand plate tectonics more adequately. Controversies that have risen have been due to the theories of how the volcano itself formed, whether it "is actually a separate mountain that formed at a different time" as stated by William Sager , "it formed through steady releases of lava along the intersection of three mid-ocean ridges" , or "that a large plume of hot mantle rock may have contributed additional heat and material". This article supports information that I have read about because it supports the concept that land can form due to a separation of land from another region. This article relates to what we have been studying in class because it talks about the formation of tectonic plates.
The article "Scientists Are Mapping the World's Largest Volcano" focuses on the discovery of a new volcano that has awoken the curiosity of scientists due to its magnetic anomalies and how it will help understand plate tectonics more adequately. Controversies that have risen have been due to the theories of how the volcano itself formed, whether it "is actually a separate mountain that formed at a different time" as stated by William Sager , "it formed through steady releases of lava along the intersection of three mid-ocean ridges" , or "that a large plume of hot mantle rock may have contributed additional heat and material". This article supports information that I have read about because it supports the concept that land can form due to a separation of land from another region. This article relates to what we have been studying in class because it talks about the formation of tectonic plates.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151121-mapping-tamu-massif-worlds-largest-volcano-geology-science/
10/2015:
Deforestation: "Smoke From Wildfires Is Killing Hundreds of Thousands of People"
by Randy Lee Loftis, National Geographic
Published October 29, 2015
by Randy Lee Loftis, National Geographic
Published October 29, 2015
Analysis
The article "Smoke From Wildfires Is Killing Hundreds of Thousands of People" talks about how wildfires have caused deforestation and the increase in air pollution due to the large amount of smoke that is being emitted. Several controversies have risen due to the possible health risks that the amount of smoke that is being into the atmosphere. Dr. Anjali Haikerwal of Australia’s Monash University "reported a 7 percent increase in out-of-hospital cases of cardiac arrest when bushfire smoke blanketed greater Melbourne in 2006-07. “Now we have very, very strong evidence,” she says." this was evidence to show that the wildfires were a major problem that needed to be resolved and that the longer they waited the worse that it was going to get worse. People walking around in the mist of this were not being the only ones affected by this, babies still inside the wombs of there mothers were beginning to show sign of poor health due to the intoxicated air that their mothers were breathing. I believe that if matters were taken into the hands of those in charge this would have been avoided. I also learned that even babies still in the wombs of there mothers can be affected by the world around them. This article relates to what we have learned in class because it talks about deforestation and pollution which are major issues that affect the environment.
The article "Smoke From Wildfires Is Killing Hundreds of Thousands of People" talks about how wildfires have caused deforestation and the increase in air pollution due to the large amount of smoke that is being emitted. Several controversies have risen due to the possible health risks that the amount of smoke that is being into the atmosphere. Dr. Anjali Haikerwal of Australia’s Monash University "reported a 7 percent increase in out-of-hospital cases of cardiac arrest when bushfire smoke blanketed greater Melbourne in 2006-07. “Now we have very, very strong evidence,” she says." this was evidence to show that the wildfires were a major problem that needed to be resolved and that the longer they waited the worse that it was going to get worse. People walking around in the mist of this were not being the only ones affected by this, babies still inside the wombs of there mothers were beginning to show sign of poor health due to the intoxicated air that their mothers were breathing. I believe that if matters were taken into the hands of those in charge this would have been avoided. I also learned that even babies still in the wombs of there mothers can be affected by the world around them. This article relates to what we have learned in class because it talks about deforestation and pollution which are major issues that affect the environment.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151029-wildfires-smoke-asthma-indonesia-california-health/
09/2015:
Nature Conservancy: "This City Turns Brown Into Green, Just as the Pope Wishes"
by Marianne Lavelle, National Geographic
Published September 25, 2015
by Marianne Lavelle, National Geographic
Published September 25, 2015
Analysis
The article "This City Turns Brown Into Green, Just as the Pope Wishes" focal point is to create awareness on how the earth in which we live in is losing its nature and is being "inundated by cement, asphalt, glass, and metal". The controversies that arise within this topic are the limited amount of space that is provided to create greener areas. The immigrants from Asia use these green plots in order to sustain themselves and provide a way to keep their culture present, but if the land is restricted by tax liens and claimed by private property owners than these people will loss the plots of land like it has already happened. I believe that if the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's City Harvest program is able to acquire more gardens it will benefit the people and the environment around them by making it cleaner and conserving the nature in that area and promoting other areas to do so. This article relates to the topics learned in class because it shows how we are forgetting about conserving the nature that is around us and are increasingly replacing it with man made materials and destroying our planet on the way.
The article "This City Turns Brown Into Green, Just as the Pope Wishes" focal point is to create awareness on how the earth in which we live in is losing its nature and is being "inundated by cement, asphalt, glass, and metal". The controversies that arise within this topic are the limited amount of space that is provided to create greener areas. The immigrants from Asia use these green plots in order to sustain themselves and provide a way to keep their culture present, but if the land is restricted by tax liens and claimed by private property owners than these people will loss the plots of land like it has already happened. I believe that if the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's City Harvest program is able to acquire more gardens it will benefit the people and the environment around them by making it cleaner and conserving the nature in that area and promoting other areas to do so. This article relates to the topics learned in class because it shows how we are forgetting about conserving the nature that is around us and are increasingly replacing it with man made materials and destroying our planet on the way.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/15925-pope-francis-Philadelphia-environment-green-space-gardens-immigrants/
Air Quality: "Surprisingly Clean Cars You Can Buy Now"
by Brian Howard, National Geographic
Published September 29, 2015
by Brian Howard, National Geographic
Published September 29, 2015
Analysis
The article "Surprisingly Clean Cars You Can Buy Now" talks about how the Volkswagen and other vehicles labeled as "green" cars have emitted four times more nitrogen oxide than it is allowed and how cars that are completely powered by gasoline are much more efficient and better for air quality specifically in California. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ratings for California showed how the top fuel efficient and low smog emission vehicles were not electric powered vehicles. This stirred up a controversies because, " Instead, a number of gasoline-powered hybrids, such as the Honda Accord hybrid, had good smog rankings, scoring 9 out of 10" were much more green and proved how the companies labeling their vehicles as "green" cars were being dishonest and harming the environment by emitting nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. This has taught me how not all vehicles labeled fuel efficient or "green" are good for the environment and how we should research vehicles in order to assure ourselves that they will not harm the air that we intake or the atmosphere in which we all live in. This article relates to what we have been learning in class in regards to the several sources that emit harmful chemicals into the air and contribute to the global warming and pollution that causes the air to be contaminated such as factories, deforestation, and vehicle emissions.
The article "Surprisingly Clean Cars You Can Buy Now" talks about how the Volkswagen and other vehicles labeled as "green" cars have emitted four times more nitrogen oxide than it is allowed and how cars that are completely powered by gasoline are much more efficient and better for air quality specifically in California. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ratings for California showed how the top fuel efficient and low smog emission vehicles were not electric powered vehicles. This stirred up a controversies because, " Instead, a number of gasoline-powered hybrids, such as the Honda Accord hybrid, had good smog rankings, scoring 9 out of 10" were much more green and proved how the companies labeling their vehicles as "green" cars were being dishonest and harming the environment by emitting nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. This has taught me how not all vehicles labeled fuel efficient or "green" are good for the environment and how we should research vehicles in order to assure ourselves that they will not harm the air that we intake or the atmosphere in which we all live in. This article relates to what we have been learning in class in regards to the several sources that emit harmful chemicals into the air and contribute to the global warming and pollution that causes the air to be contaminated such as factories, deforestation, and vehicle emissions.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2015/09/150929-diesel-volkswagen-clean-cars-smog/
08/2015:
Water quality: "Why Did L.A Drop 96 Million "Shade Balls" Into Its Water?"
by Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic
Published August 12, 2015
Analysis
The article "Why Did L.A Drop 96 Million "Shade Balls" Into Its Water?" focuses on what they can do to conserve water in order to have enough to provide 8,100 people water for at least 3 weeks. In order to save water the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have come up with the idea to use "Shade Balls" in order to reduce the water from evaporating, having algae,bacterial growth, and chemical reactions that produce harmful substances. The controversies that arise with this topic are the risk of having the "Shade Balls" toxic materials into the water supply. Although this may present a risk Ed Osann, a senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, says that it is not very likely. This topic has made me realize the desperate effort that everyone is making in order to conserve water and how we should begin to save water in different ways. This article is very similar to what we have been studying because it is an example of "Tragedy of the Commons", in which the water is the resource that is slowly diminishing and need to find a way to stop this from vanishing in order to avoid the "Tragedy of the Commons" incident.
The article "Why Did L.A Drop 96 Million "Shade Balls" Into Its Water?" focuses on what they can do to conserve water in order to have enough to provide 8,100 people water for at least 3 weeks. In order to save water the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have come up with the idea to use "Shade Balls" in order to reduce the water from evaporating, having algae,bacterial growth, and chemical reactions that produce harmful substances. The controversies that arise with this topic are the risk of having the "Shade Balls" toxic materials into the water supply. Although this may present a risk Ed Osann, a senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, says that it is not very likely. This topic has made me realize the desperate effort that everyone is making in order to conserve water and how we should begin to save water in different ways. This article is very similar to what we have been studying because it is an example of "Tragedy of the Commons", in which the water is the resource that is slowly diminishing and need to find a way to stop this from vanishing in order to avoid the "Tragedy of the Commons" incident.
Link to Article
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150812-shade-balls-los-angeles-California-drought-water-environment/