The Impacts Of Melting Glacier Environmental Sciences Essay

The Impacts Of Melting Glacier Environmental Sciences Essay It is clear that the earth is getting hotter due to global warming. It was proved that the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere had increased from 316 ppm in 1958 to 385 ppm in 2008 (Kirkham 2011, p.370) leading to the Greenhouse effects and causing many environmental issues as well as especially worsening the issue of melting glaciers. Many researches have showed that glaciers are melting rapidly and it is unlikely to slower down. Take Greenland as an example. On the eighth of July 2012, the percentage of glacier melting in this country was forty percent. However, four days later, this figure had jumped to ninety-seven percent (Kerthan 2012) (see Appendix 1). As a result, a serious flooding occurred in Greenland recently. This country contains ten percent of the worlds fresh water; yet, all the glaciers are melting and it is expected that by the end of this century, the sea level will have risen by eighteen to fifty-nine centimeters (Miller and Spoolman 2011). The flood happened in Kangerlussuaq, has swept away an important bridge and the busiest commercial airports of the island (The Guardian 2012). Greenland is just one example out of lots of other countries which are suffering from disasters because of glacier melting that threatens their food source including crops and animals, and even worse, destroys their homes. In the following part, the effects of glacier melting on human life, particularly food sources will be enlightened with supporting specific evidences and information. The impacts of melting glacier Today, the increasing temperature is causing ice caps on Mount Kilimanjaro and ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland to melt (Lovgren 2004a) (see Appendix 2). This has resulted in the rise in sea level, causing many problems to the nature balance. Cold water fish cannot survive and even coral reefs are dying as the water is becoming too warm. This causes problems for people fishing them as a food source and influences the fisheries in general. Besides, Lovgren (2004b) said that the rising sea level can have serious impacts on low-lying countries, some of which like Indian Oceans Maldives or Nile Delta could be submerged. Not only will fishing be affected but people will also have difficulties in finding higher ground for living. An imbalance in natures food chain would be caused by global warming. As ice sheets melt in the Antarctic, the polar bears would be adversely affected since the temperature is too warm for them to live. Polar bears are entirely dependent on sea ice, you lose sea ice, you lose polar bears (Malcolm 2004). Additionally, the seal and sea lion population that would otherwise be controlled by polar bears as part of their diet would multiply and overpopulation may occur, causing many fishes being eaten and depleted. This depletion affects fisheries and people living in the northern hemisphere because they must then find other food sources which would be difficult as their main source of protein and food are fish. It is interesting that the glacial melting is the reason of two opposite effects: floods and drought (Mathias 2012). However, they are all connected. The fast glacier melting will lead to sudden increase in water input to rivers, causing flood all along the rivers (Mathias 2012). Floods could impact seriously on crops growth, it can have a negative effect on the financial performance of farming as a result of crop damage à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ reduced crop and livestock yield and quality/condition (Thorne et al. 2007, p.130). Therefore, our food sources are threatened seriously. For instance, a recent flooding this year in Burma has driven eighty-five thousands of people homeless and more than two hundred thousand hectares of rice field swamped (The Guardian 2012). In contrast, drought is a big problem in other countries because glacier melting changes the currents of the oceans cold and warm water. It changes the wind patterns that move cloud and humidity through the air, causing the imbalance in water distribution (Britney 2012). Since May this year, North Korea has been suffering the most severe drought in 105 years which threatened to damage this countrys breadbasket. The area was also notified an estimated amount of 3.5 million people are with the risk of malnutrition and famine (The Telegraph 2012). Furthermore, the rise in sea level caused by melting glacier also leads to the intrusion of sea water. This has affected the fresh water and land used for living and agriculture. For example, in Thatta, a major agricultural area in Pakistan, the amount of land suitable for agriculture has shown a significant decrease. Around one third of fertile land and cultivated areas there have been affected by the seawater intrusion (Emerton 2005). This causes losses for crops and serious damages to livestock due to the shortage of pasture, rangeland, and fresh water needed for cattle rearing. Impacts on rice cultivation may be the most noticeable. As rice is a salt-sensitive crop (Adger et al. 2001a, p.248), the increased salinity in soil can hinder rice growth and affect rice production. World Bank (2000) indicated that increased salinity alone from a 0.3 meter sea level rise will cause a net decrease of 0.5 million metric tons of rice production (cited in Sarwar 2005, p.19). For example, this salinity intrusion caused 50% to 90% drop in rice productivity over the past three decades in Tra Vinh province of Vietnam (Hopkins 1995, cited in Adger et al. 2001b, p.248). Additionally, the rising sea level also influences fresh water fish. Liu and Esogbue (1999a, p.121) said that sea level rise will, in all likelihood, bring about a reduction in the freshwater habitat conditions particularly in the rivers. In the event of such a situation, production of fresh water fisheswhich cannot tolerate any level of salinity in the water is likely to suffer. In places where pond or lake fishery provides the major source of food and income, may face many difficulties if the sea level continues increasing. For instance, Liu and Esogbue(1999b) shown that in many coastal districts of Bangladesh, carps is a major agricultural product and pond culture of carps is widely practised. According to the authors, there were totally 105.5 thousand metric tons of carps produced in freshwater ponds of those districts between the years of 1995 and 1996. So, the rise in sea level may lead to these ponds being submerged, causing huge losses in carp production. Solutions for the issue of melting glacier The only way to slow down glacial melting is to slow down global warming. There are many measures having been done. Humankind depends on burning fossil fuels for power, but it increases global warming. To restore the glaciers we should increase energy efficiency and utilize alternative energy like wind power, solar energy, or biofuel (Leon 2008). Technology innovation like Chlorine-free paper and Greenfreeze solution which is adopted in refrigeration manufacturing to avoid CFCs a chemical affecting ozone layer (Rose 2010) also helps slow down global warming. Additionally, treaties like Global Black-Carbon or Global Carbon Tax are formed to engage countries in the emissions reduction (Dauncey 2009a). For example, Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement established in 1997, sets targets for 37 industrialized countries and European community to reduce their greenhouse gases emissions. (Leimkuhler 2010). Other solutions include protecting the world forests and grasslands, establishing the global climate funds to assist poor countries in adopting climate-friendly technologies. In a national scope, governments encourage their citizens to use greener energy by establishing solar villages like those in Bangladesh or ecological capitals like those in Colombia and Brazil (Dauncey 2009b). All the solutions need public support, so governments must educate and convince their people to follow the climate-friendly strategies. Besides, they need to support citizens organizations that are taking practical actions to promote and build a greener society (Dauncey 2009c). Conclusion To conclude, problems of melting glacier will still happen in the future because continued increases in global temperature will accelerate the rate of glacier melt, sea ice retreat, and melting of the ice caps (Dawson and Spannagle 2009, p.334). Many studies have shown that the earths temperature will continue increasing for some reasons. Reducing greenhouse gases faces many difficulties as our modern society will still depend on fossil fuels for energy (Seeds and Backman 2010, Armstrong and Howarth 2005). Claussen (2001, pp.83-84) stated that the emissions growth in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, and Korea will increase by two-thirds by 2015 under the most optimistic scenarios. Based on analysis of gases emission, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) estimates that the global temperature may show a rise of 2 °C to 6 °C by the end of this 21st century (cited in Holt and West 2011, p.141). Besides, even if greenhouse gases are stabilized, global air temperature and sea level are expected to continue to rise for hundreds of years (Mooney et al. 2010a, p.481). The authors explanation for this is that the present global warming will lead to further warming of the earth. For instance, the melting of ice will expose land and ocean area below which normally captures more heat than the ice, causing a warmer planet (Mooney et al. 2010b). Global warming results in melting glacier. When the earths temperature continue rising in years to come, the glaciers will keep melting in a faster manner than it used to, just like what Meier and Dyurgerov (2005) stated glacier ice melt is accelerating in recent years, and is likely to continue at a high rate into the future (cited in Braasch and McKibben 2009, p.40).

History Quizz

Question 1 With few precedents to guide them, the population of Mesopotamia adapted and created AnswerSocial organizationWritingAgricultural cultivationDevelopment of religionCompetition amongst different groups 1 pointsQuestion 2 The earliest urban societies so far known emerged in the AnswerFirst millennium B. C. EThird millennium B. C. ESixth millennium B. C. ESecond millennium B. C. EFourth millennium B. C. E 1 pointsQuestion 3 After 3000 B. C. E. all Sumerian cities were ruled by what form of government? AnswerMonarchyCouncils of elders DictatorsAssemblies of citizensMilitary governors 1 pointsQuestion 4 A Babylonian resurgence of power was led in the sixth century B. C. E. by AnswerNebuchadnezzarAshurbanipalSolomonSargonHammurabi 1 pointsQuestion 5 The creator of the first empire in Mesopotamia was AnswerHammurabiMosesSargon of AkkadGilgameshNebuchadnezzar 1 pointsQuestion 6 Mesopotamian metalworkers discovered that if they alloyed copper and tin they could produce AnswerObsidianSteelIronSilverBronze 1 pointsQuestion 7 The word Mesopotamia means AnswerThe â€Å"pure land. â€Å"The â€Å"land of the strong. â€Å"â€Å"the blood of Gilgamesh. â€Å"â€Å"wedge-shaped. â€Å"â€Å"the land between the rivers. † 1 pointsQuestion 8 Iron metallurgy came to Mesopotamia from the AnswerHebrewsHittitesPhoeniciansEgyptiansAssyrians 1 pointsQuestion 9 Enkidu was AnswerThe Sumerian god of wisdomA leading Sumerian city-stateThe most powerful Babylonian kingGilgamesh's friendThe Hebrew word for â€Å"holy. † 1 pointsQuestion 10 Gilgamesh was associated with what city? AnswerJerusalemKishUrukLagashUr 1 pointsQuestion 11 Horse-drawn chariots were first invented by the AnswerEgyptiansAssyriansHittitesBabyloniansHyksos 1 pointsQuestion 12 Eridu, Ur, Uruk, Lagash, Nippur, and Kish were all associated with AnswerEgyptNubiaPhoeniciaMesopotamiaJerusalem 1 pointsQuestion 13 The original homeland of the Indo-European speakers was AnswerMesopotamiaNorthern GermanySouthern RussiaIndiaEgypt 1 pointsQuestion 14 A Mesopotamian stepped pyramid was known as a AnswerCopticEriduLugalLex talionisZiggurat 1 pointsQuestion 15 The first complex society was developed in the southern Mesopotamian land of AnswerAkkadAssyriaSumerBabyloniaPalestine 1 pointsQuestion 16 The most influential ancient Indo-European migrants into southwest Asia were the AnswerAssyriansAryansHebrewsBabyloniansHittites 1 pointsQuestion 17 Which of the following languages is not of Indo-European origin? AnswerEgyptianSanskritOld PersianGreekLatin 1 pointsQuestion 18 The first simplified alphabet, containing only twenty-two letters, was created by the AnswerMesopotamiansAssyriansHebrewsPhoeniciansBabylonians 1 pointsQuestion 19 The Babylonians eventually fell in 1595 B. C. E. to the AnswerEgyptiansHittitesSumeriansHebrewsAkkadians 1 pointsQuestion 20 Mesopotamia developed into AnswerA strict patriarchal societyA society where the sexes enjoyed relative equalityA predominantly matriarchal societyA society with few social distinctionsA society dominated by a growing mercantile middle class Miss oneQuestion 1 During the eighth century B. C. E. Egypt fell under the control of the _______ for around a century. AnswerPersiansRomansGreeksBabyloniansKushites 1 pointsQuestion 2 Meroitic writing AnswerHas now been completely translatedExpressed the general Egyptian optimism with lifeWas introduced into India by the Indo-EuropeansWas a Nubian script that borrowed Egyptian hieroglyphsCannot be read because it's simply too different than its base cuneiform 1 pointsQuestion 3 Around _______ B. C. E. , peoples of the eastern Sudan started to domesticate cattle and became nomadic herders. Answer25,00018,000900040001500 1 pointsQuestion 4 In Africa, iron metallurgy AnswerWas introduced by Persian merchantsDid not appear until after the rise of trans-Saharan tradeArose independentlyBegan after an odd meeting between a Kushite king and the Egyptian explorer HarkhufWas imported into the continent by trade with the Mesopotamians 1 pointsQuestion 5 The most vigorous of all New Kingdom pharaohs was __________, who led his troops into Palestine and Syria and who even received tribute from the Mesopotamian city-states. AnswerAhmosisMenesSargon of AkkadTuthmosis IIIHatshepsut 1 pointsQuestion 6 By spreading their language across a huge stretch of Africa, the Bantu played a role similar to that played by the AnswerIndo-EuropeansMongolsXiongnuVisigothsBabylonians 1 pointsQuestion 7 Hatshepsut was AnswerA Mesopotamian king of the godsThe Hebrew term for their godThe first conqueror to unite all of MesopotamiaA woman who ruled Egypt as pharaohThe most important early city of the Harappan society 1 pointsQuestion 8 The Egyptian god of the underworld was AnswerAmon-ReAtenHorusOsirisPtah 1 pointsQuestion 9 The Bantu probably began their migrations because of AnswerInvasions from the Mediterranean basinA conscious desire for conquestThe threat of epidemic diseaseA desire to spread their monotheistic faithPopulation pressures 1 pointsQuestion 10 The largest Egyptian pyramids were built during the AnswerMiddle KingdomOld KingdomNew KingdomArchaic periodSecond Intermediary period 1 pointsQuestion 11 The early Sudanic societies recognized a single divine force as the source of good and evil, and they associated it with AnswerFireThe oceanThe sunRainThe moon 1 pointsQuestion 12 The Bantu originally came from around AnswerThe Swahili areaModern day NigeriaFar southern AfricaEgyptModern day Algeria 1 pointsQuestion 13 Which of the following societies began the custom of embalming to preserve the body for its life after death? AnswerEgyptMesopotamiaIndiaChinaPersia 1 pointsQuestion 14 Around 760 B. C. E. The Kushite King Kashta AnswerOfficially converted to the Egyptian godsFounded a dynasty that ruled Egypt for around a hundred yearsFormed a long-lasting trading agreement with Egypt, marking their first contactSurrendered to Assyrian dominationSurrendered to Egyptian domination 1 pointsQuestion 15 The Greek words meaning â€Å"holy inscriptions† refers to AnswerHieroglyphsCuneiformThe Old TestamentThe Phoenician alphabetThe Coptic script 1 pointsQuestion 16 __________'s is the largest of all the pyramids. AnswerSargon of AkkadKhufuHyksosMenesGiza 1 pointsQuestion 17 The Hyksos were AnswerNomads who eventually settled around the city of BabylonExternal invaders who helped bring about the end of the Egyptian Middle KingdomMesopotamian kingsThe priestly class in ancient EgyptDemons who punished the wicked in the Egyptian underworld 1 pointsQuestion 18 Around 3100 B. C. E. , the conqueror Menes founded ________, a city that would serve as the capital for early Egypt. AnswerHeliopolisKermaUruk MemphisThebes 1 pointsQuestion 19 Osiris judged whether or not souls were worthy for immortality by AnswerWeighing their hearts against a feather symbolizing justiceTheir completion of a journey full of testsThe individual's level of sincere faith in Osiris as a redeemerExamining their holiness at the moment of their deathTheir adherence to the Code of Hammurabi 1 pointsQuestion 20 Horse-drawn chariots and bronze weapons were introduced into Egypt by the AnswerHyksosBabyloniansKushitesHarappansQin

Everyday Use by Alice Walker Essay

I would like to share this wonderful story that I had chosen for my English class research‘s paper â€Å"Everyday use† by Alice Walker. The story of â€Å"Everyday Use† is about a single mother and her two daughters, Dee and Maggie. Dee is the family’s proud. She is beautiful, smart and educated, on the other hand, Maggie is simple, low confident and her skin burned severely in a house fire. The author Alice Walker uses Mama as the narrator in the â€Å"Everyday Use† to describe these two characters, Maggie and Dee, to show us two different views of culture and tradition heritage during 1970’s. My thoughts on the story were drawn from personal experience with my own grandmother’s by entrusting their granddaughters with valuable heritage connections. This story also taught me how to value more my family. I also like this story because applies to every young person, and especially to all the young women who do not attempt to understand to respect the women who made them. I enjoyed reading it and symbolized the life of a family that is learning what their heritage really is and how to use it. I love the person I have become and I often scorn my grandparents, in their education and values. Today Most of us do not think about passing things down from one generation to another, either objects or traditions and I think is a valuable to understands the importance of cultural heritage and the story suggests that children should appreciate their heritage as it is passed down.

Foreign Minister Alexander Izvolsky Of Russia Essay

In 1908, the leaders of Russia and Austria-Hungary arranged to make an agreement that would help both nations achieve their international goals. Foreign Minister Alexander Izvolsky of Russia was looking to re-establish his country’s authority in Europe, which had been damaged after defeat by Japan in a previous war in the Far East (Trueman C. N., 2015). One goal for Baron Lexa von Aehrenthal, Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary, was to gain better control of his nation’s Balkan territory. After the revolt in Constantinople by a group called the Young Turks in which they took control of the city, Austria-Hungary feared that Bosnia-Herzegovina would be the next to revolt (Schmitt, 1970; Hamilton Herwig, 2003). Aehrenthal was also looking to prove that his nation was more than just a â€Å"satellite of Germany† (Trueman C. N., 2015). To achieve the goals of both parties, Russia agreed to support Austria-Hungary in annexing Bosnia-Herzegovina and, in turn, Austr ia-Hungary was to support the Russian use of the Bosporus and Dardanelle Straits, which had previously been barred. The latter part of this agreement was significant in that it would give Russia the ability to mobilize its navy from the Black Sea and, as previously mentioned, gain access to the British dominated Mediterranean. However, this part of the agreement was never carried out. On October 6th 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina, before Russia was able to make its case for the use of the StraitsShow MoreRelatedRussia Notes as/A2 1881-19147263 Words   |  30 Pages1914 What was Russia like in 1881? †¢ 82% of the population were illiterate peasant farmers. †¢ No technology was used on farms – subsistence farming. †¢ Largest standing army in Europe. †¢ No political parties and the press was heavily censored. †¢ Fierce loyalty to the Tsar – often enforced by brutal secret police. †¢ Royalty owned most of the land – Tsar’s estate was larger than some countries. †¢ 1861 – Tsar Alexander II freed serfs but peasants stillRead MoreThe Assassination of Franz Ferdinand3443 Words   |  14 Pagesdevelopment. It stated that if Austria did this, then they would destroy all illusions of a Russian Pan-Slav party as well as gain support among the Russian Slavs, who would no longer consider Austria a foreign ruler. During this time, there were also conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. Russia supported the Slavic Serbs against Austria-Hungary, therefore creating feelings of hatred between the Austro-Hungarian and the Russian empire. Another concern was that because many Austrians were SlavsRead MoreThe Assassination of Franz Ferdinand3431 Words   |  14 Pagesdevelopment. It stated that if Austria did this, then they would destroy all illusions of a Russian Pan-Slav party as well as gain support among the Russian Slavs, who would no longer consider Austria a foreign ruler. During this time, there were also conflict between Aust ria-Hungary and Serbia. Russia supported the Slavic Serbs against Austria-Hungary, therefore creating feelings of hatred between the Austro-Hungarian and the Russian empire. Another concern was that because many Austrians were Slavs