Climate Change
Is Climate Change good?
No! It's making the planet less inhabitable for all current lifeforms on Earth.
What wild orange flower is California's state flower?
The California Poppy!
Is it okay to throw your trash on the ground?
No!
Most litter/trash does not decompose naturally, and can become a choking hazard for animals in the ocean, can leak toxic chemicals, and just looks plain ugly!
However, banana and orange peels and some other naturally biodegradable items can help the soil if left there, but not on sidewalks or on roads.
Plant life cycle: After a plant flowers, what might it's flowers turn into?
hint: there are 2 correct answers
Flowers turn into either fruits (with seeds) or just seeds!
Is "Global Warming" a part of Climate Change?
Yes! Although they are not exactly the same.
Global warming refers only to the Earth's rising surface temperature, while climate change includes warming and the “side effects” of warming—like melting glaciers, heavier rainstorms, or more frequent drought. Some places, such as the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, are getting colder due to climate change. Global warming is just one symptom of the much larger problem of climate change.
Which is better: Biodiversity or Monocultures?
As within the human realm, diversity is a good thing. Within the natural world, biodiversity:
Monocultures on the other hand are used so often because they have:
Disadvantages of Monoculture Farming
In the long term, monocultures are not a sustainable way of living.
T/F: Everything I throw into the recycling bin gets recycled
False
Firstly, most things aren't correctly sorted into the recycling bin. Sometimes trash and compostable items end up in there, which contaminates the recycling and makes extra work for the sorters.
Secondly, a lot of paper and plastic just gets down-cycled, until it eventually just becomes trash. However, most aluminum and glass products are the best things to get recycled because many of them can be recycled indefinitely!
This isn't to say that recycling isn't beneficially, but ideally most products should be reusable or compostable instead.
T/F: In general, Indigenous peoples have a sustainable relationship with Earth?
True!
Before Western colonialism and the industrial revolution, the Earth was not in such an environmental crises. Indigenous cultures have always lived sustainably and have actually improved the forests and/or other surrounding areas they have lived in. Indigenous leadership is key to solving our Earth's environmental crisis.
Is Global Warming thought to be caused by humans?
Yes, most scientists believe that human emissions of Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gasses are the main reason behind global warming + climate change.
By what year are we predicted to have little to no more seafood left to catch?
A) 2700
B) 2023
C) 2048
C) 2048
According to researchers, there will be no seafood left to catch by 2048, except for jellyfish, which will thrive in the new, collapsed ecosystem
T/F: Plant-based foods (ie. fruits + vegetables, etc.) on average use more resources, and pollute more, than Animal Products (ie. dairy, meat, etc.)?
False!
Animal products take a lot more resources to produce, and tend to pollute a lot more methane, than growing fruit + vegetable crops alone. They also have nasty waste runoff that can contaminate nearby produce with E-coli.
Renewable energy sources make up how much of our global electricity production?
A) 11%
B) 26%
C) 53%
B) 26%
Renewables made up 26.2 percent of global electricity generation in 2018. That's expected to rise to 45 percent by 2040. Most of the increase will likely come from solar, wind, and hydropower.
Will the oceans rise or lower due to Global Warming?
Rise Ahhh!
global sea level is very likely to rise at least 12 inches (0.3 meters) above the year 2000's levels by 2100 even on a low-emissions pathway. On future scenarios with the highest greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise could be as high as 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) above 2000 levels by 2100. This is due to the melting of Arctic sea ice.
California's State Animal is extinct. What is it?
The California Grizzly Bear.
While other related grizzlies live elsewhere in North America, and Black Bears still exist in California, the California Grizzly Bear became extinct in 1922 due to humans hunting them down.
What are some things (at least 2) you can do as an individual to help the Environment?
- Eating less animal products, and not wasting your food!
- Using less fossil fueled things (cars, airplanes, electricity, plastics etc.)
- Plant trees and other plants!
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, + Compost!
- Don't Litter!
About 70% of Earth is covered by water, of that, about how much of that water is drinkable?
A) under 5%
B) 25%
c) 55%
A) under 5%
Only about three percent of Earth's water is freshwater. Of that, only about 1.2 percent can be used as drinking water; the rest is locked up in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost, or buried deep in the ground.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is one of the things that makes Earth a comfortable place to live.
How many animal species are endangered and threatened with extinction?
A) 172
B) 16,306
C) 14
B) There are 16,306 endangered animal species that are threatened with extinction
What is the biggest thing that needs to be done by humans to help the environmental movement?
Policy Change!
Let's face it, our government is responsible for allowing big corporations to pollute and deplete our Earth, and they will keep doing so until our government stops them.
As you get older, community + political activism is the best thing you can do to help change the world! This could include getting involved in politics as a politician, through a non-profit, or just volunteering your time :)
How is Ocean Acidification related to Climate Change?
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas that causes climate change. Oceans absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and as result oceans get more acidic. This ocean acidification makes it harder for coral and some other marine life to grow, resulting in weaker and fewer animals and an impacted food-chain.