Author: nidan

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Clothing Industry A Big Contributor To Global Water Pollution.

Medical Daily. (2019, November 6). Clothing Industry A Big Contributor To Global Water Pollution. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from https://www.medicaldaily.com/clothing-industry-big-contributor-global-water-pollution-445402

 

This article describes the polluting effects that the clothing industry has on global water supplies. The article states that the clothing industry is the 2nd most polluting industry in terms of water pollution after the oil industry. The clothing industry uses huge amounts of drinking water and also releases chemicals that can end up in groundwater. The industry uses on average a half trillion gallons of water every year and provides 20% of all toxic chemicals released into water. The toxic chemicals can collect in plants and fish causing the quality of the Environment to decrease. One of the biggest sources of pollution comes from the dyes used to color clothing. Azo dyes are the most commonly used and also the most toxic because they can change into chemicals that cause cancer over time. These chemicals are called carcinogens. The clothing industry uses about 8,000 different chemicals and most of them are toxic to the environment. 

 

This article connects to Environmental Science because it looks at how the clothing industry has a negative impact on the environment. It shows that both the amount of water used and the chemicals released into the water can decrease the quality of the environment. It is important to understand which kinds of activities a company uses to create a product and how those activities will have a toxic effect on the environment. It also shows how the environment needs protection to keep water supplies safe and clean. It is interesting to see that the clothing industry is such a huge water polluter. It is not obvious from thinking about making clothes how it could cause so much water pollution. It shows how important it is to think about how everything is made, how it impacts the environment, and how we should decide what to buy..

 

 

 

 

  

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E.P.A. Weakens Rules Governing Toxic Water Pollution From Coal Plants.

The New York Times. (2019, November 4). E.P.A. Weakens Rules Governing Toxic Water Pollution From Coal Plants. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/climate/coal-ash-water-pollution-trump.html

 

This article describes change in regulations in America dealing with toxic water pollution that comes from coal plants. In the Trump administration the EPA has reduced or eliminated many laws that require coal plants to dispose of their toxic waste in ways that would not pollute the environment. The government says these rules need to be changed because they cost the power plants too much money and makes it hard for them to stay in business. One of the changes is to allow coal plants to continue to dump waste into ash pounds that do not have any lining. The government says this will save the power plants 175 million dollars per year, but without the regulations it makes it more likely that the toxic waste will get into the drinking water. Because most people living near these plants are poor and usually people of color they will be affected by a greater amount. 

 

This article connects to Environmental Science because it shows the debate between protecting the Environment and making money. By reducing the regulations the coal companies can save money, but it comes at the cost of harming the environment. This article also shows that pollution usually affects the poor more than other groups, because poorer families often have to live in less healthy environments. It also shows the importance of studying the effects of pollution so that organizations can push back against companies that are more interested in how much money they make rather than how clean the environment is. It’s interesting to read that the EPA is proud of the money the coal plants will save every year, but doesn’t mention the harmful effects of getting rid of these rules will have on the Environment.

 

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Discarded Fishing Gear is a Major Source of Ocean Pollution, Greenpeace Says.

The Weather channel. (2019, November 8). Discarded Fishing Gear is a Major Source of Ocean Pollution, Greenpeace Says. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from https://weather.com/news/news/2019-11-09-fishing-gear-pollutes-oceans-greenpeace

 

This article describes the problems caused by abandoned or lost fishing gear in the ocean. This gear is a major source of plastic pollution in the ocean contributing 10% of all plastic found in the ocean. The article describes the fact that this kind of pollution from fishing boats has grown worse over time because fishing gear is made more and more out of plastic rather than natural materials. Fishermen prefer plastic because it is lighter and stronger than other materials. On average 9% of traps, 29% of longlines and 6% of nets end up as plastic pollution in the ocean. The article claims this is about as much plastic as would would fit in 50,000 double decker buses. This plastic pollution endangers many different kinds of ocean life including birds and whales. One recent example of the negative effects was seen in Mexico when 300 endangered turtles were found dead in an abandoned fishing net. One group trying to tackle the problem is Greenpeace but their impact has been small. The article does not offer any specific solutions problem because the challenge is so large and involves many countries around the world. 

 

This story connects with Environmental Science because it shows how small changes over time can have a large impact on pollution. Fishermen have slowly changed their tools to plastic from natural materials and this has caused the pollution problem to grow. It also shows that Environmental Science has to deal with problems that are shared between many countries. We have to understand the impacts that these choices make in order for countries to develop laws that can help to fix this problem. It was interesting to see that no specific solution to the problem was offered. This shows that this is a very significant problem that will require many different ideas to solve.

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The Great Bubble Barrier: How this women-led Dutch startup is fighting plastic pollution.

 

Silicon Canals. (2019, November 11). The Great Bubble Barrier: How this women-led Dutch startup is fighting plastic pollution. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from https://siliconcanals.com/news/the-great-bubble-barrier-how-this-women-led-dutch-startup-is-fighting-plastic-pollution/

 

The Great Bubble Barrier is a new piece of technology designed in Amsterdam to help remove plastic pollution from the canals in the city. The designers of the project believe that we must create new ways to effectively remove plastic from our water sources because of the pollution it causes. The article claims that about 8 million tons of plastic flow into the ocean every year and that there is already 150 million tons of plastic in the ocean. Ocean plastic is a significant problem because it decreases water quality and kills aquatic life. According to some studies there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. The Bubble Barrier uses a current of bubbles rising from the canal floor to lift plastic to the surface and push it into collection boxes. This technology is capturing about 3500 kg of plastic every day. This technology is useful because it collects plastic without getting in the way of boats or harming aquatic life. This project also shows the benefits of companies partnering with local government to solve large problems.

 

This technology connects with Environmental Science because it shows a new way to improve water quality. One of the best benefits of this technology is that it works 24 hours a day without getting in the way of usual traffic on the canals. It’s important to create technologies like this because the amount of plastic that needs to be cleaned up is so great. Technologies that can remove plastic all the time are needed to try to fight this problem. It’s interesting that the designers are able to use something as simple as bubbles to have such a significant impact on water quality. It is important to develop technologists like this to tackle our new water problems.

 

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Town in Guatemala Bans Plastic, Decreased Water Pollution by 90% in just 3 Years

Latin Post. (2019,November 9). Town in Guatemala Bans Plastic, Decreased Water Pollution by 90% in just 3 Years. Retrieved November 11,2019, from https://www.latinpost.com/articles/142546/20191109/guatemala-town-decreased-water-population-90-three-years.htm

 

This article describes the benefits that a complete ban of plastic has had for a small town in Guatemala and especially how it decreased water pollution. Three years ago, the small town of San Pedro La Laguna joined with the MDG-FUND to create a plan to eliminate plastic use. Before this plan was put into place the local water supply was very unhealthy because of pollution. The polluted water frequently caused illnesses especially in children. The town spent an entire year planning how to tackle the problem and decided that a complete plastic ban would be the best option. The town decided to use items like banana leaves and woven baskets instead of plastic containers. Even visitors to the town are banned from using plastic items. Since the ban went into affect the pollution levels in Lake Atitlan (a local lake) have dropped by 90% and the health of the community has improved.

 

This ban connects with Environmental Science because it shows one possible way to reduce water pollution levels. The plastic ban helps to show the significant polluting effect that plastic can have on the environment. It also shows how water quality directly affects the health of the people living in the area. Water is a critical resource that has to be protected in order to maintain a healthy environment. It was interesting to see that a simple plastic ban could reduce pollution by 90%. 

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How rivers became the plastic highway into the oceans.

CNN.com. (24, June 2019). How rivers became the plastic highway into the oceans. Retrieved June 25, 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/24/health/plastic-pollution-rivers-oceans-scn-intl/index.html

 

This article describes research about how plastic gets into the ocean from land. The article also estimates how much plastic is released into the water by the United States. Some of the largest sources of plastics include wet wipes, clothing fibers, and microbeads. Plastics that get into rivers can eventually end up in the ocean and wash up on islands hundreds of miles away or become eaten by animals. The article estimates the Americans eat about 5 grams of plastic every week. One source of this plastic is the microplastics that are found in sea life that are eaten by humans. The article describes the importance of studying more about how plastics move from rivers to oceans. The research indicates that the Hudson River carries about 150 million plastic clothing fibers to the ocean every day. Some researchers believe that better filters could help to reduce the amount of plastic in the water. 

 

This article connects with environmental science because it looks at how water pollution impacts the environment. It describes how plastics left on land are able to get to the ocean and then into the food supply. It also looks at how this hurts both humans and the environment. It surprised me that on average Americans eat 5 grams of plastic a week. It’s also suprrings that the amount is so high of Amreicans eating plastic even though no one eats plastic regularly. 

 

 

 

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Giant dead zone in the gulf of Mexico thanks in large part to pollution from Chicago.

Phys.org. (2019, June 19). There’s a giant dead zone in the gulf of Mexico thanks in large part to pollution from Chicago. Retrieved June 20, 2019, https://phys.org/news/2019-06-giant-dead-zone-gulf-mexico.html

 

This article describes the problem that large algal blooms cause in lakes and the ocean. The article states that the algae bloom that happens every year in the Gulf of Mexico has become the largest in the world. These algae blooms are a problem because they release toxic chemicals into the water and also remove all of the oxygen which causes marine life to die. A major source of the prolmbe comes from the city of Chicago and farms in the area. Climate change has caused more rain to fall in this area which creates more runoff that helps these blooms to grow. The nutrients come from fertilizers and sewage. The article estimates that the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is about 7,800 square miles these dead zones have a negative impact on fishing. The article also describes that these blooms are starting to happen in Lake Michigan as well. The article suggests that if farmers use cover crops they could reduce the amount of run-off and shrink the size of the algae blooms. 

 

This article connects with environmental science because it deals with the effects of fertilizer on water quality. It connects how the actions of farmers and sewage can cause algae blooms and how those blooms affect the environment. This article also shows how these blooms can be a source of pollution and cause marine life to die. Finally it shows how different actions like planting cover crops can help to improve the situation. It is surprising how large these dead zones are and that the article describes that the size of the one in the Gulf of Mexico is roughly the size of the EU. It is also surprising how the actions of people can cause effects in areas very far away from where the actions happen     

 

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Ohio River pollution control standards changing; Ohio, kentucky to use federal guidelines.

Local 12. (2019, June 11). Ohio River pollution control standards changing; Ohio, kentucky to use federal guidelines. Retrieved June 20, 2019, https://local12.com/news/local/ohio-river-pollution-control-standards-changing-ohio-ky-to-use-federal-guidelines

 

This article describes a change in the pollution standards for the Ohio River. A group named Ohio River Valley Water sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) used to create the rules about what could be released into the river and what could not. The Ohio River provides drinking water for approximately five million people. The article describes that in Cincinnati they test the drinking water 600 times a day and that they use filters and UV light to make the water safe to drink. The change in the rules now allows individual states to decide the rules for what amount of pollution can be put into the river. The article describes that many people are concerned that this will make the water less clean. Some states have decided they will follow EPA guidelines but these guidelines are less strict than the ORSANCO ones. States will just have to hope that each state maintains the safety of the water and the river.

 

This article connects with environmental science because it discusses how laws can effect the levels of pollution in the water it also shows how governments and people can disagree over the best way to make these laws. The article shows that pollution affects large numbers of people and that it is a complicated issue. Something that I think is surprising is that a group would decide not enforce its rules anymore, especially when it makes it easier for states to pollute the water supply. 

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Toxic Discharges Suspected From Almost 500 Industrial Facilities Across U.S.

EWG News and Analysis. (2019, June 11). PFAS Nation: Toxic Discharges Suspected From Almost 500 Industrial Facilities Across U.S. Retrieved June 20, 2019, https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2019/06/pfas-nation-toxic-discharges-suspected-almost-500-industrial-facilities

 

This article describes a study that was done to measure how many factories are releasing PFAS into the water. The study was conducted by an environmental group known as EWG. PFAS is a compound that contains fluorine and studies have shown that if PFAS gets into drinking water it can cause illness. Some of the effects PFAS can have include cancer, weakened immunity, kidney and thyroid disease. EWG also created a map to mark where these factories are located in the U.S the study found almost five hundred factories releasing PFAS and the article also mentions almost five hundred additional facilities and a hundred military sites that could also releasing PFAS. Currently, there are no regulations for how much PFAS can be released but there are some legislators who are trying to create new laws. Some of the major sources of PFAS include firefighting foam and food packaging. 

 

This article is related to environmental science because it looks at how PFAS gets into the water supply and what the effects are. If PFAS gets into the water supply then people are exposed to it, it can cause health problems. The article does not mention the effects on wildlife but PFAS probably causes problems for wild live as well. The article shows how keeping track of this pollution can make it easier to regulate how much is released. It surprised me how there are no laws to limit the amount of PFAS is released into the water it is good news though that some people are working to try and create new laws to limit PFAS, the article also shows that alternatives are available such as fire fighting foam without fluoride. 

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Nitrate pollution in U.S. drinking water could lead to thousands of cancer cases.

CBS News. (2019, June 11). Study: Nitrate pollution in U.S. drinking water could lead to thousands of cancer cases. Retrieved June 11, 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nitrate-pollution-drinking-water-study-environmental-working-group-links-possible-cancers/

 

This News article describes the results of a study on levels of nitrate pollution in different bodies of water around the U.S. the group performing the study is a non-profit called The Environmental Working Group. The study shows that nitrate pollution in water could be causing up to 12,594 cancer cases every year. The article explains that nitrates pollute water especially in areas with a lot of farming. Nitrates are used as fertilizer and when the fertilizer runs off because of rain the nitrates get into the water system. The government sets rules about how much can be in the water and that level is currently 10ppm. The article describes that President Obama made efforts to create stronger rules about this kind of pollution, but President Trump has canceled those rules. The study found that the average nitrate level in water is between 1ppm to 5ppm. These levels are still causing people to become sick and the environmental working group believes that the government should change its regulations. 

 

This article is related to environmental science because it deals with how water becomes polluted. Water is an important part of the environment, so we need to understand how different chemicals affect the safety of water. This article shows that scientists can measure the amounts of different chemicals in water. I found that the number of cases of cancer caused by this kind of pollution to be very concerning. I think that the government should have more effort in studying and creating rules for this problem so that people can have clean and safe water to drink.