carbon dioxide

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Obama’s Climate Change Plan

Davenport, C. (2015, August 3). 5 Questions About Obama’s Climate Change Plan. Retrieved November 21, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/04/us/politics/5-questions-about-obamas-climate-change-plan.html?_r=0

Following under the guidelines created by the Clean Air Act of 1970, Barack Obama has created a climate change plan. As carbon dioxide was labeled a dangerous contaminant, Obama is able to regulate carbon dioxide emissions without consent from Congress. This plan allows states flexibility in deciding how to reduce emissions, but requires that power plant emissions decrease by 32% by 2030. Opponents of the act are arguing that this plan takes advantage of the Clean Air Act.

This article is related to climate change as its results could decrease the repercussions of climate change and lead to other similar plans that will help further in the decrease of carbon dioxide emissions. While positive, there are many things the United States needs to do to reduce their carbon footprint and it will be necessary for the every day citizen to make the decision to help reduce their comsumption. The government can not do it all, but this is an important start in showing that climate change needs to be taken seriously.

 

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Higher Temperatures, Less Productive Crabs

Bhanoo, S. (2014, November 17). Warmer Waters Could Scuttle Activity of Crabs. Retrieved August 16, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/science/warmer-waters-could-scuttle-activity-of-crabs.html

The crabs that are found off of the coast of California are going to be able to survive.

the increased temperatures that will come with climate change, studies show. With more CO2

in the atmosphere, the oceans lower in pH due to the increased CO2. With lower pH, the

crabs are able to survive higher temperatures, but that comes with a price, as they become

more sluggish. This will likely lead to a drop off in reproduction, as the crabs will simply not

have as much time when they are more concerned with survival.

This article shows that climate change is related to environmental science because the

increase in CO2 responsible for climate change is affecting crabs that live up and down the

coast of the Americas. The increase in temperature will probably cause the population of the

50 or so species of small crab that live on the California coast to drastically decline within the

next 100 years. It is unfortunate that there is no way to save these essential animals without

stopping climate change.