Let the Recycling Begin!
I remember reading a blog about this topic awhile ago, I believe Camille wrote it, about recycling water. Though in her article I read that the idea was only proposed, it is now being put into action by the people down under. Australia is suffering from a major drought, and the officials from the state Queensland have agreed to introduce recycled drinking water to their citizens. Other states, such as South Australia, said that even though they are the driest state, they will not introduce recycled water to their drinking system, but rather to their industrial system. The state of Victoria plans on taking similar action. This recycling of water used for industrial purposes would hopefully free up mor fresh water for drinking.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/WaterSavingToiletJapan.jpg/800px-WaterSavingToiletJapan.jpg
(Here is an image of an innovatice water-saving device. It’s a toilet where the water is recycled from the sink where you wash your hands, to the toilet itself. Those crazy Japanese! What will they think of next?)
Queensland state Premier Peter Beattie insists that recycled water is the only way to go due to their severe lack of rain. This plan is propsed for mainly the southeastern portion of Australia which is becoming more and more urban. “I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia are going to end up drinking recycled, purified water,” he said. This drought has been the worst that Australia has seen in a century, and proper measures need to be taken so that water does not become scarce.
While reading more into this issue, I found that the United States, mainly in the Southwest, is also a user of recycled water for crops. The southwest finds this more economical than shipping freshwater from different areas because there are very few freshwater sources around. I did not come across any information however that we used recycled drinking water. In some places in the United States, reclaimed water is put into reservoirs where rainwater can dilute it. Only when it is treated again after this step would it be suitable for drinking, washing, or using on food. Reclaimed water is never mixed with drinking water because it has not been fully treated, and humans could get sick due to the fact that it was once sewage. Many of the sites that handle reclaimed water also don’t treat it enough for the drinking water standards, leaving room for small amounts of harmful chemicals to seep through the filtering process. In the United States, two separate pipes are always used to distinguish between the two; reclaimed water always being in lavender.
I think that Australia is taking a step in the right direction to recycle the most valuable resource for humans. First however, I think that they should do what the United States does, and only recycle water for industrial purposes. Then they can determine whether or not the necessity for drinking water is still present. Fortunately for the United States, we have plentiful freshwater in our Great Lakes region (Chicago!), so hopefully we will not have to come to that situation considering it can be somewhat costly. Though if a repeat of the Dust Bowl should occur, who knows!
Sources for article: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12116
Sub-par State of the Union
Several environmntalists have commented on how Bush’s State of the Union, delivered earlier this week, failed to fully address the issue of climate change. Greens Senator Christine Milne commented about how the address focused mainly on the reduction of oil usage and not the environmental impacts that are slowly but surely taking place because of it. The President called for all Americans to cut down on gas usage by 20 percent over the course over a decade. He also mentioned how they plan to introduce ethanol more into our fuel system.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/State_of_the_Union.jpg
“I think his speech is just a load of rhetoric. He is diluting the issue by talking in terms of cutting the United States’ oil dependency, rather than in terms of the serious environmental consequences,” said K. Srinivas, campaigner for climate change and energy for Greenpeace India.
Some other officials belonging to different environmental agenices said that while he didn’t exactly sound convincing with his concern for climate change, he did start poking at the issue.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Climate_Change_Attribution.png
I personally think that with his mention of climate change in the State of the Union, more needs to be done. Even though he didn’t discuss it in great depth, it needs to be further researched by people who understand the severity of this issue.
Source for article:
http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/eng/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=15763
Watch out for Radon!
As we all know, Januray is National Radon Month! Acutually, I had no idea, but I found this article and the statistics were pretty interesting. Apparently, 80 percent of households in America are not regularly tested for radon. It is the secong most common cause of lung cancer behind cigarettes. I read that this causes about 20,000 deaths each year. I know that’s not a huge number compared with the world population, but just think, if you’re at a Cubs game (which always has a full crowd) half of those people at the stadium are how many will die every year from a totally preventable cause!
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that can permeate the walls of your house, and can become deadly if trapped inside for a long period of time. At room temperature, radon is one of the heaviest gases. It accumulates in caves and mines below the ground, and can seep into houses if it grows to a considerable level.
Of course now you’re thinking, “Oh no. I’m going to die of lung cancer and I don’t even know it!” Not to worry. Radon detectors are available in most stores, and cost around $10. Older homes tend to be more prone to radon because of their aging construction, so I would highly recommend detectors if you live in Oak Park! Sealing basement foundations and water drainage are also some precautions that could be taken. In the more expensive case, ventilation systems can also be installed.
The EPA is working on expanding the knowledge of radon to schools and organizations so that the word can be spread to protect your home!
For a total aside, I also read that in some spas around the world, people choose to be exposed to a highly concentrated radon atmosphere to give them a burst of energy and invigorate them. Also, namely in Japan, there are hot water treatments in water with a high level of radon. Due to it’s toxicity, it’s not a very promoted way to relax.
Sources for article:
Ice,Ice,Maybe?
Here we go again. Another problem caused by global warming. Instead thinking of the effects it will have in the future, the Dutch are feeling it now. The Eleven Towns Tour, a marathon skating race held in Holland, may not take place this year due to the mild winter.
The event was last held ten years ago, and is in danger of not being held again because it is not cold enough for the canals to freeze. Dutch meteorologists reported that 2006 has been the warmest year in 300 years, since they began recording. In order for the event to take place, the ice on the canals must be 15cm thick, which has occurred fifteen times in the past 100 years.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Tour_skate_ice1.jpg
The race goes through 11 towns within the province of Friesland, Holland, and is a whopping 124 miles(200 km) long!
Meteorologists predicted that the event will only be able to be held four times within the 21st century. Even though this event is not life an enironmental issue, the problem that caused it is an issue. As time is going on we are seeing the effects of global warming, and the problems are only going to go from bad to worse if we don’t put a stop to it.
Source for article: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11970
What’s an oryx?
Residents of Tunisia, a country in northern Africa, are probably asking, “What’s an oryx?” This wouldn’t be an uncommon question, as the speices of scimitar-horned oryxes have been wiped out. They are classified as being extinct in the wild; one step below from being extinct.
Image Credit: http://accuweatherbak.ap.org/apdbs/Intl_Photos/views/micro/6029/6029900.jpg
Six oryxes from North America and four from Europe are planned to be re-introduced to their native homeland in Tunisia. Tw0 reside in the Kansas City Zoo in Missouri. All of the species have been raised in zoos across the board, and their reintroduction into the wild will have to be done in steps.
The new ten oryxes will be mixed with other oryxes that have resided in a fenced area in Tunisia since the 1980’s. This area will be protected by the Tunisian government. Conservationists eventually plan to remove the fences so that the oryxes can return to their life in the natural wild.
The scimitar-horned oryxes were wiped out by humans who killed them as a sport. Their long horns are a target for human game.
Bill Houston, the assitant curator at the St. Louis zoo, said, “When something as large as a scimitar-horned oryx can slip from the face of the earth without so much as a whimper or an outcry, things have gone terribly wrong. To lose such a species before we fully understand its role (in nature) and the intricacies of its evolution is just astounding. A devastating blow.”
Image Credit: http://accuweatherbak.ap.org/apdbs/Intl_Photos/views/micro/7215/7215960.jpg
I agree very much with this statement. Each species on this earth has a certain niche, and many times we don’t even realize it. The lack species may have not effected Tunisia’s environment right away, but in the long run, it could have caused some damage. Their diet consists mainly of leaves, fruit, and grass. With nothing eating these plants anymore, we could have seen a great build up of leaves, etc. I think that the effort of reintroducing these animals to their natural habitat is a valiant one. They are better off in the wild instead of kept in a zoo. As long as their reintroduction is done slowly and carefully, I fully support it. Let’s just hope it works a little better than the Cane Toad project.
Sources for article: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11956
A “Yucca” Dispute
The Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump has been an idea that has been on the disputing table since 1982. Supporters of this new site were hoping to go forward with plans, though with the Democrats taking office this year, they are faced with more obstacles.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Yucca_Mountain_2.jpg
The Democrats have proposed to reduce funding for the Yucca Mountain because of the danger that could come with it. Opponents to the production of this site are mainly residents in Southern California, where the nuclear waste would be transported from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to the Yucca Mountain. The residents who are in the transportation path fear of the accidents that could occur on the way there, releasing deadly radioactive waste into the air. Supporters of this project claim that the safety precautions have been blown out of proportion, and that the nuclear waste would be extremely sealed and well-protected while making the trek to Yucca Mountain.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Yucca_Mountain_TBM_at_South_Portal.jpg
The supporters also had high hopes for Yucca Mountain due to the fact that the plan was supported by President George W. Bush. Now with the Democrats taking office, they will have a more difficult time making Yucca Mountain a reality because of the reduced budget. The delay has been caused by various lawsuits, budget issues, and scientific disputes. Hopefuls believe that this plan could be finished by 2008.
I actually remember brushing on this topic in class. I never realized how old this dispute was! I can’t really say which side I am on with this issue. I think that both sides need to provide sufficient scientific evidence that supports their case. After reading this article, it seems that neither side has a very firm case supported by very firm evidence that their way is the way to go.
Source for article: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11948
