Help the Elkhorn Coral

Help the Elkhorn Coral!

     Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the Elkhorn Coral. The tissue of Elkhorn Coral is covered with zooxanthellae, a type of algae that has a symbiotic relationship with coral. The zooxanthellae produce food for the coral by photosynthesis, while the coral gives the algae shelter and space for sunlight.

     Elkhorn Coral is a great home for other sea life because a) they can outgrow competitors in their tropical reef habitats because of their light structures; b) Elkhorn Coral colonies are simultaneously hermaphroditic, being able to reproduce young with themselves because they are both sexual and asexual (their offspring will be exact clones as their mother/father); and c) Elkhorn Corals, whenever hungry, can prey for fish and plankton using their long tentacles.

     However, despite these advantages and adaptations to survive, the Elkhorn Coral is critically endangered. Because of disease, natural disasters, coral bleaching, human activity, and pollution, the Elkhorn Coral is disappearing. The main factor is global warming. The climate change causes the waters in the ocean to heat up, which the zooxanthellae do not like. This causes coral bleaching. With the disappearances of zooxanthellae, the corals are vulnerable to disease. The climate change also causes more hurricanes, harming the coral reef habitats. The bacteria from human pollution also cause more diseases for the Elkhorn Coral. Destructive fishing practices and human waste harms the reefs.

     There are many ways for you to help. You could:

1.       Start a petition and get people to sign it.

2.     Educate people and tell them about it.

3.     Use less electricity and fossil fuels. Try walking or biking instead of driving around in cars. Don’t use electricity when you don’t need to.

4.     Start throwing away your trash and stop increasing pollution.

5.     Don’t destruct coral reefs by fishing or any other human activity.

Help the Elkhorn Coral!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Olive Ridley Turtle!

Help the Olive Ridley Turtle!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the Olive Ridley Turtle. Weighing 75-100 pounds, the Olive Ridleys have an olive green color. They measure to two feet long, the smallest and most abundant of marine turtles. They maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds. The nutrients of their scat pack to grass beds and reefs. They give safety to seabirds when they rise to the surface by letting them perch on its shell for a while.

          Even though the Olive Ridley is the most abundant, they are still endangered. Their status is vulnerable. Global warming is a contributing factor of their declining population. The temperatures of the nesting areas have risen. This changes the gender of the sea turtles, resulting in more females than males. The warm heat gives fewer places for them to forage for food. Pollution and coastal development always causes problems for marine turtles.

          There are many ways to support the Olive Ridleys. You could:

1. Tell someone
2. Start a petition
3. Clean up beaches and don’t pollute
4. Boycott products made from turtles
5. Use cars less and save electricity

Help the Olive Ridley Turtle!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Crisp Pillow Coral!

Help the Crisp Pillow Coral!

Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the crisp pillow coral. The crisp pillow coral has an unusual look to it. Because of their intricate ridges around their round shape, they look much like a human brain (not to confuse with brain coral). They live in colonies together and grow up to twenty centimeters tall. What makes the crisp pillow coral so unique is that it is the only species in its genus (Anomastraea). Their polyps have many small tentacles that grab for food around them in the water. Their range is around the East coast of Africa, a small coastal area around Southern Asia, around some small islands and Madagascar, and waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula.

Despite its brilliant uniqueness, the crisp pillow coral is endangered. Currently, the IUCN declared it vulnerable. Reasons for its increasing disappearance is all because of global warming, a man-made issue.  The rising heat causes coral bleaching, which means vital algae for the colonies is taken away. Now, the corals are vulnerable to harmful diseases. Destructive storms caused by climate change damages the coral reefs, leaving only few to survive. Pollution, fishing, human activity, and invasive species introduced by people also participate in the declining population. A species of starfish preys primarily on the crisp pillow coral because of loss of other coral reefs, due to climate change and global warming.

However, there are many ways for you to help. You could:

1. Spread the word. Tell people about the crisis.
2. Stop polluting the earth. Use less fossil fuel and save electricity.
3. If you snorkel/reef often, try not to damage the coral reefs.
4. Start a petition and get people to sign it.

Help the crisp pillow coral!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL 

Help the Killer Whales!

Help the Killer Whales!

    Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the killer whales. Killer whales, or orcas, are actually in the dolphin group, but still are whales (because the suborder with dolphins belong in the whale order). These orcas are what many people consider majestic, but many people still believe that these gentle creatures are murderers, and no they do not randomly attack. Since the killer whale is a large species, they have a large diet. The organisms in their food include squids, seals, seabirds, and sometimes, whales. Each pod of killer whales have a distinct communication call, so a mother killer whale can easily contact back with her baby.

    Currently, it is unsure by scientists if the orca whale is endangered. However, it is believed by some that their population is decreasing and they one day will be extinct. The main reasons of a declining population would be most likely habitat loss and decrease in food source. The habitat loss is likely to be cause by pollution because of human activities. The trash we give out pollutes the ocean, making it sometimes unable to live in. The food source also can be because of climate change, again, caused by humans. The warmth of the ocean waters can cause some organisms to migrate to different areas of the ocean, which causes some of the prey that the killer whale depends on to migrate also. Soon, they would have no more food left.

    There are many ways for you to help. You could:

1. Spread the word. Tell someone.
2. Start a petition and get people to sign it.
3. Stop using so much fossil fuel. Try walking or biking for a change.
4. Pollute less and start picking up more trash.

Help the killer whales!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Polar Bears!

Help the Polar Bear!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping polar bears. Polar bears are the largest carnivorous mammal living on the earth, meaning that they are the largest mammal that eats meat on lives on land. The polar bear, or Ursus Maritimus, lives in arctic regions of the Earth, including Alaska, Northern Canada, Norway, and the North Pole.

          Polar bears are adapted to such freezing temperatures. These polar bears have tiny ears, which is a benefit because it makes them harder to see in the snow and it’s harder for them to freeze off. They don’t necessarily need to hear for predators, since they’re the highest on the food chain, but they can still sense for other animals because of their keen sense of smell. Their paws have a rough pad underneath them, which helps them hunt more efficiently and swim easily. They also aid these bears spread their weight on ice so they don’t fall in the water, and to grip the ice around them.

          However, these polar bears won’t be seen more often in the future. Because of humans, their environment is disappearing. The burning of fossil fuels caused by people is the main reason why these polar bears are soon to be extinct. The use of automobiles and electricity is why these poor animals are dying away. The greenhouse gases caused warms the Earth’s climate, and the temperatures in the Arctic regions rise. The ice would melt, and polar bears wouldn’t have a place to live anymore.

          There are many ways to help. You could:

1.     Spread the word.

2.    Start a petition and get people to sign it.

3.    Stop using so much fossil fuel. Cars, computers, and light bulbs use fossil fuel. Try walking or biking to short distances for a change.

4.    Plant more trees to spread oxygen instead of more carbon dioxide.

 

Help the polar bears!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly!

Help the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly!

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about helping the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly. The Bay Checkerspot Butterfly has a glorious pattern on the back of the wings that resembles somewhat like a tiger’s face. They are pretty small, with a wingspan of two inches. The Bay Checkerspot Butterfly is found in the San Francisco Bay Area, and also Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. This butterfly species rests on a host plant, and always has to be a native plant species to the area. During springtime, the females lay eggs on the plant and after a week, they hatch to caterpillars. The caterpillars are black and orange, with a little bit of hair. They feast on dwarf plantain, and during the summer when the plants die, they enter a period of dormancy. They crawl under rocks to protect themselves from predators. They awaken the next spring and form into a chrysalis. A few weeks later, they become full-grown butterflies. The average lifespan is one year.

          The Bay Checkerspot Butterflies were once abundant in the area. However, during the late ‘90s and 2000’s, the population declined drastically. Scientists discovered later that the nitrogen gas from cars in the nearby highways was causing the change. The soil was abnormally enriched and invasive plants move into the field, overpopulating the native plant species that the butterfly needs to survive on. The status of the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly is unknown, but most likely in the endangered or vulnerable status. After attempts to repopulate the butterfly, finally in 2013, 699 of the butterflies were found.

          There are many ways to help this butterfly. You could:

1. Donate to organizations that help the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly. http://www.friendsofedgewood.org/donate
2. Spread the word.
3. Start a petition and get people to sign it.
4. Try to not use cars so much anymore.

Help the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly!

Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Golden-Cheeked Warbler!

Help the Golden-Cheeked Warbler

         

          The golden-cheeked warbler is a species of bird with the scientific name Dendroica Chrysoparia. This bird is a small size and has a gray and black body with a golden-yellow cheek. They inhabit Texas but migrate south to Mexico and Central America during winter to feed on insects and spiders found in the bark of the trees in the habitat. Particularly to farmers, the golden-cheeked warbler is important to them because they feed on insects and improve the ecosystem.

          Thanks to habitat loss, the golden-cheeked warbler is currently endangered. The trees they need to nest in are cut down for human development. Other warbler habitats are flooded by man-made lakes and cut down for flat land for livestock. Global warming also takes a toll in the participation of their endangerment. The irregularly warm climate confuses them about their migration patterns, which causes them to lay their eggs too early, risking life for the warbler chicks.

          There are many ways to help this bird. You could:

1. Spread the word.
2. Start a petition and get people to sign it.
3. Try to stop causing so much greenhouse gases. Don't use cars as much or consume electricity so much.
4. Plant more trees to prevent so much carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas)
5. Donate!

Help the golden-cheeked warbler!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Stop air pollution!

Stop Air Pollution!

         

          Hello, this is IGL and this post is about air pollution. Air is the thing that people need in order to live. When we breathe it in, it goes into our body. But what if in the atmosphere there’s something that is harmful to our bodies and our personal health. The air has currently many pollutants that cause health defects. All this is because of man-made products and fossil fuels.

          Unwanted pollutants are released into the air. Sometimes, it is by natural causes, like volcanoes, but this is usually the least of our problems. Factories and automobiles are mostly the cause of this. Factories give off chemicals that combine with the oxygen and sometimes combine with clouds to make contaminated rain. Even at times, contaminants form together fog, which causes smog, a type of air pollution. Cars also use fossil fuels, and after they burn it off, it causes danger in the atmosphere. Other causes of air pollution are hair sprays and pesticides, paint, ettica.

          There are six main pollutants. Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction between nitrogen oxide and organic compounds in the sunlight. Carbon monoxide is fuel combustion from cars. Lead is formed by metal refineries, battery manufacturing, and waste burners. Sulfur dioxide is fuel usage from high-sulfur coal, electric utilities, and sometimes volcanoes. Nitrogen dioxide is formed from burning wood and fuel combustion. Particulate matter is chemical reactions, fuel combustion, and unpaved roads. All these pollutants can cause health problems including asthma, lungs diseases, brain problems, nervous system, and cardiovascular issues.

          Air pollution affects many things in the planet. When pollutants are released, they join with clouds to form acid rain. The rain falls on vegetation, harming animals and plants. The rain also goes into aquatic areas, affecting marine life and drinking water. In addition, it adds up to global warming, which is a serious case of climate change.

          There are many ways to help stop air pollution. You could:

1. Use electricity wisely.
2. Try to use green energy, like solar power or wind energy.
3. Try not to use so much vehicle energy and try walking or biking for a change.
4. Spread the word.
5. Recycle and reuse.

Help stop air pollution!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL

Help the Galapagos Penguin

Help the Galapagos Penguin!

          Hello, this is IGL and this topic is about the Galapagos penguin. They are endangered and are found only on a small island. They are the only penguins found north of the equator.

          The Galapagos penguin is threatened by climate change, bycatch, and pollution. People also bring dogs to the Galapagos Island and the dogs carry diseases the penguins can’t cope with. Cats also prey on the penguins. There are less than 2000 Galapagos penguin living. You could:

1. Donate to the Galapagos penguin
2. Start a petition
3. Clean the planet
4. Spread the word

Help the Galapagos Penguin!

-Idea+Gift=Love IGL