SCIENTIFIC TOPICS RESEARCHED

❖ Blast Fishing: this is a method of fishing where the fisherman drops explosives, (often
homemade) into the ocean above reefs or schools of fish. The blast sends a shockwave
through the water which kills or stuns all the sea creatures in the vicinity. This method of
fishing is extremely detrimental to the environment and the creatures within it. It has been
made illegal in most regions around the world.
❖ Bottom Trawling: a method of fishing in which a weighted net which reaches all the
way down to the bottom of the sea is dragged behind a boat. The net catches fish, but because
it is weighted and drags along the bottom of the ocean as the boat moves, this method of
fishing is destructive to the environment. It has also been used and is still used extensively, so
areas that have been decimated by the weighted net have not had time to recover.
❖ Climate Change: the term used to describe the altering of global air and water
temperatures, as well as weather patterns. Climate change has occurred in the past, but never
at a pace as rapid as it is happening currently. Evidence suggests that the climate change that
is happening now is being caused by human activities like industrialism. Animal species in the
wild cannot adjust to the changing climate and environments fast enough, and many have
begun to see decreasing numbers because of it.
 Explanation of My Piece
My art piece is a digital comic book with themes “stories of climate heroes” and “cultivating
empathy through cartoons.” The main character of the comic, Baun Shurke, is a sea turtle who
is also an activist for the safety of the ocean. Because he lives in the sea, he is up close and
personal with all of the issues it has. He can empathize with the sea creatures that he meets
because he can communicate with them and understand their suffering. My comic could have
been made to be much darker and more harsh, but I decided that my target audience would
be children, because they are the ones who will need the education on the climate situation
going forward.

How YOU Can Make a Difference

Clean Energy Innovation - https://itif.org/issues/clean-energy-innovation

Climate Emergency Fund - https://climateemergencyfund.org