Written By: Stephanie Polackal and Meryl Santhosh
What are carbon emissions and wildfires
Carbon is everywhere. It is present in our food, the air we breathe, our bodies, and is considered to be the basis of life. However, while nature does its job of keeping these carbon emission levels in balance, humans do not. This imbalance of CO2 has harmful effects on the environment and human life. Wildfires are actually a major effect of carbon emissions is an environmental issue in itself.
https://earthhero.com/carbon-emissions/
Impact of carbon emissions (global warming, climate change, animals impacted)
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere everyday from vehicles, agriculture, and many more everyday human processes. The main problem with this is that it causes climate change, which then contributes to global warming. This warming causes extreme weather events like tropical storms, wildfires, severe droughts and heat waves. Climate change alters our environment and natural habitats, therefore harming animals and destroying crop yields. These effects are detrimental enough, but furthermore, emissions directly affect humans too, causing more respiratory disease from an increase of air pollution.
https://www.greenmatters.com/p/how-do-carbon-emissions-affect-environment
Impact of wildfires (forests being harmed, animals being harmed, greenhouse gases, air pollution)
Wildfires create a severe impact on our environment because they burn down habitats, which contributes to the worsening conditions of our air. Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide that would otherwise add to the warming of our planet, and without them, we are prone to the growth of climate change and greenhouse gases. Wildfires also influence the quality of our water as runoffs bring higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to oxygen depletion in rivers and streams while also polluting drinking water.
https://deq.utah.gov/communication/news/featured/wildfires-impact-on-our-environment#:~:text=Wildfires%20can%20affect%20the%20physical,significant%20increase%20in%20stormwater%20runoff.
Why its important to know about this and prevention (how to reduce your carbon footprint and prevent wildfires)
There are many simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Eating more plants, buying less items, and trying to avoid fast fashion are all ways that we can make a difference as a public with reducing our carbon footprint. When it comes to preventing wildfires, it’s important to actively be aware of fires and combustible materials, while also making sure to use controlled locations when making fires. Overall, it’s our duty to remember our impact on the earth and our contributions to the wellness of our planet.
https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/12/27/35-ways-reduce-carbon-footprint/
https://cultureofsafety.thesilverlining.com/wilderness/forest-fire-prevention/