Issue:
The Yasuni National Park in Ecuador, in the country’s Amazon rainforest, and in a designated UN biosphere reserve, has an estimated one billion barrels of oil beneath it! Now the Ecuadorian government is discussing the process and profits of retrieving the reserves. Environmental groups and a professor of the Andrean University in Quito have proposed a prevention plan, a promise not to exploit the reserves for foreign donations worth $350m. Because Ecuador has already done some drilling in close proximity to the protected reserves Robert Hofstede for the World Conservation Union has said, “ Ecuador is asking for money to stop doing something they should have never done in the first place.”
Ecuador has signed the Kyoto Protocol so if the proposal were successful, instead of trading in greenhouse gases this would be a way of fighting global warming by not producing them in the first place. Although, there are many skeptics of the plan, for there is no guarantee that the $350m will protect the National Park indefinitely. In addition, many including those from the environmental group, doubt they will collect the full $350m. This will then excuse the exploitation of the reserves because the president will have no other “option” but to drill. If Ecuador does permit drilling there is fear that the past will repeat itself and foreign companies will profit at the detriment of the indigenous people and Ecuador’s own energy industry. For the sake of the biodiversity of the region, global warming, and the people of Ecuador, I hope the UN or enough opposition to the drilling prevent the destruction of the park. I agree with Paolo Cacciari, an Italian member of parliament, “We have an ecological debt to pay back, and this suggestion by Ecuador (to leave the region alone) is an intelligent solution. It’s the responsibility of all of us to look after these reserves.”
Ecuador seeks oil ‘compensation’ by Daniel Gordon
BBC News article: <https://webmail.nau.edu/redirect?http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7000345.stm.>
Deed:
This week I wanted to discuss an environmental good "deed" that I want to and need to participate in. First let me be completely honest...I own (figuratively speaking) and drive a car. I know, I know, disgusting. When I'm driving through town to arrive at campus, I say to myself, "Self look at you. You are the only one in this car. And look in your rearview mirror, and in front of you. There is only one person in each of those cars but you all are going to the same place!" I don't live that far from campus, it's Flagstaff no townies really live that far from any destination in town. So the solution is obvious! I need to buy a bike, and a helmet, and shoulder pads, and life insurance so my dog will be set for life when something happens to me. If I seem a bit hesitant to get on a bike, I am. Number one I don't ride a bike with much grace; I haven't had that much experience. I'm also worried about other drivers. I have heard the disdain for bikers’ vocalized by many motorists. They joke of "taking a biker out." Since I don't maneuver well on a bike, I don't feel comfortable or prepared to ride aggressively or defensively. Cars are big, bikes are small. But my plan is to get over this fear and start putting money aside to purchase a bike. (Remember, I'm still paying for that car.) Then I will ride that bike in place of my vehicle around town and to school. I acknowledge that my vehicle not only consumes nonrenewable resources but also pollutes the environment. I need to reduce my dependence on my car and join the biking race. A little bit of a pun there, for fun there.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Weeds as Biofuel, Poor Journalism, and Re-useable Shopping Bags
Issue:
I was going to do my issue on the weed jatropha, that originated in Central America and has spread around the world, that companies like BP and British biofuel giants are dumping money into as a future biofuel. Unlike ethanol from corn and sugar cane, it does not require the use of pesticides, or large amounts of water and fertilizer to grow and it yields many times as much biofuel per acre as planted corn. Farmers can plant it along side their food crops and it can grow in marginal soil. Other countries like India, China, the Philippines, and Malaysia are starting huge jatropha plantations in attempts to become more energy independent. Although jatropha can grow in barren lands with little rainfall I’m concerned that in places such as Mali, if all the farmers’ decided to convert to jatropha production how will the countries food production be affected? In addition, even if the jatropha is a more profitable crop can farmers be assured they will receive the profits or will the owners of the biofuel companies be the profiteers?
NYTimes article: Mali’s Farmers Discover a Weed’s Potential Power by Lydia Polgreen, 9 Sept. 2007
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/world/africa/09biofuel.html?ref=environment>.
Issue part II:
I read this article and also wanted to address it and my reaction. This article is a blatant example of journalists’ decision to represent one side of a story and present the single sided issue as “findings” to suggest it contains only facts.
This type of reporting generally confuses the public. It is the opposite of environmentalist extremist but has the same result. It makes it more difficult to express and identify to the general public an important issue without them blocking it out as invalidated, exaggerated, unproductive concern. The reporter’s main source is Lomborg and his recently published book. In the NYT article, Lomborg address that the countries of Africa are battling malaria, AIDS, and hunger and that we should not ignore them by only concerning ourselves with climate change and I fully agree! However, I hope that when the author discusses what he calls bigger issues (than climate change), he is also explaining that a climate change will affect the continent of Africa the hardest.
I have not read his book, so I can only hope that Lomborg is a responsibly writer and has done some researcher. The IPCC has clearly expressed that Africa is the least prepared for the consequences of global warming. Parts of the continent will experience drought, lessening the already small amounts of available food, some regions will experience intense rainfall where erosion is prevalent also cutting into food availability. Most populations will need to move to the coastal areas to avoid the extreme weather factors. The coasts will become crowded and in areas of dense populations with low quality of sanitation or health disease can spread faster. Sadly, global warming is also expected to raise sea level, cause greater coastal erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion; therefore significantly impacting Africa’s large coastal communities (IPCC, 2001). Because of erosion also around the coast the waters salinity may increase. If so, fish populations will struggle to survive and fisheries may also suffer.
These are all projects, from models, but they have been tested and collaborated on by many in the IPCC. Although, the exact unfolding of the future conditions of any continent is unknown it is arrogant for one writer to suggest global warming is something to be skeptical of and should not be a concern. It would be more responsible to say it should not be the only concern.
"Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming." Bjorn Lomborg. Knopf, 2007.
NYTimes article: ‘Feel Good’ vs. ‘Do Good’ on Climate by John Tierney, 11 September 2007
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/science/earth/11tiern.html?ref=environment>.
Deed:
A simple environmental good deed that I practice involves using reusable shopping bags. Eliminating my use of plastic shopping bags has been easy. I just have to remember to put the bags back in my car after every shopping trip so I always have them. If I forget my bags, I can’t stand getting one of the plastic ones, knowing that I have my cloth bag at home. So if you ever see me leaving a store juggling my groceries in my arms…it is safe to assume I forgot my bags.
Sadly, the plastic bags came out of the outcry for something other than the tree killing paper bags. But plastic didn’t put an end to the environmentalists shoppers’ concern it simply re-directed it. Even if you just purchased a pack of gum you are given a plastic bag, they are everywhere! Generally, the plastic bags aren’t recycled because they can’t be! The bags can’t go in your at home recycling bin. And the bags that are filling up landfills will not biodegrade in my great grandchildren’s lifetime. Although, there is equipment that can recycle the bags these sites are few in number and expensive to operate. For example, in Flagstaff I know of only one store that collects the bags for recycling, Walmart. Weird, isn’t? And only just recently, the first grocery store in town, Safeway, has begun to offer a re-useable bag for sale by the checkout line.
I don’t know about you but I’m sick of seeing those plastic grocery bags tumbling down the street or sidewalk, blowing in the wind along beaches, ending up in the oceans harassing the already struggling aquatic species, and filling up landfills. The use of re-usable shopping bags is an easy, quiet, but effective way to help soften our footprint.
I was going to do my issue on the weed jatropha, that originated in Central America and has spread around the world, that companies like BP and British biofuel giants are dumping money into as a future biofuel. Unlike ethanol from corn and sugar cane, it does not require the use of pesticides, or large amounts of water and fertilizer to grow and it yields many times as much biofuel per acre as planted corn. Farmers can plant it along side their food crops and it can grow in marginal soil. Other countries like India, China, the Philippines, and Malaysia are starting huge jatropha plantations in attempts to become more energy independent. Although jatropha can grow in barren lands with little rainfall I’m concerned that in places such as Mali, if all the farmers’ decided to convert to jatropha production how will the countries food production be affected? In addition, even if the jatropha is a more profitable crop can farmers be assured they will receive the profits or will the owners of the biofuel companies be the profiteers?
NYTimes article: Mali’s Farmers Discover a Weed’s Potential Power by Lydia Polgreen, 9 Sept. 2007
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/world/africa/09biofuel.html?ref=environment>.
Issue part II:
I read this article and also wanted to address it and my reaction. This article is a blatant example of journalists’ decision to represent one side of a story and present the single sided issue as “findings” to suggest it contains only facts.
This type of reporting generally confuses the public. It is the opposite of environmentalist extremist but has the same result. It makes it more difficult to express and identify to the general public an important issue without them blocking it out as invalidated, exaggerated, unproductive concern. The reporter’s main source is Lomborg and his recently published book. In the NYT article, Lomborg address that the countries of Africa are battling malaria, AIDS, and hunger and that we should not ignore them by only concerning ourselves with climate change and I fully agree! However, I hope that when the author discusses what he calls bigger issues (than climate change), he is also explaining that a climate change will affect the continent of Africa the hardest.
I have not read his book, so I can only hope that Lomborg is a responsibly writer and has done some researcher. The IPCC has clearly expressed that Africa is the least prepared for the consequences of global warming. Parts of the continent will experience drought, lessening the already small amounts of available food, some regions will experience intense rainfall where erosion is prevalent also cutting into food availability. Most populations will need to move to the coastal areas to avoid the extreme weather factors. The coasts will become crowded and in areas of dense populations with low quality of sanitation or health disease can spread faster. Sadly, global warming is also expected to raise sea level, cause greater coastal erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion; therefore significantly impacting Africa’s large coastal communities (IPCC, 2001). Because of erosion also around the coast the waters salinity may increase. If so, fish populations will struggle to survive and fisheries may also suffer.
These are all projects, from models, but they have been tested and collaborated on by many in the IPCC. Although, the exact unfolding of the future conditions of any continent is unknown it is arrogant for one writer to suggest global warming is something to be skeptical of and should not be a concern. It would be more responsible to say it should not be the only concern.
"Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming." Bjorn Lomborg. Knopf, 2007.
NYTimes article: ‘Feel Good’ vs. ‘Do Good’ on Climate by John Tierney, 11 September 2007
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/science/earth/11tiern.html?ref=environment>.
Deed:
A simple environmental good deed that I practice involves using reusable shopping bags. Eliminating my use of plastic shopping bags has been easy. I just have to remember to put the bags back in my car after every shopping trip so I always have them. If I forget my bags, I can’t stand getting one of the plastic ones, knowing that I have my cloth bag at home. So if you ever see me leaving a store juggling my groceries in my arms…it is safe to assume I forgot my bags.
Sadly, the plastic bags came out of the outcry for something other than the tree killing paper bags. But plastic didn’t put an end to the environmentalists shoppers’ concern it simply re-directed it. Even if you just purchased a pack of gum you are given a plastic bag, they are everywhere! Generally, the plastic bags aren’t recycled because they can’t be! The bags can’t go in your at home recycling bin. And the bags that are filling up landfills will not biodegrade in my great grandchildren’s lifetime. Although, there is equipment that can recycle the bags these sites are few in number and expensive to operate. For example, in Flagstaff I know of only one store that collects the bags for recycling, Walmart. Weird, isn’t? And only just recently, the first grocery store in town, Safeway, has begun to offer a re-useable bag for sale by the checkout line.
I don’t know about you but I’m sick of seeing those plastic grocery bags tumbling down the street or sidewalk, blowing in the wind along beaches, ending up in the oceans harassing the already struggling aquatic species, and filling up landfills. The use of re-usable shopping bags is an easy, quiet, but effective way to help soften our footprint.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Environmental issue and deed discussion 1
Issue:
August 14, 2007 the New York Times addressed the water level drop in three of the Great Lakes, Michigan, Huron, and Superior. The drop in levels of the Great Lakes, the world’s largest freshwater resivor, is variously attributed to climate change, new rainfall patterns, and specific human activities. The specific human activities, such as mining in the early 20th century and dredging in the mid-1960s, widened and deepened the St. Clair River. Alterations to the river have caused erosion and erosion has increased the outflow of the river into Lake Erie. There is also a new estimate, 2.5 billion gallons a day, of water being diverted to Chicago and northern Illinois through the expanded part of St. Clair River for water supplies.
The decreased water level has impacted ship channels and caused wetlands to dry up leaving fish and birds without places to reproduce. Further impacts include many beaches becoming marshes; shorefronts becoming wetlands, and one third of Michigan boat ramps are unusable. Currently, coastal and river engineers want to place a great deal of blame on man-made changes but have not determined if those have played a greater role than factors like climate change. To effectively use funds to mitigate the problem we need to study the waterways to identify the major factor or factors that are causing the drop in water levels. If it is erosion, we need to stabilize the river channel so the increased outflow is reduced and not rushing to the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, if climate change or new rainfall patterns are to blame, I do not have any strategies to combat the impacts on the Great Lakes.
NYTimes article: Water Levels in 3 Great Lakes Dip Far Below Normal
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/us/14lakes.html?ex=1189483200&en=c7dc236ad035baaf&ei=5070
Good deed:
The first environmental good deed that I would like to share was my decision to no longer eat meat and also decrease my intake of dairy products. I chose to address this issue because it has recently been in the news. The Humane Society of the United States created and published an ad with an image of a car key and a fork. The headline reads, “Which one of these contributes more to Global Warming?” Below the images the answer says, “It’s not the one that starts the car.” Because this ad is the first of its kind to be printed in magazines and hit the general public, it has brought some attention to the issue of agribusiness and the environment. The New York Times did a feature on the ad and the Humane Society. The article also referenced the PETA organization, which scares off a lot of people because of their unpopular tactics. But I’m glad that the Humane Society is actively on board with this topic. I hope this ad gets nationwide attention and American’s start to think about reducing the amount of animal products in their diet.
I made the decision to become a vegetarian a little over 2 years ago when I was researching an environmental issue to present for a public speaking class. The more and more research I came across about animal agribusiness and its contributions to global warming, pollution, and land degradation, I was shocked! I had no chose as a concerned member of this planet, but to give up animal products. It is hard to become aware of an issue that you can take full control of in your life and not step up too the challenge.
Unfortunately, I have had discouraging conversations with many people including friends, family, strangers, and even fellow students of the sciences. They act as if reducing the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products in their life is too difficult a task. If you can ride ten miles to school or work on a bike instead of driving your vehicle, I’m telling you, you are tuff enough to start enjoying meatless meals for your mamma Earth.
As an aside, it really can be healthy to reduce your intake of animal products. According to the American Heart Association, animal products are the number one cause of saturated fat in the American diet. Not to mention, (this is a different soap box) imagine how the fast food market would change if people didn’t eat meat at every meal? The issue of obesity sweeping the nation? If the population began to eat meatless meals, would they need to stop at a fast food venue for every course? I can’t say it would solve all of the problems of the world but I think it is worth the effort.
NYTimes article: Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/business/media/29adco.html?ex=1189483200&en=61699a93e2c874d9&ei=5070
Humane Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org/farm/humaneeating/rrr.html
August 14, 2007 the New York Times addressed the water level drop in three of the Great Lakes, Michigan, Huron, and Superior. The drop in levels of the Great Lakes, the world’s largest freshwater resivor, is variously attributed to climate change, new rainfall patterns, and specific human activities. The specific human activities, such as mining in the early 20th century and dredging in the mid-1960s, widened and deepened the St. Clair River. Alterations to the river have caused erosion and erosion has increased the outflow of the river into Lake Erie. There is also a new estimate, 2.5 billion gallons a day, of water being diverted to Chicago and northern Illinois through the expanded part of St. Clair River for water supplies.
The decreased water level has impacted ship channels and caused wetlands to dry up leaving fish and birds without places to reproduce. Further impacts include many beaches becoming marshes; shorefronts becoming wetlands, and one third of Michigan boat ramps are unusable. Currently, coastal and river engineers want to place a great deal of blame on man-made changes but have not determined if those have played a greater role than factors like climate change. To effectively use funds to mitigate the problem we need to study the waterways to identify the major factor or factors that are causing the drop in water levels. If it is erosion, we need to stabilize the river channel so the increased outflow is reduced and not rushing to the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, if climate change or new rainfall patterns are to blame, I do not have any strategies to combat the impacts on the Great Lakes.
NYTimes article: Water Levels in 3 Great Lakes Dip Far Below Normal
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/us/14lakes.html?ex=1189483200&en=c7dc236ad035baaf&ei=5070
Good deed:
The first environmental good deed that I would like to share was my decision to no longer eat meat and also decrease my intake of dairy products. I chose to address this issue because it has recently been in the news. The Humane Society of the United States created and published an ad with an image of a car key and a fork. The headline reads, “Which one of these contributes more to Global Warming?” Below the images the answer says, “It’s not the one that starts the car.” Because this ad is the first of its kind to be printed in magazines and hit the general public, it has brought some attention to the issue of agribusiness and the environment. The New York Times did a feature on the ad and the Humane Society. The article also referenced the PETA organization, which scares off a lot of people because of their unpopular tactics. But I’m glad that the Humane Society is actively on board with this topic. I hope this ad gets nationwide attention and American’s start to think about reducing the amount of animal products in their diet.
I made the decision to become a vegetarian a little over 2 years ago when I was researching an environmental issue to present for a public speaking class. The more and more research I came across about animal agribusiness and its contributions to global warming, pollution, and land degradation, I was shocked! I had no chose as a concerned member of this planet, but to give up animal products. It is hard to become aware of an issue that you can take full control of in your life and not step up too the challenge.
Unfortunately, I have had discouraging conversations with many people including friends, family, strangers, and even fellow students of the sciences. They act as if reducing the amount of meat, eggs, and dairy products in their life is too difficult a task. If you can ride ten miles to school or work on a bike instead of driving your vehicle, I’m telling you, you are tuff enough to start enjoying meatless meals for your mamma Earth.
As an aside, it really can be healthy to reduce your intake of animal products. According to the American Heart Association, animal products are the number one cause of saturated fat in the American diet. Not to mention, (this is a different soap box) imagine how the fast food market would change if people didn’t eat meat at every meal? The issue of obesity sweeping the nation? If the population began to eat meatless meals, would they need to stop at a fast food venue for every course? I can’t say it would solve all of the problems of the world but I think it is worth the effort.
NYTimes article: Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/29/business/media/29adco.html?ex=1189483200&en=61699a93e2c874d9&ei=5070
Humane Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org/farm/humaneeating/rrr.html
Sunday, September 2, 2007
A little more about me
After a certain age how do you talk about yourself without it sounding like a personal ad? Here goes. I’m 23 and in my 5th year at Northern Arizona University as an environmental science major (communication emphasis). I didn’t start my college career in the sciences. I thought I wanted to be in advertising or elementary art education. I quickly learned that the advertising world makes me throw up a little in my mouth and I am intimidated by kids younger than 11. It wasn’t till my junior year that I found this area of study. I’ve had so much fun learning about the subject of environmental science I didn’t think too far past graduation. I don’t know what I want to do with the degree, perhaps a job for a few years and then back to school to earn a Masters.
In regards to my personal interests, I love the outdoors. I enjoy photographing, or sketching landscapes or participating in outdoor sports. Essentially, I am content just sitting in my back yard soaking it all in. I also have two dogs, which I love and a best friend, Rachel, who I can always count on for some fun. Corona “Cory” is an 8-year-old mutt who loves to track squirrels and Mei is a 2-year-old pug who can hike better than you so step off. I was born in a small white house in downtown Phoenix, Arizona but I have lived in Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Michigan. Somehow I found my way back to Arizona but I don’t plan on calling it home for too much longer. My future goals, besides getting that “job,” I hope will involve traveling outside the United States and locating a new state to call home for a while.
In regards to my personal interests, I love the outdoors. I enjoy photographing, or sketching landscapes or participating in outdoor sports. Essentially, I am content just sitting in my back yard soaking it all in. I also have two dogs, which I love and a best friend, Rachel, who I can always count on for some fun. Corona “Cory” is an 8-year-old mutt who loves to track squirrels and Mei is a 2-year-old pug who can hike better than you so step off. I was born in a small white house in downtown Phoenix, Arizona but I have lived in Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Michigan. Somehow I found my way back to Arizona but I don’t plan on calling it home for too much longer. My future goals, besides getting that “job,” I hope will involve traveling outside the United States and locating a new state to call home for a while.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
