As Arctic Warms, Increased Shipping Likely to Accelerate Climate ChangeSummary;
As we all know, the polar regions of Earth are melting. This is creating more waterways for ships, which can now travel through the top of the world, but the ships will bring with it air pollution that can accelerate climate changes in the world's northern areas. According to researchers, this could increase the warming by about 17-18 percent. Also, the ships operating near the Arctic are currently using advanced diesel engines that release black carbon into this sensitive region for climate change. This carbon acts like a heater that absorbs sunlight, and they will more quickly melt the ice.
Opinion;
What they are doing makes sense- by going through the Arctic, the ships are moving faster to the continents than by simply going around them, and this could save them fuel. While using less fuel, that's a few less tons of CO2 in the air. However, I still don't think that they should be doing this until we develop a new, greener way to transport goods from one place to the other. This way, we can eventually do this without worrying about melting even more ice, and killing more polar bears. Not only that, but unless the icebergs re-freeze again, Manhattan still has a chance of being completely submerged by the extra water.
Questions;
1- Do you think that what they're doing is a good idea?
2- Is there any way that we can stop the boaters from using this route?
3- How do you think we can reduce the releasing the black carbon?
4- Should the public be aware of this?
5- Which countries/continents would you assume be using this route?
Citations-
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101025161150.htm
(picture also came from this site)
These shipping lanes are definatly a smart idea. It will make the journey shorter and more efficient since they won't be using as much fuel. But these lanes are the effecting the enviroment. These new passages are caused by global warming which is melting most of the ice. We are losing many glaciers and is even effecting the arctic animals such as the polar bears. So I think the ships would do better off trying to help save the enviorment then helping their own buisness. Here is a link for a picture of what global warning has done to the enviroment and its surroundings. http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/the-polar-bears-are-fine-really_02032010
ReplyDeleteI have heard of this before. It frightens me that the earth is changing so fast because of human interactions.
ReplyDeletesome questions i have.
1)What is the difference between black carbon and regular carbon?
2)Why do we need ships going up to the Arctic?
3)How advance is our next best option to power ships and boats?
I agree with Eddie, this is a very frightening thing that people are knowingly destroying the ice caps. In essence, they are destroying the earth and they don't even care! It is horrible. I think that something should be done about this very soon. If nothing is done then our planet will be dead in a matter of decades. I hope that the EPA or another organisation will do something very soon, or we all will regret it.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few questions i have about this...
1. Why hasn't any organisation done anything yet?
2. How soon will it be before all the ice caps are gone?
3. Are the antarctic ice cps being destroyed as well?
4. Why can't the ships take another route?
Here is a link to a picture i found about this problem... http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2010/09/28/melting_ice_cap
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ReplyDeleteI definitely think that what they're doing isn't right at all. I definitely think that the shippings being done should be cut. And if not cut, then lessened. I also think that people should be taking shorter routes when there are shippings going out. en lessened. I get that if taking a route through the Arctic, the routes will be shorter. BUT, there's a really big downside. it's definitely going ot be throwing CO2 into the air straight, therefore heating up more right where the ice caps are and they're going to keep melting which leads to the fresh water we have frozen going into the oceans.
ReplyDeletehere's a link to an article and a picture of the studies that they're doing about this:
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/10/13/melting_ice_caps_open_up_shipping_routes/