Hey, people of the world, it's been a long time since we have posted. We will get better at posting weekly. Over the past few months, there is a bunch of news about climate change, but one thing that I want to especially talk about it is the Willow Project. I know the news about the Willow Project has faded, but I want to remind people about it and other people who do not know about it to learn about it. I also want to talk about carbon sinks, which are vital in combatting climate change.
What is the Willow Project? It is an oil drilling project in Alaska by the company ConocoPhillips. Over 600 barrels of oil would be produced in this area. The main benefit of this project is money, but the consequences significantly outweigh the benefits. Many environmentalists and Alaskan Natives are against the project because of the environmental consequences and habit loss. This project will add around 9.2 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, further accelerating the rate of climate change. It feels like we are going backward instead of going forward. Now, the project has started its construction in Alaska.
What are carbon sinks? Carbon sinks are the key to combatting climate change. It is a sink, that can be a biotic or an abiotic factor, that takes in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, ultimately reducing the effects of global warming, which also helps reduce climate change. If we establish more carbon sinks, it will help us combat climate change in a significant way. Some examples of carbon sinks are oceans, trees, forests, plants, salt marshes, and sea grass. This removal of carbon dioxide is known as carbon sequestration. The carbon that is removed is stored as biomass, soil, and organic matter. If we didn't have carbon sinks, the Earth would be extremely hot and Earth would become unhabitable,
And finally, here are some things that you can do to help out our environment:
You can recycle plastic water bottles and bags that have the recycle sign on them.
You can also help with clean clean-ups. There are plenty of clean-ups for beaches, roads, and many more.
You can also educate people.
You can use less plastic.
You can walk or bike. When you walk or bike, you don't release carbon emissions. In worst cases, use public transportation because many people use it, and it doesn't release more carbon dioxide.
You can plant plants.
You can conserve water to have water left, like taking 5-minute showers. You can buy reusable stuff, so you don't need to use too much plastic. You can participate in peaceful protests.
You can also talk to people who have more knowledge about climate change so that you can tell other people.
You can put a bucket in the shower when you shower, so you can use that water for your plants or clean something up.
You can buy local produce.
You can build a garden and grow fresh produce.
You can buy organic produce.
-Robotics Girl
References:
"Willow oil project in Alaska could have big climate impacts," CNN, 7 Mar. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/03/07/politics/willow-project-alaska-oil-explained-climate/index.html.
Smith, John. "Carbon Sinks and Their Importance in Combating Climate Change," Single Earth, 2023, www.single.earth/blog/carbon-sinks.
"Construction on Willow Oil Project in Alaska Underway," Business Wire, 9 May 2023, www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230509005467/en/Construction-on-Willow-Oil-Project-in-Alaska-Underway-an-Industrial-Info-News-Alert.
"Coastal Blue Carbon," NOAA's National Ocean Service, n.d., oceanservice.noaa.gov/ecosystems/coastal-blue-carbon/#:~:text=Salt%20marshes%2C%20mangroves%2C%20and%20seagrass,hundreds%20to%20thousands%20of%20years.
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