by julissa in June 11, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
Well this will be my last post and I’m deciding to talk about the weeds that are spreading out through the US, including mainly in farms. They spread easily and crowd out native species. Now while some of them spread, others retreat for about millions of acres in the west. Which gives people there the land to replant native species. Now, as stated on this site “Nonnative weeds and plants followed in the footsteps, sometimes literally, of European settlers as they spread across the West.” Like the tumbleweed! It’s origins are Russia.
Today, nonnative plants across the west cost millions of dollars in damage to farms and ranches. Like stated on this site, weeds “provide fuels for fast-burning wildfires, and force government agencies to spend millions in response.” Weeds are also known to give some of us allergic reactions, skin irritations, mechanical injury or internal poisoning. An example could be poison ivy. That is a nonnative plant. Another example is pollen. Climate change is helping produce more pollen and changes the allergenicity in common ragweed. This will seriously suck in spring then. Well this is the last post posted by me, Julissa.
by julissa in June 11, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
Before, it was always common to see the American Goldfinch hanging around bird feeders throughout Houston. Now, because of climate change, they’re slowly leaving Houston to move up north. Audubon society is tracking down the 305 bird species to see where they land when they move up north for the winter. Their results were (as stated on this site) “more than half are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago.” They think it’s since climate change is making the world warmer, they have new areas they could visit without the temperature being too cold for them. Another example is the Purple Finch. The Purple Finch has traveled the greatest distance, moving more than 400 miles upward to spend their winters around Wisconsin.
Since climate change affected their migration, it also affected their breeding cycle. Climate Change affected the overall flight speed during migration, and flight speed is determined by energy reserves. Which again, depends on foraging success prior to migration and at stopovers during migration. There will also be more food available on their way to their breeding site. So as stated on this site “this results in the birds arriving earlier at the breeding site, which again advances egg-laying.” So climate change changes their ranges and advances their breeding. Their are also other things about migration that the climate changes, but for now this is it. this was another post from Julissa.
This is an American Goldfinch.
by julissa in June 10, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
”Second death linked to swine flu! At least 28 swine flu variants infected Japan! Edgbaston girl who caught swine flu died of natural causes – inquest!” We’ve all heard about the swine flu and probably some of you have caught it. Back then it was such a huge threat because of no vaccinations, but now we do so everything is solved.Okay, but have they mention the threat in Africa that cholera is increasing? I never watch the news, but they still go around like a virus, and that didn’t happen for this one. What so, since it isn’t attacking people in the United States it now isn’t important enough to announce here? We should seriously stay up to date with the people who are suffering around the world.
Okay so since Cholera is increasing in Africa, scientists have connected it with climate change. Like these people said on this site “researchers from the Madrid Carlos III Institute of Health shows cholera cases in Zambia are increasing as temperatures rise.” Another site also informed that climate change can create patterns of rainfall that appeals the disease’s transmission. Also they found evidence that it connects (as stated on this site) “The study maintains that a 1º C increase in temperature six weeks before the beginning of the outbreak explains the 5.2% increase in cholera cases during an epidemic.” So they have pretty good information to back up their statement. Though now between August, 2008, and March, 2009, 4,037 people died in Africa. So this can be considered as a future threat in Africa if temperatures keep rising. Well this was yet again another post from Julissa.
This is what cholera looks like on a microscope.
by Morgan in June 9, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedMorgan
I’ve had a great time doing this project, I learned a lot from it. I made this video to wrap it all up, I hope you enjoy it! (p.s. It could only be 30 seconds long)
Enjoy!
by Morgan in June 9, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedMorgan
Climate change isn’t only affecting plants and animals now, but it is also harming us. It is estimated that climate change contributes to 150,000 deaths and 5 million illnesses each year. The World Health Organization estimates that a quarter of the world’s disease burden is due to the contamination of air, water, soil and food. Climate change accelerates the spread of disease. Insects such as mosquitoes, like warmer weather and if the climate keeps getting warmer than they’re going to migrate over here. Mosquitoes carry diseases such as, malaria, dengue fever, Ross River virus, and West Nile virus. People will soon start being infected with these different diseases and eventually die. Is this what we want?
People with heart problems, asthma, the elderly and the young are affected more by this than others. A massive increase in the frequency of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and forest fires have been observed in the last decades and have a direct impact in human health. One source says that, “Globally, the number of reported weather-related natural disasters has more than tripled since the 1960s. Every year, these disasters result in over 60 000 deaths, mainly in developing countries.” Rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns will end up destroying homes, medical facilities and other essential services. Sooner or later people are going to have to move out of their homes. We could prevent all of this from happening, but we choose not to.
by Meaghan in June 9, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedMeaghan
Hey readers! This is another video I made, just for fun. Though it’s still going across the point on how we are effecting the creatures of our planet. Yes, the song and title in the video are a little corny. The song is the first theme of Disney Channel’s Friends For Change. These are actors and other celebs from Disney Channel, reaching out to save our world. We should follow their footsteps and make a difference for the planet on which we stand. Join in organizations like Disney’s friends for Change and The Big Green Help. These organizations have kids joining from around the world! Send it on to your friends and help fight to bring around some change. This has been Meaghan, showing you my new animoto video. Enjoy it, and don’t forget to comment! I suggest you full-screen it for better effect.
Click here!
by julissa in June 8, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
Once again, there are many animals that are endangered, but I picked the gorillas from all the animals. I remember growing up watching Tarzan and back then gorillas became my favorite animal. Now to believe they are endangered… Don’t know why since they are tough creatures to beat. Anyway, this endangered species (like everything else) are being affected by climate change. Their habitats are being threathened by the weather changes and loss of land for them, or trees if you prefer. For example let’s go with the gorillas in Rwanda.
Four rare mountain gorillas were found dead in Rwanda. The site states they died from extreme cold weather conditions. One was a mother and three were infants. They also said that it is rare for so many to die at the same time. Then from an endangered species, those deaths were a HUGE loss to them. 380 to 400 gorillas live in the region between Rwanda. Where they live has seen unusually cold weather conditions in recent year. Three possible threats to the gorilla population (as stated on this site):
1) Habitat loss and or modification.
2)Forest encroachment and unsustainable use of natural resources.
3)War and or political unrest
Well, not my best topic but gorillas are still an endangered species. This was another post from Julissa.
by julissa in June 8, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
We have heard from many things that are getting affected by (or affecting) climate change, but I have not yet heard one of the wetlands. If someone did paid attention to the wetlands, then good job. I want to put my attention to something I didn’t knew we were losing. I thought climate change was good for them, but apperently not. Like they stated here about the peatlands (similar to wetlands) “Peatlands are being destroyed at a rapid pace. Although drainage and fires lead to huge CO2 emissions, the problem is still largely ignored in climate mitigation strategies.”
Wetlands are reffered to as sponges. When there are storms, they absorb the water so there wont be floods that often. It also is a source of fresh water and food. They are so helpful like stated on this site “Protecting and restoring mangroves, reefs, peatswamps, mountain lakes and floodplains should therefore get recognised as effective climate adaptation strategies.” Now the loss of this wetlands does affects climate change and can be disastrous to our safety and water security. It isn’t just climate change destroying them, it’s us too. We are trying to reduce climate change so the government thought of biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biofuels are destroying those lands! Like stated on this site “Biofuel production often leads to the loss of wetlands, to demand of tremendous amounts of water harming biodiversity and livelihoods, to huge carbon emissions from peatland degradation.” I hope I’ve shown enough evidence for you to understand that without wetlands, climate change would be worse than how it is now. This was another post from Julissa.
Picture of a destroyed wetland
by julissa in June 8, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
Small fires (for example, a bonfire) are always fun to sit by and roast marshmallows. To me it’s fun to watch because like everything on earth, it has its’ own unique personality. Except that everything has to have a bad side to it, of course. Like on dry season wildfires start blooming in droughts or dry climates. Even more easily when the temperatures are high with winds to help it move from place to place. Spreading faster than the Black Death in the 17th century. Anyway, the wildfires are a threat to life and property. Fires have also increased more rapidly during these past years. As stated on this site, here are four reasons they think caused the increase of wildfires:
1. Past fire suppression policies, including one of “total suppression,” which allowed for the accumulation of fuel in the form fallen leaves, branches, and excessive plant overgrowth in forest and wild land areas.
2. Increasingly dry, hot weather.
3. Changing weather patterns across many regions
4. Increased residential development in the wild land/urban interface.
Most of these reasons i think we already knew, but still i learned that pointing out a fact for a couple of times helps it stick to the memory. These fires puts people at risk. As said on this site “In February 2009, at least 108 people died in the Victorian state of Australia in terrible fire storms. These fires were the worst in the 200 years of European settlement.” Just in 2009, imagine the coming years with the earth warmer more deaths could happen. Many things are connected with the wildfires. Just like shown on this site “As the climate warms, the atmosphere can hold more moisture, and precipitation is likely to increase in winter, but with more falling as rain rather than snow. Increased melting of snow further adds to the likelihood that snow pack in the mountains and on the plains is less as spring arrives, making less melt water as the summer looms. Drier soils mean less evaporation and so the heat goes into higher temperatures, less recycled moisture in the atmosphere, and hence less rain during summer.”
With wildfires burning plants and trees, it starts releasing stored-up carbon into the atmosphere, threatening to speed up global warming. We will go from roasting marshmallows to roasting forests, which really doesn’t sound nice at ALL! Poor animals not being able to escape from fires, unlike us, they have nowhere to go if their homes are destroyed. We can easily stay at a relatives house but they can’t. Well this was yet another post from Julissa.
by julissa in June 8, 2010 · Filed under ProjectClimate · TaggedJulissa
During winter, most people who live in snowy areas try to make snowmen. Having fun making snow angels and all, but having too much snow pushes fun over the brink. To where you aren’t having fun anymore. Climate change are messing up all the weather patterns, which includes snow storms in northern regions. On February 3, the third major snow storm passed over Brooklyn,NY. Starting up questions about Global warming. Like, if Global warming was supposed to be making the world warmer, why do we still have huge snow storms? These past years have broken the record of worst snow storms around the United States.
So, not just the snow storms but including all weather patterns like tornadoes or hurricanes, but they’ll be left for later. Scientists have stated that our winter season is now going to be shorter because of the earth warming, but i think it’s just starting and ending late. Some places still had snow late February (like the example shown above), and spring is suppose to start on that month. Also in this sitethey stated (I quote) “Romm says the overall warming trend recorded by scientists during the last century was not enough to push winter temperatures above freezing, but he says the rising temperatures and warmer air have caused an increase in the amount of precipitation over the winter.” Also with lakes drying out and glaciers melting, evaporating which gives more humidity in the air. May give snow storms more strength to the point where they become heavy blizzards. So maybe it can’t be called global warming anymore since it’s making our winters colder….
Anyway, I’m ending this by saying that for the people who live in snowy conditions, start buying warmer coats. Since obviously snow storms are just going to get worse right now. This was a post from Julissa.
