https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/carboncounter-app-lets-you-see-the-environmental-impact-of-your-car-092816.html
A group of researchers at MIT have created an app named CarbonCounter. The app factors in mileage, fuel type, and the greenhouse gases emitted during the car’s production to show "how different cars fall on the spectrum of greenhouse gas emissions." According to the article, many people are gaining awareness about the environmental impact of cars, so they want to make the most environment friendly purchase. Although electric cars may seem to be a better option, one's budget and location may rule out that option. The app displays a graph of the greenhouse emissions of a car in correlation with the cost. It also accounts for "region-specific factors that may influence a car's impact". Some study in association with the app has shown that cars with the lowest emissions were normally the most affordable. Personally,I find the app to be quite interesting. I think it will be useful for civilians as long as it displays accurate information. We should think about the environmental impact of the cars we purchase, and the app makes that thinking easier. Also, the creation of the app reveals the changing views about the environment in our society. People are becoming more conscious about the environment. Since the study shows that environment friendly cars are more affordable overall, more people should resort to purchasing these cars.
0 Comments
Image from Google
Even though we are suffering through the dangers of global warming, many people are skeptical about the process and believe in some myths. One such myth is that plants and animals can adapt to the changing environment and temperatures. Skeptics believe that trees, birds, mammals, and butterflies are adapting well to the changes. This, however, is not true. The fast pace of global warming and climate change does not allow species to adapt in the typical manner. In fact, ancient mass extinctions have largely correlated with global climate change. This means that plants and animals are not and will not be able to adapt to changing global conditions. Another common myth regarding climate change and global warming is that there is no consensus among scientists. Again, this is a false statement. In fact, surveys and expert opinions constantly have shown about 98% consensus that global warming is being caused by humans. In scientific fields, consensus is achieved when most scientists agree on an idea and stop arguing over it, and this agreement has been achieved on the issue of global warming. Climate consensus studies reveal that 90 to 100 percent of scientists surveyed agree that global warming is a human caused event. Also, the consensus is higher with scientists who have greater climate expertise. http://www.dw.com/en/iron-ore-mining-resumes-in-indias-goa-amid-environmental-concerns/a-19554530 Iron ore mining has resumed in Goa, India after the government ban has been lifted. Goa is a state in India, and it is largely dominated by the mining business. The "mining mafia" that exists in the state of Goa has committed many environmental and legal violations. Mining had been banned after environmentalists protested in 2012; however, it has been reopened in the hope of increasing exports. The government has also proposed some restrictions on the mining to ensure resources are available for future generations. These restrictions may not be enough though.
Opening mining in Goa, India is definitely an environmental concern. Although some limitations have been imposed, there is no assurance that resources will be secured. I think that the government must take serious action on the issue rather than considering economic profit. The limitations should be increased rather than being decreased as is believed by the mining industry. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/08/europe/russia-red-river-siberia/index.html
The Daldykan River in Siberia has turned blood red because of pollution. Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment believes that the water may have reddened due to discharge from "an unidentified chemical" from the nearby Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant. The plant which is owned by the world's largest nickel producer, Norlisck Nickel, has denied such opinions, and has stated that the pollution was not caused by the company. According to residents of the area, this is not the first time the water has turned red. Luckily, the red river is not posing an immediate threat to the residents as it is not connected to the public water supply. The red river in Russia is an example of the extensive water pollution across the globe. We are not treating the environment correctly, and we will eventually have to suffer if we do not attempt to reduce damage and prevent further destruction. I believe it is quite likely that the factory is the cause of this incident because " Norlisck nickel has often been associated with pollution". Although the residents are not directly affected by the river's condition, the river must still be treated immediately as it is possibly affecting animals and plants. A strong initiative to prove the correct cause of this devastating occurrence must be taken. By determining the accurate cause, such incidents will hopefully be prevented in the future. http://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html H & M, a popular fast fashion retail company, has launched their "Conscious Collection" line which reuses old clothes to create new pieces. It promises sustainable fashion which truly does not exist in the world. Only 0.1 percent of clothing collected by charities and companies is recycled into new textile fiber, and H&M does not differ. It uses a similar process, and barely any salvaged clothing is truly recycled. According to the EPA, "84% of unwanted clothes went into either a landfill or incinerator" in 2012. The natural fibers used in clothes produce the greenhouse gas, methane, when they are degrading. Also, burning the clothes can release toxins in the air. Synthetic fibers are similarly an environmental threat as they take hundreds or thousands of years to degrade since they are essentially a type of plastic. The Newsweek article reveals that Americans are "blithely trashing more clothes than ever. In less than 20 years, the volume of clothing Americans toss each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons, or an astounding 80 pounds per person." I found the article to be quite interesting. Normally when we brainstorm environmental troubles, we do not consider fashion to be one. H&M has a great idea to help the environment, but I do not think the company will be able to fulfill the promise of sustainable fashion. After reading this article, I think that we should all rethink tossing large amounts of clothing. The statistics presented in the article are extremely shocking to me as 80 pounds of clothes are tossed per person. The statistic reveals the overuse and incorrect use of the resources available to us. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2017
Categories |