What influences climate?

Latitude is the distance north or south, measured in degrees, from the equator. The temperature of an area depends on its latitude. The higher the latitude, the colder the climate tends to be. One of the coldest places on Earth, the North Pole, is 90 degrees north of the equator. However, the equator, at latitude 0 degrees, is usually hot.

Winds that blow mainly in one direction are prevailing winds. Prevailing winds affect the amount of precipitation that a region receives. If the prevailing winds form from warm air, they may carry moisture. If the prevailing winds form from the cold air, they will most likely be dry. The amount of moisture in prevailing winds is also affect by whether the winds blow across  a large body of water.. Winds that travel across large bodies of water absorb moisture. Winds that travel across land tend to be dry. Even if region borders the ocean, the area might be dry.

Mountains can influence an area’s climate by affect both temperature and precipitation. Temperatures on Kilimanjaro and in other mountainous area are affected by elevation. Elevation is the height of the surface landforms above sea level. As the elevation increases, the ability of air to transfer energy from the ground to the atmosphere decreases. Therefore, as elevation increases, temperature decreases.

The circulation of ocean surface current has a large effect on area’s climate. Surface currents are stream-like movements of water that occur at or near the edge of the ocean. As surface currents move, they carry warm or cool water to different locations. The surface temperature of the water affects the temperature of the air above it. Warm currents heat the surround air and cause warmer temperatures. Cool currents surrounding the air cause cooler temperatures. Cool surrounding the air causes cooler temperatures.

Large bodies of water can influence an area’s climate. Water absorbs and releases heat slower than land does. Due to this quality, water helps to moderate the temperatures of the land around it. So, sudden or extreme temperature changes rarely take place on land near large bodies of water. For example, the state of Michigan, which is surrounded by the Great Lakes, has more- moderate temperatures than other places at the same latitude. The lakes also increase the moisture content of the air, which leads to heavy snowfall in the winter. This “lake effect” can cause 350 inches of snow to drop in one year!

What influences weather?

As water evaporates from lakes, oceans, and plants, it becomes water vapor, or moisture in the air. Water vapor is invisible. The amount of water vapor in the air is called humidity. As water evaporates and becomes water vapor, the humidity of the air increases. The air’s ability to hold water vapor changes as the temperature of the air changes. One way to express humidity is through relative humidity. Relative humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air compared with the maximum amount of water vapor that the air can hold at a certain temperature. When air holds all of the water that it can at a given temperature, it is said to be saturated.

When water from the air returns to Earth’s surface, it returns as a precipitation. Precipitation is water, in solid or liquid form, which falls from the air to Earth. There are four major forms of precipitations, rain snow, sleet, and hail. Rain is the most common form of precipitation is rain. As cloud produces as rain when the water drops in the cloud would become a certain size. Sleet forms when rain falls through a layer of freezing air. The rain freezes the air, which produces falling ice. Snow forms when temperatures are so cold that water vapor changes directly to a solid. Snow can fall as a single ice crystal or can join to form snowflakes. Hail is balls or lumps of ice that fall from clouds. Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds. When updrafts of air in the clouds carry raindrops high in the clouds, the raindrops freeze and hail forms

When air hovers for a while over a surface area with uniform humidity and temperature, it takes on the characteristics of the area below. For example, an air mass over the tropical Atlantic Ocean would become warm and humid; an air mass over the winter snow and ice of northern Canada would become cold and dry. These massive volumes of air often cover thousands of miles and reach to the stratosphere. Overtime, mid-latitude cyclonic storms and global wind patterns move them to locations far from their source regions. When two air masses meet the cold air pushes the hot air upwards, when going up the temperature drops and the air can't hold as much water when it is warm, so the cold water molecules condense and form clouds. The transition zone between two air masses of different humidity and temperature is called a front. Along a cold front, cold air displaces warm air; along a warm front, warm air displaces cold air. When neither air mass displaces the other, a stationary front develops. Intense storms may form along cold fronts, while widespread clouds and rain, snow, sleet, or drizzle may accompany warm fronts

Air Pollution and Water Pollution

 

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of rivers, lakes, streams, etc. Water Pollution comes from garbage, waste, chemicals, oil spills, and sewage.

How to prevent it?

·        Saving water by turning off the tap

·        Be precautious about what you throw down your sink and/or toilet

·        Not to over use pesticides and fertilizers

·        Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or ocean

                              These are just some of the ways to prevent water pollution. Whether it is in your home, in a river, anywhere! As an active citizen such as yourself, you don't want a disgusting looking place do you?

For example:

                              If you were poor and had to bathe in that water everyday due to not having your own personal water use.

Can this affect your health?

                              Well, due to the chemicals and whatever else is in that water can affect your health extremely. If the water is swallowed you'd be consuming whatever was in that liquid. Therefore be careful and more aware of these things! Do you want to get a disease and end up dying, no you do not!

Air Pollution

                              Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful chemicals, etc. Air Pollution comes from motor vehicle exhaust,  industrial processes, auto manufacturing, fertilizer, plants, building demolition, solid waste disposal, volcanic eruption, fuel production, roadway construction,  forest fires, and agriculture.

How to prevent it?

·        Drive Less

o       Use bikes or walk instead

·        Accelerate bit by bit.

·        Use cruise control on the highway.

·        Obey the speed limit.

·        Combine your schedule into one trip.

·        Keep your tires properly inflated.

·        Shop by phone or mail

For example:

            Industries continue to grow, and sometimes when you pass them by you see smoke going into the atmosphere. You’ll probably be thinking,

            “Wow! This is so cool!” But actually it’s bad for you, this affects the everyday air we breath everyday. Meaning it ‘pollutes’ the air. Again, this does infect your health because if the chemicals pollutants are inhaled this can also affect your health, extremely! I recommend you to take into consideration of what is happening in our society nowadays.

Poaching

Poaching is the illegal hunting, killing or capturing of animals. Most animals are hunted for human necessities such as: clothes, merchandise, jewelry, food, etc. Some animals have religious value. They are used in totems and in witch craft. Animals are also believed to have medicinal value. Hunting for sport is also practiced in a variety of nations. Some people hunt to receive income because animal meat is very popular(i.e. agouti, lapp, venison, etc.). Those who cannot make a good living have the benefit of hunting season. Hunting season is a time where you can hunt specific animals that are usually not endangered. You must have a license to hunt, and if out of season you will be charged a fine.

The leatherback sea turtles are hunted to make things such as jewelry, soup, etc. They are an endangered species due to the amount of poaching in the areas they nest. They nest in Matura, Grand Riviere, etc. Per season they nest to at least 6-10 times, and they nest from 80-120 eggs per nest. However, only 1 out of the whole nest survives to be an adult. Most suffer death from fishing nets. Others suffer from plastic bags due to pollution, assuming that the plastic bag is a jelly fish. The leatherback sea turtles are honestly majestic creatures, they shouldn’t be treated the way they are now. You, as the reader, I ask for you to do what you believe in and take charge.

Deforestation

Picture a world without trees. Without trees, we won’t have clean air to breathe. Without forests, more parts of the top soil will erode each year, landslides will occur frequently, and floods will rise even when the amount of rainfall is low.  This is already happening, for example in Trinidad, the Diego Martin river begins to overflow and burst its banks after just 10 minutes of rainfall.

Trees have been cut down by humans since ancient times.

Why?

Well to build houses, furniture, and paper. 
Trees are essential for humans to survive. The wood from trees are used for shelter, as fuel, and to provide necessities. Don't you think that as humans we take advantage of what keeps us breathing?

The threat of deforestation is brought by the following:

• Converting forests to agricultural land to feed the population

• Cash crops and cattle ranching, both of these earn money for tropical countries

• Commercial logging destroys trees as well as clearing land for agricultural usage

There are moments, however, that deforestation can happen as an accident. Natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions can wipe out the whole of the forest. Although there is still hope! Through the efforts of many environmentalists(i.e. Nature Seekers), reforestation and conservation efforts (i.e. Melajo Forest Reserve) have brought back our forests. This will result in bringing our environment back to it's beautiful, majestic state.

Let’s Stop and Teach about the Environment Properly

My name is Rebecca, and this is my blog called "S.T.E.P."
This is a fundamental blog for you and your parents or vice verse to do together. I made this blog because youths nowadays don’t realize the issues going on in our society. Half of the time they are either on the computer or on their phones. Creating a barrier between them and the society as we know it. It's my job to help them benefit in terms of the environment, by teaching them about it. Showing them what going on in the world, and how they can have an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

 I believe that youths, we can do anything now, unless they set their minds to it. This can make a huge impact on themselves and on their community. I can help guide them, with small environmental activities such as planting trees, picking up garbage, making awareness posters, and many more.