Questions about Ecology, Diversity, Sustainability Make for an Excellent Podcast Interview

Questions about Ecology, Diversity, Sustainability Make for an Excellent Podcast Interview

How is it possible that the most intellectual creature to ever walk the planet Earth is destroying its only home? – Jane Goodall

How would you define the effect of these important words on you and your family? Do they warrant more discussion about common environmental problems, denial of ecosystems, loss of species, too much waste pollution, material over-consumption, not to mention global warming.  

MISSION STATEMENT:  As a society, we must have an affinity for our finite planet and  must never diminish the Big Picture of survival in our limited biosphere without having a personal relationship to the diversity and symbiosis of all living and non-living things on Earth.

Ongoing research has opened new personal windows of understanding and appreciation. Nature ripples in her streams, languishes in her lakes, whispers in her wind, wavers fathoms deep into oceans, holds the baby bird, watches the green caterpillar on a cabbage leave, entertains families on a beach … and embraces the only life we have on Earth. But who will speak on behalf of Nature as a living, breathing entity unto herself for future generations? 

I look forward to podcast shows which may be interested in discussing ecology from Nature’s perspective. A previous blog outlined 10 questions with two given answers:

 Why is it important to know the similarity between biosphere. ecology, ecosystem and environment?

What is the interesting relationship between water molecule and a hydrocarbon?

Here are two more questions to answer on a podcast interview:

1. Why is environmental sustainability based on biological diversity?
2. What are some amazing Cyclical Truths discovered in a water cycle journey that may be less known?

1. Why is environmental sustainability based on biological diversity?

Every ecosystem has four parts or levels ... if one is missing, then the other parts will be unbalanced ... first rule of all ecosystems:

 1. Non living elements the sun, air, water  2. primary food producers 3. secondary consumers 4. decomposers to return the nutrients as well as release gases for breathing.

 

What is biodiversity: defined as all variety of living species of plants, animals, bacteria and fungi, and human beings. Their survival is based on their diversity, interactions and co-dependence in any given ecosystem to maintain balance and support life with food, clean water, medicine and shelter.

However, some reports (Global Assessment -2019 and WWF - 2018) have noted an average 60% decline in global population of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians where many species may even face extinction. 

The reasons are population growth requiring one third of land mass and 75% fresh water for crops or livestock production.

Other human infractions are over fishing the ocean, clear cutting forests, depleting natural resources,  polluting our water and worsening a climate crisis. 

What is environmental sustainability? defined as maintaining and protecting biodiversity  that allows humans to satisfy their needs without exceeding the capacity of its supporting ecosystems to regenerate the services necessary to meet the long-term needs of future generations. 

We must realize as both individuals and corporate citizens, no matter how small or large, that we must help to maintain our environment with every positive action as part of a larger cycle. We can check out "green teams," improve eco-friendly supply chains, and reduce harmful or excessive waste. Our planet, society, and economy must sustain our future generations.

For example, if you cut down trees, make a plan to reforest. 

If you have a manufacturing factory, make sure your emissions are up to code.

If you run an industrialized agricultural operation, improve crop rotation, use less fertilizers or pesticides.

2. What are some of the less known but amazing Cyclical Truths discovered in a water cycle?

Each ecosystem has its own energy cycle which contains all of the living species and all non-living elements in any particular environment, whether as a single tree, a forest or even a puddle. This energy flows from the sun through plants, primary food producers, secondary consumers like animals and humans, and microorganisms which ends with decomposition in order to recycle the process again. 

In fact, numerous interdependent cycles are required for ecology to balance and sustain these many lifeforms and systems in an inclusive, cooperative biosphere. 

• food chain starts with sun’s energy for producer organisms  (such as grass or trees) to make their own food, for consumers (such as animals and humans), to decomposing species. Energy and nutrients pass from one link to another.  For example, if you eat a hamburger for lunch, you are part of a food chain that started with grass to cow to human.
• pesticide cycle are chemicals like insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides. They can be absorbed by insects, fish and other organisms, blow away to non-sprayed areas, flow with rain water into streams or seep through the soil into ground water and remain in the environment for years. Pesticides damage ecosystems by disrupting food chains as part of food webs, or decrease biodiversity through loss of populations, even cause extinction of species. Also note that the higher up in a food chain, the more concentration of chemicals at the top.  For example, from a grasshopper to a shrew to an owl who gets sick is called  bioamplification.
• nitrogen cycle is the circulation of nitrogen in various forms through nature. Nitrogen is essential to life because it makes proteins and nucleic acids.  Most of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas, but this gas can only be used by plants and animals if first transformed by microbes called nitrogen fixation or nitrification.
• carbon cycle is probably the most important cycle as explained in a previous blog about the relationship between a water molecule and a hydrocarbon. Bottom line ... if too much carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere, an imbalance of greenhouse gases will influence global warming.Just think, a tree will use 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in year and supply enough oxygen for up to 4 people daily.

And so, this special story about an incredible journey to discover Cyclical Truths was written to combine imagination, fantasy with scientific reality. The water sprite with roots is personified as a friend who experiences many encounters, imbalances, fears and hopes in his natural ecological journey. Because he shares an affinity with any organic life form derived from carbon and hydrogen, he can communicate with other beings and express their stories from their realities. Most importantly, he talks the walk through his mission of discovering cyclical truths from the sun to water to nutrients to plants to animals to decomposing bacteria to respecting the biodiversity essential for all life. 

Who do you know in the podcast sphere of influencers who may be interested in talking about our one and only blue planet, it's biodiversity and cry out for environmental  sustainability? Once again you can check out the other 10 questions for podcast interview on previous blog link above.

What questions do you have about our earth's biology and how to maintain and respect it?
What actions or changes do you see that may help or harm our future generations?

Sincerely,
Annemarie
amarie10@gmail.com
833 471 4661 (leave message and the best time to talk)
https://helpfulmindstreamforchanges.com

Excerpt from The Incredible Journey of a Water Sprite with Roots

      Stentor stretches his long neck as long as he can.

"This is termed the food chain and it is part of the great ecological cycle.  This is one of the great Cyclical Truths … if one part lives, then the other part lives; if one part is destroyed then the other part will be destroyed in time.

Who gave Mother Nature such divine plans, how to look after even the smallest, to even the largest. Isn't ecology wonderful how it makes plants, animals and humankinds can stay living in co-operation? Isn't co-operation wonderful, a true democracy through diversity?"

Co-operation … co-operation … so many heads are now reciting the same word and thought..