Hello and welcome to Environmental Minute! This segment is brought to you by WDIY, in part by the Estate of Don Miles, and I am your host, Maddie Yang, a sophomore in high school at Moravian Academy, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I am super passionate about all things climate change, sustainability, and empowering and educating others to take action against the climate crisis. My goal for this segment is to provide listeners with a glimpse into a whole variety of topics in the vast realm of sustainability from biodiversity to ecotourism, and plant-based diets to sustainable swamps.
In this episode, we are going to be discussing the importance of biodiversity - a super broad topics, but one that is extremely crucial to climate change.
You’ve probably heard the term biodiversity thrown around a bunch, maybe in a science class, in the news, or at a museum. But what exactly does this term mean? Well essentially, biodiversity is all of the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area. These life forms could be animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria, which are essential to our planet because they work together in an intricate system to maintain balance and support life as we know it on Earth, providing us with clean water, food, medicine, and shelter.
However, as our population keeps growing, and the demand for resources increases, biodiversity is becoming severely threatened. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s 2024 Living Planet Report, approximately a 70% decline in global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, and reptiles was found since 1970. Furthermore, nearly 1 million animal and plant species are being threatened by extinction, which is the highest number in human history.
This massive issue all goes back to humans and the way in which we use the land to serve us. 75% of land and roughly two-thirds of the ocean have been significantly altered and around three-quarters of freshwater resources are being devoted to agriculture. Humans have been clearing oceans, polluting water sources, decimating forests, and releasing harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which are all having adverse effects on biodiversity.
So what can we do to help?
Supporting conservation efforts is one of the greatest ways that we can help maintain the biodiversity on our planet. Organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Jane Goodall Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society, The Rainforest Alliance, and The Conservation Fund are all amazing resources that need your support. By donating to these organizations, or volunteering with them, you can allow these organizations to continue their efforts and make an impact.
Another great way to help protect and restore biodiversity is by reducing your own environmental footprint. As consumers, our actions have the ability to fuel larger companies that are adversely impacting the environment. Simple actions such as using fewer single-use plastics that pollute oceans and waterways and harm marine life, minimizing your waste by reusing, reducing, and recycling, and being more energy efficient are all simple ways that you can directly help conserve biodiversity. Another excellent option is eating a more planet-based diet (if you don’t know what that is, go watch the last episode of Environmental Minute) to reduce the number of greenhouse gases produced, limit land and water usage, and even benefit your own health!
Lastly, plant native species! Planting native species is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and promoting healthy ecosystems. Native plants are adapted to the local environment, requiring less water, fertilizer, and pesticides compared to non-native species, which helps conserve resources and reduce chemical usage. They provide essential habitats and food sources for local wildlife, supporting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds. By planting native species, we can help restore natural habitats that are threatened by urbanization, climate change, and invasive species. Additionally, native plants strengthen soil health and prevent erosion, contributing to the long-term sustainability of our landscapes.
As we wrap up today’s episode, I encourage you to think about ways that you can help maintain and support the biodiversity where you live. Whether you live somewhere dry, near a lake or ocean, or somewhere with lots of forests like the Lehigh Valley, try implementing one of these tips in your life to help support your local ecosystems.
Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Environmental Minute, and I hope this conversation has inspired you to think more critically about the importance of biodiversity, and its crucial role in affecting climate change.
