Month: February 2022

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One-fourth of US infrastructure is at risk of floods. These 4 states are in the most peril.

Rice, D., & Tebor, C. (2021, October 11). One-fourth of US infrastructure is at risk of floods. these 4 states are in the most peril. USA Today. Retrieved February 7, 2022, fromhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/11/infrastructure-risk-flooding-first-street-foundation-report/6050243001/ 

Flooding is becoming a growing issue in the United States. As of October 2021, 25% of the nation’s “critical” infrastructure is at flooding risk, and these numbers are estimated to continue growing. It is predicted in the next 30 years, 1.2 million more properties will become at risk of flooding, going from 12.4 million properties in 2021 to 13.6 million in 2051. Another issue with flooding is it is one of the most expensive natural disasters in the United States. 

This article shows how flooding will become more and more dangerous as time goes on because of climate change. Climate change has altered the temperature differently throughout the United States. In some areas, the higher temperatures have caused more flooding and rainfall because it causes a warmer atmosphere. The article states that millions of residents are at risk of flooding and do not know it. I wonder if the Bay Area is at flood risks or only some parts. It also states that making properties floodproof is expensive, such as rising houses on stilts or installing foundation vents. I wonder what options are the best cost-efficient way to make homes floodproof or if the best option is to not invest in property at risk of flooding. I found it interesting how a professor of economics at USC, Matthew Kahn explained how climate change risks would be the newest factor house buyers consider before purchasing a property. 

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What the numbers tells us about a catastrophic year of wildfires

Kamal, R. (2021, December 25). What the numbers tells us about a catastrophic year of wildfires. The Guardian. Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.the  guardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/25/what-the-numbers-tells-us-about-a-catastrophic-year-of-wildfires

Wildfires are becoming more dangerous in the United States. The year 2021 brought disastrous wildfires that burned close to 7.7 million acres of land. By late June of 2021, there were already around 29,000 wildfires, about 4,000 more fires than the average years. These fires are also becoming harder to control; fires that used to burn for weeks are now the same amount burned in a single day. The US is changing how they approach this situation by increasing the budget for wildfire management with Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. 

These wildfires have a direct connection to climate change. The increase in temperatures has caused some of California, Nevada, and Oregon’s hottest summers. It also results in 80% of the west being in a severe drought. The warmer temperatures and the droughts are helping the wildfires easily spread. Then because of the stronger fires, it is causing more money per acre. In 2021, it cost on average more than $600 per acre to put out these wildfires. I wonder if Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will be enough money to fight against all the wildfires that are to come. Also, if greenhouse gas emissions stay how they were in 2021, wildfires could increase up to 6 times higher in the next 30 years. This shows perfect evidence of why we need to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and switch to clean energy to help our environment out. If we continue in our ways, our world will continue to face harsher and harsher consequences.

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About 14,000 people displaced when Ida battered one Louisiana parish, official says

Holcombe, M., & Levenson, E. (2021, September 6). About 14,000 people displaced when Ida Battered One Louisiana Parish, official says. CNN. Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/06/weather/hurricane-ida-recovery-    monday/index.html

In August 2021, Hurricane Ida hit the United States. It started in Louisiana and made its way up to New York. Hurricane Ida destroyed many homes and left places for weeks with no power. Fourteen thousand people lost their homes in one Lousiana parish, and the hurricane destroyed 75% of the structure there. After the hurricane passed through Louisiana, there were still more dangers to come; there were high temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s, and with 486,000 houses having no power or air conditioning, people struggled with heat strokes. Also, many homes were at risk of flash flooding because the soil was already saturated with hurricane water.

This category four hurricane is a result of climate change. Climate change throughout the years is making hurricanes and other natural disasters more dangerous. These new hurricanes produce more rainfall, move slowly and longer on land, create more damage, and cause other severe disasters after it passes. These destructions are likely to become the new normal because of climate change. The United States is spending a fortune on protecting its nation against these damages, and the numbers continue to rise, and climate change affects us more each day. Hurricane Ida cost at least 60 billion dollars, more than all the seven most dangerous tropical cyclones of 2020. I wonder how much money the next hurricane will cost compared to Ida. I am also curious if there is anything people can do to help themselves survive in hurricane-risk areas. For example, putting houses on stilts will help against these increasingly damaging hurricanes.

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Climate Change Is Making Big Problems Bigger

Flavelle, C. (2021, May 12). Climate change is making big problems bigger. The New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com  /2021/05/12/climate/climate-change-epa.html

Everywhere around the United States faces natural disasters enhanced by climate change. It affects each community differently throughout the nation. In 2021, the temperatures became warmer in Washington, causing longer wildfire seasons, heatwaves, and flooding to be more common. Lyme disease is spread more because the warmer temperatures allow deer ticks to survive in more areas. Droughts are threatening communities’ available drinking water. 

Climate change overall is negatively affecting people’s lives and their environment. It has caused almost all states to rise by half a degree per decade since the 1970s. These higher temperatures are causing sea levels to grow and increase flooding, wildfires, and droughts. While President Trump was in action, he limited the E.P.A.’s data about climate change released to the public, but the Biden administration revived these annual data sets. Biden did what was necessary for the United States public to see how climate change increasingly affects our lives. It is also essential for people to know about the new dangers they could face, such as Lyme disease or if their residence is at risk of flooding. I am happy Biden released these numbers and hope it spreads awareness about climate change.

 

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2021 International Climate Change Reports Assess the Earth’s Climate

Global Environmental Health Newsletter, 2021 International Climate Change Reports Assess the Earth’s Climate, incorporated in a letter written by David Richards, October, 2021 (link)

 

Climate Change is affecting human health. It’s a result of the Greenhouse effect, which is caused by fossil fuel production and human activities. As it continues, humans have experienced more heat-related illnesses, Malaria, Lyme Disease, Dengue Fever, Cardiovascular Disease, and more. As more methane, carbon dioxide, and other gasses continue to build up in the atmosphere, these issues will only continue to prevail.

 

It’s crazy how bad the situation of our current climate is, and it’s scary to think about what it will be like in the future. There are so many illnesses and diseases that are caused by this omnipresent issue, which is why we need to act sooner rather than later. I thought this article was interesting to look at, considering we’re studying this topic in class. It made me think about the Biosequestration letters, and what we could be doing collectively to slow down our warming climate. This site mentioned multiple diseases, which are all caused by various environmental factors.

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‘Toilet of Europe’: Spain’s pig farms blamed for mass fish die-offs

The Guardian, ‘Toilet of Europe’: Spain’s pig farms blamed for mass fish die-offs, written by The Guardian Editors, October 31, 2021 (link)

 

Dead fish washed up on the Mar Menor lagoon in Spain. Nitrate-laden runoff was causing excess algae blooms in the water. Pork farming had been reported as the primary cause of this runoff. Due to this disaster, the government banned fertilizer use within 1.5k of the lagoon. It was determined that nearly 800,000 animals are the cause of 17% of the nitrogen found. Many of the pig farms were found not following the regulations set regarding their waste management.

 

This event was fascinating to learn about, considering I haven’t heard of it before. I thought it was interesting that the fish were dying from Eutrophication, which is something we had learned about earlier this year. Hopefully, people begin understanding the severity of this issue, and set regulations to respect the wildlife in areas like the Mar Menor lagoon. I think this article is important, and demonstrates that we need to shift our FALU practices to something more sustainable. While this isn’t a disease, it’s a severe condition that’s killing wildlife.

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Why Africa Still Has Ebola Outbreaks

School of Public Health (University of Michigan), Why Africa Still Has Ebola Outbreaks, written by Kennedy DuBose, Julia Duffy, Sania Farooq, Sucaad Mohamud, and Maggie Sanders, February 4, 2021 (link)

 

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is spread to the body through bodily fluids, animals, and contaminated objects. It’s able to spread from one person to another through the eyes, nose, mouth, and skin. The transmission process can’t start until the EVD positive person starts experiencing symptoms. Some of these symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, rash, and internal bleeding. One of the primary reasons why EVD is fatal in underdeveloped regions is because they suffer from a lack of resources. 

 

Learning about Ebola Virus Disease was very interesting. I already knew about it before reading this article, but I learned more about its ability to spread, and the importance of having resources to take care of it. These resources include IVs, antibiotics, blood pressure meds, and more. I think it’s super scary that most people who catch this disease end up dying in horrible ways. EVD basically liquifies people’s innards, which is terrifying to think about. This disease is related to the environment, considering it affects humans and animals.

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China’s Alectinib Market Repoort 2021: Market Reached Approximately $47.18 Million in 2020

Cision PR Newswire, China’s Alectinib Market Repoort 2021: Market Reached Approximately $47.18 Million in 2020, with a CAGR of 815%, 2018-2020 – Forecast to 2025, written by Research and Markets, December 31, 2021 (link)

 

This article is related to lung cancer cases found in China. It’s predicted that lung cancer cases will continue to increase from 2021 to 2025 due to environmental pollution. Lung cancer is the most common- it was reported that there were approximately 4.57 million cancer cases reported in 2020, 820,000 of them being lung cancer. The majority of these patients (85%) suffer from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

 

I thought this article was very scary to read about. I had no idea that lung cancer was so common, despite the extreme pollution produced by China’s mass-industrial society. It goes to show how detrimental pollution is to human health. Hopefully, we can find medications to treat this and create stricter regulations to prevent other regions from becoming this polluted. This would be categorized as an environmental-related disease, since it mentions environmental pollution and how it’s impacting human health.

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Global eradication of Guinea worm disease urged as cases halved in 2021 to record low

Medical Press, Global eradication of Guinea worm disease urged as cases halved in 2021 to record low, written by Sanjeet Bagcchi, February 2, 2022 (link)

 

Guinea worm disease is a parasitic disease, which is caused by consuming water that is contaminated with Copepod fleas, typically in underdeveloped countries. Guinea worm disease may not be fatal, but it causes people to become non-functional for weeks to months at a time. While it can’t be treated, filtering the water can, and has been proven to, greatly reduce the number of cases. It affects animals, as well as humans, but these cases are also dropping as domestic dogs are being watched more closely.

 

I knew about parasites and how they could be caught from contaminated water, but I never knew about the prevalence of this condition in particular. I thought it was interesting, but also pretty gross. While reading this, I was sad that children had to endure this condition and its side effects, but I was happy to learn that these cases were dropping in both humans and animals. This is mostly due to the community’s ability to filter water, which is pretty fascinating. Ultimately, this topic is an environmental-related disease, which is why it fits into this category.

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The real start to clean drinking water

Zero pollution in drinking water: Endocrine disrupting chemicals on New Watch List of pollutants. Environment. (2022, January 19). Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://ec.europa.eu/environment/news/zero-pollution-drinking-water-endocrine-disrupting-chemicals-new-watch-list-pollutants-2022-01-19_en   

In January 2021, the EU revised the Drinking Water Directive, which basically enforces quality standards for drinking water in order to protect the health of citizens. They’ve recently added two new endocrine disrupting chemicals on the list of pollutants to monitor. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are chemicals that interfere with hormones in the body’s endocrine system, which if ingested, increase the risk of many serious health issues. These along with other pollutants in any type of water need to be monitored in order to protect the health of humans, biodiversity, and the enviornment. European Union Commisioners plan on continuing to watch out for these harmful toxins, along with any others that are likely to appear in the future. 

The EU is on a great track to implementing zero pollution in drinking water, and this is definetly a huge step in the right direction. By enforcing a watchlist to keep track of all these bad chemicals, they’re a lot more likely to prevent even more pollutants that could potentially harm us in the future, not to mention how much of a positive impact it would have on the environment. I do however think that the European Union should speed up the process of when to officially begin monitoring these endocrine disrupting chemicals, since the article mentions that Member States have until January 12, 2023 to do so.