Proposal: A Proposal to Educate the Public and Improve Air Quality in Fairbanks

A Proposal to Educate the Public and Improve Air Quality in Fairbanks

The city of Fairbanks has struggled with the problem of air pollution for over forty years. According to the

Department of Environmental Conservation (n.d.), the problem continues to grow worse each year.

Fairbanks was declared a non-attainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December of 2008.

Research results posted on the Department of Environmental Conservation (n.d.) website state that the particulate

level in the air in Fairbanks often exceeds the safe air pollution levels set forth by the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA). Although some people are aware of the high level of air pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska,

the citizens of Fairbanks should work with the Department of Environmental

Conservation to implement a program that will educate the public on air pollution because

Fairbanksans need to know what air pollution they are living with, they need to understand how this

pollution affects their health and environment, and they need to understand what they can do to

reduce the air pollution.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the particulate level (PM2.5) refers to both liquid and

solid matter that is suspended in the air. This matter can be sulfate, nitrate, chemicals, dust, pollen, mold spores,

metal, and or anything else that remains suspended in the air. Air pollution is a problem because the cold air located

directly above the city is trapped beneath the warmer air above. Thus, all the pollutants emitted from vehicles,

different types of wood-burning, and power plants are retained in the air that Fairbanksans are breathing. On days that

air quality meets the standards set forth by the Department of Environmental Conservation; the air can sometimes be

very close to moderate air quality. Many people are unaware of the fact that the air the quality in Fairbanks often far

exceeds the normal safe air quality levels. The fact that many people are still unaware of the air pollution is one of the

primary reasons why the public needs to be educated about the air quality in Fairbanks. It is much more likely

that  people will attempt to help fix the air pollution problem when they are aware that a problem exists. I propose a

group of about  ten people, with assistance from the Department of Environmental Conservation,  compile the

available information on air pollution in Fairbanks, and utilize it to educate the public. For many people, just being

aware that a problem exists is reason enough to motivate them to try to help fix or prevent more air pollution.

Not only will this education program inform the public that an air pollution problem exists in Fairbanks, but it will

also inform the public of the health and environmental issues associated with current levels of air pollution. Knowing

that air pollution could be affecting their health may also help motivate people to try and prevent air pollution.

According to research reported on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (n.d.) website, high PM2.5

levels pose a significant health risk.

In one specific instance the health of elementary school children at Woodriver Elementary was at risk due to high

PM2.5 levels where the school is located. High levels of PM2.5 have been associated with increased death rate.

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation (n.d.), these particles

can get into a person’s lungs and or blood stream causing respiratory and cardiopulmonary health problems.

Implementation of a public education program will include holding informational classes for the public and posting

flyers around the Fairbanks area to inform the public of current air pollution and available educational classes. Also,

appeals will be made to local radio and television stations for non-profit space to make advertisements informing the

public about pollution in the Fairbanks area. This public education program will not only inform Fairbanksans of

the air pollution and the effect pollution has, but it will also inform the public as to how they can personally contribute

to making the air safer for everyone to breath.

One of the largest contributions that can be made to reduce the air pollution problem is for people burn dry wood

instead of green wood. The brining of dry wood does not contribute as greatly to the PM2.5 levels as does green wood.

Those individuals that use outdoor wood boilers are making a huge contribution to the air pollution levels. Air

pollution can be reduced by plugging vehicles in at lower temperatures and not letting them idle for excessive periods

of time.

Overall, a properly informed public will aid greatly in the reduction of air pollution in Fairbanks. People will also

start communicating information on air pollution to other people as they become more informed about the issue. As

people start taking action within the community and their own homes; the air pollution levels will be reduced.

References

Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Air Quality PM2.5 Fact/Information Sheet

2/25/10. Retrieved on March 16, 2010 from http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/HotTopics/Air

QualityPM25/AQ%20FACT%20SHEET%20updated%20february%202010_FINAL.pdf

Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Wildfire Smoke/Particulate Information.

Retrieved March 16, 2010, from http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/am/smoke.htm

Essay #2-Book Review-Final Draft: Don’t Stomp on The Little Guy

David Carter

Essay 2- Final Draft

Spring 2010

Don’t Stomp On the Little Guy

In the past 7-10 years our honey bee activity has decreased. Farmers will do anything to protect their crop; they have developed sprays and genetically altered their seeds to build immunities to insects and parasites, mainly the mites. The problem with these new immunities is that are killing the main way their plants are pollinated, the bees. Rowan Jacobsen brings this point to light by demonstrating not only what happened to his honey bees, but also to other bee keepers across the nation.  We are talking about 50% of the nation’s honey bees’ gone. The book, “A Fruitless Fall” by Rowan Jacobsen, proves our society needs to pay more attention to the increasing farm harvests by using sprays and genetically mutated seeds, because the honey bees are spreading and dying by their toxins; the honey bees are needed to produce honey for economic demands, to increase plant life for farmers, and to play their intended role in nature’s ecosystem.

Honey bees are the only type of bee that produces honey. Other bees, like the yellow jacket, make combs out of wax from the nectar, but not actual honey.  Honey bees actually swallow the nectar and then regurgitate the nectar, which adds the enzymes to create the honey form, and then they store the honey in the combs of the hive.  Honey has been a stable economic product for nations world-wide.  Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia all harvest honey bees to sell and trade honey.  With the rise of pesticides and genetic engineering all over the world, polluted honey is a major concern. Jacobsen proves that China’s honey is very contaminated with toxins because of their slack of rule over their agriculture means. China’s farmers need to produce, the population is so demanding, the farmers can use whatever they can to make quota. The United States has banned their honey products quite a few times in the past years because of contamination (Jacobsen 115). If the United States does not change their policies about the use of pesticides, their product too will be banned from export due to contamination because the Bee keepers have also created another niche in the market, an even bigger industry than selling honey, pollinating farmer’s crops.

Farmers are always looking at ways to increase harvest and expand on profits. They have discovered that bees’ pollinated groves increase growth and production immensely. For example Jacobsen explains to the reader that the almond industries in California hire thousands of beekeeper from all around the nation to help pollinate their crop. California’s almond business provides 82% of the entire worlds almond supply. This industry brings in other 2 billion a year in revenue. In 2007 they were worried that they couldn’t find enough bee keepers to pollinate their almond fields which would lead to not hitting their production quota, so they also imported keepers from Australia to be sure they had enough bees to pollinate their quota (Jacobsen 65). Farmers need bee’s as much bees need farmers, both have pre-exist for hundreds of years, but the bees are dying out.

Bees have been a part of nature’s ecosystems for a long time. The animals, plants, and human life have been enjoying honey bee’s company. The plants especially, because bees help stimulate reproduction pollination when they collect pollen. Traveling flower to flower collecting their sweet nectar, the honey bee travels back to the hive to transfer the goods to a loading bee, and then heads back for more sweetness. They continue this process of collecting pollen until the hive gets close to capacity and then fly out in search for a bigger habitat. Meanwhile, other animals and critters smell the honey pot nearby and then proceed to raid and pillage the honey bee’s final product. If the animals or humans harvest their honey too late in the season, the bees will not last the winter (Jacobsen 25). They need that sugar to stimulate activity during the winter season to keep the queen bee alive and warm. As a hibernation mechanism the honey bees slow their reproduction rate or stop reproduction completely, when they know instinctively winter approaches, or while they are looking for a bigger habitat. Mr. Jacobsen tells his reader how fragile the honey bee system really is by explaining the consequences of harvesting honey prematurely and bee’s interactions with their environment. The farmers also need to remember that their not the only workers out on the field, but there are the other little bees hard at work too.

Bees are very essential in our environment because of their social pollination and nature’s love for nectar. As a bonus beekeepers can harvest the honey bee’s final production and economize on the sweet honey.  This final production is a 100% natural created by the very environment surrounding peoples habitat. As farmers induce genetically altered seeds to increase their resistances to nature’s ill effects, the bees are harvesting the DNA from the pesticide, or genetically mutated seeds, and mixing this DNA with other plants and animals it comes in contact with; then starting a chain reaction, forcing its way into the hive unexpectedly and killing the queen bee. The bees that do survived are weakened and diseased, and as winter turns to spring, the reproduction starts up and toxic DNA are now embedded in their DNA code which is passed by heredity to their kin. As Rowan points out in his book, “The Fruitless Fall” different areas call for different immunities. The almond blossoms in California use a different pesticide than the Florida citrus farmers. Different environment calls for different bugs which in turn call for more sprays and altering.  Some ethnic thinking should be applied when to use pesticide sprays, because it is stacking up on the bees’ immune system. The honey bees are getting transported all over the country to pollinate farmers’ crop, and at the same time spreading whatever pesticide disease they have accumulated in their local environment to each other, like the HIV virus in the 80s and 90s. This spreading of disease also affects the honey bees back in the hive, mixing it with the nectar and then processing it to make honey that sells in United States market. It will be a sad day when we have to test the honey made in America to ensure no poisonous intoxicants are present to harm our bodies, this country already examines China’s honey for contaminates, and has cut them off from America’s market. The people need to agree with Rowan that if the United States government continues to allow harmful pesticides and genetic seedlings to be embedded in our farming industry it will not only affect nature’s ecosystems, but endanger people’s health and lose a vital natural resource to farmers and manufactories, the honey bee.

Works Cited

Jacobsen, Rowan. (2008). Fruitless Fall.  New York, New York: Quebecor World Fairfield

Proposal-Rough Draft: A Proposal to Educate the Public and Improve Air Quality in Fairbanks

A Proposal to Educate the Public and Improve Air Quality in Fairbanks

The city of Fairbanks has struggled with the problem of air pollution for over forty years. According to the State of

Alaska Department of Air Monitoring and Quality Assurance (DEC AQ), the problem continues to get worse every year.

Fairbanks was declared a non-attainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December of 2008.

Research results posted on the DEC AQ website shows that the particulate level of the air in Fairbanks often far exceeds

the safe air pollution levels set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although some people are aware

of the high level of air pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska, the citizens of Fairbanks should work with the Department of

Environmental Conservation to implement a program that will educate the public on air pollution because

Fairbanksans need to know what air pollution they are living with, they need to understand how this pollution affects

their health and environment, and they need to understand what they can do to reduce the air pollution.

According to the State of Alaska Division of Air Quality, the particulate level (PM2.5) refers to both liquid and solid

matter that is suspended in the air. This matter could be sulfate, nitrate, chemicals, dust, pollen, mold spores, metal,

and anything else that remains suspended in the air we breathe. Air pollution is a problem because the cold air located

directly above the city is trapped beneath the warmer air above. Thus, all the pollutants emitted from vehicles,

wood-burning, and power plants are retained in the air that Fairbanksans are breathing. On days that air quality

deemed good by the DEC AQ the air can still be alarmingly close to moderate air quality. Many people are unaware of

the fact that the air the quality in Fairbanks often far exceeds the normal safe air quality levels; and that is one of the

primary reasons why the public needs to be educated as to the fact that an air quality problem exists in Fairbanks. It is

very hard for the public to address and attempt to rectify a problem that they are not even aware exists. If a group of

about ten people were to compile the information on air pollution with the help of the Department of Environmental

Conservation, break the compiled reports and data down into more user friendly terms, and educate the public on the

problems of air pollution, half of the battle on air pollution would already be won. For many people, just being aware

that a problem exists would be enough to motivate them to help fix the issue.

Not only will this education program inform the public that an air pollution problem exists in Fairbanks, but it will

also inform the public of the health and environmental issues associated with current levels of air pollution. Those who

may not have take action once they realize Fairbanks has high levels of air pollution may decide to make a difference

for the better once they are informed that it is affecting the health of both people and their environment. According to

research reported on the DEC AQ website, high PM2.5 levels pose a significant health risk. In one specific instance the

health of elementary school children at Woodriver Elementary was at risk due to high PM2.5 levels where the school is

located. High levels of PM2.5 have been associated with increased death rate. According to the DEC AQ these particles

can get into a person’s lungs and or blood stream causing respiratory and cardiopulmonary health problems.

Implementation of a public education program would not only include holding informational classes for the public, but

would also include the posting of flyers around the Fairbanks area to inform the public of current air pollution and

available educational classes. There would also be appeals to local radio and television stations for non-profit space to

make advertisements informing the public about pollution in the Fairbanks area.

This public education program will not only inform Fairbanksans of Fairbanks air pollution and the effects it has, but

it will also inform the public as to how they can personally contribute to making the air safer for everyone to breath.

One of the largest contributions that can be made to reduce the air pollution problem is for people burn dry wood

instead of green wood. The brining of dry wood does not contribute as greatly to the PM2.5 levels as does green wood.

Those individuals that use outdoor wood boilers are making a huge contribution to the air pollution levels. Air

pollution can be reduced by plugging vehicles in at lower temperatures and not letting them idle for excessive periods

of time.

Overall, a properly informed public will aid greatly in the reduction of air pollution in Fairbanks. People will also

start communicating information on air pollution to other people as they become more informed about the issue. As

people start taking action within the community and their own homes; the air pollution levels will be reduced.

References

Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Air Quality PM2.5 Fact/Information Sheet

2/25/10. Retrieved on March 16, 2010 from http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/HotTopics/Air

QualityPM25/AQ%20FACT%20SHEET%20updated%20february%202010_FINAL.pdf

Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Wildfire Smoke/Particulate Information.

Retrieved March 16, 2010, from http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/am/smoke.htm

Porter’s Cause and Effect Final Draft: Too Many Effects

How important is it to learn about what is affecting our world?  Well, if the world would no longer be able to support the changes as things continue to change without the knowledge of each cause, then it is life changing important to learn the affects of our world. There are several factors that are causing the environment to be negatively impacted.  Although there are several factors that negatively effect the environment, greenhouse gases causes the most harm to the environment because the gases contribute to climate change, global warming, and pollution.

The average amount of weather over a long period of time in specific regions is known as climate. When the climate changes, the climate either increase or  decrease in precipitation or degrees.  Hopwood and Cohen explains, “Over the past century, the Earth has increased in temperature by about .5 degrees Celsius and many scientists believe this is because of an  increase in concentration of the main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons” (Hopwood and Cohen).  As carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere the climate is changing.

Moreover, as the climate changes so does the weather patterns. Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are occurring more frequently and ferociously. As different greenhouse gases change the climate they also threaten the health of humans. as the summers become hotter, breathing problems will increase and sickness from the heat will increase as well. Moreover, the climate has a system, the climate system consists of the atmosphere, land, ocean, ice, and biosphere. When any part of the system changes, it causes the whole climate to change little by little. The ecosystems are effected by the climate change system and animals or species have to move to another environment or either die off.

Similarly, global warming is caused by increased greenhouse gases in which causes the Earth to arm quicker than it normally would warm. As fossil fuels are being burned, it is also  giving off the life threatening rate of a greenhouse gas  carbon dioxide and other gases. Carbon dioxide is a gas that is apart of the greenhouse gases which contributes to the majority of the increase in global warming. Koshland further explains how: “Scientists have estimated the contribution to warming made by a range of gases, dust and solar radiation. They have a high level of certainty that greenhouse gases contribute the most to warming, with increases in CO₂ as the greatest contributor with about 1.4 watts/meter² and methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons making smaller contributions”(Koshland). This happens as gases are being trapped in the air and some of the energy is be converted back to the Earth which causes the planet to warm up. Also, majority of the greenhouse gases occur naturally.  Additionally, carbon dioxide is being breathed into the air by humans in return is not making the matter any better.

Furthermore, global warming is causing ice glaciers to melt which causes the level of the sea to rise. The Huffington Post describes how methane gas effects global warming by saying  “Methane, a potent global warming gas, is bubbling out of the frozen Arctic faster than had been expected. Methane had become trapped in the permafrost over time and a warming climate is now resulting”(The Huffington Post). The hot weather causes the gases and other particles from smoke to be prolonged in air and increase reactions from chemicals which makes other pollutants. Therefore, each effect of global warming is an effect on the environment and the society.

Trains, planes, automobiles, buses and are contributing factors of air pollution caused by humans. With these methods of transportation being used by the population it is distributing more methane gas into the atmosphere. Again, methane gas is one of the greenhouse gases that is contributing to the world’s air pollution. As the population increases so does the need for more food. An animal that is a great provider of food is a cow. A cow manures and manure puts out methane into our atmosphere as pollution. The more cows the world needs for food the more manure this world would have, which also means more methane gas as well as more pollution. With the air pollution increase the air quality decreases.

Pollution not only effects living things but also nonliving things as well. According to the article Air Pollution states that air pollution is excreted into the atmosphere by harmful gases. Therefore,  air pollution would not exist if it were not for the greenhouse gases.   As methane is released into the air it absorbs terrestrial infrared radiation which sneaks into space causing the air to be polluted.

In conclusion,while our nation continues to apply energy and accumulate the use of fuel then the increase of greenhouse gases will continue to grow. Since greenhouse gases cause the most harm to the environment then there needs to be a change. What is done today will affect tomorrow. The changes occur gradually and the problem will be fixed slowly as well.

Works Cited

“Air Pollution”.  Saving Our Environment. 2001. Saving Our Environment. 17

March 2010 <http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111401

/air_pollution.htm>.

“Global Warming is Happening.” The Online environmental Community.8

March 1998. Envirolink. 17 March 2010 <http://www.envirolink.org.

/prgs/edf/sitemap.html>.

Hopwood, Nick and Jordan Cohen. “Greenhouse Gases and Society.” 17

March 2010 <http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm&gt;.

Koshland, Marian. “Causes Of Change” Science Museum of the National

Academy of Sciences. 2010. The National Academy of Sciences. 17 March

2010< http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc

/causes03.jsp>.

“Methane Gas: A Growing Climate Risk?” The Huffington Post. 4

March 2010. Huffington. 17 March 2010

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/methane-gas-a-growing-

cli_n_487044.html>.

Book Review – A Review of The Transition Handbook

A Review of  The Transition Handbook

Jessie Huff

English 213, Section 201001

Professor Maureen Sullivan

March 19, 2010

I am always dreaming enormous dreams, such as giving this transformative book to ten carefully chosen people within every American town. Some of the 10 will already understand the exponential problems the world faces. Some will remember and miss “the way things used to be.” Others will see the vision as a reason to get up in the morning. All of the 10 will be willing to acknowledge the concepts of peak oil and climate change. All will recognize the opportunity to prepare for life beyond oil dependency and without government support. It will take the few a long time to convince the masses in America, because of the consumerist culture, which is all the more reason to get started. It is a race to build a new culture from within and right under the giant. This handbook has started a movement in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Some towns in California and Vermont have already adopted its guidelines. Although many books have been written about sustainability and peak oil’s effect, small town Americans need to read Rob Hopkins’ The Transition Handbook because the ideas are realistic, the approach is positive, and it is a proven holistic advance toward changes we require and deserve.

Hopkins writes from a wealth of experience and research. His specialty being permaculture he naturally understood applying the idea of sustainability to all aspects of life, in hopes of creating a resilient and self-reliant community. This holistic thinking of sustainability goes so far as to introduce local currency as a way to keep local economy strong. After his involvement with organizing and creating the first Transition Towns in England, he certainly had information to share. The ideas presented in this book are the lessons learned from those experiences. The book is a reference and guide for those wanting to begin a community transformation. Together with the corresponding website it is the foundation of a contagious and collaborative movement positively affecting society.

The need for this transformation is based on the premise that when the effects of resource shortages hit, it will become increasingly difficult to make the necessary changes. Positive, planned, and preemptive commitments are essential because the alternative is a future of reactive actions that are theorized to be negative, unplanned, and bordering on the total collapse of society as we know it. By referencing many dissimilar studies pertaining to the earth’s predicted future, Hopkins logically interprets the best action plan from the overwhelming evidence that “a future with less energy… is inevitable” (p. 48). Once the evidence is in, and the decision is made, it is time to move forward, because as Richard Heinberg states in the last paragraph of his forward, “we have little time and much to accomplish” (p. 10).

Today, the methods some grassroots organizations utilize are designed to scare the populous into action. However, Hopkins believes it is more effective to promote “hope” and the ambition for “healthy functioning” communities (p. 49). Creating an excitement and the desire to live within a sustainable community is vital to the success of implementing Hopkins’ Transition.

Hopkins breaks the book up into three main sections, The Head, which is realizing the need for community based change, The Heart, which is the community vision, and The Hands, which are the manifestations of the vision. Each section contains realistic, optimistic and effective methods for solidifying the idea of “healthy functioning” into all aspects of one’s life. To foster true change Hopkins gathers information from many academic disciplines, creating a comprehensive action plan focused on achieving results.

One of the methods employed comes from addiction study research. Hopkins stress the importance of using the words “oil addiction” and the necessity to council and help people overcome this dependency. His methods have come together collaboratively and are intuitive, meant to get to The Heart of the matter. Hopkins’ book is full of these antidotes. Borrowed, adapted and well thought out, they help to manifest the transition to a life beyond oil.

Hopkins also makes wonderful use of analogies in this book. For instance instead of viewing peak-oil as a cliff we are about to fall from; view it as a deep pond of sticky oil. We have reached the bottom and are now rushing to get up for a breath of air. (p. 93) He offers observant and insightful suggestions on ways to consider the problems facing us and then deal with them in a constructive manner.

The style and formatting of the handbook complement the function; it is easy to reference key items you would need to begin a Transition Town. The margins present remarkable quotes, data, and excerpts from other research. Some of these quotes are taken from little known or unpublished sources, which would lower the overall merit of the book if not for the many other professional characteristics it possesses. Charts and photos help make complex ideas understandable and examples realistic. Group exercises and news clippings are given the space and attention to be effective.

Why pay increasingly more for less happiness all the while further degrading the earth? Perhaps for some the debate still lies in The Head. However, educated individuals, whether they think about it daily or not, know that the earth is all we have, and that it is a closed loop system. People realize the industrial revolution created consequences. However, most Americans are caught up in the busy life, without direction or a vision forward. This is where the Transition Handbook is helpful; it has already transformed towns in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and a few in Vermont and California. It suggests an answer, an option, of how to proceed to a healthy next era on earth with hope and enthusiasm. America should stop waiting around for the government to do something. Americans have the chance to bring power and control to the ground they walk on. The ideas contained within The Transition Handbook could become a reality. It only takes a few aware, concerned, and courageous people to begin. It is a positive and healthy choice. This is a movement of people, for people, by people. What could be more American than this?

References

Hopkins, Rob. (2009). The Transition Handbook: From oil dependency to local resilience. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.

Essay #2-Cause/Effect-Final Draft: Plastic: Is it really improving our lives?

 

Plastic has given us the ability to rapidly advance in terms of our ability to manufacture new technologies. We are now able to build lighter weight cars which help reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. Also many of the medical advancements within our hospitals would not have been possible without plastic. The ease of our modern lives is largely due to this versatile material. For example, say you want to have french fries for dinner, no longer do you have to suffer through the grueling work of washing, cutting, and finally frying a bunch of potatoes. You need only reach into the freezer for a bag of prepackaged fries and within a fraction of the time you are done. The benefit of food packaged in plastic can also be seen in the savings consumers receive at the supermarket. Compared to other options plastic is lightweight; reduced distribution costs for the manufacturer result in lower prices for shoppers. These reasons have led to plastics infiltration into almost every aspect of our daily lives. Unfortunately that is precisely the problem. Although it offers convenience and cost savings, the excessive use of plastic causes a decline in our true quality of life because it contributes largely to our ever growing landfills, it is hazardous to our oceans, and it pollutes our bodies with toxins.

Expanding Landfills

Day (2008), of the U.S. Census Bureau, has reported that the United States population is expected to reach 392 million by the year 2050 (para. 5). Obviously with an increase in people comes a rise in the amount of waste produced. This fact will only manage to exacerbate the problem of our ever increasing landfills and the threats they pose to the environment and our health. Even though current standards of landfill management have been raised in efforts to help protect the environment, we are still far from safe. The chemicals that we throw away such as pesticides, bleach, and even some condiments have the ability to deteriorate the liners under the landfills. When this happens those chemicals leach out eventually making there way into the groundwater (“Background,” n.d.). According to the EPA (2008) Americans produced 30.05 million tons of plastic waste; only 7.1% of that plastic got recycled (p. 5). Reducing our use of plastics is one way to lessen the burdens on our landfill system.

How Does Plastic Impact Our Oceans?

The plastic that does not get recycled or buried in landfills ends up in our oceans. In 1997, Captain Charles Moore came upon what is now referred to as the “Pacific garbage patch.” It is an area in the Pacific Ocean that is littered with plastic debris. Eventually the plastic gets caught in the North Pacific Gyre where it is broken into smaller pieces. These bits of plastic are then mistaken for food by aquatic life. This results in malnourishment and a toxic buildup in these fish; causing a breakdown in the oceanic food chain. The damaging effects of these chemicals can already be seen in the feminization of fish. Currently there is no information on how this could be affecting human health as we consume these toxic fish (Greenberg, 2009). Regardless it still remains that the over abundance of plastic is polluting our oceans. Solving this problem is no easy task. People need to become educated about the potential long-term effects their daily choices have.

How Much is a Child’s Life Worth?

Until recently consumers have been told that the small amounts of Bisphenol A (BPA) we ingest, from food and drinks packaged in plastic, are safe. In light of new research, the National Toxicology Program and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2010) has said they are concerned “about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children” (para. 2). More scientific research needs to be done in order to identify other potential health risks caused by BPA in our bodies, but the mere fact that we now know of its harmful effects on our children should be all we need to start making a change for the future.

Repairing the Damage Done

Considering the effects of plastic on our environment and on our bodies it is impossible to say the convenience it offers is worth it in the long-run. Ridding ourselves of plastic altogether is almost impossible. However, we can start limiting our plastic waste by reducing the amount of prepackaged foods we buy. Minimizing our reliance on these foods will not only help reduce the use of plastic and paper but it will also force us to start eating healthier, whole foods. Another step we can take is being more conscientious about how we dispose of our waste. Although recycling programs are far from perfect they are still a great way to help reduce the impact of waste on our environment. Supporting products made from glass, recycled plastic, or “biodegradable” plastic is another way to help reduce the manufacturing of new plastic products. With small steps we can hopefully begin to repair the damage, to our planet and our children’s health, that our ignorance has caused.

Works Cited

Background Information on Landfills. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2010, from
http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/
~scintech/solid/background1.html

Day, J. (2008, July). National Population Projections. Retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau Web site:
http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/natproj.html

Greenberg, N. (2009). Captain Charles Moore. Earth Island Journal, 24(1), 47-50. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. (37332865)

Kurniawan, T.A. (2009, January 31). Landfill Leachate: Persistent Threats to Aquatic Environment. SciTopics. Retrieved March 2010, from
http://www.scitopics.com/
Landfill_Leachate_ Persistent_Threats_to_Aquatic_Environment.html

United State Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2008rpt.pdf

  U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2010, January). Update on Bisphenol A for Use in Food Contact Applications: January 2010. Retrieved from  http://www.fda.gov/ NewsEvents/ PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm

Proposal Essay – Paper, Plastic, or None at All

Human pollution is evident – the aftermath of consumption can be seen daily collecting on highways across America, and on our local roads. In addition, the use of non-biodegradable materials escalates the issue.  Plastic bags were introduced to ease the harmful effects the production of paper bags were having on the environment: at that time, the ramifications were not considered. Although customers have become accustomed to transporting goods in plastic bags, retailers such as Beaver Sports should ask customers if they need a bag because this simple action reduces the resources required to manufacture plastic bags, lowers the retailers’ cost to supply them, and helps the environment by eliminating the trash from the transaction.

The life of a plastic bag is much longer and complex than then the average user recognizes.  Plastics begin their life as polyethylene or petroleum. Derived from natural gas, polyethylene is incredibly useful due to its malleability and overall versatility. Unfortunately, it is incapable of returning to its originally organic state and its recyclability is limited (Collins, 2010).  Derived from crude oil, petroleum is environmentally taxing and already in great demand. Americans use approximately 100 billion plastic bags each year, requiring 12 million barrels of oil (Bunn, 2008).  This may seem like an insignificant amount in the grand scheme of things, however the little things add up.  By reducing the number of plastic bags produced, the need for electricity, and subsequently, the coal used to produce the electricity, is reduced.  This effects other components of the environment as well.  Coal production often results in deforestation and increased carbon emissions, while coal powered power plants produce astronomical amounts of waste, in addition to huge amounts of carbon.  These bags are not produced locally, however they must be transported here using trucks and will eventually lay to rest in our landfill.  By preventing their life from ever being created, their harm cannot be bestowed on our community.  These seemingly insignificant single-use bags are undoubtedly much more than meets the eye.

Starting with sandwich bags in the 1950s, the use of plastic bags has only increased.  In the 70s retail stores adopted their use and never looked back.  Plastic has since made paper bags almost obsolete, with 4 out of 5 shoppers using plastic (Collins, 2010).  This is all for good reason; plastic is much cheaper to produce and therefore cheaper for businesses.  Though many may not consider it, plastic bags are only free to the customer; all other facets must pay.  Retailers such as Beaver Sports in Fairbanks, Alaska purchase 4 sizes of bags for customers to transport their purchases in.  They pay approximately $800 a year for plastic bags (Bruce Thomas, personal communication). In total, $4 billion dollars is paid annually by US retailers and these costs are then passed on to the consumer (Bunn, 2008).  To reduce the number of plastic bags used, Beaver Sports employees have begun, and will continue to ask customers if they would like a bag.  This simple question is a speed bump for the standard of putting everything in a bag, regardless of its size or portability.  Things like a pair of shoes that already have a handle or a few Luna bars that will find their way into someone’s mouth relatively soon do not need a bag.  This practice is supported by all of the employees and customers are appreciative of the option. Because cashiers in other stores may not think to ask, you must come into the habit of asking yourself, “Do I really need a bag?” As exemplified in the practices of Beaver Sports, a simple question will not only lessen the amount of plastic used, it will also eliminate the bag from ever entering one’s home, where it has a questionable fate.

Recycling programs for plastic bags are few and far between.  It is estimated that a minuscule 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled.  This is often attributed to lack of knowledge and availability.  In addition only 80% of plastic bags make it to a landfill (Bunn, 2008).  The rest find themselves in lakes, rivers and streams, blowing down our nations highways and causing great harm to wildlife.   Those that do find themselves in a landfill have a long road ahead of them.  Common plastic bags do not biodegrade, meaning they do not return to organic matter.  Instead they become victims of ultraviolet light and slowly breakdown into small pieces.  The photo-degrade process is estimated to take 500 to 1,000 years.  Not a single plastic bag, or any plastic for that matter, has succumbed to this process or is remotely close (Collins, 2010).  The sobering reality of the fate our waste awaits is reason to take action.  The problems associated with plastic have not eluded us locally.  Many may recall the recent borough assembly decision to impose a bag tax, however it was repealed when met with overwhelming opposition.  Despite the disagreement over the tax, its proposal shed new light on a somewhat ignored issue.  Although reusable bags have become common in our local Fred Meyers, not everyone remembers them at the corner gas station and neighborhood retailer.  A simple solution of encouraging customers to only take a bag when needed seems a viable start.  With each bag one chooses to not take, there is one less waiting to photo-degrade or end up in the ocean.

It is unrealistic to try and rid the world of plastic bags; however, it is feasible to reduce the number produced and used while increasing the number recycled.  If the consumer uses fewer bags at a retail store, the company will purchase less, and therefore, less will be produced.  With this philosophy in mind Beaver Sports has taken action.  It is my hope, as well as my fellow employees, to start a trend among consumers and retailers.  It is impossible to undo the damage human kind has done; however, by doing one’s part now, the future damages can be reduced. Just as abstinence is the only fail-safe method of birth control, abstaining from production of plastic bags is the only way to stop their harmful repercussions.

Works Cited

Collins, A. (2010, February 5). Paper or plastic bags. Retrieved March 17, 2010 from 
http://biofuelswatch.com

Dioum, B. (2008). Campaign Against the Plastic Plague Background Info. Retrieved March 15, 2008, from          http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-background-info.html

Dunn, T. (2008). PLASTIC BAGS. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from http://biogreenproducts.biz/Oxo-BiodegradableFacts.htm

Essay #2-Book Review: Rough Draft: Don’t Stomp on The Little Guy

David Carter

Essay 2 Rough Draft

Spring 2010

In the past 7-10 years our honey bee activity has decreased. Farmers will do anything to protect their crop; they have developed sprays and genetically altered their seeds to build immunities to insects and parasites, mainly the mites. The problem with these new immunities is that are killing the main way their plants are pollinated, the bees. Rowan Jacobsen brings this point to light by demonstrating not only what happened to his honey bees, but to other bee keepers across the nation.  We are talking about 50% of the nation’s honey bees’ disappeared. Although farmers are increasing their harvests production with sprays and mutated seeds, the book” A Fruitless Fall,” by Rowan Jacobsen, proves our society needs to pay more attention to  the honey bees because those bees are spreading poisons from the pesticides throughout nature’s ecosystem, to produce honey for societies needs, and to increase plant life for farmers.

Bees have been apart of natures ecosystems for a long time. The animals, plants, and human life have been enjoying honey bee’s company. The plants especially because bees help stimulate reproduction pollination when they collect pollen. Traveling flower to flower collecting their sweet nectar, the honey bee travels back to the hive to transfer the goods to a loading bee, and then heads back for more nectar. Meanwhile a grumpy ole bear smelling the honey hive, or a sweet tooth starving human is always on the prowl trying to harvest their final product.

Honey bees are the only type of bee that produces honey. Other bees, like the yellow jacket, make combs out of wax from the nectar, but not actual honey.  Honey bees actually swallow the nectar and then regurgitate the nectar, which adds the enzymes to create the honey form, and then they store the honey in the combs of the hive.  Honey has been a stable economic product for nations world-wide.  Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia all harvest honey bees to sell and trade honey.  Bee keepers have also created a niche in the market, an even bigger industry than selling honey, pollinating farmer’s crops.

Farmers are always looking at ways to increase harvest and expand on profits. Scientist discovered that bees’ pollinated groves increase growth and reproduction by 50% (ref). For example, the almond industries in California hire thousands of beekeeper from all around the nation to help pollinate their crop. California’s almond business provides 82% of the entire worlds almond supply. This industry brings in other 2 billion a year in revenue. In 2007 they were worried that they couldn’t find enough bee keepers they would hit their growth quota so they also imported keepers from Australia be sure they had enough bees to hit the quota (ref).

Bees are very essential in our environment because of their social pollination and love for nectar. As a bonus we can harvest their final production and eat the sweet honey.  As farmers induce genetically altered seeds to increase their resistances to nature, the bees are harvesting their dna, and mixing this dna with other plants and animals it comes upon. Like a chain reaction, even striking the hive and killing the queen bee or brain of the operation. Some ethnic rule applies to the sprays of pesticides. It also effects the bees in spreading its contaminates back to the hive and produced through the honey’s we eat. It will be a sad day when we have to test the honey to make sure no poisonous intoxicants that are harmful to our body. If our government continues to allow harmful pesticides and genetic seedlings harvest be embedded in our farming industry not only with it effect ecosystems like your friends the bees, but also to your human health. People are always enrich our lives, but at what costs? Are we seeing the big picture?

Essay #2 – Cause/Effect – Rough Draft – Plastic: Is it really improving our lives?

 

Plastic has given us the ability to easily advance technologically. Can you imagine how heavy your computer would be without it? Or what our hospitals would be like without the medical advancements made possible by plastic? Certain aspects of our life have been made very easy by this versatile material. If you want to have french fries for dinner no longer do you have to wash, cut, and double fry a bunch of potatoes. You need only reach into the freezer for a bag of prepackaged fries and within a fraction of the time the fries are done. Using plastic to package our food is also a more cost effective way for manufacturers to ship their products as it is less costly to ship plastic in comparison to glass. This benefit then gets passed onto the consumer in the form of savings at the supermarket. For these reasons plastic has infiltrated its way into our daily lives. Unfortunately that is precisely the problem. Although it offers convenience and cost savings, the excessive use of plastic causes a decline in our true quality of life because it contributes largely to our ever growing landfills, it is hazardous to our oceans, and it pollutes our bodies with toxins.

Expanding Landfills

Day (2008), of the U.S. Census Bureau, has reported that the United States population is expected to reach 392 million by the year 2050 (para. 5). It is assumed that with an increase in people comes an increase in waste. This fact will only manage to exacerbate the problem of our ever increasing landfills and the threats they pose to the environment and our health. Even though current standards of landfill management have been raised in efforts to help protect the environment, we are still far from safe. The chemicals that we throw away such as pesticides, bleach, and even some condiments  have the ability to deteriorate the liners under the landfills. When this happens those chemicals leach out, eventually making there way into the groundwater (“Background,” n.d.).  According to the EPA (2008) Americans produced 27.93 million tons of plastic waste that was not recycled (p. 5). Reducing our consumption of plastics is one way to lessen the burdens on our landfill system.

How Do Plastics Impact Our Oceans?

The plastic that does not get recycled or buried in landfills ends up in our oceans. In 1997, Captain Charles Moore Came upon what is now referred to as the “Pacific garbage patch.” It Is essentially an area in the Pacific Ocean that is littered with plastic debris. The plastic gets caught in this gyre where it is broken into smaller pieces of plastic. These bits of plastic are then mistaken for food by fish and other marine life. Since these creatures are not getting the proper nutrition they need it results in malnourishment and a toxic buildup in these fish, causing a breakdown in the food chain of the ocean. The damaging effects of these chemicals can already be seen in the feminization of fish. Although there is no current information on how this could be affecting humans as we consume these toxic fish, there is still an obvious problem in our oceans that is caused by our reliance on plastic (Greenberg, 2009). Solving this problem is no easy task but a great first step is through becoming educated about the long-term effects our daily choices have not just on ourselves but on our planet.

Toxic Bodies

Until recently consumers have been told that the small amounts of Bisphenol A (BPA) we ingest, from food and drinks packaged in plastic, are safe. Now the National Toxicology Program and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2010) have said they are concerned “about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children.” (para. 2). We still need to do more scientific research to identify the other potential hazards caused by BPA in our bodies, but the mere fact that we now know of its harmful effects on our children should be all we need to start making a change for the future.

Repairing the Damage Done

Considering the effects of plastic, on our environment and on our bodies, it is impossible to say the convenience it offers is worth it in the long-run. Ridding ourselves of plastic altogether is almost impossible. However we can start limiting our use of it. First this starts with reducing the amount of prepackaged foods we buy. Minimizing our consumption of these foods will not only help reduce the use of plastic and paper, but it will also force us to start eating healthier whole foods. Another step we can take is being more conscientious about how we dispose of our waste. Although our recycling programs are far from perfect they are still a great way to help reduce the impact of waste on our environment. Supporting products made from glass, recycled plastic, or “biodegradable” plastic is another way to help reduce the manufacturing of new plastic products. With small steps we can hopefully begin to repair the damage, to our planet and our children’s health, that our ignorance has caused.

 

Background Information on Landfills. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2010, from
http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/
~scintech/solid/background1.html

Day, J. (2008, July). National Population Projections. Retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau Web site:
http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/natproj.html

Greenberg, N. (2009). Captain Charles Moore. Earth Island Journal, 24(1), 47-50. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. (37332865)

Kurniawan, T.A. (2009, January 31). Landfill Leachate: Persistent Threats to Aquatic Environment. SciTopics. Retrieved March 2010, from
http://www.scitopics.com/
Landfill_Leachate_ Persistent_Threats_to_Aquatic_Environment.html

United State Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2008rpt.pdf

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2010, January). Update on Bisphenol A for Use in Food Contact Applications: January 2010. Retrieved from
http://www.fda.gov/
NewsEvents/ PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm

Short Essay #2: Gather to Clean

Imagine a trail that runs along the coast, it is easily accessible for pedestrians and bikers alike. The Coastal Trail in Anchorage, Alaska does just this. The plant like that is next to the trail provides shade, while the ocean view, can in some cases, take your breath away. However, the litter on the trail makes it difficult to enjoy it to its full capacity. Although it is hard to take care of others messes, the residents of Anchorage, Alaska, should gather May 1st to help pickup the littler on the Coastal Trail because it will help the plant life, it will be beneficial for the wild life, and it is an excellent way to meet new people.

The plant life that grows along the trail is being subjected to all forms of trash: limiting the area that plants can grow in and the height that they can reach. Plastic bags can suffocate seedlings, preventing then from growing. Litter will stay there for years and years, damaging the integrity of future plants. Animals should not need to decipher what is food or safe for them to eat from what is trash. We are all residents on earth, and should treat it with respect.  Just by simply picking up the litter is the start of fixing the problem. It does not seem right that the beauty and plant life of the Coastal Trail should be destroyed because of garbage.

Since the trail runs along a long stretch of coast, there is the possibility of the litter getting into the ocean. Marine life commonly mistake trash such as, plastic bags and candy wrappers, as food. Plastic rings that hold a soda six-pack together can become entangled around the necks of marine mammals and birds. What is not noticed at times is how everything is interconnected; in this case it is the marine life. If a fish were to eat plastics that made them ill, then are the prey for another animal, they have in turn gone and infected the predator. Also, the larger the fish the more little fish it will need to eat, the toxins will build up to incredible levels. Litter that gets into the water will not only affect the marine life, but also whoever is depending upon it for nutrients. The ocean provides many different resources that humans use, ranging from food to skin products even to glucosamine pills.

Gathering together with other people who enjoy the Coastal Trail by picking up trash is a great way to be the solution. It can be aggravating to clean up trash that was left behind by others, but if no one takes a stand then the trash will never get picked up. It will be a wonderful way to get to know people who are willing to be more involved with bettering the environment. This in turn can help to create a group that is will to; teach kids how to recycle and people who are willing to clean up more trails around Anchorage, Alaska. We as a community need to start taking care of our home, which is the land that we live on.

May 1st is the date when people should gather to help put a stop to the litter. It is after the snow has melted, and all of the litter from the winter is exposed. This simple act of litter pick up will benefit the environment, this could take awhile before it becomes apparent. However, the feeling that you as a community are helping to better the lands you live on and enjoy will be felt sooner. Plants and animals can not pick up after us, and they should not have to. The environment does not need to be subjected to an inability to pick up our messes, which is why this community gathering is the right thing to do.

Anchorage, Alaska is home to many trail systems, a popular one being the Coastal Trail. This trail is available to pedestrians, bikes and is even groomed in the winter for skiers. A wonderful easily accessible way to see the beauty of the environment both, on land and an ocean view: is inhibited by litter. Sure as of right now it may be easy to over look the litter, but this becomes difficult to do once the harm it is doing to the environment is being taken into consideration. It is hard to erase damage that has already been done; yet easy to take steps to prevent further damage. Picking up the litter is not only being a responsible community of Anchorage, but also a responsible community of the earth.