Take this quick quiz I created to find out! If you get 11/11 you are mostly ready, you should still do tons more research just to be sure! Sorry, to anyone scoring under an A+ (11/11), in the future, try again and I’m sure you’ll be ready! P.S I made a mistake on the scoring system for the “What Is The Reason You Want a Dog?” question, the answer can be “For emotional support and company”, that answer would be correct and automatically it is marked as wrong! So if you get a 10/11 and you chose emotional support just know your score should have been an 11/11!
Month: March 2020
Weekly Story: Plastic in the Ocean Dangerously Threats Marine Wildlife
Imagine you are a sea turtle, swimming around the ocean floor. You’re starving, and that little clear thing over there looks just like your regular diet, but it isn’t. When you keep on eating these pieces, you won’t have room for anything else to eat. So, what are those little pieces? It turns out, and those small pieces are plastic, plastic that can float around the ocean for centuries. All types of marine animals eat these little pieces that will get sick and even die. But, how did the plastic get there?
Most Americans do recycle, and although it helps, it’s not enough. You see, when you recycle, very little of what you throw away is reused. It turns up in landfills, then blown into the ocean. Mackenzie Carro explains, “Many creatures accidentally eat plastic, thinking it is food. With stomachs full of plastic and no room for real food, these animals can starve. Other animals can get dangerously tangled in plastic 6-pack drink holders or suffocate inside plastic bags” (Carro, 2020). Because marine animals are becoming sick or even dying from eating plastic, this is endangering species that disrupts the food chain and, ultimately, negatively affects the ocean ecosystem.
Plastic that ends up in the ocean does not disappear. Instead, it is broken down by the sun, heat, and water into tiny pieces known as microplastics, which are dangerous for ocean wildlife. Mackenzie Carro states, “Anna also learned that microplastics are very difficult to get rid of. They are often too small for humans to spot easily. What’s more, algae can grow on microplastics, which makes them blend in with other particles in the ocean. This is what makes microplastics dangerous for marine animals, many of which get sick or even die from” (Carro, 2020). Overall, when we throw things away like plastic, some is recycled, some sit with no place to go. Then toxins are released, which harm plants and animals, and trash on beaches and lakes also is very harmful to the environment. You can help by replacing plastic forks and spoons and straws with metal, reusable ones. Use cloth napkins to dry your hands, use reusable containers, and choose refillable water bottles instead of a disposable water bottle. If we all take these steps, we will have a better environment for us and the beautiful animals around us.
Weekly Story: During the Coronavirus Outbreak Tons of Animals Are Forced to the Streets
Most people are aware that the coronavirus outbreak is a fast-moving virus with growing numbers by the hour. Over 8,700 people are infected and over 160 are dead in the U.S alone. While we are stocking up on toilet paper and canned food, we don’t realize that there are other lives at stake.
All over China, there are pet lovers. With the largest dog and cat population of 188 million, they have more pets than the U.S does. Like any other city home to animals, there are abandoned cats and dogs roaming the streets. While this issue usually is partly under control in China, since the outbreak, it’s not been the same.
With so many people in China with pets, when an owner falls sick from coronavirus, they go into quarantine with no choice but to leave their pets behind. This creates a massive problem for volunteers because while abandoned animals before the outbreak were hard to control and feed, adding more animals to the situation leaves many starving to death. Overall, by adopting or fostering, you can give these animals a second chance. If unable to foster or adopt, you can donate money to provide these animals food and shelter, which can be critical to the line of life and death. Remember to always look into adopting before going to a breeder. You’ll always have a good feeling knowingly you saved a life. If there were fewer breeders in the world, we wouldn’t have a pet overpopulation, which is a big part of this problem. Don’t get a dog if you aren’t ready, because we can’t afford to have more pets ending up on the streets. I will soon be making a quiz to see if you are ready for a pet.
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