Endangered Ecosystems

       There is now a 'red list' of Endangered Ecosystems around the world from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  There were twenty case studies created in order to assess the health of Earth's various ecosystems.

Aral Sea

They are as follows:

• Aral Sea — Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan: freshwater, collapsed
• Raised bogs — Germany: critically endangered
• Gonakier forests — Senegal River floodplain: freshwater, critically endangered
• Cape Sand Flats — Fynbos, South Africa: terrestrial, critically endangered
• Coorong lagoons — Australia: freshwater/marine, critically endangered
• Karst rising springs — Southern Australia: freshwater, critically endangered
• Coastal sandstone upland swamps — Australia: freshwater, endangered/critically endangered
• Swamps, marshes and lakes in the Murray-Darling Basin — Australia: freshwater, endangered/critically endangered
• Giant kelp forests — Alaska: marine, endangered/critically endangered
• Caribbean coral reefs — Caribbean: marine, endangered/critically endangered
• Seagrass meadows — Southern Australia: marine, endangered-critically endangered
• German tamarisk pioneer vegetation — Europe: freshwater, endangered
• Coolibah-Black Box woodland — Australia: freshwater/terrestrial, endangered
• Tapia forest — Madagascar: terrestrial, endangered
• Semi-evergreen vine thicket — Australia: terrestrial, endangered
• Great Lakes Alvars — United States and Canada: terrestrial, vulnerable/endangered
• Reed beds — Europe: freshwater, vulnerable
• Floodplain ecosystem of river red gum and black box — southeastern Australia: freshwater, vulnerable
• Tepui shrubland - Venezuela: terrestrial, least concern
• Granite gravel fields and sand plains - New Zealand: terrestrial, least concern

What is IUCN?

IUCN. "IUCN - About IUCN." IUCN - Home. N.p., 23 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.iucn.org/about/>.

Oskin, Becky. " IUCN Criteria For 'Red List' of Endangered Ecosystems Detailed | Conservation | OurAmazingPlanet.com ."Home | OurAmazingPlanet.com . N.p., 8 May 2013. Web. 12 May 2013. <http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4448-iucn-red-list-ecosystems-detailed.html>.

The Story of Bottled Water

While doing research for my climate change action I came across this video from Story of Stuff.  It talks about the differences between tap and bottled water.  She also discusses how the companies are not being environmentally responsible with their extraction, production, and distribution, as well as the problem of landfills, incinerators, and recycling or downcycling.

Leonard, Annie. "The Story of Bottled Water (2010) - YouTube." YouTube. N.p., 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 11 May 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0>.