Biodiversity+Threats,+Recycling+and+Water+Pollution

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OVERVIEW
toc Looking at any newspaper from the past decade, one would be hard pressed to not find a major article addressing some environmental issue. Three recurring issues are biodiversity threats, recycling, and water pollution. Biodiversity threats is a general category that encompasses everything that puts the balance of life at risk. Water pollution, or toxins in h 2 O, is a major problem for the oceans, streams, and rivers of the world. Trash buildup is polluting the land and making a mess of the earth.

**Biodiversity Threats **
 People are better equipped to handle large environmental alterations than natural biodiversity is. Extinction is a very real fate for many species that just can't handle the growing heat caused by global climate change, today's leading environmental concern (Protecting). Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide have been the cause for many previous global extinctions, and the end of the current century will bring about nearly identical results if humans cannot rein in the deadly gas levels (Borenstein). Since the time of cavemen, humans have been displacing life on earth and causing another major threat to biodiversity. Agriculture has encroached onto nearly half of the world's most important lands set aside to specifically guard habitats from harm. Starvation and hunger run rampant in more than half of the planet's most biodiverse locations, causing many farmers to be hard pressed to balance food production with the well-being of local wildlife. It is a tough situation that, in most cases, leaves both people and nature hurting (Halweil).

**Water Pollution **
 Water can be polluted either naturally or by people. Animals cause natural pollution through their feces, which washes into the water systems. This type of pollution can put diseases into the water that are potentially dangerous to humans (“Water Pollution.” Environmental). The unnatural pollution comes from fertilizers, chemicals, and oil spills. Fertilizers are often washed from farmland into streams, river, or other water systems. This promotes the growth of microscopic organisms such as algae, and it grows rapidly, using too much oxygen in the water and effectively suffocating the fish and various other aquatic life (“Water Pollution”). Chemical pollution is often caused by insecticides used by farms on the crops and can be washed into water systems from rain. This can also pose a threat to humans because it can cause serious illnesses and diseases if it goes undetected or treated (Dreher). An oil spill is the most severe type of pollution when it comes to habitats and animal life. When oil is spilled into the ocean for one reason or another beaches and shores are damaged. Not only that, but animals can get covered in the oil or ingest it, both cases being potentially fatal (Mann). === ===

**Trash **
 Our trash is piling up. Each American are throwing away an average of about 4 ½ pounds everyday. That adds up to more than 1,600 pounds of trash per person every year. This includes bottles, cans, boxes, paper, tires, and much more (Take care). This is affecting oceans and landfills because it’s piling up and there is no where to put so much trash, in a few years, there wouldn’t be any place for this trash, eventually our oceans are going to get full of trash.

**Biodiversity Threats **
Biodiversity threats have countless courses of resolution (Laue). Keeping the environment healthy and in harmony with civilization is the best objective, and the threats to biodiversity cannot be dealt with individually (Welch). Without change, the continuation of commonly accepted procedures will definitely bring about the extinction of 20% of the planet's species (Rolston). An actual, notable impact on any biodiversity threat will never come to pass if people do not work together and insist on acting individually. Any problem facing the environment cannot be solved unless a substantial amount of money is used to, over an extended period of time and an incredible effort, place the business world and the government under hefty laws, rules, and regulations (Gillis). Overwhelming results can be seen as soon as people start to make a stand (Laue). In order to make a change for the good, people first must pledge themselves to the cause (Laue).

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Water Pollution **
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> There are several ways in which to prevent water pollution. Keeping fertilizers out of the water is one method that seems difficult, but it really isn’t. Simply pets and farm animals inside for a large portion of the day will greatly reduce the pollution in the water, which occurs when rain washes the fertilizer into the water systems (Jozefowicz). It also will help lower the algae numbers in the water, allowing more fish to survive (“Water Pollution”).

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trash **
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to help we need to used the three R’s, which are reduce, reuse, and recycle. Our trash is not only taking up land but is destroying resources, animals, and their way of life. A green way to cut back of the millions of garbage and waste that humans produce every year is to practice the three R’s.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">REFERENCES
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Borenstein, Seth. "Extinctions Linked to Hotter Temperatures." Examiner-Enterprise (Bartlesville, OK). Oct. 24 2007: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 28 Mar 2012.​

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dreher, Nancy. "How pollution affects our health." Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader publication Mar. 1998: 13+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA20348202&v=2.1&u=pl7053&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w>

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Figure 1: Pollution Can Enter from Point Sources Such as Drainage Pipes or More Diffuse Non-point Sources. Digital image. Lake Scientist. Web. 15 May 2012. <http://www.lakescientist.com/learn-about-lakes/water-quality/pollution.html>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gillis, Justin. "Q and A: Forests and Climate." Green Blog. New York Times, 6 Oct. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/q-and-a-forests-and-climate/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Halweil, Brian. "Study finds modern agriculture could foster, not degrade, biodiversity." World Watch Sept. 2001: 8. Student Resources in Context. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Laue, Susan K. "Is Our World's Natural Diversity in Danger?." Current Health 2. Dec. 1992: 14-16. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 27 Mar 2012.​

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mann, Kenneth H. "Water Pollution: Marine." Pollution A to Z. Ed. Richard M. Stapleton. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 312-315. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3408100276&v=2.1&u=pl7053&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w>

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Protecting biodiversity in an uncertain climate." Ecos Feb.-Mar. 2010: 16+. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rolston III, Holmes. "Endangered Species and Biodiversity." Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Ed. Stephen Post. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 748-753. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.​​

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> "Take care of our planet: how can you help clean up Earth?" Weekly Reader, Edition 2 [including Science Spin] Apr. 2009: S1+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Significance of Tree Planting. Digital image. Following the Ancient Paths. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://blog.followingtheancientpaths.org/2012/02/tu_bshevat/planting-tree-1/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trash on the beaches of Hawaii. Digital image. Window to the World, Wind of Wisdom. D'Moon. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/blog/content/fimmaker-richard-pain-swim-great-pacific-garbage-patch>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Water Pollution." Environmental Science: In Context. Ed. Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 837-842. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3233900244&v=2.1&u=pl7053&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w>

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Water pollution. (fieldwork focus)." Wide World Feb. 2002: 4+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 5 Mar. 2012. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA82741476&v=2.1&u=pl7053&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w>

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Welch, Bryan. "The importance of biodiversity: maintaining the awe-inspiring abundance of species on Earth could be the benchmark for humanity's success." Mother Earth News June-July 2011: 95+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.​

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">EXTERNAL LINKS
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|http://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/htm/agriculturewq/fertilizer__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|http://www.exploratorium.edu/climate/__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/explorer/hot_topics/water_quality/human_impacts__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/whygo/habloss.html_]