Journalism

I don't have much experience in journalism, however since I joined the Basic Newswriting class here at BHSU I've become more comfortable with it. Below are some of my stories that I've written and were entered in the school newspaper.

Is it warm in here? Almost everyone knows what global warming is - but do they know the severity of it? "In 6 to 10 years, we are going to see changes in our climate system that we won't be able to fix. This is a massive, urgent issue and we need to have the foresight to make changes before it's too late," commented Dr. Lara Hansen, WWF's Chief Climate Change Scientist. Some may think it's a myth, but little do they know things are about to change dramatically if proper steps aren't taken. First of all, global warming is defined as the gradual increase in the earth's surface temperature. Climate change is among the most prevalent threat to us today. If action isn't taken, climate change will destroy some of the most precious ecosystems, putting millions of people at risk and cause the extinction of countless species. According to the U.S. Geological Survey predictions, Glacier National Park will have no glaciers left by the year 2030 due to the increased temperature. It's also predicted that 15-37% of all plant and animal species could be wiped out by global warming by the year 2050. In addition to increased temperature, sea levels have risen, along with increased hurricane intensity, glacier decline, spread of disease, increased drought, shifts in season timing, increased flooding, increase in extreme weather events, and changes in the freshwater supply. Rising seas will take out coastal communities due to more erosion occurring, contaminating supplies with salt, and storm surges will increase the risk of flooding. The warming of our climate will bring major catastrophe, especially for our children and grandchildren. One may be wondering what is causing all of this? Greenhouse gases trap heat and warm the earth. Greenhouse gases are caused by carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, which is the biggest cause. Deforestation is responsible for 25% of all carbon emissions. Fossil fuels consist of oil, coal, and natural gas. Because we destroy about 34 million acres of forest each year, the loss throws about two billion tons of carbon back into the world, annually. Some argue that the higher levels of carbon can act as plant fertilizer under some conditions, but over time, the benefit may become undesirable, weedy species instead of desirable species. As you can see, there is evidence that proves that global warming is true and it is causing us more harm than good. We need to take control soon to reduce, or even reverse the scary effects that it may produce. We do not want to let this go on until we have to declare it as an emergency - so let's take steps to reduce the carbon emissions. A few tips to cutting energy is to use compact fluorescent bulbs, replace home appliances to the ones with the Energy Star Label, and use cars and light trucks that get good gas mileage. To learn more about global warming and ways to help prevent it visit http://stopglobalwarming.org/.

Deforestration due to logging Logging is defined as the cutting of trees into logs, but to me, it is so much more. Deforestation erodes soils, contributes to desertification and the pollution of waterways, and decreases biodiversity through the destruction of habitat. Instead of putting these problems off and suffering from severe consequences, why not try to prevent it? How many advantages does logging even have? I personally can only think of only two reasons. If trees are to be cut down, they should strictly only be cut down due to them being dead or a fire danger. Wood is a wildlife habitat and provides nutrients to the soil. Most of the logging that is being done is for commercial and property industries. There are so many other places in the world to build. Why go and cut down beautiful, life-managing part of Mother Nature? According to the statistics from umich.edu, approximately 11 million acres of forest are cut down per year. Forests give life not only to other species, but they also help to prolong the human life. Trees trap carbon dioxide and other harmful particles created by pollution, which replenishes the air. If trees continue to be cut down, the soil will be left infertile and stripped of its nutrients. Even though many people think that planting new trees in place of the old ones will make up for it, it does not. By the time the new trees are grown, the rainfall has already washed the remaining nutrients into rivers or other water sources. Trees also help to cool and regulate the earthÕs climate. They trap carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which will maintain their levels. Only live trees and plants absorb these gases. So what will happen if we keep cutting and killing? The answer to that is simple. If the levels of carbon dioxide and other gases increase, it will contribute to global warming. Besides all the technological reasons for why trees should not be cut down, there are many personal reasons. Who wants to be on vacation or simply in the comfort of your own home and see buildings go up where you know beautiful habitat once was? Not me. Why donÕt people who are looking to build go to land that is ready to build on already? Maybe the answer is that they want the beautiful scenery around them. If they are willing to pay for the expensive land and the building process then they should just pay for the fake landscaping. There are minimal advantages to logging, so instead of putting ourselves in danger for the extreme consequences, why not take the steps to prevent them now?

Southwest Georgia farmers suffer as other splurge Farmers in Southwest Georgia are being threatened by a historic drought. Natural causes are not the only explanation for this phenomenon. The individuals who live in this region are using and excessive amount of water. The corn, peanuts, and cotton are in critical danger, especially if the shortage of water gets worse. The soil is already sandy and pebbly and will continue to worsen if the drought continues. Irrigation is vital and farmers are fearing that their needs will fall to the bottom of the list of Òthings to doÓ for Atlanta, a water-hogging city. As the city continues to grow at a rapid speed, the supply of water will need to increase. Rural farmers have to watch their crops burn up while residents in the city are complaining about the low flows in their toilets. To help alleviate some of the problem, legislative leaders have suggested building more state reservoirs. In addition, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin has tossed around the idea of transferring water from other places to Atlanta. If this takes place, it might give Georgia farmers the ability to irrigate and watch their crops grow in abundance again. No matter what action leaders and farmers decide to take, it is obvious that they have to take one. The sooner it is done, the better.

Research team preparing for testing The Black Hills State University research team, led by Psychology Professor Scott Stoltenberg, is currently planning their first project for this semester. The research team is attracting more attention each year for several reasons. Members of the team perform surveys about impulsivity, alcoholism, the association of genes with behaviors, gambling, and other interesting research issues. The seven students on the team feel that more people are interested in taking surveys in these areas because of the direct effect on the survey participantsÕ lives or the lives of their friends. Another reason the research team is getting more volunteers is because they pay each participant for answering the short surveys and giving a cheek sample. This year the volunteers are being paid $20 for participating. Jeanie Stockland, a junior and a member of the team, says she has seen the number of participants grow since she's been involved. Stockland says the purpose of conducting these surveys is to see if certain genes are associated with certain behaviors. If their results match up, the team will write a paper and try to get it published in a psychology magazine. Stockland says, ÒI find this experience very helpful and it will really benefit me in graduate school.Ó She thinks the experience is well worth it and recommends joining the team. Next year the team will be looking for new students to join their organization. Interested students can contact Professor Stoltenberg by email or by telephone at 642-6437.