The Future of North America

As a nation, there are some issues in the 21st Century that should be of concern to everyone. Global warming is an issue that has raised a lot of attention in the last century. This concept is associated with climatic increase due to human activities.

If this problem persists, serious problems affecting our daily lives will occur!

Some impacts from increasing temperatures are already happening.

• Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.
• Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years.
• Sea level rise became faster over the last century.
• Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas.
• Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average.
• Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees.

Other effects could happen later this century, if warming continues.

• Sea levels are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century, and continued melting at the poles could add between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters).
• Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger.
• Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active.
• Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years.
• Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya ice cap in Peru continues to melt at its current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking water and electricity without a source of either.
• Some diseases will spread, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes.
• Ecosystems will change—some species will move farther north or become more successful; others won’t be able to move and could become extinct. Wildlife research scientist Martyn Obbard has found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and fish for food, polar bears have gotten considerably skinnier.  Polar bear biologist Ian Stirling has found a similar pattern in Hudson Bay.  He fears that if sea ice disappears, the polar bears will as well.

Source for climate information: IPCC, 2007

 THE GOOD NEWS is change can be done with our conscious efforts. Increasing the importance of environmental education is essential. Also, environmental sustainability is necessary which is the implementation of policies to enhance the quality of the environment for the future generations. Going "green" is another popular approach to environmental management that has become popular in the last century. Reducing the amount of carbon released into the environment and promoting the use of renewable resources is a key factor in the progress in a "green" environment. In addition to reducing the gases we emit to the atmosphere, we can also increase the amount of gases we take out of the atmosphere.  Plants and trees absorb CO2 as they grow, "sequestering" carbon naturally.  Increasing forestlands and making changes to the way we farm could increase the amount of carbon we're storing.

To learn more about what we can do to prevent global warning, visit:

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/

Hawai'i and the Pacific Islands

Tourism on the Hawai'i and Pacific Islands has increased during the late 19th century and early 20th century. According to The Geography of North America, "improvements in transportation technology reduced travel expenses, allowing people to travel longer distances at relatively low cost. Increased leisure time, increase disposable income, and improved transportation encouraged people to travel for recreational purpose". On an airplane, California is only 5 hours from the Hawaiian Islands. The islands attract California residents because of its beautiful beaches and water sports such as surfing. 

Waikiki Beach is one of the world’s most famous resorts and includes some of the most luxurious hotels, restaurants, shops, and tourist spots. One thing to keep in mind is that Los Angeles is 3 hours ahead of Hawaii.

#1 Rated Beach in Hawaii

Lanikai Beach, Oahu

Considered by many locals to be the best swimming beach in Hawaii, Lanikai’s clear waters, clean, wide beach, and swaying coconut palms also make it a photographer’s dream. A mile-long stretch of powdered-sugar sand is perfect for sunbathing. Sparkling turquoise waters sheltered by a wide, protective offshore reef provide ideal swimming conditions. Other popular activities on Lanikai include kayaking, outrigger canoeing, sailing, surfing, and windsurfing. With the twin Mokulua Islands in the distance (one called the "Chinaman's Hat" due to its profile), Lanikai Beach truly lives up to its translated name of "heavenly sea."

Travel

Cruises from Los Angeles to Hawaii are very popular sailing choices. Princess Cruises, Carnival, and Holland America all offer cruises to Hawaii!  

From the Los Angeles Area Two airports in the greater Los Angeles area offer nonstop flights to the Hawaiian islands, John Wayne airport in Santa Ana and Los Angeles International Airport. For John Wayne Airport, Continental Airlines offers nonstop flights to Honolulu which takes roughly 5 hours, 10 minutes to complete. Los Angeles International Airport offers flights to four Hawaiian cities by five airlines. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines features service to Honolulu, Kahului, Kona and Lihue, while Hawaiian Airlines and Continental Airlines fly to only Honolulu. Flight time from Los Angeles is five hours to Kahului and Kona, 5 hours, 10 minutes to Honolulu and 5 hours, 15 minutes to Lihue.

The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest includes western Oregon, western Washington, British Columbia west of the rocky Mountains, and southeastern panhandle of Alaska. The Klamath Mountains divide northern California from southern Oregon. This region creates a sharp region between land and sea. The Coast Ranges also include the Siskiyou Mountains that form a boundary between California and Oregon. The Pacific Northwest and California hare similar variations in climate and perception due to the location patterns of mountains and valleys in the Pacific Northwest.

These two regions also contain some of the largest trees in North America. The redwoods that grow along the coast in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California are the tallest trees in the world. Redwood, also known as Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), grows in a very narrow strip along the coast of California from the extreme southwestern corner of Oregon to 150 miles south of San Francisco in the Soda Springs drainage of Big Sur. This area is about 500 miles long and rarely more than 20 or 30 miles wide in a region of frequent thick -summer fog, moderate year-round temperature, and considerable winter rainfall. Redwood does not grow naturally beyond the belt affected by this combination. In addition to these trees, Spruce, Douglas fir, Sequoia and other commercial and giant trees.

Sequoia and Redwood Tree Facts

Here are some more interesting giant redwood facts and giant sequoia tree information:

Giant Redwoods

• Live up to 2,000 years old
• Have branches up to 5 feet in diameter
• Bark grows up to 12 inches thick
• Can reproduce either by seed or by sprout

Giant Sequoias

• Live up to 3,000 years old
• Have branches up to 8 feet in diameter
• Bark grows up to 3 feet thick
• Reproduce by seed only

California

"California is the diamond on the diamond ring," - John Aidan 

I picked this quote only because this is how I feel about the state I was born and raised in!! Just thinking about California, one can picture the beautiful postcards of surfers, beaches, sun and the entertainment industry. 

Landforms

·         Three large areas: mountain that parallel the coast, interior valleys, and higher mountain ranges in the east.

·         Located on the san Andres’ Fault

·         isolated volcanoes appear along the western flank of the Sierra near the Northern end. 

Hazard

California is known for its extreme landslide hazard. This slides result from steep hillsides and heavy winter rainfalls. California spends millions on damage occurring in hilly or mountainous urban areas. 

Please watch the video that illustrates the hazards and dangers of landslides.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edPbbJuRc6s

Culture, Peoples, and Places

The residents of Southern California come from everywhere across the world. The Los Angeles area contains the largest Mexican community outside Mexico, the largest Vietnamese community outside Vietnam and the largest Korean community outside of Korea. 

You can visit Korea town, Olivera street and other areas in Downtown, Los Angeles for a cultural experience of each ethnic group. 

Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry

Since the early 20th century, California has been the center for film, radio and television programs and popular music.  In The Geography of North America it states"For nearly a century it has given Southern California the opportunity to create, modify, and distribute its own image to the outside world". Due to this enormous industry, California has become a voice for the United States. This in turn has attracted tourist, job seekers, and retirees. 

I have uploaded the song "Los Angeles" by Peter Bradley Adams to demonstrate the interconnection of the entertainment industry and the region. 

MexAmerica

This portion of North America focuses on the area that lies east of the boundary between California and Arizona along the Rio Grande River. It expands into Southern California, with Los Angeles home to one of the largest populations of native Spanish speakers in North America. As I discussed into my prior posting, The Coastal South, the Spanish influence is dense in the Los Angeles communities. "The U.S Census of Population in 2010 reported that countries located in close proximity to the Mexican border in Arizona and California has the highest portion of Mexican-born residents". The Mexican culture in Los Angeles is seen in the articheture and traditions throughout Los Angeles.

The desert tortoise is native to MexAmerica region and is the official state reptile of Nevada and California. They live in deserts of MexAmerica and in southeastern, California.  They are able to survive in high temperature areas because of their ability to dig underground burrows to escape the heat. Unfortunately, their populations have decreased by as much as 90% for the sale of pet trade and land development. To preserve these reptiles, the Critical Desert Tortoise Habitat, is currently making efforts to protect the endangered species.  To learn more on the preservation of the desert tortoise, visit:

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP DESERT TORTOISES @

http://www.defenders.org/desert-tortoise/what-you-can-do

FAST FACTS

Height: 4-6 inches.

Length: 9-15 inches (shell length).

Weight: 8-15 lbs.

Lifespan: 50-80 years.

The Intermontane West

This section of the United States is located in between the two major mountain ranges of North America- the Rocky Mountains to the east and the sierra Nevada and Cascades to the west. The weather in this region is very similar to California. Mountain barriers block moisture from reaching places such as the Columbia Plain, eastern Oregon, much of Idaho and Utah, the Colorado Plateau, and southeastern California. Death Valley is located in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada which only receives 3 inches of rain and is categorized as the driest area in North America. According to The Geography of North America, rain shadow is "the leeward areas below mountain crests that receive low average rainfall. This region is popular for it camping and lodging. If interested in visiting this area, it is recommended to travel within November to March due to cooler temperatures. 

For more information on Death Valley Nation Park, visit:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Death_Valley_National_Park

Death valley also known located in the Great Basin and considered a down faulted valley. Badwater in Death valley is known as the lowest part of North America. 

Badwater- Death Valley

• The site itself consists of a small spring-fed pool of "bad water" next to the road in a sink; the accumulated salts of the surrounding basin make it undrinkable. Its name "bad water" comes from its hazardous properties.
• The pool of water does have animal and plant life.
• At Badwater, significant rainstorms flood the valley bottom periodically.
• A popular site for tourists is the sign marking "sea level" on the cliff above Badwater.

The Rocky Mountain Region

The Rocky Mountains contains some of the highest peaks in the United States. It extends approximately 200 miles from central New Mexico to northeastern British Columbia. Snow and rain falling on the west side of the divide will flow to the Pacific Ocean that runs along California coast. This snow that melts in the spring or summer provides water to rivers and streams that are near the Rocky Mountain region. "The Colorado, Snake, Missouri, and Arkansas rivers rise in the Rockies. Waterways that originate in the Rocky Mountains sustain massive desert communities outside the region such as Los Angeles"(Pearson). Many people around the nation are dependent on the water that flows from the Rocky Mountains. Water from the continental divides of the East side of the Rocky Mountains flows to the Atlantic Ocean which feeds the Colorado river. The Colorado River is Los Angeles primary source of water. The Colorado River is a vital link in sustaining the economy of Southern California -- water for irrigation, water for cities and hydroelectric power for both. Today it supplies about 65 percent -- and by the turn of the century, still as much as 55 percent. Southern California’s rights to Colorado River Water were thought to be solidified in the 1930s when a number of agencies signed water delivery contracts with the Secretary of the Interior. Contracts detailed the priorities, to use and store California's apportionment of river water.