Protecting Biodiversity
One of the most concerning environmental issues of our time is climate change. An important number of species are disappearing due to the increasingly warm ocean temperatures. One of the main causes for climate change is the continuous release of greenhouse gases such as Carbon dioxide. This gas is transparent to the pass of the incoming energy from the sun but blocks the returning heat from the surface of earth. As a result, temperatures on the surface of our planet are constantly increasing (Letcher). One simple strategy to protect ocean’s endangered species is to control the release of Carbon dioxide from automobiles. This can be accomplished by carpooling with others. When going to the school, the grocery store, or the movies a lot less Carbon dioxide is released when riding along with friends reaching the maximum capacity of vehicles. Another simple strategy is to switch the lights off when leaving a room. Electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The combustion of any of these fuels leads to the abundant release of Carbon dioxide. Climate change is not the only cause for reducing biodiversity. When dumping plastic objects in water supplies, they may find their way to the ocean, where sea lions, walruses, small fish, and even penguins may get trapped or eat these objects (The impacts of plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean and possible solutions: Case Study: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch). As a result, they may not be able to survive. A simple solution to prevent this damage is to limit the consumption of bottled products such as sodas, juices, water, and personal care products. Additionally, the disposal of these containers needs to be controlled by recycling them. This strategy will be reflected in much less exogenous objects in oceanic ecosystems. Other human activities such as the simple disposal of expired medicaments may create a lot of trouble for sea life. If one decides to dump medicaments in the toilet, they may be transported to the ocean and finally be eaten by fish and other sea animals. Some of these compounds even at very low concentrations have a tremendous potency. For instance, hormones and steroids are able to alter internal reactions in these animals’ bodies (Barceló y Petrovic). These changes may tragically terminate their lives.
Works Cited
Barceló, D., y M. Petrovic. Emerging Contaminants from Industrial and Municipal Waste: Occurrence, Analysis and Effects. Springer, 2008.
Letcher, T. Climate Change: Observed impacts on Planet Earth. Elsevier Science, 2009.
The impacts of plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean and possible solutions: Case Study: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. GRIN Verlag, 2010.
