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How to conserve endangered species from extinction
How to conserve endangered species from extinction
How to conserve endangered species from extinction
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Everyone has that childhood memory of running through the park or the backyard with a tiny plastic net to catch the fascinating winged creatures people know as butterflies. Imagine that childhood memory and appreciation of nature vanished from the lives of children in future generations. Instead of drawing what is real and tangible in their coloring books, children would be drawing butterflies as if they were dinosaurs, curious if their existence was a fable or reality. With the continued use of herbicides and insecticides, specifically neonicotinoids, the butterfly’s food source of milkweed is drastically depleting to the point where it is not only a childhood memory and appreciation of nature vanishing; the food chain every living organism relies on is also vanishing. Numerous animals …show more content…
rely on butterflies for energy. Humans may not think it affects them, but the animals using butterflies as a food source are reliable food sources for humans, leaving the food chain to come crashing down if these keystone species, butterflies, become extinct with humans on top of it. The butterfly population has already declined 70-80%, so therefore, people need to make one small change to prevent life on Earth from crashing down before it is too late: plant some milkweed.
Experts in butterfly migration, eating patterns, and growth state that planting milkweed would encourage the butterflies to inhabit the area that has milkweed, and as a result be able to support a growing population. Many people in questioning insist that because they are a single person, not much can be done. In contrary, if people educate the public and set examples for others by planting their own milkweed, more people will get involved and changes will be made; it just takes time. Even though the pesticides ruined the land now used for genetically modified crops instead of milkweed, there is a plethora of space that goes unused in butterfly inhabiting areas of the United States and Mexico, such as road medians, backyards, and parks. These spaces can be used for planting milkweed for the butterflies to live off of, which would, in turn, allow for growth in the population of butterflies. People would argue that if milkweed was planted in the medians, it would make it dangerous for
drivers. However, the government can intervene to allow companies to mow those areas at certain points of the year for preventing the inclination of accidents; similar to hunting seasons, there can be mowing seasons. The butterflies are on a constant cycle of migration, and when they have migrated out of an area, that area can then be mowed. As a result of the government intervention, the milkweed would never overgrow to the point where it is a hazard to drivers while at the same time supplying nutrients for the growth of caterpillars that blossom to be butterflies, supporting our food chain. It takes time and numbers for the population of butterflies to increase to its full capacity, but if a few people start to make a change, others will be inspired and domino through the human population to protect life on Earth and childhood memories for generations.
For my ELA performance task I read both Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli and The Diary of Anne Frank(play) by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Milkweed is about a boy named Misha Pilsudski who lives in the ghetto on the street and has no identity including name. As time goes on he gets a name and finds a new family who welcomes him into their home. All the while he is trying to learn about his surroundings, as he is unsure whether he is a Gypsy or a Jew. He attempts to make life as happy as possible and fix things that he doesn’t realized cannot be fixed. For my performance task I have chosen to show two things that are different about these books and one thing that is similar.
My initial observation was that simple conservation actions such as reducing the use of pesticides can achieve measurable improvements in habitat quality and environmental health. Herbicides are toxic to most mammals as well as to the beneficial insects that you want to encourage in your garden. Sometimes herbicides seep into the ground water; causing contamination of which the long term effects are not known. Herbicide application can also result in drift or movement in the soil, this endangers wanted vegetation nearby. Herbicides are used far too rampantly. Excessive use of toxic herbicides is used when not necessary and because most are not aware of the many other natural alternatives. We must find more ways to cut back on the use of chemical herbicides and change to biological weed control methods.
Monarch Butterflies and Butterfly Weed, a type of milkweed, have coevolved as plant and pollinator. This means that they both rely on one another to survive. Milkweed is the primary source of nutrition for monarchs. Monarchs only eat Asclepias tuberosa a particular species of Milkweed. The monarch relies on toxins in the milkweed to fend off predators such as birds. The toxic tendencies of the milkweed plants caused the government to attempt o eradicated the plant along roadsides and in cow pastures. This has caused a major decline in population of milkweed, which is also endangering monarchs. Milkweed relies on the monarch to pollinate it so that it can reproduce.
The book “Milkweed” by Jerry Spinelli tells a story about a boy who survived the horrible days of World War 2. He struggles every single day to find his identity and what is happening in the world. The book “Milkweed” itself shows many signs of survival. Both literally, and figuratively. This novel describes what the Jews did to survive and how they survived. The theme of survival is represented by different objects. The author, Spinelli, uses many literary elements to describe and support the theme of survival. The main three are: setting (where and what time), symbols such as the plant Milkweed that represents a new hope, and conflicts (what is the fight/fighting in the story).
In the video, “Genetically Modified Crops: Hope vs. Hype”, reveals that a Cornell study followed-up by Iowa state researchers show that “pollen from GMO corn is killing the larvae of the Monarch butterflies, which is not at all what the corn 's designers intended” (“Genetically Modified Crops: Hope vs. Hype”). GMO seeds are contaminating our environment, which were presumed safe before. Genetically-modified organisms are the unorthodox procedure of moving genes from one species to a completely different and unrelated species. These unnatural transferring of genetics are causing death among insects. Undeniably, nature 's long-lived ways are safer compared to the bio-tech 's short-lived ways. They hold many uncertainties. Such as, Niagara
On the contrary, President Obama “unveiled a plan aimed at stopping the rapid decline in bee and butterfly populations” (“On May 19”). His plans are to reduce the death rate of bees which in turn will help out the agricultural production. He also plans to clear land in order to give the bees a bigger environment in which to repopulation and will ensure that no bees are harmed in the process (“On May 19”). The president sees the devastation that the decline could cause and is trying to combat the issue. The European Union has banned three pesticides in order to combat the decline but “have fallen short of providing adequate safeguards for the re-propagation of bee colonies”(“Bee research”). Governments are taking notice of the problem ahead yet still we are until to achieve the full support of all
To most, the honeybee can be an annoying insect that has a powerful sting. Yet, the honeybee is so much more than just another insect. The honeybee is arguably the most vital component in the development of our food crops. With roughly 90 percent of our food crops dependent on the pollination of our honeybees, our food system, agricultural development, and diet rest on the work and well being of these buzzing insects. Unfortunately, since 2006 there has been a major decline in the population of honeybees, and has gotten progressively worse because of colony collapse disorder. The first reported increase of CCD was documented in November 2006 in Florida. By February 2007, several states began reporting major losses associated with CCD, ranging from 30% to 90%. A little over a half decade later in 2012 the attention paid towards CCD has grown substantially with more research being done as CCD continues to get worse. The main culprit for CCD, as research has suggested, is the use of pesticides on our food crops. With major corporations such as Bayer making millions and millions of dollars in profit each year in the distribution of pesticides, it is no wonder that nothing is being done to stop this practice despite evidence linking the use of pesticides and the drastic deterioration of the health of honeybees. With the continuation of the use of deadly pesticides and the vital role bees play in the pollination and development of our food crops, both the environment and our economy will be effected directly and face the potential for catastrophic results.
Americans, as a whole, are fat, over-indulged, lazy, entitled humans. As a whole, yes, yes Americans are all of these things. In 2004, Alison Motluk, a freelance journalist who writes for numerous magazines including the New Scientist, The Walrus, and The Economist, pens an article called “Supersize Me: It’s Time to Stop Blaming Fat People for Their Size.” Motluk blames the food industry for increased portions. She blames the food industry for unhealthy, addictive additives dumped into our food. She blames the food industry for easy access to fast food. She blames city growth for making it near impossible to walk to get food therefore, people have to drive to get sustenance. Motluk blames schools for fat children because physical education
Marijuana has had a negative appearance towards the public and government, but that all seems to be changing. Medical marijuana has started to have a huge impact on the United States and the world. It is a borderline substance that some people frown upon, but it has boosted the economy and has helped thousands of people across the United States overcome illnesses. But most people relate medical marijuana to recreational marijuana, which is still illegal in some states. Although many individuals find medical marijuana illegal, and unnecessary, it is a natural herb used to help symptoms caused by chronic illnesses. Over three million Americans use medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is the most widely used drug used to treat chronic illnesses. The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue here in America. Although, there are healthcare professionals that do believe that the use of medical marijuana can be very beneficial for certain patients. Just as there are benefits associated with the use of medical marijuana there are also negative effects associated with it.
If you had a choice between a burger and a bowl of crickets, I think I would know which you choose to eat. As disturbing as this sounds, in the near future we may not have that choice. With our annual protein consumption rising, and Europe’s protein sources decreasing, coupled with a growing population, we may have only one alternative… Insects.
Medical Marijuana Marijuana is a very hot topic and also brings a lot of controversy among the topics in the U.S today. Many believe it has medicinal benefits and should be made legal when necessary. Many believe it has a really high risk of abuse. Amongst those arguments, some of the ingredients in medical marijuana have presented a greater argument for possible legalization through their use of research and evidence of beneficial use. Those against medical marijuana have given many reasons for why it should not be legalized.
As time has progressed, there has always been an overarching need for high amounts of crop production throughout the world. With the rapid rate of population growth, the need for crops and other sources of nutrients is only increasing. In order to meet these high demands and increase yields, farmers and other agriculturalists have started implementing the use of pesticides. These chemical mixtures are being used in order to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pests from destroying growing crops. However, using pesticides on crops can create massive amounts of pollution, negatively affect an individual’s health, and can spark biodiversity loss within an ecosystem. According to Michael C.R. Alavanja, “Over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used within the United States (US) each year and approximately 5.6 billion pounds are used worldwide”. With all this in mind, it is clear that pesticides should not be made available to farmers and agriculturalists, and should
The term “organic” is almost everywhere in modern society, whether it’s used to promote a product or it’s debated on whether it really benefits the human diet. Organic food is heavily debated on as it appears more and more in local grocery stores and farmers markets begin to populate, it raises questions such as “Is organic food better than food grown with pesticides and biologically engineered genes?” and “Are there benefits to eating organically over foods grown in any other way?” In terms of what data and results show in research may help lead to answers to most of the heavily debated issues throughout discussions on organic food.
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
Is marijuana really as terrible as most people say? The marijuana industry is worth 141.80 billion dollars, and there are about 180.6 marijuana smokers in this world as of 2013 (24 Mind-Blowing Facts About Marijuana Production in America). Marijuana, more formally known as cannabis, is a very important crop in this world, and it should be legalized. Marijuana should be legalized because it is not dangerous, especially compared to the other legalized drugs out there today, such as alcohol and tobacco, it is beneficial, prohibition of marijuana is a useless waste of time and money, and because marijuana prohibition is unconstitutional.