McKenzie, P. (2022, December 31). In the Pacific, Outcry Over Japan’s Plan to Release Fukushima Wastewater. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/30/world/asia/japan-fukushima-wastewater-pacific-radiation.html?smid=url-share

A debate has sprung over the release of nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan. Ever since 2011 after its meltdown, Japan has been flushing water through its reactors to cool them down. All of the used water has to be isolated or treated as its highly radioactive. Japan has been storing the 1.3 million tons of wastewater in containers. However, recently they have intended to treat and release the water into the ocean. Pacific Islanders are weary of this decision due to their past with nuclear contamination. US nuclear testing in the 50s caused many forced relocations as people had intense radiation exposure in the Marshall Islands. Only a hydrogen isotope called tritium will remain in the water after treatment, which is considered a low health risk. However, the lack of transparency from Japanese officials still leaves a cause for concern.

I think the concern of Pacific islanders is completely understandable as dumping contaminated water into their nearby oceans doesn’t sound good on paper. However, I do not see an issue with releasing the wastewater if it’s scientifically proven to be safe. As storing so much water must be a heavy financial burden on the Japanese government. I hope that the diplomatic bond between the Pacific and Japan strengthens as they come to a compromise. This is a unique issue that cannot be avoided. Its especially to examine the environmental aspect of releasing this wastewater. As it affects humans as much as it affects the local ecosystem.

Zhuang, Y. (2022, December 6). ‘Important Step’ Toward Addressing Toxic Legacy of Huge Mine. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/world/australia/bougainville-rio-tinto-mine.html?searchResultPosition=8

Residents in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Australia, have been accusing Rio Tinto of environmental and human rights violations. The company failed to clean millions of tons of waste from a mine that was closed decades ago. The closing of the mine was connected to a greater civil conflict over the independence of Bougainville. This waste leaks into the nearby rivers that residents rely on for fishing, farming, and drinking. This left locals frustrated as people have to walk for hours to acquire fresh water from other sources, while the mainland of Papua New Guinea reaped most of the profits of the mine. An environmental assessment sponsored by Rio Tinto will be made, the first phase taking about 18 months. However, no commitment over funding solutions have been made.

The people of Bougainville are standing their ground against this massive conglomerate and I have nothing but respect for them. These articles are good examples of how environmental issues are often tied to human rights issues. I’m glad that they gathered enough attention to conduct an environmental assessment, but I’m worried over the lack of commitment made for any solutions. As this is an ongoing issue, I’m curious about what is going to happen in the future, especially after the assessment is complete.

Isai, V. (2022, December 24). With Unfit Drinking Water, Indigenous Communities in Canada Bear Hardship. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/24/world/canada/canada-indigenous-populations-drinking-water.html?searchResultPosition=7

Indigenous communities in Canada have been suffering from a lack of safe drinking water. Defunct infrastructure and a lack of qualified operators at local water plants have led to many people getting sick from drinking from the tap. Gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, rashes, and other health issues were commonplace as many couldn’t afford the expenses of bottled water. North Spirit Lake, an isolated reserve found in Northern Ontario, has been under a boil advisory for over two decades. This community alongside 250 other nations have been affected since 1977. A class action lawsuit filed by three Indigenous communities led to the Canadian government pledging to spend at least 6 billion Canadian dollars on water infrastructure.

Learning about the experiences of the Nations in Canada is eye-opening for me. I never realized how much I take advantage of our clean water supply. Day by day, we have fresh running water just about everywhere we go. Taking this into consideration, it’s very apparent that these communities in Canada are getting marginalized by their own government. The federal government has the legal obligation to provide these services, and it’s a human rights violation to deprive anyone of those services. Ever since the natives of North America have been colonized, they have gone through centuries of constant belittlement by their colonizers from any established Country. This is still true up to this day. I’m just glad that progress has been made. Again, another good example of how environmental issues are often tied to human rights issues.

Lake of garbage: Every winter pollution is swept from overflowing landfills into

Balkan waterways. (2023, January 26). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/

news/lake-of-garbage-serbia-balkans-pollution-landfills-water-eu/

Serbia, Bosnia, and other Balkan countries have been suffering from an overwhelming amount of garbage accumulating in their waterways. Heavy machinery is currently being used to clear tons of waste from the Potpecko accumulation lake next to its hydroelectric power plant. About 45,000 tons are collected per year from 8 municipalities in Montenegro and Serbia. Bosnia has also reported a similar situation with a garbage buildup threatening its hydroelectric dam on the Drina River. The garbage taken from Potpec late will eventually end up in a landfill in western Serbia after the few weeks it will take to remove the waste. Environmental issues are often overlooked in countries with struggling economies; as is the case in the Balkans as a series of conflicts in the 1990s crippled their financial stability.

This article brings up a difficult issue over how politics and the economy play a huge role in environmental science. It’s frustrating to see progress being slowed due to human conflict that’s meaningless in the long run. There still is no permanent solution that seems to be available to countries in that region. They resorted to just burning trash which seems much too common considering the negative effects it has on the environment.

Burrows, D. (2023, February 12). How Britain’s waterways became a dirty joke –

and why we should act now. The Times. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/

      water-pollution-why-water-crisis-uk-2023-clean-it-up-ftzbfpm8j

Thousands of people in the United Kingdom have been protesting over sewage pollution from the Thames to the Wye river. The campaign group Whitstable SOS was formed in 2021 after Southern Water Services gave an inadequate response in fighting back against the discharging of sewage into the sea. The Times reported that only 16 percent of the surface water around England could be considered close enough to its natural state. While 63 percent of the water received a moderate rating, and 20 percent of the water received a poor or bad rating. The government wants to raise the rating to 75 percent of water considered good by 2027. They wish to achieve this through rigorous new standards and cleaning. However, this figure hasn’t changed for the past five years.

I was surprised by the quality of water in England. I was expecting the country to have a much better ecological status in its surrounding surface water; considering that many view it as the ultimate first-world country. It’s interesting to think that countries like England still haven’t solved issues with their own local environment.