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Kelli-F

Page history last edited by kellikara1@... 14 years, 10 months ago

 

 Kelli F


First Period


Many people probably already know this but I love to play tennis. I compete in tournaments all around the state and enjoy dominating on the court! I also just recently discovered my talent for skiing (thanks Mallory!!) and I hope to ski on the blue slopes one day.


Tennis basically consumes my life! Besides the infinite number of trips to Casa G and intense pickleball games with my amigos!


I'm in this class because I really had no choice. I never took environmental science freshmen year so now I have to take AP or I don't graduate.


I just hope that I learn enough to pass the AP test and get college credit because environmental science just isn't that exciting for me...sorry Ms. Lewis!


Journals:

 

Journal One: 

What does the word “sustainable society” mean to you?  Do you believe that it is possible for the society you live in to become a sustainable society within the next 50 years?

I believe a sustainable society is one in which individuals use the earth's natural resources sparingly. A group of people living in a sustainable society use the bare minimum amount of resources needed to supply them with food, clean water, and shelter for survival so as to preserve the depletion of nonrenewable resources and prevent future socities from obtaining their basic needs. I think it would be very difficult for our society to become a sustainable one within the next fifty years because our population continues to grow exponentially without bound. With this influx in people, more resources are going to be used up for survival. In additon, I think we are already in way too deep with the destruction of our environment. I believe living situations can be improved, but resources will eventually be used up and habitats will be depleted.

Journal Two: 

Why could the total amount of animal flesh on the earth never exceed the total amount of plant flesh, even if all animals are vegetarians?

The total amount of animal flesh could never exceed the total amount of animal flesh because heterotrophs require the existence of autotrophs in order to live. Plants use photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. This oxygen is within the air animals breathe. Thus, without the surplus of plants compared to animals, there would not be enough oxygen to survive and animals would slowly die and possibly become extinct. This concept applies to herbivores as well. Herbivores get their nutrients and life-sustaining supply of food from plants. Thus, there needs to be more plants than herbivores in order for the species to survive.

Journal Three: 

You are a defense attorney arguing in court for sparing an underdeveloped old growth tropical rainforest and a coral reef from sever degradation or destruction by development.  Write your closing statement for the defense of EACH of these ecosystems.  If the judge decides you can save only one of the ecosystems, which one would you choose and why?

Tropical rainforests are vital to the earth as the abundant shelter and supplies of leaves, flowers, and fruits supports a great amount of animal life. The stratification of specialized plant and animal niches in various layers enables coexistance of a great variety of species. Tropical rainforests are habitats for 50-80% of the earth's terrestial species. The majority of the forest's nutrients are stored in the biomass of its living organisms, which can't survive with the ongoing degradation for urban development and tree plantations. In addition, coral reefs are important because they are the world's oldest, most diverse, and productive ecosystems. They remain the habitat for one-fourth of all marine species. If I could only save one of the ecosystems, I would most likely save the rainforests. The survival of coral reefs seems to remain dependent upon not only human control of activities, but also upon the control of natural disturbances. The regulation of such environmental factors remains in the hands of mother nature as humans are incapable of controlling storms, floods, and the invasion of predatory fish which affect the coral reefs. However, humans desperately need the rainforests as the trees give us oxygen to survive and occasionally the medicine which cures our sicknesses.

Journal Four: 

Suppose because of disease or genetic defects from inbreeding, the wolves on Isle Royal (page 197) die off.  Should we (a) intervene and import new wolves to help control the moose population or, (b) let the moose population grow until it exceeds its carrying capacity and suffers another population crash?  Explain.

If the wolves on Isle Royal die off, I believe we should allow the moose population to grow until it exceeds the carrying capacity. If we import new wolves to control the moose population, they could potentially characterize as invasive species, destroying the moose population and thus affecting the surrounding environment. Other animals dependent upon the moose may die off while other animals who compete with the moose for vegetation may die off if they overeat the vegetation and end up with no source of food left over.  It is important to let nature take its course and allow the moose population to suffer a population crash rather than potentially throwing the entire habitat out of balance due to human intervention. 

Journal Five: 

In the area that you live, are you more likely to experience an earthquake or a volcano eruption?  What can you do to escape or reduce the harm if such a disaster strikes?  What actions can you take when it occurs?

Here in North Carolina, I believe we are more likely to experience an earthquake as volcanic eruptions are not natural threats to this area of the United States. It wouldn't be uncommon for a fracture in the earth's crust to occur and produce movement on the fault in North Carolina as it has already happened in Lexington not too long ago. In order to reduce the harm of earthquakes, scientists can examine historical records and make geologic measurements to locate active fault zones, make maps showing high-risk areas, establish building codes that regulate the placement and design of buildings in areas of high risk, and try to predict when and where these disasters will occur. When an earthquake occurs, there is not much action one can take as it is a natural disaster that can't be controlled. One must take shelter in a safe haven away from windows and heavy objects.  It is also important to be informed of the secondary effects such as rock slides, fires, flooding, and tsunamis.  This knowledge could help the target area prepare for the worst.

Journal Six: 

Do you agree/disagree with the argument by developing countries that developed countries should bear the brunt of reducing carbon dioxide emissions because they produce most of the emissions?  Explain.

I agree with the argument as stated by developing countries that developed countries should enforce action to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions.  Developed countries contain more complex systems of industry and agricultural development that produce harmful gaseous emissions.  In countries like the United States and Japan, industry is growing rapidly through the construction of factories and improved technology.  The mechanical processes used often emit carbon dioxide into the air, which in turn pollutes our environment and contributes to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer.  Such a catastropic happening can increase the amount of sunburns and skin cancer as well as respiratory issues.  On the other hand, developing countries live more simple lifestyles.  Their agriculture techniques are more suitable for nature as they have less advanced tools and they live sustainable lifestyles.  Development has not quite reached its climax, and thus a significantly smaller amount of gases are released into the air.  The advanced developed countries have greatly impacted the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air and I believe they should come together to stop the destruction of our planet.

Journal Seven: 

Explain why you support or oppose requiring that:

all beverage containers be reusable

all household and businesses sort recyclable materials into separate containers for curbside pick-up

garbage collecting systems implement the pay-as-you-trash approach

consumers pay for plastic or paper bags to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags

I believe the world should reduce, reuse, and recycle because it is a simple way individuals can make a difference in the health of our planet without depleting resources.  I support the requirement that all beverage containers be reusable because this helps to conserve materials.  If containers are just thrown out haphazardly, then the landfills will continue to build with objects that can potentially be put to good use to create other necessities.  I support the idea that all households and businesses sort recyclable materials into seperate containers because different materials are capable of re-producing a variety of objects.  By recycling paper and plastic cans separately, the process for filtering and producing new items to be used again and again becomes much more efficient.  I oppose the pay-as-you-trash approach because all households have some sort of trash that cannot be recycled.  Therefore, individuals must utilize the trash system to dispose of wastes, yet payments could reach high amounts and invoke the idea of littering as a way to avoid the trash and save money.  This method could eventually lead to the build up of unnecessary trash within our living spaces.  I support the idea that consumers pay for plastic or paper bags when shopping because they will begin to understand the importance of recycling so material is not depleted or put to waste.  If consumers pay once, they will never have to pay again as the bags could then be reused numerous amounts of times for many purposes.

 

 

 

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