# data[].attributes.body
Within our lifetime, it is projected that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Plastic does not biodegrade or dissolve, which ultimately poses a great threat to fish and other marine life. Straws are among the top ten items found during beach clean ups and do so much harm to the birds and turtles, so we as humans need to stop using them

# data[].attributes.body
The majority of pollutants going into the ocean come from activities on land.  One of the biggest sources of pollution is called nonpoint source pollution. That occurs as a result of runoff from things like septic tanks, cars, trucks, and boats. It also can include larger sources such as farms, livestock ranches, and timber harvest areas.

# data[].attributes.body
The ocean is the home to most life on Earth. When fossil fuels are burned, it not only pollutes the air, but the ocean as well. As much as a quater of all man-made carbon emissions get absorbed into the ocean, which changes the pH of surface waters and leads to acidification. If we keep this pace, it is estimated that the surface waters of the ocean could be about 150% more acidic than they are now.

# data[].attributes.body
The ocean cannot continue to be a dumpsite for humans to put their trash. Plastic is the most commonly found element in the sea and is one of the most serious threats to marine life. It then comes full circle because people eat the contaminated seafood, which can cause serious health problems, from cancer to damage to immune system.

# data[].attributes.body
Many marine organisms can’t distinguish common plastic items from food. They the end up starving later because their stomachs cannot digest the plastic and it prevents them from eating other foods. The chance of coral becoming diseased increases from 4% to 89% after coming in contact with plastic. Many of these pieces of broken -down plastic are so tiny, they smaller than your little fingernail.

# data[].attributes.body
Since the 1960s, nearly half of the world’s rainforests have been lost. Every day, about 81,000 hectares of rainforest are burned around the world. Losing 15 million acres of forest between 2000-2012, Indonesia has the highest deforestation rate in the world. Every year, tropical forests are being destroyed at the rate of 8 million hectares a year, which is equivalent to the size of South Carolina.

# data[].attributes.body
Farming, grazing of livestock, mining, and drilling combined account for more than half of all deforestation. Lots of trees are cut down to make paper and palm oil. Another big factor is the growing urban sprawl because more land is needed to develop homes.

# data[].attributes.body
Many people and animals rely on the forest. They give us clean air and water. 13.2 million people across the world have a job in the forest sector, and 41 million have jobs related to the sector. 80% of the world's land-based species, such as elephants and rhinos, live in forests. All these benefits are being jeopardized because the forest around the world are under threat.

# data[].attributes.body
If current deforestation levels proceed, the world's rainforests may completely vanish in as little as 100 years. The most common methods of deforestation are burning trees and clear cutting. The ash from the burned trees provides some nourishment for the plants and the land is weed-free from the burning.

# data[].attributes.body
Deforestation has impacted the lives of 1.6 billion people whose livelihood depended on forest. 52% of all land used for food production is impacted by the erosion of healthy soil. We has humans are really suffering from deforestation, and if nothing changes it will only get worse.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This blog is temporarily unavailable but we have many others

# data[].attributes.body
Us Americans do not realize how much we need bees in our lives. Honey bees preform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. Just one bee can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. 70% of the top human food crops are pollinated by bees, which supply about 90% of the world's nutrition.

# data[].attributes.body
We need to take action to save the bees. One of the largest threats to bees is lack of habitat due to urban sprawl. We need to make sure we are leaving enough green space for the bees. Using harmful pesticides in gardens are also very threatening and harmful to the bees lives. Creating a bee friendly garden with flowers can help bees pollinate other plants.

# data[].attributes.body
We has humans need to support protecting bees and other pollinators. To help we can buy regional and organtic food, avoid pesticides in your garden, and plant bee-friendly organtic flowers. You can also get active by signing petitions to save agriculture and bees.

# data[].attributes.body
There is a lot at stake if the bees population continues to decline for us humans. Bees alone pollinate $15 billion worth of U.S. crops every year. Some parts of the world are taking notice and are trying to put a stop to this. The European Union voted to ban outdoor uses of three major neonics that are known to be harmful to bees, and Canada is coming close to doing that as well.

# data[].attributes.body
There are many ways to help support the bees as I read in the previous articles, but this article talks about supporting bee keepers. Buying local raw honey supports your local beekeepers and their bees, which then leads to supporting the environment you live in and your own health.

# data[].attributes.body
94% of Americans agree that animals raised for food deserve to live free from abuse and cruelty, but that is not the case in real life. 10 billion farm animals raised each year in the U.S. suffer greatly. If the consumers knew how they were treated they would most likely not buy the products. The industrial farms where they produce meat, milk, and eggs, focus on efficiency rather than the animals welfare. Unfortunately, the animals are ultimately playing the price.

# data[].attributes.body
Kosher slaughter is intended to minimize animals’ suffering. Kosher slaughter, is performed by a person who has received special education and instruction in the requirements to kill the animals. When performed properly, it appears to be painless and quickly renders the animal unconscious.

# data[].attributes.body
An animal’s journey to the slaughterhouse is a very stressful process and can lead to her death during transit. They are oftentimes overheated in their closures,  and are not given food or water. Also, because of the high stress situation, the animals can fight one another leading to injuries among the animals. Lastly, the animals are super overcrowd when being transported.

# data[].attributes.body
Just on land, over 150 million animals are killed for food around the world every day.  Including wild caught and farmed fishes, we get a daily total closer to 3 billion animals killed. In the U.S. alone, around 9 billion chickens hatch eggs for human consumption. 2.7 trillion fish are caught and killed in the wild. Some of the fish are still alive on their way to the slaughterhouse because they are covered in ice, and die by a blow to the head.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

# data[].attributes.body
By the year 2050, it is projected that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish and 99% of all seabird species will have ingested plastic.  In America, it is estimated that we use over 500 million straws a day, and most of them end up in the ocean. They pollute the water and kill the marine life. Because plastic straws are so lightweight, they do not make it through the mechanical recycling sorter, and end up getting disposed a garbage. Straws can be blown out of trash cans, littered, and left on the beach. They also can get in the ocean through gutters and storm drains because they both lead to the ocean. When plastic enters the ocean, it breaks down into microplastics, which are extremely small pieces of plastic debris. Plastic does not biodegrade or dissolve, which ultimately poses a great threat to fish and other marine life. Scientists at the UGA New Materials Institute conducted a study that discovered microplastic particles (smaller than dust) found inside of baby sea turtles. The baby sea turtles were most likely dying because of the ingested plastic pollution, and it is because of that, that the species’ survival is threatened. Of all the turtles in this research studied, 100% were found to have eaten plastic. A major question many Americans have is, plastic bags and soda cans are also bad for the environment and end up in the ocean as well, so why straws? Not many people realize that straws are among the top ten items found during beach clean ups and do so much harm to the birds and turtles. There are videos of straws up turtles noses and them choking on them. It is also an item of convenience… most people don’t HAVE to use straws, it’s a choice. People who have life changing physical issues need a straw and often a compostable plastic straw works best. If we all just stop using single-use straws, there will be a significant decrease in the number of straws found in the ocean. This topic interest me because I love straws. I always prefer to use one when I have a beverage. I understand that they are not good for the environment and marine life, so I had the idea that researching the topic and becoming more knowledgeable would make me use less straws or use reusable straws when I want to use one. Also, I just went to Disney a few weeks ago, and Disney does not use plastic straws. They do not give you a straw with your beverage unless it is a smoothie or you ask for one, and the straw that they give you is not plastic… it’s paper. Seeing a place so popular like Disney ban plastic straws was a huge eye opener that I should try and stop using them. After doing all this research and going to Disney, I realized in the past two weeks that I actually have not been using as many straws that I have before, and my goal is to eventually not use them at all.

# data[].attributes.body
Because workers lack the expertise, skills and technology, most farm animals really suffer when dying. This organization started training slaughterhouses on how to be more humane. Things like pre-slaughter stunning is good because it stops animals feeling pain. Also, handling pigs in groups to reduce stress on individual animals.