PHS 100A, Environmental Studies
Warner Pacific University
February 1, 2012
Future Development and Sustainability
Changes needed in our society to confront future development and sustainability are modifications in our “behaviors, institutions, and technologies” (Brennan, 2011, p. 677). Sustainability as defined by The United Nations (UN) is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs” (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, 2009). The UN further states that this “requires the integration of its economic, environmental and social components at all levels by continuous dialogue and action in global partnership.” So we need to collectively find a way to balance environmental goals, social goals and economic goals. According to the World Conservation Union we are currently out of balance in these areas and top heavy in economic and social goals and deficient in realistic and working environmental goals (Resources, 2006). The World Conservation Union remarks “development decisions by governments, businesses and other actors do allow trade-offs and put greatest emphasis on the economy above other dimensions of sustainability. This is a major reason why the environment continues to be degraded and development does not achieve desirable equity goals.” The report goes on to say that the integration of economic, environmental and social components cannot be treated equally because the economy is an “institution that emerges from society” and that they are virtually one and the same as society creates rules to mediate the exchange of goods or value (Resources, 2006). The environment on the other hand is not created by society and trade offs are limited in regards to human activity.
In 1992, Edward Wilson noted that human activities have increased 'background' extinction rates by between 100 and 10,000 times. 'We are’, he said, ‘in the midst of one of the great extinction spasms of geological history” (Resources, 2006). The Millennium Assessment (MA) which was implemented by UN secretary Kofi Annan in 2000, “to assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and the scientific basis for action needed to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of those systems and their contribution to human well-being makes quite clear that not only does the level of poverty remain high, but inequality is growing” (Overview of the Milliennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). The main finding of the MA were that in the last 50 years humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly than at any other time in history. This has been due to the rising demand for food, water, timber, fiber and fuel (Overview of the Milliennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). These changes have been for human gain and environmental loss which has aggravated poverty for some peoples. This in itself diminishes sustainability for future generations. There needs to be significant changes in policies, institutions and practices for measurable sustainability to occur.
It appears that what we have been doing regarding sustainability isn’t working and to try and fix a broken system would just be wasting time and depleting our resources even more. There needs to be new ways of thinking and a doing away with “business as usual” (Resources, 2006). One thing to look at is our ravenous consumption appetite and developing awareness that our production systems are flawed. Advertising and media which are so powerful globally actually promote the opposite view, that production and consumption are good and favorable. This promotion can cause people to remain ignorant of the fact that we have limited natural resources and that we cannot indefinitely continue to consume goods and certain services at our current level. This new look at sustainability must include “both the human needs and aspirations of the poor of developing world, and the over-consumption in the industrialized world (Resources, 2006). There needs to be reeducation to the myth that if we remove a stress to an ecological system then it will simply renew itself. This myth gives humans comfort that the environment will always support us therefore ensuring our existence indefinitely. This is simply not the truth and can be plainly seen with some education from knowledgeable sources in our communities, cities, states, internationally and globally. There also needs to also be education regarding the poverty inflicted on certain groups of people due to the exhaustive use of natural resources and the rapid and continued expand of industrialism.
The World Conservation Union states “Sustainability needs to be made the basis of a new understanding of human aspiration and achievement. The relevant metric of sustainability is ‘the production of human wellbeing (not necessarily material goods) per unit of extraction from or imposition upon nature” (Resources, 2006). In fact, the United Nations is hosting a High Level Meeting on Happiness and Wellbeing: Defining a New Economic Paradigm in New York on April 2, 2012. The UN prefaces this meeting on their website by stating “The world is at a crossroads. The future of mankind and the planet is at stake” (Happiness and Wellbeing). Jigmi Y. Thinley, Prime Minister, Royal Government of Bhutan states:
Our global economic system is in rapid melt-down, starting with the financial collapse of 2008 and now manifesting in Europe’s severe and spreading debt crisis. That economic system, based on the totally unsustainable premise of limitless growth on a finite planet, is the direct cause of the very policies that the IEA says are leading us to a calamitous end as evident in the growing frequency and magnitude of manmade and natural disasters. And that economic system has produced ever widening inequities, with 20% of the world’s people now consuming 86% of its goods, 84% of its paper, and 87% of its cars, while the poorest 20% consume 1% or less of each and emit only 2% of the world’s greenhouse gases. That gap, coupled with the deep economic crisis, led the International Labour Organization to warn on 30 October that the world faces years of social unrest as economies falter (Happiness and Wellbeing).
The Prime Minister also sees this meeting as an opportunity for international consensus for the creation of sustainability based economic paradigm with national accounting systems and to slow resource degradation and to support and protect the world’s most vulnerable peoples. It is planned that key representative leaders from developed and developing nations, along with leading economists, scientists, and civil society and spiritual leaders, come together to issue a call at the UN on 2nd April for a sustainability-based economic development paradigm to replace the current system. It is thought that this project would be worked on over the next year and then would be available for implementation on a voluntary basis in national policy.
How is my major in human development affected by environmental issues? Malnutrition, inadequate water supply and environmental pollution pose serious problems to human health. From an environmental perspective shortage of arable land and water stress are important drivers for food vulnerability. Unsafe drinking water and indoor air pollution are the most serious environmental offenders, in view of current loss of human health (Outstanding Environmental Issues for Human Development, 2005). According to the 2011 Human Development Report, “power imbalances and gender inequalities at the national level are linked to reduced access to clean water and improved sanitation, land degradation and deaths due to indoor and outdoor air pollution, amplifying the effects associated with income disparities (Human Development Report 2011 Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All, 2011). Equal access to water, energy, healthcare, reproductive care and sanitation could help sustainability and human development. It is further stated that “Poor and disadvantaged people suffer most from environmental degradation” (Human Development Report 2011 Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All, 2011) and I have certainly found that to be true in the work I do with low income women and children. Most of the women I work with do not have a high school diploma or a GED and little work history. Most of the women are in their early to mid thirties and have at least two children if not four or five that they cannot support financially. Child care is expensive and even more so if you have more than one child so often attending college or taking classes to obtain a GED can be very difficult. This forces families to remain on state assistance to meet their needs for medical, dental, food and a small cash assistance. Many of these children have medical issues some quite serious due to drug use while pregnant, domestic violence while pregnant, living in unsanitary conditions, and malnourishment. I have seen children with symptoms that I as a mother would be concerned about, have an extremely difficult time accessing appropriate medical resources or be taken seriously. These women that I work with often do not have any education surrounding healthy eating, exercise, environment, community, and certainly not sustainability. I am fortunate that I have access to 28 women that I can give share this information with. I also have many volunteers, who come to our center and teach the women about health and wellness, growing a garden even in an apartment setting, eating organic or local and reproductive health. Personally, I want to start composting in my backyard this spring and become more involved in my local community, maybe attending a neighborhood meeting. These are some of the ways that I am using this course to be a steward of the environment.
References
Brennan, S. &. (2011). Environment The Science Behind the Stories. San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc.
Happiness and Wellbeing. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2012, from World-Happiness.org: http://world-happiness.org/upcoming-events/high-level-meeting-on-happiness-and-wellbeing-april-2-2012/
Human Development Report 2011 Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All. (2011). Retrieved January 29, 2012, from United Nations Development Programme: http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf
Outstanding Environmental Issues for Human Development. (2005). Retrieved January 29, 2012, from PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency: http://www.pbl.nl/en/publications/2005/Outstanding_Environmental_Issues_for_Human_Development
Overview of the Milliennium Ecosystem Assessment. (2005). Retrieved January 29, 2012, from Millenium Assessment Web: http://www.maweb.org/en/About.aspx
Resources, I. U. (2006, January 29-31). The Future of Sustainability Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from International Union for Nature and Natural Resources: http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/iucn_future_of_sustanability.pdf
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. (2009). Retrieved January 29, 2012, from UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Division for Sustainable Development: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/index.shtml?utm_source=OldRedirect&utm_medium=redirect&utm_content=dsd&utm_campaign=OldRedirect
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Future Environmental Issues: Related to Human Development and Teaching by Lori
PHS 100A: Environmental Studies
Warner Pacific College
February 1, 2012
When looking to the future, I can see multiple paths that our society could travel down. We could keep going the way we are now and be certain that things will end badly very soon. We can make small changes and hope for a better future. Or we can make big, albeit expensive changes and have a wonderful future to look forward to. Personally I would choose the last option. However like I said, it would be expensive.
Our society is in desperate need for change. We need better ways to fuel our cars and heat our homes. At the rate we are going, our world as we currently know it will cease to exist in the near future. One way we can change we can make is our dependency on fossil fuels. Easier said than done right? Our society as a whole needs to take a step back and really analyze what we really should be dependent on. We need to be more conscious about how we fuel our cars and consequences of the emissions our cars produce. The amount of greenhouse gases every car produces in a single day is huge.
According the EPA’s website:
“The Fifth U.S. Climate Action Report concluded, in assessing current trends, that greenhouse gas emissions increased by 17 percent from 1990-2007. Over that same time period, the U.S. GDP increased by 65 percent and population increased by 21 percent. The dominant factor affecting U.S. emissions trends is CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion, which increased by 21.8 percent over the 17-year period, while methane and nitrous oxide emissions decreased by 5 percent and 1 percent, respectively.”
From reading this, one obvious answer would be population control. Less people, less chance for green house emissions to go up. However, this is something I would never consider as an option.
In order to think about sustainability we need to look at new renewable resources such as wind and solar power. I think that solar power is a great way to go. I would have solar panels on my house if they weren’t quite so expensive. In the long run however, soar power would almost end up paying you. The website “solarpowerrocks.com” they detail the cost and rebates to having solar power in Washington State. They also have the details for every state in the country.
“Sample 5kW home solar electricity system cost — Seattle
1. Cost before incentives:$35,000 (5,000Watts*$7/W)
2. 30% Federal Tax Credit: Subtract $10,500
3. Estimated annual production ±5,500kWh*:subtract between $825 and $2,970
4. Avoided Energy Costs: subtract about $440 (cost of electricity increases 5.5%/yr)
5. Years to payback: as fast as 7 years!
Estimated Net Cost Now: between $21,088 and $23,233
Estimated Net Cost in 2020: ¡-$12,437!**
*in most of Washington, a 5kW pv system will produce much more than 5,500kWh of electricity a year. Ask your local installer for more details.
**that’s right. A negative cost. That is the same thing as a payment. In this scenario, the system has paid you to the tune of $12,437.00!!! A 35% ROI! We kid you not.”
So, I guess that solar power would be the way to go for an individual. This might be something that I would seriously consider doing in the future and would help sustain my family.
When it comes to how environmental issues affect my major I am not sure. Because I have not decided what I will be doing when I finish school I haven’t really thought about it much. I have been thinking about the possibility of teaching some day. When thinking in terms of schools and the students, there are many things that need to be done to help schools become more sustainable. The district I am looking at working for already has some good environmental habits in place but they still have quite a ways to go. One thing that I think would help improve the schools immensely is finding a better local source for school food. I have seen the giant semi trucks that go to the school and think of how horrible all the processed food must be. If they could find a local place to get their food from, I think they would be far better off. Another thing would to start thinking about having solar panels on the roof tops. There wouldn’t even have to be a lot of them just a few to help with the massive energy costs.
Personally, I think that a lot of what I have learned from this class would be extremely helpful to the students I would teach. Teaching them about ways they can help the environment and the society they live in would be a great step in the right direction. I hope that I do get the chance to help educate them on this someday.
Resources:
www.epa.gov: retrieved February 1, 2012
www.solarpowerrocks.com/washington: retrieved February 1, 2012
Our Society’s Future: Changes We Can Make by Nelson Collazo-Serrano
PHS 100A
Warner Pacific College
February 1, 2012
Our Society’s Future: Changes We Can Make
The raise in our population’s number has placed a black cloud over our society’s natural resources future. A larger number of people in our nation equal a larger use and misuse of our natural resources. The rate that we are using those resources could impact our environment’s future, and dictate how those resources are available to us. Because of the type of society we are live in, individualism plays a major role in the way we approach problems and issues that we face. Individualism is a great tool for individuals to seek out goals for those individual’s advancements in social or personal settings. As a society as a whole, we need to step back from the individualism mentality and worked together to come out with strategies to help the environment.
More than often as individuals we think that there is not much we can do to aid the environment; but on the contrary there are millions of individuals if they think alike more can be accomplished. There are many actions that we can take to prevent or stop the misuse of our natural resources. During recent years, citizens of our country have become more aware of the dangers facing the environment and what that means to our future generations. Our government and the scientific community have come out with suggestions that can alleviate our energy problems. Programs such as The Energy Star are a prime example of a coalition of individuals that can make a difference. This label is placed on energy efficient products to encourage individuals to purchase them, and help the environment by doing so. Some of the issues we should focus on in to save our future and environment are the way we use food, transportation, housing, and energy sources. If we can apply positives changes to our attitude towards the environment, we can ensure a brighter future for generations to come.
“Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land” (National Geographic, 2012).
To begin a series of changes, we should start with the way our society consumes and harvests food. We do not need to be rocket scientists to figure out that the bigger the size in population, the bigger the need is for food and resources to produce that food. Humans by nature are carnivorous, so we often choose eating meat from other animals. A majority of all the land use for agricultural purpose in our country is used to raise animals for food. The main type of meat comes from livestock. Livestock requires the usage of land which sometimes requires the process of deforestation and habit destruction. Another problem that arises from having such a large need for livestock is the large consumption of water. A large amount of the consumption of water in this country comes of livestock farms use to feed our population. That amount of water is being taken away from human consumption and natural habitat.
The best way to change our eating habits and help the environment and the same time is to eat less meat. Start a diet based on grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Vegetables such as, grains and fruits should come from homes with suitable backyards in which we can build our own gardens. Another step could be that each family in this country should have one or two meals a week without meat. I know that as meat-eater myself, it is hard sometimes to give up some guilty pleasures such stakes, ribs, and hamburgers. We should think of our future and the environment’s by taking into consideration that eating less meat will make a contribution toward preserving the planet.
Another change we can apply as a society to preserve the environment’s future is the transportation issue. Our society depends on individuals to continue their work and daily activities so society can be functional. To do so, many of us rely on many ways of transportation to give us the mobility to get to and from those places of work and daily activities. Transportation is very important to supply the demands for passengers and freight destined to all types of business to keep our economy going. Vehicles such as cars, buses, tractor trailers, and trains are our main tools of traveling from urban areas to our work and activities. Sadly, the same tools we use for transportation have created growing levels of gases damaging the environment. Due to the large amount of vehicles on the road, transportation has been connected to environmental problems such as pollution from their internal combustions engines. Some of those effects on the environment are climate reactions to ultraviolet rays, notably over ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
To make some changes in the transportation field, we should start by minimizing the use of our personal vehicles to reduce emissions created by such vehicles. Also we should add to the regulations put in place by our government to ensure clean air in our future. Another effort is the one our government is making in coalition with auto makers in creating a vehicles that run with little to no fossil fuels. Around ten to twenty years ago, the concept of hybrid, biofuels, or electric cars was something out of sci-fi movies, but we are able to see those types of cars on our roadways in our present day. Those types of cars are an indication of our awareness of the environmental issues. The creation of hybrid and electrical cars makes me believe in a future with less pollution.
Another step to preserve the environment is being smarter in the way we utilize energy in our own homes. One easy step to upgrade our homes is to make sure our homes are well insulated. A properly insulated home not only saves energy, but will help reduce our heating bills. To help save energy, the government helps with the cost of some types of insulations. Another home improvement is buying energy efficient appliances. Appliances such washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and electric ovens can help us significantly save energy, and place extra dollars in our pockets. There many other changes that can we apply to our homes to create an environmental friendly environment
As a business major student, the knowledge learned in this class will be very beneficial to my future as a manger and protector of the environment. In my future position, I will encourage my employees to be smart in regards to the transportation issue. I will suggest my company to give or help with bus tickets. I will also suggest the company invest in a fleet or green cars to provide carpool to employees. In regards to food, I will suggest healthier or organic foods in the cafeterias, also better foods in the vending machines. I will suggest the replacement of any soda machines for a natural juice machines. I will strongly promote the recycling program in my company. I will also suggest the replacement of microwave to ones that are energy efficient. I will suggest the changing of lights and light fixtures that are energy friendly. I know that most of the companies are looking for the bottom line of numbers. With all the ideas I suggested, the company will have a more efficient workforce and their annual revenue will increase. The company’s monthly bills will show the savings in regards to all the energy efficient tools put in place.
In conclusion, there is nothing we can do about what has been done to the environment in the past. During this class I learned that there is much more we can do to help the environment in the present and the future. Our current majors hopefully will place us in positions in which we can influence a workforce to do the right thing. Until that change arrives, we still can make changes ourselves in our daily routines to prevent more damage to the environment.
References
Carey, J. (2007, January 31). How Your Eating Habits Affect The Environment. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from healthstatus.com: http://www.healthstatus.com/articles1/how-your-eating-habits-affect-the-environment/
Eco Friendly Houses. (2012). Eco Friendly Houses. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from ecofriendlyhouses.net: http://www.ecofriendlyhouses.net/
Environmental Protection agency. (2012, January 27). Transportation and Air Quality. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from epa.gov: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/
National Geographic. (2012). Modern Day Plague. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from National Geographic.com: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/
Rodrigue, J.-P., & Comtois, C. (1998-2012). The Environmental Impacts of Transportation. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from people.hofstra.edu: http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/ch8c1en.html
Thapaliya, B. (2008, January 19). The Correlation Between Our Eating Habits and the Environment. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from english.ohmynews.com: http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=381504&rel_no=1
Withgott, J., & Brennan, S. (2011). Environment: The Science Behind The Stories. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
Warner Pacific College
February 1, 2012
Our Society’s Future: Changes We Can Make
The raise in our population’s number has placed a black cloud over our society’s natural resources future. A larger number of people in our nation equal a larger use and misuse of our natural resources. The rate that we are using those resources could impact our environment’s future, and dictate how those resources are available to us. Because of the type of society we are live in, individualism plays a major role in the way we approach problems and issues that we face. Individualism is a great tool for individuals to seek out goals for those individual’s advancements in social or personal settings. As a society as a whole, we need to step back from the individualism mentality and worked together to come out with strategies to help the environment.
More than often as individuals we think that there is not much we can do to aid the environment; but on the contrary there are millions of individuals if they think alike more can be accomplished. There are many actions that we can take to prevent or stop the misuse of our natural resources. During recent years, citizens of our country have become more aware of the dangers facing the environment and what that means to our future generations. Our government and the scientific community have come out with suggestions that can alleviate our energy problems. Programs such as The Energy Star are a prime example of a coalition of individuals that can make a difference. This label is placed on energy efficient products to encourage individuals to purchase them, and help the environment by doing so. Some of the issues we should focus on in to save our future and environment are the way we use food, transportation, housing, and energy sources. If we can apply positives changes to our attitude towards the environment, we can ensure a brighter future for generations to come.
“Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land” (National Geographic, 2012).
To begin a series of changes, we should start with the way our society consumes and harvests food. We do not need to be rocket scientists to figure out that the bigger the size in population, the bigger the need is for food and resources to produce that food. Humans by nature are carnivorous, so we often choose eating meat from other animals. A majority of all the land use for agricultural purpose in our country is used to raise animals for food. The main type of meat comes from livestock. Livestock requires the usage of land which sometimes requires the process of deforestation and habit destruction. Another problem that arises from having such a large need for livestock is the large consumption of water. A large amount of the consumption of water in this country comes of livestock farms use to feed our population. That amount of water is being taken away from human consumption and natural habitat.
The best way to change our eating habits and help the environment and the same time is to eat less meat. Start a diet based on grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Vegetables such as, grains and fruits should come from homes with suitable backyards in which we can build our own gardens. Another step could be that each family in this country should have one or two meals a week without meat. I know that as meat-eater myself, it is hard sometimes to give up some guilty pleasures such stakes, ribs, and hamburgers. We should think of our future and the environment’s by taking into consideration that eating less meat will make a contribution toward preserving the planet.
Another change we can apply as a society to preserve the environment’s future is the transportation issue. Our society depends on individuals to continue their work and daily activities so society can be functional. To do so, many of us rely on many ways of transportation to give us the mobility to get to and from those places of work and daily activities. Transportation is very important to supply the demands for passengers and freight destined to all types of business to keep our economy going. Vehicles such as cars, buses, tractor trailers, and trains are our main tools of traveling from urban areas to our work and activities. Sadly, the same tools we use for transportation have created growing levels of gases damaging the environment. Due to the large amount of vehicles on the road, transportation has been connected to environmental problems such as pollution from their internal combustions engines. Some of those effects on the environment are climate reactions to ultraviolet rays, notably over ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
To make some changes in the transportation field, we should start by minimizing the use of our personal vehicles to reduce emissions created by such vehicles. Also we should add to the regulations put in place by our government to ensure clean air in our future. Another effort is the one our government is making in coalition with auto makers in creating a vehicles that run with little to no fossil fuels. Around ten to twenty years ago, the concept of hybrid, biofuels, or electric cars was something out of sci-fi movies, but we are able to see those types of cars on our roadways in our present day. Those types of cars are an indication of our awareness of the environmental issues. The creation of hybrid and electrical cars makes me believe in a future with less pollution.
Another step to preserve the environment is being smarter in the way we utilize energy in our own homes. One easy step to upgrade our homes is to make sure our homes are well insulated. A properly insulated home not only saves energy, but will help reduce our heating bills. To help save energy, the government helps with the cost of some types of insulations. Another home improvement is buying energy efficient appliances. Appliances such washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and electric ovens can help us significantly save energy, and place extra dollars in our pockets. There many other changes that can we apply to our homes to create an environmental friendly environment
As a business major student, the knowledge learned in this class will be very beneficial to my future as a manger and protector of the environment. In my future position, I will encourage my employees to be smart in regards to the transportation issue. I will suggest my company to give or help with bus tickets. I will also suggest the company invest in a fleet or green cars to provide carpool to employees. In regards to food, I will suggest healthier or organic foods in the cafeterias, also better foods in the vending machines. I will suggest the replacement of any soda machines for a natural juice machines. I will strongly promote the recycling program in my company. I will also suggest the replacement of microwave to ones that are energy efficient. I will suggest the changing of lights and light fixtures that are energy friendly. I know that most of the companies are looking for the bottom line of numbers. With all the ideas I suggested, the company will have a more efficient workforce and their annual revenue will increase. The company’s monthly bills will show the savings in regards to all the energy efficient tools put in place.
In conclusion, there is nothing we can do about what has been done to the environment in the past. During this class I learned that there is much more we can do to help the environment in the present and the future. Our current majors hopefully will place us in positions in which we can influence a workforce to do the right thing. Until that change arrives, we still can make changes ourselves in our daily routines to prevent more damage to the environment.
References
Carey, J. (2007, January 31). How Your Eating Habits Affect The Environment. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from healthstatus.com: http://www.healthstatus.com/articles1/how-your-eating-habits-affect-the-environment/
Eco Friendly Houses. (2012). Eco Friendly Houses. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from ecofriendlyhouses.net: http://www.ecofriendlyhouses.net/
Environmental Protection agency. (2012, January 27). Transportation and Air Quality. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from epa.gov: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/
National Geographic. (2012). Modern Day Plague. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from National Geographic.com: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/
Rodrigue, J.-P., & Comtois, C. (1998-2012). The Environmental Impacts of Transportation. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from people.hofstra.edu: http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/ch8c1en.html
Thapaliya, B. (2008, January 19). The Correlation Between Our Eating Habits and the Environment. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from english.ohmynews.com: http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=381504&rel_no=1
Withgott, J., & Brennan, S. (2011). Environment: The Science Behind The Stories. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Society’s Vulnerability to Natural Hazard by Tammy L. Hooper
Warner Pacific University
January 25, 2012
Society’s Vulnerability to Natural Hazard
Currently Oregon is showing us it’s vulnerability to the natural hazards of flooding, hurricane force winds and landslides. It has been in the news every day for the last week. A mother and child were killed when the car they were riding as passengers in was suddenly swept away from a creek overflowing in a grocery store parking lot. Passes to the coast have been closed due to landslides and damage to roads along with flying debris from hurricane force winds. Houses have been flooded and others have shifted off their foundations. Mount Bachelor Ski Resort closed last week because of extreme snow fall making it hazardous if not impossible to reach the resort with a concern for avalanches.
In 1998 the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries cited five categories of natural hazards that include floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis (Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest, 1999). They further state that all five of these hazards have occurred in the last century. I remember becoming stranded at my mother in laws while visiting her in Beaverton during the flood of 1996/97. I believe that was the same year as the worst ice storm I remember. I had been in Fairview and had to slip and slide my way home, it was quite frightening. We had another ice storm in 2003 and I had a new baby and lived on the second floor of an apartment building with rickety stairs made out of wrought iron and stone. I didn’t feel safe trying to carry my new baby down those stairs and chose to stay inside my apartment. I was fortunate enough to have my adult step daughter bring me supplies when needed.
It seems like more natural disasters have been occurring in the last years but are they really? Modern communication has enabled worldwide news stories to be shown almost instantly and the media sensationalizes any bit of news to lure more viewers and increase their ratings. However the world has had an increase in population and people now live in areas that may have been “previously considered marginal or unsafe” (Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest, 1999).
The Geological Society of America reports that we now transport and stockpile large quantities of hazardous materials which can be compromised by natural hazards (Geoscience and Natural Hazards, 2008). Natural hazards cause not only damage to people and property but also social and economic damage as well. After a major disaster businesses may shut down never to reopen again. Society’s mental health is also impacted by natural hazards causing trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am a certified alcohol and drug counselor and one of the sections covered in our comprehensive alcohol and drug assessment is regarding having been in or witnessed a natural disaster.
I have several huge pine trees outside my duplex which I love however when it rains like it has the last week I often wake up at night and pray to God for the trees roots to be strong enough to hold it in the ground and not fall on my house and crush us. My sister assures me the trees have withstood many storms in their years and that they won’t fall down on me. I try to find this reassuring and thank God in the morning when I wake up whole. I do find myself getting more informed about what to do in specific emergencies and making sure I have supplies and a family meeting place in the case of a natural hazard. For my family it’s about being prepared and informed of weather conditions and potential hazards at all times of the year while still having fun.
References
Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest. (1999, November). Retrieved January 24, 2012, from Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Institutes: http://www.oregongeology.com/sub/earthquakes/earthquakehome.htm
Geoscience and Natural Hazards. (2008, October ). Retrieved January 25, 2012, from The Geological Society of America: http://www.geosociety.org/positions/position6.htm
January 25, 2012
Society’s Vulnerability to Natural Hazard
Currently Oregon is showing us it’s vulnerability to the natural hazards of flooding, hurricane force winds and landslides. It has been in the news every day for the last week. A mother and child were killed when the car they were riding as passengers in was suddenly swept away from a creek overflowing in a grocery store parking lot. Passes to the coast have been closed due to landslides and damage to roads along with flying debris from hurricane force winds. Houses have been flooded and others have shifted off their foundations. Mount Bachelor Ski Resort closed last week because of extreme snow fall making it hazardous if not impossible to reach the resort with a concern for avalanches.
In 1998 the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries cited five categories of natural hazards that include floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis (Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest, 1999). They further state that all five of these hazards have occurred in the last century. I remember becoming stranded at my mother in laws while visiting her in Beaverton during the flood of 1996/97. I believe that was the same year as the worst ice storm I remember. I had been in Fairview and had to slip and slide my way home, it was quite frightening. We had another ice storm in 2003 and I had a new baby and lived on the second floor of an apartment building with rickety stairs made out of wrought iron and stone. I didn’t feel safe trying to carry my new baby down those stairs and chose to stay inside my apartment. I was fortunate enough to have my adult step daughter bring me supplies when needed.
It seems like more natural disasters have been occurring in the last years but are they really? Modern communication has enabled worldwide news stories to be shown almost instantly and the media sensationalizes any bit of news to lure more viewers and increase their ratings. However the world has had an increase in population and people now live in areas that may have been “previously considered marginal or unsafe” (Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest, 1999).
The Geological Society of America reports that we now transport and stockpile large quantities of hazardous materials which can be compromised by natural hazards (Geoscience and Natural Hazards, 2008). Natural hazards cause not only damage to people and property but also social and economic damage as well. After a major disaster businesses may shut down never to reopen again. Society’s mental health is also impacted by natural hazards causing trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am a certified alcohol and drug counselor and one of the sections covered in our comprehensive alcohol and drug assessment is regarding having been in or witnessed a natural disaster.
I have several huge pine trees outside my duplex which I love however when it rains like it has the last week I often wake up at night and pray to God for the trees roots to be strong enough to hold it in the ground and not fall on my house and crush us. My sister assures me the trees have withstood many storms in their years and that they won’t fall down on me. I try to find this reassuring and thank God in the morning when I wake up whole. I do find myself getting more informed about what to do in specific emergencies and making sure I have supplies and a family meeting place in the case of a natural hazard. For my family it’s about being prepared and informed of weather conditions and potential hazards at all times of the year while still having fun.
References
Earthquakes and other natural hazards in the Pacific Northwest. (1999, November). Retrieved January 24, 2012, from Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Institutes: http://www.oregongeology.com/sub/earthquakes/earthquakehome.htm
Geoscience and Natural Hazards. (2008, October ). Retrieved January 25, 2012, from The Geological Society of America: http://www.geosociety.org/positions/position6.htm
Natural Hazards: My Experience by Lori Uhacz
PHS 100A: Environmental Studies
Warner Pacific College
January 22, 2012
Natural Hazards: My experience
I feel very fortunate to have only been a couple natural hazards. In my life I have been in a couple earthquakes. Only one that I can remember was actually anything to be worried about. I was in high school and I was working in the office then the earthquake happened. At first I thought it was one of the teachers playing a joke on me by shaking my desk. Then I saw the tree outside shaking pretty violently. Some people at school said they saw our water tower swaying pretty badly. Other then earthquakes, I haven’t been involved in any big natural hazards.
When it comes to our society’s vulnerability to natural hazards, I think we are very vulnerable to them. We have chosen to build large buildings and huge cities on known fault lines on the west coast. Big cities have grown in what is known as hurricane country. Year after year, nature has proven that she is stronger than anything man can build. Hurricanes can tear buildings apart faster then we can blink. Tornados terrorize the Midwest destroying complete towns in its wake. Yes we do put ourselves in a vulnerable position but I don’t think there is any place on earth that is not going to be affected by natural hazards.
I don’t think that we can ever fully avoid natural hazards. Cities will continue to grow at an alarmingly fast rate and if things keep going the way they are going with the population, we might soon be building in places purposely that are dangerous.
We can however take precautions and measure to try and prevent damage to our homes and other buildings in the event of a natural hazard. Different style windows and doors, building materials that can withstand strong winds and water in the case of a tornado or hurricane. These things can get expensive though and some people might not be able to afford them. Personally I think it might be a good idea that if you chose to live in an area that is prone to natural hazards you have to have even more special insurance then is already required in order to protect your home. Maybe a special inspection is needed to prevent your property from being destroyed.
The idea of protecting ourselves from natural hazards is a great one however it might not be all that realistic. I do believe in progress and that with population growth risks have to be taken when it comes to housing and the like. However when you have no other choice then to live in an area that is prone to natural hazards, I don’t think much can be done. This is a sad but undeniable truth of living in this world. I know I wish that things could be different but natural hazards are part of the evil that has been inflicted upon this world and for the time being we just have to find a way to deal with them.
Warner Pacific College
January 22, 2012
Natural Hazards: My experience
I feel very fortunate to have only been a couple natural hazards. In my life I have been in a couple earthquakes. Only one that I can remember was actually anything to be worried about. I was in high school and I was working in the office then the earthquake happened. At first I thought it was one of the teachers playing a joke on me by shaking my desk. Then I saw the tree outside shaking pretty violently. Some people at school said they saw our water tower swaying pretty badly. Other then earthquakes, I haven’t been involved in any big natural hazards.
When it comes to our society’s vulnerability to natural hazards, I think we are very vulnerable to them. We have chosen to build large buildings and huge cities on known fault lines on the west coast. Big cities have grown in what is known as hurricane country. Year after year, nature has proven that she is stronger than anything man can build. Hurricanes can tear buildings apart faster then we can blink. Tornados terrorize the Midwest destroying complete towns in its wake. Yes we do put ourselves in a vulnerable position but I don’t think there is any place on earth that is not going to be affected by natural hazards.
I don’t think that we can ever fully avoid natural hazards. Cities will continue to grow at an alarmingly fast rate and if things keep going the way they are going with the population, we might soon be building in places purposely that are dangerous.
We can however take precautions and measure to try and prevent damage to our homes and other buildings in the event of a natural hazard. Different style windows and doors, building materials that can withstand strong winds and water in the case of a tornado or hurricane. These things can get expensive though and some people might not be able to afford them. Personally I think it might be a good idea that if you chose to live in an area that is prone to natural hazards you have to have even more special insurance then is already required in order to protect your home. Maybe a special inspection is needed to prevent your property from being destroyed.
The idea of protecting ourselves from natural hazards is a great one however it might not be all that realistic. I do believe in progress and that with population growth risks have to be taken when it comes to housing and the like. However when you have no other choice then to live in an area that is prone to natural hazards, I don’t think much can be done. This is a sad but undeniable truth of living in this world. I know I wish that things could be different but natural hazards are part of the evil that has been inflicted upon this world and for the time being we just have to find a way to deal with them.
Defenseless Against the Nature’s Power by Nelson Collazo-Serrano
Warner Pacific College
January 25, 2012
Defenseless Against Nature’s Power
Throughout the centuries, civilization has been engaged in a delicate relationship with the environment. Natural disasters have played a major role in our civilizations developments. This relationship can be dated back to the Stone Age and still can be seen in our present days. Among those well know natural disasters are earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Due to the world’s increasing population, society has used and misused the natural resources which has created an unbalance in the environment. Sometimes the environment responds merciless to our misuses of such of resources in the form of natural disasters.
“Natural disasters are events caused by natural forces of nature that often has a significant effect on human populations” (Conan-Davis, 2003).
One of those famous disasters was the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco. The cause for this devastating disaster was a 248 miles horizontal slip on the San Andreas Fault. The slip went through the middle of city and was 6 miles deep. That earthquake was so unique because the fault slip was visible throughout the city. Fires consume the majority of the city buildings regardless if they were made of brick. Such fires burned for several days and destroyed several hundred city blocks. The total death count on the San Francisco earthquake was 500.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina touched down in the southern coast of The United States. Katrina brought hurricane conditions to southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. To this date, Katrina was the most deadliest and devastating hurricane in United States history. This category five storm unleashed ten to fourteen inches of rain and up to hundred and seventy five miles per hour winds over Louisiana and Mississippi. The estimated damage created by Katrina was seventy five billion dollars and a death toll of one thousand and two hundred individuals. This was a very dark day in our nation’s history.
Floods are another type of natural disaster we hear often in the news. Recently the state of Oregon was the latest target of nature’s power. An unusual winter storm brought heavy rains to the beaver state creating floods to several cities in the area. The counties of Benton, Lane, and Marion dealt with rising waters from nearby rivers. Those floods were severe enough that required the use of rescue efforts, and called for the Governor John Kitzhaber to declare a state of emergency in such counties. In the city of Salem dozens of families were evacuated due to the rising waters, and few deaths were reported in Albany. Such news demonstrates the nature’s powers even in our own backyards.
Another showing of power by nature comes of the form of tsunami. This type of disaster is not as common as the others but their power is equal or even more deadly. On December 2004, a great tsunami wave touched down in Indonesia. This catastrophe event was responsible for the destruction in properties in several countries and the death toll of hundred and fifty thousand people. There was a worldwide effort to aid the victims of this tragedy in which United States was a big part of.
In conclusion, Mother Nature reminds me of a double edge sword. She shows one side of kindness with her beautiful sunrises, blue beaches, flowers, and everything we learned to love about nature. On the other hand, it shows us how small we are in comparison to its power. As a society, we have been taking advantage of the environment by misusing all the resources available to us. The natural disasters previously mention is a way for Mother Nature to let us know how disappointed she is with us.
References
scholastic. (2011). Retrieved January 21, 2012, from scholastic.com: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/earthquakes/famous.htm
Conan-Davis, R. (2003, January 23). Natural Disasters. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from Natural disasters ClearlyExplained.Com : http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/
floodandsandbags. (2010). Hurricanes in History. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from floodandsandbags.com: http://www.floodandsandbags.com/flooding/hurricanes_in_history.htm
Suzuki, T. (2012, January 19). Willamette Valley Flooding Turns Deadly, Cause Evacuations. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from koinlocal6.com: http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Willamette-Valley-flooding-turns-deadly-causes/8ROQOp3Klk6q7dbRuGcHXw.cspx
January 25, 2012
Defenseless Against Nature’s Power
Throughout the centuries, civilization has been engaged in a delicate relationship with the environment. Natural disasters have played a major role in our civilizations developments. This relationship can be dated back to the Stone Age and still can be seen in our present days. Among those well know natural disasters are earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Due to the world’s increasing population, society has used and misused the natural resources which has created an unbalance in the environment. Sometimes the environment responds merciless to our misuses of such of resources in the form of natural disasters.
“Natural disasters are events caused by natural forces of nature that often has a significant effect on human populations” (Conan-Davis, 2003).
One of those famous disasters was the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco. The cause for this devastating disaster was a 248 miles horizontal slip on the San Andreas Fault. The slip went through the middle of city and was 6 miles deep. That earthquake was so unique because the fault slip was visible throughout the city. Fires consume the majority of the city buildings regardless if they were made of brick. Such fires burned for several days and destroyed several hundred city blocks. The total death count on the San Francisco earthquake was 500.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina touched down in the southern coast of The United States. Katrina brought hurricane conditions to southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. To this date, Katrina was the most deadliest and devastating hurricane in United States history. This category five storm unleashed ten to fourteen inches of rain and up to hundred and seventy five miles per hour winds over Louisiana and Mississippi. The estimated damage created by Katrina was seventy five billion dollars and a death toll of one thousand and two hundred individuals. This was a very dark day in our nation’s history.
Floods are another type of natural disaster we hear often in the news. Recently the state of Oregon was the latest target of nature’s power. An unusual winter storm brought heavy rains to the beaver state creating floods to several cities in the area. The counties of Benton, Lane, and Marion dealt with rising waters from nearby rivers. Those floods were severe enough that required the use of rescue efforts, and called for the Governor John Kitzhaber to declare a state of emergency in such counties. In the city of Salem dozens of families were evacuated due to the rising waters, and few deaths were reported in Albany. Such news demonstrates the nature’s powers even in our own backyards.
Another showing of power by nature comes of the form of tsunami. This type of disaster is not as common as the others but their power is equal or even more deadly. On December 2004, a great tsunami wave touched down in Indonesia. This catastrophe event was responsible for the destruction in properties in several countries and the death toll of hundred and fifty thousand people. There was a worldwide effort to aid the victims of this tragedy in which United States was a big part of.
In conclusion, Mother Nature reminds me of a double edge sword. She shows one side of kindness with her beautiful sunrises, blue beaches, flowers, and everything we learned to love about nature. On the other hand, it shows us how small we are in comparison to its power. As a society, we have been taking advantage of the environment by misusing all the resources available to us. The natural disasters previously mention is a way for Mother Nature to let us know how disappointed she is with us.
References
scholastic. (2011). Retrieved January 21, 2012, from scholastic.com: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/earthquakes/famous.htm
Conan-Davis, R. (2003, January 23). Natural Disasters. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from Natural disasters ClearlyExplained.Com : http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/
floodandsandbags. (2010). Hurricanes in History. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from floodandsandbags.com: http://www.floodandsandbags.com/flooding/hurricanes_in_history.htm
Suzuki, T. (2012, January 19). Willamette Valley Flooding Turns Deadly, Cause Evacuations. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from koinlocal6.com: http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Willamette-Valley-flooding-turns-deadly-causes/8ROQOp3Klk6q7dbRuGcHXw.cspx
Friday, January 20, 2012
Gleen Rice's view on Environmental Regulations
PHS100A Environmental Studies
Warner Pacific College
January 20, 2012
Environmental regulations are instituted to mitigate or prevent any potentially destructive extraction practices, pollution, waste, labor abuses, or the monopolization of limited natural resources. I believe that most individuals that have seriously considered the topic of natural resource protection would agree in whole or in part with this definition. Nevertheless, and most unfortunately for the environment, it is very difficult to answer the questions about where, how, and why these protections should be applied. Many powerful factions – with specific self-interests have become entrenched in deep philosophical battles over the purpose and use of environmental resources. As world population increases to levels that have been easily proven to be unsustainable, the increasing economic value of natural resources and the problems associated with their extraction has become a battle over what human survival actually means.
Often, environmental regulations that attempt to both accommodate economic realities and mitigate resource exploitation are dichotomous. To the extraction and development interests – most regulations are unworkable in light of the need for economic development and maintaining a supply chain to consumers. The argument from the other side of the regulatory debate is that extraction methods based upon economic feasibility often necessitate the use of highly destructive practices that degrade and exacerbate the fragmentation, unsustainable reassignment, and over-development of sensitive natural areas. Additionally, the environmental argument that has the greatest public awareness and is at the forefront of this debate, is pollution. Pollution has a negative impact upon the lives of humans as well as the rest of the animal kingdom that is clearly observable and measurable. Nonetheless, there is a strong relationship between resource extraction and the motivations of an advanced society to acquire the (needed and frivolous) material goods produced because of this activity.
Thus, economic development interests, applying pressure from a supply and demand standpoint, and resource protection from a global health standpoint, are tragically at odds with one another. Moreover, the argument involves the balance between the short-term goals of economics and the long-term goals of environmental protection. Therefore, what has necessarily followed from the intractable conflict between these interest groups is an attempt to develop a regulatory system that sets mutually agreed upon standards of practice. However, much to the trepidation of resource dependent business, restrictive regulatory systems are often put into place to protect long-term environmental concerns from the reactionary pursuit of short-term economic and material aims. It is quite true that protecting the availability of natural resources over the long-term will assuredly create economical hardship for resource-dependent industries. However, ironically, the regulation of environmental resources serves to protect the availability of the very resources needed to supply such an economy.
The representatives of two areas of human necessity are disputing the role of environmental regulation and its effect upon the evolution of global economics – and the evolution of the global environment. The attainment of wealth is a very strong motivator in the pursuit of economic growth in the short-term; however, very little profit can be enjoyed in the pursuit of environmental protection. A world population that will continue to grow for the foreseeable future will require the extraction of essential environmental resources, therefore, a regulatory system exists to serve as a buffer between the intrinsic human drive to advance its self-interest and the protection of the natural environment, which supplies the means by which this human advancement can occur.
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