"Madagascar's bid to save its majestic baobab trees"

Antonia Bornemann

10/12/2013

Current Event #3

By Errol Barnett and Teo Kermeliotis, CNN

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/31/world/africa/madagascar-deforestation-baobab/index.html

Madagascar’s landscape has been famous for the baobab trees for centuries. The trees have quite a unique shape and are unmovable symbols of the scenery in Antananarivo, Madagascar. A myth states that when gods planted the trees, these kept walking away so that the gods had to plant them upside down, which now explains the name under which the baobab tree is also known, “the upside down tree”. The island country, located in the Indian Ocean, has quit a rich ecosystem of several animal and plant species. These have lived here in isolation for the last millions of years, which is the reason why 90% of the wildlife found here, cannot be found anywhere else on the planet anymore. However, 6/8 of the baobab tree species are now considered to be endemic species to Madagascar. This causes an enormous threat to the citizens of Madagascar because the tree has been used as a food resource as well as a medical one. The fruits of these treats are edible and the leaves are usually used for several medical purposes. Furthermore, water is stored in the trunks of the trees during very dry periods. "First, they use the bark for the construction of their house and then they use leaves as medicinal plants. They eat also the fruit because the fruit are very rich in vitamins and don't forget also it's one of the attractions for tourists to come here. There are many interactions with the life of community living around forest," explains botanist Jimmy Razafitsalama. Although the people living in Madagascar are aware of the value of the baobab tree, their actions are creating a serious threat to the species. The country already lost about 90% of its forest and nature due to deforestation. Although several rural communities are dependent on the island’s resources, they will have to end exploiting the land that is surrounding them. A lot of environmentalists state that actions such as logging for timber and fuel wood or “slash and burn agriculture”, in which a forest is simply burned to create fields, are destroying the lands biodiversity and creating a threat to key species. "They cut the trees down to clear the land for agriculture or for grazing their animals," says Razafitsalama, who has moved to the island's northernmost part near the city of Diego Suarez to teach locals about biodiversity. The country has now come up with some conservation and reforestation programs in order to gain their biodiversity and environment back.  If no further action is taken soon, then one of the world’s biggest biodiversity hotspots, Madagascar, will slowly be destroyed.

Reading this made me think of how we, the humans, are just destroying more and more of the nature surrounding us without even knowing or realizing its value to us. I think it is scary to read how much deforestation is taking place, not only in Madagascar, and how little is done to stop this. The people being aware of this should increase and all of us show try to do our part in this process.

Microplastics 'pose toxic threat to marine biodiversity'

Antonia Bornemann

10/12/2013

Current Event #2

By Mark Kinver

Environment reporter, BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25186871

According to a recently conducted study, little particles of plastic stemming from waste may have a negative impact on the biodiversity of species from the water. “Micro plastics” are possibly transferring toxic pollutants and other chemicals into the intestines of lugworms (Arenicola marina)  which then reduce their functions. Lugworms are famous for their ability to eat on organic matter from the sediment reducing the build-up. The pollutants released cause thermal stress and minimize the ability to consume as much sediment as before. Every year, 150 million tons, an estimation from the researchers, of waste is just disappearing from the global waste stream (findings can be found in the academic journal Current Biology). "We are losing a large volume of plastic and we know it is going into the environment and the assumption being made by policymakers is that this material is non-hazardous, it has got the same ranking as scraps of food," explained co-author Mark Browne, an ecologist from the US-based National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. However, the research conducted really challenges this statement. Results prove that the plastic itself can affect species and create a problem in the ecosystem. But not only the plastic is life threatening for the lugworms, the plastic brings huge numbers of pollutants with it that are banned, which then also affect the rest of the ecosystem. "If the animals are not able to eat as much then there is a change in the function of the organisms and there is an impact on the semblance of the species found in an area," Dr. Browne said. According to the researcher, this was the first study showing the risk that is created by exposing marine species to micro plastics. “For about 40 or 50 years, we have been finding very large concentrations of chemicals in animals. Then they started to find animals with larger concentrations of pollutants and plastics, so researchers began to establish this correlation.”
I personally think this is super important to know. The pollution might “only” affect lugworms at the moment, but as the researcher said, this will have a bigger impact on other species since lugworms are eaten by bigger organisms. This allows the pollutant to be passed on in the food web or food chain infecting other marine species with the pollutant. I can’t believe that they have found pollutants in species for over 40 years only recently made this connection.

Pollution-Free Boating

Title: Pollution-Free Boating
Author: Andy Wallace
Date: December 3rd 2013
Publication: Environmental News Network

Electric cars often come up in conversations about saving the environment as the more eco friendly future of our transportation. Several car brands, such as Chevrolet (Volt), Nissan (Leaf), and Ford (C-Max Energi) have already produced their own models. However, by concentrating on the roadways, people often neglect discussion of waterways.

Electronic boats are also a way of sustainable and economical transportation. In fact, they might be the only watercrafts allowed on municipal water by 2020. New Electric, an electric-conversion company, is already influencing the industry of electric vehicles through their contributions to battery-powered boats.

Ecologically acceptable ways of water transport are important as water pollution keeps getting worse. According to Clean Technica, 700 000 000 gallons of oil are poured into the oceans every yea, and that is oil alone. This is only worsened by engine-exhaust and waste from conventional ships. Aside from ocean and air pollution, the oceanic fauna is harmed by noise pollution as well. Certain species, such as orcas and dolphins, are especially affected due to their sensitivity to loud sounds. This could be fixed if electric-converted watercraft were used as they are much more quiet and they do not pollute air at all.

As Anne Kloppenborg, CEO of New Electric, said - "Making electric boats isn't just making boats cleaner; it's making boats better." So not only that the usage of those boats reduces air, water, and noise pollution, but it can also be seen as more enjoyable. For once, the motor is free of vibration and sound. Consequently, the passengers can have a better experience of the natural sounds of water, waves, and wind, which are normally drowned out by engine sounds.

I thought this would be a good current event to write about as we were just going over water pollution in class. We talked about the many ways water is being polluted, and I thought it would be interesting to mention electric boats as a step towards improving the situation. I think this is a great idea, though I am a bit worried about whether it will become popular soon enough. Many regular boat producing companies will fight against it pretty strongly as it will impact their income, and there does not seem to be enough advertising to let people know that it is even an option. I hope the predictions about 2020 are correct and that this type of transportation will become dominant soon.

Corals surviving ocean polution

           

                Corals such as Porites and Pocillopora are adapting well to the acidification of the oceans. A study was done along the Gulf of California. These corals are amongst the most important organisms in the reefs of the Oriental Pacific Ocean. The oceans’, during pre-industrial earth, PH was 8.15. Now, is 8.05 – they are becoming more acidic. The acidification of the oceans is mainly caused by air pollution (caused by exhaust gasses and industrial pollution- an increase of carbon dioxide emissions). Scientists at the Center of Biological research of the Northeast used radiographic plates to visualize changes in extension, density and calcification. They also extracted DNA from the corals in order to know their genetic diversity. According to scientist Balart Paez: "These marine organisms are healthy, for the moment, because of a bigger energetic expense given by a genetic adaptation, however as the acidification levels rise there can be a disturbance in the sexual proportions. ". Genetic adaptation allowed these corals to survive in polluted waters. The effect that the acidulation has one them is dependent on their gender (the Porites have both males and females and the Pocillopora are hermaphrodites). The corals can produce more energy than they spend for adaptation, which makes them sustainable for now. However Paez says that higher levels of pollution could alter the gender balance for the worst  (Porites).

Russia outlaws abortion ads

Published time: November 25, 2013 14:05

Russia Today online website

The article talks about Vladimir Putin signing a law that makes advertising abortions illegal. The law put in place also makes free samples that contain narcotic or psychotropic substances illegal, “rises the age of voluntary consent for illegal drug tests from 16 to 18 years” and raises the punishment on practicing illegal folk medicine. But the center of this article is the banning of abortion advertising, because it is a small restriction of choice and social rights. Policy makers are trying to implement laws that will increase Russia’s fertility rate, but conservatives say that abortion is to be blamed for Russia “dwindling population” and therefore they try to implement laws like these. Conservatives like the church warren people that abortions are not just unethical but is also the reason why Russia’s population will be wiped out. In Russia in the past five years the number of abortions has fallen by a quarter, but Russia still has over a million abortions a year as reported by Deputy Health Minister Tatyana Yakovleva. By looking at the number of abortions per year and the children that those aborted children will have it is not crazy to suggest that by making abortions illegal and not only their adverting may slow down or even solve Russia’s decreasing population. This was not mentioned in the article but it is a suggestion when the topic of abortion and decreasing in population is mentioned. Because if Russia was to ban abortions because of the deceasing in population. Then they would have to do it sooner than later. Because considering that each year there are less and less people and possibly because of that less and less abortions, you have to consider that if people do stop having abortions it will take years till those kids reach reproductive age. It just suggests that economically developed countries might have to take extreme, unmoral and non-liberal decisions to control their population issue, similarly to Chinese one child policy. Soon the desperate times will call for desperate measures.

http://rt.com/politics/russia-abortion-advertising-ban-266/

http://swimswam.com/water-pollution-still-a-concern-for-rio-2016s-open-water-swimming-site/

WATER POLLUTION STILL A CONCERN FOR RIO 2016′S OPEN WATER SWIMMING SITE

 

Rio de Janeiro has a problem with water population was centuries but now it can forbid swimming contest planned for 2016. Water is too populated and World Swimming comity doesn’t want to put in danger swimmers.

Coliform bacteria is the most dangerous one in Brazil waters, measurements showed that three weeks ago it was 16 times higher than Brazil adequate level and 195 times higher than US water regulation. Coliform bacteria can be present in food and water, bacteria is fermenting lactose but it is cannot seriously harm a health condition.   

If Brazil don’t solve his problem with water there will be noting from the 2016 water Olympics. Big organizations like FINA, FISA, and ISAF will not send sportiest to Rio because of safety reasons.  

I choose this text because it is connected to our previous unit- water and also it is very interesting that I found out how Brazil is being “blackmailed” with water, it was the same thing with China on 2008 Olympic Games, but there was with air pollution and not with water pollution. 

Water industry warns it may not match demands of public supply and fracking

Title: Water industry warns it may not match demands of public supply and fracking
Author: ClickGreen staff
Publication: Environmental News Network
Date: November 27th 2013

Water UK, which represents the water industry, admitted in a report that there may not be enough water to effectively support the public and meet demands while also supporting fracking operations.
This statement was released by the water industry after a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Onshore Operators Group in which all of the members agreed to cooperate in shale gas exploration and extraction processes.
One of the key aims of the agreement is to give the public more insight into what is being done to help the water resources and the environment and reassure them that action is being taken.

Through reviewing recent reports of shale gas extraction, Water UK has concluded that while there are risks to water as a resource, this can be helped through enforcement of regulatory framework.

The organisation also highlighted the risks related to fracking, especially since those are not yet fully understood. It explained that "The pressure on local water resources will depend in part on the pace and extent of shale gas extraction, although the potential to reclaim and reuse large proportions of water from each site promises to significantly mitigate the risks to local water resources.

However, where water is in short supply there may not be enough available from public water supplies or the environment to meet the requirements for hydraulic fracturing.

Shale gas companies should therefore engage with water companies as early as possible to ensure their needs can be met without reducing the security of supply to existing customers."

Furthermore, they appealed to the government of the United Kingdom to consider introducing legislation that would ensure that British water undertakers are consulted in planning processes for onshore oil and gas exploration and development. This way, water companies would gain important information about future extraction sites and would have enough time to make sure that all risks are understood and examined, and that the protection of water and the environment is prioritised.

I thought this would be an important article to consider, as we are discussing water as a resource in class at the moment. We have learned how unsustainable the resource is being used and that there is a danger of it running out, and this article is yet another proof of that. I think that this is an incredibly important issue and so attention should be drawn to it, which is why I chose this article