The Carbon Cycle
All that we do impact the environment in one way or the other more than we can imagine. For example when we go rock climbing or hiking we are assisting the weathering of rocks and soil erosion though to us they are funny and mind clearing activities. All human activities impact the environment whether it is in a good way or in a destructive nature. I will start by describing the carbon cycle and how elements of my lifestyle impact the cycle.
Photosynthesis converts the Carbon dioxide gas that exists in the atmosphere and in dissolved water to organic carbon. Organic carbon is brought back into carbon dioxide gas by a process called respiration. There are sources of organic carbon underground in the form of fossil fuels, human emissions and volcanic activity brings the stored carbon back into the cycle.
As a human being who feed, move, breath and grow, I impact the carbon cycle in the following ways.
1. Respiration which releases carbon dioxide
2. Food consumption
3. Burning fuels
4. Human emissions.
Sometimes the City of Harare waste collection department fails to collect waste for up to three weeks. I tend to burn most of the trash to avoid heaps of trash in my yard. I burn papers, plastics, containers and leaves among other things and this pollutes the air while increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The fact that all the things we …show more content…
need and use comes from industries, means we all impact the carbon cycle. My demand for products made in factories is what makes the industries operational. My consumption for example of fresh milk and meat increase aggregate demand of the products making farmers breed more livestock.
I find it very hard to balance personal choices with environmental considerations. In my country we share power (Electricity) due to power shortages, we experience scheduled power cuts. While the power is being rationed across the country, people still needs lighting, heat and they need to eat. So it is hard to reduce the use of fossil fuels such as coal and charcoal among others. During the blackout people shift to using coal and charcoal, firewood and other burning fuels like paraffin, gas and gel making it hard to reduce or monitor carbon dioxide that is produced in combustion.
Cattle and other livestock are considered a source of wealth. The more livestock one has the wealthier they are. According to the Essentials of Environmental Science, large numbers of livestock in an area can increase carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to respiration, so I do not think that farmers in the rural areas and on farms will be okay with culling down the number of their livestock. Respiration in animals is inevitable and with the increasing population, carbon dioxide also increases. Industries are another major source of carbon dioxide emissions; more and more industries are being built to accommodate the ever growing needs and wants of the increasing population. Though these Industries are regulated, it is not enough to reduce emissions and if the industries close or are overregulated, there will be shortages and chaos. Some choose to use unroadworthy vehicles that let out clouds of smoke even if they know that it is wrong. I also think that personal choices are determined by what people can afford, people would choose affordable means, I would choose what I can afford. When it come to a clean environment it should not be hard balancing personal choices and environmental considerations. We all want a clean environment and that alone should not make you think twice about picking papers and using the bin.
Reducing my impacts will make my life a little harder because I would need to give up the use of fossil fuels, buying vegetables and burning trash.
If I am to quit burning trash then I would have to wait for several weeks with accumulating waste in my yard. And if I stop using fossil fuels I would have to eat cold meals or wait until the power is back on. The whole process is unhealthy and time consuming. Starting a garden bed, planting and watering a garden can also be time consuming but to reduce greenhouse effect growing vegetables at home is a good idea because this will reduce the greenhouse farming due to low
demand.
References:
Doršner, K. (2015). Essentials of environmental science. Retrieved from http://www.ck12.org/user%3Azg9yc25lckbnbwfpbc5jb20./book/Essentials-of-Environmental-Science/ .
learning
1. Ecolabels allow customers to determine which products are environmentally friendly and safe. According to the Ecolabels Index, there are 465 different ecolabels. Some of the ecolabels include VIBE-label, a label that shows that building materials are eco-friendly. All products with the AISE Charter for Sustainable Cleaning label are improved to make cleaning sustainable. The USDA Organic states that the products should be 100 percent organic, and that there should be no use of Genetic Engineering.
2. When it comes to groceries I check for the recyclable sign and the Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) label, any product with the label is approved to Zimbabwean standards. SAZ do not only inspect and approve food items but also all the products made in Zimbabwe. I never really used to look at labels on other products like cosmetics, fragrances, cleaning detergents, and furniture. I had to go around looking and I am relieved that most of the product in my house are approved and even the fragrances are written " Free from CFCs, Ozone friendly". So I guess my consumer choices were affecting the biodiversity because all along I thought it was only important to check for labels on food stuffs turning a blind eye on everything else.
3. The government banned the use of Genetic Engineering, so it is illegal, though some products find their way into the country from neighboring countries. The city of Harare surely needs to use the method that encourages organic products. The excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides need to come to an end. Horticulture farmers use fertilizers and they spray every time. People tend to even apply fertilizers and pesticides on their few plants on their back yard gardens even if it not necessary sometimes.
4. I learned that it is only foodstuff we need to be careful of and check for labels when buying, but any product ranging from water, detergents and furniture among many others.
5. I do not like the grade I got on the Graded quiz unit three, showing that I need to be better organized, otherwise I like being in this class and the course material are very informative and Interesting.
References
• http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/04/30/what-you-can-do-to-protect-biodiversity/
• http://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabels/
Photosynthesis converts the Carbon dioxide gas that exists in the atmosphere and in dissolved water to organic carbon. Organic carbon is brought back into carbon dioxide gas by a process called respiration. There are sources of organic carbon underground in the form of fossil fuels, human emissions and volcanic activity brings the stored carbon back into the cycle.
As a human being who feed, move, breath and grow, I impact the carbon cycle in the following ways.
1. Respiration which releases carbon dioxide
2. Food consumption
3. Burning fuels
4. Human emissions.
Sometimes the City of Harare waste collection department fails to collect waste for up to three weeks. I tend to burn most of the trash to avoid heaps of trash in my yard. I burn papers, plastics, containers and leaves among other things and this pollutes the air while increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The fact that all the things we …show more content…
need and use comes from industries, means we all impact the carbon cycle. My demand for products made in factories is what makes the industries operational. My consumption for example of fresh milk and meat increase aggregate demand of the products making farmers breed more livestock.
I find it very hard to balance personal choices with environmental considerations. In my country we share power (Electricity) due to power shortages, we experience scheduled power cuts. While the power is being rationed across the country, people still needs lighting, heat and they need to eat. So it is hard to reduce the use of fossil fuels such as coal and charcoal among others. During the blackout people shift to using coal and charcoal, firewood and other burning fuels like paraffin, gas and gel making it hard to reduce or monitor carbon dioxide that is produced in combustion.
Cattle and other livestock are considered a source of wealth. The more livestock one has the wealthier they are. According to the Essentials of Environmental Science, large numbers of livestock in an area can increase carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to respiration, so I do not think that farmers in the rural areas and on farms will be okay with culling down the number of their livestock. Respiration in animals is inevitable and with the increasing population, carbon dioxide also increases. Industries are another major source of carbon dioxide emissions; more and more industries are being built to accommodate the ever growing needs and wants of the increasing population. Though these Industries are regulated, it is not enough to reduce emissions and if the industries close or are overregulated, there will be shortages and chaos. Some choose to use unroadworthy vehicles that let out clouds of smoke even if they know that it is wrong. I also think that personal choices are determined by what people can afford, people would choose affordable means, I would choose what I can afford. When it come to a clean environment it should not be hard balancing personal choices and environmental considerations. We all want a clean environment and that alone should not make you think twice about picking papers and using the bin.
Reducing my impacts will make my life a little harder because I would need to give up the use of fossil fuels, buying vegetables and burning trash.
If I am to quit burning trash then I would have to wait for several weeks with accumulating waste in my yard. And if I stop using fossil fuels I would have to eat cold meals or wait until the power is back on. The whole process is unhealthy and time consuming. Starting a garden bed, planting and watering a garden can also be time consuming but to reduce greenhouse effect growing vegetables at home is a good idea because this will reduce the greenhouse farming due to low
demand.
References:
Doršner, K. (2015). Essentials of environmental science. Retrieved from http://www.ck12.org/user%3Azg9yc25lckbnbwfpbc5jb20./book/Essentials-of-Environmental-Science/ .
learning
1. Ecolabels allow customers to determine which products are environmentally friendly and safe. According to the Ecolabels Index, there are 465 different ecolabels. Some of the ecolabels include VIBE-label, a label that shows that building materials are eco-friendly. All products with the AISE Charter for Sustainable Cleaning label are improved to make cleaning sustainable. The USDA Organic states that the products should be 100 percent organic, and that there should be no use of Genetic Engineering.
2. When it comes to groceries I check for the recyclable sign and the Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) label, any product with the label is approved to Zimbabwean standards. SAZ do not only inspect and approve food items but also all the products made in Zimbabwe. I never really used to look at labels on other products like cosmetics, fragrances, cleaning detergents, and furniture. I had to go around looking and I am relieved that most of the product in my house are approved and even the fragrances are written " Free from CFCs, Ozone friendly". So I guess my consumer choices were affecting the biodiversity because all along I thought it was only important to check for labels on food stuffs turning a blind eye on everything else.
3. The government banned the use of Genetic Engineering, so it is illegal, though some products find their way into the country from neighboring countries. The city of Harare surely needs to use the method that encourages organic products. The excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides need to come to an end. Horticulture farmers use fertilizers and they spray every time. People tend to even apply fertilizers and pesticides on their few plants on their back yard gardens even if it not necessary sometimes.
4. I learned that it is only foodstuff we need to be careful of and check for labels when buying, but any product ranging from water, detergents and furniture among many others.
5. I do not like the grade I got on the Graded quiz unit three, showing that I need to be better organized, otherwise I like being in this class and the course material are very informative and Interesting.
References
• http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/04/30/what-you-can-do-to-protect-biodiversity/
• http://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabels/