Behavioral and Social Science on Environmental Concern

 Behavioral and Social Science on Environmental Concern

Written by Caleb Paik

Mentioned in my previous report, space debris is nothing compared to human activity on the impact of Earth’s environment. These activities come in many different forms: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Environmental changes like these are everywhere. They have triggered multiple forms of environmental concerns such as climate change, erosion, poor air quality, and polluted water. These negative impacts ultimately end up harming humans. As daunting as this may seem, humans have the necessary tools to face it.

For further study on this topic, the Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE Center) partnered with The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility. They specifically explored the evidence of how behavior and social science can help solve environmental concerns such as the one listed above. 

They first made a realization that “for people problems, we need people solutions.” However, Katie Williamson, a senior associate and manager at the BE Center, states that “the approaches and methods we’re using now, many of them aren’t working…to really address these problems before they get worse.” Thus, this partnership was made to have a deeper look into social & behavioral science to create new environmental solutions. They first reviewed previously made research about behavioral science on environmental concern. Then, they translated the insights from the literature into practical guidance on how to perform in regards to environmental concern. Through this project, the members and volunteers of BE Center and The Global Environment Facility were able to inspire change through the science of human behavior so that people and nature can thrive. 

• https://rare.org/video/bringing-the-science-of-human-behavior-to-environmental-challenges/?gclid=CjwKCAjw-vmkBhBMEiwAlrMeF9004Q2KiQUUzxGTNk6du-5QAWTabQrgEN-O8I7YLzDvmYymLFdZNRoCpQYQAvD_BwE

• https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/

Space Debris: Is it a Problem for Earth?

Space Debris: Is it a Problem for Earth?

Written by Caleb Paik

Space debris, as the name suggests, is any piece of machinery or junk left by humans in space. More than 27000 pieces of space debris are found and tracked by Space Surveillance Network sensors but they fail to count tiny pieces of debris, which leads the total count to be much higher. The rising number of space debris increases the danger to all space vehicles, such as the international space station. Both the debris and spacecraft travel at extremely high speeds making even a small impact with a tiny piece of debris very dangerous. 

Due to these potential dangers, tracking the debris is necessary. The Department of Defense maintains a highly accurate satellite catalog on orbital debris, junk that orbits the Earth. This system regulates objects that are mostly all larger than a softball. With this, The DoD and NASA teamed up to regulate space debris more efficiently. With cooperation, they were able to regulate debris that are as small as 4 inches in diameter.  

While space debris can potentially greatly affect the people in space, how about the people on Earth? While it may seem unlikely, space debris can negatively affect the Earth’s environment and atmosphere. Researchers estimated that 80 tons of space debris re-enter Earth’s atmosphere each year. This debris can release compositional chemicals that reach the Earth’s atmosphere when they burn upon falling to Earth. These chemicals slowly deplete ozone, allowing more UV radiation to reach the Earth’s surface. When exposed to a lot, this radiation can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune systems. Fortunately, Earth is quite large and even with tons of debris falling to Earth, the impact it has to its environment can be negligible. Human activity is far more of an issue that we must prioritize.  

• https://www.scienceabc.com/nature/universe/how-does-space-debris-impact-earths-environment-and-atmosphere.html#:~:text=Space%20debris%20impacts%20Earth's%20environment,future%20launches%20and%20space%20exploration.\

• https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt Problem

 The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt Problem

Written by Grace Hyunjoo Lee

What is Sargassum? Sargassum is a species of leafy brown seaweed originating from the Atlantic Ocean and Southeast coast of the U.S. It supplies habitats and breeding grounds for various species of marine life. 

As summer is arriving, the bloom season of Sargassum is quickly approaching, but maybe a little too quickly this time. Beaches are already receiving an overabundance of this algae, the highest influx this early in the year; an 8,000 km long seaweed belt is drifting into Florida and Mexico.  Although it is vital for marine life to thrive, this year’s bloom is causing an array of issues. 

Through modern agriculture techniques, increased quantities of nutrients are sent downstream into the ocean. Warming waters and changes in atmospheric patterns can also change this seaweed's growth.

Excessive amounts of this substance are causing long brown carpets to be left on the sand and produce the smell of rotten eggs, repelling tourists as well as harming marine life. 

When the huge mats of Sargassum collect at the coast, marine animals can become trapped in or under it and cause breathing problems. It also prevents sunlight from reaching underwater, which is necessary for many plants and grasses. These grasses serve as a vital source of nutrients for many other organisms and Florida’s endangered manatees. 

It is not only causing a disturbance on the beaches but also giving rise to further toxic effects.

When it is washed up on the beaches, it is exposed to the hot sun, causing rapid decay and releasing Hydrogen Sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic gas that can be dangerous to inhale at high levels. 

When the Sargassum dies following decay, it sinks to the ocean floor and smothers coral 

Moreover, the decomposition of algae removes oxygen from the waste and exacerbates the already existing issue, resulting in mass fish deaths.

Unfortunately, environmental laws restrict the removal of Sargassum from the ocean, and the installation of certain barriers or mechanisms can rely on either since they take longer to get approved. There are many opposing judgments about this occurrence; although Sargassum poses a threat to the local wildlife near the coasts, it stores carbon in the open ocean, which controls the level of carbon in the atmosphere. 

Sources:

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/sargassum-seaweed-blob-explained-florida-scn/index.html

Images:

(1): https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/64894471

(2): https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2023/03/14/seaweed-sargassum-beaches-florida-bloom-record/