Conservation of Animals and the Environment

Tampa is the third biggest city in Florida with a population of about 350,000 people as of 2013. This averages to be 3,000 people per square mile. As of 2008, Hillsborough County was the largest county in Tampa Bay and one of the most polluted not only in Florida but also in the United States (Chakraborty & Bosman, 2010). Coupling a polluted city with increased rates of climate change spells certain devastation to some of Tampa’s flora and fauna. The biggest complication of climate change isn’t necessarily the higher temperatures alone but rather what that means for the environment. Warmer temperatures, for example, means more hurricanes, a change in El Nino and La Nina patterns, earlier pollination of plants, and changing zones through mountain regions.

The Tampa Bay region is a stop-over site for neotropical migrating birds that pass from South America through Tampa before they cross over the Gulf of Mexico. During the open ocean flight, the neotropical birds lose over 40% of their body mass. As a stop-over site, the migratory birds replenish their body fat and muscle by eating numerous insects throughout the region. However, insect emergence is dependent on temperature and land conservation. Over the past 30 years, 39 species of migratory birds have had a decline due to habitat disturbance of the insects and birds and due to the earlier emergence of insects as climate change continues (Osborne, 2000).

Of all the species that have existed on Earth, 99.9% are extinct, although, this does include all present and past species from the more recently extinct Pinta Island Tortoise in 2012 to dinosaurs which existed millions of years ago. In my lifetime, 8 species have become extinct thus far and by the end of my lifetime it is expected that half of all species will be gone (Psihoyos, 2015). Professor Crisman, Tropical Ecology, said that by the year 2065, the rainforest will only cover 0.01% of Earth compared to today where rainforests cover 7% of Earth. Conservation will only happen if it promotes public health, or generates revenue. The environment can do both depending on the use of the land, natural resources, and proper conservation methods. In fact, almost 90% of human diseases can be treated with drugs derived from nature (Torrence, 2013). However, for governments to recognize the environment as a money-making source, scientists must promote it as such and then legislation can be passed to protect these areas.

Currently, this is not the case as many of the world’s most delicate and important conservation bubbles are in developing countries with corrupt governments. Fig and Cock (2000), discuss how conservation in developing places, in this case Africa, is an issue of environmental justice. The governments ignore the laws and environmental legislation that is in place to create profits from the tourism industry. Areas of the Serengeti are fenced to create wildlife hotspots for tourism. However, these fences disrupt Wildebeest and Elephant migration routes which cause many of them to die of thirst or by electrocution as they near the fence (Cock & Fig, 2000).

While conservation of Earth is imperative, so is Outer Space. The first satellite, Sputnik 1, was released in 1957. Now over 2,500 satellites orbit Earth but those aren’t the only things in Earth’s orbit. As these satellites crash into each other they break up into smaller pieces, these broken satellites and other nonfunctional and human-made space trash are called orbital debris. This can include whole satellites, broken satellites, covers, rocket bodies, human waste, ammonia reservoirs and even a singular glove. Trapped in orbit, this space debris moves around Earth at 17,000 mph and according to NASA, one piece returns to Earth on average daily (Orbital Objects). No injuries have occurred yet but components as heavy as 70kg have fallen to Earth in the past. The exponential trajectory of how much orbital debris in Outer Space is astonishing, although it is no different from the pollution back on the surface.