https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal let's stay current like the ocean // MP1: White, MP2: Pink, MP3: Blue en-us 2017-11-06 22:45:37 UTC 2018-05-14 12:32:04 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Xmastree.png 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204155720   President Trump's proposed border wall has drawn many criticisms, including those from an environmental perspective. If built, the wall will damage the naturally occurring ecosystems as well as create a divide among current ethnic communities. All of the construction and activity will affect the migration patterns and intricate food webs of the animals. The proposed wall will also have a direct impact on pollination and the area's agriculture, a concern that has been present since President Bush's Secure Fence Act of 2006. Finally, the political buzz surrounding the plan has reintroduced environmental activism within many younger Lantinx communities.]]> 2017-11-06 22:57:19 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204155720 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204158153   California's wildfires in early October released an almost equal amount of pollution as the state's cars produced in one year. The difference lies in the type of air pollution. While the exact effects have not been studied in depth, scientists conclude that air pollution from cars and factories has a different impact than pollution from naturally occurring forest fires. California's wildfires are due to climate change, but are supplemental to the state's already polluted air. ]]> 2017-11-06 23:12:33 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204158153 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204159965   Coral bleaching, an environmental occurrence where coral reefs can no longer be supported, has affected half of Hawaii's reefs within the past year. The changes are due to rising ocean temperatures, killing the reefs and the dense ecosystems they provide. Coral reefs provide aesthetic services, habitats for multiple plant and animal populations, and protect shorelines from storm surges. Many environmental researchers and activists have lobbied on behalf of the reefs but to no avail. The current administration dismisses climate change and has taken no steps to reduce the harmful impacts. Coral bleaching is expected to continue and worsen over time. ]]> 2017-11-06 23:28:05 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204159965 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204161158   Recent studies suggest that, due to climate change, ocean levels will rise dramatically more than first thought. These studies from around the world use observational techniques and advanced modeling technology to predict changes in sea levels. If the world continues to use excessive amounts of fossil fuels and generate economic growth, the rises will occur. If the world limits emissions in accordance with the Paris climate agreement, more manageable rises are to be expected. Knowing the potential affects has given many researchers the evidence to promote limiting the use of fossil fuels. ]]> 2017-11-06 23:38:19 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204161158 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204162168   Exxon Mobile is going to pay $2.5 million in fines for violating the Clean Air Act in plants along the Gulf of Mexico as well as $300 million in pollution control agents at current plants. PDC Energy, a Colorado-based oil and gas company, will also pay $2.5 million in fines for violating the same act. Critics have condemned the Trump Administration's ability to enforce environmental laws and regulations, but administrators use similar settlements to demonstrate their commitments to the current laws. These settlements require both fines and upgrades to current systems to make them more environmentally friendly. ]]> 2017-11-06 23:47:11 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204162168 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204164425   In Germany, a study has shown a rapid decline in local insect populations. It focused on flying insects over a 27 year period and has caused a fear that the results could be far-reaching. It also only included insects from protected areas, sparking concern for species in agricultural and urban areas. Additionally, the study has caused alarm due to insects' importance. Through pollination, they have a direct influence on crops and food webs in all ecosystems. ]]> 2017-11-07 00:06:25 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/204164425 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224464961   In 2016, large amounts of snow and ice dropped off of two of Tibet's glaciers. These potentially fatal events have originally been thought by scientists to not happen but two occurred three months apart. Climate change is believed to have been the root of these events. Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to more snowfall. Once the weight is too much for the glacier to handle, it collapses, traveling extensive distances at hundreds of miles per hour. Despite its being a country with a scattered population distribution, Tibet still faced several casualties from the first avalanche. ]]> 2018-01-24 22:15:43 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224464961 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224468851      2017 had the second highest temperatures since 1880, according to NASA. Other private groups ranked it the hottest and third hottest. During the last year, there was a La Niña, which should have cooled the temperatures but did not. Temperatures are not expected to cool down in the future. Since the 19th century, the average temperature has risen by one degree Celsius; catastrophic consequences are expected if it goes beyond two degrees. Despite clear changes in climate patterns, the current presidential administration is rolling back environmental measures. ]]> 2018-01-24 22:41:07 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224468851 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224470384      Musk oxes, tundra-dwelling large mammals, are struggling with warmed temperatures. They find food by using their noses to dig through the snow in search of lichen and other small plants. This natural action has made them especially susceptible to population declines due to climate change. Warmer air leads to rain, as opposed to snow, which freezes upon hitting the surface. Ice prevents musk oxes from finding food. Calves are then born undersized and die young. In some places, climate change has caused the elimination of the musk ox population altogether. ]]> 2018-01-24 22:52:10 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224470384 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224476205   A recent study has found that air pollution in India caused over a million deaths in 2015. Two thirds of the population live in a rural area and are more vulnerable to health risks from air pollution. As the country's economy has grown, so have its emissions, hindering the air quality throughout the entire country. Aside from urban areas, the burning of biomass is a leading contributor. If India wants to prevent the exponential rise of air pollution related deaths, it must create effective and comprehensive policy to cut down emissions. ]]> 2018-01-24 23:38:01 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224476205 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224477954   The FBI's Rhino DNA Index System records and keeps track of data from almost 6,000 poaching crime scenes dating back to 2010. Law enforcement uses the database to find and prosecute rhinoceros poachers. DNA evidence also allows for more intense punishments for those who are convicted, as opposed to the traditional light fine or jail time. Poaching and the trafficking of animal products is an incredibly lucrative business. Rhinos, which have ecological as well as intrinsic importance, are endangered and the hope its that this program will help continue the anti-poaching effort. ]]> 2018-01-24 23:54:18 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224477954 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224478613   Out of 20 studied nations, the United States has the highest child mortality rate as well as the slowest decline in child mortality. Sweden has the lowest child mortality rate. Policy aiming to prevent deaths from vehicle accidents, gun violence, and infant deaths would all improve the U.S.'s international standing. Social disparities also lead to a greater chance for harm to come to infants, children, or pregnant women. The study concluded that the majority of the deaths of children in the United States are preventable. ]]> 2018-01-25 00:01:25 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/224478613 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/238044533      A recent study shows that spring is arriving earlier closer to the poles. A University of California, Davis analyzed over 700 previously conducted studies to determine the rates of springtime. The researchers concluded that, for every 10 degrees north, spring arrives four days earlier. Therefore, the arctic has a much earlier spring than, for example, the northeast United States. This has multiple negative implications, mostly surrounding wildlife. More research would need to be conducted to determine any correlations, but the primary concern is the impact on the migration patterns of birds. ]]> 2018-03-05 12:58:27 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/238044533 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/238056253   Hong Kong's population has the highest life expectancy on the planet. Men live an average of 81.3 years and women live an average of 87.3 years. Researchers studying the phenomenon have concluded that the longevity is caused by a city that gives residents easy access to its amenities, multiple green spaces, good hospitals that are available to everyone, a population consisting of many migrants determined to have a better life, good weather, a healthy diet, and a culture that emphasizes the importance of family. Now, researchers are using these findings to implement policy that protects the longevity of the population. Their main hypotheses are that the life expectancy has to do with universal health care, improved child care, economic migration, and reduced smoking rates. ]]> 2018-03-05 13:28:17 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/238056253 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250547210   A new study has shown that over the past 200 years, snowfall in the continent of Antarctica has increased by 10%. The study used a comprehensive look all over the continent, whereas past examinations have used smaller areas of land. Warming surface temperatures and reduced ice have led to more moisture in the air, which in turn leads to the increase in snowfall. This study's findings are important because snowfall counteracts any rises in the sea level. ]]> 2018-04-11 02:54:08 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250547210 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250548402   While premature death rates are lower across the country, there are vast disparities in life expectancies among the American states. New Jersey, Hawaii, California, and Minnesota are a few of the states where residents have the lowest probability of a premature death. Alabama, West Virginia, and New Mexico were among those with the highest probability. Opioid addiction and heart disease play large roles in the death rates. Lifestyle is the main contributor to an early death, including habits such as tobacco use and a lack of exercise. ]]> 2018-04-11 03:02:40 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250548402 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250549899 Coral paleoclimatology is the study of coral in the context of the data it provides regarding climate fluctuations in tropical oceans. Fossilized corals show both seasonal and year-to-year changes, which reflect changes in the coral's environment. Coral paleoclimatology is a growing interdisciplinary field that seeks to strengthen international collaborations in reducing the effects of climate change. By studying this field, scientists hope to prepare for the future and salvage current coral ecosystems. ]]> 2018-04-11 03:13:14 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250549899 18monahand https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250551051 The Trump administration repealed a policy that forced sources of air pollutants to reduce their emissions. As a result, California's clean-air board and Attorney General have filed a lawsuit against the administration. The policy would require things like oil refineries to use and implement procedures and machinery that reduces the emissions of harmful substances. California's Attorney General claims that this repeal is illegal due to its impact on American citizens and its benefits for big corporations. ]]> 2018-04-11 03:22:19 UTC https://padlet.com/18monahand/devyn_ejournal/wish/250551051