https://padlet.com/sharigoldberg2017/l2fspc48ix1x en-us 2017-01-23 19:51:35 UTC 2025-12-20 00:53:19 UTC hello@padlet.com sharigoldberg2017 https://padlet.com/sharigoldberg2017/l2fspc48ix1x/wish/148856345 It can power a Small Nation. But This Wind Farm in China is Mostly Idle.

China is notorious for being the country with the greatest amount  of greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to reduce their negative impact  on the environment, China has started to use alternative sources of energy, like solar power and wind power. Wind power generates 3.3% of all electricity in China. This number could be higher, but there are many problems facing the wind power industry.  Currently, there is not much of a market for renewable energy sources because many businesses still prefer to use coal, despite its damaging effects that are causing climate change. Also, people are hesitant to use wind power because it is difficult to transmit the electricity made from it, since several wind turbine stations are built in places that are far away. This is the problem facing the Jiuquan Wind Power Base. It is located in Gansu, which is in a remote, mountainous area. In fact, 39% of of the wind capacity was unused in 2015. Even though China is working on transmission lines that can transfer electricity farther distances, numerous wind farms remain underutilized, while coal that is causing massive air pollution is being used.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/15/world/asia/china-gansu-wind-farm.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FAir%20Pollution&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection

Climate Change Has Been Making Western Forest Fires Worse for Decades, Study Says

A study has been conducted by Park Williams and John Abatzoglou to see how much of an impact humans currently have on the increase in the amount of forest fires in the United States. They found that over 50% of the forest fires since 1979 have been caused by human-caused climate change. This human-caused climate change is responsible for making vegetation more dry and easier to burn because of changes in temperature and a decrease in precipitation, thus more likely to catch on fire. Other factors that lead to forest fires that are not caused by humans include lightning strikes and decreased precipitation caused by the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation. While these factors do have impact on the amount of forest fires in the United States, there has been a significant rise in forest fires as a result of anthropogenic climate change. Unfortunately, it is predicted that there are going to be more and more forest fires, but eventually, the fires are going to decrease because there won't be enough vegetation for the fires to spread.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/10/10/climate-change-has-been-making-western-forest-fires-worse-for-decades-study-says/?utm_term=.26b88d05aca3

How Quickly Can China Come Back From Its One-Child Policy

After getting rid of the one-child policy in China, it is predicted to take at least one generation, or at least 20 years, for the total fertility rate to start increasing again. It is essential that more births occur because the labor force needs to be replaced as the current work force becomes elderly and no longer works. Also, it might be difficult to increase the population because there are currently more males being born than females, since males are more desired in families. This means males and females won't be able to be evenly paired to reproduce. Eliminating the one-child policy will have many benefits. It will reduce the number of abortions and unregistered children from pregnancies that were not approved will drastically decrease. To help with the transition it is proposed that the national age retirement should be increased. Also, state pensions would be increased and to promote three-generational living. The key to a successful transition from the one-child policy to this new two-child policy is to provide resources for China's population during this time of change.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/13/health/china-one-child-policy-population-growth/

What the "Sixth Extinction" Will Look Like in the Oceans: The Largest Species Die Off First

The Earth is now moving into what is being called a "sixth mass extinction". This mass extinction is different than any other mass extinction because it is caused by humans through hunting and fishing. Scientists have observed that many extinction of larger species have taken place on land. Mammoths, for example, were driven to extinction by humans because humans tended to hunt bigger animals, rather than those of a smaller size. This pattern is predicted to happen in the oceans as well. This means the marine animals that will most likely go extinct first are animal like whales and sharks. This will disrupt ecosystems for millions of years after the extinction of these organisms. For example, with the top predators dead, there will be overpopulation is species that were the prey of the predators. To prevent this from happening, many ocean advocates are pushing to protect these animals and stop over-fishing. There is hope because there are many species in the ocean that can be saved from this extinction.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/09/14/what-the-sixth-extinction-will-look-like-in-the-oceans-the-largest-species-die-off-first/?utm_term=.2b8a29e48904 

Burning Less Coal Isn't Just Making Air Cleaner. It's Making Your Tuna Safer.

A study conducted by observing bluefin tuna from the Gulf of Mexico that was caught between 2004 and 2012 showed a decrease in the methtylmercury levels in the fish as the years progressed. This trend has a correlation with the decline in coal-fired power plant emissions. Although the fish still had a relatively high content of mercury in them, this data shows that over time, mercury levels in these bluefin tuna will drop, if the amount of coal emissions are decreased. Fish can absorb water from swimming in water that contains mercury. They also consume mercury by eating smaller fish. The study did not have any finding regarding a decrease in the amount of mercury in the fish that the bluefin tuna eats. This discovery that the levels of mercury in bluefin tuna, a fish most often served in sushi, are declining is good news for sushi lovers, since they now know a definite way to make their favorite food safer; burning less coal.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/11/29/burning-less-coal-isnt-just-making-air-cleaner-its-making-your-tuna-safer/?utm_term=.c59cd042c428 

Humans Have Changed Industrial Turkeys so Much They Can't Even Mate Without Our Help

After many decades of selectively breeding turkeys that have been domesticated, there are major differences between the turkeys of the past and the turkeys of the present, which millions of Americans eat for Thanksgiving each year. Turkeys have changed in color. They used to be dark, but now they are white. Also, turkeys today have doubled in size, making their breasts extremely large. This caused these birds to lose their ability to fly. Also, many turkeys cannot even mate nowadays. Instead, artificial insemination is used. Sperm from the semen of desirable male turkeys is distributed to multiple females, which allows for a quicker breeding time that produces bigger turkeys. The change in size of the turkey is due to the consumer demand for birds that have bigger breast and thigh muscles, since those parts are the most preferred. The turkey is another species that can be added to the list of organisms that humans have genetically modified for their own personal gain.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/11/22/humans-have-changed-industrial-turkeys-so-much-they-cant-even-mate-without-our-help/?utm_term=.ad6cbe8e2bce ]]> 2017-01-23 19:56:40 UTC https://padlet.com/sharigoldberg2017/l2fspc48ix1x/wish/148856345