All Posts

The title of my post is certainly a bit misleading, of course climate change isn’t good but it’s interesting to take a look at the other side of the argument. Our biosphere and the ecosystems that our species’ are built upon are extremely unstable, any slight movement or change can cause the whole balancing act of life to fall and crash. This is why climate change is such an issue, because for a human three extra celsius doesn’t seem too bad, but when you factor in microbial life, weather, and so many other factors it becomes a big deal.

While most of life and wills suffer from the effects of climate change, taking a look at what will benefit shows us how important the conditions of a climate are for certain species. Jellyfish are a prime example of this. Jellyfish actually thrive in warmer water and have seen population explosions in regions that are experiencing temperature growth. Jellyfish are actually a plankton, and are made up of million of tiny organisms that form what we know as a jellyfish. Thus, what we know about bacteria and plankton reign true as well, warmer conditions typically lead to better conditions for growth.

Another species that will benefit from climate change is the Bark Beetle. This insect borrows into trees and eat them from the inside, distributing larvae and waste throughout its roots and trunk. Bark Beetles are usually kept in check by frigid winter which kill any beetles unfortunate enough to not find a tree to call home. This natural population control maintains the population to a low level and thus their impact is subdued. However as temperatures rise, winters will become shorter and less intense which means the beetle population will rise. Great news for the beetle, bad news for the trees that host these parasites.

Along with these species, many other aquatic species will benefit. Nurse sharks, starfish, and some smaller fish will experience populations booms in regions where they are experiencing major declines in population.

Understanding these differences in species can help us better understand the intricate balance of our climate and how little variation in temperature can impact the world. While these are just a few examples, many more exist and whose futures  are dependent upon whether climate change occurs or not which is weird to think about. I think the best course of action for humans is to pursue a zero change policy where we attempt to minimize our impacts on the planet. Whether we like it or not, some species simply can’t survive forever and by trying ti play god and help every species, we may end up harming the majority of the planet. Putting an end to carbon emission and minimizing our impact is the best solution for this climate issue, and saves the vast majority of species from extinction. Humans are expected to weather whatever storms climate change may bring, but whatever is left after may not be worth living in. While we can have the technology and time to make a change, let’s change our ways and put an end to climate change.

 

When you imagine the environmental crisis and point to a form of transportation that’s causing the most harm, most people would point to cars and trucks are the primary offender for producing greenhouse gases. All over the news you hear about self-driving cars, and electric vehicles which will solve climate change and save the world. The reality is that while these personal forms of transportation certainly impact the environment, the worst of this impact comes from the aviation industry. Per passenger, each person who flies contributes roughly 254kg of Carbon, while each passenger in a car contributes about 171kg. In fact, if you were to cut 1-2 flights per year for the rest of your life, you could decrease your carbon footprint by about 20%!

Part of this issue can be contributed to a lack of options. When comparing land-based options for travel you can point to cars, trains, bikes, buses, and even electric scooters. For sea, you only really have the option of a boat, but these typically are more carbon friendly than planes. With aviation however, the only forms of travel that are efficient for long haul travel are these planes. For years the idea of electric vehicles have been proposed so development of this technology is far along, and the per cost average of a car is significantly lower. Yet, with planes the idea of electric or carbon-friendly planes are relatively recent, and you can’t necessarily build thousands of plane prototypes because of the production cost.

The reason that aviation makes up 2.5% of global carbon produced can be attributed to the fuel it consumes. Most flights consume about 5 gallons of fuel per mile traveled, or about .2 miles per gallon. Whereas most cars operate at a 25 gallon per mile fuel efficiency. Upon testing airplane fuel and atmosphere that was recently in contact with the fuel by product, scientists have determined multiple factors that lead to environmental harm. Direct Co2 is produced from the burning of this fuel which leads to the trapping of heat in our atmosphere. On top of this soot, sulphate, and contrails can also warm our atmosphere and cause heat to be trapped inside the atmopshere.

Efforts to curb the environmental effects of planes have began to enter mainstream news and amongst the scientific community. United Technologies has been developing an engine for the last 20 years which is set to significantly decrease the carbon impact engines and fuel have on our climate. Over $1 billion have been poured into the project for the gear alone, and over $10 billion for the whole engine. The engine works at high efficiency and minimizes the consumption rate of fuel and energy. They’re also quieter, produce less chemicals and soot, and will contribute thousands of jobs to the US economy.

The aviation industry has a long way to go before anyone would consider it environmentally positive or neutral, but work is being done at accelerate rates to supplement the neglect it has faced in the path. I wouldn’t expect a carbon neutral plane to enter production anytime soon, but taking one step at a time is better than ignoring the issue altogether.

 

We typically think of pollution as a terrestrial issue that’s only present on the surface of Earth or in the bottom of oceans. However, pollution has been reaching new heights and has found a way to affect us even in the upper pieces of our atmosphere. The Exosphere which is where most of our satellites orbit has become significantly more “dirty” within the last few decades. Since the 1940s scientists have been sending satellites and rockets into space without a definitive way or reason to bring them back to Earth, only recently has space equipment been able to be reused after SpaceX developed the technology. For decades our upper atmosphere was seen as too big for us to ever worry about it becoming too occupied, but as more and more space debris accumulates a problem has begun to emerge.

The photo above reveals the locations of every piece of space debris large enough to reliably track, but the photo fails to show any smaller pieces of debris which number in the 100 of thousands. In space, debris flies at such velocity that even junk the size of a fleck of paint could destroy a satellite. There have been instances where this has occurred which leads to even more junk and accidents as a result. Space debris not only poses a threat to current equipment in space, but future projects as well. As the atmosphere becomes more polluted the debris could harm launches and prevent us from safely reaching the outer edges of our planet, essentially trapping us in our own planet. We always imagine a future where we’ve colonized the whole solar system, but we may face a reality where our species is confined to only Earth.

The debris could also cause direct problems for humans on Earth as well. The orbits of this debris is hard to predict and leads to accidents that have major repercussions. Recently a Chinese satellite had incorrect predictions in where the satellite booster would orbit, they assumed the booster would either fall directly into the ocean or stay in orbit. Instead the booster wildly orbited out of control and began falling towards Earth. We had no idea where the booster (which was 10 stories tall) would land. It eventually fell into the Pacific Ocean but if it were to make contact with land  there would have been devastating consequences.

Now that this problem has been acknowledged by NASA and other agencies, they’re working to slow the increase of debris and even capture debris. Technology  currently being tested has software which can slowly de-orbit debris into oceans where it can be collected, and the reusable rockets now in commission will slow the increase. There have also been nets proposed which could catch debris and collect the resources, or satellites that can attach to other satellites and help to also de-orbit them. In my opinion this issue is almost more pressing than pollution on Earth in some ways. Without the ability to leave our planet, our species will be confined to only our surface which could lead to greater issues with the passing of time.

When I think of the summer I imagine long days at the pool, hikes through national parks, and hours spent sweating in the heat that we’ve come to enjoy during that time of year. It seems every year we face a new hottest summer as the average temperature continues to rise year after year. I can’t remember a summer where I thought to myself, “That was underwhelming”, or “I’m surprised it wasn’t too hot this summer”. Yet increasingly I find myself asking why winters the past few years have been underwhelming. The last massive snowstorm I can remember happened when I was in middle school, but since then each season I’ve been met with disappointment. Whether you love snow and what it brings, or you hate snow and wish you’d never see it again, I think everyone would like a blizzard now and then. However as the Earth’s global temperature continues to rise `we’ll see less and less of these cold blizzards and snowy winters.

You can see here that over the last 50 years, the average snowfall in State College has decreased. Typically weather year after year isn’t a clear indicator of any climate issues, but over the course of 50 years we can figure out a lot about how the climate in an area is functioning. Certain areas of the country continue to receive high levels of snowfall. Around the Great Lakes region, frigid air temperatures lead that meet the warmer lake water create historical blizzards that blanket cities such as Buffalo and Erie. This winter Buffalo experienced a deadly blizzard that led to the deaths of many people. A common misconception is that warmer weather leads to less snow, while this may be true on average it doesn’t stop freak weather events from occurring that leads to record breaking snowfall and wind gusts. The frequency of deadly blizzards has gone up over time, while we continue to experience a slower decrease in the average amount of snow in inches and yearly snowstorms with snowfall over 1in.

Snow can be annoying and certainly gets old after it hasn’t melted for over two weeks and is getting brown. Most people hate this part of winter, but the past few years winter hasn’t felt necessarily the same. I’d rather have to see the ugly, brown PA snow that’s been sitting in the same spot for two weeks then to not see any snow at all. Although the aftermath of a snow storm may be ugly, I want to see a white Christmas, or waking up on Halloween with snow outside. Increasingly, I’m met with disappointment each Winter and have noticed without looking at data that snow only falls in the very middle of winter with decreasing levels. Almost always the reported snow is more than what actually falls and I’m left skiing, or tubing in 3in of snow that’s barely solid. I’m not sure how ski resorts have con tied business, because not only does the lack of snow prevent good runs but it also makes me not want to ski on 2in of fake powder that they produced.

Recently, HBO has began premiering a new show based on the popular video game The Last of Us. The show has been a major hit and portrays a world overcome by a disease that essentially turns people into zombies. However, unlike many other zombie infections in pop culture, this infection may be realistic. Over the course of the last few decades, Earth’s climate has been quickly growing warmer, while this may not affect human’s directly, the increased temperature allows diseases to thrive in circumstances they couldn’t normally survive in. According to the CDC, the Danger Zone for bacteria to thrive in ranges from roughly 41 degrees to 135 degrees. The warmer the better, as evident by the amount of diseases prevalent in humid, warm environments such as rainforests. In The Last of Us, a species of fungi knows as Cordyceps (a real fungus) mutated an had the ability to take over the mind of a human. This sounds like science fiction, but in the real world this same fungus has the ability to perform such an action on insects. The Cordyceps’ spores will find their way into an insect, then slowly grown within similar to a parasite, then the invader will control the brain of the insect and grow out of its body to distribute even more spores. The only reason this can’t affect humans is because Cordyceps need a cooler body temperature, however if a mutation occurs as a result of climate change and the fungus is forced to accept warmer temperatures then humans may be next on the menu.

Another issue that the science community fears is that melting of permafrost. Permafrost is present in Arctic environments and is essentially frozen dirt and water that has been this way for thousands of years. Within this environment bacteria and viruses have been frozen in time and if warmed could be reintroduced above the surface. Many of these diseases have been dead for centuries and only preserved in this permafrost. If the permafrost were to thaw, and much already has, then humans could face a whole plethora of new infections and viruses. Traces of DNA/RNA from diseases such as the Bubonic Plague, Smallpox, and the 1918 Influenza virus have been found from melted permafrost.

The National Library of Medicine explains in more detail how this process works and the threats we face.

In the graph above various sources have been identified that threaten humans and our immune systems. Rising temperatures, rainfalls, and floods all provide warm, and humid environments ripe for diseases to mutate or become more deadly. As climate change continue to worsen, overcrowding and migration may also play a huge role in the spread of such diseases. If mass migrations were to occur, more people would be packed into unsanitary conditions and diseases would easily circulate. We see this often after natural disasters occur where people receiving care for their injuries contract deadly diseases through cuts, unsanitary medical equipment, and close contact with people already infected with the infection or virus.

 

The idea of eating insects may sounds disgusting, and certainly isn’t a part of an average western diet. However, in many places around the globe, especially in the east people have been eating bugs for as long as humans could talk. While some insects are poisonous the vast majority are entirely edible. Over 2 billion people consume insects regularly, the market for insects has grown 40% in the past year. Eating insects as a form of protein may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it has many benefits environmentally and physically.

Edible Bugs Bucket List: 25 Insects People Eat Around the World

Try some of these common edible insects!

The benefits of farming insects for food are enormous and very efficient. Bugs provide equal protein when compared to typical forms of protein such as fish, beef, and chicken, while even surpassing most of these proteins per kg. Insects are also easier to maintain, farm, and distribute as a result of their living habits. On a typical farm, most animals need acres of space to graze and spend their time, however because many insects are apart of colonies they don’t mind cramped space with other insects. They’re also packed with nutrients and other beneficial antioxidants.

Eating insects makes people squeamish regardless of how safe and edible they may be. It’s easier for people if they slowly introduce insects into their diet and work towards other insects. Personally I haven’t ate any insects before but I’d be open to trying them. In the future as our planet faces consequences from global warming they may become more necessary to reach our daily food intake goals. So it’s better to start now than later!

How to Prepare Crickets for Human Consumption?

Try this recipe and respond in the comments with how it tasted!

In Asian, South America, and Africa these insects are a staple of their diets, yet this practice hasn’t yet became mainstream in Western culture. If this is the case, other means of eating insects with a twist exist. Many species of mealworms and crickets are grounded into a flour and mixed with wheat which taste exactly the same. People who tried both cricket infused flour and normal flour couldn’t tell the difference. The added benefits of the crickets provide extra protein and nutrients.

https://www.statista.com/topics/4806/edible-insects/#topicOverview

As I stated before, insects have been growing in popularity over the lasts reveal years. The link above details how this market has grown and where it’s forecasted to reach within the coming decades. Hop on the trend and begin tasting insects before they’re introduced into our diets as an alternative to beef and chicken. Everyone I know that has tried insects is surprised with how they taste and how palatable they are. Many people claim crickets taste like peanuts and would try them again if given the opportunity. Many grocery stores are beginning to sell various insects of different flavors and varieties. Just like chips they can be spiced and have flavor added to them. Experiment with different recipes and insects and help both your physical wellbeing and the enviornment which may rely on this food source in the coming years!

 

In the past decade the polarization of American politics has seemingly grown stronger and more apparent than any other era of our history.  One of the products of the issue is the division between climate change policy, and how many resources we should allocate towards reversing the effects of global warming. Republicans tend to consider climate change less of a threat and not an immediate priority, while democrats typically view climate change as more of a threat and an immediate priority. This is just a general stereotype of the two sides, both parties have voters that flip on this issue, but for the most part they stick to these stereotypes.

Source

For most of the 1900s, both parties agreed on the existence of climate change. As studies began popping up showing our impact on the environment, the parties pushed an agenda of reversing our impacts and preserving our planet. However, in the age of new media this bipartisanship on the issue has become partisan. Climate skeptics have always existed, but never had a platform to express their concerns. News outlets, but especially social media offered an opportunity for skeptics to push their arguments on the center stage. Since this development, the parties tend to differ on the issue.

Click Here to View the Timeline of Climate Politicization in America

Amongst democrats, center-leaning liberals tend to view climate change as a threat but not the top priority, however farther left individuals such as AOC place climate change as a top priority evident by the Green New Deal she worked to create. Amongst Republicans, center-leaning conservatives push an agenda of climate belief but are hesitant to pour resources into reversing the issue. Father right individuals range from complete denial of the issue, to conspiracy theories about its existence.

Politicians are reflections of the constituents that elect them, and the issue in the general public is often just as politicized. Below, you can view arguments made by both sides.

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/is-global-warming-real.php

 

Every election cycle, climate change is brought into the spotlight one way or another. Today, November 8th, the midterms are being held in the United States. Climate change is a significant factor in voter’s decisions, and could determine many races across the country. As I’ve personally watched debates over the last few years, the usual issues are brought up; Economy, abortion, gun rights, however I’ve noticed more and more time is dedicated towards discussions revolving around global warming. Whether you believe or refute climate change, it’s apparent the issue is becoming more prevalent in politics. This means that polarization will continue to grow, but that doesn’t mean we have to hate each other more each election cycle. The only way to achieve real progress is to talk to each other and discuss our questions and concerns. I’m tired of seeing debates be dominated by shouting and insults. This upcoming Thanksgiving, if climate change is brought to the table along with turkey and bread rolls, try to respect the other side’s opinions. If you believe in climate change, and Uncle Joe is arguing that it’s fake, listen to his views and calmly try to present facts and statistics that support your perspective. If you’re against climate change and Aunt Linda is support climate change, try to see her perspective and look into the science behind the issue rather than immediately writing her concerns off. The only way to fix this climate issue, is to work together and find a middle ground when discussing the issue, both amongst the general public and politicians.

 

 

 

 

1st. Intro into polaization

Climate change is occurring, and that’s an undeniable fact. We can physically measure that the Earth’s oceans are rising, that temperatures are increasing, and that carbon is growing in the atmosphere. No one credible is arguing that these aren’t occurring, but a sizable margin of people question whether these impacts are human caused or the natural cycle of the Earth. To some it seem crazy to believe that humans aren’t causing climate change, it’s not too hard to understand that the chemicals we pump into the atmosphere and plastic we throw into the ocean aren’t having adverse effects on the climate. Nonetheless, many still argue that humans aren’t affecting the planet in these ways and point to other factors either to feel better about themselves or out of a desire to be a contrarian.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/wherrmann/carbon-levels-highest-since-mammoths-roamed-the-earth

After reviewing the graph and article, you should have a pretty decent understanding of how Earth’s atmosphere fluctuates naturally. This is what many skeptics point to when attempting to disprove human-caused climate change. what they neglect however, is the amount of carbon concentrated in our atmosphere currently. Dramatically, seemingly instantly, carbon percentage exploded to almost two times more than recorded in the last million years. Consequently, this occurs as soon as the industrial revolution began. If the pattern were to continue, the downward slope occurring from 140,000 years ago to the current age, carbon should continue to drop for another few thousand years.

Learn more about carbon in our atmosphere…

https://www.sciencealert.com/co2-is-only-a-tiny-part-of-our-atmosphere-but-it-has-a-huge-influence-here-s-why

You can clearly see a correlation between human evolution and carbon percentages, but correlation doesn’t necessarily translate to causation. So, let’s find a causation between the two. Rather than following humans emissions and possibly having a bias towards an outcome, we should follow what is definitely causing the climate to change and backtrack. Starting at carbon, when you find where the most carbon is created, you’re led to human sources such as cars, factories, and oil extraction. You can also track how much carbon is produced in the atmosphere and then track how much carbon percentage increases per year, and the two correlate. Scientists have ruled out “Earth wobble”, ocean cycles, and other factors that may be warming the planet and have ran simulations that predict the exact weather patterns were experiencing based on the output of human sourced carbon into the atmosphere.

For decades, both parties supported climate policy to reverse the effects of global warming which we have known about since the early-mid 1900s. However many oil companies and other corporations that would be negatively harmed by climate policy have spent billions to reverse public image of the issue.

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-five-corrupt-pillars-of-climate-change-denial

Regardless of the source of climate denial, it’s clear the problem is a real threat caused by humans. Anybody who says otherwise simply isn’t looking at the facts and letting personal bias and values distort their world view. Try to educate people who may deny it while they’re wrong without belittling them and maybe we can change the minds of more people each year.

I remember in my younger teen years hearing about a mysterious hole that opened up above our southern pole. No it wasn’t some alien gate from a Marvel movie, or even a portal from Rick and Morty. Instead, it was a hole in the layer of atmosphere called the Ozone layer. The Ozone Layer sits at an atmospheric height between 6-30 miles, and is responsible for blocking the Sun’s harsh UV radiation that causes skin cancer and other adverse effects towards any form of life that comes in contact with it excessively. Some UV radiation still slips through the layer and is crucial towards our survival. UV radiation provides warmth and energy for plants on both terrestrial land and in the ocean. Sunburn is caused by this radiation but the Ozone Layer is so efficient that simply putting a little cream on your body can block almost all of the negative effects.

Sunscreen

That’s why when in the 1970s, when scientists discovered the hole, that the scientific community rushed to find a solution. Without this Ozone layer, life would be forced to face the brutal radiation anytime you were outside. Scientists through various instruments found that the hole was increasing and was caused by CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons) which are used in aerosol and cooling devices. Immediately, they published their report, which sent the world into a frenzy. For once, it seemed action was swiftly taken after a bombshell scientific discovery. Soon after its publication, CFC substitutes were discovered that did not have the same negative impacts CFC’s had on the Ozone Layer. However, they have many adverse effects on the climate in other ways…

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120224110737.ht

Nonetheless, scientists have observed the Ozone Hole decreasing over time. If no action had been taken, several holes would’ve appeared in other corners of the globe by now. We got lucky that it appeared over Antarctica, where there is no substantial human population. Since the hole has shrank, scientists have payed close attention to other levels of the atmosphere and if they’re exhibiting reasons for concern. Every Spring, the hole seems to form again in Antarctica, but is patched by Stratospheric air that mixes in during the Summer. Each Spring, the hole becomes slightly smaller.

https://www.livescience.com/27049-ozone-hole-shrinks-record-low.html

Overall, the public fear of the Ozone Hole has subsided now that we seem to have found a cure for the crisis, which is why most people haven’t heard of it since they were younger. If substitutes for CFCs hadn’t of been found, who knows how the issue would’ve played out. The substitutes were cheaper, so companies had an incentive to change, but without this incentive it’s hard to imagine them quitting production of the harmful CFCs. This climate disaster is now seen as a win for humanity, but many other issues still remain. The positive benefits of this story show that change can occur if we’re willing to fight for them. Don’t let our future be dictated by the corporations we rely on for products…if they had their way, there would be multiple Ozone Holes in the atmosphere right now, and very possibly one over your own house.

Imagine you wake up on a Monday morning and walk to the dining hall for breakfast. You grab your usual breakfast of sausage, eggs, and a salad but instead of carrots and lettuce, you grab seaweed and sea vegetables. While this may sound weird and disgusting, it’s a very real possibility in the near future. Terrestrial agriculture accounts for roughly 11% of our entire greenhouse gas emissions, and uses a significant amount of land, water, and food to maintain these farms. Click the link below to see the effects of terrestrial agriculture.

https://www.fao.org/3/cb3808en/cb3808en.pdf

As our population grows and agriculture based land use increases to support the hunger of this population, we will need to seek other forms of agriculture. One of the likely potential solutions to this issue is aquaculture. Aquaculture employs the use of large nets below water to farm and raise species of fish, vegetables, and other sea creatures. They are typically deployed in the ocean where sunlight is abundant, and minerals like salt can provide essential nutrients to the plants and animals being harvested. Dozens of seaweeds, mollusks, fish, and invertebrates are grown and uses for a plethora of purposes ranging from food, to medicine, and other products. The benefits of this form of marine farming means it’s easier to cultivate large quantities of food without taking it out of its natural habitat. Many fish such as salmon, cod, tilapia, and shrimp are grown in large fish farms built on land. These fish have limited diets, chemicals, and little range of movement in these “holes”. As a result the meat isn’t as healthy and can even have negative side effects on people that eat them.

The Dangers of Eating Farmed Fish

You might be wandering why people don’t eat fresh, wild caught seafood. Overfishing, the process of manually catching fish, and keeping caught fish fresh leads to high costs for less meat. Some families either don’t have the money to afford fresh fish, or would rather just buy farmed fish in bulk for much cheaper. This is where aquaculture seeks to solve this issue. With the process shown in the diagram above, fish have free range to swim, eat what they please, and grow strong in their natural environment. The nets keep them enclosed but they have no obstructions within the net. Imagine waking up and realizing Earth was surrounded by a net, sorta weird but it wouldn’t change your day to day life because your habitat was enclosed in that net. The same applies with sea vegetables like seaweed, the product is mass produced but doesn’t have the downsides that mass produced food on terrestrial land has.

https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-aquaculture

For a number of years, aquaculture has been the primary source of seafood for most people, and you wouldn’t;t even have known. This form of marine farming is continuing to skyrocket as demand increases. There are certainly potential side effects to this process such as pesticide use and the obstruction of water currents as a result of the large nets, but these problems are being mitigated and will hopefully be a non-factor in the next few years. Next time you’re shopping for fish, keep your eye out for will caught salmon that is extremely cheap, it may have just came from a marine farm near you!