Issues Unit 6 chapters Chapter 53-55: 3 issues 1. With water covering 75% of the surface of our planet and 97% of that water being salt water, it is extremely important to protect to keep it clean. Oceans are used as a "shared universal dumping ground" (Sovio). These pollutants effect even marine protected areas, which Apo Island is running as a community. Only being able to be reached by boat and having high numbers of tourists visiting, also assists in the increased pollution in Apo Island. As it is expensive to have boats fixed and checked regularly so people usually ignore it causing these boats to leak oil, gasoline and occasionally sewage into the ocean, surrounding this protected area. 2. Apo island is the home to many unique coral reefs and fish species. However when the population on this small island began to rapidly increase so did the amount of families in poverty, as there wasn't enough work for everyone. This lead to destructive fishing which damages 400 of Philippines 450 coral reefs and it's 600 ocean species. Over fishing was rapidly occurring as with such a small island there isn't much arable land, making fishing a popular source of income. 3. Apo island although small, has the climate and does provide a variety of crops. Most farmers these days however use pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides in order to increase crop yields. None of these chemicals are biodegradable and remain in the soil for long periods of time, rainwater causes the chemicals and then they are brought into the soil by infiltration possibly contaminating the ground water supply. Chapter 62-68- 3 issues 1. Although most signs of global warming are occurring in the north, there are still many changes attributed to global warming occurring in the tropics. Coral reefs which are important, living, ecosystems are being damaged due to ocean water temperatures increasing. If the ocean temperatures reach higher than 31oC they can lead to bleaching of the coral, and cause it to lose key organisms that are vital in order for it to survive. 2. With increasing temperatures, it can lead to Apo Island the home to close to 1,000 people to become uninhabitable. With shortages of water, resources and unbearable heat, all of the citizens of Apo Island, will migrate to areas closer to the north. 3. Storms are more prone in high temperature air and high temperature ocean zones. With Apo Island's increasing they will have much more hurricanes, that will be far stronger than usual, destroying the little amount of living they have on this small island to begin with. |
Solutions What is being done to address these issues identified above? Explain if the response adequate? Explain for each of the 6 issues that you identify. 1. Apo Island and the Philippines in general protested against pollution in their ocean in a campaign called "ray of hope". There is now much less pollution and the marine protected area is in good condition. Also all of the money made from the fee for tourists visiting the island goes towards cleaning the mpa 2. Apo Island as a community realized the harm they were doing and made a marine protected area in order to protect the unique ocean life. Apo Island is now the best know community organized marine protected area. 3. By having stricter rules on the types of chemicals that can be used for crops it will allow for less of those chemicals to enter into the water cycle and locals drinking water. By educating farmers on the effects it has on the environment and drinking water would allow them to have the knowledge and opportunity to change how they grow crops. Chapter 62-68-identify and explain 3 solutions in your MPA 1. Educate citizens and have signs, showing the affects of too much carbon dioxide in the environment. How if it continues at this pace, all of the work the community has put into keeping this marine protected area, clean and healthy will be pointless. All the coral will be bleached and die off and that will cause all of the fishes that survive from the coral reefs to die off as well. 2. Decreasing carbon dioxide levels will also allow Apo Island to be more inhabited as it won't reach increased climate for a longer period of time. As Apo island already experiences high temperatures if it were to increase even slightly (10oC) it could reach unbearable temperatures. So educating the citizens of these possible outcomes that will occur, and give them solutions to prevent it, such as the island is small so shouldn't need cars, as you can walk around the island 3. Apo Island should prepare itself for bigger storms and make all their homes and buildings stable and able to withhold through the storms. Educate the citizens on what to do during these storms and teach safety precautions. |