Liv Cappello 9/4/13
Chemistry IH / C Block (Even) Mr.
Ippolito
Galbraith,
Kate. "Wildfires and Climate Change." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 4 Sept. 2013. Web. 04 Sept. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/business/energy-environment/wildfires-and-climate-change.html?ref=science>.
Major wildfires are spreading
throughout the United States and much of the world due to intrusions by humans
in forests, alterations in forest ecology, and most of all, climate change.
Wildfires have always occurred throughout the world, but their patterns are
changing to due to the intrusion of humans. Humans are largely responsible for
many forest fires, whether the cause is accidental or intentional. An
accidental fire normally occurs when people try to suppress smaller fires,
which lead to “buildups of burnable brush” that can cause huge fires when
sparked. People most times try to clear land by setting fires, which cause
forests to dry out. For example, in the Amazon, moisture is recycled, so if
there is less forest to do the recycling, land becomes dry and more vulnerable.
Climate change has the most harmful effects from wildfires. A paper published
in the ‘Ecosphere’ journal says that “climate change has effects on wildfires
that varies widely, especially in accordance with that area’s precipitation
patterns.” In areas such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and in Artic regions, there is
much carbon-rich peat soil. This soil, when burned, creates massive fires which
emit vast amounts of greenhouse gas. Recently, fires in Indonesia have caused
bad air quality and haze problems, leading to major health and economic
concerns. Similar concerns are also spreading in the US. Fires in San Francisco
caused ash to contaminate the city’s water supply, and the quality of air and
infrastructure are instable in other parts of the US. Ultimately, climate
change is heating up and drying out many areas throughout the world, which can
all simply be reduced by stopping human intrusion in forest areas.
Wildfires are very dangerous and
affect many people around the world. It is important to know about these
conditions, not only to prevent any activities that can cause wildfires, but to
be aware that conditions like this are active around us in the United States
and in foreign countries. In this article, humans are blamed for the cause of
these massively destructive fires. The article was written in part as a call to
action to prevent the causes of wildfires and to stop preventable fires from
spreading around the world. I chose this article because I believe this is a
big issue that can easily be prevented, and with enough awareness and support,
wildfires can be stopped.
Although this article conveyed
important information about a very legitimate issue, it wasn’t detailed in its
writing. The author didn’t include vital information, such as how humans are
causing these fires more specifically. The author only says that humans
interfere by intrusions in forests, climate change, and forest ecology, but not
specifically how each affect different aspects in causing these fires. Also,
this article had ideas strewn throughout the text; there weren’t clear ideas in
each of the paragraphs, just a bunch of disconnected information. I think that
the author succeeded in getting the information to the reader, but could have
done it in a more straightforward and put-together way.
Liv did a good job in her review at explaining things thoroughly. For example, she did a really good job at explaining how dangerous a forest fire can be, like how in areas such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and in Artic regions, there is much carbon-rich peat soil, which releases greenhouse gas when burned and can cause bad air quality, which leads to health problems. She also does a good job at explaining results of forest fires, including how it can cause climate change. A third thing that was written well in this review was how she included an example of where a forest fire was affecting. One thing she could have done better is include just a little more information about how forest fires start. Another thing that could have been better was if she included a specific forest fire with the date, and what had happened. One thing that I learned from this is that the amazon recycles moisture.
ReplyDeleteI think Liv did a good job at listing the major reasons that cause wildfires like climate change, and not just saying that people cause the forest fires. Liv also did a good job at specifying some areas where forest fires occur like San Francisco. I found stating other people's opinions helpful, like Ecosphere journal. What could have made the review better was if Liv explained more how climate change effects the forest fires. Another thing that could have made the article better was if Liv listed more ways which forest fires are harmful to humans. I learned that the fires in San Francisco caused ash to contaminate the city's water supply.
ReplyDelete