A material designed to be durable and reusable, not disposable: Proposition to Reduce Consumption of Single Use Plastic During the first World War, Leo Baekeland created the first fully synthetic plastic in an effort to create a substitute for limited natural resources (Knight, 2). The public’s plastic market however, did not pick up speed until the mid-1950s when large oil industries began to popularize single use and packaging plastic (Roland Geyer, et al. 2). This exponential demand for plastic, however, is matched with increased carbon emission in the atmosphere contributing to climate change. Although the use of plastic is cheaper and easier than other alternatives, it is important to reconsider our dependence on the use of plastic because it is adding to the problem of climate change. There are two mainstream solutions that combat greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by single use plastic production. One approach is to move towards biodegradable alternatives and the other is to eliminate the use of single use (non-reusable) plastic altogether. Campaigns to move towards biodegradable alternatives are popular among grassroot efforts, such as online petitions, and through initiatives made by private companies to research and implement environmentally friendly alternatives. Though a step in the right direction, biodegradable plastic is not an ideal solution because biodegradable plastic still releases hazardous gases into the atmosphere. Further, biodegradables do not readily decompose, and they are more expensive to make. A more effective approach is eliminating the use of single-use plastic through state government regulation. The problem is that these efforts are only feasible with states that prioritize environmental policy. The optimal solution based on the current efforts is for states to continue enforcing single use plastic bans, as exemplified through California’s Senate Bill 54 (SB54) banning plastic bags. Other states will require modifications or incentives to replicate similar single use plastic ban legislation, but, as the examples from California attest, such legislation can succeed once in action. 1 Tang 1 Yusheng Tang Sarah Hanson-Kegerreis Writing 39C January 26 2020 Perception of the devastating effects that climate change has on ecosystems. Introduction As the models of climate change begin to become realized, there was always hope that to some degree that as the ‘symptoms’ became more evident that the audience or indeed our world population, would become more pliable to necessary change. Quite the opposite has happened, with the tools of communication like social media making the dissemination of disinformation easier and gradual changes in our climate more often than not simply explained away. The consequences of this, when we consider our modeling for the near future, will be dramatically apparent with the effects of altered ecosystems devastating species across the globe. In this paper, we explore these effects, the question of focus on everyone’s mind is, at what point will the changes be so evident that change in anthropogenic habits will occur. Identifying the threat One of the greatest potential threats to consider is climate change when observing global biodiversity (Peers). Still, from the public perception, effects on the ecosystem thus far have been quite invisible, under the protection of naivety that most of the general population commits to on a day-to-day basis. Most dealings of the average person with any part of ecosystems are, in most part, conducted through an intermediately such as produce sellers or supermarkets. This body blinds a majority of the population to any changes in their products, surplus, and deficits that get experienced as a result of climate change on ecosystems. There are critical gaps in the ultimate effects of climate change. Climate change has already affected our planet’s biodiversity in a magnitude of variation (Tolley); the evidence is there for those Tang 2 that seek it. The effect Recent research suggests that there are current and progressive changes in the ecosystem that could affect how and what we can fish and, most importantly, in what quantities. Víkingsson, in a collaborative effort between several well-recognized marine and scientific institutions based in Iceland, has been studying the diets of “feeding ecology of the common minke whales” in Icelandic shelf waters in an attempt to identify changes in variations and possible causes (138-152). The data suggests that there is a progressive change in diet and that herring, which were previously only ingested at 1%, are now ingested at a rate of 9% of their total diet. This is significant because the result of prey potentially changing the consistencies of their diets will cause a shift in the local ecosystem and knock-on effects in migratory patterns. Those prey that would have relied on herring as a food source for survival will now also need to adapt or risk extinction; each link in the food chain is at risk, including humans who fish at ratios to maintain healthy ecosystems. These adaptations in the diet are in apparent response not only to natural factors they would have expected to find, but also predictive of climatedriven changes. There are progressive changes that are forcing not only patterns of adaptiveness in ecosystems to survive but also direct modifications to the physiology and the health status of animals within the food chain - in this case, identified in the minke whale. We also know that 76% of world fisheries production gets used for human consumption with the other 24% used in other materials and processes (Brander). As well as the human-driven climate change other factors must be considered such as the populations increase in fishing amounts. Graph 1 World fisheries production from capture fisheries (open squares) and aquaculture (crosses). (Left) Global totals, including China. (Right) Global totals, excluding China (because of doubts over the reliability of the statistics) and showing the marine (black) and inland (red) production separately. Note that the right-hand scale applies for aquaculture (crosses). Tang 3 Source: Brander, K M. “Global fish production and climate change.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 104,50 (2007): 19709-14. doi:10.1073/pnas.0702059104 Even if we were only to consider the effect that reduced unsustainable fishing would have on life as we know it, the potential impact on humans is seemingly adverse. Then to imagine the domino effect this could have on every species in our biodiverse ecosystem, suffering from a multitude of causal factors, including that of human-driven climate change. The consequences have the potential to be dire. Therefore significant action in the future will need to address how the damage that has happened to this delicate ecosystem will have the same echoic effect for centuries on human health and physiology. There is a great difficulty attempting to persuade the general population of the relatively microscopic changes in a food chain. This is even more so when they get asked to consider events taking place in a far distinct corner ice shelf in Iceland. To combat this, introducing more realistic and visual changes may be of crucial priority. Majolo has identified changes in activity budgets in Barbary Macaques, which have been affected by climate change (500–514). Majolo suggests by measuring specific environmental pressure points that the species were susceptible to highly variable seasonal climatic conditions (500–514). It can be extrapolated that identifying terms and states for species effect is vital in the beginning to rationalize the consequences on the world at large. Ecological pressure is one of these such terms, popularizing the term and broadcasting it with the effects of declining species numbers could Tang 4 prove a successful method of ‘marketing’ reduction in human-driven climate change. Tolley further drives this point, with data from Sceloporus Lizards, who are ectotherms and rely on their behavior to maintain physiological homeostatic states (1–2). They found that the direct consequence of this species, unable to change their activity budget to suit climate change, was leading to local extinctions where temperature differences had been at their largest. Hence there needs to be a consideration of how time budgets will differ among many species, including humans as human-driven climate change continues to progress and ecological pressures build. Adaptations When fighting against the consistent misinformation spread in regards to climate change, it can be easy to see that with progressive change and patterns in ecosystems, how the ill-informed may get led astray. Peers gives a great example of this, as he identifies the Snowshoe Hare, which experiences regular population cycles that occur over 10-year periods (430–434). More importantly, though, Peers offers the readers an insight into the potential adaptivity and plasticity of species such as the hares. Plasticity is often understood from different perspectives, but what this paper explores is the ability of a species to biologically respond in response to variation in the environment (Forsman). So with this in mind, we have got two massive shifts in our ecosystems; firstly, those animals that can adapt and have some element of plasticity to ecological pressures will hopefully do so. Secondly, those species identified as maladaptive will get potentially wiped out as a result of a lack of action, consequently from misinformation dissemination. Through forecasting, there’s the possibility that maybe the population has a chance of also adapting to these changes if well informed after all, humans are apart of many of these ecosystems. Scholars in the fields of ecology forecast specific potential changes to ecosystems and species. Thomas, Chris D., et al, a group of ecologists from around the world, identified in their study that among the factors not considered were genetic adaptations while predicting Tang 5 extinction rates in species (145–148). Thomas, Chris D., et al suggest that assumptions about a species tolerance are wholly incorrect, with diversification through sub-population species occurring, as opposed to the traditional view of their existing only one climate envelope for a specific species(145–148). Therefore when we consider the impact of misinformation, we need to look at not only an uneducated public perspective but also that perspective of the potential researcher. What actions must follow While both forecasting and adopting terminology for proper use are great starts to building evidence for change, targeted problem-solving in an attempt to slow this drive change is a priority. Harte, John, et al. have suggested that species salvation lies within the ability for us to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon (1). They also identify regional differences, similar to that of a subpopulation, and modified the ‘Red Data Book’ for their use of considering the role of conservation planning factors. The ‘Red Data Book’ (RDB) is a peer-reviewed list of all animals currently known in the world. It lists their current populations compared to their previous, among other criteria, to estimate extinction rates. Along with monitoring the impact of climate change and other causal factors of species decrease and extinction, the RDB makes the situation clear. That species decline affects the anthropogenic ecosystem as well; in simple layman’s terms, humans are attempting to estimate how badly they’ve messed up. Conclusion All of this brings us to a full circle conclusion that species and ecosystems alike are under severe pressures both from factors we understand and some that we do not, to adapt and change or risk extinction. We know that anthropogenic driven climate change is a certain factor that influences the progression rate, and we understand that some species can adapt, and some can not. This can also depend on the location of a species, as we move away from the historical Tang 6 theory of climate envelopes. Forecasting and predicting the extinction rates, and their impacts upon the entire chain is a necessary task, with recommendations of slowing the change. What is left for us to do now is to convey this in a way which cuts out the middleman and to make the general population ‘see again’ and emphasize a checks and balance system. This is the only way that we can ensure good quality of life for humans for years to come, but also to the many species in the ecosystem whom we share our world with and have come to rely on. Tang 7 Works Cited Brander, K M. “Global fish production and climate change.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 104,50 (2007): 19709-14. doi:10.1073/pnas.0702059104 Forsman, A. “Rethinking phenotypic plasticity and its consequences for individuals, populations and species.” Heredity vol. 115,4 (2015): 276-84. doi:10.1038/hdy.2014.92 Harte, John, et al. “Biodiversity Conservation: Climate Change and Extinction Risk.” Nature, vol. 430, no. 6995, July 2004, p. 1. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/nature02718. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=13610583&site=e host-live&scope=site Majolo, Bonaventura, et al. “The Effect of Climatic Factors on the Activity Budgets of Barbary Macaques ( Macaca Sylvanus).” International Journal of Primatology, vol. 34, no. 3, June 2013, pp. 500–514. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10764-013-9678-8. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=da1850fc-14aa-4ede-8ed877324fc1aec9%40pdc-vsessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=87710259 &db=a9h Peers, Michael J. L. “Predicting the Fitness Effects of Climate Change on Snowshoe Hares.” Arctic, vol. 70, no. 4, Dec. 2017, pp. 430–434. EBSCOhost, doi:10.14430/arctic4691. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=127326065&site= ehost-live&scope=site Thomas, Chris D., et al. “Extinction Risk from Climate Change.” Nature, vol. 427, no. 6970, Jan. 2004, pp. 145–148. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/nature02121. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=11862252&site=e host-live&scope=site Tang 8 Tolley, Krystal A. “Can Lizards Beat the Heat, or Will They Go Extinct?” South African Journal of Science, vol. 106, no. 5/6, May 2010, pp. 1–2. EBSCOhost, doi:10.4102/sajs.v106i5/6.278. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=52840740&site=e host-live&scope=site Víkingsson, Gísli A, Elvarsson, Bjarki Þór, Ólafsdóttir, Droplaug, Sigurjónsson, Jóhann, Chosson, Valerie, Galan, Anton. "Recent changes in the diet composition of common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in Icelandic waters. A consequence of climate change?"Marine Biology Research. Feb2014, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p138-152. 15p. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=90478522&site=e host-live&scope=site Tang 9 Dear Yushen, You bring together salient sources and perspectives in this draft, and you are using signal phrases effectively to introduce each source and example. You’ve also selected a salient figure to add multimodality to this draft, and your caption effectively contextualizes this figure. You’re also using subheadings to organize the paper. I’ve made comments in the margins above. Bolded words and phrases in my marginal notes correspond to the global and local aspects outlined on the Comment Key, which you can find under the Writing & Style Guides page on Canvas. Before getting to the problem of public perception, consider how you could further develop your discussion of ways that climate change affects biodiversity. You’re doing a nice job of bringing in evidence that addresses different species and ecosystems, though further analysis or explanation of the arguments of these sources would help to contextualize the relationship between biodiversity and climate change. You bring up adaptability, climate envelopes, plasticity, extinction, and other concepts central to contextualizing biodiversity as a topic, though your discussion of the sources could often go into greater detail to define these concepts and to explain how they demonstrate important aspects of biodiversity. There were places to expand your discussion of the extent that animals are able to adapt to the changes wrought by climate change. In terms of global aspects, one area to continue to think about as we move into the Advocacy Project is your introductory paragraph. There was room to develop both your intro and the thesis in this CP. You could think of the thesis as providing a sort of ‘roadmap’ to your paper: it should be specific so that your reader gets a sense of your main points and can anticipate what’s to come in the body of the paper. In terms of more local aspects, continue to watch out for usages of vague pronouns, especially “they” or “them.” Consider replacing these pronouns with words that more precisely state what you mean to improve clarity. You could take your Advocacy Project in a number of directions. For instance, you could address efforts to educate the public on climate change (and specifically on how climate change affects biodiversity), or your AP could focus on on-the-ground efforts for the protection and management of certain ecosystems. You could also propose a combination of these approaches. It might be interesting to continue to think about how the RDB can be used to publicize the problem. My comments correspond to the rubric below. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions on this feedback, the Comment Key, or any of the resources posted to Canvas Tang 10 Tang 11 Process Work for the Contexts Project: All completed on time. Week 1 Self-Assessment Topic Check-In (post and reply) CP Annotated Bibliography CP Draft 1 Mid-CP Reflection CP Draft 2 (Peer Review) CP Peer Review Reflection and Action Plan Context Project Total Grade: B+ (26.25/30)
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