Online Scavenger Hunt for Success
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Online Scavenger Hunt for Success
The five main environmental concerns discussed in the course materials include biodiversity, water, deforestation, pollution, and climate change. Each of these concerns poses a significant threat to human life and the sustainability of life on earth. Different species and ecosystems are already under threat due to these issues. As a result, there is a need to pay more attention to them if environmental sustainability is achieved.
Learning about the environment will impact the future of my career since it will allow me to reduce my carbon footprint and come up with ways that the environment can be protected. I intend to develop initiatives that always create sustainability and protect the environment in my workplace.
The example of a chemical compound that I identified is carbon dioxide. The chemical is made from carbon and oxygen. The chemical is essential since it is consumed by plants and aids in plant processes such as respiration and photosynthesis. Despite its pros, it can also pollute the environment. It is released when petrol or other fossil fuels are combusted (Oxlade, 2016). Once the gas is in the atmosphere, it leads to global warming, which gradually leads to climate change. The problem can be reduced by shifting from non-renewable sources of energy to renewable sources such as wind and solar energy.
The ozone hole’s current state suggests that it is now the smallest it has ever been since it started to be recorded. The change has been due to increasing global warming, which is the rise of temperatures on the planet’s surface. There is a great or dire need to protect the environment if the ozone hole is protected from depletion.
Introduction to Understanding the Environment
Question 1
Environmental science has huge significance in contemporary life. First, it allows individuals to understand the interdependencies that exist between humans, plants, and animals. Such an understanding is critical for expanded knowledge of how humans can create sustainability. Secondly, environmental science is important in learning about the effects of human activities on the environment (Harvey, 2018). These effects are often injurious on various habitats and ecosystems. When one gains such knowledge, they may be well-placed to reduce the impacts they have on nature. Doing this is critical for the survival of mankind since a damaged environment would harm human life.
Question 2
When delving into environmental science, it is important when individuals or students demonstrate critical thinking across all the field elements. Critical thinking can be exemplified through constantly asking questions about the effects that human life and activities have on the environment. Critical thinking skills also imply that evidence-based practice should be applied when assessing the impacts that human activities have on the environment. When this happens, there is a lot a greater likelihood that better conclusions can be drawn from the information that has been collected. It also leads to the application of scientific methods that are less prone to errors.
Question 3
Several benefits are associated with assessing the ecological footprint. The tool is a framework that allows an individual to measure the demand of humans on nature. It is a representation of the percentage of nature that is needed to support human life. The tool is important since it is critical in the development of approaches that can be used to bring about sustainability within a country or a given jurisdiction. The tool is also used to guide various environmental policies that are developed by government agencies. Without it, it could be impossible to assess the impacts that man has on nature.
References
Harvey, L. D. D. (2018). Global Warming. Boca Raton, FL: Routledge.
Oxlade, C. (2016). Global warming. Mankato, Minnesota: Smart Apple Media.