Selection 10: Life and Death of the Salt Marsh
This article begins with a sensory description of the salt marshes of North America, from the look and feel, to the smells and sounds. The article highlights the uniqueness of this ecosystem, describing the range of its tides. However, this ecosystem is in danger, and most of what’s threatening it is caused by human activities. People devastate marshland through building, dredging and filling. We not only demolish these ecosystems directly, but through our pollution as well. This destruction is needless, as the marsh would have been far more valuable as marsh then anything we build on it. Population growth is another pressure on this coastal ecosystem.
The article suggests protecting the salt marshes not simply for the sake of protecting them, but for the benefits they offer our growing population, benefits through fishing industry and the consumers whom buy the fish.
The article goes on to explain that some damage is unavoidable. For the areas that are conserved, we must build roads so people may access the marshes. The article proposes that the damage can be minimized if access comes from the sea. It is clear that overall planning is needed in the protection of this fragile ecosystem. The most rational approach to this planning would be on a national level, based on the whole system and not individual marshes. However, whatever means used for the preservation of the marshes must have safeguards in place, safeguards against the ever mounting pressure to develop land for the ever rising population. These safeguards would be needed since industry often blackmails areas into development by threatening to move their business somewhere else. This pressure may also come from state officials trying to encourage these industries to develop in their area.
The United States has called for the protection of many of its unique areas, such as Grand Canyon and Yellow Stone. However, now the article proposes protecting a new national treasure, the low-lying salt marshes along the east coast.
(Photo: Salt marash from marinebio.com)
Selection 20: Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services
This article explains how currently marine ecosystems are losing their biodiversity at an accelerated rate and that this loss has untold consequences. This lack of biodiversity is affecting the ocean’s productivity, because as more resources collapse the potential for recovery decreases. The article explains how they reached the conclusion that biodiversity loss is hindering the ocean’s ability to produce food, maintain water quality, and recuperate from damage. However, as of now, this inclination may still be reversible.
These problems are specifically mysterious in the context of the world’s oceans, since these systems are so large and complex. The ocean provides many services, and with our growing population living in coastal areas, humans are exerting huge impacts. Changes in marine species richness are affected directly through exploitation, destruction and pollution, or through indirect means such as changes to ocean chemistry and global climate change. To test how biodiversity is affecting the ocean’s at an ecosystem level, the writers of this paper compiled information and data ranging from small experiments to global fisheries.
The paper goes on to explain how it performed and quantified its findings and explained and defined the test sites as coastal ecosystems, large marine ecosystem and marine reserves and fishery closures. One result found was the positive relationship between diversity and the ecosystem’s function. Their data also had the concerning result that predicted the collapse of all taxa currently being fished in the next 50 or so years. It was further insinuated that the marine ecosystem would be unable to support human populations along the coast. They highlight some of the limitations of this study, but remind us that their results may offer a wider context for the understanding of biodiversity experiments and studies.
The paper also goes on to explain that there exists no division between the conservation of biodiversity and economic development and well-being, and that they must be pictured together as connected societal goals.
In conclusion, the paper states that repair is possible through sustainable fishing, pollution management and the conservation of marine ecosystems. By investing in the restoration of the oceans, we invest in the productivity of the services this vast marine system provides to us. The data and information done by this study proposes if we continue along our path, there lies serious threats of global food shortages, water quality issues and ecosystem instability in the future.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-11/nsf-alo110606.php a short article on how species loss in the ocean may translate into threats against humans.
Selection 31: Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment
This article opens with the notion that families not only share genes, but an environment as well. The author delves into the rather tragic details of her, her close and extended families battles with cancer, adding to her argument that since we adopted, perhaps something besides genetics is at play when it comes to cancer.
The author describes reading an article in a newspaper proving a genetic connection with bladder cancer, the cancer she suffered. She states how years later she folders filled with scientific articles about genetic factors and cancer. We now know that anilines and other aromatic amines (substances that are found in dyes, cigarette smoke, pesticides and certain pharmaceuticals) reap havoc by forming DNA adduts in the cells in the bladder, arriving as contaminants in the urine. We also now know that these toxins are supposed to be detoxified by the human body by a process called acetylation. It is performed by a special group of enzymes. However, a large portion of the population may be “slow aceulators”, leading to bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer is one of the cancer’s science knows the most about, but even with all the information of genetic causes and risk factors, it doesn’t seem to be doing much to prevent the disease. Incidences of bladder cancer have rose 10% between 1973 and 1991. Most bladder cancer cases are attributed to tobacco smoking, but what causes the disease in people for whom this is not a factor?
The author also has a folder of scientific articles on the concern of cancer carcinogens present in bodies of water. Thousands of pounds of just the aromatic amine o-toluidine are released every year, and investigations suggest that this may be causing bladder cancer. She goes on to explain that what her files are missing is an evaluation of all the known toxins and carcinogens thought to cause cancer, their origins, the reactions of their interactions and our various ways of exposure. Although she has individual reports on some carcinogens, she highlights the fact there lacks a comprehensive study on how these substances react with each other.
The author also describes several obstacles which may be stopping us from looking into cancer’s environmental roots and causes. One is an obsession with genetics and inheritance. Rates of cancer probably aren’t increasing do to new cancer genes, and the ill effects of cancer genes that really do exist may be reduced by reducing environmental contaminants. In a world with people who a susceptible to carcinogens, why do we allow them into the environment. When can’t do anything about our ancestors, but we can change what substances are allowed into the environment.
The author states that the reflection of carcinogens in our environmental starts by looking back into the past, assessing the present and looking forward into an alternative future. In possession of our ecological roots from examining the past, we may start to look deeper into our current situation. Instead of preventing dumping of carcinogenic substances, we may choose to prevent their generation. If we assume the most current estimate of cancer deaths in the United States is accurate, we have approximately 10,940 people dying from cancer. None of these deaths are quick or painless, but long roads. Because of the carcinogens we allow into the environment, their deaths are a kind of homicide.
The author describes that all activities the ability to cause public health concerns should be guided by “the principle of the least toxic alternative”. Meaning a toxic substance won’t be used as long as there is another way of doing the same task. This principle could end the debates over the cancer risks of individual toxins and “safe levels” of these toxins. This principle moves us towards a day where carcinogen dumping would be unthinkable.
Selection 33: At the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima or Why Political Questions Are Not All Economic
The article concerns both the economics decisions and political decisions made for the environment. Some people believe that these should be one and the same, however this view means that there is only an environmental problems when resources aren’t allocated in equitable and efficient ways. This approach is also solely at the level of the consumer, that it is only the values of the consumer that are important, and that these values are quantified in their willingness to pay. With this view, justice and fairness in a society becomes dispensing goods and services so that most people get exactly what they want. Therefore, the only kinds of values we can have are that which the market can put a price on.
The article describes how we clearly don’t value the environment in this way, if our willingness to pay reflected our environmental concerns, there would be preserved land everywhere instead of gas stations and pizza places. Our problem is that most of us don’t just think of ourselves as just consumers. Being a consumer is how we get things for ourselves, but being a citizen is how we get what we think is best for the community. We must determine if what we want for ourselves reflects what we want for the community. They are not. So, should public economy cater to the same goals as household economy? Perhaps we should aspire instead to more public goals.
This cost-benefit analysis does not tell economists how much one is willing to pay for what they believe. This system only treats everyone as equals because it treats them all as if they have no worth. Efficiency is not the way to control public health, and neither is the goal to live in a “natural” perfectly safe world.
It is clear there are conflicting conceptions of what our society should be like. Some feel that workers should only be protected as much as costs will allow, while others believe that neither health nor environment so be treated as goods to be traded. The quarrel e between these two ideas is logical or moral. The question of whether or not cost-benefit analysis should be used in decision making should not be made by cost-benefit analysis.
No better way has been determined than legislative vote to balance efficiency against moral concerns, cultural values and policies in industry and the environment.
Cost-benefit analysis treats values as nothing more than preferences. All questions inevitably depend on people willingness to pay for their subjective wants or preferences. This is the attraction of cost-benefit analysis, not matter what the bias of the individual wants, an economist is able to derive a policy from them, because in theory is treats all the preferences as if they are equally valid and good.
We cannot justify theory of public policy on the individual right to chose. The neutrality of economics should not be the basis for its authority.
Are diamonds worth it?
I learned about the issue of blood diamonds in high school when it was presented to me in a law class. Before that, diamonds were like most other goods to me; mysterious in where they were from and how they were produced. The disgust I felt when I discovered the hidden human cost of something that was supposed to symbolize love stuck with me for a long time. Objectively, diamonds aren’t truly valuable, not only exploit the environment but people as well and the only reason we desire them is because of a marketing campaign. Even when diamonds are mined in an ecologically responsible matter by people with proper rights, it just brings us back to buying a diamond because advertising told us to. I asked my friend if she wants a diamond engagement ring, after reminding her of the impacts, and she still wanted one. She explained that she did because it was a modern day custom, a tradition because the diamond stands for love. Even if the diamond ring symbolizes love/marriage, it’s just an empty tradition because it was started by the diamond companies themselves. Personally, I do not think that diamonds are worth it, and for my engagement ring I will be looking into other options like antique rings, different precious stones or something else all together.
It's insane looking at a website like http://www.tiffany.ca/ and seeing the prices on a commodity that actually isn't all that "valuable"
Class Reflections:
I found the video we watched in class about sewage to be one of the most poignant of all the videos we were shown. It opened my eyes to the underground world of sewers and waste I had only kind of thought about before. I’m definitely guilty of flushing things out of sight and out of mind. I had always believed that every city was equipped with efficient and effective water waste management plants, that all water that enters the sewers is eventually cleaned before it is allowed to renter the environment. I was sickened by cities just dumping raw sewage into their harbours. It was all a lot to take in. Now when I’m running the tap or flushing the toilet, I put a lot more thought into what exactly I’m doing. I feel more people should be made aware of this issue, because that will be the first step in fixing it.
Course Reflections:
This course is, and probably always will be, the most useful class I’ve taken in university. I’ve chosen to become an environmental science major, and the issues presented to me in this course has really cemented my choice and reminded me why I want to major in this field. In my future career, I want to help the environment in some way, and this class has really helped me pin down some of the issues I’m especially passionate about. Perhaps in my studies I’ll focus on sustainably, environmental health issues or resource (water) management. I honestly enjoyed this course and will value what it has taught me for probably the rest of my life.
Online Activity: E-Waste Video
I’m not sure where it is that I thought my e-waste went when I threw it away, but I know I had no idea about the nightmare that actually happens. I asked my boyfriend where he thought his e-waste went, and he has always figured it was just dealt with locally. I can’t believe any country could allow this to happen. I had no idea how difficult and toxic it was to recycle our electronic garbage, and I certainly had no clue that so many countries were suffering under the weight of the developed world’s trash. It’s so sickening to think that the United States refuses to sign onto a convention with such basic guidelines as maximum concentrations of toxic chemicals. The pictures of water as black as tar and of people “laughing off” their exposure to massively harmful chemicals was a heartbreaking sight. This video prompted me to find out where the e-waste produced in Manitoba goes. My brief internet search ended in disappointing results. One sight I found explained how our “Green Manitoba” project closed (http://www.ecosmartworld.com/canadian-list-of-e-waste-recycling). For my future e-waste disposing, I plan to be far more discerning, and perhaps will hold on to my waste until better program are in place for its proper and ethical disposal.
