The Atmosphere, essential for life on earth.

22nd October,  2020

Reading time: 5 minutes.

There are planets where the dense atmosphere of greenhouse gases produces a surface temperature that could melt lead. There are others, or even the earth long before the intensive period of meteorite impact, that keep radioactive elements on its surface producing burning heat *. Perhaps during that time of earth cooling, millions of years ago, there were optimal conditions that allowed life in some way on planets like Mars or Venus. Now there’s life on earth! But, to understand what allows this phenomenon to happen, it’s essential to recognize that there are a complete series of conditions and circumstances that make our planet an ideal place for life. So… Is planet earth as special as we think? We will explain everything you want to know and much more.

“The distinct layers of the atmosphere exist because the atoms of gases interact differently as we move away from the surface of the earth. This means that these layers are produced by the interaction of gas atoms with pressure, temperature and density decrease as we increase in height. ” in Atmósfera terrestre

You would be surprised to discover all the circumstances that allow you to be reading this today! Life on earth would be unimaginable if it wasn’t for a series of specific and vulnerable conditions. The atmosphere is one of them. The production of oxygen, the blocking of ultraviolet radiation, the hydrological cycle, among others, are just some of the conditions that are codependent and that, with any modification, directly alter the atmosphere and our life.

When we talk about these environmental modifications, we commonly talk about the agents that contaminate life cycles and the layers that protect the earth. Air pollution is a problem that affects every living being on the planet, and we must prevent an even worse climate crisis, because, if we don’t change our habits and way of acting, our life on earth could be history. If you don’t know what air pollution is, or what is the difference between the atmosphere, hydrosphere and all the cycles that exist on the planet and that allows life, keep reading!

*Estudio publicado en la revista Nature Science, por Jellinek de la Universidad de Columbia Británica.

The atmosphere is, actually, essential.

The atmosphere is a compound of stable gases, of approximately 10,000 km thick bound to the planet by the force of gravity, that surrounds the lithosphere and hydrosphere and envelops the earth. Without it, the earth would be a barren and hostile place!

Its most important functions are:

Supplies oxygen:

It provides living beings with essential gases for life, such as oxygen. It’s the second most abundant gas and is found in the troposphere, the first layer of the atmosphere, where organisms, plants and living beings that take advantage of this element live.

Allows the existence of water:

It’s part of the hydrological cycle, the water cycle that all living things need to live. Thanks to the atmosphere, clouds are formed and there’s an appropriate climate for water to be transported from one place to another.

It’s a natural sunscreen:

It protects us from most of the ultraviolet radiation since the ozone of the atmosphere absorbs most of the rays that come from the sun.

Provides an ideal temperature:

It allows the planet’s environment to be regulated at an ideal temperature for life. CO₂, present in the atmosphere in less than 0.1%, allows the planet’s temperature to remain stable, blocks part of the heat from the rays of the Sun during the day, and at night, it keeps the heat close to the surface.

Acts as a protective shield:

It protects us from meteorites because when they have to go through several layers at different temperatures, they disintegrate with the help of the gases in the atmosphere. The molecules are in constant movement, and when they collide with the meteorites, they disintegrate due to their speed..

We can hear sounds thanks to the atmosphere:

It allows sound to spread like waves in space. Therefore, thanks to the atmosphere, you can listen to music and people talk. Sound waves can’t travel in empty space, but they can travel through gases in the air.

Air pollution affects our lives.

All these conditions, as well as the cycles that allow life such as the oxygen and water cycle, depend directly on the existence of a stable atmosphere. So what about air pollution? Carbon dioxide, which is found in a low concentration on the atmosphere, plays an essential role since it prevents the direct radiation that reaches us from the Sun from being returned in its fullness to space. In other words, it allows the entrance of solar radiation but prevents all heat from escaping, keeping the earth from being a frozen place.

But the indiscriminate increase in this gas caused by industrial processes, the use of fossil fuels and logging causes an atmosphere imbalance. In this way, the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, sunlight continues it entrances through the atmosphere, but the heat finds it difficult to get out, thus generating all the consequences of global warming due to the increase in temperature.

Read: Climate Change

This air pollution, caused by the increase in carbon dioxide, is really an imbalance in the proportion of gases that compose the atmosphere. “If men break this balance by releasing, for example, the carbon dioxide contained in fossil fuels, nature tends to regulate itself towards a new balance, through altering the one that existed” 1. Actually, more air pollution will cause an increase in global warming and with it, the results that we are already seeing: an attempt of the earth to regain its natural balance.

1.Cambios en la atmósfera que alteran el equilibrio de la Tierra por Juana Fernández en Vida universitaria de la Universidad de Navarra.

The possibilities of achieving the SDGs are uncertain, what can we do?

15th October  2020

Reading time : 5 minutes

The UN has established that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will be impossible for countries with low economic growth. Currently, progress in several areas is being made, but, efforts to achieve these goals aren’t developing at the speed and scale needed. This is why 2020 has been established as the beginning of a decade of ambitious actions in order to achieve the Goals to accomplish the United Nations 2030 Agenda. It’s not an easy task, some targets are especially challenging, but we keep on betting on the construction of a more equitable, sustainable and peaceful world.

Do you want to know what SDGs are? Click here

The Global Goals are our biggest hope; for people, for the planet, prosperity, peace and partnerships. We must work to reach them and combat the world’s biggest challenges, from poverty and gender equality to climate change, inequality and closing the financial gap.

The United Nations Development Programme suggests that “As a human family we’ve never done anything like this before. It’s uncharted territory: we are going to have to overhaul the way we live and do business, produce energy and food, dispense justice, and empower the most disadvantaged. But we have no choice but to step forward; we can already, almost daily, see the cost of inaction played out in real time; widespread global climate and political protests; entire forests ablaze; unprecedented levels of desertification; ancient cities flooding; millions of people forced to migrate.”1 With the SDGs, we are faced with an action route never before proposed by humanity, a global pact necessary for the creation of an inclusive future.

1. In Deadline 2030

Why do we have hope?

Ten years before the deadline for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, the UN has marked 2020 as the beginning of a decade of ambitious actions in order to join forces to accomplish the promise of a more sustainable and equitable world. In September 2019, the UN General Secretary called all sectors of society to mobilize and join forces to take action at the global, local and personal levels. This decade of action requires accelerated solutions directed to the principal challenges we face as humanity and furthermore, is a call to all people to make these global goals their own since the accomplishment of the promise of the 2030 Agenda requires that each one act both individually and collectively.

In our daily lives we can help the world to achieve the SDGs, with our actions we can contribute to the different lines of action of the 2030 Agenda. That’s why we want to share with you the UN’s Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving The World and 7 easy things we all can do to reach the SDGs. Now you can take the first step towards joining the Sustainable Development Goals route. You’ll see that our individual contribution can be replicated until it becomes part of the solution. On the other hand, having work from larger spheres than the personal one is crucial. Government participation and the support of private institutions from different economic sectors is essential, let’s not forget that to generate an unstoppable movement that encourages the transformations we need, all sectors of society must contribute.

How do we contribute to the SDG’s achievement?

We believe that change is possible, and we dream of a future where nature and humanity can live in harmony. This is why we care about contributing with our work to the Sustainable Development Goals. We want to be part of that route of action that tries to make a better planet, we will tell you how we do it:

Decent work and economic growth: Support inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The economic growth of indigenous communities is deficient, that’s the reason why Saving the Amazon, in the development of its programs, works hand in hand with indigenous and native communities of the Vaupés (Colombian department) where families receive a monthly commission for planting and caring the trees, of which the resources produced by planting can be used by the community and become also an additional economic income. This project creates decent, sustainable work and economic growth in the communities. Read more about SDG 8 Here

Reduced inequalities: Reduce inequalities within and between countries.

Social inequality in the world is increasing and the lack of job opportunities contributes to this problem. In our projects, we include the indigenous communities without any discrimination of any kind, in which their remuneration is generated in an equitable way. Learn more about the work that has been done worldwide to achieve this goal.

Responsible consumption and production

Together with the associated communities of the projects, we have promoted the creation of ecological jobs, carrying out reforestation activities, where the resources produced by planting, edible seeds and fruits, are used to the maximum. These seeds are replanted and the materials generated by the trees are used by the community to supply the needs of their daily life, without affecting the subsistence of the plants. These projects are producing sustainable jobs emphasizing the protection of the environment. Read: Responsible consumption and production

We are working to achieve our vision of eradicating poverty, rescuing the planet and building a peaceful world. We need your help to achieve it. Join us!

Adopt your tree

Climate change, just a few degrees more put in risk the whole planet

8th October 2020

Global warming is causing a series of changes in the earth’s climate and in the life of the beings that inhabit it. Climate change is advancing at unprecedented speed and is altering the rhythm of the weather to which all living things have become accustomed. After the UN Climate Summit last year, the entity warned about the worrying increase in the planet’s temperature and predicted the remaining time we have before reaching an irreversible and irremediable crisis. The numbers and the facts are worrying, we tell you what consequences the increase in temperature brings and what would happen if it doesn’t reach a stable point before the next 7 years.

The world is a long way from meeting the Paris Agreement targets to keep global temperature rise below 2 ° C relative to pre-industrial levels according to United in Science scientific research carried out by the World Meteorological Organization.

Modern life has brought us to a crucial moment by putting us the greatest challenge of our time, a challenge that ourselves push to the limit, climate change. How are we going to cope with the changes we’re already seeing on our planet? can we fix it? It’s becoming increasingly clear that humans have caused most of the global warming, after more than a century of industrialization, massive deforestation and large-scale agriculture, the amounts of gases that cause the greenhouse effect -which also causes an increase in the earth’s temperature by retaining heat- have increased to levels never seen before.

An increase in global temperature conditions of as little as 5 degrees could cause a collapse of the earth’s systems by rising sea levels to 6-9 meters, leading us to the complete loss of coral reefs and the Amazon rainforest and turning large areas of the planet into uninhabitable places. [reed: Climate change driving entire planet to dangerous ‘tipping point’]

Maybe we think that a rise of 2-5 degrees will not make us change our sweaters or coats for dresses and shorts, but the physical and biological processes of the planet are extremely fragile and sensitive to temperature. And the accelerated increase that has occurred in the last century represents an increase almost ten times faster than what the planet experienced during the 5,000 years following the last Ice Age.

The evidence of global warming is right in front of us.

NASA has been studying the levels of different gases that cause the greenhouse effect and changes in the earth’s climate to inform and warn about the impact caused by the increase in temperature based on scientific evidence. The evidence presented by NASA of the temperature increase is worrying:

Global temperature increase.

Since the end of the 19th century, the average temperature of the planet’s surface has increased by approximately 1.14 degrees Celsius due to the increase in carbon dioxide and other emissions produced by humans.

Ice sheets are getting smaller

Las The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in masses.
“Greenland lost an average of 279,000 million tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2019, while Antarctica lost approximately 148,000 million tons of ice per year during the same period”1. Glaciers are also losing their cover in almost all parts of the world, the Andes, the Alps, the Himalayas, Alaska and Africa. 2. 

Rise in sea level and ocean temperature

The sea level has risen by about 20 centimeters in the last hundred years. The speed of the last two decades is almost double than the one of the last century and is accelerating every year. On the other hand, the oceans have absorbed much of the increased heat from the earth, the shallowest 100 meters show warming of more than 0.33 degrees Celsius since 1969. 3

Despite the different attempts to counteract the climate crisis, we continue observing the result of our inability to face the climate emergency every day. This evidence of climate change is worrying as many earth systems are close to reaching a point of no return, and the possibility of a life-threatening increase in temperature is an existing and constant threat to civilization. In addition to rising sea levels, weather conditions can be more extreme. This implies more intense storms, followed by longer droughts, thus challenging food production, generating changes in the ecosystems of the different spices and the loss of water supply that historically came from glaciers.

It’s time to inform ourselves and act, we are reaching a key moment for our future.

We tell you how to be an activist in 2020

17th September 2020

Nowadays, in the times we face as humanity, it might seem hard to make a change on the planet. We can be overwhelmed when we see that our actions seem to have no real impact, or perhaps you have wondered what you can do to contribute in some way. You must know that you can make a change from your home. There’s a lot you can do, we’ll tell you how to fight climate change!

Photo by Vincent M.A. Janssen

Sustainable development must be a priority in our actions, this way we can satisfy our present needs without compromising the ones that will arise in the future. Activism, that is focused on the conservation of the environment and the different actors that are part of it, appears to achive this sustainable development. Activism has become a fighting front with a political purpose to achieve changes and transformations in favor of diverse interests, and today it has increasingly positioned on social networks.

When we speak of social activism, we speak about social action. These actions seek to find answers and solutions to common problems through different means, either from state institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations to each person as an individual. An activist is, therefore “A person who pursues a fair cause not only personally, but collectively”1. Today we have many common causes and goals that bring us together, protecting the environment is one of them since climate change and the different threats that put it at risk are threatening a place that we all have in common, a place that we all call home, the earth.

We all can be activists, with our actions, we can protect nature and the most affected communities by the different practices that intensify the climate crisis.

[1] Fernando Díaz Naranjo in El activismo social para La Silla Rota

Here are some easy ways to start

From Saving The Amazon, we want to give you some ideas to protect the planet and all of us who live in it. You can be an activist from home,you can even do much more than you imagine! Activism is much more than stopping oil tankers in the ocean, so here are four things you can do to have a positive impact on the environment and different communities. There are things so small that take just a few seconds and could have a huge impact.

Take advantage of Social Networks 

You can become a digital activist, take advantage of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, even Tik Tok to share information and ideas to mitigate the climate crisis and make visible the communities directly affected. Get your friends and followers involved in causes that can help create a more sustainable future.

Become aware of your habits and do your best to make them sustainable

Choose locally produced and slowed-down products, that way, you’ll be promoting local employment, you’ll be helping to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption, you’ll support small producers, among others.

[Read: 10 Reasons Buying Local is Great for You and the Planet]

Try to be better-informed.

Have critical thinking. Don’t settle only for media that presents one facet of the problem, this will allow you to have a better understanding of the world we live in to decide what actions we can take to make it a better place. Also, You can look up for information from alternative local media, or why not? Watch a documentary about current situations that you find interesting.

Support Non-Governmental Organizations

Supports all the efforts of entities that care about the protection of the environment. Today, thanks to the Internet, you can generate a huge influence with a single click so entities can have a positive impact on the planet. A donation, sharing information, or even volunteering can be a support for them.

With Saving The Amazon, by planting a tree, you can have an impact on the environment, the Amazon, and the communities that inhabit it. With us, you can be an activist from your home with a single click!

Share this information and be an activist, Lets  make a change in the world!

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