Mihajlo Drajer
16/12/13
IB DP ESS SL
Mrs. Medenica

Current Event #3:

New Material to Enhance Crop Yield

The article was published on 'sciencedaily.com' which was written by A. Mendez. The article was published on the 16th of December, 2013.

In a couple of words, the article is talking about the newly created 'lab material' called "Biochar". By 'lab-material' it's implied that the material was forged in a laboratory environment, meaning it's artificial and not a product of nature/natural causes and occurrences. The article mentions how this new material can and does improve soil quality by making the soil more prone to become moisturized to the extent where it doesn't harm the health/quality of the soil. BY enhancing the soil quality, Biochar also enhances crop yield - which makes crops more available to humans for our needs. Biochar is the ideal material since it can turn a field with bad crops and poor soil quality, into an area which is flourishing with 'green' and is overall healthy. As more and more artificial fertilizers are used , the soil quality is slowly but steadily dropping on a global scale. Due to abusive treatments of farmers and those who grows large quantities of grain/vegetables/plant the soil's physique, texture and quality are being altered over time. Excess amount of water makes the soil more prone to becoming like sand, where it's not thick and composed by is similar to sand grains. This new characteristic is negative for farming since it'll make the water seep right through the soil and into groundwater - whilst dodging the seeds planted for growth. Biochar, of course, will make the soils quality and durability more effective over time. It's still in the process of being perfected, prior to being applied to larger amounts of soil. 

I find this substance to be quite beneficial to mankind, and that it should be bought/purchased and supported by governments. Soil is essential to life on Earth, since it serves multiple purposes such as; being a water filter, being a medium for raising plants, and so on forth. Without soil, or with soil of a really poor quality, the consequences would be severe. People would be affected by the scarcity in crops which are caused by unhealthy soil, which would cause starvation. Crops are essential to the diet of the majority of humans on Earth, and without it turmoil would be evoked. Therefore, biochar plays in perfectly since it will assure that the health of soil is positive - therefore making growing and harvesting crops more reliable to us. 

Link to article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131216080318.htm

“Global water scarcity to increase by 40%”

Mihajlo Drajer

IB DP ESS SL

Mrs. Medenica

19/12/13

                “Global water scarcity to increase by 40%” is the title of the article found on eco-business website (but originally came from “The Sydney Morning Herald”); a page that’s dedicated to informing people on the news between the relationship with ecology and business. The article was chosen because it is strongly tied with what we’ve studied recently in our ESS class. Water and soil pollutions were two major topics that were covered in November/December – therefore this article is very applicable to the Current Event – as a topic.

                Briefly, the article is focusing on a recent study which identified the fact that water scarcity will become more prominent in a short time due to factors such as overpopulation, etc. It’s important to define scarcity before delving into the articles summary. Scarcity can be simply described as a lack, the antonym of a surplus. Also, the title of the article can be misinterpreted. Once you read the article, the title makes a bit more sense. It’s not saying how the current lack of water will increase in certain areas, but that other parts of the world will become affected by water scarcity – those of whom weren’t affected before. Water scarcity is a serious and significant issue since humans, plants, and animals aren’t functional without fresh water. It’s a fact that a person can survive a week without food, but without water you’re lucky if you’re still alive after 3 days. This is not surprising, since around 70% of our bodies are made up for water (humans).  “The Sydney Morning Herald” is the newspaper that the article was published in (without having the name of the author) and in their article they claim that the reason why there will be this ‘boom’ of 40% increase in water scarcity is because of the ever-growing human population. This is no surprise, since the amount of children born every year is overwhelming for countries resources. The term overpopulation is used to define a countries state once their population over exceeds their resources such as; coil, oil, fresh water, and so on forth. Countries such as India and China are facing serious issues with overpopulation to the point where the countries governments have to take serious precautions and control the people more. China implemented laws on having a single child, and no more back in the 80’s. India is supposed to be working on educating women on contraceptives, and safe sex in order to prevent this tremendous growth in their population. Another factor that affects water scarcity would definitely be the Earth’s temperature and climate. As more gases are released into the atmosphere, and as our ozone layer is depleted the suns presence is becoming overwhelming for life on Earth. Heat that’s too high for certain places will cause water to evaporate at a rapid rate, a rate which it didn’t evaporate at before. Regions such as the Middle East, and continents like Europe and the Northern part of the US (the south is excluded since they are already heavily impacted by water scarcity) are all regions which have minimal water scarcity however they are prone to being exposed to water scarcity if water consumption is not controlled (due to overpopulation) and as pollution encourages and evokes global warming and enormous changes in temperature.

                To reflect on the article; I found this article to be quite disturbing. It made me feel really worried since I live in Europe and water scarcity could become prominent on my continent. This is pretty significant for me since I unfortunately live in a place where water is actually taken for granted: where people wash their cars once a week, leave the tap running when brushing their teeth, spend ages in the shower, you get the picture. I can’t imagine my life where only a small amount of water is available; therefore this article did leave a great impact on me. The article made me realize how no-one is safe when it comes down to water scarcity, and that a large number of areas will face this problem other countries have been dealing with for decades.

 

Link to article; http://www.eco-business.com/news/global-water-scarcity-predicted-rise-40/

The article was published on the 19^th on December, in the “The Sydney Morning Herald” and on eco-business.com

http://inserbia.info/news/2013/11/syrian-chemical-weapons-might-be-destroyed-at-sea/

Syrian Chemical Weapons Might Be Destroyed At Sea

I don't know what is worst to destroy chemical weapon on sea or on a land. In any way it will make big changes, on a land it will hurt people and contaminate the soil but if it will be destroyed on a sea it will kill fishes and other animals and pollute salt water which is our future to survive. 

“There are discussions about destroying it on a ship,” one US official told Reuters. is that going to save water? NO

The UN needs to find a new better solution for destroying Syrian chemical bombs. 

Any action will certainly need to be more intricate than when the Japanese government destroyed weapons leftover from World War II in 2004-2006. In doing so, the Japanese set up a disposal plant on a floating platform.

After this a lot of fishes died, just from vibration of explosion. 

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-13/chinas-extreme-smog-forces-pilots-to-train-for-blind-landings

China's Extreme Smog Forces Pilots to Train for Blind Landings

Airports in china are dealing with extreme smog, it is so huge that pilots who are landing into china need to processed through training for “blinding landing” or also known as “Cat 1” or that it is impossible to see further than 50 meters. Chinese authorities have mandated that pilots of domestic airlines be qualified to land when visibility falls below 400 meters “Cat 3”.  Chinese officials are targeting to reduce flight delays at Beijing Capital and Shanghai Pudong airports, which are two world’s worst records for on-time flights. The rules apply only to China’s domestic pilots and won’t affect training for U.S. aviators.

The kind of low-visibility approach mandated in China has become common for many U.S. carriers, particularly Alaska Airlines which mastered such landings in Alaska, where fog and rain are frequent. The company says such equipment and pilot training save it about $15 million annually, because cancellations and diversions on flights to Alaskan airports have been reduced.

China Views The Moon as a Pivotal Part in The Earth’s Future.

Title:  Why China is Fixated on The Moon

Author: David Shukman

Publication: BBC News

Source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25356603 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/25141597 

Date: November 29^th, 2013

The moon has always been regarded as a topic of interest by our world’s leading nations. In the past, nations such as the United States and Russia have taken their turns at exploring earth’s natural satellite, however, China has now advanced as the most recent country to begin their decent onto the moon. In an article published by BBC News, Professor Ouyang, acting as an advisor to the recent mission announced by China, gives insight into what exactly has the Chinese so intent on surveying the moon. Within the interview, Professor Ouyang explains the three motives behind the Chinese moon mission. One of the key aims, explains Ouyang, is to further improve knowledge about earth’s neighbors, specifically the moon. He believes that by doing so the Chinese will be able to gain insight into the moon’s origins, as well as its evolutionary process. This motive is regarded as one of the key aims behind the mission.

Furthermore, Ouyang emphasizes the positive effects this mission will have on technological advances in China. The mission is believed to result in vast improvements within various fields, including: communications, computers, IT skills, as well as the use of different materials. Moreover, Ouyang adds that a third and equally important motive behind the mission is the aim to create China’s own intellectual team. When questioned as to exactly what makes the moon so enticing, Ouyang gave reporters insight into some of the various benefits the moon has the ability to provide Earth. The moon is known to hold exotic materials, like helium-3, as well as the potential for solar power. Both of which hold great importance to humankind. In fact, it is believed that the moon is so rich in helium-3 that it very well may “solve human beings” energy demands for around 10,000 years at least .Overall, with numerous motives and various beneficial factors, it is no wonder why China is so fixated on the moon.

I found these two articles very interesting, as I believe it strongly connects to the “Resources” topic which we have studied in class. If we control emissions of dangerous pollutants, and use the moon and perhaps even other planets to our benefit as resource, we may be able to stabilize grand issues affecting the Earth and atmosphere such as global warming and so on. On the other hand, will we display ourselves as selfish once again and take all the resources from the moon before allowing them to be renewed? I hope not. In any case, the exploration of the moon will be a grand advantage and aid in scientific aspects to our society. 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/11/pictures/131127-manual-oil-drilling-myanmar/
Joseph Eaton

Myanmar, formally known as Burma is a country located in South East Asia that currently has a very large group of independent oil prospectors. This oil prospectors are usually farmers that want to supplement their money from farming by also selling crude oil. They use methods from the 1800's that can sometimes be incredibly dangerous. In a world where enormous oil companies have drilling operations all over the world its very odd that a resource rich country like Myanmar would not have such an underdeveloped oil infrastructure. The reason for this is that over the last five decades there have been extreme sanctions placed on the regime that ruled Myanmar for their conduct in the political and social realms of Myanmar. As of now a large portion of these sanctions have been lifted due to political and social reforms within Myanmar. Oil companies are already lining up for their shot and drilling inside of Myanmar and on the coast with many companies already securing land a ocean drilling rights. It seems that the last days of independent oil prospectors in Myanmar are approaching. This article does not have much of a conclusion when it comes to what this could mean for the environment in Myanmar and in South East Asia. It makes you wonder whether or not this will be a positive for the environment. On the one hand it allows us to continue our dependence on oil rather than looking for new ways to create green energy. It will surely lead to at least a few minor oil spills on land or in the ocean which will kill a huge amount of organisms but could it be better than the current situation in Myanmar? With farmers using methods developed in the 1800's they are surely themselves hurting the environment by not containing the oil that they drill. The same thing has happened in Nigeria where poor Nigerians tap into the huge oil pipelines across the country, causing enormous spills because of their inability to handle a crude oil operation of that size safely. It may actually be safer and better for Myanmar in general to have professionals drill for oil rather than having poor farmers doing the drilling.

Pollution in Mozambique

Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. "Water pollution in Mozambique." ScienceDaily, 6 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Dec. 2013.


             Olivia Carolina Narcisco Pedro is a woman who's PhD project has helped Mozambique identify their water pollution and establish methods for monitoring it. The majority of the population of Mozambique is generated by cyanobacteria and the production of microcystins. Most people in that developing country lack fresh water because of this. Effluent from agriculture, households and industry are the primary source of pollution, but the exploiting of natural gas, metals and other resource certainly doesn't help. The high temperatures in Mozambique are an issue as well-they can lead to an increase in the runnoff of the nutrients into surface water, which intensifies the eutrophication of lakes and the blooming of cyanobacteria. Many species of these bacteria produce toxic components, so-called cyanotoxins.  Microcystins are the smallest are the largest group an can have a negative effect on human health. According to Ms Narcisco, an effective management of the drinking water systems, which is capable of monitoring cyanobacterial blooms is required. She conducted her studies by taking samples from three areas in southern Mozambique: the Pequenos Libombos dam, the Nhambavale lake and the Chokwe irrigation canal. The first two are major sources of potable water and Chokwe is mainly used for irrigation. She proved that there is a connection between seasons and the amount of cyanobacteria microcystins and the concentration of microcystins in freshwater.
           This PhD project benefited Mozambique greatly and proves that scientific, or any kind of for that matter, research can be very beneficial. Exploration of pollution topics are especially effective, because discoveries can be made and things could be changed for the better.

                               Blooming of cyanobacteria in Pequenos Libombos dam, Mozambique. 

Water Desalination Capacity Climbs on Power, Energy Needs

Article by Peter Green, Bloomberg, Oct 14 2013


             The issue of most of the water on earth being saline and the depletion of fresh water is an important one. However according to Christopher Gasson, publisher of Global Water Intelligence, a lot of progress is being made to resolve this problem. Desalination plants have been growing more efficient, a 30% improvement in energy efficiency has been made in the best functioning plants. This article as a reminder that those plant should not be considered as an unreliable weapon against fresh water depravation. The usual criticism of these plants is that only economically developed countries have them and the they consume a lot of energy. Gasson, however, said in a statement: ''The energy industry needs water, both in refining power generation as well as upstream. The water industry also needs energy, and the two seem to be coming together in increased demand for desalination.'' Desalinated water can create energy, that should partially make up for the energy it requires. Desalination methods have been improved throughout the years, as well. More than 66% now use more efficient membrane and pumps to purify water, the rest boil water and recover the salt-free steam. South Africa, Jordan. Mexico, Libya, Chile, India and China; are the countries that are the countries that are expected to have the biggest desalination growth in the next five years. That is good sing, because we are used to progress in wealthier countries when it comes to desalination. It is also important to note that fresh water is not always drinkable, so this does not do much regarding that, hopefully some good news will emerge for potable water in the near future...
             

Saudi Arabia, Largest Desolation plant on the planet

Can We Turn Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Into Electricity?

Title: Can We Turn Unwanted Carbon Dioxide Into Electricity?

Author: Pam Frost Gorder

Publication: Science Daily

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131212185904.htm 

Date: 12.12.2013  

The researchers from the University of Minnesota, Ohio State University and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have joined together in order to develop new ways of using geothermal heat to produce renewable energy. They have established a very promising design which uses carbon dioxide in order to generate heat which would usually be emitted to the atmosphere and thus contribute to climate change.

The new design is a mixture of a typical geothermal power plant, and a large Hardon Collider. It is made up of concentric rings of horizontal wells that are deep underground. Inside of these rings, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water all circulate separately in order to take heat from under the ground and pull it to the surface. Here, the heat is used for turning turbines and generating electricity. A snippet of the interview with Jeffrey Bielicki is present in the article and he states that CO2 extracts heat more efficiently than water. This design is believed to be excellent in storing energy and extracting heat as it may take away as much as 15 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. This is roughly equivalent to the amount produced by three medium sized coal-fired power plants in the same time.

The researchers are hopeful and believe that their idea will spread quickly throughout the United States. They are very optimistic as it has been found that the technology needed to begin using this tool is already present in some industries around the states.  

I believe that this design is incredibly helpful as renewable energy will now be delivered directly to the customers when it is needed, rather than when the wind happens to be blowing, or when spring thaw causes the greatest runoff. These geothermal resources and new advances in science and technology can reduce greenhouse emission, enhance renewable energy production and then store that energy for when it is needed most. I chose to write about this article because I found it incredibly interesting upon learning about the "Resources" and "Pollution" unit this quarter.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/12/131213-washing-hands-hot-water-wastes-energy-health/
By Brian Clark Howard
This article is very applicable to our area of study at the moment. Through our water unit we looked at a lot of simple things that people do everyday that can be very wasteful. Leaving the tap on while you shave, owning a wasteful toilet, showering for more than 10 minutes. All of these things seem like harmless activities when they can have an enormously detrimental effect on the environment. This article is about another one of those little things we see as harmless than can be fixed very easily. That little thing is washing our hands. This article isn't suggesting we stop washing our hands all together, it explains what can happen if people wash their hands in abnormally hot water. Its a fact that hot water kills bacteria but when people assume that turning up the heat in their sink will actually make a difference in their health they're not only wrong but they are also harming the environment. There is little difference between washing our hands in the hottest water possible, without scolding our skin, and washing it in luke warm/cold water. The amount of bacteria that can be killed is the same. This may not seem like such a big deal but when we look at how many times on average Americans wash their hands we see a huge waste of energy. "That's roughly equal to the emissions of two coal-fired power plants, or 1,250,000 passenger vehicles, over the course of a year. It's higher than the greenhouse gas emissions of small countries like El Salvador or Armenia, and is about equivalent to the emissions of Barbados. If all U.S. citizens washed their hands in cooler water, it would be like eliminating the energy-related carbon emissions of 299,700 U.S. homes, or the total annual emissions from the U.S. zinc or lead industries." The fact that this can add up to the same greenhouse gas emissions as a small country is ridiculous. It is something that can be fixed quite easily and should be fixed. This is just another example of how small changes in our everyday lifestyles could help the environment a lot.

World Toilet Day #thankyoutoilet

Title: World Toilet Day - #thankyoutoilet

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP8ISrRE1RU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=968643i0pWM

http://worldtoiletday.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Toilet_Organization

http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get%20involved/world%20toilet%20day

Date: 19th November 2013

The WTO (World Toilet Organization) is a nonprofit global organization whose mission is to improve sanitation conditions around the world. “World Toilet Day” is a UN recognized event that is held annually on the 19th of November. The aim of this day is to diminish the taboo around toilets and bring people together in order to help improve this international sanitation crisis.

It was created in order to raise global awareness on the struggles that 2.5 billion people face, and their daily battles. This international day has received help from “the media, the private sector, development organisations and civil society”.

Here are some of the striking facts which I found on youtube and mainly the websites mentioned above.

Even though “sanitation” has been declared a human right, 2.5 billion people don’t have an access to a toilet. The effect that this has on the society is that many girls end up quitting school once they hit puberty either by their own choice, or by their parents. Another consequence of not having a toilet are the countless of diseases that the residents become more prone to. People face serious diarrhea complications which have led to a high mortality rate in less economically developed countries. It has been found that every minute a child dies due to diarrhea diseases as a result of not having access to a proper toilet. The reason for this is that the residents of LEDC’s already have a lower immune system which isn'’t able to survive once hit with another disease, and horrifically leads to death.

Next to illnesses and death, another issue that one third of the world faces due to not having access to a proper toilet is water contamination and sanitation. People are forced to search elsewhere when in need of a toilet, which the majority of the time leads to rivers. In less economically developed countries, these rivers are also used for drinking and bathing water, and can lead to high pollution and contamination. As a cause of this, the fishing stock is polluted, along with the health of the residents.

The aim of Toilet Day is to inform people globally and influence them to help as it has been found that the toilet is a machine which can at this point save more lives than any other. If we establish basic sanitation in LEDC’s, there will be less time spent in poverty as there will be less sick individuals. Since there will be less ill children, mothers will not have to stay at home as much and they, along with the rest of the female population, will be able to receive an education. In addition to this, a large amount of money will be saved for educational purposes rather than spent on medicine for diarrhea problems etc.

I chose this current event as I believe that sanitation is one of the most important factors in our daily lives and it allows us to grow in every other aspect. I think it is unacceptable from a moral, human and economic perspective to know that one third of the globe does not have access to basic hygiene. If we come together to help these less economically developed countries, the result will be clear. Not only can we provide a greater life for 2.5 billion people in the world, but it is mandatory for us to look at the value of water, and consider the implications and effects that facts like these are having on it. The naked truth is that water is no longer considered a renewable resource, and we must spend more time caring for our natural resources.

You Are What Your Father Eats: Father's Diet Before Conception Plays Crucial Role in Offspring's Health, Study Suggests

An old phrase once said, “You are what you eat”. However, scientists have shown that this might not fully be the case. New research has shown that, while mothers get all of the attention during pregnancy, the health of the father is often overlooked. It is known to science that father’s determine the gender of the baby, however it is not known that the diet of the father influences the health of the child. What the father eats prior to the conception is now known to play a large role in the health of the child.

            The research that was done focused on the vitamin B9- also known as folate. During pregnancy, women are advised to eat green vegetables, fruits, meats, and cereal to keep the levels of this vitamin in an organism high. This helps stabilize the pregnancy and prevents miscarriages, and defects and birth.

            Recently, research by the Kimmis group has shown that the amount of folate the father’s consume has the same impact on the child, as the mother’s folate levels. This means that fathers should also watch and make sure that they are eating a balanced diet before planning to consume a child, because the child is more likely to be born healthy if both the father and mother have enough folate and have sufficient nutrients in their organism and a balanced diet.

            Research states "Despite the fact that folic acid is now added to a variety of foods, fathers who are eating high-fat, fast food diets or who are obese may not be able to use or metabolize folate in the same way as those with adequate levels of the vitamin," stating the importance of the father’s diet.

Furthermore, research has been conducted on mice, and comparing the offspring. The offspring was divided into those where fathers had a sufficient amount of folate in their organism, and those who did not. The results were shocking. They found out that if on the paternal side there was not enough folate consumed, the offspring had more birth defects, which is something that can directly be related to humans. Men that are planning to be fathers need to watch their diet, and exercise routine, and make sure to take enough folate to ensure the birth of a healthy baby. Also, it has come to my attention, that it is not only women who need to quit smoking and alcohol while trying to conceive, the habits and lifestyle of the father, also very much affect the baby!

Women with Asthma Could Face Delay in Becoming Pregnant

New research informs us that women with asthma could take a longer time to conceive a child. This is one of the more serious fertility experiments being done in a longer time, because it is known that approximately more than 35% of women have asthma, meaning that about a quarter of the female population on Earth could have troubles conceiving a child. In Bispebjerg University Hospital situated in Denmark, a questionnaire has been made and taken by 15,000 twins living in Denmark, all aged up to 41. The test subjects were all asked to answer questions about the presence of asthma in their organism, and this enabled a direct correlation between the two sisters who have the same genetic makeup. The researchers divided the women into categories, and then subdivided them further. They divided women who have asthma, from the ones who do not, and then further subdivided them into those being treated for asthma medically, and those not being treated. Every woman was asked for the amount of children she has, if she has any, and how long it took her to get pregnant.

In the end, it was noticed that the women all had similar amounts of children, but it took women who had asthma, and that were not treated for it, a much longer time. The women who were being treated for asthma had nearly the same time waiting for pregnancy like women who do not have asthma. This shows that asthma is a growing problem, and that a significant amount of women have this medical condition. It is proven that, when treated, women who have asthma can have children regularly, but women who are not treated need a longer time for pregnancy. Therefore, asthma treatments need to become even more common, especially for women who are at the peak of their reproductive life, since they can have children normally, and not wait for prolonged periods of time to get pregnant.

Therefore, ladies, if you ever suspect that you might have asthma, and have the symptoms, getting treated sooner than later will be beneficial to your fertility, so see doctor as soon as possible! 

"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.