Migration continued & An Eco-friendly Christmas

Written by: Caroline Kim

December 18, 2021

Last week, I talked about the effect climate change has on animals in the sea, but I also touched on the migration of animals such as birds and butterflies. Today, I’m going to continue this discussion: climate change can cause a major change in the migration of animals, and this change in migration pattern can negatively impact other species and the environment. In terms of initiating change in migration, the warmer weather can cause a change in the agriculture and environment. This means that the type of food certain organisms ingest will be different, their homes will be different, and the other species in the environment will be different. In order to survive and adapt, these animals change their migration patterns. Research suggests that these changes in migration can cause a geographic split in which different species of plants and/or animals can be forced apart. It can also cause pests/bacteria to spread in more areas or overpopulate an area. This imbalance could lead to a surplus ratio of prey to predators, and vice versa, causing issues among the entire environment.

December is an exciting time of year with Christmas right around the corner, but there are a couple of details to keep in mind to make sure you are maintaining an eco-friendly holiday. Just like it was mentioned in the Thanksgiving blog, avoid wasting food; donate, measure out the perfect amount of food, or even save the food for later. Also, minimize your gift wrappings such as wrapping paper and plastic bags; excess garbage is almost never good for the environment. On the topic of plastic, consider using real Christmas trees, as they are not artificial or made of plastic. These real trees are biodegradable, have a much lower carbon footprint, and personally, I’d like to add that they smell much nicer. Additionally, be on the lookout for eco-friendly gifts and decor! Merry Christmas!

Sources:

“Migrating Species.” Conservation in a Changing Climate, 11 Sept. 2021, climatechange.lta.org/climate-impacts/migrating-species/#:~:text=The%20consequences%20of%20species%20migration,historically%20been%20unsuitable%20for%20them.

Jessop, Andy. “Discover the Environmental Impact of the Christmas Season.” Commercial Waste, 4 Dec. 2021, commercialwaste.trade/the-true-cost-of-christmas/#:~:text=Accumulated%2C%20this%20means%20that%20during,food%20during%20the%20Christmas%20period.