What’s killing coral reefs in Florida is also killing them in Belize

Galoustian, G. (2021, August 3). What’s killing coral reefs in Florida is also killing them in Belize. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210803105534.htm

As of 2021, only 17% of the coral in the Belize Barrier Reef remains alive. As it was previously known as one of the most extraordinary reefs. Similarly, 2% remains in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In the past, scientists have believed that the decline of coral was solely because of less grazing of algae due to overfishing. However, it has recently been found that a major factor is nitrogen enrichment from humans on land. Scientists want to use this information to help save what little is left of the Belize Barrier Reef.

 

This article explains a few of the possible reasons for the rapid decline of coral in reefs around the world, from places like Florida all the way to Belize. Even though it could be because of overfishing, nitrogen enrichment, or other factors, the main idea is that coral in the oceans are dying because of human impacts. I thought this article was very informative and more people should know about it. Our everyday routines and decisions are polluting our planet in so many ways. It is necessary researchers find out what exactly is causing this issue, so we can stop it before it is too late. After these scientists’ discoveries, we are one step closer to lessening the pollution of our oceans and preserving all coral reefs around the world.

Rediscovery of the Silver

Rodricks, D. (2021, April 2). Obama’s herring: REMOVING dams on the PATAPSCO brings back a silvery LITTLE Fish: Commentary. baltimoresun.com. Retrieved September 15, 2021, https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/columnists/dan-rodricks/bs-md-rodricks-0401-env-patapsco-river-herring-20210401-gdvlxvowtzakhbwr4vxstfkirq-story.html

April 1st, 2021, Jim Thompson and William Harbold found silver, a little fish that had not been seen in more than a century. The discovery was found just upstream of where the removed Bloede Dam used to be in Maryland. The discovery of the fish was important because it shows proof that habitats destroyed by man can be returned to their natural state. The silver disappeared after the construction of dams in the late 18th century. Many species of fish, such as the silver and herring, were blocked from being able to migrate upstream to their natural waters. Years later the factories closed and the dam was no longer needed. Despite recurring deaths, including nine drownings since the 1980’s, no one was inclined to spend the money to remove it, until Obama’s election in 2008. During his presidency, about 4 million of the 2009 stimulus went to dam removal projects to help the Patapsco. The removal of the Bloede dam opened water passages for migratory fish, such as the silver. 

Dan Rodricks, the author of this article, was very excited about the rediscovery of the silver, and I tend to share the same excitement. Not only does the rediscovery of the silver mean that there is hope for habitats destroyed by man, it also proves that that species found another place to reproduce and survive. This opens up the possibility that there are other species that have “disappeared” because of man-made complications, that are really just surviving in other settings. The discovery, and the whole project, is exciting to me because it gives me hope about the future of our planet and provides proof as to why dams have a negative impact on the environment and many natural habitats. The destruction of the Bloede Dam, and the rediscovery of the silver is related to environmental science because it shows the relationship between the health of an ecosystem and man-made infrastructure. When we removed the Bloede Dam, we gave back the natural habitat that many species of fish need to survive. Removing the dam freed up miles of water that migratory fish can now use to travel upstream into their natural waters. 

The Twenty-First Century Dams Act

Casey, M. (2021, July 9). Bill aims to spend billions to Fix nation’s aging dams. AP NEWS. https://apnews.com/article/business-health-government-and-politics-environment-and-nature-bills-b08ea4a6aedf972148afd9ef22e51bdf

Due to concerns about many of the 90,000 U.S. dams that are at risk of failure, Annie Kuster introduced The Twenty-First Century Dams Act. This act proposes that the government spend $26 billion to make repairs and improvements to existing dams in the United States that will make them more safe and increase their power generation capacity. The act also proposes to remove dams that are no longer useful. Because of the increase in frequency and intensity of storms due to climate change, this act is more important than ever in improving public safety and revitalizing ecosystem health.

I agree with the article in believing that this act is necessary for our country and its citizens, as well as the environment. First of all, the way the article discussed all the safety concerns surrounding the dams and how people would be affected if they were to fail provided strong support for this act being passed. Also, the article discussed the environmental impacts of dams and how the environment would be improved if the act were to be passed. Currently, there are around 1,000 dams that could be removed in order to reconnect about 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) of rivers. This river restoration that would come with the removal of dams would help to revitalize ecosystem health and improve the environment. 

Dam Collapses Are Dangerous

Sahagún, L. (2021, February 10). California’s aging dams face new perils, 50 years after Sylmar quake crisis. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2021-02-10/earthquakes-climate-change-threaten-california-dams

 On many occasions, dams have malfunctioned or collapsed and caused the loss of property and lives. In 1971, an earthquake hit Sylmar and nearly collapsed the Lower Van Norman Dam in Granada Hills. Ever since this event and events like it, there has been more motivation to look into dam safety and provide funding to ensure dams are up to date and working correctly. Unfortunately, because of the sheer volume, many dams in the U.S. have long outlived the capacity of what they were built for without being renovated. 

The stories of failing and collapsing dams relate to environmental science because they discuss how these collapsing dams destroyed land and ecosystems. These incidents killed many people, but they also destroyed property and animals as well. Reading this article just reinforced the opinion I already had which was that dams are in desperate need of more attention that we are currently giving them. The issue of dam safety stretches across the United States and has the potential to affect tens of thousands of lives, yet the government still isn’t doing enough about the issue. 

Endangered Rivers Affected by Dams

Lakhani, N. (2021, April 13). Endangered US rivers at grave risk from DAMS, mining and global heating. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/13/endangered-rivers-dams-mining-global-heating-climate-crisis

Endangered rivers in the U.S. are only becoming more endangered due to the dams we have built. The Snake River is ranked the most endangered US river of 2021, and the salmon inhabiting The Snake are facing extinction because of the four federal dams built on the river. This extinction not only affects the natural ecosystems, but it also creates a problem for the Native American tribes who need the fish for food as well as for their culture and their identities. 

This article explains one way in which dams negatively impact the environment. In this case, the dams are restricting the free flow of water and disrupting natural ecosystems. In my opinion, the removal of dams should have been funded years ago before this problem became so extreme. Humans have a tendency of leaving their waste around and instead using the money to fund new projects, rather than restoring or cleaning up their old ones. The dams on the Snake River are just one example of this. In this case, however, we have the chance to correct our mistakes before the problem gets even worse, and it is my strong belief that we should take this chance and remove the dams as quickly as possible. 

Hoover Dam Water Shortage

James, I. (2021, June 11). Hoover dam, symbol of the modern WEST, faces a new test with an epic water shortage. Epic drought tests Hoover Dam as water levels in Lake Mead plummet. https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/05/27/hoover-dam-drought-water-levels-lake-mead/5134031001/

Years of extreme drought and increasing temperatures caused by climate change are creating visible effects along Lake Mead’s shorelines. The water level in the reservoir has dropped about 140 feet since 2000, revealing a ring of minerals. This decline in water levels threatens the water supply to cities and farmlands. Mike Bernardo, along with a team of engineers and hydrologists plan water releases from various dams such as the Hoover Dam as well as Davis and Parker dams. This water flow will travel through pipelines to Phoenix, LA and farmlands that are deprived of water so that they are able to produce crops such as hay, cotton, grapes and lettuce. Bernardo and his team also set power generation goals which reveal declining numbers. According to Bernardo, the past 12 months across the Colorado River Basin have the driest on record. 

 

Lake Mead’s declining water levels are one of many examples of how global warming and climate change has affected the sources we need to survive. As temperatures rise, the ground becomes overheated, melting snow and evaporating it almost instantly. In my opinion, Arizona, Nevada and California need to limit water use and make stronger efforts to reverse the effects of the drought. This includes cutbacks of water use to protect the declining levels of Lake Mead. We need to educate ourselves and use the information we obtain to better plan for the future. Though the effects of the drought are the main cause of the dangerously low levels of water, ultimately, making stronger efforts to reduce the effects of climate change would better help save our water sources. 

 

San Jose Redif-Hillview Airport is exposing Children to High Levels of Lead

Angst, Maggie. “’A Crisis on Our Hands’: San Jose’s Reid-Hillview Airport Exposes Children to High Lead Levels, Study Finds.” The Mercury News, The Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2021, www.mercurynews.com/2021/08/03/a-crisis-on-our-hands-san-joses-reid-hillview-airport-exposes-children-to-high-lead-levels-study-finds/?utm_campaign=CELPU&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–lBhJhiss_f59FLonBjjyNdNeApZ7vI9WWISzM9EKiBvxQroQDlFKrssrN94MnJj3GiInt

A study done by the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors found that from the 17,000 samples of blood they took of children 18 and younger from 2011-2020 who live within a mile and half-mile have higher levels of lead in their blood than children who live farther away.  Residents for the longest time have been requesting to shut down the airport before 2031 which was the Federal Aviation Administration approved date but it might happener sooner due to federal grant obligations. Since the opening in 196, thousands of homes, two dozen schools, and childcare centers have been built right by the airport.  The neighborhood is very frustrated “Why do we have to live with this just because we live in a poor area? Our children are not able to defend themselves, and now they’re just condemned to the toxication of lead”. 

It is unfair, poor communities are thrown this problem that is affecting their children’s health, you don’t see this problem in rich cities like Atherton where their health is being risked but rather are thrown upon those who are already affected in other ways. What makes this justifiable? Because they’re poor doesn’t mean they deserve it. This needs to be fixed and shut down immediately, more people need to know that Santa Clara Board isn’t doing anything about it.    

 

We Are Running Out of Time

Dino Grandoni, Brady Dennis. “Biden Aims for SWEEPING Climate Action as Infrastructure, Budget Bills Advance.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Aug. 2021, 1:47 pm EDT, www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/08/10/biden-climate-congress/.

In this article, we see the political view of climate change and the $3.5 trillion budget bill. The point of the budget bill is to cut emissions that are created by burning fossil fuels and human activities. Biden’s goal is to cut 50% of emissions by the end of this decade. But if Biden were to succeed this number the rest of the world would have to contribute to see change, the United States only accounts for one-seventh of the world’s greenhouse emissions, largely China would have to take part to reduce the numbers. The European Union already agreed to block 55% by 2030, but China, India, Russia, and other nations will proceed remains unlikely.

It feels like we are running out of time to take action, every day is one day we lose if we continue to do nothing about our climate. It might not affect us now but in the future, for our future generation, it will harm them and species all over the world. It’s great to see Biden care for our future and more people every day do small contributes to reducing climate change, but to see a change in our climate not only that one person in the group has to change (United States) but the whole group (the rest of the world).

 

A New Future for Our Climate

Slack, Sarah A. “A New AGENDA: Significant Changes in U.S. Environmental Policy Are Expected in 2021.” The National Law Review, 21 Jan. 2021, www.natlawreview.com/article/new-agenda-significant-changes-us-environmental-policy-are-expected-2021

Since the Trump administration has been out of office, Biden’s administration will need to replace regulations that Trump aimed to reduce for environmental justice. Biden’s goal is to take action towards climate change, environmental justice, chemical regulations, wetlands/waters in the United States. Creating efforts in environmental justice Biden plans on making the EPA create a community mapping system (basically a mapping for communities to have specific plans for local outreach and public participation) as well as changes for PFAS creating listings in hazardous substances to have a mechanism to promote Safe Drinking Water Act. Many changes are yet to come for California’s climate policy, FIRFA, Wetlands/ waters, TSCA, ESG.

For the past 4 years while Trump was in office he had made his biggest effort in rather than moving forward to fixing the climate only to make regulations and orders continue and worsen the future of our climate. Now that Biden is in office he has made it clear through his entire campaign that he will make it an effort to bring change in taking action towards climate change, I hope that Biden makes this statements true and take action because he doesn’t and continues these regulations he would only be another president that ignores climate change or doesn’t take action to stop regulation like navigating waters, Biden has made it clear that he plans to move back to Obama’s-era rule that was replaced during the Trump administration. 

 

Legislation Aiding Restoration of Wetlands Passes.

Wisconsin legislature backs wetlands restoration. Leader. (2021, August 12). https://www.leadertelegram.com/country-today/outdoors/wisconsin-legislature-backs-wetlands-restoration/article_38636d5b-8cf5-5f3c-9ac4-3d4126199476.html. 

The state of Wisconsin has recently passed new legislation that will aid in the restoration of wetlands. About 5 million acres of wetlands in Wisconsin have been lost, so the legislation is much needed and will hopefully allow major state-wide restoration. The legislation gives permits and financial help to restore the wetlands of Wisconsin. Two years ago, legislation passed giving funding to Ashland County. This funding allowed for demonstration of the restoration and helped in the process of passing the newer legislation. 

The article described new legislation that was passed in Wisconsin that will directly benefit the restoration of wetlands. This legislation will allow more restoration that is much needed in a state that has lost almost 50% of it’s natural wetlands. My reaction to the article was surprising, because I did not expect large government to focus on the needs of the environment. Overall I was definitely pleased with the new legislation.