Ms. Zuber, a 6th-grade science teacher at Iselin Middle School, explains her thoughts and ideas on carbon emissions. She describes what can help the environment.
Panther Press: Do you think Electric Cars can be a major factor in changing Global Emissions? Why or Why Not?
Ms. Zuber: Electric cars can help in the overall use of lowering Carbon Emissions, however, we have to remember that many fossil fuels are used in electricity. So yes, it could help. By how much, we won’t know for several years.
Panther Press: Can Solar Energy entirely replace fossil fuels?
Ms. Zuber: I would love to think so, but fossil fuels will always be used. I think using wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles is a way to slow down the amount of fossil fuels we use overall. It is really important to bring carbon dioxide levels down.
Panther Press: What will happen if our planet eventually runs out of fossil fuels?
Ms. Zuber: We would have to adapt; we won’t know until we get to that point. Could that be around the corner? It will not necessarily take many years to run out of fossil fuels, so I think we have time to think and discover new ways of technology before this event happens.
Panther Press: In the future, specifically in the 2040s, how will our planet look?
Ms. Zuber: Our planet hasn’t made many major changes even throughout my lifetime. When it comes to climate, I think it will look pretty much the same. Hopefully, technology will make a bigger impact, helping us clear out carbon dioxide.
Panther Press: Imagine that we use too much gas in the future, and it rains. A scientist takes a sample of the rainwater and another sample from 2025. What do you think is different between the samples of rainwater?
Ms. Zuber: Well, if we continue to try helping our environment, there may not be that much of a difference in the acidity of the rain, but if we don’t start taking action, we will see a rise in the acidity of that rain.
Panther Press: What should we do today to reduce the use of emissions?
Ms. Zuber: Well, when leaving a room, you should be turning off your lights, you should be conserving your water, especially hot water which is all produced and heated by energy, and energy is made from fossil fuels so as long as you do everything in your capability to preserve these resources, the better off we will be.
Panther Press: How can we avoid pollution shortly?
Ms. Zuber: We would have to continue to recycle and reduce the amount of waste, and we should be more consciously aware of how this affects our environment and planet.
Panther Press: What animals will be affected by pollution?
Ms. Zuber: In Woodbridge, I would say any plant and animal in our environment are bound to be impacted by the garbage and waste material, whether it is land or air pollution.
Panther Press: Will humans be affected in any way? Such as health-related effects.
Ms. Zuber: Well, if we don’t continue to make the strides of cleaning our air and our planet, then it is a possibility that it can contribute to long-term health effects.
Panther Press: If these global conditions stay constant, how long will it take to melt any crucial or all the glaciers?
Ms. Zuber: Over the last 70 years, our climate has risen in Carbon dioxide levels. To melt all the polar ice caps, it would probably take a few more decades.