Student Name: Sarah Hawley
Student Number: 7633846
Date: April 6th, 2011
Reading Summaries
Selection 10- Life and Death of the Salt Marsh
Salt marshes are prominent in low-lying land areas and are found primarily along the eastern coast of North America. They are home to a vast array of species, particularly birds and crabs. A healthy marsh smells of salt water and grasses, however a sea marsh that has been disrupted by human activities; such as pollution or excavation, smells of hydrogen sulfide. The various human impacts on salt marshes drastically degrade the region and the native wildlife that depend on this niche for survival. Salt marshes are disrupted primarily by increases in population densities along the coast. The increase in human population adds stress to the land. However, salt marshes are exceedingly valuable to fish populations and ultimately the fish industry. In order to preserve salt marshes and prevent the evident destruction caused by human developments, adequate planning in a necessity. Access to water, including boat ramps and docks away from marshes is a must. As well as roads that lead up to, but only reach the edges of marshes is also essential. However, there is a battle between development and conservation. Many developers seek to fill marshes in order to build new homes and commercial developments. There must be regulations set in place at the national and state level to prevent development and promote conservation of this valuable ecosystem.
Selection 31- Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment
Sandra Steingraber, who is a biologist and published writer, suffered from bladder cancer at a very young age. She had been adopted and even though there is no correlation between the genetic composition of her and her adopted family, she argues that families who share similar environments often share the same rates of mortality. She came from a family that had many accounts of cancer victims, ranging from bladder to colon cancer. Bladder cancer in particular is caused by a mutation of healthy cells into cancerous ones, specifically growth factor receptors and the depletion of tumour suppressor genes that causes transitional cell carcinoma. Certain carcinogens known as aromatic amines are acknowledged for increasing the chances of these mutations to occur, such as the chemicals found in dyes and pesticides. Some people lack the ability to adequately detoxify their bodies of these carcinogenic chemicals, in fact, over half the population of North America and Europe fall under this group.
Despite the fact that there is pressing evidence suggesting the consequences of genetic mutations and the factors which cause them, the prevalence of bladder cancer is increasing. These carcinogens are found in the very air we breathe and the water we drink on a daily basis, as well as in cigarette smoke. However, the majority of these chemicals are still being used today despite evidence proving their harm. The real problem lies in the fact that the majority of cancer research today is done on the correlation between cancer patients and their inherited genes and not on potential external causes. Less than ten percent of colon cancers are caused by inherited genes that were mutated to form cancerous cells, this means that over ninety percent of cancer cases are caused by other factors which remain very ambiguous to researchers. Sandra believes that the causes of these cases likely lie in the environment and how humans have been polluting the natural ecological systems of the Earth. Such causes are from DDT and PCB’s and other synthetic chemicals that are bioaccumulative. Allowing these chemicals to be utilized, manufactured and introduced into the atmosphere without being fully tested is a huge threat to human health as well as to the health of surrounding environments. Furthermore, it must be appreciated that the population being introduced to these chemicals have different levels of predispositions. Including age variations (young and old being more susceptible), genetic factors and levels of exposure. The availability of safe air, food and water is at risk given the exposure of these natural elements to pollution and in order to eliminate this risk, efforts must be made to preserve the functionality of our economy and food systems with the least amount of toxic input feasible.
Selection 32 “Our Stolen Future”
There was public concern regarding the link between increased levels of cancer patients and their exposure to low levels of synthetic chemicals. There was a lack of adequate funding to properly research the full span of possible effects that synthetic chemicals have on humans. This is largely due to the belief that humans were not commonly exposed to these chemicals. In the 1980s, Theo Colborn and various other researchers discovered a series of physiological problems is a diverse range of species. The culprits which were found to be endocrine disrupters were more than 50 synthetic chemicals.
Since the beginning of the evolutionary process of life on Earth, the main biochemical make up and physiological processes found in animals has changed very little. The genetic differences that separate humans from other animals along the evolutionary chain, though unique, are minimal. There is also a shared environment that makes all life, including human developments, possible. This implies that all life is a part of an interconnected ecological system. No matter where an animal resides on earth, they have in some way been exposed to harmful, bioaccumulative chemicals that have been used for industrial or agricultural purposes. It is for this reason, that many scientists and researchers believe that pollutants which cause adverse effects and extinction for many species globally, will also affect humans. It has been questioned whether or not testing chemicals on animals, such as lab mice, is truly an effective measuring guide. A chemical may pose as a threat to an animal, but how can researchers be sure that it will affect humans? There is also the issue of dosage. Small mice are given significantly higher doses than a typical human would proportionally consume. Though this may be true, scientists already fundamentally understand how hormones work within the body. They know that hormones are essential in the development of a human. The chemical known as DES, was found to cause hormone disruption in humans, not just other animal species. When women had taken DES during pregnancy, the same symptoms showed up in their children as had shown up in laboratory experiments. It was found that the chemical was more harmful in lower doses and in fact, with higher doses the symptoms began to diminish.
On July 1991, many scientists gathered to share their work and insight into this issue of endocrine disrupters. They discovered that the impacts seen on animal populations and the threat it posed to their survival, was just as imminent to human populations. Many scientists believe that humans have already been exposed to countless man-made synthetic chemicals and their effects are likely already underway. It is however very difficult to assess because the damage often takes a long time to surface and the source of contamination is arduous to pinpoint. Studies on animals that have been exposed to synthetic chemicals that cause endocrine disrupter are key in understanding the effects on humans. Most animal species develop far more quickly that humans do, so the damaging effects will likely be seen sooner in animals. This gives researchers an idea of the areas that are most effective and what to look for in humans.
Selection 34- Environmental Justice for All
Impoverished communities, including those found in many African-American communities, are often faced with exposure to major environmental hazards. Such hazards include landfills, busy highways, lead smelters and the list goes on. Many activists have been fighting the exposure of low income families to environmental threats, beginning as early as 1968. This has led to the formation of the environmental conference combatting unjust disparities known as the National People of Colour Environmental Leadership Summit. This summit has introduced many papers showing the correlation between the exposures of poverty-stricken and minority communities to unsafe environments and their health. The first lawsuit against a community’s proximity to a hazardous setting was in 1979 in Houston because it was found that over eighty percent of landfills had been built close to predominately African-American communities. Also, in Black Warren County, North Carolina, harmful waste was disposed of in a mostly African American inhabited region. Rebellion against this led to the development of a General Accounting Office in eight southern states, and the sole purpose of this office was to investigate the location of environmental health threats. It was found that the majority of the largest and most potentially harmful landfills and waste disposal sites are located within areas that are inhabited by families that are living below the poverty line. Environmental justice activists, such as the ones who attended the National People of Colour Environmental Leadership Summit, organized many community groups that fought the government and local polluting companies to relocate either residents or the location of hazardous operations. Such organizations are Citizens Against Toxic Exposure, Citizens Against Nuclear Trash and the Clean Air Act. Unfortunately, the actions of environmental leaders have the ability to undermine all of the efforts set in place by various environmental justice groups. As was done with the Bush administration, when it was implemented that companies could expand, dispose of waste, and emit toxic pollutants into the surrounding environments without any added regulations. In order to preserve the environment as a whole, impoverished and minority communities as well as the health of all surrounding communities, deserve equal rights to a resilient and sustainable future.
Selection 12- Ecosystems and Human Well-being
Selection 12- Ecosystems and Human Well-being
Humanity depends upon natural ecological systems in order to provide and meet everyone’s basic needs; such as receiving adequate nutrients, having access to clean and potable water, sanitary practices to prevent the wide spread of infectious diseases and climate that functions within certain tolerable limits for human existence. However, despite the importance of the functionality and connections between these ecological systems on Earth, little is being done to preserve them. In fact there is almost an anthropocentric view in the sense that Earth’s ecosystems only function to meet our needs and that we are not a part of a vast hierarchal niche that exists with fragility. The vast majority of natural systems on earth have been manipulated or altered in some way to benefit human developments or economic growth. There is a correlation between this destruction and depletion of the Earth through extractive processes and the ecosystems changes that accompany environmental degradation. Furthermore, such environmental degradation is promoting the continuance of impoverished and socially inequitable regions around the world. It is expected that within the next half a century, human growth and development will reach a stand still when the finite resources of this Earth place a limit to the previously perceived exponential growth of the industrial age. Unfortunately, once the damage has been inflicted on many of the natural ecosystems, it is arduous to create a solution and reverse the present course of degradation. This is largely due to that fact that there are multiple factors at play, each one playing as significant a role as the next in fragile ecological interactions and preservation of ecosystems. These factors include, global climate change, the continuous loss of biological diversity and the effects this is having on ecosystem resilience in response to warming ocean and surface temperatures. Changes in the core values of our economy and population are essential before the delicate issues of present-day ecosystems can be addressed. These values are demonstrated in the actions of government leaders and how they implement policies and change, our purchasing powers and choices, and overall common understanding of the issues facing the many endangered ecosystems today. Four basic strategies address these issues and they are known as Global Orchestration, Order from Strength, Adapting Mosaic and Techno Garden and each of which address the four basic ecological systems of significant interest to human populations on Earth; Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Water, and Forestry. Global Orchestration focuses on education and global equality, whereby all nations benefit economically while still mitigating many problems with global ecosystems. Order from Strength is a system that focuses the least on economic growth, but rather regional issues that are centered on food and environment security, as well as protection. The Adapting Mosaic plan entails protection of watersheds through concerning political and economic arenas in the importance of its preservation. Lastly, Techno Garden operates on the development of technology that is ecologically beneficial, as well as aiming to benefit human populations.
Resource List Reflection
Jeremy Jackson: How we wrecked the ocean
Many Coral reefs worldwide have been exposed to natural catastrophes that wipe out all existing ecological life and undergo successional recovery, however overfishing, pollution, global climate change and human activities have prevented this. A coral reef off the coast of Jamaica was destroyed during the cataclysmic event of Hurricane Allen in the 1980’s and even today, all that remains of the coral reefs are seaweed.
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| (Coral Reef in Jamaica. Source: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Coral_reefs_and_climate_change) |
Overfishing is among the reasons why coral reefs are unable to recover and this is evident through declining fish populations, in particular the collapse of the cod fishery. Furthermore, the average size of many fish species had drastically reduced in recent decades largely due to methods practiced in industrial fishing. Trolling techniques are used whereby huge nets scrap the ocean floor, destroying the habitats that exist along the continental shelves. As said by Jeremy Jackson, “you can see the rows on the sea floor bottom as you can see the rows on an agricultural field where you plant corn.” Evidently, the total eradication of all substances along the sea floor is running that natural habitats and the biological diversity that sustains fish populations.
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| (Source: http://www.fws.gov/coralreef/nps.cfm) |
In addition to overfishing, population has led to the collapse of coral reefs in two ways; through the introduction of non-native species and by the processes which lead to excessive nutrients. A killer algae was accidentally releases from an aquarium in Monaco into ocean waters and since its release, it has been rapidly overgrowing and out-competing all bottom dwelling species. There are no known species that act as a predator to these algae, and as such the ecosystem has been entirely destroyed by the introduction of a species that was not naturally occurring by disrupting the natural ecological niche. Moreover, excessive nutrients cause pollution that is caused by agricultural run-off which increases plankton populations in ocean waters. The plankton utilizes a large portion of available oxygen in the water, making it nearly impossible for other species to survive and co-exist. Algae blooms kill fish and cause acute respiratory illnesses when the algae are evaporated into the atmosphere that affects birds and human populations.
Climate change is another factor that is contributing to coral reef destruction. Glaciers are melting in response to warming global temperatures and subsequently the ocean waters increasing in temperature simultaneously. Algae that exist in coral provide the coral with sugar nutrients as food; however in warm ocean temperatures the algae are not able to produce these nutrients. Consequently, the algae and coral begin to die.
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| Algae Bloom. (Source: http://www.prlog.org/10731612-dadonghai-beach-attracts-an-unwelcome-visitor.html) |
The whole is vastly more important than each one of its parts, and in order to preserve the whole, we must truly understand how to replace and fix the damage that has been inflicted on many parts of global ecological systems. The future looks grim if we are to continue on our present path of naïve destruction, with dead zones prevalence, virtually no fish populations, drastically warmer ocean waters and oceans that will ultimately succumb to desertification. The true changes must come with mitigating human desires to constantly grow and develop at the cost of natural systems.
Reflections
Blog Reflection #1- Take time to consider your core values and how you might live according to these values more fully.
Based on the Environmental Science Issues course, it would be arduous not to admit that my perspective on many issues facing the vast ecological systems of this Earth today has changed. In turn, this has broadened my sense of understanding of the world around me and I believed that my core values have altered for the better as a consequence of this. For many years, my family have owned three quarter sections of land for cattle ranching, where essentially an upwards of 250 cattle grazed the prairie grasses with occasional food supplements to ensure a healthy looking herd. My boyfriend’s family is also in the business of food production, however his is focused more primarily on agriculture and the growing of cash crops. This is done in such a manner that promotes high chemical inputs and genetically modified organisms, to attain a seemingly high production rate. After taking this course, it would seem that the opposite is true. Not only does the manner in which my family feed cattle led to overgrazing and degradation of the land, but modern industrial agriculture is a truly unsustainable and unhealthy system. Industrial farming and mechanization as taken over agriculture.
The pesticides, fertilizers and genetic modification of crops has reduced the biodiversity of arable land regions and created a monoculture. This system has become highly susceptible to super weeds and it poses as an environmental pollutant whereby applied chemicals enter waterways and leech into the soil. Furthermore, animals that are grown to produce eggs, milk, beef and chicken, are fed antibiotics and kept in extremely close confinements in order to maximize production for a given space. This creates vulnerability because the animals are becoming resistant to antibiotics so if an epidemic were to occur, entire farms would be wiped out. The major issue here is that not only is modern agriculture and animal production highly vulnerable and unhealthy, but it is dominating today’s grocery stores and a large portion of consumers are unaware of process involved in producing their food. Wholesome, natural food is rare and choices are limited. 84% of meat production is controlled by three major companies, so essentially you have the choice of inexpensive, feedlot grown beef or more expensive organic free range beef. For impoverished families, single mothers and university students on a tight budget, paying extra for what they believe is the same thing, is not economically viable. So you end up seeing countless grocery store super centres and Wal-Marts that do not even offer organic foods from sustainable farms, because the market is lacking and there are so few farmers who are able to afford sustainable practices. I have tried on numerous occasions to discuss these imminent and pressing issues with my family and my boyfriend’s family, however it is rarely received with an regard or interest. In fact, this pressing evidence that proves environmental degradation is disregarded as impossible and that organic farming will not adequately provide the food needed to sustain the human population. It is truly saddening for me, because creating sustainability will not be at the cost of one individual effort; it requires a mass change to an entire system of beliefs. I firmly believe that a sustainable and environmentally sound future depends upon a transition towards understanding the importance of existing within a system and not possessing the arrogant viewpoint that all is created to benefit humans. However taking the first step to getting there will be a large challenge, especially in the face of a system deeply entwined in the belief of infinite growth on a finite planet.
Notes Reflections
Blog Reflection #1- Take time to consider your core values and how you might live according to these values more fully.
Based on the Environmental Science Issues course, it would be arduous not to admit that my perspective on many issues facing the vast ecological systems of this Earth today has changed. In turn, this has broadened my sense of understanding of the world around me and I believed that my core values have altered for the better as a consequence of this. For many years, my family have owned three quarter sections of land for cattle ranching, where essentially an upwards of 250 cattle grazed the prairie grasses with occasional food supplements to ensure a healthy looking herd. My boyfriend’s family is also in the business of food production, however his is focused more primarily on agriculture and the growing of cash crops. This is done in such a manner that promotes high chemical inputs and genetically modified organisms, to attain a seemingly high production rate. After taking this course, it would seem that the opposite is true. Not only does the manner in which my family feed cattle led to overgrazing and degradation of the land, but modern industrial agriculture is a truly unsustainable and unhealthy system. Industrial farming and mechanization as taken over agriculture.
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| (Source: http://www.smallfarms4you.com/Cash_Crops.html) |
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| (Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-fertilizers-harm-earth) |
The pesticides, fertilizers and genetic modification of crops has reduced the biodiversity of arable land regions and created a monoculture. This system has become highly susceptible to super weeds and it poses as an environmental pollutant whereby applied chemicals enter waterways and leech into the soil. Furthermore, animals that are grown to produce eggs, milk, beef and chicken, are fed antibiotics and kept in extremely close confinements in order to maximize production for a given space. This creates vulnerability because the animals are becoming resistant to antibiotics so if an epidemic were to occur, entire farms would be wiped out. The major issue here is that not only is modern agriculture and animal production highly vulnerable and unhealthy, but it is dominating today’s grocery stores and a large portion of consumers are unaware of process involved in producing their food. Wholesome, natural food is rare and choices are limited. 84% of meat production is controlled by three major companies, so essentially you have the choice of inexpensive, feedlot grown beef or more expensive organic free range beef. For impoverished families, single mothers and university students on a tight budget, paying extra for what they believe is the same thing, is not economically viable. So you end up seeing countless grocery store super centres and Wal-Marts that do not even offer organic foods from sustainable farms, because the market is lacking and there are so few farmers who are able to afford sustainable practices. I have tried on numerous occasions to discuss these imminent and pressing issues with my family and my boyfriend’s family, however it is rarely received with an regard or interest. In fact, this pressing evidence that proves environmental degradation is disregarded as impossible and that organic farming will not adequately provide the food needed to sustain the human population. It is truly saddening for me, because creating sustainability will not be at the cost of one individual effort; it requires a mass change to an entire system of beliefs. I firmly believe that a sustainable and environmentally sound future depends upon a transition towards understanding the importance of existing within a system and not possessing the arrogant viewpoint that all is created to benefit humans. However taking the first step to getting there will be a large challenge, especially in the face of a system deeply entwined in the belief of infinite growth on a finite planet.
Affluenza is a term that is propagated by industry schemes that have convinced our consumer society that being in the constant pursuit of material gain will lead to social acceptance and status. Unfortunately, understanding the waste associated with constantly acquiring more and placing a demand on global resources to satisfy that, is not only depleting the Earth of finite resources but it is causing vast environmental degradation in the process. Often the environmental burdens that are associated with manufacturing the waste disposal process are placed on racial minorities and impoverished communities. This is referred to as environmental injustice. The vast socioeconomic and technological advances of this generation will surely be outweighed by the insatiability and thoughtless environmental destruction that accompanies it. The abundance of high consumption in present day society, exemplifies the disconnected concept of limitless growth on a finite Earth. Despite common thought to the contrary, there is not ample space to accommodate the by-products of a wasteful society, nor are there the resources to sustain it. The ecological impacts and environmental degradation associated with managing the vast waste produced are wide-spread. The main impact is landfills, which have detrimental effects in terms of atmospheric emissions, destruction of natural habitats, fragmentation of wildlife, leachate production, landfill fires and environmental injustices.
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| (Source: http://swamplot.com/tag/fresno/) |
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| (Source: http://swamplot.com/tag/fresno/) |
The issues caused by increasing landfill sizes are fuelled by an existing separation between waste production and consumer awareness of what happens to products once they are disposed of. Personally, I can live according to my evident values by not succumbing to industries that trying to persuade me to consume more, want more, waste more and by not buying into the notion that more=happiness. Being fully aware of the impact I am having on the environment around, not only through cattle ranching, agricultural practices, but my buying powers, I can translate my core values to a meaningful and less wasteful life.
Notes Reflections
One of the vocabulary terms we were asked to learn in class was biosolids which is defined as a solid organic matter that is recovered from a sewage treatment process and used as a fertilizer on agricultural fields or in gardens. This really raised several concerns for me because how is it possible to truly separate the harmful and dangerous chemicals from solid waste and create an end product that is in some way beneficial and suitable for human consumption? In class, we also watched a video that discussed the prevalence of biosolids in rural communities and what affect this is having on the environment. It was reported that many chemicals used in the sewage treatment process are harmful to fish, wildlife and humans, so once the sludge (biosolids) are applied to agricultural fields, the contaminants can leech into nearby water systems and enter the food chain. Several wells and ground water in areas where the biosoilds had been heavily applied were contaminated with E.Coli and fish populations have suffered due to toxic levels of contaminants in the water ways. Unfortunately, many government officials and city departments view the solid as something that must be disposed of despite the potential human health risks. Nearly half of all the sludge produced is applied to rural and agricultural fields free of charge and it is termed as a soil conditioner. The problem with that, is crops are being grown where much of this material is being applied so consquently humans are consuming the contaminants in biosolids through the food they eat. Much liek genetically modified organisms and genetically modified food products should be labelled in grocery stores, foods that are grown in the vicinity of human waste and toxic by-products should be labelled so that consumers are aware of what the potential risk.
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| Biosolid Application. (Source: http://www.dayton-knight.com/projects/wwtp/salmon%20arm%20WPCC.htm) |
The Great Pacific Garbage Gyre is located in the North Pacific Ocean and was first discovered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1988. It is essentially an area of exceptionally high concentrations of garbage including plastics, toxic wastes and various other waste debris. It is estimated that there is more than 700,000 square miles of debris floating in these waters and the size and weight of this collection is unfathomable.
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| (Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/adam-pasick/2009/10/23/victims-of-the-pacific-trash-gyre/) |
The garbage poses as a great threat to the purity of the oceanic water as well as to the marine life that exists and thrives within in. The small plastic pieces that plastic breaks down into, is often mistaken by wildlife as zooplankton because it is arduous for them to distinguish between the two. Consequently, these toxic materials found in the waste and plastics are making its way into the food chain. It is believed that the source of the garbage is mainly from landfills and cargo ships that transport wastes. As such, there as large quantities of PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyl), DDT and PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which make their way into the food chain and become bioaccumulative which essentially means that there is higher concentrations of a substance than what would occur in the surrounding environment. This is because the toxins found in the garbage and plastics prefer to bond with fatty tissues, as opposed to water sources.
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