Fire Tornadoes

A fire tornado is exactly what it sounds like. A tubular shaped cylinder of fire that looks much like a tornado. They are created when high heat and turbulent winds mix together and "aren't so much rare as rarely reported". This fiery tornado look-a-like will suck in nearby objects, like a tornado, and has a core that is on average one to three feet wide. This fire tornado--or fire whirl, fire devil, or firenados--can span five to ten stories tall, and rarely can by dozens of feet wide and over a hundred stories tall. 

The picture above is a photo of a fire tornado seen in Hungary in earlier March. Below is a small example of just how destructive a fire tornado can be...

BR 163-Transoceanic Highway

Earlier in the year a 2600km highway was opened for the public that travels from the Atlantic coast of Brazil to the Pacific coast of Peru--cutting straight through the heart of the Amazon rain forest. Because this region is such a poor region it is hard to ignore the potential economic outcomes but the environmental concerns could be frightening.

As an attempt to document and figure out the environmental impacts a project was launched that deals with a "leaf pack". A leaf pack will be a mesh bag full of tree leaves that will remain secured in streams. A period of time will be allotted for organisms to feed and live on these leaves. When given the chance to examine the leaves after the experiment scientists will be able to gauge the health of the water and the organisms in the water. Hopefully, this project will show the impact of the new road. 

How much energy are you saving with your choice in light bulbs?

On National Geographic there is a program where you can enter how many light bulbs you have in your home and even select how many are Incandescent, CFL, or LED. And it will then tell you facts based on the American average.

In my, Canadian, household I have 16 Incandescent light bulbs. Which means:

1. I have 24 fewer light bulbs than the average U.S. household.
2. I use 6.4 fewer efficient bulbs that the average.
3. I am likely saving about $89.96 more than the average U.S. household each year, due to my choice of bulbs.
4. If every household in the United States took the same steps on lighting efficiency:

                                  It would save $10,165,196,506 in energy costs.

                                  It would be like shutting down FOURTEEN coal power plants.

                                  It would be like taking 11,003,128 cars off the road.

                                  It would reduce CO2 emissions by 56,115,956 metric tons.

                                  It would cut emissions equivalent to 305,559 rail cars of coal.

The facts on if every household in the United States switched to how my family uses light bulbs is shocking but I think what I find most shocking is the fact that the AVERAGE American household has 40 light bulbs. I thought that having 16 in your house was extortionate!

Source: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/great-energy-challenge/light-bulb-savings-calculator?source=gecfeatures

Habitats

Habitats are being destroyed daily and not just the types you think. I know, personally, that when I think of habitats I think of wetlands, the Amazon, forests, oceans. Thus, when I think of habitats being destroyed I imagine big corporate offices full of big-shots, who only care about the dollar, ordering workers to cut down trees and build more offices for them. I don't imagine myself, just going for a walk. Ever since I was a little kid, as I walked I would break off twigs, rip off leaves, kick up dirt, things that every kid does. But as I was sitting on the beach today, looking at the ocean, I realized that the twig I just ripped from the ground and began snapping into tiny pieces could have blossomed leaves for a tiny bug to eat. It could have given shelter and food, yet I just snapped it in half like nothing. Then, I thought of all the other little, mini habitats I might have destroyed in my life. I am not saying I will never rip off another leave again, or not pick up a stick from the ground to keep my hand busy, but what I found astonishing was that until now, I never thought twice about it. I never thought about the consequences that I might have caused for an organism. It made me think how much we can take this planet for granted and not think of those beneath us in the food chain, who we depend on for survival.