AP Environmental Science

So I am almost positive that most of us have been on an airplane at least once in our lives. If not, think of all of your family and friends that have flown before. With hundreds of thousands of planes hitting the skyway each day, greenhouse gases can easily accumulate.

A modern day airplane (Photo credit: www.wikepedia.com)

Norway and Britian have decided to “buy emissions quotas to combat global warming.” Most concerning is the rise of fuel burnt on international flights releasing emissions. The airlines are exempt from “fighting climate change” under the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol, but not for that long. The protocol expires in 2012. Athough that may seem like not too far away, again think about how many airplanes take off and land at O’Hare in just one day.

Norway has recently stated that they will “buy quotas for the emissions caused by the trip” when state employees travel abroad by plane.

Not only are governments doing this, but companies are too. They include: Avis Europe (car rentals) and Statoil (Norwegian oil group).

Hopefully, this will help reduce the amount of emissions, although I am still not completely sure of how this works. I don’t understand how paying for emissions is going to reduce them, but maybe the government is doing this as an incentive. I do know one thing for sure; greenhouse gases need to be lowered to prevent global warming.

Norway, UK Try to Tackle Planes’ Greenhouse Gases By: Alister Doyle http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11960

As we have already learned in class this year, roads can disrupt and divide ecosystems. Arizona is trying something new to help drivers and animals. An animal “crosswalk” is going to be opened for the first time in Arizona.

An electrified fence will surround a three mile area of Arizona 260, which is approximately 7 miles east of Payson. The fences only allow the animals to cross the highway at certain spots. Motorists will see large signs and lights flashing at them to warn them an animal , most likely a large one, is going to cross the highway. The signs and lights use infarered camaras and military-grade software to determine whether an animal is about to cross.

Although Arizona is not the first state to use animal crosswalks, they are the first to do it using fencing. The crosswalk will be evaluated in 2 years to see how effective it has been.

Not only will this $700,000 project give animals the chance to cross the highway with aware drivers, but also the camaras can monitor the animals behavior. As well, “electronic global postioning collars” have been placed on elk to see how the crosswalk changes their patterns. The camaras also monitor how fast the cars are traveling and how fast their reaction time is to slow down.

Elk (Photo credit: www.wikipedia.com)

I think that this is a good idea. It doesn’t really cost that much, plus it makes drivers think about how fast they are going. The article didn’t mention whether or not drivers could receive tickets if they were going over the speedlimit. I am not sure if I think that they should, especially if they do slow down in enough time when the signs and lights begin to flash. I think that it is good that it will be evaluated in 2 years because it might effect the way the elk move and their behavior. I guess that we will just have to wait and see.

Arizona Tests Wildlife ‘Crosswalk’ By: Associated Press http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11954

With democrats taking control of Congress this month, the disposal of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada will not likely happen. Communities such as Ventura, LA, and San Bernardino are glad that the nuclear waste will most likely not be shipped through their towns and into Yucca Mountain.

  Yucca Mountain site (Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org)

Proponents of using Yucca Mountain as disposal grounds believe that “it is a secure alternative to storing waste at nuclear plants and hundreds of other sites around the country.”

The Yucca Mountain disposal site was originally planned to open in 1988; however, with major setbacks a hopeful projection dateof opening would in be 2017.

Opposite sides go back and forth with whether Yucca Mountain will become a nuclear waste disposal site; however, we will not really know until the legislation for one side or the other is enacted.

I think that somehow another disposal method needs to be developed. I don’t necessarily know if disposing of the nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain is the right thing; however, I do understand that the nuclear waste needs to be disposed off. Plus not only is it affecting the environment around Yucca Mountain, but what if the waste spills on its way to the site. That would be horrible, but I am sure that proponents would argue how unlikely it is that that would happen plus the containers would be safe, but it depends on your definition of safe.

Is the Yucca Dump Doomed? by: Lisa Friedman http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11948