Finding a Better Message on the Risks of Climate Change

Jack Lindenman
Toomey, D. (2013, September 12). Finding a Better Message onThe Risks of Climate Change. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://e360.yale.edu/features/dan_kahan_interview_better_message_risks_climate_change

1. What you already knew

I already knew that there was a divide in the United States among people believing and taking climate change seriously. What I initially thought it was due to was that many people did not feel that it had a significant short-term impact and that they believed there were more pressing matters. The science is there and very accessible to everyone and everyone seems to know climate change is legitimate, but there is a backlash. This backlash I thought was due to what people in power, who profit from markets that influence climate change, say in the media and news that leads others to believe them.

2. What you learned

Through this article, I learned that a defining factor as to whether someone will accept climate change or not is what cultural group someone belongs to. There are two cultural groups defined here, which are “individualism” and “communitarianism.” Those who belong to each of those groups have already preconceived notions on what is good and bad in marketplaces that result in climate change. Individualistic people are more concerned with themselves and their activities. If they are told that certain aspects of their lifestyle, which add to their sense of wellbeing, are damaging the environment, they are not going to listen to those sources. Instead, they will listen to people of their cultural group and hear their outlook. Communitarian type people will instead care about the wellbeing of others and see themselves as one person in a group of many. They will instead be more concerned about how things affect the collective instead of just themselves. This results in those who are part of this group to be more supportive of combating climate change. Those in each of those groups are often scared to speak out against what the overarching group believes. This was seen in a case study of Bob Inglis, a conservative congressman from South Carolina, who had great political ratings among his conservative followers. Once he said that climate change will impact and damage many people and should be considered a serious topic, he was voted out of office and essentially abandoned by his cultural group. There was also the idea that how climate change is framed impacts the amount of polarization there is on the issue. In an experiment, when subjects were given three different articles relating to climate change, the one on how to deal with the problem in a way that does change our habits was the least polarizing. This shows some promise in how to go about solving and presenting climate change. So, to sum it up, it is not the science that is being debated. It is where people are getting their source of science. There are no scientists on TV discussing climate change; others who share the same cultural values as themselves instead bring the science to viewers.

3. Relevance to this class or topic we are covering

This is relevant to our class overall because we were discussing in an earlier class why it is that climate change is not accepted or thought of as an immediate threat by our country. This idea was never brought up. It is an extremely important concept though because it helps us understand where the divide is and why it is there. In class now, we can have a better framework in coming up with ideas to which we can create a framing that appeals to both cultural groups. We can study climate change and it’s impacts all we want, but it will do little good unless it can be presented in a way that has mass appeal.

4. Thoughts

This article is extremely important in understanding one aspect of how climate change should be framed to certain groups. While it is definitely not comprehensive, it gives an overview that is generally easy to follow and straightforward. Understanding the nuances of why people are reluctant to accept climate change is important and any study will be useful in combating this global issue and debate.

"Nanotech: The Unknown Risks"

Taylor Matalon
Bass, Carole. “Nanotech: The Unknown Risks.” Yale E360, 23 June 2008, e360.yale.edu/features/nanotech_the_unknown_risks.

Before reading this article, I was aware of the growing popularity and ubiquitous use of nanotechnologies not only in medicine and environmental engineering, but also in an increasing amount of household products. I was not aware of the extent of the extreme health risks to both human users and various other ecosystems. I also learned about how involved governments were in the restriction, regulation, and funding of research within this field. For example, the US government spends over $1.5 billion on nanotech research each year. 

Nanotech is relevant to our class because it has a powerful and palpable potential to bring about new and cutting-edge sustainable technologies and environmental engineering projects. The article cites efficient and affordable solar panels as well as water filtration systems as projects that could benefit greatly from using nanotech. 

I think that nanotech should be continued to be researched, funded, and utilized, but like any other emerging technology, extensive testing should be done to ensure the safety and implications of such a technology. It is incredibly space and cost efficient, and if we can get it right, nanotech could usher in a new era of sustainable tech.

Boom in Rare Earth Mining Poses Mounting Toxic Risks

Gabby Carlini

“Boom in Mining Rare Earths Poses Mounting Toxic Risks.” Yale E360, e360.yale.edu/features/boom_in_mining_rare_earths_poses_mounting_toxic_risks.

1. I already knew that the waste byproducts from mining pose environmental threats, and that overseas mining is not nearly as closely regulated as mining in the United States, meaning that local communities are often severely affected by the environmental impacts. I also knew that the market for rare earth elements in industries such as electronics has created a massive global demand for these materials.
2. I learned that rare earth elements are actually very common in the environment, but are called "rare" due to the difficulty of extracting them. The chemical byproducts of mining these elements are not only toxic to the environment, but radioactive, meaning that mining companies have almost no way of safely dispose of them. In countries like China, where rare earth mining has been prevalent for decades, local communities are beginning to suffer from the effects of radioactive chemicals leaching into the groundwater and soil. While many mining companies assured locals that the chemicals were safely contained in a reservoir, monsoons and heavy flooding have resulted in runoff into nearby soil.
3. This is relevant because it addresses the issue of wealthier countries essentially "shipping off" ecological damage to poorer countries in an effort to get around environmental regulations and higher taxes. In addition to the local communities being harmed by the byproducts of rare earth mining, they also receive little payback due to the fact that the elements being mined are used to build high-end electronics, which typically only have a market in developed countries.
4. While this is a concerning issue, I wish that the article had delved farther into the actual scientific research behind what's happening in these environments, or explored the economic reasons why this is happening in the first place. The article was a good general overview of the situation, but lacked a foundation in strong scientific research that would have really made the case.

In the Sierras, New Approaches to Protecting Forests Under Stress

1. I already knew about the dramatically declining forest population numbers, especially in the United States. Due to previous research experience, I was aware of the methods which are used by restoration ecologists and the general ideas which they use to govern their practice – that of reintroducing all the species which existed in a given habitat before human practice altering that composition. I was also aware that climate change was causing heat waves, droughts, insects plagues and wildfires. I had read about the vast wildfires which are currently affecting the Sierra-Nevada region and the reason for them being that there is lots of dry brush and natural burning of that has been suppressed.

2. I learned about the realignment approach - how it differs, and is aided by a resistance and resilience approach. The resistance and resilience approach involves forest thinning (getting rid of that dry brush) and the creation of a vulnerability map in order to help choose what areas need the mechanical help of brush removal most. The realignment approach involves actively moving populations – sometimes through physically assisted migration – in order to create populations in the boundaries of a species habitat that are strong and will survive. Sometimes the realignment approach actually involves looking at the fossil record to understand exactly where populations have existed in the past and the potential usage of those areas in the future to establish populations in conditions which are optimal. Since climate change is changing the conditions of current habitats, it is these boundaries in the fossil record which might be necessary since temperature fluctuations like this have occurred in the 2.6 million years which Sequoias have been around.

3. This is relevant to class because it relates to the resilience of a ecosystem and how to increase the resilience of that ecosystem. This piece primarily discusses the environmental risk of wildfires and how to both reduce them and help the forest populations survive. Because of global climate change, caused by society we are experiencing more of these environmental risks which could be reduced through sustainability. Additionally, this article discusses the usage of knowledge from paleoecologists in order to better understand the adaptive cycles of the Sequoia ecosystem and what they both can withstand and cannot withstand according to the fossil record.

4. I think that this concept of using realignment, and sometimes physically assistant migration, as a way to save populations of trees is interesting and a tactic that could sound great on paper but be very difficult in practice. Essentially, this process will still utilize restoration ecology, which is a very challenging process in combination with finding new lands for these forests to survive on. I could not quite understand if the process is already underway or if there are just plans in place in the case that experts decide that it is necessary to start establishing native populations elsewhere. I do think that this article brings up a very important point in that when looking at how to handle this drastic climate change we should consult the fossil record. While our climate change is going to be more dramatic than what is “natural”, we can better understand how to help populations adapt to their best ability through looking at what strategies flora and fauna used in the past.

Chapter 4 Article - William Franke

William Franke
Robbins, J. (2015, July 13). Resilience: A New Conservation Strategy for a Warming World. Retrieved January 29, 2018, from http://e360.yale.edu/features/resilience_a_new_conservation_strategy_for_a_warming_world

1. I was already aware of the fact that climate change has been causing a decrease in biodiversity as well as the relocation of some species.
2. From this article I learned that abiotic factors can be a good measure of of biodiversity. Historically, scientists have looked at biotic factors the biodiversity of an ecosystem. However, these biotic factors carry with them a large degree of uncertainty and make it difficult accurately predict biodiversity in a certain. A new method has revealed that abiotic factors such as geology, elevation, and landscape provide a much much accurate read of biodiversity within a specific area. By preserving areas with high biodiversity as indicated by abiotic factors, these areas are most resilient and have the best chance of surviving the adverse effects of climate change.
3. This relates to class content because it covers the topic of resilience. Resilience is important because in a world where the climate is changing, only the most resilient ecosystems and communities will be able to adapt. There are many ways to measure resilience as this article points out, although some are more effective than others.
4. One of the main critiques of the article is that even though abiotic factors are a good way to measure biodiversity, they neglect to account for important biotic considerations. Some conservation groups are buying land and creating wildlife reserves in specific areas based on the biodiversity indicated by abiotic factors. These groups of people hope the reserves they set up will be most resilient against the future effects of climate change. While this plan will help preserve biodiversity of these areas in the future, it neglects to address the need for protection of species who are currently endangered.

Provocative New Study Warns of Crossing Planetary Boundaries

Talene Tse

Zimmer, C. (2009, September 23). Provocative New Study Warns of Crossing Planetary Boundaries. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from http://e360.yale.edu/features/provocative_new_study_warns_of_crossing_planetary_boundaries

1. I knew that carbon dioxide emissions, ocean acidification, and species extinction were important environmental problems.

2. 27 environmental scientist published a paper outlining nine environmental thresholds that our earth would not be able to recover from. The threshold were in the areas of climate change, ocean acidity, the ozone layer, freshwater use, the movement of nitrogen and phosphorus, the amount of land used for crops, aerosols, biodiversity, and chemical pollution. We have already passed the thresholds on carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, and species extinction. While some scientist lauded the article, many pointed out that it is difficult to evaluate tipping points exactly. It is unlikely we have the knowledge available to accurately predict these measures. Furthermore, the authors note that their publication could be a source of optimism because humans were able to halt ozone depletion when it was identified as a global problem. Others argue that we cannot halt other environmental issues like melting ice caps even if we stopped all pollution at this moment.

3. This article allows us to identify important areas of environmental change and evaluate the risk that continued pollution in these areas poses to the ability for humans to support ourselves on this planet. Further, we can think about the nine areas identified in terms of resilience. The ozone has high resilience as it is able to grow back. On the other hand, it is impossible to refreeze icebergs or bring back extinct species.

4. I wish the article contained more information about how the scientists reached their conclusions. It only details their findings. Further, the article was written 9 years ago, and I would be interested to know if the scientists have published a follow up to their research.

e360 articles for Chpt. 4

Resilience: A New Conservation Strategy for a Warming World <http://e360.yale.edu/features/resilience_a_new_conservation_strategy_for_a_warming_world>

A Development Expert Relies On the Resilience of Villagers <http://e360.yale.edu/features/a_development_expert_relies_on_the_resilience_of_villagers>

In the Sierras, New Approaches to Protecting Forests Under Stress <http://e360.yale.edu/features/in-the-sierras-new-thinking-on-protecting-forests-under-stress>

Nanotech: The Unknown Risks <http://e360.yale.edu/features/nanotech_the_unknown_risks>

Asia’s Fragile Caves Face New Risks from Development <http://e360.yale.edu/features/asias_fragile_caves_face_new_risks_from_development>

Boom in Mining Rare Earths Poses Mounting Toxic Risks <http://e360.yale.edu/features/boom_in_mining_rare_earths_poses_mounting_toxic_risks>

Finding a Better Message on The Risks of Climate Change <http://e360.yale.edu/features/dan_kahan_interview_better_message_risks_climate_change>

Is Climate Change Putting World’s Microbiomes at Risk? <http://e360.yale.edu/features/is_climate_change_putting_world_microbiomes_at_risk>

Provocative New Study Warns of Crossing Planetary Boundaries <http://e360.yale.edu/features/provocative_new_study_warns_of_crossing_planetary_boundaries>

The High Environmental Cost Of Illicit Marijuana Cultivation

Evan Miranda

Toomey, Diane. “The High Environmental Cost Of Illicit Marijuana Cultivation.” Yale E360, 2015 e360.yale.edu/feature/the_high_environmental_cost_of_illicit_marijuana_cultivation/2895/.

1. I'm well versed in marijuana legislation and the various impacts illegal activities throughout the supply chain can have on the environment. These impacts can be traced to something as basic as supply and demand and the control of prices. If there's a large enough demand (which there surely is) associated with a low supply (those growers who risk incarceration and tough growing cycles), then the operation continues.

2. Something I learned was just how much water marijuana plants need to grow healthily and the amount of pesticides being used in illegal operations. Eight to ten gallons of water per day per plant is even more than grapes require, and most of the time this water is being taken from natural resources. In places like California, the usual drought could spell disaster for many ecosystems due to this drainage of water. Whatever water is left then carries pesticides and fertilizers into ecosystems where it's transferred across various food chains.

3. This article is relevant to our class because it talks about the unsustainable practices of marijuana cultivation, a widely used and accepted plant, and the ways in which these unsustainable practices cause harm to the environment. Even beyond the makeshift roads and deforestation, things one can easily see, there is widespread drought, loss of species and increases in toxicity that are only perpetuated by these harmful growing practices.

4. I agree that the "quasi-legal status of marijuana cultivation impedes the ability to address its environmental harm." If marijuana was regulated at both the state and federal levels, things like water consumption and pesticide use could be controlled. Not to mention many of the operations could be conducted inside to further reduce environmental harm (assuming the energy for lights and pumps comes from renewable sources). I also think there needs to be a greater focus on cleanup efforts for what's already been harmed; this must be an extremely tough subject for a government that was super anti-weed not even a few years ago.

The World at 7 Billion: Can We Stop Growing Now?

“The World at 7 Billion: Can We Stop Growing Now?” Yale E360, e360.yale.edu/features/the_world_at_7_billion_can_we_stop_growing_now.

1.     What You Already Knew

I already knew that the population of the planet has increased at alarming rates in the last 60 years and that while it took until the 19^th century to gain the first billion people, since then the population has increased by almost 6 billion people. I also knew that this increase in population had a major impact on Earth systems as humans used up resources at an increased rate. With our increased consumption, we have also greatly impacted other species that live on the planet.

2.     What you learned

The debate over whether the large human population or the way each individual uses resources is an important one. As the human population grows, we need to pay attention to the fact that it is almost impossible for every individual to live sustainably. While the number of people compared to the area of land that humans cover on the planet is not very large, the way we demand resources from the planet is becoming concerning. As countries develop and people have access to more resources, it is only natural for people to use more of them. Even if populations grow without increased per capita consumption, it is often followed by bursts of increased consumption as economic development takes place in those areas. A lot of the world’s resources are predicted to become scarce within the century. While it isn’t possible to stop the growth of human population immediately, we can put in measures to ensure that this growth eventually stops. Women’s rights are an important step in the right direction to help secure the future of the planet.

3.     Relevance to this class or topic we are covering

This article focuses on the ways we can work towards a sustainable future for the planet, referring to the different ways we can use sustainable practices and technologies to help secure the future of the planet. It refers to topics discussed later in Chapter 5 about demographics and how we can build a better society to reach a sustainable future.

4.     Thoughts

I think that this article brings to light some important points on the debate on the issue of whether population growth or the way we use resources is leading to reduced sustainability. It notes that it is becoming increasingly difficult to live sustainably as countries develop and people have access to more resources. I agree that it is important to set systems to help ensure a sustainable planet in the future. I also think that relying on and hoping that technology will reach a point to help achieve sustainable use of resources is dangerous and that we should work on things that we know are under our control. 

Consumption Dwarfs Population as Main Environmental Threat

Ryan Kenney

Pearce, F. Consumption Dwarfs Population as Main Environmental Threat. Yale E360(2009). Available at: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/consumption_dwarfs_population_as_main_environmental_threat/2140/. (Accessed: 22nd January 2018)

1. Before reading this article, I had some prior understanding of the potential consequences concerning overpopulation. Put simply, the exponential increase of the human population will cause a plethora of geographic and humanitarian issues regarding adequate food and water availability, disease spread, quality of life, etc. In addition, I know from this course that consumption is an emerging issue especially with regards to us as Americans.

2. After reading the piece, I had a profoundly new understanding of the issues at hand.  Author Fred Pearce opens with his theory that overconsumption, not population growth, that is the true problem facing humanity. As we talked about in class, the amount of goods that are consumed by individuals in developed countries like United States results in an extreme disproportionate in regards to per capita impact on the environment. In fact, this extreme resource consumption is so high that the world’s richest half billion people are responsible for 50% of total CO₂ emissions (Pearce). I also found it troubling that one American produces as much CO₂  as “four Chinese, 20 Indians, or 250 Ethiopians” (Pearce). While the rise in overall global population is certainly going to cause a plethora of issues in the coming future, I feel this statistic effectively summarizes Pearce’s thesis. In addition, it is the United States who is dubbed the world’s largest consumer. Beyond just emissions, the U.S. is the largest consumer of most of the world’s commodities, including corn, coffee, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, rubber, oil seeds, and oil/natural gas (Pearce).

3. I feel this is directly relevant to the issues of sustainability we cover in this course. The concept of sustainable consumption habits and resource usage is one that will be extremely important in coming years as humans continue to impact the environment more severely. With the United States as the world’s largest consumer, it is crucial that environmental science students understand the magnitude of our current unsustainable consumption rate.

4. I thought Pearce’s explanation of environmental scientist Garret Hardin’s concept of “lifeboat ethics”. In a resource constrained world, “Each rich nation can be seen as a lifeboat full of comparatively rich people. In the ocean outside each lifeboat swim the poor of the world, who would like to get in” (Pearce). With resources as the so-called lifeboat  only possible to support a finite amount of people, the rich people are already “in the boat”. Interesting to think about and effectively explains the issue.