About the cycle

Carbon being a chemical element is the most important greenhouse gas. Humans are the
main manufacturers of this chemical element. Carbon can be found in the earth’s crust, the
atmosphere, oceans, plants, soil and fossil fuels, although most of Carbon (65.5 billion
metric tons) are stored in rocks. The cycle follows a few steps starting with combustion. By
factories burning fossil fuels and wood, it creates carbon dioxide which is then transferred
into the atmosphere. Photosynthesis takes into action, where the carbon dioxide passes
through the plants pores (stomata). Carbon dioxide is used to form glucose and food for the
plants. The sun then provides in energy through the chlorophyll while the water is absorbed
through the roots. The organic substances are broken down by decomposition. Animals
then eat the plants and release water, energy and carbon dioxide. During gaseous exchange
the carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere. Precipitation is the process of
where a solid transform in a liquid due to lack of chemical reaction. This happens with the
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which turns in carbonate and is put into the oceans. The
decaying of all organisms is the last thing to happen in the carbon cycle.

Human activities / Long term effects

One of the biggest human activities affecting the carbon cycle are deforestation.
Deforestation is the cutting down of trees due to agriculture, mining, logging and cutting
down to clear space for buildings. Not only does the wildlife surrounding the area lose their
habitat, greenhouse gases are released as the trees balance the amount of carbon dioxide in
the environment. This means that humans are currently emitting billion tons of carbon into
the atmosphere. Another big problem are the factories that are producing poisonous gas.
The burning of fossil fuels which are things like coal, petroleum and natural gas. Cars are a
major producer of fossil fuels as it requires petroleum and diesel, and they are released into
the environment also causing pollution and global warming. China is a perfect example of
the effect humans have had on the environment as most people wear masks in order to
prevent them from breathing in the hazardous gases and becoming sick. In china it is shown
that 1.6 million people die for air pollution each year and 4.6 million people worldwide.

Technologies

Scientists have been testing rings found in trees which shows the growth. Every layer
determines the effect air has had each year. In Antarctica they took photos from outer
space to see the effect global warming has had on the ice melting in Antarctica. The image
on the right hand side displays the amount of ice in 2007 compared to 1983. They also
drilled 3200 metres into the ice to discover air bubbles which have been around for many
years. By testing the air inside the bubbles, they are able to find out how much oxygen,
carbon dioxide and nitrogen is found inside. Greenhouse sensors measure gases in the
atmosphere. An example a greenhouse sensor is the one shown below in Cape Grim,
Tasmania. Robot like things called ‘argo floats’ are placed in the water testing the
temperature and the amount of saltiness into the water.

Ethical issues

Why aren’t the governments doing something about the excessive amount of carbon in the
environment? It isn’t as easy as everyone seems to think. Asking a whole city to buy electric
cars is just unrealistic because not everyone can afford it. Several countries government put
a limit on the carbon available. How do they solve the lack of carbon problem? Countries
like China are in high demand of Carbon so they trade with countries that already have a
substantial amount. Another big issue talked about in the media is having kids in the era of
climate change cruel? If thought about it in this way, the more people we have on this earth
the more oxygen is being used up and the more carbon is released. A 27 year old man from
Mumbai wants to sue his parents for giving birth to him “without his consent” as he states,
in this era. Many concerned parents don’t want their children to exposed to the harsh world
and some even say it is selfish to their children. Even famous singer and actor Miley Cyrus
said to an interview with Elle magazine, that she refuses to hand down the planet that we
live in to her child.

Strategies

There are many strategies that help stop unnecessary amounts of carbon emission. Even
little things you do in your daily routine can make an impact. Instead of driving a car to
work, either walk, ride a bike or take public transport. Not only do you get the bonus of
getting exercise, spending less money on gas, it also cuts down the carbon emitted from the
cars. In America, public transportation saves 37 million tons of carbon emissions every year.
Electric cars are slowly becoming more popular. Eating less meat will help phenomenally as
the agriculture business is a huge problem with climate change. This also means eating
organically and supporting your local farmers. No chemicals, no pesticides and a healthier
lifestyle. Even planting your own garden will help. Fast fashion is a big problem and one of
the biggest manufacturers of global warming. Everyone likes cheap clothing, but little do
people know that it costs us our beautiful earth. Throwing away clothing that has been worn
only once or twice just builds up more landfill. To make matters worse, did you know that
genetically modified cotton is sprayed with pesticides. Not only can this be harmful to us, it
can also cause water contamination.

Bibliography

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/feb/03/carbon

https://www.siyavula.com/read/science/grade-10-lifesciences/biosphere-to-ecosystems/08-
biosphere-to-ecosystems-07

https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/combustion/399410

https://photosynthesiseducation.com/photosynthesis-for-kids/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decomposition

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle

https://sciencing.com/what-human-activities-affect-the-carbon-cycle-12083853.html

https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth103/node/680

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/air_pollution.htm

https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ocean-earth-system/ocean-carbon-cycle

https://maas.museum/how-do-scientists-measure-climate-change/

https://newrepublic.com/article/153149/cruel-kids-era-climate-change

https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/climate-change-having-kids-
children_n_5d493eaee4b0244052e09033?ri18n=true

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-instant-ways-to-reduce-your-carbon-
footprint_b_59321992e4b00573ab57a383