Making a greener world through pollution regulations and using renewable energy has many obvious positive effects. But, something that many people are unaware of is that the pollution regulations in the US are actually saving millions of birds. As humans, we think our efforts to stop climate change are put toward a better future for humans. For us and our grandkids, and their kids...and so on. We think our efforts help clean the air for us to breathe, and the water for us to drink. But what we don't think of, are all the species that benefit alongside us, especially animals as small as birds.
While birds may seem insignificant to the survival of humans in the future, they actually benefit us in many ways. Two of the most notable ways in which they help us are by controlling the number of bugs and pests around us, and dispersing seeds across the environment to further crop growth and availability of food.
A study conducted at Cornell Univesity and the University of Oregon discovered the true correlation between the abundance of birds and the quality of air. According to the article "Clean Air Act Saved 1.5 Billion Birds", they conducted a study in which, "They tracked monthly changes in bird abundance, air quality, and regulation status for 3,214 U.S. counties over a span of 15 years" (Cornell University). They concluded that the birds who were affected the greatest by air pollution were migratory birds who traveled long distances in the air. Flying in bad air quality can cause many problems for birds, most notably respiratory issues that most often lead to death.
Now many may wonder, what will happen if pollution regulations aren't continued and birds keep dying? How does this affect humans?
Birds may seem insignificant to human lives, however, we rely on them for many unexpected things. The biggest effect birds have on human health is their ability to keep our environment clean and healthy for crop growth/success. Certain pests have the ability to wipe out a farmer's entire crop yield, which ultimately lessens the amount of food available for humans to eat. As a result, birds eat the pests that oftentimes harm or damage our crops. Birds also spread seeds and pollinate plants, contributing to the pattern of making healthy crop growth readily available to humans. Another benefit birds (usually vultures) give to humans is their ability to be a scavenger and feed on other dead animals. In doing so, these scavengers are cleaning the environment for humans to prevent the spread of disease and allow for healthy soil to farm.
Overall, birds are more important than we think. The next time you are thinking about throwing garbage out the window of your car... think twice. Help keep pollution in check by performing everyday tasks as simple as picking up garbage outside or recycling. Not only are you helping yourself and those around you, but you are also helping all the species you take for granted. If you aren't motivated to stop pollution and climate change for yourself, think of the millions of innocent birds who are dying and ultimately leading to a faster extinction for humans because of the pollution you contribute to.
Happy recycling!
Sources:
https://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/why-we-need-birds-far-more-they-need-us
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201124150845.htm
I thought this post was super interesting and saving animals especially ones as crucial as birds is so important to many ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteBirds are more important than we think, but they're also so pretty!
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