The Indian River Lagoon in Florida, considered to be the most biologically diverse waterway in America, is in bad shape. “The Indian River Lagoon is repeatedly being choked with oxygen-robbing algae, its surface increasingly dotted with thousands of dead fish, manatees, birds and other creatures.” Farm runoff and a huge influx of people that have sent lawn fertilizer and other pollutants into the lagoon are considered the causes of the condition of the lagoon. The problems threaten the region's recreation, fishing and tourism economy, alarming kayak tour operators, charter boat captains, restaurateurs and organizers of bird-watching festivals. Environmentalists are distressed to see the lagoon's rich variety of life threatened in a crisis similar to what has happened in recent decades in such places as the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Erie and the Gulf of Mexico. The article reveals: “Home to more than 2,900 species of plants, birds and fish, the waterway has been polluted since the mid-20th century by fertilizer runoff from the sugarcane fields and other farms around Lake Okeechobee, which drains into the lagoon during heavy rains. Nevertheless, parts remained largely healthy until the recent building boom.”
The scenario described in the article refers to cultural eutrophication which we have learned about earlier this year. The condition of the lagoon is an indicator that we must be aware of the effects we have on natural habitat. It is necessary to maintain biodiversity for which we must control pollution and maintain natural habitats,
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http://www.pghcitypaper.com/Blogh/archives/2017/04/27/pittsburgh-environmental-groups-launch-initative-to-help-schools-and-child-care-facilities-address-lead-and-radon Pittsburgh environmental groups have launched an initiative to help schools and child-care facilities address lead and radon. Both lead and radon can impact a child's development, growth and learning. While these hazards are commonly found in schools and other educational buildings, any testing for these hazards is voluntary in Pittsburgh. Dangers of lead contamination have gained a lot of attention in recent months in the city, but radon in the air is equally harmful to childhood development. “ Radon is also estimated to cause approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. And they estimate more than 70,000 schoolrooms around the country have elevated radon levels.” Disappointingly, school districts in Pennsylvania aren't required to test for radon or lead. Because of this, environmental groups have launched an initiative to help schools, early-learning centers, and after-school programs test for lead and radon and eliminate the environmental risks in their facilities. It was very surprising to me that school districts in Pennsylvania are not required to test for radon or lead. Children spend a lot of time at school, day-care facilities, and after school programs, so it is necessary for schools to do such testing in order to protect the health of the children. Hopefully, the environmental groups will be successful in raising awareness and will facilitate efforts to make schools environmentally hazard free. In 2008, researchers used satellite images and modeling software to make a complete portrait of human effects on the ocean which in a way is a X ray of the ocean. Five years later they did it again, in order to get complete view of an ocean in transition. They discovered that “two-thirds of the ocean shows increased strain from human-related factors, such as fishing and climate change and more than three-quarters of coastal waters suffer from climate change and increases in the effects of harmful land-based activities, including pollution.” Overall, they conclude that about 40 percent of the ocean is “heavily impacted” by human activity. Biologist Ben Halpern says that the growing population is partly to be blamed. This makes since as some of the darkest spots on the map are in the East China and North Seas while others are mostly in the Northern hemisphere where 90 percent of humans live. On a brighter side, however, parts of the North Atlantic have seen reduced impact due to new regulations and more fuel efficient ships. It wasn’t very surprising to me that the ocean is heavily impacted by human activities, but it is also nice to figure out that human impact has reduced in some areas. The data reveals that we have increased concern about the environment, but there is still a long way to go. Also, it does not seem like a clean environment is being encouraged under the Trump administration and this may pose a large push-back on environmental progress. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/04/explore-human-impact-on-oceans/ |
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May 2017
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