Earth

I got out the DVD earth because I figure it would be a place to start my research, as my subject is dealing with environmental issues, and so is this documentary. below are the things I noted down while watching.

Beautful stunning scenes they caught on video!

awesome time lapses of seasons changing and day/night etc

awesome slow-mo of things like a cheetah catching a gazelle and a great white catching a seal

How fragile nature is  - Hump back whale migration 4000 mile journey depends on a healthy ocean all along the way

The Arctic ice melting and its impact - hump back whales relie on Krill who relie on ice. Polar bears need to be able to walk across the ice for food, but it melts to fast so they can't get to where they need to be in time so they starve.

"if the global climate continues to warm at its resent rate Polar bear may be extinct in the wild by 2030"

"With global warming disrupting our planet's weather systems supplies of fresh water are becoming increasing unpredictable." - this effects African desert animals like the elephants

"rising ocean temperatures have started to kill the plankton on which humpback whales and most other sea life depend."

"Finally we've begun to understand how precarious it is to save our once lucky planet. If we are to go sharing earth with such a rich variety of life and preserve it  balance for our own children, now more than ever it is in our hands"

Its making me see that I don't actually know that much about the environment! and exactly what is involved with global warming.

I found this simple definition that explains things.

from http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/global_warming.htm

I read through it and copied and pasted the parts I found interesting and relevant. 

What is global warming?  Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises).  It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature.  This hurts many people, animals, and plants.  Many cannot take the change, so they die. What is the greenhouse effect? The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere.  This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot.  This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out.  This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth.  The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out.  As a result, the temperature rises. Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us.  The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it, the earth would be freezing, or on the other hand it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because the sun would be down.  Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it, if there gets to be too many gases, the earth can get unusually warmer, and many plants, animals, and people will die.They would die because there would be less food. This would happen because the plants would not be able to take the heat.  This would cause us to have less food to eat, but it would also limit the food that animals have.    What is global warming doing to the environment? Global warming is affecting many parts of the world.  Global warming makes the sea rise, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands.  This is a big problem for many of the plants, animals, and people on islands.  The water covers the plants and causes some of them to die.  When they die, the animals lose a source of food, along with their habitat.  Although animals have a better ability to adapt to what happens than plants do, they may die also. When the plants and animals die, people lose two sources of food, plant food and animal food. They may also lose their homes. This would be called a break in the food chain, or a chain reaction, one thing happening that leads to another and so on. The oceans are affected by global warming in other ways, as well. One thing that is happening is warm water, caused from global warming, is harming and killing algae in the ocean. Algae is a producer that you can see floating on the top of the water.  (A producer is something that makes food for other animals through photosynthesis, like grass.) This floating green algae is food to many consumers in the ocean. One kind of a consumer is small fish.  There are many others like crabs, some whales, and many other animals.  Fewer algae is a problem because there is less food for us and many animals in the sea. Global warming is doing many things to people as well as animals and plants. It is killing algae, but it is also destroying many huge forests. The pollution that causes global warming is linked to acid rain. Acid rain gradually destroys almost everything it touches.  Global warming is also causing many more fires that wipe out whole forests.  This happens because global warming can make the earth very hot.  In forests, some plants and trees leaves can be so dry that they catch on fire.  What causes global warming?   Many things cause global warming. One thing that causes global warming is electrical pollution. Electricity causes pollution in many ways, some worse than others. In most cases, fossil fuels are burned to create electricity. Fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals.  Some examples of fossil fuels are oil and petroleum. Many pollutants (chemicals that pollute the air, water, and land) are sent into the air when fossil fuels are burned. Some of these chemicals are called greenhouse gasses.We use these sources of energy much more than the sources that give off less pollution. Like Petroleum, used for transportation, making electricity, and making many other things.  Although this source of energy gives off a lot of pollution, it is used for 38% of the United States’ energy. Greenhouse gasses are sent into the air because creating the electricity you use to do these things causes pollution.  If you think of how many times a day you do these things, it’s a lot.  You even have to add in how many other people do these things!  That turns out to be a lot of pollutants going into the air a day because of people like us using electricity. The least amount of electricity you use, the better. Another thing that makes global warming worse is when people cut down trees. Trees and other plants collect carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is the air that our body lets out when we breathe. Plants collect the CO2 that we breathe out, and they give back oxygen that we breathe in. With less trees and other plants, such as algae, there is less air for us, and more greenhouse gases are sent into the air.  This gas, CO2, collects light and heat (radiant energy), produced by the sun, and this makes the earth warmer.  The heat and light from the sun is produced in the center of the sun.  What are some of the other dangerous chemicals? Some other chemicals that cause air pollution and are bad for the environment and people are: Ozone- Ozone is produced when other pollution chemicals combine.  It is the basic element of smog.  It causes many different kinds of health issues dealing with the lungs.  It can damage plants and limit sight.  It can also cause a lot of property damage. VOC’s (volatile organic compounds, smog formers)- VOC’s are let into the air when fuel is burned. This chemical can cause cancer.  It can also harm plants. NOx (nitrogen dioxide)- This chemical forms smog.  It is also formed by burning sources of energy, like gas, coal, and oil, and by cars. This chemical causes problems in the respiratory system. It causes acid rain, and it can damage trees.  This chemical can eat away buildings and statues. CO (carbon monoxide)- The source of this chemical is burning sources of energy.  It causes blood vessel problems and respiratory failures. PM-10 (particulate matter)- The source of this chemical is plowing and burning down fields.  It can cause death and lung damage.  It can make it hard for people to breathe.  The smoke, soot, ash, and dust formed by this chemical can make many cities dirty. Sulfur Dioxide- This chemical is produced by making paper and metals.  This chemical can cause permanent lung damage.  It can cause acid rain which kills trees and damages building and statues. Lead- This chemical is in paint, leaded gasoline, smelters, and in lead storage batteries.  It can cause many brain and nerve damages and digestive problems.