Quarter 4, Article 5

a. Source: nytimes.com

b. June 1st, 2011

c. Small but Innumerable, Jellyfish Storm a Beach <-- Link to article.

d. Chapter 6: Aquatic Biodiversity.

e. Over Memorial Day weekend in Cocoa Beach, Florida many people came out to the beach only to find a swarm of jellyfish stretching to 10 miles on the beach. The mauve stingers are a type of jellyfish that mostly live in the Mediterranean are small, but they covered the entire beach. 1,800 people were treated for jellyfish stings during the weekend. Some were even sent to hospitals because they were allergic to the stings. Biologists say that jellyfish are flourishing because of warmer water temperatures and are more frequently washing up on beaches.
f. It is incredible to see a picture of how many jellyfish there actually were on this beach. This article shows that warmer ocean waters really are having impacts on the way we live. More jellyfish on the beaches can disrupt the way we live, because no one wants to be stung by a jellyfish while they're having a fun time at the beach. The increase in temperature of the water is most likely due to global warming by greenhouse gases. If we lessen our greenhouse gas emissions, problems like this would be happening less frequently.

g. Flotilla- a fleet.

Quarter 4, Article 4

a. Source: nationalgeographic.com

b. May 23rd, 2011

c. Joplin, Missouri, Tornado Strong but Not Surprising? <-- Link to article.

d. Chapter 5: Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity

e. Tornadoes form when warm, moist air masses and cold, dry air masses collide to form a storm. A continuous source of warm water is needed to keep the tornado going, in the case of the tornado in Missouri the Gulf of Mexico was the source. Currently, the temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are about 2 degrees higher than they usually are, which can explain the oddly high amount of tornadoes in the Midwest, specifically in the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. The incredibly strong tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri last weekend can be classified as a F5 tornado/twister. An F5 twister has winds from 261-381 miles an hour, which can rip up pavements, flatten buildings and toss cars around. This devastating tornado took the lives of 116 people.

f. I think it is awful that tornadoes of this magnitude are becoming more and more common in the Midwest area because of the climbing temperatures of the Gulf which give fuel to the tornadoes making them even stronger. I wonder if the increasing temperatures are a result of the oil spill? or if they are a result of global warming by greenhouse gases?

g. mesocyclone- a rotating shaft of rapidly rising air within a storm. Under certain conditions, a mesocyclone can generate a tornado.

Quarter 4, Article 3

a. Source: nationalgeographic.com

b. May 31st, 2011

c. Female Fish Develop "Testes" in Gulf Dead Zone <-- Link to article.

d. Chapter 21: Water Pollution

e. Studies have shown that dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico is causing sexual deformities in the fist population. A dead zone is when agricultural and other kinds of waste runoff and spark rapid growth of algae and microbes in nearby bodies of water. These microbes taken in alot of oxygen and create areas of hypoxia in which fish can not survive, which is why they are called "dead zones." One species of fish in the Gulf have been severely impacted by this. The female Atlantic croaker fish have been seen to have developed male testes-like organs instead of normal ovaries. Just 10-weeks in hypoxic waters can cause this serious mutation. Currently, the dead zone in the Gulf is the size of Connecticut, which means that many fish species can be affected by this. The female Atlantic croaker fish have found to have decreased amounts of aromatase, which is a key chemical found in the brain that regulates the amount of estrogen produced. This deformity explains the decline of hatching rates in fish exposed to dead zones.

f. I think this is a serious problem, because this fish species could rapidly decline because they're will not be a sufficient amount of females that are capable of reproducing. This could drastically change the ecosystems of many other populations of fish and other aquatic animals. Also, studies haven't been done to see if any other species are effected by the dead zones in a similar way that the Atlantic croaker fish are. I think it is important to watch the amount of fertilizers that people are putting on their crops, and making sure that people are cleaning up their wastes and disposing of waste properly. The people that live along the Mississippi River where the runoff is found should be aware of this issue to understand the impact of their actions.

g. Hypoxia-oxygen deficiency.

Quarter 4, Article 2

a. Source: sciencedaily.com

b. June 1st, 2011

c. Biodegradable Products May be Bad For The Environment <-- Link to article.

d. Chapter 22: Solid and Hazardous Wastes

e. The EPA has done studies that show that only about 35% of municipal solid waste goes to landfills that capture methane for energy use, another 34% of landfills capture methane and burn it off on-site, while 31% allow the methane to escape. Methane can be a valuable energy source when it is captured but can be a harmful greenhouse gas when in the atmosphere. This study shows that biodegradable products are not more environmentally friendly when disposed of in landfills. Items are classified as biodegradable if they can decompose in a "reasonably short amount of time." Although this may seem like a good thing that it is being decomposed rapidly, it can have negative impacts because some landfills don't collect methane from the waste 2 years after it is buried. In this case, all the methane would have escaped into the atmosphere and less methane being used for energy.

f. I think that landfills shouldn't wait two years to collect the methane that escapes, because of the waste that decomposes quickly, if they collect the methane shortly after being buried to increase the amount of methane available for energy production and decrease the amount being let out into the atmosphere which increases the harmful effects of greenhouse gases. I think it is great that these tests are being done and understanding that just because they are biodegradable doesn't necessarily mean that it is better for the environment. I found this article very informative and surprising.

g. municipal waste- is a type of waste that includes predominately household waste with sometimes the addition of commercial wastes collected within a given area.

Quarter 4, Article 1

a. Source: Environmentalhealthnews.org

b. June 2nd, 2011

c. Counting down on the oceans <-- Link to article

d. Chapter 21: Water Pollution

e. Samples were taken from the coastline of California(near major cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Fransisco) in 2009 and the results showed that high levels of mercury, PCBs and pesticides such as DDT were found in numerous popular sport fish species. The studies showed that 1 one in every 5 fish caught had so much mercury in them that it was dangerous for human consumption. These fish can cause nervous system damage, increase risk of cancer, liver damage and reproductive issues. Another study done five years ago predicted that it is possible that the world will run out of seafood by the year 2050 because of overfishing and contamination.

f. I think this is a very serious issue that people must be aware of. Since the population is growing rapidly and fish is a very big source of protein it is constantly in danger of being over-harvested. I think people should not only cut down the amount of fish they eat but also be aware of the garbage they leave behind. This garbage could easily run-off into lakes and streams and contaminate the fish population, and then they will eat the fish and get serious health problems because of the high levels of contaminants they are ingesting. Children and pregnant women are extremely susceptible to these health problems and they should make sure they know they aren't eating contaminated seafood.

g. Confluence- a merging or flowing together.

Quarter 3, Article 10

1. BP Seeks to Resume Drilling in Gulf of Mexico

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a regional environmental issue.

4. BP has asked United States regulators if they could resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, not to long after the tragic oil spill. The oil spill devastated ecosystems, displaced populations, and even killed numerous people because they spilled 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf. BP is looking for permission to continue to drill at 10 deepwater production wells in the region in July in exchange for complying to stricter safety and supervisory rules so that an accident like what happened does not occur again. President Obama says that he is seeking to reduce our dependence on imported oil by increasing domestic production. This shows that Obama may be considering letting BP resume drilling. Many companies have been allowed to resume drilling in the region if they comply with the new regulations. Some companies include Exxon Mobil and Chevron.

5. I don't think that BP should be allowed to resume drilling until the mess of the oil spill is cleaned up as best as it can be. I think they should suffer stricter consequences for what they have done. Although this means that we would have to rely on foreign oil, I believe that if we do not punish BP for the huge mistake they made, it is more likely that if they resume drilling another accident is bound to occur and this time it may even be worse than what happened in the Gulf.

6.Compensated- to make amends for

Quarter 3, Article 9

1. World Bank Proposes to Limit Funding to Coal Plants

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.

4. The World Bank has issued new rules regarding the use of carbon-intensive coal burning plants. These new rules would only allow lending for coal plants to the world's poorest nations and would only lend after renewable energy choices have been completely ruled out. The President of the World Bank has spoke out and says that we need to do something about the climate change and move away from the amount of fossil fuels we currently use. Although he has says this, the actions of the World Bank show to be very different. Last year the bank received criticism for approving a 3.75 billion dollar loan to South Africa to build one of the world's largest coal plants. Many say that we should move away from fossil fuels completely, like oil and gas and not simply just coal.

5. I think it is great that the people that give away the loans to build power-plants are doing their part to limit how many coal-fired plants we have in the world. They recognize the damage it is doing to the climate and the environment. I also think they should set new rules for the drilling of oil and gas. Since fracking for natural gas has become increasingly popular and very destructive, they should also try to do something to limit that.

6. Fossil Fuels- A hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.

Quarter 3, Article 8

1. Is Japan Reactor Crew Exposed to Fatal Radiation?

2.

3. This article deals with a regional environmental issue.

4. With the recent earthquake and nuclear plant disaster in Japan, many serious issues have arose. One serious question is how much exposer to harmful radiation did the people of Japan get throughout this disaster. Studies have shown that exposure levels around the nuclear plant reached up to about 400 millisieverts of radiation an hour, but the plunged to .6 millisievert and hour. Millisivert is an internationally accepted measure of radiation does based on biological effects in humans. This amount is extremely dangerous because the average person receives about 1-2 millisieverts a year from natural sources in the environment. 50 millisieverts is the lowest cumulative annual dose for which there is evidence of radiation related cancer in adults. So for the people in Japan that were around the extremely high amounts of radiation, there are serious risks for cancer and radiation sickness. If the plant workers were around this radiation for 2 brief intervals, they could get temporary radiation sickness which includes nausea and decreased blood cell count. To make sure that these workers do not get seriously dangered, an evacuation was ordered for everyone within 12 miles from the nuclear power plant. And for the people that live around 19 miles away, they have been ordered to stay indoors and seal all windows.

5. It is scary to think that people are still even working on the nuclear power plant after the disaster, but it is crucial that they keep the plant cooled with seawater to make sure that the fuel rods don't overheat and release more radioactive material. It is shocking that there is such a high level of radiation in Japan and people still live there because they have no where else to go. It is important that we are aware of how awful the conditions are right now in Japan, and we all do our part to help contribute.

6. Trepidation- tremulous fear, alarm or agitation,

Quarter 3, Article 7

1. Effects of Over-Consumption and Increasing Populations

2.

Chapter 9: The Human Population

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.
4.The State of the World, 1999 Report from the Worldwatch Institute suggests that the global economy could be seriously affected by environmental problems, such as the lack of access to enough resources to meet growing population demands. Environmental degradation can contribute to social and political instability, which can lead to security issues. This has not currently been addressed by the foreign policy of many nations. Already around the world we are seeing an increase in violence and human rights abuses as disputes about territories, food and water are spilling into wars and internal conflicts.Studies point to ecological limits to sustain people, but these limits can be different, based on the way we consume resources etc so it is hard to say for sure what over population means let alone if we are at some threshold, below, or above it.
5. We can not fully blame countries with a higer population for the cause of the loss of natural resources. Countries like the US which isnt the most populated country uses the most resources. Yet, the figure of 6 billion and literature about over-population naturally looks to the poor regions where there are high populations and environmental degradation as the problem. Its also to see how the scarcity of foood is not a problem but the fact that people can't afford food is reallly the problem. It is a scary thought and this article address all the problems.
6. natural resources: the natural wealth of a country, consisting of land, forests, mineral deposits, water, etc.

Quarter 3, Article 6

1. State Must Take Hard Look at Natural-Gas Drilling

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a local environmental issue.

4. Natural gas is a very valuable and necessary gas that is often used, but there have been concerns with the way drilling companies have been extracting the gas deposits. Questions are even being raised as to whether or not there should be strong limitations on certain areas. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has stated that this natural gas issue is the most shocking issue that have ever had to deal with. The main area in question is in New York, near the Catskills, which involves the Marcellus Shale. If drilling was to occur, there could be a detrimental impact on water supplies in the Hudson Valley and New York City areas. This fear is due to a previous incident that occurred in Pennsylvania, which dealt with Marcellus Shale as well. Drilling led to contamination of water wells and rivers within the state. One of the major concerns with drilling is a process called hydrofracking. Hydrofracking is used by industries to break up rock structures to release natural gas. This involves injecting large quantites of water, sand, and chemicals into the ground to pry open cracks in the shale to bring the gas to the surface. Some of these chemicals may runoff/leech into the water table and contaminate the drinking water of hundreds of people in New York.

5. I don't agree with the practice of drilling for natural gas, because so many incidents have occurred that put harmful chemicals into water in all different places of the United States. After seeing the video about fracking in class, I don't think that it should be practiced because of how risky it is. I think it is good that the New York state government is being cautious about the practicing of fracking because they don't know what could possibly come if they were to drill in New York.

6. Daunting-to overcome with fear;intimidate.

Quarter 3, Article 5

1. Water Utilities Failed to Alert Public to Presence of Likely Carcinogen

2.

Chapter 21- Water Pollution

3. This article deals with a nation-wide issue.

4. Water utilities have known about chromium (a carcinogen) that has been polluting water for the past few years and failed to release this information to the public. The American Water Works Association Research Foundation has been testing waters and doing research to find more about the amounts of hexavalent chromium in waters all over the country. They tested over 300 different water samples in over 40 states and determined that chromium was found in majority of water, especially in groundwater. Their studies also showed that when the water is treated by the utilities, the hexavalent chromium is not effectively removed. The worst part is that the utilities did not share this information, so millions of people have been drinking water not knowing that chromium was heavily found in it. This hexavalent chromium is a carcinogen when inhaled but studies also show that it has health impacts when in water as well. More tests are being conducted which may lead to a change in drinking water standards. California is already doing something about this problem and already lowered the drinking water standard for the chemical from 0.06 parts per billion to 0.02 parts per billion which will be in effect in January.

5. I think it is awful that the water companies did not share this crucial information with people and continued to let them drink water that could possibly increase peoples risk of cancer. They should have let them know as well as the EPA so that tests could be done and thoroughly looked at and dealt with. But I think it's good that at least one state (California) is already doing something about this problem to reduce the risks associated with the hexavalent chromium.

6. Hexavalent Chromium- Used for the production of stainless steel, textile dyes, wood preservation and as anti-corrosion and conversion coatings. Hexavalent chromium is recognized as a human carcinogen via inhalation.

Quarter 3, Article 4

1. 3 Surprising Ways Global Warming Could Make You Sick

2.

Chapter 20: Climate change + Ozone Depletion

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.

4. New studies are showing that global warming may cause further problems to human health because of microbes, bacteria, and toxic algae blooms. These risks come along with other risks like death due to heat waves, natural disasters, and diseases like malaria. These hidden risks are being studied by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some of these risks include the contamination of seafood by toxic algae blooms. A specific type of algae called Alexandrium catenella algae produces a poison that accumulates in seafood and can lead humans to have vomiting to muscle paralysis, and sometimes even death. Another effect is that harmful oceanic bacteria could explode. Climate studies have shown that due to global warming wet regions will continue to get wetter and dry regions will become even drier. This will increase desertification and the amount of dust in the atmosphere from places like Africa. A lot of this dust will end up in the oceans, and scientists predict that it "supercharges" the growth of harmful bacteria that ends up in the seafood humans ingest. A last effect is that more sewage will contaminate drinking water.

5. I think that it's good that scientists are studying these other effects of global warming, but there may be other effects that scientists have yet to discover and that is why we need to be very careful and very aware of global warming. We need to make sure we are all doing what we can to prevent global warming from happening. There are so many little steps each one of us can take to prevent all of these negative things from happening. We need to protect our earth as much as possible. We all can pitch in whether it's just changing a light bulb in our homes, or carpooling with neighbors, making sure we conserve electricity and just being aware of all the things we can do to prevent global warming.

6. Supercharge- to charge with an abundant or excessive amount, as of energy, emotion, or tension.

Quarter 3, Article 3

1. Cellphone Use Tied to Changes in Brain Activity

2.

Chapter 18: Environmental Hazards and Human Health

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.

4. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have discovered that less than an hour of cellphone use can speed up brain activity in the area closest to the phone antenna, this new discovery has raised many questions about the effects of cellphones on humans. It is not sure whether the cellphone will have a negative effect on a persons overall health but the radiation emitted from cellphones can be potentially dangerous and alter brain activity. This study is important because it documents that the human brain is sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from cellphones. The biggest question and concern of the researchers is whether or not cellphones will have a long lasting impact because of the constant exposure. It is very hard to determine that but a few observational studies have shown that a link between heavy cellphone use and rare brain tumors exists.

5. I think this is very interesting and something people should be more concerned with since today almost everyone has a cellphone and uses it for hours on a daily basis. If it does have potentially harmful effects we should all be aware of them and try to eliminate tumors or cancer from happening. I think they should try and study the effects of cellphones on children, because today more and more kids have cellphones and since their brains are still developing the radiation might cause more damage to them then to an adult.

6. Dogma- a settled or established opinion, belief, or principle.

Quarter 3, Article 2

1. Extreme Storms and Floods Concretely Linked to Climate Change?

2.

Chapter 20: Climate Change + Ozone Depletion

3. This article deals with a global issue.

4. Studies have shown that increased levels of greenhouse gases has led to an increase of extreme weather events and may even make them stronger. Francis Zwiers has studied half a centuries rainfall data from locations like the United States, Asia, and Europe. His studies have shown that increased greenhouse gases correlate with heavy precipitation events. Some people would say that more precipitation is a good thing but these kinds of storms would lead to flooding and massive flooding does damage to both cities and agricultural lands, as we have seen in Pakistan and Australia. Zwiers compared the real observed data with climate models that account for the effects of CO2 and other atmosperic greenhouse gases. An intriguing discovery was revealed.

5. These studies show that increased greenhouse gases has more than just one effect on our world. We need to be alot more careful with our emissions of these greenhouse gases, because they will not only increase our climate and melt the ice caps and do other damage but now studies show that they will also increase natural disasters. It seems that we are destroying our environment and don't know that we are doing it. I think we need to raise more awareness about the dangers of high emissions of greenhouse gases and try to do something to prevent all of these potentially dangerous things from happening to our environment because we only have one planet and once we ruin it we can not get it back.

6. Daunting- To overcome with fear; intimidate.

Quarter 3, Article 1

1. Hudson River Fish Evolve Toxic PCB Immunity

2.

Chapter 21: Water Pollution

3. This article deals with a global issue.

4. Studies have shown that in the Hudson River, fish have developed a gene that makes them immune to the toxic effects of PCBs. This allows the fish to survive even in polluted waters, these fish are very fast evolving fish. For example one of these fish is called the Atlantic Tomcod. PCBs are mainly used for industrial purposes like electrical insulators. PCBs were banned in around 1979, 50 years after they were introduced. Although PCBs were banned the effects of them were still present. A 200-mile stretch along the Hudson River is the nations largest Superfund site. Scientists were fascinated that the Atlantic Tomcod were able to survive even in the contaminated area, so they began to study these fish and found a specific protein that regulates the toxic effects.

5. I think it is great the fish were able to adapt to their environment when it changed but I think it is bad that they had to adapt because of human mistakes. If we didn't use the PCBs the fish wouldn't have a problem. This is one species that was able to adapt but I am sure that there were others that were not able to survive under the harsh contamination and may have declined in population or even became extinct. I think we need to be more careful with the chemicals and toxins we use and how and where we dispose of them because we don't know the effect they will have on other species. Some species may adapt like the Atlantic Tomcod but others may be negatively effected.

6. Dredging- to clear out with a dredge; remove sand, silt, mud, etc., from the bottom of.

Quarter 2, Article 10

1. Plastic-Lined Nests Keep Rivals at Bay

2.

Chapter 11: Sustaining Biodiversity

3. This article deals with a regional issue.

4. In Donana National Park in Spain, a bird species called black kites have been using bits of plastic bags to build their nests.They use the plastic bags almost as a warning sign to others, they are meant to show off their nests. Nests that used the plastic bags had fewer intruders than those without plastic bags. Researchers conducted an experiment to see how the birds would react with a choice of white, green, or transparent shopping bags. The results showed that out of the 33 pairs that picked up some of the bags, 29 of them chose only white shopping bags. The birds preferred something that was white and visible.

5. I think it is good that the birds are adapting to their environment, but I think it is unfortunate that they have to use our pollution and garbage. I think some people will use this as an excuse for littering. People will think that they are helping the birds by polluting. This just shows that birds have adapted to the littering and finding a way to use the garbage to their advantage.

6. overawed- to restrain or subdue by inspiring awe; intimidate.

Quarter 2, Article 9

1. Corals Moving North

2.

Chapter 20: Climate Change

3. This article deals with a regional issue.

4. Coral reefs are extremely important biologically because they are the home to many species. Coral reefs have very high biodiversity. About one in every four marine species live in coral reefs. A recent study of the coral reefs in Japan shows that many of the coral species have migrated over many latitude lines north in the past 80 years. A geographer named Hyroya Yamano has been analyzing maps of coral reefs since the 1930s. His studies have shown that out nine common coral species, four of them had expanded northward and two went as far as went as temperate waters. His studies have also predicted that many more of the coral species will migrate and at a very fast rate in response to the warming waters. Some of the species Yamano was studying migrated as fast as 8.7 miles per year, an average species only migrate .4 miles per year. Too much acidity from high concentrations of carbon dioxide can also weaken coral reefs.

5. This article shows that global warming not only effects terrestrial species but also aquatic environments. A result of the atmosphere heating up, the ocean water also heats up causing changes in the habitats of the aquatic species. It is important that we understand how global warming plays a role all over the world.

6. repository-an abundant source or supply.

Quarter 2, Article 8

1. New hope for rare lemurs in Madagascar

2.

Chapter 11: Sustaining Biodiversity The Species Approach

3. This article deals with a regional issue.

4. Silky Sifaka has been threatened by habitat destruction and has been placed on the endangered species list and is one of the world's 25 most endangered primates. Recent studies have shown that the species has been surviving in Marojejy National Park despite an outbreak of illegal rosewood logging in 2009-2010. A non-profit organization has been established to help protect these primates. SIMPONA has been monitoring the species and been doing what they can to help raise awareness about the species and trying to protect its habitat. Erik Patel who heads the organization has been doing the studies of the Silky Sifaka and has found 31 silky sifaka groups consisting of 131 total individuals in the national park in the past few years.

5. I think it is great that organizations like SIMPONA have been established to help protect these endangered species because it is extremely crucial to our environment to maintain biodiversity and make sure that no species become extinct. It is always good to hear a success story of an endangered species especially when it is one of the world's 25 most endangered species. I also think we should try to stop the illegal logging in places like the Marojejy National Park to ensure that other species will not be threatened by this.

6. Extrapolate- To infer from something that is known.

Quarter 2, Article 7

1. Dust levels in Earth's atmosphere contribute to climate change

2.

Chapter 19: Air Pollution

Chapter 20: Climate Change

3. This article deals with a global issue.

4. The amount of dust in the atmosphere has a direct relationship with the climate. Dust limits the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth. This will increase atmospheric carbon dioxide. It can also influence clouds and precipitation, which leads to major droughts, which leads to desertification and more dust. This is an example of a positive feedback loop. The amount of dust in the atmosphere has nearly doubled in the last century, this has had a very negative effect on the worlds climate. Many studies are being done to determine how the dust will effect the climate. The first study was done to trace the fluctuation pf a natural aerosol around the world over a century. Another study that was done was in the ocean. Because dust plays an important role in the ocean environment. Dust is a major source of iron, which is vital for plankton and other organisms. Scientist are also studying information from ice cores, lake sediment and coral to measure fluctuations in dust. Scientist then link each sample with it's likely source and calculate the rate of deposition over time. Researchers can then construct the influence that desert dust will have on many other things. For example, temperature, precipitation, ocean iron deposition and terrestrial carbon uptake over time.

5. It is good that scientist can determine exactly what impact more dust will have on our environment so that we know what will happen if we don't try to do something about this dust issue. Because it can be a serious problem that can even contribute to global warming. It is important that we do something to lower the amount of dust in the atmosphere. I would have liked if the article stated some of that information in this article, because it would've been very interesting to know.

6. Desertification- the process by which an area becomes a desert.

Quarter 2, Article 6

1. Gulf Oil Spill Surprise: Methane Almost Gone

2.

Chapter 18: Environmental Hazards and Human Health

3. This article deals with a regional issue.

4. The Gulf oil spill was extremely drastic and everyone wondered what would happen in the Gulf. Methane is one of the main components in the oil that was spilled into the Gulf. After only 4 months practically all the methane that was in the five million barrels of oil has been removed by a certain bacteria. However, just because the methane is gone does not mean the oil its self is gone. The oil is still found in the gulf in nearly everywhere in the deep water. Most of the ingredients of the oil haven't completely degraded. This discover of no more methane is very good not only for the Gulf but also the atmosphere. This is because the warming of ocean temperatures are thought to make parts of the ocean's geology less stable. This could trigger a huge release of methane gas into the ocean and potentially the atmosphere, which would contribute to global warming.

5. I think it is great that the methane has mostly completely gone by a natural source rather than us having to do something to remove the methane which could harm other things in the environment. This is also good because methane is a huge contributer to global warming and if we can cut down that amount of methane it can do the atmosphere a ton of good. It would be great if a natural source was able to remove the rest of the gas from the Gulf so it does not do any more damage.

6.geology- the science that deals with the dynamics and physical historyof the earth,

the rocks of which it is composed, and thephysical, chemical, and biological changes

that the earth hasundergone or is undergoing.

Quarter 2, Article 5

1. Reducing Greenhouse Gases the Dismal Way

2.

Chapter 19: Air Pollution

3. This article deals with a global issue.

4. The United States has been cutting down greenhouse emissions like "a green tornado." According to the article, The Energy Department says carbon dioxide emissions in the united states fell 3% in 2008 and 7% in 2009. This has been extremely good for the environment. The government also estimates that the carbon emissions in the United States won’t be as bad as the levels that were in 2005 until 2027, which is 16 years from now. The economy played a big role in the decreases in carbon dioxide levels. When the economy is bad, more people are unemployed, and this means people buy less, and do not commute as much as they would if the economy was good. Generally people do less of all the things that produce greenhouse gases. When energy uses drop, so do carbon emissions in the environment. This effect has not only been shown in the United States but also in Europe. Carbon emissions in Europe dropped 2 percent in 2008 because of the recession.

5. I think this article is good because it shows that the United States can do something to lower their carbon emissions and do good for the environment but it also worries me because I wonder what will happen when the economy gets better and people resume doing things as they would normally.

6. Bumbled- To do clumsily