ANALYSIS REPORT

Global Environmental Change

Dhriti Sonthalia
04.08.2016
6 MYP-C

My Survey Sheet

My Survey Results

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My Inquiry Questions

FactualWhatistheenvironment?

Whatishappeningtotheenvironment?

Whatarethenaturalaspectsoftheenvironment?

ConceptualHowdowedestroytheenvironment?

WhyisitimportanttocareabouttheEnvironment?

DebatableIsmangreatestthreattotheEnvironment?

Whatisenvironment?
Theconditionsthatsurroundsomeoneorsomething:theconditionsandinfluences
thataffectthegrowth,health,progress,etc.,ofsomeoneorsomething

Whatishappeningtotheenvironment?

Ourenvironmentisinneedofalotofwork.Theozonelayerisquicklyrottingawaythe
watersarepollutedandtherainforestisrapidlyshrinkinginsizeduetotheignorance
oflanddevelopers.Sowhyisn'tanythingbeingdone?Everyonethinksiftheyignorethe
problem,itwillgoaway.Grantedtherearemanypeoplewhodomorethantheirshare
whenitcomestotakingcareofourplanet,butitstillisn'tenough.Weallneedtoget
togetherandstartrecyclingourplasticsandpapers,sortingourtrashandreducecutting
downourtrees.Afterall,weonlyhaveoneplane

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Whatarethenaturalaspectsoftheenvironment?

Emissionstoair.
Releasetowater.
WasteManagement.
Contaminationofland.
Impactoncommunities.
Useofrawmaterialsandnaturalresources.
Otherlocalenvironmentalandcommunityissues.

Howdowedestroyourenvironment?

Pollutionland,air,water,andnuclearpollutionhavehadmanyadverseinfluenceson
theenvironment.Otherpollutantsalsohavenegativeeffectsontheenvironment

Deforestationnaturalhabitatsofanimalsaredestroyed,theorganismsareforceto
migrateordie,disruptingthefoodchain/webandthustheecosystemandalsoresulting
innegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

Overfishingorganismsthatreliedonfishasfoodsourceareforcedtomigrateordie,
changingtheoriginalecosystemresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

Harvestingnaturalresourcesformassmanufacturingfoodchain/webisdisrupted,
organismsthatreliedonresourceforsurvivalareforcedtomigrateordie,changingthe
originalecosystemresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

Clearinghabitatsforagriculturedestroysthehabitatoforganismslivingthere,the
organismsareforcetomigrateordie,disruptingthefoodchain/webandthusthe
ecosystemresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

OverFarmingonsameplotoflandresultsinpoorsoilfertility,makingtheland
unsuitableforgrowthofplantsresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment

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Introductionofexoticspeciestoanewenvironmentfoodchain/webisdisrupted,new
speciestakesoveranddominatesandthereforenativeorganismsareforcedtomigrate
ordie,changingtheoriginalecosystemresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

Urbanisationnaturalhabitatisdestroyedandreplacedwithbuildings,theorganisms
areforcetomigrateordie,disruptingthefoodchain/webandthustheecosystem
resultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

Mining,logging,trawlingandurbansprawldestroysthehabitatoforganismsliving
there,theorganismsareforcedtomigrateordie,disruptingthefoodchain/weband
thustheecosystemresultinginnegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

WhyisitimportanttocareabouttheEnvironment?
1.CaringforAnimals
Modernhumanshavedominatedtheplanetsincewebegantoevolvesome200,000
yearsago.Beingthedominantspeciesontheplanet,itisourjobtomakesurewetake
careoftheotheranimalsonEarth.Polarbears,forexample,liveontheiceinthe
Arctic.AnincreaseintemperatureintheArcticduetoclimatechangehasthreatened
theveryexistenceofpolarbearsinthewild,astheirenvironmentbecomessmallerand
lesshabitable.Thisishappeningtomanydifferentspeciesofanimalsallovertheworld
asmanmadeclimatechangethreatensthemwithextinction.
2.FutureGenerationsDeserveaHealthyPlanet
Doyouplaysports?Rideyourbike?Gotothepark?Havepicnicswithyourfriends
andfamily?Mostpeoplelovebeingoutside,breathingthefreshair,andenjoyingthe
sunontheirskin.Nowimagineyourchildren,orgrandchildren,oreven
greatgrandchildrennotbeingabletoenjoythoseverythingsbecausetheenvironment
hasbeendestroyed.Ifwedontcareabouttheenvironmentinourlifetime,theremight
benothingleftforfuturegenerationstoenjoyintheirlifetimes.
3.WeAreRunningOutOfNonRenewableResources

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TheEarthhasafiniteamountofnonrenewableresourcesthismeansthatoncewe
usethemup,theywillnolongerexist.Examplesofnonrenewableresourcesareoil,
naturalgas,coal,nickel,iron,andcopper.OildrillinghasincreasedintheUnitedStates
duringthefirsthalfof2013,ashashydraulicfracturing(usuallycalledfracking),which
breaksopenshaledeepinsidetheEarthinordertoextractnaturalgasandoil.The
coalindustryhasalsobeenrevivedrecentlywiththeadventofsocalledcleancoal.
Metalssuchasnickel,iron,andcopperwilllikelybeminedoutwithinthenext100years
ifminingcontinuesatitscurrentrate.Studieshaverecentlyshownthattheworldrun
outofoilcompletelywithinthenext50years.Itisuptousnowtofindrenewable
sourcesofenergyandinnovationstosavewhatlittlenonrenewableresourceswehave
left.
4.BiodiversityandEcosystems
Whenpeopletalkaboutbiodiversitytheyaretalkingaboutthevarietyofplants,animals,
andotherorganismsinaparticularareaormoresimply,thenumberofspeciesonthe
planet.Biodiversityhelpskeepbalanceinspeciesandecosystems,whichcanbevery
fragile.Humansareresponsibleforthelargestthreatofdestructionforspeciesand
ecosystems.Whenwedestroynaturalhabitats,wedestroyspeciesbiodiversity.
Habitatsarebeingdestroyedbyhumanstomakeroomforincreasingpopulation,and
bypollutionandclimatechangewhichreducebiodiversityareasalreadystruggling.
Tropicalforestscontainmorethan50%oftheentireworldsbiodiversity,andbecause
ofdeforestationtheyhavebeenreducedby8090%.EachspeciesonEarthservesa
specialpurposeintheirecosystemandtheplanetasawhole.Protectingthe
environmenthelpspreventthedestructionofhabitatsandspecies.
5.EarthIstheOnlyPlanetWeHave
Whiletherearealmost900confirmedexoplanetsintheuniverse(exoplanetsare
planetsoutsideofoursolarsystemthatsharesimilaritiestoEarth),scientistsbelieve
thenearestoneisatleast6.4lightyearsawayfromEarth.Thats37,623,203,463,989

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milesaway!ItwouldtaketheHelios2probe(whichisthefastestmanmadespacecraft
travellingat150,000mph)250,821,356.5yearstogothatfar.Thismeansthatifwe
dontcareaboutourenvironmenthereonEarthandcontinuetodestroyit,wehave
nowhereelsetogo.
6.NaturalMedicines
Didyouknowthatmostofthemedicineswebuyatthestorearebasedonplants?
Valium,apowerfulmedicinethattreatspeoplewithpanicattacks,isdevelopedfrom
valerianroot,whichhasbeenusedforthousandsofyearstocalmpeopledown.
AccordingtoInstituteImazonsmostrecentreport,therateofdeforestationinthe
Amazonis103%higherin2013thanitwasin2012.In2012,deforestationdecreased
27%fromtheyearbefore.Whenitcomestodestroyingtherainforest,wehavestarted
movingbackward.Iftherainforestisdestroyed,wewouldforeverloseplantspecies
thatcouldpotentiallycurecancer,blindness,orotherdiseases.
7.ThePlanetNeedsUsNow
Accordingtorecentstudies,theEarthsclimateischanging10timesfasterthanithasin
thelast65millionyears.Scientistsspeculatethathumanshaveuntiltheyear2020
(thatslessthan8years!)toreduceairpollutionbeforewestartsufferingcatastrophic
impacts.ScientistsattheNationalCenterforAtmosphericResearchsaythatwehave
tokeepgreenhousegasemissionstobelow47gigatonstopreventcatastrophe.The
problemisthatrightnow,weemit50gigatonsannuallyofgreenhousegasses,and
thatsexpectedtoriseto55gigatonsby2020.Howmucharewewillingtorisk?asks
DavidMcCollum,ascientistwhohelpedNCARwritetheirresearch.
8.DangerousNaturalDisastersAreOntheRise
Scientistshavefoundalinkbetweenclimatechangeandtheincreaseinsevere
weathereventsaroundtheworld.Themoreourclimatechangesbecauseof
manmadepollutionanddestructionofhabitats,themoredevastatingtornadoeshitthe

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U.S.Midwest,thelongerandmoreseveretheheatwavesandwildfiresinAustralia,the
morefrequentanddestructivetheearthquakesandtsunamisinAsia.Recordrainfalls
causesevereflooding,whichdestroyshousesandlives.Increasesinocean
temperatureleadstostrongerandmoredevastatinghurricanesandcyclones.If
humansasaspeciesdonotbegintotakecareoftheenvironment,severeweather
eventswillonlyhappenmoreoften,andcausemoredeathanddestruction.
9.AccesstoCleanWater
Everyhumanneedswatertolive.Asofrightnow,almost780millionpeopledonthave
accesstocleandrinkingwaterthatsoneoutofeveryninepeople!Thereisafinite
amountofwateravailableonEarth,andonlyasmallamountofitisfreshwater.
Manmadepollutionfromactivitiessuchasminingandfarmingcontaminatesdrinking
water.Naturaldisasters,liketheearthquakein2011thatdestroyedtheFukushima
nuclearpowerplantinJapanandspilledmillionsoftonsofradioactivematerialsintothe
oceanandgroundwater,canalsopollutedrinkingwater.Whentheenvironment
becomespolluted,sodoestheworldslimitedsupplyofcleanwater.
10.BuildingCharacter
Caringforthingsotherthanyourselfisagreatwaytobuildpersonalcharacter.
Stewardshipisthecarefulandresponsiblemanagementofsomethingentrustedto
onescare,liketheenvironment.Whenyouareastewardoftheenvironment,youare
protectingthispreciousresourcethatsupportsalllife,andshowinggreatstrengthof
character.
IsmangreatestthreattotheEnvironment?

Researcherswhoanalysed30,000academicstudiesdatingbackto1970saidmanwas
responsibleforchangesthatrangedfromthelossoficesheetstothecollapsein
numbersofmanyspeciesofwildlife.

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"Humansareinfluencingclimatethroughincreasinggreenhousegasemissions,andthe
warmingworldiscausingimpactsonphysicalandbiologicalsystems,"saidCynthia
Rosenzweig,attheNasaGoddardInstituteforSpaceStudies.
Theeffectsonlivingthingsincludetheearlierappearanceofleavesontreesandplants
themovementofanimalsandbirdstomorenortherlylatitudesandtohigheraltitudesin
thenorthernhemisphererapidadvancesinfloweringtimeandearlieregglayingin
BritainandchangesinbirdmigrationsinEurope,NorthAmericaandAustralia.
Onaplanetaryscalethechangesincludethemeltingofglaciersonallcontinents
earlierspringriverrunoffandthewarmingofoceans,lakesandrivers.
Thestudy'sconclusionsgofurtherthanthemostrecentreportbytheIntergovernmental
PanelonClimateChange,whichconcludedlastyearthatmanmadeclimatechange
was"likely"tohavehadadiscernibleeffectontheplanet.

Resources
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1955916/MankindistheEarthsbigg
estthreat.html
http://freemanwong.com/2013/10/08/10reasonstocareabouttheenvironment/
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120221221327AAAGMpC
http://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/environment/article/4647/WhatIsHappening
ToOurEnvironment/
www.merriamwebster.com
https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/20320000/EMS/EnvironmentalAsp
ectsTheBasics.pdf

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Article

Ocean-cleaning sea bins

will gobble up plastic
waste to recycle

See that, and bin it

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The Seabin Project

By Alice Klein
It will be too late for the Olympic games but garbage be gone thereafter. An
underwater bin that draws plastic detritus out of the sea has reached the final stages of
research, and should be available in 17 countries early next year.
The Seabin was invented by two Australian surfers Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski,
who were worried about the build-up of pollution in the oceans. It is a world-wide

problem typified vividly by the dirty waters around Rio, where the Olympic athletes
face raw sewage and household garbage next month.

Fitted to pontoons, the submerged bins use a pump to suck rubbish from the sea
surface (see video). Once full, the bins can be emptied and the plastic waste recycled.
It catches everything floating in the water plastic bottles, paper, oil, fuel, and
detergent, says Ceglinski.
Trials have shown that the bins are safe for fish, because they dont go close enough to
the sea surface to be pulled in.
Rubbish to riches
Spains Balearic Islands last week granted the team permission to trial the latest Seabin
prototype, which uses asolar-powered pump, in four different ports.

The trial follows on from a successful pilot study at La Grande-Motte port in France.
Once the designers finish testing the strength and flotation properties of the new
prototype, manufacturing will begin in partnership with a French marina-building
company.
Marine authorities around the world have expressed an interest, and the team has
signed agreements to make the bins available in 17 countries from the beginning of
2017.

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Prevention versus cure

Seabins will need to be combined with multiple other approaches to beat marine
pollution, says Mark Browne at the University of New South Wales. On the face of it,
its a very, very good thing to be doing, but waste management on land is also
important, he says.
Strategies to keep waste out of waterways in the first place include banning plastic
microbeads in personal care products, installing washing machine filters to collect
synthetic fibres, introducing storm water filters to trap rubbish, and improving
collection services so that rubbish bins dont overflow, Browne says.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2099339-ocean-cleaning-sea-bins-will-gobble-upplastic-waste-to-recycle/

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My Conclusion
I conclude that we as human beings are
destroying the planet by a few harmful activities
like deforestation, pollution etc.
From my research i have concluded that a lot of
people are trying to spread awareness and follow
a few measures to save our planet earth. But by a
contribution of few people the planet is not going
to get saved. We all have to work together as a
team to help our planet earth and environment.

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