Why it matters:
The worst drought in 26 years is threatening the last of the Desert Elephants, the northernmost herd in Africa.
Recap:
Water sources are already stressed and droughts have always been a natural occurrence, however, apparently the severity has increased significantly. Mali’s Desert Elephants in West Africa, now numbering only 350-400, have the longest migration route of any other on the continent, traveling 435 miles (35 miles in a day) in a counterclockwise circle on the fringes of the Sahara in search of water. The drought in combination with rising temperatures has been cause for many deaths among the cattle, particularly among the young.
Commentary:
Africa may seem a bit far to think that anything we might do can be affecting the continent, however, our actions contribute to climate change that results in disaster far away as well as close to home. In Texas drought is affecting cattle country, in California and Georgia the cause of drought is not due to global warming but the amount consumed by the population. In fact the western US may face a future of permanent drought. While droughts may be a natural occurrence, the heat accompanying it is rising and that is due to climate change, which in result is causing harsher droughts. Concentrations of CO2, CH4, N2O, and CFCs, which raise global temperatures in the atmosphere, have increased as a result of human activity. The bad news is that our actions are influencing climate change and droughts…the good news is that we can do something about it.
A number of elephants have already perished. Save the Elephants is taking donations to help the elephants before they die.
Check out the video to the right to see how you can save water at home. For a more concise and scientific understanding of climate change, drought and what can be done I suggest taking a look at: Climate Change, Sea Level, and Western Drought: Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference
Water is an important current that runs through so many of our activities. It is needed for everything and without enough of it there will major impacts and ripple effects that concern the world at large directly and indirectly.
Creative Solutions:
- 100 Ways to Conserve
- Water Smart Home Uses and Techniques
- Eating Less Meat to Reduce your Carbon Footprint
- For Adults
- For Kids
