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Activit 5.1 - 10 things to do to save the planet

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Activity 4.2.1 - Applying Your Environmental Policy Frameworks

 Problem Statement;

New York City’s continuous population growth has caused severe traffic and congestion issues. The city’s old transport infrastructure is not meeting the demands of the residents, traffic gets backed up throughout the whole city which is hazardous for pedestrians and motorists alike. The problem is the fact that NYC lacks proper funding for an update and the expansion of their transit systems is not likely because  little, if any, space available to expand the existing road network, and highway expansion would likely result in more traffic (COHEN,2014).  

On a given workday, the Manhattan central business district accommodates nearly 2 million workers from around the region, hundreds of thousands of tourists, and several hundred thousand residents(COHEN,2014). New York City—experienced the longest average commute-to-work times (U.S. Census Bureau 2005). This in turn affects bus travel times, which slowed 11 percent between 1996 and 2006, to 8 miles per hour, one of the slowest on average in the country (Giles 2011:5). Mayor Bloomberg tried to combat the heavy traffic with a plan for “congestion pricing” where A fee would be charged to all motor vehicles entering the city’s central business district. He hoped the plan would not only cut back traffic but that it would also fund the updates and expansions for the city's transit systems. The congestion pricing plan was met with a large level of opposition from NYC residents, business commuters and elected officials.

Of course all of this traffic and congestion is a major health concern for New York residents.New York City’s cars and trucks are responsible for 20 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions and most of the ozone in the city (New York 2011b:151). These greenhouse gas emissions can cause serious health problems such as asthma,cancer, and other respiratory issues. There has been actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their effects on residents; Mayor Bloomberg’s initiative to introduce a pedestrian plaza and limit through-traffic at Times Square has brought about a significant and immediate reduction in pollution: “Nitrogen oxide pollution levels in Times Square went down by 63 percent while, nitrogen dioxide levels went down by 41 percent” (New York 2011a).

The following outlines this problem from five different environmental policy frameworks.

Identity Frame; 

The identity frame relies heavily on how people view themselves based on their values and beliefs. New Yorker’s are a very specific style of people with extremely strong identities.New York City residents rejected Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing because it goes against their values; time and money. The congestion pricing might have leveled out traffic but residents would be paying more for transportation, the plan most likely would have increased foot traffic in the business area which could slow down other’s commute. Residents of New York already pay high prices for their style of life so many do not believe they should have to pay for the city’s transportation errors. Living the high life comes with consequences and New York City citizens realize it, the air pollution is something the residents grow accustomed to seeing as it is a part of their everyday life.

Conflict Management Frame;

Conflict management Deals with how people think about and respond to a range of alternative conflict management processes. We can see Mayor Bloomberg’s methods of conflict management while dealing with New York’s transportation issues. Bloomberg tried combating the city’s traffic problem with a plan to charge motorists an extra fee for traveling through the business district, he hoped this would lessen traffic in the area while the fees would go towards upgrades to the city’s transportation systems. Politician’s have to be ready to deal with and manage a variety of different conflicts, Mayor Bloomberg seems to be able to understand what would be best for his city,when he was met with backlash he developed a new plan in order to help his city. His ability to change and adapt in order to get the best results is a good example of what the conflict management frame is about.

Risk Frame;

The risk frame focuses on how individuals respond to the potential risks. New York City residents acknowledge the health risks that come with living in the city. Since the city has one of the highest rates of greenhouse gas emissions, there has to be some sort of action taken to help reduce the negative health effects. Mayor Bloomberg’s initiative to introduce a pedestrian plaza and limit through-traffic at Times Square has brought about a significant and immediate reduction in pollution (New York 2011a) shows that he acknowledges the risk to his citizens health and is taking initiative to combat it to the best of his abilities. 

Views On Nature;

The views on nature frame focuses on how people think about the effects of human interaction on the natural environment. Looking at New York City we can see how much the city has changed it’s natural environment. The city has almost exhausted all of the available space the land has to offer. Buildings are stacked tall and just steps away from each-other, factories crowd the busy streets. There are New York City residents that care about the impact on the environment,but there is no real way to reverse the damage that has been done. Environmentalists can create new ways to combat the greenhouse gas emissions and try to prevent further damage but the city has already suffered.

Social Control;

 The social control frame focuses on how individuals make decisions on social issues; degree of ownership over the decision or the degree to which people should be dependent on others for decisions. Looking back on the frames before we can see that the residents of New York City are very vocal on how and by who their decisions are made. Mayor Bloomberg thought the congestion pricing plan was a sure way to help the city’s traffic and congestion problem, but the residents disagreed. They did not depend on Bloomberg to make the decision for their city, they spoke up about their concerns and issues with the his which led to the dismissal of the congestion pricing plan. These residents took control of that situation in order to keep true to their values. On the other hand, the New York City residents did trust and depend on Bloomberg’s deison to make a residential plaza for the better of their health. 

Sources cited;

 Davis, C. B., & Lewicki, R. J. (2003). Environmental conflict resolution: Framing and intractability--an introduction. Environmental Practice, 5(3), 200-206. DAVISandLEWICKI_2003_Environmental_conflict_resolution__Framing.pdf

Congestion Pricing – Why can’t NYC get a congestion charge?  COHEN (2014)

Bryan, T. (2003). Context in environmental conflicts: Where you stand depends on where you sit. Environmental Practice, 5(3), 256-264.

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Activity 4.2 Environmental Policy Framework

My five frames;

Identity;Ties in with how a person seems themselves based on their beliefs and values.

Conflict Management;Deals with how people think about and respond to a range of alternative conflict management processes.

Risk;How individuals respond to the potential risks.

View Of Nature;Regarding How a person thinks about the effects of human interaction on the natural environment.

Social Control;Regarding how individuals make decisions on social issues; degree of ownership over the decision or the degree to which people should be dependent on others for decisions

The first frame I am going over is Identity. I combined Identity,Demographic and Cultural into one frame because I believe the three tie into what makes a person. Many people base their beliefs and values off of how they are raised; this is how demographic and cultural frames tie in. How people view themselves  often has to do with how their demographics(gender,sexuality,religion) combine with their culture(gender roles,values,age). An example is how a young woman is often going to be more confident and happy with herself if she is raised in a family where women have equal power in their family structures, if they have freedom within their homes and taught to love themselves.

The next frame is Conflict Management.I combined Conflict Management, Legal and Political into one from because the three are very similar. The legal frame deals with how people make decisions for conflicts; laws, regulations, and legal procedures; which is a form of conflict management. The political frame which deals with  how authority figures choose to exercise, to uphold, or change a conflict; meaning it too is a form of conflict management. Both people within the law field and people in politics have extensive conflict management, seeing as it is very integrated to the root of their career. 

For the Risk frame I decided to combine Risk and Gain/Loss. Risk has to do with how individuals respond to potential risks and Gain/Loss has to do with how people make decisions based on what they might lose or gain. These two can be combined into a single frame because often when people are assessing the risks of a situation;those risks include what they could gain or what they could lose. In my opinion it is very common to evaluate the risks and how they could positively or negatively affect you before taking action

The fourth frame I chose is Views On Nature. I decided to combine Views On Nature and Ecological into one frame because they both tie into how people view the environment. While ecological focuses more on how a person is influenced on how they think about the characteristics of the physical environment, whereas Views On Nature focuses on how a person thinks about the effects of human interaction on the natural environment. They play into one frame because they both deal with how people view their environment and how humans interact with it, thus influencing other actions.

The last frame I chose is Social Control which involves how individuals make decisions on social issues; degree of ownership over the decision or the degree to which people should be dependent on others for decisions. I chose this frame because I believe it is important to evaluate the process of decision making on social issues; whether it should be an independent or dependent action. Looking at this we can think of social justice marches; they are usually dependent on an organizer to lead the march, or we can look at someone who quietly donates and supports the movement from home, which would be an independent decision. 

Sources; Davis, C. B., & Lewicki, R. J. (2003). Environmental conflict resolution: Framing and intractability--an introduction. Environmental Practice, 5(3), 200-206. DAVISandLEWICKI_2003_Environmental_conflict_resolution__Framing.pdfBryan, T. (2003). Context in environmental conflicts: Where you stand depends on where you sit. Environmental Practice, 5(3), 256-264. BRYAN_2003_Context_in_environmental_conflict Framing.pdfEnvironmental Framing Consortium. (2005). Framing choices. Understanding Environmental Problems. Retrieved from http://www.intractableconflict.org/environmentalframing/framing_choices.shtml

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Activity 2.3.1

1. Exploratory                                   

Proper Functioning Condition is a long-standing rapid assessment the BLM uses to evaluate the overall condition or impairment of streams and streamside vegetation. The goal of this movement is to restore any damage caused by drought,wildfire or hazardous grazing. The plan do do this involves two steps; grazing management and beaver. Grazing areas would be switched during “hot” and “cold” seasons to maintain a healthy amount. This allowed for Beaver numbers to go up, increasing vegetation levels and the return of wildlife.

2. Diagnostic                                     

The motive is to increase vegetation levels in areas that have been exposed to stressors such as drought,wildlife or hazardous grazing. Vegetation allows for a healthy ecosystem and a healthy connection between streams/ streamside vegetation. 

3. Cause and Effect                         

If they manage grazing periods in a productive way, allowing for the ecosystem to repair and replenish then the beavers will return to the stream/streamside. The beavers return will allow for the vegetation to continue to grow and flourish. 

4. Priority                                           

The most important issue is replenishing the streams and streamside vegetation in order for a healthy recovering ecosystem. 

5. Application                                    

We can look at activity 4.1 to connect the practice of national parks and wildlife protections to conservation and preservation of the streamside.

6. Critical                                           

I never realized what a big part of the ecosystem beavers have. I always saw them building dams as just a fun quirk but I realize they play a bigger part.

source; Fesenmyer, K. (2016). Restoring streamside vegetation using grazing and beavers. Trout Unlimited. Retrieved from https://www.tu.org/blog-posts/restoring-streamside-vegetation-using-grazing-and-beavers?utm_source=informz&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=informz

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Activity X – Coronavirus and Ecology.

What am I being asked to believe or accept? Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID19) is a zoonotic(from nonhuman to human) disease believed to have started transmitting at the Hunan Wholesale Market in Wuhan China sometime in December of 2019. This disease is a mutation of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that occurred in 2013. The horseshoe backs thought to be the hosts of COVID19 were found in a cave in Yunnan back in 2017, scientists warned that these bats had characteristics similar to SARS and it could be dangerous. Virologists know of over 500 novel (new) coronaviruses just from caves in China alone. Coronaviruses are abundant and vast, many of which can be asymptomatic to the host, allowing for rapid reproduction. 

What evidence is available to support the claim? Previous research having to do with SARS and other coronaviruses. We can look at the coronavirus tree and see the many mutations and how they compare to COVID19. To get perspective at how this virus is spreading we can go look at the spread of the flu or smallpox, which would help give us insight to the way diseases mutate in order to affect their victims immune systems.

 What alternative ways are there to interpret the evidence? In theory we could be more skeptical of the evidence. Quammen believes this pandemic started from the horseshoe bats transmitting to humans, whereas virologists at the CDC believe the host to be civet. The CDC also suggests that only about 45% of known cases of COVID19 started in Wuhan, making the origin unknown. 

 What assumptions or biases came up when doing the above steps?  It is hard to gather information about the start of a pandemic origins of a virus when there is no solid answer. As Quammen mentions, COVID19 may have started transmitting in Wuhan China but at the same time there was evidence showing that another virus similar to COVID19 and SARS was found in the caves of Yunnan. We usually equate authority with knowledge; we want to trust Quammen because he is a well rounded science author yet the world renowned CDC is giving different information. 

 What additional evidence would help us evaluate Quammen’s points? To make Quammen’s points hold more authenticity or leverage with the audience he could use more statistics, while also citing his sources. He spoke of scientists and experiences but it was very vague, giving no hints of whom or what occasion he is mentioning. It would also be helpful if we had more data to compare Quammen’s experiences to, if he was to mention another work of literature or a similar piece. 

 What conclusions are most reasonable or likely? Since both Quammen and the CDC believe COVID19 to have been started by an animal it would be reasonable to accept this as an origin. The exact host remains unclear but it should be safe to say that this animal started transmitting the virus in China where numerous humans got infected and then the rapidly evolving virus went continental. We can assume that the virus has found a common flaw within human immune systems which is how, long with being asymptomatic and having been transmitted for months without government involvement, is affecting such a high percent of our population. 

 What are the implications of what Quammen is telling us? Quammen is reinforcing the fact that COVID19 is not a new  virus; he reminds us that coronaviruses have existed for many years and come in different forms. The virus was transmitted by an animal presumably by being in bad/crowded conditions which allowed for the virus to spill onto other species, increasing the transmission rates. He also reinforces the fact that even though humans have seen many pandemics before, each virus/disease mutates differently and this one seems to have unknown characteristics; making it hard to maintain and vaccinate. 

 What is your role in what Quammen is arguing? We as citizens need to pay more attention to what is happening. If the CDC had warned us about COVID19 in december; our negligence allowed it to get to the current status. The government should inform us but we should always do more research, view multiple sources.

Sources;Vaughan-Lee, E. (Host). (2020). Shaking the viral tree: An interview with David Quammen [Audio podcast with transcript]. Emergence Magazine. https://emergencemagazine.org/story/shaking-the-viral-tree/

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Activity 4- US Environmental History and Major Regulations

During the days of early settlement, America had no sense of environmental responsibility and no real knowledge about resource management. It was a time of extensive use, “when one stand of trees was consumed for housing or fuel, another was nearby”(Theis, T & Tomkin, J 2018,pg 16). These colonists did not know how their actions affected their environment,nor did they truly care. It was not a time when people cared about preserving limited resources, if they needed to they would simply move to a new location where they had access to a fresh supply. Only once America’s new population started to grow did anyone pay mind to the effect they had on their environment. We can call this time the period of the American conservation movement.The new focus on the impact of the environment was primarily focused on farming, but soon grew out to include concerns about timbering,mining and human outbreak. Once there was enough focus, or need for it, the government created institutions to promote better awareness of the land and its resources. Many individuals such as Alice Hamilton (industrial hygiene),Eugene Hilgard (agricultural science), and John Wesley Powell (water rights), led the forefront for environmental science studies and development. These studies allowed for more in depth knowledge and growth, which helped create the government acts such as The U.S forest service and the National Park service.

During the Transcendental Movement there was a new awareness of nature, not only for it’s resources but for the natural beauty of it as well. This new view on nature helped push forward the movement for conservation. We can see this new view of nature through the acknowledged leader of the transcendental movement,Ralph Waldo Emerson. In a passage from his seminal essay we can get a glimpse of how nature was appreciated during the transcendental times, “ In the tranquil landscape, and especially in the distant line of the horizon, man beholds somewhat as beautiful as his own nature”(Emerson, 1836 (p. 26). This passage reflects the new endearment for nature, he refers to it as a “tranquil landscape” not only in a physical meaning but as a way to explain man’s mind and feelings. The appreciation of nature and beauty allowed for a softer society, one with finer values than material items. These were bustling times so it is not unfair to think of nature as an escape from the building cities. “Within it can be found not only a new appreciation of nature, but also the liberation of the human mind from convention and formalism(Theis, T & Tomkin, J 2018, pg 21). Though transcendental movement formally dissolved the ideology still remained, paving the way for environmental public policy. Emerson’s writings inspired many people but one who made an impact on conservation than John Muir. John Muir was sought out by president Roosevelt as a guide to the Yosemite area. Roosevelt became fascinated with the beauty of nature, he is widely known for being a conservationist legacy. Roosevelt created many national nature parks where the land and the animals within could live with protection, prohibiting any building,timbering and the like within the area. 

Both during, and after the events of WWII America’s conservation motivated decline. The air was filled with pollution from factories producing means for our military, the streets were filled with trash and our water filled with debris. During this time,though there were many environmental regulations; waste management was not a main concern. Factories could dump their filth into water sources and their smoke would pollute the air. Years after WWII society slowly started to take environmental action once more.A concerned marine biologist Rachel Carson wrote about her concerns with pesticides and their effect on humans,animals and the environment in her publication; Silent Spring. Just eight years after Silent Spring, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  was established, along with the creation of Earth Day. In the same year the National Environmental Policy Act came into terms,this act would oversee the standards of living, waste management and other conservation actions in order to protect the future generations. With this the thought of sustainability came to people’s minds. It took many forms;public health,water quality,pollution,obesity,social capital. If there were clean and sustainable options for the people, how much would they cost and how accessible would they be? Of course it would be better to produce more reusable bottles than single use(an sustainable/eco friendly example), but the price would be more expensive to civilians and factories alike. During these times sustainability was a battle of give and take, nothing could be absolutely perfect.

In modern days such as 2020, we can still see some of these struggles. Politicians always have to include some sort of plan for environmental policy. Where President Roosevelt excelled, President Trump has had some issues. With the country's population at a ripe 328 million people, there is extreme concern for our emission and pollution rates. Of course we have far more knowledge and means than those before us, but is there such a motivation for our country to fix it’s environmental errors? 

Source; Theis, T., & Tomkin, J. (Eds). (2018). Sustainability: A comprehensive foundation chapters 2 and 7.4

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Activity 3.2.3.1 Solar Power and Solar Energy Policy

Six-Point Critical Analysis of Current Event

1. Exploratory

 If we look back at our learnings from activity3.2.1, we know that solar energy is a renewable natural resource that can be turned into electricity. Hazlehurst solar farm II is going to create enough energy for 8,5000 EMC households. This project is 3x larger than Hazelhurst solar farm I. The solar farm not only helped give Facebook more green energy but, it also provided the county with tax revenue for education,construction etc. This new solar plant in Dalton is the largest solar panel assembly plant in the western hemisphere. This plant was built for Facebook’s goal of 100% green energy usage (annually). Georgia has a vast amount of land and is naturally farming land so the switch from cattle/crop to a solar farm was integrative. 

2. Diagnostic

Hazelhurst solar farm II was created to serve as the second solar farm to serve Facebook’s need for green energy. Georgia is farming territory so turning it into a solar farm was both creative and revolutionary (for the county). The project brought tax revenue to the poverty ridden county, while also providing jobs to the locals. 

3. Cause and Effect

The solar farm provides green energy to the Facebook station, while also providing energy for ~8,500 EMC homes. This project helped the county by providing green energy, providing jobs during the building process and gave the county a large tax revenue which they could use for education or other social needs. “June Merritt, chair of the Early County Board of Commissioners, estimates that $8 million will come into the county in the form of taxes over the next 25 years.”(Andrea H, Mary Kelly)

4. Priority

The most important issue is creating green energy. Facebook wants to run 100% on green energy, but solar energy also reduces the amount of emissions/pollution that could have come from a coal or nuclear plant. “Had there been a golden opportunity to sell a piece of his land for a nuclear plant or a coal plant, Singletary says he probably would have taken that, too.”(Andrea H, Mary Kelly)

5. Application

 Green energy benefits everyone, the less pollution being put out by emissions from a factory/plant everyday,the better. I personally would like to see more solar farms in Texas and throughout the country.

6. Critical

I have never realized how much land it takes to have a solar farm. The small panels you see on homes are nowhere near the size used on the farms. In my mind an acre is already a lot of land,so to realize a solar farm could take up 450+ acres put into perspective how much space is needed for green energy.

sources; 

Hsu, A., & Kelly, M. L. (2019, June 24). How solar grew in Georgia despite lack of mandates on renewable energy. National Public Radio. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2019/06/24/733795962/how-georgia-became-a-surprising-bright-spot-in-the-u-s-solar-industry

Silicon Ranch Hazlehurst II Project on Georgia Farm Bureau TV https://vimeo.com/217896697

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Activity 3.3.3.1- Plastic Pollution

Six-Point Critical Analysis of Current Event

 1. Exploratory

Looking back at activity 3.3.3  we learned about microplastics and how they affect our planet, now we can look at the bigger picture as a whole; plastic pollution. Plastic is found everywhere, whether it be plastic bags,straws,toys,medical equipment etc. A large presence of the plastic produced is single use plastic,which is why the plastic pollution is such a large and vast problem. Plastic (especially single use) can end up in trash landfills due to missorting,in the ocean where it will pollute the water and harm marine life, or it will just end up on sidewalks/parks/sewers/etc from people littering. The lifetime of plastic varies by product but some single plastics can take up to 400 years to break down,once broken into microplastics it is impossible to reverse the damage done.

  2. Diagnostic

Probe motives or causes. (Why? (Tell your reader why this occurs. Explain the causes in detail.)) Plastic has been mass produced since around the 1950/60's. Production increased exponentially, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448 million tons by 2015. That means that not only has plastic has been piling up for 60+ years but that the amount produced is more than a hundred times. PLastic pollution is higher in areas that do not have centralized garbage/recycling system. This much plastic is polluting the land and the sea, If not eaten by wildlife, the chemicals on the plastic could make both wildlife and humans sick.

  3. Cause and Effect

If plastic pollution continues at the current (or worse) rate, then our quality of life will go down. Plastic pollution threatens the livelihood of many marine species, if the pollution continues it is likely that fish (and other marine species) populations will shrink due to death by either getting caught in plastic or ingesting it. The shrinking and/or death of these populations would both limit sea food supply and cause the ocean to have an unstable balance. If the rate of plastic pollution continues it could also lead to humans living in a plastic wasteland, the microplastics could become very abundant in our water supplies and everything would be cluttered due to litter. On the opposite note, if countries start to ban single plastic usage and find a safe way to dispose of or eliminate existing plastics then the future could look a bit brighter. Not only would the sea and land become cleaner and more healthy but our world would become more eco friendly, hopefully helping climate change in a healthy way.

  4. Priority

Seek to identify the most important issue. (What is the most important issue?) The most important issue is single use plastics. Single use plastics make up 40% of plastic production and they are the most destructive. These plastics are the most common ones that end up wrongfully discarded, because their purpose is to be quick and simple. Which is why single use plastics are the most abundant plastics harming our environments. 

  5. Application

Plastic pollution affects every single person living on this planet. We all have to deal with the sensitive environment that is being polluted and harmed by plastic, This relates to my life and why I am in this class personally though. I have always wanted to be a marine biologist, it started as a fun way to work with sharks but as I grew older I realized how much anger our ocean (and its creatures) is in. A major contributor to plastic pollution is fishing, many plastic fishing nets and lines get stuck in the ocean which either kills or drastically harms marine life. I believe if we reduced mass fishing or found a plastic free method of fishing then HOPEFULLY we could impact our marine environments less.

  6. Critical

I have always been aware of how dangerous plastic is for wildlife but I had never realized how much it actually affects humans. I never realized that some countries live covered in trash/plastic because they have no way of discarding it. I also never realized how much plastic we actually use in a single day. This lesson has opened my eyes to how I have contributed to plastic pollution and how I can hopefully reduce my footprint. The arcties mention single use plastic bans,which I hope to see happen soon and they explained that our ocean is not doomed, there are ways to collect the plastic and remove it, which is something that sparks hope.

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Activity 3.3.3- My Plastic Use;

Microplastics;

Microplastics are particles of plastic(such as Polyethylene,Polypropylene,Polymethyl methacrylate,etc) that are usually 5mm or smaller. Microplastics can come from the breaking down of larger plastic or they can be intentionally made (such as cleansing beads in face wash). Plastic was invented in the early 19th century though not widely used until the late 50’s, but plastic has one of the longest lives. Plastic has a variety of decomposition times; daily plastic can take 10 years to break down but there are items out there that will take over 1,000 years to break down. With that in mind, plastic does not truly “decompose’, it merely breaks down into smaller and smaller particles so it is never truly gone. That means that one of the first plastic items from the early 19th century could still be in decent condition over 100 years later.

Where they are found;

Microplastics can be found in a variety of places. There are many beauty and health products that have microplastics within them. Microplastics are often found in bodies of water such as the ocean,lakes, rivers etc down to the stagnant puddle of water on your street. These tiny particles can invade the shore and land as well, Parker L of National Geographic stated that on the beach in Hawaii he could hear the crunching of microplastics within the sand. This can show how much plastic in the ocean has been breaking down, for an entire beach to be filled with microplastics.

Where They Come From;

Microplastics usually come from the breaking down of larger articles of plastic. We can look at the mass amounts of plastic that gets mixed into trash, wrongly sorted and just thrown into the wild. Every city has a lot where they dump their trash, plastic items often get thrown into the abyss of trash. During rain,wind,storms etc those plastic items can get scattered into areas where microplastics break off.  There is also the case of plain human pollution, many people throw their plastic wrappers or bottles into the wild with no care for the damage that comes from this action.

Why They Are Problematic To humans And The Environment;

Microplastics are dangerous to humans because many people have little knowledge about them. People buy face wash with microplastic cleansing beads in hopes of clearing their skin but in reality the microplastics can create tiny wounds in the skin, the beads could also accidentally be swallowed or inhaled which can create health problems. Microplastics can slip through water filtration systems which can lead to many people consuming these tiny particles. The acid in human stomachs might be strong enough to break down the plastic particles but there is a risk or the microplastics creating wounds inside or blocking nature's path. Anything forgien (non edible) is a risk to your health.

These tiny plastic particles are  extremely dangerous for wildlife. The wildlife most affected by microplastics is most likely aquatic species. The plastic can be recognized as food thus leading to wildlife to consume it, cutting up their insides and blocking airways. The plastic bits can also release toxic chemicals that pollute the water and make wildlife sick. Many aquatic species and marine mammals have been found with microplastic in their stomachs, larger pieces of plastic can actually wrap around the animal causing it to suffocate (this can happen internally as well). Microplastics also threaten the livelihood of land based animals. Many animals are scavengers that will eat plastic wrappers,bottle caps, any bit of plastic with the smell of food and it. These animals will also be affected by drinking water contaminated with microplastics. Not to mention that bits of plastic can also suffocate land animals as well.

My Plastic Usage In A Day;

This collage depicts all of the items I use in a day that I believe contain microplastics. The first picture in the collage is my daily face wash that contains cleansing beads. I believe these beads could be microplastics. The second picture is my daily toner, it does not have cleansing beads but the water within might contain microplastics. The third picture is of my toothbrush and toothpaste(not pictured), the plastic bristles could come lose while brushing my teeth and my toothpaste contains whitening crystals that could be microplastic. The fourth picture is of my brita pitcher’s filter. Even though I filter my water I do believe some microplastics can pass through the filter into my daily drinking water. The last picture is of the tea I drink with lunch and dinner. Once again, microplastics could bypass the water filtration system and seep into the water used to make tea. I also worry that breaking the sea; on plastic caps can cause microplastics to fall into the drink.

citation/ references;

Parker, L. (2018). Planet or plastic. National Geographic Magazine Online. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/

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Activity 3.3.1 - Air Pollution

Air Pollution Basics

Sulfur Pollutants are gases containing sulfur that pollute the air, the main ones are; Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless gas that has a strong smell and bitter taste, Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) can be detected by it’s rotten smell, Freeman states that once SO2 and HS2 are emitted to the atmosphere they oxidize and can combined with cations to form ammonium sulphate (NH4)2 SO4 and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) which have to with cities haze and visibility

Nitrogen Pollutants are gases containing nitrogen that pollute the air, the main ones are; nitric oxide (NO) is a colorless and odorless gas, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a reddish gas with a strong smell that irritate eyes and respiratory systems,nitrous oxide (N2O) is a colorless non toxic gas also known as “laughing gas”,ammonia (NH3)is a colorless gas produced during decomposition, Freeman states that NO and NO2 are often called a complex referred to as NOx

Hydrocarbon and Volatile Organic Compound Pollutants are chemicals whose molecular structures contain combinations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. The main ones is methane(CH4), Freeman states Larger hydrocarbons with greater weight and more complex structure may occur as vapours, liquids, or solids. volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can contain oxygen, nitrogen, or other light elements.

Comparison of Current AQI

AQI (Air Quality Index) is an index that reports the air quality daily in order to let you know if a pollutant is high (or low) it runs 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern.

Comparison of Current PM2.5 and O3 to EPA Standards

PM2.5 is Particulate Matter, which are tiny particles in the air that are a risk to health or visibility.

O3 is Ground Ozone, which is when particles of ozone get into the troposphere (lower atmosphere), it can damage vegetation and human health

Sources;

Highest in US Map – https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/Where I Live Data - https://www.airnow.gov/

Los Angeles Data – https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Los%20Angeles&state=CA&country=USA

Map of current PM2.5 - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl?user_param=88502

Map of current ozone levels - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/select_curlev.pl

Freedman, B. (2018). Environmental science: A Canadian perspective. Halifax, Canada: Dalhousie University Libraries chapter 16

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Activity 3.2.3- Hydroelectricity

Alternative energy is a usable energy that comes from a renewable source or greenhouse gas; such as wind, solar, and nuclear (usgs).

Those who vouch for alternative energy usually do so because they believe it is more environmentally friendly, it can be made within the United States and it is reusable/ it has a source that can be reproduced unlike fossil fuels.

Hydroelectricity is the process of transforming flowing water into mechanical energy. There are three types of hydroelectric power; storage, pumped storage and run of river. 

Storage hydropower is when a dam is built across the river to block the flow. The water stored behind the dam contains potential energy and when released, the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy as the water rushes down(4.4.1). This energy is used to turn turbines to cause the generator to generate energy. 

Pumped Storage hydropower involves pumping water from a lower reservoir (water at the bottom of the dam) to a higher reservoir and then allowed to flow downhill through a turbine, generating electricity(4.4.2).

Run Of River Hydropower is  diverting a portion of the river’s water through a pipe or channel containing turbines, to power a generator and produce electricity. This water is then returned to the river(4.4.3). This is considered the least disruptive method of hydropower. 

Tidal Power takes advantage of the natural kinetic power of the ocean’s tides to turn turbines and generate electricity (4.4.5).

Advantages; Hydroelectricity is a renewable source of energy that uses a natural resource instead of fossil fuels. Hydroelectricity can be constantly regenerated as long as there is flowing water or water in the reservoir.

Disadvantages; These facilities disrupt and kill native plants within the area,the building of a dam/ hydroelectric plant causes native wildlife to be displaced which can cause them to stave, the turbines can kill fish and other small animals that enter them, and may cause natural areas, farms, and archeological sites to be covered and force populations to relocate (4.4.4).

Limitations; Hydroelectricity facilities can only be built where there are bodies of flowing water large enough to support the energy needed. If there is a drought or water pollution the hydroelectricity plant will suffer. 

Sources; Hydroelectric Power: How it Works. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2020, from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/hydroelectric-power-how-it-works?qt-science_center_objects=0

Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science (3rd ed.). Biological Science Open Textbooks. University System of Georgia.

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Activity 3.2.1 – Natural Resources Review

The concept map is how I organized my thoughts about Natural Resources. We start at the general base with Natural resources, this is the main building block of the map. Then we branch off into energy resources; natural and synthetic.

 Natural is made by nature or occurs without the help of humans; such as solar power and fossil fuels.. Solar power makes up about 99% of the energy we need by allowing different heating processes to take place but it is time consuming and not everyone has the ability to use it effectively. 

Synthetic means that humans take natural resources such as fossil fuels and then add them to a process in order to create a more accessible and durable productNow looking at synthetic energy which makes up about 1% of our energy, though coal supplies 62% of the US electricity and makes us 21% of commercial energy. 

We can see the basic differences between natural resources and synthetic while also acknowledging that both have caused harm to the environment. Digging up natural resources such as fossil fuel already ruins the natural environment around it, but the emissions that are produced from factories, and general society, using synthetic energy is just as destructive, if not more.

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Activity 3.1; Human Population

Togo

Birth rate;34births per 1000 population

Death rate;9 deaths per 1000 population

Population growth rate; (rate of natural increase); 2.5% increase

Life expectancy for males and females; males 60 females 61

Fertility rate (average number of children per childbearing-aged female); 4.4%

Gross National Income (GNI)1760

Brazil

Birth rate;14 births per 1000 population 

Death rate; 6 deaths per 1000 population

Population growth rate (rate of natural increase);0.8% increase

Life expectancy for males and females; males 70 females 79

Fertility rate (average number of children per childbearing-aged female); 1.7%

Gross National Income (GNI); 15820

I chose Togo as my underdeveloped country and Brazil for my developed country. Looking at the birth rates; Togo has 34 births per 1000 people whereas Brazil has 14 births per 1000 people. This means that Togo has 20 more births per 1000 people than Brazil. Along with a higher birth rate, Togo also has a fertility rate of 4.4% compared to Brazil with a 1.7% fertility rate .Despite these differences, Brazil’s population is l 11.5 million with a 0.8% population growth rate and Togo’s is 8.1 million with a 2.5% population growth rate, showing that even though they have limited resources Togo is facing exponential growth. The life expectancy in Togo is 60 for males and 61 for females whereas in Brazil the life expectancy for males is 72 and 79 for females. Togo suffers from a lack of resources as well as a low gross national income(1,760 compared to Brazil’s 15,820) which leads to a shorter life span. Togo’s death rate is 9 deaths per 1000 people and Brazil's death rate is 6 deaths per 1000 people, showing that death rates correspond with life expectancy. 

 World

Birth rate;19 per 1000 

Death rate; 7 per 1000

Population growth rate (rate of natural increase)1.1

Life expectancy for males and females males; 72 females; 75

Fertility rate (average number of children per childbearing-aged female)2.4

Gross National Income (GNI)17904

Sources; Population Reference Bureau. (2019). 2019 world population data sheet.

  Looking at Togo and Brazil compared to the world we can see that both countries are underdeveloped. The world has an averaged birth rate of 19 compared to Togo’s 34 and Brazil’s 14, but the world has an averaged gross national income of 17,904 so these two countries are lacking the income they need compared to their population. The world’s fertility rate is plotted between Togo(4.4%) and Brazil(1.7%), sitting at 2.4%. Togo’s life expectancy is the lowest in the group( males 60, females 61), Brazil has an average life span(males 70,females 79) when compared to the world(males 72, females 75).The world averages 7 deaths per 1000 placing it between the highest(Tongo;9 per 1000) and the lowest(Brazil,6 per 1000) of this grouping. The world’s population is 7,691 Million, Togo’s is 8.1 Million and Brazil’s is 209.3 Million so this data is a bit stretched out but we can see similarities in them like birth rates, and we can also see differences such as gross national income.

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Activity 2.2 - Cyrosphere; Hubbard Glacier

 Problem;

 The Hubbard Glacier is shrinking significantly. Hubbard Glacier is an alpine glacier located throughout Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska as well as Yukon, Canada. In the original photograph (Washburn, Bradford) we can see that the zone of ablation of the glacier is quite thick, spanning throughout both Disenchantment Bay(left side of mountain) and Russel Fiord (right side of mountain). In this 1933 photograph the glacier is intact and strong,signifying a healthy cryosphere. In the second photo (Colby,2019) we can see that the glacier has receded back towards the mountain. This photo shows us that instead of reaching both Disenchantment Bay and Russel Fiord, the zone of ablation is now nestled at the mouth of Disenchantment Bay, packed between the mountain sides. The third photo (Google,2017) is a screenshot from google earth where the mouth of Disenchantment Bay meets the ablation zone of Hubbard Glacier.This screenshot shows a close view of the zone of ablation. We can see that a copious amount of the glacier has either melted or had fallen into the bay water.Looking at these photos we can see how much of the glacier has shrunk just within the 2017 to 2019 time period. The process of re-photographing  glaciers allows us to estimate how much of a glacier has shrunk, it also allows us to monitor the time it takes for change to occur and estimate how long the glacier has left.

Explanation;

Glaciers are large masses of condensed ice floating on top of bodies of water. Though glaciers are composed of thick ice the laws of the hydraulic cycle still apply. Compact water molecules will separate when enough heat is applied.Heat from greenhouse gas emissions due to human activity have drastically risen over the past 86 years.”These gases absorb heat being radiated from the surface of the earth, and by absorbing this heat the atmosphere slowly warms up. Heat-trapping gases, sometimes called “greenhouse gases,” are the cause of most of the climate warming and glacier retreat in the past 50 years.”(NSIDC) 

Sources;

Colby, Jessica. “Hubbard Glacier –.” NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog, NOAA Teacher at Sea, 7 Aug. 2019, noaateacheratsea.blog/tag/hubbard-glacier.

“Glaciers and Climate Change | National Snow and Ice Data Center.” NSIDC, nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/questions/climate.html#:%7E:text=These%20gases%20absorb%20heat%20being,in%20the%20past%2050%20years. Accessed 10 Sept. 2020.

Hubbard Glacier, Google Maps, 2017 https://www.google.com/maps/@59.9974123,-139.5306823,3a,75y,78.23h,101.59t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOfFqxWih8zUX9gfAkPe9YksBHi45u0j2xgfwSA!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOfFqxWih8zUX9gfAkPe9YksBHi45u0j2xgfwSA%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-11.5916395-ya120.225075-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352

Washburn, Bradford. “Glacier Photograph Collection - Search Results.” NSIDC, National Snow and Ice Data Center, 1933, nsidc.org/data/glacier_photo/search/image_info/AGS_W_1933_57_2572?order=true.

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Activity 2.1 – Atmosphere

Tracking My Green-House Gas Emissions

Investigation;For four days I have monitored my personal green house gas emissions.This project is to determine what level of green house gas emissions output I am in and how I can lower my emission rate. 

Data Analysis and Interpretation; On day one, September 5th,2020 my direct output was low. I drove to my local CVS which is 0.5 miles away from my home.According to “EPA” the average car emits 404 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, so my total direct emission for day one was 404 grams produced by during gasoline in my vehicle going to the store and back home. On day two  I did not leave my home but I did drink four bottles of propel water that went into the recycling bin. These four bottles will most likely end up in the waste-field, or even somehow end up in the ocean. On day three I had to run errands for my mothers birthday. I drove a total of 10 miles throughout the day,including the drive back home. That makes my direct emissions from burning gas about 4,040 grams.While out I shopped from multiple different clothing stores; according to “The World Bank” the fashion industry is responsible for 10 % of annual global carbon emissions. Though that percent is not just due to my purchases, they do both directly and indirectly affect carbon emission output. On day four I drove to pick up lunch from a restaurant  one mile away from home, though the wait while my car was running most likely added .3 more emission output. I believe my total direct output for day four was about 929.2 (404g per mile x miles+ .mile for the wait). Indirectly, fast food and other restaurants make up a large percent of green house emissions.Overall I believe that I fall on a low level on the emissions output scale.Becoming unemployed within the last month has made my emissions decrease a great ordeal,but I believe I could lower my output of emissions by about 60%.

Problems and Solution; A majority of the emissions I put out are not not a necessity but a luxury. I could stop driving to run quick errands as well as cooking at home in order to cut back my emission rate due to restaurants.

“Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle.” US EPA, 18 Feb. 2020, www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle.  

“How Much Do Our Wardrobes Cost to the Environment?” World Bank, 23 Sept. 2019, www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/09/23/costo-moda-medio-ambiente.

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A Turning Point Event for Environmental Science; Cuyahoga River Fire

Point of View; Celebrating The Comeback Of The Burning River uses the perspective of locals who are involved in the environmental field to give viewers an insight to the tragedy. The fire on the Cuyahoga River was an extremely devastating event for not only Ohio locals but to the ecosystems surrounding the river and Cleveland's economy. This video allows us to see how though the event itself was an awful event,it led to great advances in environmental science and environmental protection.

Purpose; I believe the goal of this video is not only to celebrate the great scientific advances that occurred because of the river fire, but to also show others that a tragedy could lead to better opportunities. The fire pushed not only environmental scientists to take action but it also led to politician action with the Clean Waters Act of 1972, along with the local sewage company to donate to the cleaning of the river. I believe that itself was a huge step forward for environmental science and protection;to have a system that would pollute the same waters with their sewage to take action in order to help both their economy and the environment.This video could be looked at as a guide to states that are facing disasters such as California; California has many natural disasters but their wildfire tarnish their land the most. This video could help show California's that though wildfires are a tragedy, they bring new life to the land and strengthen the community.

Questions at Issue; An issue I see within this video is that it only shows a small amount of damage that occurs to the environment. In the video they mention the fish population but they never talked about the plant life or the effect the fire had on the microorganisms that lived in the river. This complaint might sound silly but to environmental scientist all aspects of the fire should be examined and explained. Microorganisms and micro ecosystems might seem like a small issue when looking at the total damage but an ecosystem cannot truly recover unless all aspects are healed.

Information; They state in the video that the Cuyahoga River fire was a large part in the Clean Waters Act of 1972. In fact they state that Ohio had came up with it’s own personal act to set in place before the Clean Waters Act came about. They had also mentioned that the fire played a major part in developing the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This sheds light on how this tragedy changed environmental science and environmental protection.

Interpretation and Inference; Honestly i did not get much of a conclusion out of this video other than a tragedy can become an event changing moment. However, I do believe that this video has a strong solution, which is to take action when tragedy happens. If the locals of Ohio did not take action in cleaning the river and making protection laws, then not only could another fire happen but their ecosystem would never recover. They would not have had the opportunity to expand their nature tourism and we would not have a majority of water quality knowledge that we have now.

Concepts; The biggest concept throughout the video was environmental restoration. Environmental restoration is when the negative effects from an event are removed or minimized and allow for reduced risk to the environment. This entire video focuses on this concept; they remove the harmful oil in the river which allowed the environment to be restored.

Assumptions; I believe that we have taken the actions of the scientist from the Cuyahoga River fires for granted. They were some of the first to do in depth research on how to fix and maintain water quality. Nowadays scientists have a wide access to data and tools they are able to use in order to protect and conserve environments or resources. Thanks to their research we have the ability to take action against harmful pollutants and restore a wide variety of ecosystems. 

Consequences;The result from the Cuyahoga River fires seems to be majority positive. Cleveland,Ohio was able to restore their river and the areas surrounding it, allowing for them to expand their economy and bring new life to their city. Collectively as a country we got The Clean Waters Act, the United States  Environmental Protection Agency and an immense amount of research and data that has allowed for scientific advances. Of course we will not forget the horrors of the fire, the damage was incredible and it took years for any positive results to show, but it brought together a community while allowing scientists to get new insight on the impact we have on our environment. 

Sources; 

Cuyahoga River, OH - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18JpT61rX6A&list=PL1QVFWinMEQVayLVMzv7CzuOz2d1mTY90

Environmental Restoration - USLegal https://definitions.uslegal.com/e/environmental-restoration/