Wildlife + The Willow Project

This podcast episode discusses the importance of wildlife in the environment and the impact it has on ecosystems. It highlights the role of animals like birds, bats, and bees in pollination and maintaining the balance of populations. The podcast also emphasizes the positive effects of wildlife on human well-being, such as education, health, and culture. Additionally, it mentions the Willow Project, a major oil drilling venture in Alaska, and the need to spread awareness and take action to protect the environment. The episode concludes with a call to love and protect the Earth. ----------- Hello and welcome to the Environmental Podcast. Here we talk about all things environmental, like how without bees, we will die. Today we will be focusing on wildlife and its involvement in the environment in the newly introduced Willow Project. I'm Becky and with me are my co-hosts Lori and Ellie. Let's jump into it. Our first topic is about the environment and how it affects the wildlife. Wildlife has a considerable and highly varied impact on the environment. Furthermore, in transforming the environment, man has indirectly altered some of the many links which associate animals with the environment. Proteins determine the equilibrium of populations in their habitats. The various roles and activities of animals within different ecosystems are described. Birds are discussed at some length, given their role in pollination and the decimation of plants, and also their potential for acting as reserve warriors or carriers of pathogens. Nature is also made of disturbances to the environment, resulting from the introduction by humans of various species, which can threaten the ecological balance of the host region. These topics form a basis for further reflection on the conservation of particularly endangered natural resources. Wildlife populates ecosystems across the planet, whether it is in the seas or roaming freely across the forests and savannas. Each species contributes to the balance of the ecosystems they live in. The health of wildlife is deeply entwined with the health of other animals, the environment, and even humans. By protecting wildlife health, we safeguard biodiversity and invest in a healthier, more sustainable future. The survival of humans, animals, and plants depends on the health of their ecosystems. Bats and bees are existential pollinators. Small mammals maintain fetal health. Coral reefs produce oxygen and capture carbon. Fruit eaters disperse seeds. And predators help control the populations of other species. Ecosystems are only as healthy as the wildlife that lives within them and require rich biodiversity to thrive. Wildlife is a valuable asset for many communities across the world, supporting livelihoods through the provision of income, whether it is through tourism or as a source of food. Importantly, wildlife has a positive effect on human well-being, contributing to education, physical and mental health, social values, culture, and spirituality. Our second topic is how wildlife affects the environment. Wildlife is a valuable asset for many communities across the world, supporting livelihoods through the provision of income, whether it is through tourism or as a source of food. Importantly, wildlife has a positive effect on human well-being, contributing to education, physical and mental health, social values, culture, and spirituality. Although bees is more resource-intensive to produce than most other kinds of meat, and animal-based foods overall are more resource-intensive than plant-based foods, beef requires 20 times more land and emits 20 times more GHG emissions per gram of edible protein than common plants' proteins such as beans. Our third topic is bees. Everyone knows them, everyone loves them, but are they really that important? The short answer is yes. You see, there are about 20,000 species of bees, yet both of these alone pollinate more than 80% of all plants. The problem is that bees are dying at rapid rates due to toxic chemicals used in pesticides. If they don't pollinate, we can't grow crops, which means no food and as a result, no life. The fourth topic is the Willow Project. The Willow Project is a massive and decades-long oil drilling venture on Alaska's North Slope and the National Petroleum Reserve, which is owned by the federal government. The area where the project is planned holds up to 600 million barrels of oil. That oil would take years to reach the market since the project has yet to be constructed. Kanoka Phillips is a Houston-based energy company that has been exploring drilling for oil in Alaska for years. The company is the only one that currently has oil drilling operations in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve, though its two operating projects are smaller than Willow would be. Willow was proposed by Kanoka Phillips and originally approved by the Trump administration in 2020. Now that the Biden administration has given the Willow Project green light, construction can begin. However, it isn't clear exactly when that will happen, in large part due to impending illegal challenges. Not many people know details about the Willow Project, so spreading details about the Internet should catch the eye of some people to help out. You can individually protest against it as well. For example, signing a petition against it, go to a literal protest, etc. You can also vote for a better president when it's time for elections, since the president started it all. These are some of the problems and their solutions that exist in the environmental world. We urge everyone to listen and look around. This is our Earth, and there isn't really a plausible plan B. We have to take a stand and stop being stupid for a minute. The Earth loves you, so love her back. Anyways, this is all for now. I'm Elitsa, I'm with Rebecca and Lori. And if you want to find out more interesting facts about stuff like this, check out our other podcasts back. Thanks for listening!