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Matthew Shaker

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First two images and facts from WWF

Basic Facts

1. Cross River Gorilla Population is 200-300 species.
2.The average height of the Cross River Gorilla is 4-5.5 ft.
3.The average weight of the Cross River Gorilla is 420 pounds.
4. Scientific name: Gorilla Gorilla Diehli.
5. These gorillas have the highest ranked endangered sattus ranked by WWL.org.

This is an important topic because there is a whole species possibly facing exciction. Exctintction is one of the saddest aspects of wild life. Although there are people who find value in hunting these creatures. I made this page to spread awareness for the Cross River Gorilla.

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First two images and facts from WWF 1. Cross River Gorilla Population is 200-300 species.2.The average height of the Cross River Gorilla is 4-5.5 ft.3.The average weight of the Cross River Gorilla is 420 pounds.4. Scientific name: Gorilla Gorilla Diehli.5. These gorillas have the highest ranked endangered sattus ranked by WWL.org.

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Marlen Alvarez

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Femicide rates have increased. This increase is because of quarantine obligations in light of COVID-19. During the first month of quarantine, El Salvador reported 9 femicides. It is sad to say that more women died from femicide than from coronavirus during the month of April in Mexico. These increases are not unexpected since approximately 70% of femicides happen in the home of the victims. Women in Latin America fear more for their health and life being at home during lockdown. Specifically in El Salvador, it has been very hard for women to seek help outside of their homes. During lockdown women are able to leave their homes to report abuse. However since most security officials enforcing lockdown are not aware of this, women who do try and report are detained and sent back home. Right now is a crucial time to help make these resources for women in need more easily accessible.

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Femicide rates have increased. This increase is because of quarantine obligations in light of COVID-19. During the first month of quarantine, El Salvador reported 9 femicides. It is sad to say that more women died from femicide than from coronavirus during the month of April in Mexico.

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Emily Mastrocola

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Women have historically been objectified in the media. Since print media, motion pictures, and product advertisements have become popular, they have been used to show the stereotypical, traditional women. This means that they show women as aspiring to marriage, doing house chores, and taking care of children. In general, they would show women as living to serve a man. Advertising has continuously objectified women for hundreds of years now.

For example, if you look at the old Budweiser advertisement below it shows a woman pouring a man a beer. While he has various tools and items that he is focusing on, her only focus is making the man happy by waiting on him constantly. This was an ad from the 50s that Budweiser has now chosen to rework for national women's day recently. The Fox News article linked shows multiple other advertisements that objectify women in the same way.

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Women have historically been objectified in the media. Since print media, motion pictures, and product advertisements have become popular, they have been used to show the stereotypical, traditional women. This means that they show women as aspiring to marriage, doing house chores, and taking care of children.

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Sal Ingrassia

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Sal Ingrassia

by Salvatore Ingrassia

According to the Illinois Library, "Artificial Intelligence (or AI) is the human-like intelligence, judgement, learning, and awareness exhibited by machines, along with the branches of computer science and engineering that seek to create intelligent machines." From the early 20th century and on, the idea of robots being able to do everything for us has been a popular idea that has been teased around in plenty of classic movies. The Terminator, while a little far fetched for its time, did a good job of depicting what artificial intelligence can look like in the future.

Now, with the innovation of computers and artificial intelligence, we have seen firsthand the power that technology is capable of.The rise of A.I. in recent years has helped companies move inventory and make profits tremendously. Many popular Sci-fi shows such as Black Mirror have capitlized on what people are imagining the future can look like. It may not seem like it, but we are just starting to scratch the surface of seeing what artificial intelligence is truly capable of. Tesla's self driving car feature is just one example that comes to mind when thinking about what the future can hold.

Sources: Header IMG, Illiois Library, Tesla IMG, Background IMG

Tesla has been a major leader in the development of self driving software. They have already made major strides to have cars drive everywhere on their own before the end of the decade. They have also installed an "autopilot" feature to their cars that allows passengers to take their hands off the wheel on long distance trips. Some fetures include autosteer and a "smart summon" feature that is useful in helping drivers park their car.

Another popular AI breakthrough in recent memory was the development of a computer system developed by IBM called Watson. Watson was the first of its kind as a Question-answering computer system that had the ability to understand questions posed in natural language. Watson debuted to the public in impressive fashion in 2011 while competing in the game show Jeopardy! Watson went on to finish in first place against the two human contestants in a very exciting fashion. That is not to say, however, that Watson did not struggle at times when answering some tricky questions. It is clear at times that at times, the computer struggles with the context of certain questions, and that weakness is shown when the system answers a question pertaining to a United States city but instead gives a Canadian city as its final answer. Despite this though, Watson still came out on top. Watch the video above to see Watson's performance!

As mentioned before, the concept of a self-driving car is nothing new. Tesla has made incredible progress towards making this happen and it is on track to be implemented within the next few years for large corporations that regularly deliver packages all over the country. It's worth mentioning that the potential economic consequences of this shift has the potential to be devastating. The concept that a computer will soon be able to carry out human-like tasks such as driving a car is remarkable progress and also speaks volumes towards what can become achievable in the future as well. With that being said though, artificial intelligence's process to carry out a task or complete an action is very different from a human being, and because of that it should take a very long time to bridge that gap between the way humans and robots both think.

The main purpose of these developments with artificial intelligence is the idea that these developments will make our life easier, more convenient, and more information will be there at our disposal. When just looking at the developments of the last ten years with inventions like Siri, Alexa, and Google Home, we see that all of these developments were created to make life easier and more convenient. These products are even marketed to us as such. There are countless commercials out there where Alexa is asked to pull up an intricate cooking recipe for the chef and also reads out the ingredients just like that. Video calls and text messages can be sent in an instant with these devices and there's also products like vacuum cleaners that take the dimensions of your room and clean the floors without any assistance from humans.

With developments like these, it's easy to see a world already where humans and these artificial products that carry out human-like tasks already co-existing. These developments, however, can be towing the line of what becomes socially acceptable in the future.

While the developments we've seen in technology and A.I. have definitely made lots of people's lives much easier, the impact that the machines can have on our labor market can be devastating for some. Many people are fasciniated with our progress in this sector, but the potential hurdles we may face for middle class Americans can be immense. In twenty-nine states, the most popular jobs for working class Americans is trucking. Those without a college degree have been able to benefit immesnely by occupying these jobs as they have been able to make a pretty decent living. While the job is definitely rigourous and less desireable for some, this sector still makes up a pretty healthy portion of our labor market for most of middle America.

In the short term, there does not seem to be a reasonable solution for this pending crisis just yet. Even more concerning though, is many media outlets and politicians failures to even discuss the future outsourcing of jobs to computers. One politician in particular, however, has talked about this problem extensively. Andrew Yang, a former lawyer and entrepreneur, has talked about this problem for a couple of years now and even gained some traction in the 2020 Democratic Primaries in his bid for President. His charisma and personality has raised eyebrows from both parties, and he has been able to at least open some dialogue across the aisle about these future issues. While many did not prioritize this incoming crisis in the 2020 election, Perhaps many will begin to see the effects of it by 2024. Watch the video above to see Andrew Yang discuss these future automation issues above.

Sources: Andrew Yang Interview, Mechanical Arm IMG, BackGround IMG

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Sal Ingrassia According to the Illinois Library, "Artificial Intelligence (or AI) is the human-like intelligence, judgement, learning, and awareness exhibited by machines, along with the branches of computer science and engineering that seek to create intelligent machines."

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Daniel Kotey

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Understanding Gentrification
Come and learn why this topic is important
Come and learn why this topic is important
Click on this link to view a short video

The Topics of the Site

Look at the four topics below for a quick summary of the website

Gentrification

Learn what Gentrification is, how it comes about and see how it starts to change an environment

Impact

Learn about the impact it has on people and communities. See how the impact produces the main problem of Gentrification.

Examples

Check the gallery below to see more images of gentrification.

Importance

Learn why this topic is important and how it contributes to a ever increasing problem in America.

What is Gentrification

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gentrification is defined as "the transformation of neighborhoods from low value to high value. This change has the potential to cause displacement of long-time residents and businesses. Displacement happens when long-time or original neighborhood residents move from a gentrified area because of higher rents, mortgages, and property taxes."
See Images Below

Live Examples

Here are four promiment cities that have been gentrified. Information provided by NCRC

Portland

Oregon

Portland has 20% of its eligible tracts gentrified. It's also a city that has displaced many people of color with approximately 40% of black people displaced by gentrification.

Contact

Washington D.C.

Virginia

Washington, D.C., had the highest percentage of gentrifying neighborhoods. Nearly half the neighborhoods in the city were eligible for gentrification in 2000, and 41 percent of those neighborhoods gentrified by 2013, displacing more than 20,000 people.

Contact

Atlanta

Georgia

Similarly with Portland, Atlanta has 22% of its eligible tracts gentrified but 45% of their black residents were displaced from it.

Contact

New York

New York

For this city it's expected to have Gentrification however what you may not know is that it has the largest number of gentrified eligible tracts, 144 (which is only 24% of their eligible tracts).

Contact

Statistics

In NCRC study on gentrificaiton and cultural displacement Jason Richardson, NCRC's Director of Research and one of the study's authors states"We've shown, with census and other data, that the influx of new, wealthier people into once struggling neighborhoods also drove out more than 135,000 people from a handful of booming cities."

"We've also shown that revitalization of struggling neighborhoods is unevenly distributed. The big investments that fuel gentrification and cultural displacement didn't reach most of the nation's poorest neighborhoods and rural areas."

Gentrification Intensity by Cities 2000-2013

Number of People displaced

Here are more images of Gentrification

Click on them to enlargen the picutre

"Gentrification is the Process, and displacement is the end result..."
by Jennifer Maldonado on Los Angeles Magazine

So Why does all of this Matter?

This site is not aimed at blaming anyone but rather looking how gentrification creates more problems in our society.
Even if you may think you don't have a stake in this issue, if gentrification continues to spread then eventually you will see how it directly impacts you.

Loss of Cultural Identity

As more luxury apartments and homes are constructed, the original community becomes displaced, and its culture slowly diminishes. Cities that were once known for their diverse people, rich foods, vibrant family businesses and so much more see their distinctive attributes vanish as the ones who established them have no choice but to leave. In their place, wealthier individuals and property owners take charger in the community. Murals and Paintings are replaced and painted over with bland colors.

Displacement

The main issue of it all is how the people living in these cities get displaced. It would never be a problem if gentrification only brought in wealthier people into cities, however, gentrification slowly but steady sweeps away the longtime residents living there. The method at work starts with the pricing of a new complex, where the rent is priced significantly higher than the median household income of the area. Since people who live outside the area can afford the rent, they become the ones who mainly occupy the complex. If another similar structure is built, you'll see another group of wealthier people occupying the space. As the trend continues, property prices and rents rise thus making it difficult for residents with lower income to stay in the area until they are unable to afford the cost of living.

Ignoring the Problems

Another issue is how gentrification overshadows so many underlying problems in cities where the focus will be on poverty. Cities that have high rates of poverty tend to see a drop in rates as gentrification begins. You may think it's only natural for the poverty rate to decline as new buildings are being constructed, however, people without homes will simply move on to a different area. With all the luxurious complexes and modern buildings, it may be easy to overlook the homeless in the area. Gentrification lets people accept issues if it persists in small numbers, making them "acceptable" in urban areas.

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Understanding Gentrification Come and learn why this topic is important Come and learn why this topic is important Click on this link to view a short video Look at the four topics below for a quick summary of the website Gentrification Learn what Gentrification is, how it comes about and see how it starts to change an environment Impact Learn about the impact it has on people and communities.

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Scott Tatro

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www.nationalgeographic.com

Having access to clean cooking energy is a luxury, and it is not often thought of as one. Clean cooking is cooking without biomass like leaves, moss, sticks, and other organic matter, and an example of clean cooking energy would be gas or electricity. Millions of people around the globe do not have access to clean cooking energy and they are forced to use biomass to cook meals for them and their family. Biomass can only be used to cook when it is lit on fire and as a result, smoke is released into the surrounding environment. Most of the time families are forced to use open fires indoors becasue of the weather which can cause a smoke buildup in their home. The goal of this website is to dive deeper into why this subject sould be more highly recognized and the user is expected to walk away more knowledgeable on clean cooking than before.

Click to learn some basic facts about clean cooking energy! https://www.iea.org/reports/sdg7-data-and-projections/access-to-clean-cooking

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www.nationalgeographic.com Having access to clean cooking energy is a luxury, and it is not often thought of as one. Clean cooking is cooking without biomass like leaves, moss, sticks, and other organic matter, and an example of clean cooking energy would be gas or electricity.

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George Sekas

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Koalas, typically referred to as the Koala Bear, are not in fact bears but are part of the marsupial family. Marsupials just like the kangaroo, are mammals who carry their young in a pouch. Koalas are native to Australia and are only found in zoos outside of Australia. Koalas are typically found in the Australian States of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria. Koalas grow up to 27-36 inches in length and weigh anywhere from 9-20 pounds. On average Koalas will live about 13-17 years; however, males will usually die a lot sooner due to getting injured in fights. Koalas are "arboreal marsupials" who tend to live their lives in trees. While living in the trees, Koalas will spend their time eating a pound a day of eucalyptus leaves and sleeping the other 20 hours. Eucalyptus leaves are the only thing that koalas will eat and will typically only be awake at night being that they are nocturnal. The only other time that Koalas will eat something other than eucalyptus leaves is when they drink their mother's milk as babies.

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Koalas, typically referred to as the Koala Bear, are not in fact bears but are part of the marsupial family. Marsupials just like the kangaroo, are mammals who carry their young in a pouch. Koalas are native to Australia and are only found in zoos outside of Australia.

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Oliver Zane

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Background on Orca Whales

In the early 1960's the first ever orca whale capture was recorded. Since then an entire industry of entertainment has been built upon the unethical kidnapping of young orcas. Places like SeaWorld and other high level aquariums put tons of money towards acquiring these orca whales. While there are many ethical reasons to not capture orcas, there is also scientific data that shows how living in captivity effects the animals.

Captivity

So far there have been a minimum of 166 orcas captured since the early 1960's. As of today, 129 of those orcas are dead. While some of them would have time died from old age out in the wild, many would still be alive if they were left in their natural habitat. This is proven by the fact that in the wild, the average life span of a male orca is 30 years, while females is 46 years. In captivity, the average life span of an orca is ten years. That is a third shorter for males and almost a fifth shorter for females, with outliers in both cases that could possibly have lived 20 years longer if kept in the wild. At SeaWorld alone, a minimum of 49 orcas have died in their facilities.

Click here to see pictures of orca whales in captivity

Incidents

Orca whales are similar to humans.

They have an extremely high emotional intelligence and interact with one another socially. An example of this is that orca whales travel in pods, similar to how humans stay with their families. Because of this high emotional intelligence they have clear emotions, and their actions and decision making is impacted by that. During the time orca whales have been captured and forced into enclosures, we have also seen orca whales act out. There have been multiple recorded incidents of orca whales emotionally upset and taking their frustration of being captured out on the trainers who work with them at places like SeaWorld and other notable aquariums.

Ways to Help

Organizations that help fight against orca whale captivity

International Marine Mammal Project

"We have a 30-year history of critical victories for dolphins and whales around the world. From Dolphin Safe tuna fishing practices that save more than 100,000 dolphins every year, to taking on the tough dolphin slaughters in Japan, to leading the effort to rescue the orca whale Keiko, we don't shy away from the tough challenges."

The Orca Project

"The Orca Project Corp is a small but effective organization, collaborating with some of the world's top marine mammal experts and caring professionals from diverse backgrounds, working to change the public's attitude and government supervision of marine mammals in captivity through research, investigation and education. We are committed to providing the public with a look behind the scenes of the marine mammal captivity/entertainment industry, explore the legal and ethical issues of keeping orcas in captivity and to keep pressure on our government oversight agencies to enforce and improve animal welfare regulations."

Save the Whales

"Our mission is to preserve and protect the ocean and its inhabitants. Save the Whales was founded in 1977 when Maris Sidenstecker was 14 years old, and focuses on educating the public, especially children, about marine mammals and the fragile ocean environment. Save the Whales believes children, the future of the planet, need to be empowered and know that their actions can promote change. Education is the key to saving whales, oceans, and ourselves. Many people believe that whales have been protected by the 1986 worldwide ban on whaling. Don't believe it. Killings, captures, bombings, and pollution continue to threaten these peaceful creatures. We invite you to become a member of Save The Whales, a widely-admired nonprofit organization that has been working tirelessly to protect marine life for over 40 years. Your support enables Save the Whales to continue their valuable work to protect marine mammals."

Test Your Knowledge on Orca Whales!

Click the button below to answer a question about the information you've learned!

Orca Whale Quiz Question!

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Header image from: National Geographic
Background Information from: US Whales
Background information picture from: Faze teen
Background information picture from: KNKX
Captivity Information from: Orca Network
Captivity picture from: Eyelashes in my Coffee
Captivity picture from: Save the Dolphins
Captivity picture from: The Orca Project
Incident information from: Wikipedia
Incident information from: Wikipedia
Incident information from: CNN
Picture of Dawn Brancheau: NY Daily News
Picture of Alexis Martinez: Gone Too Soon
Picture of Kasatka and Kenneth Peters: San Diego Union Tribune
Picture of Keltie Byrne: Find a Grave
Information on IMMP: IMMP
Information on the Orca Project: The Orca Project
Information on Save The Whales: Save The Whales

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In the early 1960's the first ever orca whale capture was recorded. Since then an entire industry of entertainment has been built upon the unethical kidnapping of young orcas. Places like SeaWorld and other high level aquariums put tons of money towards acquiring these orca whales.

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Tara Mahajan

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The use of social media creates FOMO and the feeling of inadequacy. FOMO is a term created by millennials and it means the Fear of Missing Out. Best defined by the MacMillan dictionary, FOMO is "used to describe that feeling of anxiety which many people experience when they discover that other people have had fun together, been successful at something, or done just about anything which they might have wanted to be involved in. FOMO manifests itself in various ways, from a brief pang of envy through to a real sense of self-doubt or inadequacy."

Image from:Verywell Mind

FYI!When you look through your feed you may see plenty of photos and videos of people "living their best lives." College students making new friends, couples getting engaged, families being created, people going on their dream vacation and so much more. This causes people to feel inadequate or like they are not doing enough to also live their best life. These feelings of inadequacy lead to insecurities, anxiety, depression, and self-consciousness. It becomes a chain of events because then the victims start posting things to make their lives look better, and then so on and so forth. It causes people to lose touch of what is really enjoyable versus what they actually enjoy. No one posts their low points so people don't think that they have any. For example, two high school best friends start school - one goes away and the other goes to the community college. The friend who is away posts videos at parties, hanging out with new friends, and making new memories. The one who lives at home sees that her friend is having the best time and starts feeling like she missed out on the college experience and compares everything she does to her friend, making her enjoy her time less. Here's the plot twist - the one that's away from home has crippling anxiety, wants to come home, and is not having as much fun as her friend from home. You never know what is actually going on with someone, and you cannot tell by their stories or status updates or posts. However, its this never ending cycle of social media always causing people to second guess the things they do and compare themselves to someone else

Find out more!
If you would like to learn more about these topics please enter your information below:

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The use of social media creates FOMO and the feeling of inadequacy. FOMO is a term created by millennials and it means the Fear of Missing Out.

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Bennett Cole

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Support our troops and veterans
Welcome visitor, lets end veterans' suffering, together.
Learn more!

Summary

Here is a quick overview of what this site will cover:

The Problem

Veterans and troops need more of our support

History

This has always been an issue in our country, it is time for you to learn more.

How you can help

Get involved and help our veterans

Foundations

There are many foundations involved in helping with this cause

The Problem

The transition for any veteran back to civilian life is as hard as it gets. This difficult transition requires support of all degrees. Veterans can be suffering from injuries, wounds, or mental implications. We as civilians need to be there for the Americans that sacrifice their lives for our well-being and freedoms.

button

Click to see more pictures

The History

Wars that have affected our veterans:

17.4 Million
Veterans in America

9 Million
Veterans served by the Department of Veterans Affairs each year

Foundations

Various organizations that assist veterans

Hope for Warriors

Nonprofit organization that provides assitance to combat wounded service members or their families.

Hope for Warriors Website

Wounded Warriors Project

The Wounded Warrior Project is a charity and veterans service organization.

Wounded Warrior Project Website

Fisher House Foundation

Fisher House Foundation is an organization that creates homes for families while their loved one is in the hospital.

Fisher House Foundation Website

Survey

Take this survey to let us know what we can do better and if you learned anything

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Header image from: The Defense Post
The Problem image from: Psychology Today
Vietnam War image from: The Atlantic
Iraq War image from: Rand.org
World War II image from: History On the Net
Information on PTSD from WWII from: Trauma.Massey
Afghanistan War image from: CFR
Afghanistan information from: Very Well Mind
Veteran Stats from: CNN
Array image #1 from: New York Times
Array image #2 image from: Channel 4
Array image #3 image from: The Intercept

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Support our troops and veterans Welcome visitor, lets end veterans' suffering, together. Learn more! Here is a quick overview of what this site will cover: The Problem Veterans and troops need more of our support History This has always been an issue in our country, it is time for you to learn more.

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Anh Nguyen

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Adopt a Rhino

Making a symbolic rhino adoption contribute in the preservation and protection of Javan rhinoceros. The International Rhino Foundation use your donation to fund monitoring and camera-trap program, 24/7 anti-poaching protection on land and by sea, and research & habitat restoration projects.

Make a donation

Similar to adopting a rhino, making an one-off of monthly donation help shutting down wildlife crime networks, replanting forests, and educating budding conservationists. Save The Rhino and International Rhino Foundation have created an easy way to contribute to this cause.

Volunteer

Making a monetary contribution is not the only way that you can help Javan rhinoceros. Find out how volunteering could help the preservation of Javan rhino.

You reached the end of this page. Now let's play a game!

Click me to play a game

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Adopt a Rhino Making a symbolic rhino adoption contribute in the preservation and protection of Javan rhinoceros. The International Rhino Foundation use your donation to fund monitoring and camera-trap program, 24/7 anti-poaching protection on land and by sea, and research & habitat restoration projects.

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Ben Moloznik

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What constitues a wildfire?

According to National Geographic's website, "A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation, often in rural areas." I will now list some statstics comparing 2019 to 2020, I found on the Insurance Information's Institute's website. In the first nine months of 2020 there have been about 41 thousand wildfires compared to about 35 thousand fires last year in the same period. Additionally over half a million more acres of land have been burned in 2020 compared to 2019.

9.5+
Million Acres Burnt (2020)

10,500+
Structures Destroyed

Click Me for a Random Statistic! (From usafacts.org)

Naturally occuring wildfires are rare and account for about 15% of total wildfires. National Geographic describes their causes as, "Naturally occurring wildfires can spark during dry weather and droughts. In these conditions, normally green vegetation can convert into bone-dry, flammable fuel; strong winds spread fire quickly; and warm temperatures encourage combustion. With these ingredients, the only thing missing is a spark."

Arson

Discarded Cigarettes

Unattended Campfires

Down Power Lines

Naturally Occuring

Man Made

Educate yourself and donate!
Click on the image on the left to play a guessing game!

National Geographic

Learn about these tragic fires and how to be responsible, safe, and careful

Click Here

Red Cross Relief

The Red Cross California Relief fund directly helps surviors of these disasters.

Click Here

Smokey the Bear

A educational resource that has stood the test of time

Click Here

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Lightining Image From: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thoughtco.com%2Fthings-to-never-do-during-lightning-storm
Drought image from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motherjones.com%2Fenvironment%2F2014%2F02%2Fcalifornia-drought-matters-more-just-california%
Sun image from: https://i0.wp.com/alpinetreenj.com/wp-content/uploads/blog-heat-stress.
NAT Geo Logo from:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.greyboxcreative.com%2Fthe-story-behind-the-national-geographic-logo-design
Smokey the Bear logo from: https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/styles/fs_wysiwyg_width_360px/public/2019-10/smokeylicense.jpg?itok=Q3tumXsV
Red Cross logo from:https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&sa=G&hl=en&tbs=simg:CAQS5gEJ9x6m0yNtnNQa2gELELCMpwgaYgpgCAMSKIQKgwq0ArcC7AbNEvgIggrMEpwUnTS9KJk0tD21Pb4omjSiPbI9xj8aMGKcBRV0b8o3W25LdRp-bV1YHEl92mXp5Rik7WKhhN2UCMJGYnWJxYlf2YKp8OgcTCAEDAsQjq7-CBoKCggIARIE-rMIbQwLEJ3twQkaUwobCgh2ZXJ0aWNhbNqliPYDCwoJL2EvNGhoM3AwChsKCGxhbmd1YWdl2qWI9gMLCgkvai8yc2hfeTQKFwoFY3Jvc3PapYj2AwoKCC9tLzAyMmNoDA&sxsrf=ALeKk03rnBgynRm7AZmTNP5l9c788QfX1g:1607565679321&q=american+red+cross+logo
National Geographic information from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/wildfires/
III information from: https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-wildfires
USA Facts from: https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-wildfires-occur-america-each-year/

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What constitues a wildfire? According to National Geographic's website, "A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation, often in rural areas." I will now list some statstics comparing 2019 to 2020, I found on the Insurance Information's Institute's website.

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Michael D'Agostino

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What you can do!

As you've read by now, there are a lot of human-caused threats that sea turtles face. Although they are endangered, it's not too late to make a difference and be able to save them!

There are a lot of great ways to reduce the ocean pollution that we create, which ultimately hurts sea turtles. Conserveturtles.org lists out some great ways for individuals to get involved in the reduction of pollution, such as using less chemical fertilizer, reducing oil consumption, buying organically grown food, as well as learning about your area's waste disposal to ensure that procedues are followed properly. Oceanservice.noaa.gov also brings up some great methods, such as conserving water, and avoiding plastic when shopping.

In addition, there are numerous way to help stop the poaching of turtles. Most obviously, don't do it. If you know anyone who is or potentially is poaching turtles, take responsible actions to be able to protect the species. However you don't have to know anyone that is poaching to make a difference - there are numerous way to become more involved in the effort against it. According to ecohealthalliance.org, some of the ways one can help stop the illegal trade of all wildlife include "[asking] before you buy" and "[sticking] to certified products" when shopping for materials that could include parts of turtles or other animals. Nationofchange.org also emphasizes that we need to focus on the idea of "ecotourism," and support companies that aim to be a part of the long term solutions for our environment.

Finally, there are a number of amazing organization that one can support, that are all helping to save the sea turtles. Instead of listing them out for you, below is a button that when clicked will show an organization to support (one's that haven't already been cited). Once you find your favorite, click the second button to mark it on the page! Try it out - it's a fun way to learn more! P.S. keep clicking to see more organizations!

Initial above turtle image from: Britannica.com Save the Turtles Organization: saveturtles.org Turtle Foundation logo from: greatnonprofits.org WWF logo from: createiveblog.com

My favorite is: ___

Click to seem some organizations! Click to fill in your favorite org!

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What you can do! As you've read by now, there are a lot of human-caused threats that sea turtles face. Although they are endangered, it's not too late to make a difference and be able to save them! There are a lot of great ways to reduce the ocean pollution that we create, which ultimately hurts sea turtles.

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John Zizzadoro

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The FairTax is a system of taxation that taxes spending. The FairTax proposal includes implementing a single consumption tax and eliminating all current taxes and the IRS. Tax would be applied at the point of purchase, which would negate the need for individuals to file taxes each year.

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Matt Crepeau

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Click here for a quick poll

Racism in the sports world has always been & continues to be a prevalent problem. Whether it is comments directed towards athletes and coaches or team names considered demeaning to certain individuals, racism continues to leave its shadow on the the many benefits of sports. The topic is of importance because although athletes often serve as role models for youth around the world, particularly those who are black, asian and latino, racism serves as an outdated barrier that handicaps many players' abilities to employ the social platforms that accompany professional athlete status. All too often, athletes are told to shut up and stick to sports, or that their voice is unimportant, simply because of the color of their skin. A perfect example of such is the current social justice movement taking place across most major american sports leagues. Despite using their platforms to promote a concept as simple as racial equality, many black athletes are criticized by white Americans clinging to traditional, white-dominance values, most notably beginning with San Francisco 49'ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick vowing to kneel during the national until social injustice is addressed on a larger scale. See more on Racism in the sports world below.

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Click here for a quick poll Racism in the sports world has always been & continues to be a prevalent problem. Whether it is comments directed towards athletes and coaches or team names considered demeaning to certain individuals, racism continues to leave its shadow on the the many benefits of sports.

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Rebecca Dion

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Climate change is affecting the world's coral reefs because the ocean temperatures are rising which is leading to coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is when the algae abandons the coral that it lives in, leaving the coral more exposed to starvation and diseases that lead to death.

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Caroline Boudreau

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Are you interested in adopting a dog? You've come to the right page.

Look! Today is the perfect date to adopt!

Unfortunately, there can be stigmas about shelter pets and why they get put into rescue areas. These dogs are not only given to rescue shelters because they were previously bad pets, there are many other factors that can go into putting dogs in shelter homes. For example, owners moving, or their facilities are inadequate. Other reasons are simply that a landlord doesn't allow pets, or the cost of care for them is too high.

This page is being created to educate people on why they should adopt dogs from rescue shelters, and to show that they are adoptable, loving animals. Many shelters will offer information about the dog and why they are even there in the first place, so owners can be more comfortable in adopting a safe pet.

Ultimately, the reason for adopting a pet is that you are saving a life.

Hello World!

It is estimated that over a million pets are euthanized every year. IF people chose to adopt rather than buy straight from breeders, the number would be drastically reduced. Another surprising reason is that it would be much less expensive. For example, commonly when you go to adopt a pet, the initial prcedures and requirement costs are covered for (for example the spay/nueter or vaccinations)..

Click here for a fun fact about rescuing!

An audio clip included below of what your future pet could sound like!

Your browser does not support the audio element. Audio cite from: https://laist.com/2018/08/02/las_animal_shelters_are_full_and_hundreds_of_dogs_cats_and_rabbits_needs_homes_fast_1.php

Please enter your main takeaway so far here:

Post response here!

https://laist.com/2018/08/02/las_animal_shelters_are_full_and_hundreds_of_dogs_cats_and_rabbits_needs_homes_fast_1.php Places to Donate!

If you are not ready to adopt, there are still other ways to help. Hover over any of the crates in this image to find a link to a place where you can donate to help rescue pets!

Here is a little Quiz to see what you have learned...Which statement is correct? (Find answer below)

1. Buying from puppy mills is the best option.

2. It is very expensive to rescue an animal compared to buying from a breeder.

3. Around 100,000 animals are euthanized a year.

4. Only around 20% of animals in shelters are ready to adopt.

5. You can save an animal's life by rescuing them!

Guess a Number!

Click here to find the answer!!!

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Unfortunately, there can be stigmas about shelter pets and why they get put into rescue areas. These dogs are not only given to rescue shelters because they were previously bad pets, there are many other factors that can go into putting dogs in shelter homes. For example, owners moving, or their facilities are inadequate.

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Kayli Keenan

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Coral Bleaching is a problem across the entire world today. Coral Bleaching happens when corals are stressed by changing conditions; such as water temperature, amount of light, or amount of nutrients they are receiving. When corals become stressed, they expel symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, which is living in their tissues, and this is the act that causes them to turn completely white.

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Tommy O'Heir

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One of the first steps toward seeking treatment for somebody struggling with alcohol is having an intervention. This may be difficult but involves approaching or being approached by someone close to you, and advising for this person to seek professional help. Acknowledging that you have a problem is the first thing to do. Next you can move into detox which involves fully removing alcohol from your body and halting use altogether. Many people experience severe withdrawals from alcohol once they stop, so it is often advised to be surrounded by someone who will provide care whether that be a loved one or someone at a rehab. The rehabilitation process can either be inpatient, 24 hour care at a facility, or outpatient, the same programming as inpatient but you are allowed to return home outside of treatment hours. Some methods of rehabilitation include meditation and reflection. Once out of rehab, there are many ways to prevent a relapse. Some include attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, counseling, group therapy, and removing yourself from an environment where alcohol is present. (alcohol.org) No matter how severe it may seem, there is always help available.

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One of the first steps toward seeking treatment for somebody struggling with alcohol is having an intervention. This may be difficult but involves approaching or being approached by someone close to you, and advising for this person to seek professional help. Acknowledging that you have a problem is the first thing to do.

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Christine Fish

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Welcome to my Term Project Page. The topic of my page is Ocean Plastic Pollution. I love the ocean and it is heartbreaking to see the state of our world's ocean get progessively worse.Today, our oceans have become the world's dumping ground. Plastic pollution is the greatest threat to the health of our world's oceans. Every year, up to 12 million metric tons of plastic take home in the oceans. In the next two decades, the amount of plastic debris discarded in the oceans is expected to triple. The majority of marine plastic debris comes from the land. Plastic debris makes its way to the ocean when runoff from rain or melting snow picks up smaller particles and travels into waterways. The world's oceans are in dire need of aid and only through a mutual alliance can we start to diminish the burden of marine plastics.

According to Sea stewards, 14 billion pounds of trash end up in the ocean every year. Plastic accounts for most of the trash dumped in the ocean. Marine Plastics are any type of plastic material that ends up in the ocean. The majority of marine plastic debris comes from the land. Plastic debris make it's way to the ocean when runoff from rain or melting snow picks up mircoplastics and travels into waterways.

Click me to learn more facts about Marine Plastics!

Ocean Plastic Pollution greatly affects the Marine Environmente and Sea Life. Plastic debris attracts organic pollutants and pollute the ocean and ecosystem. As marine wildlife ingest the polluted plastic, the poisons make their way to the human food chain. Many marine life are injured and/or die from ingesting plastic. According to a study conducted by The Pew, there is an 89% chance coral will die when coming in contact with plastic.

The Ocean Cleanup is a NonProfit Foundation that was founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat. Slat founded the charity in his hometown of Delft, Netherlands. With more than 90 employees, The Ocean Cleanup works hard to decrease plastic pollution in the world's oceans. Slat's team consists of engineers, scientists, researchers and computational modelers. The Ocean Cleanup is using advanced technology to build systems that clean the world's oceans. In addition to cleaning the world's oceans, The Ocean Cleanup is working to clean the world's most polluted rivers. This past May, The Benioff Ocean Initiative granted one million dollars to The Ocean Cleanup to help kickstart a multi-year project. The Ocean Cleanup will work together with Recycling Partners Jamaica to install an Interceptor. Located in Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, the Interceptor will help dispose of plastic materials in an environmentally sound way.

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Welcome to my Term Project Page. The topic of my page is Ocean Plastic Pollution. I love the ocean and it is heartbreaking to see the state of our world's ocean get progessively worse.Today, our oceans have become the world's dumping ground. Plastic pollution is the greatest threat to the health of our world's oceans.

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Olivia Ardini

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Meditate your Mind

to Meditate:

med-i-tate
verb
1. to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over
2. to plan or project in the mind

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a word and practice that everyone has heard of and obtains a general understanding of what it is, but people aren't aware of the immense positive benefits that are generated from the practice..

It's important to realize that meditation isn't just sitting criss cross applesauce, closing your eyes, and humming, but an act that consists of reflection and relaxation. I beleive everyone should learn about meditation because it's a powerful tool that can help a persons overall health, mood, and lifestyle.

My site will explain the variety of benefits meditation has on your life, the different types of meditation you can engage in, and list numerous resources. Through understanding the deeper effects and learning different ways to actually practice, I hope everyone is able to consider giving meditation a try!

"Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak."

Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Benefits

If continually practiced, meditation has the ability to significantly improve your life and health.
Here are some of the major benefits meditation has been proven to generate.

Mental

reduced stress and anxiety

improved self-image and self-awareness

increased thoughts of positivity

lengthens attention span

increased brain concentration

Physical

helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels

improves sleep quality

reduces age-related memory loss

improves breathing efficiency

decreased addiction abuse

Social

generates feelings of kindness

feel more connected to others

maintains healthy relationships

linked to more creativity and new ideas

Meditation
Random
Facts!

Click for a Fact!

Did you know...

Types of Meditation

As human beings, everyone is unique and has their own individual set of strengths, preferences, and characteristics. Similarly, everyone has different ways they like to unwind and relax. Meditation is such a versatile resource because there are so many methods and options, so you have the ability to pick what way works best for you.

Mindful Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Focused Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Movement Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Mantra Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Body Scanning Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Visualization Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Guided

Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Loving Kindness Meditation

Click to Learn More!

Resources

Tips

1. Try to practice at around the same time every day to help form a routine

2. Make sure you are in a comfortable position, whether it be sitting or laying down

3. Don't get worried or frustrated if you aren't seeing results right away

4. Try out different methods and techniques and see what works best for you

Other Mindful Options

Yoga

Drawing, painting, or doodling

Full body streching

Mindful journaling

Breathing techniques

Go for a walk outside

Meditation Trivia Question

The number of people who meditate today has risen by _____ times since 2012.

Click to guess the answer!

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Meditate your Mind to Meditate: med-i-tate verb 1. to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over 2. to plan or project in the mind Meditation is a word and practice that everyone has heard of and obtains a general understanding of what it is, but people aren't aware of the immense positive benefits that are generated from the practice..

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The Overpopulation of Stray Dogs in Puerto Rico

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The Overpopulation of Stray Dogs in Puerto Rico

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Yulia Temnorod

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Introduction

The overpopulation of stray dogs in Puerto Rico is a big issue that needs to be addressed.There are so many stray dogs on the island that they have become a part of the culture. This is important because many dogs are abused and left for dead. Some people seem to not care about the well being of the dogs and abandon them on the streets. When people do not care for their animals they most likely do not get them fixed meaning female dogs are constantly giving birth to puppy liters. It gets worse every time a natural disaster hits because people leave the island and don't take their pets with them. An example of this issue is the Dead Dog Beach. People abandon their dogs to die on that beach and when natural disasters hit, they are washed away.

Do you know how many stray dogs there are in Puerto Rico every year?

Press to find out!

Press to Play a Game!

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Introduction The overpopulation of stray dogs in Puerto Rico is a big issue that needs to be addressed.There are so many stray dogs on the island that they have become a part of the culture. This is important because many dogs are abused and left for dead.

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John-Luke D'Amico

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Budgeting is a critical first step on anyone's journey to financial wellness and it sets a picture of current cashflows. In other words, it accounts for the money that comes in and where it is spent.

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Ceara Herget

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End Plastic Pollution
End Plastic Pollution
Learn How You Can Help!
Click to Learn About Our Cleanups

ABOUT PAGE:

Our Primary Goal is to end plastic pollution, by educating others and making a difference each day.

Before Cleanup Photo Collection:

Click me to Randomly view the gallery!

After Cleanup Photo Collection:

Click me to Randomly view the gallery!

Plastic Production and Consumption:

Plastic is generated at a rapid rate to keep up with consumption levels around the world. In the US alone, since 2010, companies have invested more than $200 billion in 333 plastic and other chemical projects. Most plastics are chemically created and generated by the carbon atom as it can link to other atoms easily.

Not only is the rapid production and waste of plastics a concern, but the greenhouse gas emissions emitted during production are proven another critical issue. This process alone generates enough emissions to pose a threat to the environment and the public health. However, it is evident production is not slowing down.

Primary Focus for Eliminating Plastic:

Use ALternatives to Plastic

Disposing of Plastic:

As people continue to dispose of plastic into their trash, it unfortunately continues to end up in landfills.Disposing of plastic is often a concern since it is not biodegradable. In fact, among the trash thrown away in the world, 12.8% is plastic. Approximately 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are washed into the ocean each year.

Alternatives on the Market:

Affordable and Sustainable.

How to Help:

Learning how to do your part to recycle and reduce consumption of plastic materials is critical.

What ways do you help?

Click here to share your experience!

Donate to Beach Cleanups:

Choose a donation plan that fits your needs.

Basic

$ 10
per month

Sign Up

Pro

$ 25
per month

Sign Up

Premium

$ 50
per month

Sign Up

We appreciate your donations!

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Main Cover Photo:Doulton First Before Gallery Picture in Array:Matador Network Second Before Gallery Picture in Array:RD Third Before Gallery Picture in Array:Plastic Oceans First After Gallery Picture in Array:The Guardian Second After Gallery Picture in Array:Our Coast Third After Gallery Picture in Array:Global Green Pals JavaScript Math Floor and Math Random info: W3Schools. JavaScript innerHTML info: W3Schools. JavaScript Onload Function info: W3Schools. Plastic Production Photo:Green Biz Stainless Steel Water Bottle Photo:Walmart Reusable Straws Photo:Ello Glass Containers Photo:Wikipedia Biodegradable Bags Photo:Steemit Icons Info:W3 Schools Plastic Production and Consumption Section Info from:Green Biz. Disposing of Plastic Section Info from:Marine Insight. Alternatives to Plastic Section Info from: Written by Ceara Herget for A3 How to Help Section Info from:Marine Insights. W3.CS Info:W3 Schools CS Background Photo Info:W3 Schools For/Of Loop Info:W3 Schools

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End Plastic Pollution End Plastic Pollution Learn How You Can Help! Click to Learn About Our Cleanups Our Primary Goal is to end plastic pollution, by educating others and making a difference each day. Before Cleanup Photo Collection: Click me to Randomly view the gallery!

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Evan Russo

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Health Concerns

Asian Wet Markets are most notably known for their controversial method in selling live animals. Animals are kept in cramped, dirty conditions upon the purchase of the customer. Health experts have targeted China's markets to the origins of COVID-19. These conditions can promote the outbreak of zoonotic diseases in which harmful germs that are carried by animals could spread to people and cause illness.

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Asian Wet Markets are most notably known for their controversial method in selling live animals. Animals are kept in cramped, dirty conditions upon the purchase of the customer. Health experts have targeted China's markets to the origins of COVID-19.

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Current Threats in the Amazon Rainforest

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Current Threats in the Amazon Rainforest

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Glenna Gies

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RANCHING AND AGRICULTURE

The industry of cattle ranching is one that brings in billions of dollars towards the Amazon countries' GDP's every year. Additionally the harvesting of Palm Oil trees has dominated as a high-profit activity for the countries as well. Unfortunately to participate in either of these activities, hundreds of thousands of the Amazon's natural land is cut down and essentially destroyed.

In Brazil alone, the Brazilian part of the Amazon is home to more than 200 million head of cattle. This puts Brazil up as the number one exporter of cattle and cattle products in the world. Again, in Brazil alone, about 450,000 square kilometers of land in the Amazon has been deforested and turned into a cattle pasture. The beginning of the conservationist movement to bring awareness and attention to this worrisome matter began in the 1980's, but despite their efforts the cattle industry grew greatly in the 1990's and into the 2000's. Since then the governments that exist alongside the Amazon have been called out on their weak efforts in stopping the deforestation, as it is by far the biggest threat to this vital piece of land.

COMMERCIAL FISHING

The biggest part of the Amazon that is important to conserve is its trees. This is important because the trees provide a great balance for the carbon cycle by being able to absorb so much of it. How do the fish relate to the trees? As it turns out, many fish species feed on fallen fruit during the season of floods and in turn spread seeds over the vast area as the water levels return back to lower levels. Thought this seems like a small act, it has been studied and been determined to be of grand importance for the continuation of some species lives. In fact, some species of plants rely entirely on the fish to for dispersing their seeds. The fishing policies are flawed because many only require a small size of fish in order to not allow them to fished. This is poor fishery management because the larger fish are typically the ones that are best at spreading the seeds.

Click to see a fact about the Amazon:

Look for Fact Here!

BIO-PIRACY AND SMUGGLING

What is Biopiracy? Biopiracy is the illegal act of capturing and selling wild animals, and can be done locally or globally depending on the scale. Unfortunately, some of the biggest global demands for illegal animals come right from the Amazon. Within the time period of 2012 to 2018, biopiracy in the Amazon has increased 200 percent through tracking the data of seizures by local authorities. The Amazon needs these species to maintain its environment, much like how the fish aid in spreading the seeds of the trees as mentioned above. Globally, this could have an impact on not only the Amazon and the ecosystems that it posesses, but it could even lead to a pandemic similar to COVID-19. The coronavirus we are currently experiencing was due to 'jump' from wildlife to humans. So just as much as it is important for the conservation of the rainforest and the ecosystems, it is also important to recognize the globally this can pose a serious threat to our health too.

Click to play an Amazon guessing game!

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RANCHING AND AGRICULTURE The industry of cattle ranching is one that brings in billions of dollars towards the Amazon countries' GDP's every year. Additionally the harvesting of Palm Oil trees has dominated as a high-profit activity for the countries as well.