Student Artifact for Web Quest: National Geographic

First way that man is impacting the ocean is by over fishing. There are many people on the earth that depend on food from the ocean. Modern technology has allowed man to catch fish in greater numbers than ever before. People are catching fish that are too young and catching lobsters with the eggs still on them. Once way that man can reduce its impacts on the ocean life is by making different choices while eating fish. Eat fish that are not exploited by overfishing. Another thing that is bad for the ocean is all the garbage that ends up in the ocean. Every time that man throws his trash in the ocean it is harmful for the animals that live in the ocean, the Protista that grows there and the ecosystem entirely. Man can reduce this effect on the ocean by reduce, reuse and recycle. The less trash that ends up in land fills the better it is for the planet in general. Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year. To limit your impact, carry a reusable water bottle, store food in non-disposable containers.

(http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/take-action/10-thingsyou-can-do-to-save-the-ocean/)

Aerosols: Chemists Develop New Approaches to Understanding Disturbing Trends Near Earths Surface.

The article I chose has to do with how aresols are affecting the environment. The extreme weather we have had in recent years is but one example of the highly complex, global science-based challenges we are now living with, said ACS President Marinda Li Wu, Ph.D. New evidence is coming to light about how the aresols in the troposphere are effecting cloud formation and human health. They also state that aresols are the most poorly understood componenet of our atmosphere. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130909162338.htm

What is climate change? What are some indications of climate change? How can we as humans help to reduce how rapidly the climate is changing?

Climate change is when the weather in the earths atmosphere becomes different by way of weather patterns, climate and temperature. Climate change is happening more rapidly than ever due to over population by the human race. The burning of fossil fuels that keep us powered in our cars and homes, the methane given off by the massive amounts of cattle that is consumed by the world and the some other greenhouse gasses like aerosol and freeon all contribute to this. Indications of this happening can be tracked by tracking the U.S. Greenhouse gas Emissions, ocean temperature and the amount of O3 in the atmosphere. As humans, we can eat less red meat and decrease the cattle industry, develop better alternatives to fossil fuels such as wind, water and solar energy. Also, people can become more physically fit and take bicycles to places when it is time effective.

(http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/)

How were the wetlands and wildlife negatively affected? What efforts were undergone to clean up the spill?

On April 20th 2010, a massive oil spill took place in the Gulf of Mexico. It is commonly known as the BP oil spill. It had a major impact on the marine life in the surrounding area and efforts to clean it were great. Marine life was the most heavily affected. Oil coated much plant life and animal life that depend on the ocean as their habitats. Even birds were covered with oil! Fish had a hard time finding food and there was a big oil tar mat on the foot of the ocean. This was really bad for the life down there. When the plants in the ocean suffer then the smaller plant eating animals suffer and the animals that eat other animals to survive also suffer. The oil in the tall reeds and mash land that were covered in oil did not provide a proper place for some marine life and birds to nest and raise their young. Great effort was taken to recover the Gulf of Mexico. The US enlisted help for the clean up. Chemicals were used to break up the oil and try and disperse it. It was found that a portion of the oil spill had perhaps returned to the earth.