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Showing posts from September, 2019

Pixelation to depict endangered species counts

WWF presents a campaign that used pixelation to describe the number of animals left for threatened species. One pixel depicts an animal, so an image appears higher pixelated when there are fewer animals left. Bornean Orangutan (45 000 - 69 000 animals remain) Asian Elephant (40 000 - 50 000) Bonobo (10 000 - 50 000) Blue Whale (10 000 - 25 000) Black Rhino (~ 5 000) African Wild Dog (3 000 - 5 500) Bengal tiger (2 500) Amur Tiger (~450) The black-footed ferret (~300) Amur Leopard (~60)

Countries with Native Wild Big Cats

The big cat is commonly used to refer to any of the 5 living species of the genus Panthera, namely tiger , lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. A more broad interpretation of the term covers species outside of the genus Panthera including the cougar, clouded leopard, cheetah, and lynx species. The maps below created by Reddit user CountZapolai show countries with native wild big cats. You can learn more about the Big Cats from the following books: Big Cats: Revised Edition The Ultimate Book of Big Cats

Trash produced per capita in all countries

Every year around two billion tons of municipal solid trash is generated worldwide. In the developed world, the undisputed leader is the United States, with 258 tons annually. However, if you compare the trash produced per 100 thousand residents, surprisingly, the citizens of Iceland outperform the United States. Other top-performing nations are Mongolia and Moldavia. The map below was created by city-data.com using World Bank data. It shows pounds of municipal solid waste are generated per capita daily. The largest producers of garbage per capita are also Kuwait, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Qatar, and Bahrain. For more on this subject have a look at the following books: Year of No Garbage: Recycling Lies, Plastic Problems, and One Woman's Trashy Journey to Zero Waste 101 Ways to Help the Planet – A One Year Challenge: Make One Small Change a Week to Help the Environment

How much has September Arctic sea ice extent reduced since 1979?

The Arctic sea ice extent has experienced a significant reduction since 1979. The reduction in Arctic sea ice extent has been more pronounced in recent decades, particularly in the summer months, such as September, when sea ice typically reaches its minimum extent. The map below shows an average annual decline in arctic sea ice extent in September mapped over Europe's landmass to give a sense of the scale of the reduction.

Taking more than they give

Several nations contribute more to global emissions than they provide to global GDP. These countries tend to have economies heavily reliant on fossil fuels , particularly oil, and gas, which leads to substantial carbon emissions.  Maps below created by Reddit user UnrequitedReason, using World Bank data, show which nations contribute more to global emissions than they provide to global GDP. In conversations about emissions regulations, it is often contested that the high emissions produced by developed nations are a by-product of the high production levels also essential to these regions. While this definitely explains some of the differences in emission levels, it is essential to recognize that many highly developed nations have high standards of living and still produce fewer emissions for their level of consumption and production than similarly developed countries. Low scores do not indicate a desirable level of emissions, but rather that a country is producing emissions mo

Visualising the world’s addiction to plastic bottles

Plastic bottle garbage constitutes a significant and escalating environmental crisis on a global scale. The widespread use and disposal of plastic bottles have led to a host of ecological and social challenges, making it a pressing concern for individuals, communities, and governments worldwide. Plastic bottles, commonly crafted from materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) , have become emblematic of our modern convenience-driven culture. The proliferation of single-use plastic bottles, used to contain water, beverages, and other liquids, has spurred a linear economy model where products are manufactured, used briefly, and then discarded. This culture of disposability is at the heart of the plastic bottle garbage issue. As consumption patterns have intensified, so has the production of plastic bottles. Mass production of these bottles has not only contributed to immense amounts of waste but has also put a strain on natural resources, particularly the fossil fuels required to ma

Ratio of global emissions contribution to share of global population

Several countries in the world have higher levels of carbon emissions per capita compared to their population size. This means that they contribute a significant amount of pollution relative to the number of people living in those countries.  Below is the map created by Reddit user UnrequitedReason, using World Bank data, showis which countries pollute the most disproportionately for their population. The top three countries with the highest ratio of global emissions contribution to the share of the global population are Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite its small population, Qatar has one of the highest carbon footprints per capita in the world. This is largely due to its extensive oil and gas industry. Similar to Qatar, Kuwait has a high per capita carbon footprint due to its heavy dependence on oil production. The United Arab Emirates' reliance on fossil fuels, especially in industries such as energy and transportation, contributes to its high per capit

Climate Action Tracker Rating System

The Paris Agreement's 1.5°C temperature goal aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. The Climate Action Tracker rates , 2020 agreements, long-term aims, and current management against whether they are consistent with a country’s fair share effort to the Paris Agreement 1.5°C temperature goal. CRITICALLY INSUFFICIENT Commitments with this rating fall well outside the fair share range and are not at all consistent with holding warming to below 2°C let alone with the Paris Agreement's stronger 1,5°C limit. If all government targets were in this range, warming would exceed 4°C. HIGHLY INSUFFICIENT Commitments with this rating fall outside the fair share range and are not at all consistent with holding warming to below 2°C let alone with the Paris Agreement's stronger 1 .S°C limit. If all government targets were in this range, warming would reach between 3°C and 4°C. INSUFFICIENT Commitments with

The Wolf Pack Map

Wolf pack migrations are complex phenomena driven by a combination of factors, including food availability, territory size, social dynamics, and environmental conditions. Wolves are known for their ability to cover large distances in search of resources, and their migrations can have significant ecological impacts on both prey populations and other predators in the areas they traverse. An image is shown as an example of GPS tracking of multiple wolves in 6 different packs nearby Voyageurs National Park shows how much the wolf packs avoid each other's range. These maps were created by the  Voyageurs Wolf Project  team Wolves are territorial animals , and their territories often encompass the range required to support their pack's food needs. Territories can vary greatly in size depending on factors like prey abundance, topography, and human activity. When resources become scarce, or when the pack size grows too large for the territory to support, wolves may start considerin

How much water do we eat?

By 2030, global freshwater demand will exceed supply by 40%. Agriculture consumes 90% of all water consumed in the world. Below Wonderwater CafĂ© infographic - how much water went into producing your food. The water footprint of all dishes •  Hang a heat of roast duck - 7,412 liters (6,949 liters for raising and fattening a duck from suburbs of Beijing + 166 liters for growing wheat for pancakes + 137 liters for sweet bean sauce + 120 liters of oil + 40 liters for growing spring onions, Welsh onions and cucumber) •  Meat stew with baked wheat cake - 6,087 liters •  Poached pork slices in chili water - 5,089 liters •  The stem burns the cow shredded meat - 3,950 liters •  Domestic life bean curd - 3,494 liters •  Braise in soy sauce the chicken piece - 2,040 liters •  Seafood tofu - 1,811 liters •  Yellowfish pasted clay oven rolls - 1,617 liters •  The joss-stick fries the brook shrimp - 1,529 liters •  Candied banana - 897 liters •  A black fungus with cucumber and