Month: November 2018

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Paradise Regained: How the Palmyra Atoll Got Rid of Invasive Mosquitoes.

Ruth Williams (2018). Paradise Regained: How the Palmyra Atoll Got Rid of Invasive Mosquitoes. Retrieved from https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/paradise-regained-how-the-palmyra-atoll-got-rid-of-invasive-mosquitoes-30063 on 2018-11-17

On strings of islands considered to be paradise there exists invasive mosquitoes and rodent rats. The article describes that the rats and different types of mosquitoes have thrived in the conditions, given plenty of food and minimal predators. The victim are the seabirds which the rats and mosquitoes have feasted on to thrive. Mosquitoes also feast on rat populations, allowing for their sustainability. After a maintenance run in 2011 eradicating rat populations, mosquito populations have also diminished because of a lack of rats to extract blood from.

The interactions that rats, mosquitoes, and seabirds have with one another symbolize the complexity in the food chain, an idea heavily linked to environmental science. Learning how two pests survive off each other and other species such as seabirds is an idea fundamental in the symbiosis in any two species coexistence. The author mentions at the end that the two species arrived at the island in serendipity, however any two species could have arrived invasively: a flower and its pollinator for one. I think understanding species and their interactions with the environment allows for benefits to be maximized and exploitations to be minimized.

 

 

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How to get rid bedbugs.

Sarah Bracy Penn (2018). How to get rid bedbugs. Retrieved from https://www.today.com/home/home-bed-bug-treatment-what-you-need-know-t128031 on 2018-11-17

Bed bugs infest areas in a seemingly unpredicted and persistent way. Treating bedbugs requires lots of patience, rounds of products, and a change of habits. In fact, some bedbugs have become immune to popular chemical sprays, adapting themselves to become harder to exterminate. For humans, bed bugs can be eliminated using a fungal-based biopesticide, a chemical application developed by researchers at Penn State to solve the issue entirely. The new technology can also be used in agricultural regions throughout the world, impacting crop growth.

Treating bedbugs relates to environmental science because bedbugs primarily rely on animals to survive. They interact with the environment by sucking blood from living things. An issue that bed bugs pose is its lack of beneficial contribution in the environment, while affecting others. For humans, maintaining an orderly house, free of pests, is the first start to productivity and solving problems in the world. Maintaining the level of bed bugs in a house is vital to maintaining a healthy mind and a productive routine.

 

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How to get rid of termites: Termite treatments, signs to know.

Chrissy Callahan (2018). How to get rid of termites: Termite treatments, signs to know. Retrieved from https://www.today.com/home/how-get-rid-termites-termite-treatments-signs-know-t140889 on 2018-11-17

Termites may seem to cause no signs of harm to humans or any other living creatures, however may wreak havoc on housing structures. In short terms, termites love wood; in fact, they thrive because of their invisibility through walls and easy reproduction strategies. A problem posed to humans by termites is their economic damages. Every year termite infestations can cause more than $5 billion in property damage, which in the worst-case scenario can collapse homes.

A small creature created from nature needs wood to survive. A seemingly small idea relates to environmental science because termites depend on the environment and interact with a community in order to survive. In the article, the interaction describes termites as a pest and humans the victim. In my opinion, although termites may be considered pests, their survival is fundamental in nature. They do not just destroy houses, they also decompose fallen dead trees, hastening nature’s duties. All in all, termites are beautifully destructive.

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Viruses Spread by Insects to Crops Sound Scary. The Military Calls It Food Security.

Emily Baumgaertner (2018). Viruses Spread by Insects to Crops Sound Scary. The Military Calls It Food Security. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/science/darpa-gene-editing.html on 2018-11-17

There is a developing weapon considered and used as a new type of threat. Darpa (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has created insects which carry viruses ultimately to genetically modify crops. Modified crops can then supposedly have the ability to withstand just about any natural disaster. However, insects can also carry viruses to destroy acres of crops. The growing dispute is whether the endeavor is considered ethical. Some argue that the virus is like a plague or disease, unable to be controlled. Others believe that the new advance in technology can save millions of crops in unstainable areas in an effective and cost friendly manner.

Pests which carry viruses that impact crops are essential in developing crop land throughout the United States, however there may be severe repercussions. The effects of such technology could be historical and studied for decades in environmental science. As environmental science deals with the interactions between nature, seeing wildlife coexist to benefit or harm one another, learning how pests may change the world is essential. I believe and hope that with the rise of any technology, impairments can be maintained while advantages can be utilized. Although seemingly scary advancement are necessary to humanity’s survival and just like any revolution, another agricultural revolution is bound to happen in one form or another.

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The Bugs Are Coming, and They’ll Want More of Our Food

Kendra Pierre-Louis. (2018). The Bugs Are Coming, and They’ll Want More of Our Food. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/30/climate/insects-eating-more-crops.html on 2018-11-17

Since global temperatures have risen, the uproar in insect reproduction and infestation of farmer crops have become a problem. According to the article, a degree Celsius increase above global historical average, the amount of wheat, corn, and rice lost is about 10 to 25 percent. Although beneficial insects that can suppress pests and maintain an acceptable amount of damage, higher temperatures are overall bad for crops. When higher temperatures do occur, crops are more likely to dry of thirst. For areas that aren’t heated teeming with crops, a remedy could be injecting pesticides, however it may only be a band aid. The real issue of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be tended to, not creating “a million Band-Aids,” states the author.

The severity of a larger issue has become a façade through addressing pests. Climate change, although seemingly unrelated to pests has become an issue trickled down to the fundamental aspects of environmental science. An idea mentioned in a previous chapter was agriculture being with worst mistake in history. Having an abundance of crops compacted together and readily accessible for pests to indulge on does not help the farmer nor the community. It forces the use of dangerous pesticides for acres of fields. At the end of the day, it’s not really the pests at fault — it’s humans — as we are mass producing heat.

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Parker, Laura. “Beach Clean-up Study Shows Global Scope of Plastic Pollution.” National Geographic, National Geographic, 10 Oct. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/10/greenpeace-beach-cleanup-report-highlights-ocean-plastic-problem/.

 

This article discusses how every year tens of thousands of people volunteer to pick up trash from beaches. The largest effort comes from Ocean Conservancy which over the course of thirty year sof cleanups has collected over 300 million pounds. A quote from Nicholas Mallos states “Literally, the trash starts getting replaced as soon as you pick it up.” He states that it is quite hard to even bother, but states that it is much better than the alternative. It is also extremely expensive to do these beach cleanups. According to the article it cost local governments in 90 towns in Washington, Oregon, and California more than $500 million. In Orange County alone it is around $46 million in just one summer.

 

This is almost a reality check on what is happening out in the world. We don’t really get to see people putting all this plastic into the ocean, but when Mallos said how it seems to replace almost instantly, that was very powerful. It’s quite frustrating to think about this issue considering how easy it is to properly get rid of your trash. There are so many other alternatives than littering. The amount of money that we spend on just beach cleanups also surprised me, and really opened up my eyes on how much trash we all are really putting into the world.

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Summers, Hannah. “Scientists Get Ready to Begin Great Pacific Garbage Patch Cleanup.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Sept. 2018, www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/08/scientists-get-ready-to-begin-great-pacific-garbage-patch-cleanup.

 

A group of scientists and engineers are planning on making an invention that if works properly will really help the plastic issue in the ocean. They plan on creating a 600m-long floating barrier that will be launched off the coast of San Francisco. It will be powered by currents, waves, and wind and they estimate will collect five tonnes of plastic debris each month. The barrier is heading towards the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is a stretch of water that is three times the size of France. While it is out in the ocean, the team expects to send a support vessel out every six weeks in order to remove all of the debris that have accumulated, which will be transferred to the Netherlands to be recycled.

 

I believe that this is an extremely good thing. It seems like the team who made it has put in a lot of time and effort into this and it will be extremely beneficial if it works the way that they plan. This issue is also a group effort, as if we keep putting in the same amount of plastic that we already do into the ocean, I am not sure that this will have as great of an impact as they hope. Of course it will greatly help the cause, but if we really want to maximize the efficiency of this machine then everyone really has to make an effort to prevent more trash from entering the ocean.

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Interior Designers (US) – Industry Research Reports | IBISWorld, Aug. 2018, www.ibisworld.com/industry-trends/market-research-reports/administration-business-support-waste-management-services/remediation/remediation-environmental-cleanup-services.html.

 

This article basically describes how the environmental cleanup services have shifted in the last few years. Based on data from August, the article talks about how over the last five years the Environmental Cleanup Services in the US has grown by 0.8% to reach of revenue of $16 billion. Along with this, the number of businesses has grown by 2.1%, but with that the number of employees has declined by 0.4%. They also provide some other information such as stating that natural disasters often generate waste that make it necessary for environmental cleanup agencies to step in. So a higher frequency of natural disasters may lead to an increased industry revenue. It is also mentioned that an estimated 35% of the industry revenue is accounted by government remediation and cleanup programs.

 

Overall this all seems like good information. It is good to know that over the last few years we have not decreased the amount of money going to environmental cleanup agencies. It is also quite nice to hear how the number of businesses has also increased along with that. If I had to guess why the amount of workers in the industry has decreased I would probably assume it is a result of things becoming more technologically advanced and that less people are needed in these specific companies.

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Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2018-09-20/cleaning-the-pacific-ocean-plastic-patch-won-t-solve-the-problem.

 

This article discusses a company called Ocean Cleanup which was created by an 18 year old man with the promise to get the plastic out of the Pacific Ocean. Experts fear that although this sounds good, it is not really addressing the problem. What the companies plan is, is to use nets and other things to pull the plastic out of the water. But, scientists say that it is actually the plastic that has shrunk down to a much much smaller size that is actually the one that is poisoning and choking birds and sea creatures. In some areas, it is said that there are more plastic than there are plankton meaning animals at the bottom of the food chain will eat the plastic and starve.

 

My opinion on this is that I hope that it does have some effect on the amount of plastic in the oceans. Although the company may not be getting all of the “microplastics” that are in the ocean, hopefully they can help with the overall scheme of things while other people try and come up with a solution to try and get the smaller plastics out of the oceans. It is also going to take more effort from just the normal people who are not involved in the cause. According to the article, we are still adding eight million tons of plastic to the oceans every year, so in order for this company to actually have somewhat of a major effect, it is going to take effort from everyone to reduce the amount of trash that gets into the oceans.

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“Designer Enzyme Conquers Sulfite Reduction, a Bottleneck in Environmental Cleanup.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 13 Sept. 2018, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180913142023.htm.

 

A few months ago at the University of Illinois, researches made big steps in the field of environmental cleanup. Professor Yi Lu and student Evan Mirts designed a synthetic enzyme that reduces the compound sulfite to sulfide. Sulfite reduction can interfere with the cleanup of major environmental contaminants. Sulfite also interferes with the elimination of more toxic compounds. Scientists had not been able to create catalysts before to remove sulfite as it was extremely complex and is very difficult to achieve. Lu and Mirts have been the only people successful with this and hope that their actions spark other people to get involved with environmental cleanup issues.

 

My opinion on this is that it is very good. Any advancements that work and will have a good effect on environment are obviously very useful and important. I agree with what the creators said about what they hope this will lead too. If this means that more people get involved with helping to develop different things or contribute in different ways to the environmental cleanup cause, then that would be extremely beneficial.