Climate Change
1. This link covers many of the myths about climate change.
- List two of the myths that you found most interesting.
- Outline what each myth is, and what the right answer to that question or item is.
Two myths about climate change that I found most interesting are the
- CO2 is not a pollutant.
- Polar bear numbers are increasing.
CO2 is not a pollutant: This myth talks about CO2 as not being a pollutant but rather a gas that has played an enormous role in the development and sustainability of all life. I personally agree to this myth that CO2 is not a pollutant. I am saying this because CO2 is needed by plants for photosynthesis and in fact the world’s forests store and cycle huge amounts of carbon. In short plants need it to survive as we humans need oxygen. CO2 itself does not cause problems but the problem is caused by the quantity being released by our human activity. There is a limit to the amount that a given woodland area can stored, so they can’t store all. With the increase in deforestation cause by us (humans) means even the limit plants can store in a given woodland area is getting lower.
Polar bear numbers are increasing: the next myth talks about the number of polar bears increasing. I will totally disagree with this one because the fact that we have been seeing that doesn’t mean their numbers are increasing. According to what I read I got to know that, polar bears are affected by several factors, including hunting, pollution and oil extraction. The Arctic is warming roughly twice as fast as the global average, and the sea ice is melting earlier and forming later each year. And also in some parts of the Arctic, bears are struggling without food for longer than before. All these reduce their chance of survivor. All these factors lead to the fact that made them listed as a threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act. In conclusion the number of polar bears is not increasing but rather reducing.
2. Has your view on climate change evolved since before taking this course? Why or why not?
Yes my view on climate change has really evolved since taking this course. It is like an eye-opener for me. My thought and knowledge on climate change are different now. I used to know the effect of climate but didn’t know how bad it is and how it effect everything around us.
3. Choose one the Review Questions from this week’s readings and answer it in full.
What are the major air pollution sources?
The major sources of air pollution can be group into different kinds:
Stationary and area sources: factories, power plants, construction of housing developments
Mobile source: vehicles, farm and construction equipments, etc
Indoor sources: carbon oxides, tobacco smoke, etc
4. Please tell me how the course is going for you so far? Is it hard, “just right”, or easy?
Like I said before it being an eye-opener for me since I took this course. It’s really in the right direction and I am really happy I took this course. I am not going to say it’s easy or hard, but just right.
