Category Archives: Guest Post

Civilization, War and Climate Change

Over the years there has been growing debate over whether civilization and the environment are integrally linked. Many scientists believe this to be the case, as it appears that several major events in the history of civilization have had an impact on the environment, while major environmental changes have also altered the course of human history. For instance, the Mongolian conquest of the 13th and 14th centuries altered carbon emissions, whereas the Roman Empire flourished during a period of rich summers, and subsequently fell apart during a period of erratic seasons.

Illustration of a Mongol WarriorRecently, scientists have uncovered evidence that suggests the Mongolian conquest of large portions of Asia, the Middle East and Europe may have had an impact on carbon dioxide emissions. When the Mongolians invaded these areas, they often destroyed entire crops, severely affecting the regions’ agriculture. As a result, many farms were abandoned, allowing the forests to take over the land. Thus, during 13th and 14th centuries, these forests were able to grow markedly and absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide. The study claims that the total decrease in carbon dioxide during this period would be enough to cancel out one year of modern carbon emissions from gasoline. Yet it is important to remember that the Mongolian period of conquest extended across almost two centuries, which means that the actual yearly reductions were relatively insignificant in comparison with our current level of emissions. Nonetheless, the study does show that major events in human society are capable of having an impact in on the environment.

Another study, published in the Feb. 4 issue of Science magazine, also demonstrates the relationship between civilization and the climate. According to the authors of the study, the height of the Roman Empire occurred during a period when the growing season was consistently experiencing optimal conditions. Such conditions provided great economic wealth and the means to uphold the structure of the empire. Thus, the citizens of lands conquered by the empire were much less likely to show dissent.

Conversely, the collapse of the Roman Empire occurred during a period of erratic environmental conditions (perhaps partly due to agricultural overproduction within the empire) that yielded poor or mediocre crops. Without a steady food-supply, the empire faced dissent among its citizens. As the power structure was threatened within, the empire became susceptible to invasion from without and collapsed. In this way, environmental factors defined two of the largest events in Western history: the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

Jared Diamond expounds upon this idea in his book “Guns, Germs, and Steel.”

According to Diamond, geographical determinism has defined the prosperity of American society. For instance, the vast natural resources of the country spurred our economy tremendously in the early days of the industrial revolution and our physical isolation from the rest of Western society has allowed us to remain prosperous after two world wars. Clearly, much of what makes America dominant is the physical geography that defines it as a nation.

Although the world’s booms and busts have been influenced by environmental factors, ultimately it seems that civilization has had a much larger impact on the environment. In the last 300 years, human population has increased by a factor of 10. Two worldwide wars have been fought and industrial growth has continued to increase in developed and under-developed countries at an unprecedented level. While many of these developments have been beneficial to civilization, the impact on the environment has not been so positive.

One of the negative effects brought about by civilization is the trend of global warming. Since 1750, human beings have steadily increased their production of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases. These gases are emitted into the atmosphere as by-products of fossil fuel burning, agriculture (in fertilizers and from increased numbers of livestock) and other industrial products, such as refrigerants and aerosols. The greater concentration of these gases in the atmosphere increases the atmosphere’s ability to retain heat radiated from the sun or earth’s surface. Thus, we are experiencing global warming: an increase in the average global temperature. This increase amounts to about 0.74 degrees Celsius. While a difference of less than one degree may seem inconsequential, the average global temperature has only shown an increase of six degrees Celsius since the ice age, which means environmentalists and scientists both have every reason to be concerned about the state of our ecosystem.

By drawing from scientific studies and historical examples, we can clearly see civilization is integrally linked to the environment. Like Genghis Khan, we haven’t undertaken our endeavors with the purpose of changing the environment. Nonetheless, the implementation of large-scale activities such as automobile use, airplane travel, and even war, have significantly impacted the environment and may have very serious consequences for civilization. However, unlike Genghis Khan, we have the scientific knowledge to evaluate and limit the negative consequences of our actions. Hopefully, we will be able to learn from history in time to make a difference.

Author

Ashley Warner is a graduate student working toward her Masters in Conservation Biology. She currently resides in Washington state.

Should You Purchase A Fly Rod Combo Or Build Your Own

As a beginner to the sport of fly fishing you can take one of two routes when it comes to choosing your gear. You can either balance a fly fishing rod and fly fishing reel that are purchased separately, or you can purchase one of the many fly rod combos that come already balanced from the factory. For beginners, fly rod combos may be a better choice for you to help ensure you have the easiest time learning how to cast, but a separately purchased rod and reel will give you something that you can grow into rather than having to upgrade once you have perfected your cast.

Fly Fishing Rods – If you are looking for a new fly fishing rod you will first want to think about the type of locations where you will be spending the most time fishing. If it is going to be in large lakes and open rivers, you will want a longer rod that helps you cast further and more accurately.

Fly Fishing Reels – Before you try to save money on a new fly reel you are going to want to make sure that you avoid buying one that is built from plastic parts. Instead you will want to make sure that it is constructed with metal parts and that it is sealed if you are going to be using it in the saltwater.

Fly Rod Combos – Fly rod combos usually take care of the aspects of balancing the reel to the rod, and the type of line that you need. However, you still want to follow the rules of purchasing a metal reel, and matching the length of the rod to the type of waters that you are going to be fishing in. You also want to make sure that the combo comes with a weight forward or double tapered fly line to help ease your way into casting accurately.

What Causes Fishing Kayaks To Flip Over

If you have been kayak fishing for any length of time, you have probably flipped your boat once or twice. If you are just getting started in the sport, you are going to want to make sure that your gear is attached to the fishing kayak with lanyards so that when you do flip your boat, you are not going to lose anything in the water. You can also prevent flipping over the boat by understanding how so many anglers end up in the water when they’re out trying to enjoy the day.

Being Uncomfortable On The Boat – If you are on a boat that is too small for you, or that wasn’t designed for kayak fishing, you run the risk of having tip overs happen more regularly. Fishing kayaks are designed with wide specifications to help keep this from happening, but if you are jerky in your movements, you can end up flipping the boat very easily.

Large Waves And Boat Wakes – If you are planning on fishing in the ocean, or where large boat wakes are going to be present, you also run the risk of having the boat flip over. When large waves and boat wakes are present, you are going to need to be aware of the direction that they are coming at you, in order to offset your weight on the other side of the boat.

Gear Situated On One Side Of The Boat – While you are loading your fishing kayak, you want to avoid loading it all to one side of the boat, or situating the heavier portion to one side. If you lean to the same side while you are on the water, you could potentially flip the kayak. You can avoid this by loading your gear onto the kayak evenly, and by being careful when you are leaning over to one side or the other.

Great Beginner Golfing Tips

While golf is one of those sports that many people enjoy, actually mastering it can often be a difficult challenge. On top of that, golf is a sport that tends to cost quite a bit of money. If it is your first time playing golf, you will need a few beginner golfing tips in order to help you get started. There are some players who spend a great deal of money on this fun sport simply because they are not guided properly when it comes to what they should be doing as a beginner. Read through these tips and other tips on golf swing to learn what a new golfer should do and avoid being like those who spend too much money.

1.  Choosing your clubs. If you are a beginner, it is a good idea to not spend a lot of money on your clubs. Wait until you get a good handle on the game and have some skill before you invest in the expensive clubs. There are many good sets that cost less than $150 as well as many great bargains at garage or yard sales.

2.  Take some lessons. If learning to play golf is a top priority, then taking lessons might be a good choice for you. However, you do not need a golf school to learn the game, you can hire one of the local pros instead and it will be much less expensive.

3.  Choose an area that is good for practicing. In fact, you can even practice in your own backyard when you use balls meant for practice instead of the real golf balls. You can also practice putting in your living room. The driving range offers a great place to practice as well.

4.  Find out where the beginners play. Many beginners will start playing at par-3 courses. These courses typically have nine holes, each a par-3. It is a good idea to avoid courses with a lot of sand and water because these can be quite difficult for the beginner.

Use these helpful beginner golfing tips and you will get a good start playing a fun game.

U. S. Camel Corps

Few people know that the United States had a Camel Corps.  About 1836 Major George H. Crosman suggested to the United States government that camels could be used as pack animals in Florida during the Seminole Wars. Few persons in the government took this suggestion seriously but Senator Jefferson Davis was an advocate of this proposal and campaigned for it.

It wasn’t until 1855 that congress appropriated $30,000 to purchase camels. President Franklin Pierce gave his Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, the right to make the purchase and start the experiment. On June 4, 1855 Henry C. Wayne procured camels to be shipped to the USA. The camels arrived on the east coast of the USA in late January 1856 and were finally delivered by boat to Texas in mid May.

Camp Verde, Texas was the initial camp for the camel experiment. During the experiment the camels were utilized in several capacities. They would assist in surveying projects, serve as pack animals, and assist in the rescue of snow bound wagon trains. Most of the tasks that were attempted by the corps were successfully accomplished, usually quicker and with more ease than originally estimated. The camels proved to be sure footed on rocky terrain, able to cross hot desert sands and climbed mountains faster than other pack animals. They were able to ford rivers and showed themselves to be strong swimmers. Food and water supplies for the camels could almost be ignored as camels can go without food and water for days. When they did eat, any vegetation was acceptable to them. They also showed that they could withstand conditions that other animals could not tolerate such as long hot days in the sun, rainstorms and sandstorms and still continue to advance.

There were some disadvantages of the Camel Corps. The first thing that was noted was the terrorizing effect the foul smelling, odd looking, large animals had on the horses and mules. It was said that when the camels were first unloaded in Texas the horses and mules “went berserk”. This reaction was a mixed blessing. Indian ponies also avoided approaching them, making camel caravans safer than wagon trains. Another disadvantage was that US troops did not know how to handle this new animal. Specially trained handlers had to be imported along with the animals. While a camel is usually a docile animal it can be a very stubborn, aggressive animal. Camels can make mules look like obedient puppies. It can remember a ”personal affront” for a long time and just wait until he can get even. His way of getting even can be a bite, a kick or spitting green slime.

Lieutenant Edward Beale was the man put in command of the project and deemed it a great success. One thousand more camels were requisitioned by the army but the timing was wrong. A Civil war was threatening the nation. The southern states had formed the confederacy, electing Jefferson Davis as president. The union wanted to discredit Mr. Davis and direct monies toward the war effort, so the request was ignored.

The camels that were still owned by the army were sold, released or escaped to run wild. Feral camels were reported from time to time throughout the west and British Columbia until well into the 1900’s. The last sighting was reported in 1941 in Douglas, Texas.

From a paleontological perspective, it makes a lot of sense that camels would adapt themselves to conditions in North America—they originated here after all. Camels first appear in North America about 45 million years ago, and migrated to Asia and Africa about 7 million years ago. Then, like the horse, camels became extinct in their native continent at the end of the Ice Age.