Author: ekh5305

Because of the magnitude of environmental concerns in today’s society, this blog has been focused heavily on negative topics. While things like pollution, oil spills, and acid rain are all important issues to discuss, for the last post on this site I would like to keep things a little more light-hearted. To wrap things up, we are going to take a look at all the ways that we at Penn State can contribute to a better, healthier planet.

Penn State University, along with many other college campuses across the country, makes a statement by being environmentally conscious in many different regards. After reading this, hopefully you will have a much better understanding of and appreciation for all the ways that you can participate in this movement here at Penn State.

Penn State’s plan for environmental consciousness had four different categories: reduce, reuse, recycle, compost. The first category, reduce, is all about lessening the amount of waste we produce. The campus is covered with water bottle refilling stations so that students can fill their reusable water bottles as much as they want. This gets rid of the need for plastic water bottles that just get disposed of after one use. Plastic disposable water bottles are completely useless at this point, although Americans spend nearly $11 million every year on plastic water bottles. Regular tap water accounts for around a quarter of bottled water, so you might as well just get your water from a fountain or refrigerator. A total of around one billion dollars’ worth of landfill garbage is from the disposal of plastic bottles. On the flip side, reusable water bottles save you hundreds of dollars per year, and they are likely a safer bet than plastic. Plastic bottles can contain chemicals such as BPA which are harmful to your health, whereas glass or stainless steel will not have that risk. All in all, it might be in your best interest to take advantage of reusable bottles and the filling stations all over campus.

Sticking with the reduce category, the dining halls around campus have what are known as Green2Go containers. These are reusable carry-out containers that take the place of Styrofoam containers which go right into the landfill. By taking advantage of the Green2Go containers, the amount of waste is limited. Another initiative taken by the university to reduce is the Smarter Carpet Initiative, where Penn State carpet never sees a landfill and more thought is put into its purchasing. And ever noticed how your pages automatically print double-sided from the printers here? That is because Penn State is on a mission to reduce the amount of paper we use by limiting the number of sheets needed.

The next category, reuse, is focused on not letting anything that could still be used go to waste. The Trash to Treasure project allows Penn State students who are moving out to donate their unwanted items to the local United Way, so that all those items do not get put to waste.

The third category that Penn State focuses on to help the environment is recycle, which is probably the thing that you think of first when you hear about the university being environmentally conscious. We have all seen what seems like the hundreds of bins labeled trash, glass, hard plastic, paper, etc. Penn State does its very best to clearly spell out to us what goes where when we are throwing things out. Different items can be recycled in different ways, so it is important to consider what all you are throwing out instead of just heading straight for the trash bin. It is probably the easiest and least time-consuming thing you can do to get on board with Penn State’s initiative.

The final category here is compost. Any food waste, along with some paper products and other things, are actually compostable. What this means is that this can all be turned into something that can end up enriching the soil, rather than ending up in a landfill where it will do the opposite. The benefits of composting include the nourishment it provides for the soil and less need for fertilizers as a result, as well as the decrease of methane emissions from landfills. By including clearly labeled compost containers around the dining areas of campus, Penn State makes it so easy to dispose of excess food properly, so there is no excuse not to take part in this.

Through the many ways that Penn State University takes steps to be environmentally conscious, it has become so easy for us to do this as well. The next time you want to buy a pack of plastic water bottles or feel like throwing all your waste in the trash can, think about what the best thing you can do for your environment is, and join Penn State’s movement to go green.

The next environmental issue we are going to come across on this blog is one that I probably had the least amount of prior knowledge on going into this adventure. It kind of sounds like something a lot more imminently deadly than it is, something that a super villain in a movie would come up with potentially. What I am referring to here is acid rain.

Although not quite as scary as it may sound, acid rain definitely still something to be discussed in our long list of environmental problems. Acid rain is essentially rain with a significantly low pH (low pH means it is more acidic), which is caused by pollution in the air. The burning of fossil fuels is what pollutes our air and, consequentially, our rain as well. Factories contribute a lot to this issue, as well as exhaust from cars or other automobiles. These things release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air, which can eventually reach high enough in the atmosphere that they react with water in the clouds and produce the acidic rain.

The effects of acid rain are mostly noticed in aquatic environments, where the rain can lower the overall pH of the body of water. The acidic rain releases aluminum into the water as well. Some aquatic animals are able to tolerate changes in pH, but there is a critical level of pH for every species and once it hits that level, the species will struggle to survive. At a pH of 5, most fish eggs are unable to hatch, and at lower levels the adult fish will die. The aluminum released into the soil is also harmful to plants. That coupled with the fact that acidic clouds can cause harm to plants is the reason that areas of frequent acid rain contain a lot of dead trees. Fortunately for humans, our bodies are adapted to be unharmed by acid rain, but when the compounds in acid rain are released into the air, then they can start to cause some health problems.

There is a bit of good news surrounding this acid rain situation, though. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1990, which put regulations on emissions which pollute the air. Since then, there has actually been a decrease in acid rain, meaning the Clean Air Act really did its job. Comparing values from 1985 and 2008, the amount of rain or snow with a pH of less than 5 decreased in both concentration and frequency. Scientists are not surprised by this fact, because they understand that regulating emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the air will consequentially decrease the reactions they have with the atmosphere, which eventually lessens the problem of acid rain. This is different from almost all of the other issues on this site, because typically they just seem to get worse over time. For me at least (and hopefully for you as well), it is a breath of fresh air to be on the positive side this time. Do not get too excited though, because we still have a ways to go before this problem is no longer a problem anymore.

Although the Clean Air Act significantly helped with the acid rain problem, it does not mean that it made it go away. It is no secret that air pollution continues to be a concern in today’s world, and as a result acid rain is as well. It is still very important that we take care of our planet and be mindful of how we are impacting it. While much of the pollution comes from factories and larger sources, there are still things that we can do, even if they are minor, to help as much as we can. Energy production is a main source of air pollution, so conserving energy by doing things such as turning out the lights when you leave a room and all of those other little things we have been taught to do our whole lives can make just a little bit of a difference. Buying energy efficient appliances is something else that can decrease our impact. The biggest one is probably minimizing the amount of driving we do, because car exhaust immediately pollutes the air. Carpooling, taking public transportation, driving energy-efficient cars, or even just walking or biking somewhere are important steps to be taken.

Acid rain is not as large of a problem as it used to be, but it is still a problem nonetheless. The harm that it can cause to plants and aquatic environments is a very real concern, since so many living things can not survive if their environment is too acidic. It is our job to ensure that the impact of acid rain continues to slope downward, so that we can have a positive impact on our world.

In this week’s portion of our look into the issues that impact the environment, we are taking a look at one that tends to break all of our hearts (well, mine at least). The problem of oil spills shows up in the media a decent amount, and personally I feel like I often see videos and pictures of the ducks and other animals covered in oil as a result. It tugs at the heart strings a little more than some of the others.

Oil spills can result from any number of reasons, but mostly they are due to the release (whether intentional or not) of petroleum during the production process of oil. Oil spills can happen due to companies being careless with their oil production, or simply by accident. Regardless of how they occur, oil spillage is quite harmful to marine animals, whether they are birds, mammals, fish or otherwise. In mammals with fur, such as otters, the excess oil interferes with the insulation capabilities of their fur. The oil also affects the ability of birds’ feathers to repel water. Without these capabilities in full effect, these animals are at the mercy of the elements and can suffer from hypothermia. Oil can harm fish in ways that affect the normal functioning of their bodies. The possibility of ingesting oil is also a danger for animals, because it can be poisonous. All in all, oil is not meant to interact with marine life in such quantities. It brings about things like those aforementioned little ducks covered in oil- so sad…

Beyond the primary fact that oil is clearly not meant to be spilled in the ocean, there are other reasons as to why it is generally something that we want to avoid. The process of cleaning up oil from bodies of water is quite involved. There are a few different ways this can happen, but they are all large undertakings. Dispersants trap oil in small droplets for bacteria to degrade on its own easier, skimmers can essentially scrape the oil from the surface of the water, burning the oil after it is freshly spilled can get rid of it, etc. Some scientists believe leaving the oil alone is actually the best option. Either way, the spilling of oil requires a quite large amount of thought, time, and potentially money to take care of it. This is just another reason for it to be avoided.

This particular topic is a little different from most of the others that we have examined thus far in this blog. The biggest difference is that with the other topics, there is at least something we as civilians can do to either prevent the long-terms effects or lessen our impact on the environment. In the case of oil spills, unfortunately the prevention of them is essentially up to the companies that produce oil to be more careful with the production process. It is also more of a case-by-case basis rather than a gradual process because oil spills are specific isolated events instead of one constantly growing epidemic. With that being said, it is still an important issue to discuss and still has very serious effects on the environment which is all cause by human activity.

So the question here is this: what can be done to stop the effects of oil spills on our oceans? As I mentioned before, there is not too much that we as individuals can do, but there are a number of things that can be done by people who have a bit more power than you or I. One way to fix this is to determine the best way to clean up the oil spills using the most efficient and safest method possible. As of now, there are a few different ways that oil spills can be taken care of, but finding the best possible option will be very helpful. There are also a few different actions that companies can take to help proactively solve this issue. Some companies are practicing safer behaviors such as obtaining leak detection technologies, introducing training and worker safety programs, and setting spill reduction targets. The control of oil spills requires a large investment, but the companies that are willing to make this investment are building a better future by protecting our oceans and marine wildlife.

Oil spills are a very serious and sad issue to discuss, especially when you consider the life that is affected by them. It is imperative that oil production is improved by companies who care about the environment and the lives of so many birds, fish, and marine mammals that could be impacted by carelessness. The hope is that in the future, oil will only be produced using practices that are safe and careful to avoid spillage, so that we can save our marine wildlife.

We have tackled many concerning phenomena over the past few weeks here, each of them with their own set of problems. This week we are set out to look at one of the more nerve-wracking environmental issues, one which has gained quite a lot of attention in recent years in the media and politics. For those of you wondering when I was going to bring it up, well, here it is: this week we discuss global warming (dun dun dun…).

Global warming is essentially the gradual rise in temperature of the Earth. It takes place mostly due to the greenhouse effect, which is the problem caused by the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat inside their particles by letting in light but keeping the heat in (just like a greenhouse). The more gases like this that are released into the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped in them. The greenhouse effect is actually something that we need to survive, but not at the levels it is currently reaching. Without the atmosphere containing these gases, the Earth would not be warm enough to inhabit life. So yes, we do need these gases, but definitely not in such high concentrations.

So what exactly does the presence of excess greenhouse gases do to the planet? There are a number of effects that come with this, most of which you have probably heard about. There are the glaciers that are melting (we have all heard campaigns to “save the polar bears”), the sea levels rising, and the wildlife that cannot adapt to a fast changing climate. With global warming also comes more intense weather, which is not such an obvious consequence. Unlike most of our other environmental issues thus far, global warming is one that can be seen in many different ways.

But wait, isn’t natural climate change a thing? If that is what you are thinking, you are not wrong. Volcanic eruptions can cause fluctuations in the earth’s climate. So can large storms, as well as natural variation in solar radiation due to a number of different reasons. So yes, the Earth’s climate does vary from time to time, but the concern here is how much it is varying and the fact that it is not entirely natural. Up until recent years, greenhouse gases that were emitted into the atmosphere were absorbed naturally, but since humans have been releasing more of these gases than ever more recently, the concentration is more than what is typically naturally taken care of. Humans are the cause of the vast majority of global warming, and we need to realize this in order to keep the consequences to a minimum.

With something as huge as global warming, something that will clearly affect the entirety of the planet in the coming years, why is everyone not paying attention to it? There are actually some people who believe that global warming is a hoax, a conspiracy theory, essentially something that is not a real concern, even though 97% of scientists say that it is. There are many reasons that people state for refusing to believe that the Earth is getting warmer. The saddest one in my opinion, which is actually the most popular excuse, is that “it is still really cold outside.” Others include the belief that the variation in temperature is natural, the belief that there is not enough scientific evidence, and the flat out refusal to believe the news because it is all fake. Essentially, the problem here is that as a society, we are not educated enough to fully understand this phenomena. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first step to solving the problem.

As they say in support groups and other such things, the first step to solving the problem is admitting that you have one (or something to that extent). Above all else, the most important way to combat global warming is to educate the public about it. We are not likely to want to fix what we do not know is broken. So once that occurs, we can move on to other solutions. There is a whole list of things we can do to lessen this problem. The first of which is ensuring that we are putting energy efficient appliances into our homes. For the number of times we use our refrigerators, washing machines, and other household machines, it is important that we make sure we use environmentally friendly ones. Other solutions include using better light bulbs, driving an energy efficient car, and cutting down on the amount of food we waste.

There is not way around it: global warming is a scary issue. One that we really need to keep an eye on. But there is an increase in movement toward a better future for our planet, and as a society all we have to do is stop resisting and work for a brighter (but not warmer) tomorrow.

Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote about how the trash you throw away rather than recycling might end up in the oceans? Well now it is time to revisit this, but instead with more focus on the other place that trash ends up: in a landfill.

I think we can all picture the exact same image in our brains when the word “landfill” comes to mind. That huge area of land covered in piles upon piles of trash- pretty sure I can smell it. Nasty.

It is really not our first priority to consider what becomes of our trash when we throw it away, but regardless it eventually ends up somewhere on the ground, surrounded by lots of other garbage. Landfills contain a lot of solid waste that is not biodegradable, which means it stays there for years on end. This solid waste comes from a number of contributors- trash from homes, restaurants, schools, and *scarier* things like agricultural and medical waste.

There are a few different problems with landfills. First of all, they emit a number of toxic gases into the atmosphere, the most concerning of which being methane, which is said to be an agent in the warming of the atmosphere. Other gases are emitted as well that contribute to air quality issues. Another problem with landfills is that they can pollute the groundwater around them if they have leaks, and research has shown that around 82% of landfills have leaks. Health problems are more likely for people who live near landfills. They are more likely to be exposed to carcinogens and other harmful factors. These concerns arise from both the air and groundwater pollution that landfills cause.

So with every one of these environmental concerns, we have to ask why they continue to be a problem, and why people have not taken a lot of action towards stopping them. For this one in particular, a large portion of the reason is convenience, especially for those of us that choose not to dispose of our trash responsibly. However, there is actually more to landfills other than the fact that we as humans are lazy and resist change.

There are arguments out there that landfills are not just harmless, but actually helpful for the planet. Some people say that landfills are an environmentally safe and healthy way for disposing of garbage, nothing like the landfills that used to exist back in the day. According to this source, landfills are specifically and strategically placed so that they are out of the way and unlikely to cause problems with their location. The liquid that leaks from the waste is apparently carefully collected so as to not disturb the groundwater around them, and there are specific standards and regulations that govern the emission of pollutants into the air. It also mentions that landfill waste can be converted into usable energy in the form of electricity or otherwise.

It is interesting that this source has so many positive things to say about landfills and how good they are for the environment, but this does seem a little suspicious. While is it probably true that landfills are regulated a lot more responsibly than they used to be, this does not mean that there are not still landfills that are handled poorly and still cause all of the detrimental effects we hear about from other sources. It is still very important that we are responsible with our trash because there are still plenty of negative outcomes that can arise from this.

As with most of these environmental issues, there are alternative options that we can explore in order to help our planet. There are actually plenty of waste disposal methods that do not involve a landfill. The first of which is (obviously) recycling. There are so many opportunities to choose to recycle your used plastic, paper, aluminum, cardboard, etc. You just have to spend a few extra seconds thinking about which goes with which. This is by far the easiest way that we can reduce the impact of landfills. Another solution is known as waste to energy incineration. This is a process by which garbage can be burned in order to create energy that can be used in society (this is likely what was being mentioned in the previous article). A newer solution by the name of anaerobic digestion is coming into play more recently, where bacteria or other microorganisms convert waste to methane, which can then be used to power engines or further converted to natural gas. Finally, another waste disposal method we are pretty familiar with at PSU is composting. This allows for food waste to be broken down naturally in a very environmentally friendly way.

Landfills are something that is really difficult to completely rid the earth of. But with some extra thought behind waste disposal, we can actually make them something that is not too bad for the environment after all.

In this week’s issue of “Tackling the Topics No One Wants to Have to Think About,” we are taking a look at yet another all-too-common issue that plagues the world over: air pollution.

Air pollution is essentially a collection of unwanted gases in the atmosphere. You may hear of the word “smog” as a common term for this, which is correct. However, smog is just the most popularly known form of air pollution because it is so visible. There are also forms of this pollution that we cannot see in plain sight. What this basically means is that air pollution is an even larger problem than (literally) meets the eye.

The largest contributor to air pollution is carbon dioxide. Yes, you might be thinking that we breathe out carbon dioxide all the time, so how could that be causing such a problem in the atmosphere? The fact is, carbon dioxide is not an issue coming from the normal bodily functions of mammals, however it is considered dangerous when it is released by burning fossil fuels. That includes power plants as well as cars, planes, and any other vehicle that runs on gasoline and natural gas. And once you think about the sheer number of people that drive cars all the time and the number of airplanes flying around at a given time, you may begin to realize just how much we are impacting our planet. This article shows us exactly how much we are contributing to this problem; the average U.S. family burns around 85 tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Other greenhouse gases are culprits surrounding air pollution beyond just carbon dioxide. Gases such as sulfur dioxide (a component of smog and a cause of acid rain), methane, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are among other contributors. Enough of some of these harmful gases can potentially cause various respiratory issues, cancer, and brain or nervous system damage, especially in children. If we do not want the harmful effects of greenhouse gases to reach this point and produce noticeable affects on our health (and I think it is pretty obvious that we do not want this), we as humans need to figure out how exactly to combat this problem.

The reason behind why air pollution is still an issue is essentially the same as why any other negative environmental impact is still an issue- convenience. Yes, they do make electric cars. But how many people you know actually drive one? I honestly do not think I could name a single person. We all drive gasoline-powered vehicles, because that is what we have always done. Because that is the normal, less expensive, more familiar option. And yes, they do sell products produced by environmentally responsible means. But using them requires a switch from what we are used to. We would have to try out a new brand, maybe spend a little more money, and get out of our comfort zone. As creatures of habit, most of us do not like or want to make this change. It requires more effort, which we do not feel obligated to give if we choose not to think about the way we are impacting our world.

So yes, air pollution is still very much a problem, but there are initiatives being taken by companies and governments to try to combat it. For example, chlorofluorocarbons, previously used in refrigeration and aerosol products, are now banned for their deteriorating effect on the ozone layer. In 2016, The Paris Agreement was ratified, in which 118 countries agreed to take measures to combat climate change. There are other ways that we can help in smaller ways as well. We can use more energy-efficient products such as light bulbs and remember to conserve energy by turning off our lights when leaving a room. We can limit the use of our automobiles by carpooling and not leaving our cars running when we are not in them. We can choose to buy cleaning products that are environmentally friendly, and seal our cleaners so that harmful compounds do not evaporate into the air. Yes, they are all small and may not seem to make much of a difference, but if there is any small way to help our environment that does not require much effort, we might as well. There are also a number of initiatives that many companies are taking to become more environmentally friendly, so there is hope, but we all should be contributing to the efforts to help our planet.

Air pollution is a scary topic. You can see it, you can smell it, you know when you are around it. It can be quite the harmful issue, but there are lots of opportunities for us to combat it before it gets too bad. With the help of people from around the world, we should be able to make a difference for the future.

This week, I am choosing to highlight an environmental issue that is all too familiar in today’s society: the use (and abuse) of plastic. We all use it, we all dispose of it in one way or another, and some of it always ends up in the wrong place.

The biggest impact that this incorrect way of throwing out plastic is having can be seen in our world’s oceans. I am not sure about anyone else, but the first thought that comes to mind when I see soda cans packaged in that ringed plastic is one of a sea turtle tangled up in that plastic. This is because it is, unfortunately, a very real and very common issue.

At the moment, an estimated forty percent of the world’s ocean surfaces is covered with plastic pollution, and if this problem is not solved soon, by 2050 it is projected that the amount of plastic in the ocean will actually outweigh the weight of the fish in the ocean. Aquatic animals can be seriously harmed or even die due to ingesting or getting tangled in pieces of plastic. Besides the fact that disposing of garbage in a way that reaches the ocean is irresponsible, it also has extremely sad effects. This article tells us a little more about exactly what we are doing to our planet’s wildlife.

Since I am certain that this issue is not a new piece of information to anyone with the slightest knowledge of what is happening in the world, why is it still an issue? We have all seen that image (in one form or another) of that poor aquatic creature tangled up in plastic, and yet the abuse of plastic continues to impact the oceans. The answer is simple, yet sad. Responsible ways of using plastic or avoiding it altogether are available almost anywhere, but it requires some extra effort, or maybe an extra cost. Plastic bags at the grocery store are handed out freely, but if you want to use reusable grocery bags you have to buy them first. In order to recycle your plastic you have to first determine what exactly is recyclable, which takes some more effort. We do not actually need plastic straws to sip our drinks, but it is a societal convention, so we get them at every restaurant, every coffee shop, every smoothie stand, and anywhere else we order a beverage. Reusable water bottles can be found just about anywhere, and yet so many of us still choose to use disposable ones. The ability to reduce our impact on the environment is there, but sometimes we are just a little too lazy to take advantage.

There are however, a growing number of efforts in order to raise awareness for the amount of plastic we use as well as an increase in the opportunities we have to lessen our impact. This is happening all over, but especially on college campuses across the country. Yes, this includes good old PSU. You know those bins in the HUB that say words like hard plastics, paper, metal, glass, compost, etc.? The ones that you usually ignore because figuring out which is which is too much of an effort when you have to get to class? Yes, those were put there by people of our great university that decided Penn State would contribute to the greater good in the world. And even if lots of us still just use the trash, it is enough to still reduce the amount of waste we are creating. The trash cans even say the words “Are You Sure?” in order to make you think twice about mindlessly throwing everything away; I do not know about anyone else, but it actually works on me. Penn State also has a number of water bottle refilling stations attached to the water fountains. It provides drinking water for reusable water bottles and eliminates that annoying need to attempt to stick your bottle under the stream of water in the water fountain, which makes reusable water bottles more attractive to use. Some of them also tally the amount of water that they provide, telling you how many disposable water bottles were not used by using these filling stations, which always makes me feel good about using them. Our campus, as well as many others, is really making an effort to help the planet, so it would be a great idea to take advantage of all these opportunities around us.

It is so important that more of us recognize exactly what we are doing to our environment by using plastic irresponsibly. There are so many easy solutions to this problem, and it would be wonderful if more people could participate in them. So the next time you are in the HUB and decide to go straight for the trash can, maybe give it a second thought and take one more step towards ridding our oceans of harmful plastic and protecting the turtles. 🙂

There are an unfortunate number of issues that exist concerning our environment in today’s society, but to begin the discussion of these issues I am choosing to focus on one particular topic: deforestation.

Deforestation is the widespread clearing of trees, typically to create room for something man made. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding it because it is deliberately taking natural resources away as well as removing the habitat for many species. There are a number of reasons that this might occur, involving politics, agriculture, big businesses, or another factor. Although the sheer concept of (and even the connotation of the word) deforestation is haunting and raises some moral red flags, there must be some reason as to why it continues to occur. After all, it wouldn’t be considered a debate if there weren’t people taking both sides.

Those who consider themselves to be environmental activists are greatly opposed to this intentional tampering with the natural world. One article (which can be viewed here) talks about a man who, rather than telling people what deforestation is like, decides instead to show them. He uses Google Earth to show the insane amount of deforestation that has occurred in recent years. Matthew Hansen, the man who uses Google Earth to show the scale of this, did this so he could actually track the process. He uses the data he gathers from it to alert resource managers and climate scientists with accurate information, rather than estimates or outdated numbers. While Hansen’s main goal is to alert these researchers, Tim McDonnell, the author of the article, seems to have a different goal. McDonnell includes the video of Google Maps showing all of the deforestation in the world, not for some scientist, but for the reader. He uses this to not just tell, but show the public what the consequences of this really are.

Looking at the Google Maps video and just hearing the perspectives of those who are against deforestation is enough for many people to turn against the idea of killing the rain forests. However, there must be a reason that we have not yet put an end to this.

Taking a look at another perspective on deforestation, this article tells of a scientist who does not necessarily argue on behalf of deforestation, but instead claims that nature is more resilient than we think. He says that species are actually able to adapt to deforestation, and that the strong efforts to protect the forests and the wildlife inside them are not really needed. He also claims that many slash-and-burn farmers are beginning to move to more urban areas in order to have greater economic opportunities. This allows for the forests to have some time to recuperate, meaning that the affects are not necessarily as bad as once thought.

This kind of perspective is one that many people are eager to take. It is an easier way out because accepting that the consequences are not all that bad feels better than accepting that the Earth is doomed. People like to hear a more optimistic approach to issues because it makes them feel less like they need to be doing something about them. And maybe this optimistic approach has some truth to it. We do not really know at this point, but for many it is the best frame of mind to live with.

While the previously mentioned article still admitted that deforestation was bad (just not THAT bad), there are people out there who argue for its usefulness rather than its harmful effects. In an article with a perspective I have never personally seen before, Kate Sheppard writes on whether cutting down trees is actually helpful for the planet. She writes of some researchers that found that while cutting trees down releases carbon which is inherently bad for the environment, in colder areas (specifically ones with snow) the cutting of trees contributes more good than bad. By leaving more open space not covered by trees, she writes, the reflection of sunlight and its energy off of the snow benefits the landscape more than the emissions of carbon harm it. I can honestly say I have never heard of a perspective in favor of deforestation until now.

For people such as us who are not truly part of the environmental debate, it is easy to assume that everyone either has the stance of wanting to save the planet by stopping deforestation or having a selfish attitude and not caring whether the planet is destroyed. However, there are more layers than what it seems like on the surface. Deforestation is an issue of the environment, but more goes into this debate than just the good guys and the bad guys. As I explore various other topics within the great debate of the environment, I aim to find the widest range of perspectives in order to gain a complete understanding of these issues.