EPA says "fracking" could be contaminating groundwater!

Friday December 16th

Read more here: http://www.earthday.org/blog/2011/12/09/epa-says-fracking-could-be-contaminating-groundwater

Picture: This is what clean water looks like. Could you imagine it being dark colors, unhealthy, and possibly be able to be lit on fire? Well that is what fracking is doing to people's homes, and EPA is not just realizing.

Summary: It was said that EPA announced that fracking or hydraulic fracturing may be causing the groundwater to be contaminated in Wyoming. Of course we know fracking is the process where natural gas is pumped out from the earth, and used in this process are chemicals, sand, etc, to help make this process a bit faster. All the landowners near these fracking systems have been complaining forever of how their water isn't clean, and even environmentalists have been saying this water isn't clean, but the company would not admit it. The people in Wyoming have been complaining for years and how their water isn't even safe to drink or cook with. This natural gas industry employs many people, about 19,000, so when EPA announces about the water some people won't like the news. Then again, it's not fair to the people that they have unhealthy water and can't control where these industries are going to be located. John Fenton said “We’re paying the price for them to make a profit” and he doesn’t know if he poisoning his family or not. This fracking is for sure causing problems and it needs to be fixed soon.

Opinion/Reflection: I really think EPA needs to admit that what they are doing is causing many problems and hurting many people. It's not fair that this fracking is making many people suffer just so the industries can get payed a lot of money. This is something that needs to be stopped soon, or lessened, so people can get healthy and clean water to drink finally. Some families can't even drink or use their water! EPA just needs to fix this and tell people that what they are doing is wrong and they will somehow fix it.

Questions:

1. What do you think of fracking? Good or Bad?

2. Do you think EPA is going to do something about it to fix this?

3. Should the people do something to try and make this problem be a step closer to getting them clean water? Why or why not?

4. How could EPA fix this problem? What could they do?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/3d-express-coach-pictures_n_667452.html#s122514

Picture: China may have found an environmentally friendly way to save money while easing traffic - "3D Express Coach"

Summary: The "3D Express Coach" or the "Straddling bus" looks like a subway...But hollow? This bus has 2 levels. The level on top holds passengers and the bottom level allows cars less than 2 meters to travel underneath. This bus is powered by electricity and Solar energy and can speed up to 60 km/h! While carrying 1200-1400 passengers at a time. One thing that makes this bus unique, you will never get stuck behind it, you can just go through! This bus is said to reduce traffic jams by 20-30%. Unfortunately this bus costs about 500 million yuan to build which is about 78,478,000 dollars. The expense comes to more than that after building the miles of track that the bus will run through.

Opinion/Reflection: I think this bus is a really cool idea waiting to happen! Not only does it use solar energy, it frees up traffic and the tickets that people buy provide more money for the government! This will be extremely expensive but I think it will benefit in the long run. Like in 20 years! I think the coolest part of this invention would be the fact that the cars can pass through underneath.

To see more pictures, click on this link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/3d-express-coach-pictures_n_667452.html#s122514

Question 1: Do you think that this invention would benefit society?

Question 2: Could this possibly increase accidents on the road? How?

Question 3: Would you ride this bus? Why or why not?

Question 4: Do you think we should have 3D Express Coaches in America?

E.P.A. Implicates Fracking in Pollution

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/12/08/business/AP-US-Fracking-Groundwater-Pollution.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Picture: This picture shows what an ordinary fracking station looks like. This method of retrieving natural gas and oil is so harmful to the environment. Many people have opposite view points on this.

Summary: The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection) announced that they believe that fracking for oil and natural gas may be a cause for pollution to groundwater. In more detail, this process that wants to be regulated more is called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. What this means is that they pump pressurized water, sand, and chemicals to create fissures that allow oil and natural gas to flow more to the surface. In places like Wyoming residents say that the water reeks and that racking chemicals have been found in the groundwater. The EPA even went to the extreme of telling people not to drink the water. Unusually, the fracking process in this area is not normal to the proper way to do it, which may have contributed to this. To be more specific, what they did was drill under an aquifer and too close to wells. Even after all this, only states like Texas and Colorado are considering stopping and disclosing fracking chemicals.

Opinion/Reflection: I very recently learned about this in class. I have seen in some places that you can light tap water on fire. That is completely unacceptable. I was just wondering how this even was allowed to reach their homes. Imagine if someone, and I am sure they did, drink this water. Besides that those chemicals should never have entered the water. There really should more regulations so that this never happens again and to this extent. I know that this really helps when trying to get natural gas and oil and hopefully they can make this process more safe to the environment.

Question 1: Do you think this should be encouraged or be completely illegal?

Question 2: What could people do if this happens again?

Question 3: What should happen to the industry as a consequence?

Autonomous Flying Robotic Bees Build Tower in France

http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/autonomous-flying-robotic-bees-build-tower-france.html

Picture: This picture shows little tiny robotic bees building a building all by themselves by interacting and cooperating with eachother.

If you want to see these robot bees in action click on the link above, and scroll down until you see the video.

Summary: No more construction sites. No more pickup trucks. No more annoying noise. Is this the new way of building? Mini robotic bees working together to build buildings! A group of archetects in France built these robots to build anything they want. They used these robots in a test drive to build a scale model of a tower and it worked perfectly. The robots pick up green eco-friendly bricks which don't require much energy to build, fly them over to the tower, and place the brick in the appropriate position. The robots are innovative and with these robots it requires less time to build buildings. They are only three problems present with these robots. One, the building of all of these robots will probably cost a lot of money and two, the public might not like millions of little robotic bees flying over their heads every time something needs to be built. Lastly, construction workers will be out of a job because the "bees" will be taking their place.

Opinion/Reflection: I personally love the idea, but hate what could result from it. I see how the bees would increase productivity rates, but it would hurt so many people's lives. The bees would be fantastic, moving at a fast pace, making buildings in half the time it would take construction workers. The main thing I wouldn't like is thhe bees always flying over my head. I had a bad experience with a bee when I was very young and I am still somewhat afraid of bees today. I'm not really afraid, but I wouldn't mess with a bee. This problem would be evident to anyone who dislikes bees. Also, they would just be a nuesance. However, a way to solve the jobless problem would be to open up thousands of jobs to make the robot bees :)

Questions:

1.) Do you like the idea of the robot bees being our new working "construction site?"

2.) Do you think the "bees" would create problems?

3.) Do you think the U.S. should wait to get these robot bees until our economy is doing better?

Learning Too Late of the Perils in Gas Well Leases

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/drilling-down-fighting-over-oil-and-gas-well-leases.html?_r=1&ref=reservesnaturalresources

Published: December 1st, 2011

Authors: Ian Urbina and Jo Craven McGinty

Picture: In this picture is a natural gas well. These wells are used to drill gas out of the Earth. This particular well is located in an area away from many people, but in the above link to an article you will see that a well is located at a man's home in Pennsylvania.

Summary: When a boy named Scott and his family allowed for a lease of a gas well on their land, they expected better results. They thought that nothing bad would happen and that the property would be left as it was before the drilling took place. Instead of that, many years later, the well was just covered over and instead of taking the waste away, they left it there. His family wasn't notified of this policy and some of the contaminates were leaking into the ground through the pond liner. As a result, their water started to getting filthy. It says in the article that some home have to buy water tanks and drink only bottled water because the covering up of the gas waste started contaminating their water, leaving it unable to drink. Once this started happening, many law suits started occuring because the land owners were not notified stuff like this would happen. After these law suits, more families are being protected and companies are giving out more information about the drilling. There are many recommended things to do before you should consider accepting a lease now a days. By signing a lease you are accepting what these companies are going to do to your land. You have to take into consideration what may occur in future do to these drillings.

Opinion/Reflection: I think that people should listen to the companies and check out some drilling sites before signing into a lease with a company. If you do this, you can see how peoples lives are effected and the consequences that they recieve for leasing out their property. Some of the consequences like I mentioned above are not have clean water. I don't think I would be able to live without my tap water!! Also I would get very distracted and bothered by the amount of noise. Since they would have to build a well, there would be alot of construction. This construction would tare up my land and I would get very angry as an adult. I don't think leasing is a good idea and thats my opinion. I would only lease my land if I got paid a TON of money!!!!!

Questions:

1-Should gas well drilling even be going on in the U.S.??

2-Who and what could this drilling effect in the long run?

3-Is suing the drilling companies a good idea?

4- Is it fair that the companies didn't have to pay for families water tub refils at all?

Removing Arsenic from Water with...Plastic Bottles and Nutrition Supplements?

By: Jaymi Heimbuch

Publication: Treehugger

Date: September 1, 2011

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/removing-arsenic-from-water-withplastic-bottles-and-nutrition-supplements.html?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Photo: This photo shows a water bottle sitting in an area with arsenic filled water. It's not trash laying in the water, it's actually helping get rid of the arsenic in this water.

Summary: Water bottles are usually thought of as a problem when we talk about drinking water, but not in this case. These bottles are helping 100 million people. Water bottles and a nutrient that is in dietary supplement can help water with arsenic in it, clean enough for people to drink! Arsenic is a big problem around the world, mostly in Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. Something that hasn't been helped very much, but that could change. The American Chemical Society says, "this new technology could help as a simple, inexpensive, and very easy solution." All you do is take a water bottle, or any other plastic bottle and coat it in cysteine, which is the dietary supplement. Then you swirl it around in the water contaminated with arsenic, the arsenic builds up on the cysteine, and when you remove the bottle it is clean to drink! This could help so many villages, and it would be easy and a cheap price!

Opinion/Reflection: I think this is a great idea! Arsenic-contaminated water is a big problem around the world that I didn't think anyone was trying to help. Now there is this simple way that it can be helped little by little. With water bottles! Water bottles can be collected easily and cysteine is a non-technical process, so it's a cheap and simple way! People need clean water so bad. Who knew there would be a way this simple. I hope they can find an even bigger way that more arsenic can be cleaned at one time, but you need somewhere to start, and this is a great spot. I remember looking at the site in class and I felt horrible for those people living in Nepal with arsenic contaminated water. Now maybe there is a way to fix it!

Question:

1: Do you think this idea is going to work for a long time? Why?

2: Do you like this idea of using water bottles? Why or why not?

3: Do you have any other ideas on how arsenic-contaminated water can be cleaned?

4: How do you think the people that have arsenic-contaminated water are feeling?

Dryer Balls: America's latest invention.

http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2011/10/makedryer-balls/

Picture: Dryer Balls save you energy and they are fun to make and play with!

Author: John Tarantino

Publication: The Environmental Blog.org

Date: Saturday 29, 2011

Summary: Dryer balls are new energy saving "toys that are used instead of softener sheets. They soften the fabric by jumping around the dryer with your clothes. They also prevent clothes from getting clumped which can shorten your drying time which therefore saves you electricity. Unfortunately the result is likely to vary depending on the dyer type, fabric type, load size and heat level setting. Many people who use this fun effective toy claim that they do notice a shorter drying time. These dryer balls cut down on drying time, save you money through electricity and prevent carbon emissions and fuels. Other people say that these dryer balls reduce static from ironing and keep fabrics fluffy and soft for longer periods of time.

Opinion/Reflection: I think these dryer balls are a great strategy to earn money as well as save energy! It also softens clothes at the same time. You can make these dryer balls at home instead of wasting money on them at Amazon. com! I remember in CTY Johns Hopkins University camp that I went to over the summer for 3 weeks I had to sit there and wait for my laundry to be done and it took about an hour to dry, if only I had some dryer balls I could toss in!

Question 1: Do you think Dryer Balls would save families money in the long run?

Question 2: What is the main chemical ingredient in these dryer balls? Explain what it does. ( Hint: click on the link below the picture.)

Question 3: What is another way we can decrease energy used and time spent washing/drying our clothes?

Question 4: Would you invest in dryer balls? Do you think they work? 

Dow Solar Shingles Finally Hitting U.S. Markets

http://www.ecogeek.org/solar-power/3624

Picture:

Solar Panels are a great way to save money and save the environment. A huge problem to having this idea of solar panels sent to the public is that they are expensive and in some cases ugly or do not fit in to the traditional home. This idea of shingles might ease the situation...

Summary:

In a nutshell, a company named Dow Solar, created solar panel shingles. The idea of solar panels has become a new revolutionary idea, that will help us through this energy crisis. Recently, this idea of solar panel shingles has become accessible to the masses. These solar panel shingles look remarkable similar to traditional roofing shingles. This should make the idea more attractive to home owners. They can even completely replace your own roofing shingles while creating clean electricity for the entire home. The shingles use ultra thin-film solar cells that are more durable then conventional silicon cells. This project has been used mainly in Colorado but by the end of the year, it will most likely spread to all over the U.S. The shingles are 10% efficient, but if you cover your entire roof, you can save a lot of money. The shingles are even known to make the houses cooler from incoming sunlight making you save even more money. They are in partnership wish major housing company D.R. Horton.

Opinion/Reflection:

I really like this idea. We all know that one day fossil fuels can not, and will not be usable anymore. Not only that but over hundreds of years we have devastated the natural world. The problem with environmentally green energy solutions that they are not practical to the public. Hopefully, this idea will make it more attractive for home owners to use solar panels. I think they look great on your house and make your electric bill look great too.

Questions:

1. Is this idea too expensive for the average home owner?

2. Why do we have to use environmental friendly energy sources?

3. Do you think this a good idea or a bad idea? Energy and money wise.

Extreme Heat Bleaches Coral, and Threat is Seen

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/science/earth/21coral.html

In this image is part of a coral reef. If you look closely you can see how it isn't colorful, but instead it is white in color. Normally the coral is supposed to be bright in color , but it turned white because of coral reef bleaching. Coral reef bleaching can occur because of several different reasons. Did you know that when the coral sheds its color and turns white, it means that it is going into a so called "survival mode" trying its best to stay alive? Read the article from the link above to find out why this bleaching has been going on!

Summary: This article is from 2010. In 2010, the second known coral reef bleaching occcured (the first in 1998). Many scientists believe that the cause of this coral reef bleaching is due the dramatic changes in climate, in this case extreme heat! Coral reef bleaching occurs when extreme heat and alot of sunlight cause the algae's metabolism to go rapid fire and when they go crazy, they produce toxins. These toxins are what is making the coral turn an ugly white color when they should be colorful! You may think that the coral is dead, but it isn't. Infact, the coral is just barely alive. The only way for the coral to survive is if the temperature drop lower and the algae can reproduce and help the coral out. When corals are in these condition they are very susceptible to disease. If the temperature stays hot, the corals can eventually die. Over the course of the summer mre corals will die if the temperatures keep rising!

Opinion/Reflection: I believe that coral bleaching is a very big issue! I can't believe that one of the most beautiful things in the world is turning into a big pile of nothing. All it is becoming is a bunch of coral that turned white and is super close to dying. If the temperature keeps getting worse, like it was this summer, the population of coral can greatly drop! This is not a good thing at all. I believe that one cause of this temperature rising is the increased use of burning fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has a big impact on our enviroment as you can see. If we stop burning too many we can save the coral!

Questions:
1:Why is coral reef bleaching such a big deal??????

2: What will happen to the ecosystem if the coral eventually dies out????

3: What can people do to help this very big issue?????

Orangutan Culture Develops Like Human Culture

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/10/orangutan-human-cultures/

By: Wired UK October 24, 2011
The question was for the team of anthropologists was: Do orangutans have the ability to learn socially and pass these lessons down through generations? They found the answer to be yes. There is evidence that culture in humans and great apes have the same evolutionary roots. As humans we are able to learn and adapt quickly and change our behaviors and pass this down from generation to generation through social learning. This is what usually separates us from different species, but not apes.
About a decade ago, different biologists have observed that the great apes have made variations in behavior and think that the apes are passing down environmental innovations from generation to generation. Today, researchers at the University of Zurich have been studying if the variations in behavioral patterns in nine different orangutan populations, living in different areas can be explained by this cultural transmission. It can. After collecting 100,000 hours of data they concluded that environmental influences and genetic factors did play a big role in defining differences in social structure and behavioral ecology between the populations. Michael Krützen, the first author of the study, said: “The cultural interpretation of the behavioral diversity also holds for orangutans — and in exactly the same way as we would expect for human culture.
I think that this is amazing in the world of science. I have always thought about how monkeys and apes were so much like humans and I thought it was so cool. What I also think is amazing is that the researchers at the University of Zurich put 100,000 hours into this. This shows that orangutans do have the ability to learn socially and pass those lessons down through each generation. Apparently, apes are even smarter than we knew! I remember, when I was little, my mom and dad took my little brother and me on a animal safari and I saw apes acting like human and I didn’t know why they were. I was very little then, so I didn’t understand, but now I look back and I remember that they are so much like humans.
Questions:
1.) Do you find this discovery amazing and fascinating in the world of science?
2.) Do you believe that with this ability apes will become orangutans and apes will become more and more like humans from generation to generation?
3.) Do you think that humans will keep evolving with the apes, but always be ahead of them?

San Diego Zoo Launches California Condor Cam!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/09/san-diego-zoo-launches-california-condor-cam.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Photo: USFWS Endangered Species / cc

Picture: This picture shows a California condor, a bird that has almost been extinct, but certain facilities like the San Diego Zoo have been keeping them safe and the population has been rising!

Summary: There was once less than two dozen California condors left. That is less than 24, which isn't a whole lot for a species of birds. Lately, the condors population has been rising, and places like the San Diego Zoo has a condor breeding area where they have installed a web cam, so people can follow and watch this bird from anywhere around the world. The web cam allows people to see this wonderful bird in action, and once they lay eggs the web can will be focused onto the eggs. Soon there will be a bunch of baby condors being born! It's an amazing sight for people to watch. It isn't just for entertainment purposes though. The whole point of this is to have these condors in this breeding center, so they can be saved and the population can be risen. They were once very very close to extinction. 80 condors have been released from this breeding center back into the wild. This shows that these breeding centers are really working and the condors are being saved, and everyone can watch it happen right from their computer at home.

Opinion/Reflection: When I first saw this, I was really excited! I think it's a great idea that people can experience these condors being saved, and be released back into their habitat, and experience new baby condors being born. They were once so close to extinction, and now there are many more being brought to life. They should really keep this going, and hopefully the condors won't be endangered at all anymore!

Questions:

1. Why do you think the condor gets a lot of attention for being endangered, but other endangered species don't?

2. Do you think the idea of this web cam is a good idea? Why or why not?

3. What do you think would happen if the condor went extinct?

Bee Lovely: The hand cream standing up for insects!

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/health_and_beauty/1053379/bee_lovely_the_hand_cream_standing_up_for_insects.html

PICTURE: Bees carry pollen, bees make honey, bees do lots of things for our ecosystem. I wonder what it would be like if they were... gone?


Summary: UK's threatened bee population is rising day by day. Someone's gotta do something before their eco system comes crashing down. Neal's Yard Remedies has come to the rescue with a campaign, oh and a limited edition hand cream! Neal's Yard made a new hand cream that not only makes soft and healthy skin, but also has plans to save Britain's bees. For every tube of the limited edition Bee Lovely Hand Cream, Neal's Yard will donate 1 euro to protecting UK's threatened bee population as a part of the brand's Save the Bee's campaign. Neal's Yard is also running a petition to outlaw nemonic pesticides which is a pesticide that damages the nerves in an insect resulting in paralysis, one of the biggest threats facing UK's bees! Based on reviews and buyers of the cream, it's supposed to work wonders too!

Opinion/Review: Honestly I think this is a wonderful idea! While they are providing people with whatever honey hand cream they usually buy from other companies, they are helping the situation too. I think unlike other companies, they aren't taking advantage of their products. Think about it, if bees disappear, who will take pollen from flower to flower, who will make honey? Bees are a very very important part of our ecosystem, and if they die off, we are in big trouble.

Question 1: Why don't we hear about the extinction of bees a lot in the media?
Question 2: What could have caused the bees population to be threatened?
Question 3: Do you think bees may be endangered in North America too?

Making Headway in the Movement to Protect the World's Sharks

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/science/earth/11shark.html?_r=1&ref=endangeredandextinctspecies

Picture: A restaurant in San Fransico, California serves shark fin soup. This restaurant is no longer able to serve this soup since the California Legislature has banned the selling of the shark fins.

Summary: california has decided to ban the selling and possesion of shark fins. This is a billion-dollar global trade that has been killing millions and millions of sharks every year! When making soup with a shark fin in Asia, one bowl may cost up to $100. Since the demand for shark fin soup has increasingly gorwn in Asian countries, it has led to over fishing around the globe. Even though it is a big demand in Asia, several celebraties native of those countries and environmentalist group have been trying their hardest to ban the use of shark fins. If the shark finning industry continues to grow, their is a great chance that some shark species can go endangered or even extinct. By starting to ban shark finning, it will slow down the industry and hopefully stop the killing of these innocent sharks.

Opinion/Reflection: I was very surprised while reading this article! To be honest I have never even heard of shark fin soup or shark-finning. This is actually a major issue if you think about it. If all the sharks are being killed, what will eat the other big fish,seals, and other animals? Things may end up getting over populated and more problems can occure! I am glad that some states in the United States are banning the sale and possesion of these shark fins, that way less shark can get hurt!

Questions: 1: What would happen if some shark species went extinct? 2: Why isn't this issue talked about alot in the media? 3: Even if all the states in the U.S. ban shark finning, will the other countries in Asia start hunting for the sharks at greater amounts, since they don't have competition?

Bringing Black Turtles Back from the Brink

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/09/bringing-black-turtles-back-from-the-brink-with-photography.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

PICTURE: In this picture, it depicts a skull of the black turtle. This kind of turtle is on the brink of extinction. Not many are still alive.

SUMMARY: The issue of extinction of rare animals has been a great problem. From natural extinction, to poachers and hunters, trying to make a profit. To this day the black turtle has nearly been extinct and is close to complete extinction of its species. A special project has been started to help save this species. A photography project that will show and get the word out there about these turtles. It is a great thing, that will hopefully raise lots of money. Their main goal is to show a relationship between biology, art, science, and storytelling. It will be presented to teach about tradition, folklore, corrupt officials, and poor fishermen, illegal pollution, and survival. They will also spread the word through the Internet, podcast, lectures, and interviews. Hopefully, it will reach their targets fundraisers, legislation, and editorials. Their success depends on how other people will try to save this precious, rare species.

OPINION/REFLECTION: When I read about the black turtles in this article, I had no idea what they were. As expected, this rare species is not well known. The media is not well known for telling us about species that are endangered. I hope that this doesn't end like other endangered species. Completely gone. I do not think I can do anything from my situation, but hopefully others can.

QUESTIONS:

1.Why do I not hear more about this, media, etc.?

2. What can I/you do?

3. What exactly caused this endangerment?

Deforestation Making Somalia Famine Worse, Forestry Experts Say

http://treehugger.com/files/2011/09/deforestation-making-famine-worse

Picture: The graphic shows Somalians trying to find food. Clearly they are not having much luck considering that the kids are carrying sticks and the mother is carrying the only significant amount of food.

Summary: Somalia has had trouble in the past with famines and deforestation of their forest isn't helping out their latest famine. Experts say that chopping down trees,especially in places familiar to famines, it makes it harder on people. People affected by this include the poor and especially those who are depend extremely on agriculture. Lets not forget that in places like Somalia, water is not that easy to get a hold of, this making the famine much worse. The growth of population also plays a major factor in this famine. The more people there are, the more people there are to feed. On the other hand, the dry lands near Somalia provide crops that can sustain these droughts and famines, making it a little bit easier. However, even with the help, this Somalian famine could claim the lives of 750,000 people or more, in the next four months alone.

Opinion/Reflection: I was shocked to see how severe a famine can be. Of course, I had never been part of one, but it still really took my breath away. The U.S. is not home to many famis, but places like the Horn of Africa (places near Somalia) are home to many. It also surprised me how many lives a famine can take.

Questions:

1- Why isn't other countries helping Somalia out as much?

2- Why aren't things like this brought to people's attention more often?

3- Why are places like Somalia and Niger home to so many famines?

4- What is a way I can help the famine in Somalia today?