LAMA Scale - Earth’s Environmental Health Scale

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 The severity rating scale for all the sub-domains, domains, and the overall planet health is as follows: 

LAMA Severity Rating Scale (numerical): 

1 - Reversible negative impact on global ecology and climate

2 - Mild irreversible negative impact on global ecology and climate 

3 - Moderate irreversible negative impact on global ecology and climate 

4 - Severe irreversible impact on global ecology and climate 

5 - Catastrophic irreversible impact on global ecology and climate  

 The impacts are described as mild, moderate, severe, and catastrophic:

 Mild- impact manageable, but unfortunate losses

 Moderate- impact puts many areas at risk and extensive losses

 Severe- impact causing large losses that will severely impair civilization

 Catastrophic- impact so extensive risks to collapse of civilization 

Utilizing the above severity rating scale, the LAMA Scale organization scientists will assess the current literature and will provided the status of climate health for all subdomains, domains, and the overall planet. 

Land: 

Chemical: pesticides, lead, mercury, etc. (score 3)

Biological: loss of species and habitats, heading towards the sixth extinction  (score 3)

Physical: deforestation, drought, coastal damage, soil erosion, water depletion/water pollution, glaciers and freshwater (4)

Temperature: higher temperatures pushing vulnerable species closer to extinction  (score 2)

 Marine: 

Chemical: acidity, plastics, phosphate, nitrates seeping into the ocean via rivers (Mississippi, Nile, etc.) causing massive die off , etc. (score 4)

Biological: loss of species and habitats, die-offs most likely linked to warmer seas

 (score 4)

 Physical: rising sea level, loss of sea ice, current disruption, storms. Loss of sea ice is one key part of physical change. Sea ice melts, it exposes dark water and absorbs heat, decreases net albedo. (3)

Temperature: warming ocean temperatures cause loss of breeding grounds for marine animals and coral bleaching  (score 3)

Atmosphere: 

Chemical: greenhouse gasses, industrial and agricultural air pollution (score 4)

Biological: loss of birds, bats, and insects, increased pollen, etc.  (score 4)

Physical: storms, air currents (score 3)

Temperature: Greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s average temperatures to rise. More heat raises seasonal temperatures and reduces snow cover.  (score 3)

 LAMA Score 3.5 indicates the current overall environmental health of earth is experiencing moderate to severe conditions with broad negative impact in multiple key areas of Land, Marine, and Atmosphere. 

Copyright @ 2020 by Laura E. Miranda and Mark G. Currie