Impact on Environment
By Greer Brodie-Hall
Katie Caruso
Kori Khanna
Elias Levinson
Background
Saving the environment is a serious
subject that affects everyone all ages,
races and religion. It doesn’t matter
where you live; the environment is
something that we rely on heavily and
we can’t live in a harsh one. Wasting
and littering deeply affects it. We
cannot go on much longer like this.
With a destroyed environment, the
climate will increase and melt out polar
ice caps which hold 1.6% of all water in
the world and will flood major cities
near the coasts and all cause natural
disaster like hurricanes, tsunamis and
many more. We need to save the
environment before it’s too late.
Issue
The environment is where we, as humans, live and survive. Without the
environment being in top condition, it can effect our living. As we slowly ruin
our resources from the earth, the future generations will have the
consequences. Since 1970, wildlife has declined by 27%. If we keep that
rate, the wildlife will be close to nothing. Bad things will start to happen to
the earth like: pollution, global warming, acid rain, waste, and biodiversity
loss. People need to start taking care of the planet so it can provide for us in
the future like it has in the past.
Costs
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The cost of generate electricity using
Coal is around $0.04/KW/h. To generate
power from gas and oil is a little bit more
but still in the range of $0.08KW/h.
Wind power cost is about $0.12KW/h
(currently).
On top of the current $ 78 billion annual
loss from land-based ecosystems caused
by factors including pollution and
deforestation, the cumulative loss could
amount to at least 7 percent of annual
consumption by 2050.
Research shows the world's commercial
fisheries are likely to collapse within 50
years unless trends are reversed. That
would be devastating for the 1 billion
people who rely on fisheries for protein
and could lead to up to $80 billion to
$100 billion in income loss for the sector.
Impact on Future
It is said that 11 percent of the
earth's natural areas could be lost
by 2050. If we keep up the
lifestyles that we are choosing,
there will be no hope to prevent
this from happening. So we have
to start now to save our
environment. People strongly
believe that with the ice bergs
melting, the sea will rise, causing
low lying lands to flood and all of
our resources in those areas will
be destroyed. A dramatic change
in the weather will occur,
including warm winters
throughout different climate
zones. All animals that live in
specific climate zones may
become endangered or they must
change their living habits.
Democratic Viewpoint
The
democratic
party wants to
“make our air
cleaner and
our water
purer”.-
• For 30 years in public life I have
committed to environmental
protection. My commitment is
driven by the belief that we can
safeguard the environment and
grow our economy. I have
fought hard to reduce the threat
of global warming by supporting
renewable energy and
increased funding for climate
change research. I have also
called on Bush to stop blocking
progress and to engage in
international efforts to mitigate
the threat of climate change.”
-John Kerry, June 17th,
2003.
Republican Political Viewpoints:
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You can provide a total package
and let people have different
avenues and different ways to heat
and light their businesses. How
does government enforce that?
They have their hands in pretty
much everything. I'm sure there'll
be a role for government--and at
some point, government needs to
get out of the way, as well."
Does not believe climate change is
entirely man-made. Opposes a capand-trade program, feeling it would
create higher costs for families and
businesses, but backs what he calls
"reasonable and appropriate"
development of wind, solar,
nuclear, geothermal energy.
Citations
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Pictures
http://mooreslore.corante.com/archives/futurism/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/04/in_america_glob_1.php
http://www.topnews.com.sg/content/22498-air-pollution-can-be-dangerous
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracy_olson/61056391/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/mar/09/lomborg-climate-change
Sources from Issue and Costs Slides:
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-16/world/wildlife.shortage_1_species-freshwater-ecosystems-wwfinternational?_s=PM:WORLD
http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Why_is_Our_Environment_Important
http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_plummer_sociology_3/40/10342/2647750.cw/content/index.html
http://www.renewable-energy-sources.com/2008/08/12/the-cost-of-renewable-energy/
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Democratic and Republican Viewpoints Slides:
http://senate.ontheissues.org/International/Scott_Brown_Energy_+_Oil.htm
http://senate.ontheissues.org/Senate/Scott_Brown.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/John_Kerry_Environment.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Democratic_Party_Environment.htm
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/37046/print- impact on future/costs
Graph:
http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/ecological_footprint_components.html