THE CARBON CYCLE
We all know that carbon is a big part in our everyday lives, yes as we are all carbon based life forms. Although the carbon cycle does bare some very strong similarities to the nitrogen cycle, they are still different.
http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo273/mat_061/carboncycle_sm.jpg
As shown in the photo above or as you will see when you copy the url and paste it somewhere else as blogspot does not like me, we all have a very important role to play in the carbon cycle.
1. Carbon is present in the atmosphere in the state of carbon dioxide. Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is being used by plants to make food.
2. Animals then consume the plants which ensure that carbon is still being passed on. Animals that eat other animals also get carbon transferred through this method.
3. As plants and animals die or defecate their bodies and feces and other dead plant parts decay and decompose which hence brings carbon into the ground. Over the span of millions of years, they eventually become fossil fuels.
4. To power their industries humans then dig into these sources, burn fossil fuels which release the carbon into the atmosphere which hence causes the carbon cycle to repeat again.
5. Also, carbon dioxide is partially soluble hence oceans, seas and other bodies of water soak up the carbon in the atmosphere.
Much like in our song,
-Humans are one of the extreme causes of why many people deem the carbon cycle as a bad thing. Firstly, humans are using environmentally unfriendly methods of executing industrial activities. Every year, 5.5 billion tones of billion tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Okay here’s how the vicious cycle works:
1. -Firstly, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Like other greenhouse gases (e.g. water vapour and methane), it helps to trap heat in the atmosphere so earth doesn’t become a frozen wasteland.
2. However, with human activities nowadays, we have helped to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere my 30%.
3. -Carbon also remains on our earth for long periods of time. For example, over millions of years of weathering, rocks on land can add carbon to surface water which eventually runs off to the ocean. Over long periods of time, carbon is removed from seawater when the shells and bones of marine animals and plankton collect on the sea floor. These shells and bones are made of limestone, which contains carbon. When they are deposited on the sea floor, carbon is stored from the rest of the carbon cycle for some amount of time. The carbon can be released back to the atmosphere if the limestone melts or is metamorphosed.
4. Because these things happen, innocent creatures like cows are being blamed for their contribution of methane gases. Though it is 23 more times powerful than carbon dioxide in terms of heat storage capacity, it is nothing compared to what we as humans produce in terms of our carbon emissions.
So yes, in short, we should all learn to do things that will help save the environment and prevent cows from being blamed anymore. We could
- -Help plant more trees, as they help to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as they take it in during photosynthesis. Also we could help to increase our dying vegetation as many forests are being cut down for resource sake, which also helps to increase carbon dioxide emissions as there is a decrease in the number of trees and also if forests are being depleted by means of fires, that would boost the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- -Recycle more. For goods like paper, it would help to preserve some of our natural vegetation. And for other goods such as plastic and glass, it would help decrease the amount of burning factories have to do to help get rid of our trash.
- -Sing the song we made up along Orchard and help increase awareness :D
References
P.S. My blog probably isn’t as informative as Paula’s, Ling’s or Gan Tian’s so you should read theirs and not mine. LOL.
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