The Great Barrier reef is the largest living organism in the world and 93% of it is at risk of disappearing.
1) How does this relate to what we have been talking about in class and the video Tiny?
2) What can be done to help reduce or stop the bleaching of the reef?
3) What can you do to reduce your involvement in this world?
MARK THIS ONE...This issue is about climate change. Coral bleaching is the result of zooxanthellae dying too quickly and not being able to provide the coral with their main source of energy. these algae are dying because of quick temperature rises, which undeniably, is the result of climate change. 93% of Australia's Great Barrier Reef has been affected by coral bleaching. there has only been three mass bleaching events recorded along the Great Barrier Reef and all of them have occurred since 1998. This can be related to the documentary Tiny because they are both showing how much we actually need to survive, and we are consuming way too much. If we were to live in Tiny houses and use only what we need and not what we want, the coral reefs would be safer and not fighting to survive as much as they are. Another thing about Tiny houses is that it allows for us to travel more, no debt, which allows us to see the world, and potentially help our environment. Something we can do to help stop the coral bleaching is minimizing the use of chemically enhanced fertilizers and pesticides, practice safe and proper disposal of waste, avoid water pollution, and decrease global warming as much as possible. This is a issue that is affecting our planet, if we cannot help make a difference and stop global warming, then our earth will cease to exist. sign petitions, start pledges, find ways to help the environment, make is world wide or start in your community, anything to stop climate change.
ReplyDeletehttp://freefishfacts.com/how-to-prevent-coral-bleaching/
http://www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/couple-builds-tiny-house-wheels-30k-free-money-and-time-travel.html
http://www.surfermag.com/features/massive-coral-bleaching-in-west-oz/#R5880zdsdM1VrPmc.97
I agree that this bleaching is because humans have been taking and taking but not thinking about the repercussions of our actions. The entire race needs to begin to live within our means and only uses what we need to survive. Do we need a 400 million dollar boat that uses millions of dollars of fuel in its voyages? No we don't really need that. As a whole, we need to work to stop climate change to save our planet. We can start small by reducing how much we drive, or planting a small garden to sustain some of our food sources. The only way to save this planet, including the reef is to make change in our lifestyles, starting now.
DeleteI agree that tiny homes save money which would allow people to travel more, but the way people travel is not necessarily great on the environment. The summer after grade 10 I visited the British Virgin Islands and did some scuba diving and sailing. It was a marine biology type of camp so they taught us a lot about underwater life. I got to first hand see the amount of trash on the bottom of the ocean in the marinas due to vacationers in their sail boats. The islands I visited make all their money off tourists, but without them they would have way less pollution.
DeleteHumans are so dumb!!! As time goes on people are becoming worse and worse and paying no attention to how destructive they are being. Jokes on the people who are so rich they spend millions on boats that kill our planet, that boat will be really useful when our earth explodes from global warming!!
DeleteIt's really sad to see how people's actions are taking a toll on our environment. This could definitely be solved if more laws were passed and everybody was more strict about pollution/pesticides/waste/regulation, but most countries seem to care about money more than the environment.
DeleteCoral bleaching is a direct consequence of our environmental issues. The rate that the coral bleaching is a result of how we currently live. At the level of extravagance that we live at, the coral bleaching will continue to grow. We must decrease our ecological footprint, our areas like the coral reef will not be able to sustain.
DeleteI agree with Annabelle that travelling can lead to stress or damage on different ecosystems such as the reef. The people that live in tropical places or other places make their money off tourists but tourists often don't follow rules or don't seem to care about the places their travelling to just because they're on vacation.
DeleteCoral bleaching is an awful effect of climate change that is plaguing our oceans recently. BUT, there is still time to change. Coral bleaching can be reversed if we can lower our global temperature and lessen the amount of CO2 we release into our atmosphere.
DeleteCoral bleaching is a consequence of how we treat the environment, most environmental issues have to do with how we currently live and with what we
ReplyDeleteconsume and how we dispose of it. The way that humans live and our daily lives are a major contributer to global warming. Like the people in the video Tiny, we need to work
on the way we live, the space we take up and what we consume.
It's a lot easier to live a certain way when there's a law for it, I think it's hard to stick
to something when you don't actually have to, which is why I believe that if we want to try and fix issues like coral bleaching, many more laws need to be passed so people get a sense of how serious it is.
I agree we all need to really think about how much space we actually need. consuming less fossils is so much easier when you live in a tiny house because bigger houses take so much more energy and time to heat up or cool down for example.
DeleteI agree with your opinion on this situation. Coral bleaching is an awful thing that is happening right before our eyes, and we need to due something about it. If we could all just think about the environment before we go off to but our disposable items, then we would not buy as much as we do now. The environment depends on us, and we are letting it become destroyed. I agree with the idea of laws. I remember that we family thought it would be so difficult to compost just as the garbage limit came into place in Barrie. But, it is actually quite simple, and seems natural. I think (and hope) the same might happen for things that are beneficial for the environment, like tiny houses.
DeleteI agree with courtney that humans neglecting to truly understand that they do not need to consume so much are a great contributer to our environmental problems
DeleteI agree with courtney that humans neglecting to truly understand that they do not need to consume so much are a great contributer to our environmental problems
DeleteMARK THIS ONE!!!
ReplyDeleteWarmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. Coral bleaching, as noted by Prof. Justin Marshall, a University of Queensland neuroscientist and marine biologist who runs the Coral Watch citizen science website, is mainly caused because of climate change.
This relates to the documentary Tiny. To explain, the documentary explained that living small is better for our environment because it reduces our consumption of fossil fuels. Consuming fossil fuels has contributed greatly to the degradation of the environment, being one of the main causes of global warming, climate change, depletion of the ozone layer, and increased levels of pollution. In summary, both Coral Bleaching and Tiny House involve climate change, and our consumption of resources.
According to The Nature Conservancy, the best ways to help conserve the coral reefs are: conserve water, the less water you use the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans; help reduce pollution, Walk, bike or ride the bus, as Fossil fuel emissions from cars and industry lead to ocean warming which causes mass-bleaching of corals and can lead to widespread destruction of reefs; use only ecological or organic fertilizers, these products flow into the water system, pollute the ocean, and can harm coral reefs and marine life; dispose of your trash properly, any kind of litter pollutes the water and can harm the reef and the fish; and you could plant a tree, trees reduce runoff into the oceans. You will also contribute to reversing the warming of our planet and the rising temperatures of our oceans.
I could do all of the previously listed things to improve my involvement. I could also volunteer to do a clean up to help with the ocean pollution, as well as keep my house at the same temperature all year, use more energy efficient appliances, and properly dispose of waste (practice proper recycling habits).
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/coralreefs/ways-to-help-coral-reefs/index.htm
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/worst-mass-coral-bleaching-on-record-hits-great-barrier-reef/65698
http://tinyhousebuild.com/tiny-houses-infographic/
very well said. I like how you mentioned proper disposal of waste. too many people these days are throwing recyclable items into the trash. ignorance and laziness are killing this planet.
DeleteMark this one:
ReplyDeleteCoral bleaching relates to the documentary “Tiny” because it’s all about how we believe we are superior on this world. We look for the biggest houses, and the best way to stand out in this world, and take up as much space as possible. Our way, is that everything else can suffer so that we can live like kings. We even let our own kind suffer so that some can live better. Coral bleaching is a result of this. We let our reefs suffer, and we don’t bat an eye because we don’t care about anyone else but ourselves. Not only are our coral reefs suffering, but any other parts of our environment, because we believe we can sacrifice everything else for our benefit. The documentary “Tiny” talks about Living small, so that we don’t take up all this unnecessary space, and so that we can return to being equals with nature, and not it’s superior.
A great way to stop this effect is to live small. Our society is constantly revolving around having the newest product that only becomes garbage within the next few years. All this garbage gets collected up, and spread out across our environment. Most of it goes to landfill, but a lot of it also goes to the water. Over 1500 plastic water bottles get put into the landfill and our oceans every second. By living small, we take away this need to constantly have more, immediately decreasing the amount of waste each of us creates. And therefore helping the environment stay green, and the reefs stay coloured.
To reduce my environmental involvement, me and my family can stop buying plastic water bottles and other non-decomposable plastic goods when we go grocery shopping every week, or we buy the nest greatest thing. This is something everyone can do to reduce their involvement in pollution- stop buying so much junk to take up space in the house that will inevitably become waste, and stop buying as much plastic goods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ZKk11R56o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qT-rOXB6NI
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ReplyDeleteThis relates to the video Tiny because in both cases they show us what is actually needed for living compared to what we want in order to feel comfortable. When we live in big homes with lots of space we tend to find things to fill that space. Whether it actually serves a purpose in our day to day lives or not. When you live in a tiny house, you have less space, which means less space to put things you don’t need/use. Overall the message is clear, we are using too much. To help reduce or stop the bleaching of the reef you can Practice safe and responsible diving and snorkeling; Don’t touch the reef or anchor your boat on the reef. Contact with coral can damage the delicate coral animals, and anchoring on the reef can kill it, so look for sandy bottom or use moorings if available. Minimise the use of chemically enhanced fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides as these chemicals are non degradable and they will end up in the rivers and oceans and will disturb the natural ecosystem. Practice safe and proper disposal of industrial waste, avoid deforestation which increases global warming, avoid water pollution wherever possible. Do not dump chemicals (especially human waste) or oils in bodies of water. Some easy ways we can each reduce our involvement can be as simple as planting trees, or giving financial support in order to do so, conserve water: the less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans. Help reduce pollution: Walk, bike or ride the bus. Dispose of your trash properly, support reef-friendly businesses, contact your government representatives, spread the word! There are so many tiny steps that we can each take that in the end can help to make a huge difference! The main one is to spread the word, because when we address a problem with enthusiasm and commitment others will be encouraged to do so aswell. To help reduce my own personal involvement I'm going to do exactly what was mentioned above and try to walk places instead of drive, dispose of my garbage properly and sort through it, and most of all spread the word to my friends and family.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/coralreefs/ways-to-help-coral-reefs/index.htm
http://freefishfacts.com/how-to-prevent-coral-bleaching/
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/25list.html
Mark this one: Elevated sea temperatures are the main cause of coral bleaching and these elevated sea temperatures are due to climate change. Climate change is a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef along with the microscopic organisms, plants, fish, marine mammals and many other species that rely on the Reef everyday. It is extremely sad that 93% of the reef is at risk because of humans but we can now do our part in trying to save it or stop the corals from bleaching even more. Loss of colour in the corals is often due to stress, which can be eliminated or avoided by humans if we want to save the reef. Stress on the corals can be induced by many factors but we can help to reduce their damage by using fewer chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals end up in rivers and oceans that disturb natural ecosystems such as the reef. We should always try to avoid water pollution or inaccurate disposal of waste because this impacts the environment then leads to global warming and coral bleaching. Something that also needs attention brought to is when people (tourists) visit coral reefs because people don’t always follow the rules or they litter as they’re visiting these beautiful coral reefs, which is terrible. Global warming is an extreme issue that obviously won’t be fixed overnight but we need to make changes in order to move forward positively to a more eco friendly world. Moving forward in a green or eco friendly way also relates to what we’ve been talking about and watching in class from the Tiny House video. The tiny houses are a new trend and concept that less is really more. The documentary explained that we have too much space and stuff that is not necessary in our lives that just ends up being useless or forgotten about. Finding a balance of what we actually need compared to what we want can be difficult in society’s like ours but when you compare things you want to the bigger picture of being more eco friendly and saving things such as the Great Barrier reef the Tiny houses send a great message. Again, we can’t make huge changes overnight but the main message of tiny houses is to consume and use less to enjoy less materialistic things.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/managing-the-reef/threats-to-the-reef/climate-change/what-does-this-mean-for-species/corals/what-is-coral-bleaching
http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/oceantemp/GBR_Coral.shtml
Mark this one: Elevated sea temperatures are the main cause of coral bleaching and these elevated sea temperatures are due to climate change. Climate change is a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef along with the microscopic organisms, plants, fish, marine mammals and many other species that rely on the Reef everyday. It is extremely sad that 93% of the reef is at risk because of humans but we can now do our part in trying to save it or stop the corals from bleaching even more. Loss of colour in the corals is often due to stress, which can be eliminated or avoided by humans if we want to save the reef. Stress on the corals can be induced by many factors but we can help to reduce their damage by using fewer chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals end up in rivers and oceans that disturb natural ecosystems such as the reef. We should always try to avoid water pollution or inaccurate disposal of waste because this impacts the environment then leads to global warming and coral bleaching. Something that also needs attention brought to is when people (tourists) visit coral reefs because people don’t always follow the rules or they litter as they’re visiting these beautiful coral reefs, which is terrible. Global warming is an extreme issue that obviously won’t be fixed overnight but we need to make changes in order to move forward positively to a more eco friendly world. Moving forward in a green or eco friendly way also relates to what we’ve been talking about and watching in class from the Tiny House video. The tiny houses are a new trend and concept that less is really more. The documentary explained that we have too much space and stuff that is not necessary in our lives that just ends up being useless or forgotten about. Finding a balance of what we actually need compared to what we want can be difficult in society’s like ours but when you compare things you want to the bigger picture of being more eco friendly and saving things such as the Great Barrier reef the Tiny houses send a great message. Again, we can’t make huge changes overnight but the main message of tiny houses is to consume and use less to enjoy less materialistic things.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/managing-the-reef/threats-to-the-reef/climate-change/what-does-this-mean-for-species/corals/what-is-coral-bleaching
http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/oceantemp/GBR_Coral.shtml
It's absouletely horrifying to think about how much of an impact that humanity has had on this planet. Instead of using our beautifully intelligent brains to improve the Earth we have completely torn it to pieces. Hopefully soon we will see huge improvements on the consumption of North Americans.
DeleteI like how Erin included the inaccurate disposal of waste. many large corporations get away with dumping untreated waste into our oceans and it is causing a disgusting amount of damage.
DeleteMark This One:
ReplyDeleteThe tiny house video that we watched in class relates to the problem with the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef because it is one of the ways we could reduce our impact on the environment to stop this bleaching. I also think they relate to each other because people don't understand what effects they are causing on our earth until something severe happens. With the Great Barrier Reef, people never really thought about it until they now see that 93 percent of it may die. With the tiny houses, people have never really thought about living that small because they think it is too unpractical, but maybe in a few years our impact on the environment will worsen and people would begin to consider tiny houses. One way to reduce coral bleaching would be to practice safe and proper disposal of industrial waste. Another would be to respect and follow rules and regulations as well as things you should do and not do when you visit a coral reef area. Companies and humans should also avoid water pollution wherever possible by not dumping chemicals (especially human waste) or oils in bodies of water. We should also avoid deforestation because it increases global warming. And finally we should also avoid overfishing and the use of fish nets because it can result in a drop in zooplankton and therefore starvation of corals. Some things my family and I could do to reduce coral bleaching would be to conserve water, because the less water we use, the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans. We can also help reduce pollution by walking, biking or taking the bus. Fossil fuel emissions from cars and industry raise lead to ocean warming which causes mass-bleaching of corals and can lead to widespread destruction of reefs. Families can also use only ecological or organic fertilizers instead of harmful chemicals. Although we live thousands of miles from a coral reef ecosystem, these products flow into the water system, pollute the ocean, and can harm coral reefs and marine life. We should also be disposing our trash properly by not littering or leaving unwanted garbage near big water systems.
http://freefishfacts.com/how-to-prevent-coral-bleaching/
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/coralreefs/ways-to-help-coral-reefs/index.htm
Mark this one:
ReplyDeleteThe Great Barrier Reef is dying at an incredibly fast rate. This is happening because every year humans are polluting the world more and more. This can relate to the documentary “tiny” on an environmentally conscious aspect. The film follows individuals that have decided to live in a tiny home to dramatically decrease their carbon footprint. The Great Barrier Reef is dying from the heavy polluting of the oceans. If everyone were to live sustainably, the reef would be alive and thriving.
There are a couple ways to help reduce or stop the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. One of these ways would be to put a limit on how much fuel ships can use while at sea. By limiting fuel consumption, the shipping and cruise industries would be forced to make more efficient and green ships. Another way would be to charge people for their carbon emissions. Things such as a car tax would encourage people to find renewable and green ways of transportation.
As a person that lives on this earth it is my responsibility to leave it in better shape than when i was born. A way that i could reduce my waste production would be to walk or bike to school instead of taking a car. Another way would be to buy less products that create garbage, such as plastic bags and wrappers.
Supporting link:
http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/climate/reef-at-risk/?gclid=CjwKEAjw0pa5BRCLmoKIx_HTh1wSJABk5F_4kQ7sfykKgJwmBzWDMeZaH_v02B3kOMPRhVlDN5SMVxoCP4jw_wcB
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ReplyDeleteMark this one:
ReplyDeleteWhen corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. This is known as coral bleaching. According to “The Weather Network” article, coral bleaching is affecting 93% of the Great Barrier Reef. The biggest cause of this is the increase and decrease of water temperatures. This is once again, another affect of global warming. There are many things that can be done to help stop or reduce the effects on coral reef ecosystems. First of all, crop industries should only use ecological or organic fertilizers. These things can flow into water systems and pollute the ocean. The fishing community in these areas must be very careful not to over fish and to clean up all fishing supplies. Limiting the amount of people who visit the reefs and making sure responsible diving and snorkeling is going on can also improve the life of the reef as touching it can severely damage it. Although lots of people may think this issue doesn’t matter to them because they live nowhere near a coral reef ecosystem, there are still things that can be done by anyone to reduce their involvement in the destruction of the coral reefs. First of all, any way that reduces pollution helps. For example, walking or riding a bike to school or work. Conserving water also helps, as the less water you use, the less waste water will pollute the oceans. The biggest thing the someone can do is too spread the word, inform people of what is happening and what you can do to help. This relates to the video “Tiny” because the people in that video are doing the exact things that people need to be doing to help save the coral reef ecosystems. They’re living sustainably and are only using what they need. If everyone lived the way the people in the video “Tiny” do, the Great Barrier Reef would be brightly coloured instead of white.
Sources:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/worst-mass-coral-bleaching-on-record-hits-great-barrier-reef/65698
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/coralreefs/ways-to-help-coral-reefs/index.htm
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html
Mark this one:
ReplyDeleteThis article relates to the documentary tiny on an ecological level. The beautiful reef is dying due to our enormous environmental foot print and the people of tiny are working towards shrinking theirs tremendously.
I believe the best most efficient way to keep this coral bleaching from continuing is to shop local!! The amount of waste put into our waters from shipping is outrageous. Every time you purchase something from over seas you are contributing to this vicious cycle. This great barrier reef would be in wonderful condition if exotic fruits and cheaply made clothes and plastic were in no demand.
It hurts me terribly knowing this is even a concern of mine. The human race is so destructive, if this generation doesn't make some serious changes our plant will be so far gone even nothing could fix it. As of right now I encourage local markets, starting up a garden, composting, and trying to avoid non reusable plastics as almost 13 million metric tons of plastic is already polluting our oceans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/business/worldbusiness/26food.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_shipping
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/here-s-how-much-plastic-enters-ocean-each-year
Kasie great that you can relate this to Tiny. It is indeed all about our footprint.
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