soil health & erosion

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Northern California county warns of ‘thick, poisonous smoke,’ declares emergency

  1. Wu, J. (2025, July 15). Northern California county warns of ‘thick, poisonous smoke,’ declares emergency. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 29, 2025, from https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/norcal-county-warns-poisonous-smoke-declares-20769947.php

 

The article talks about how in july, Siskiyou county north of us declared a state of emergency due to illigal cannabis growers igniting sawdust like materials that had insecticides and herbicides inside. This act produced dense and poisonous smoke, which endangered public health, public waterwyas, the envirnment, and put first responders in danger. Gavin Newsom was then urgered to officially recognize the crisis. Illegal operations like this are huge risks to the envirnment due to their unlicsenced/unofficial use of materials, like pesticides.

 

This related to APES and issues withi environmental science, highlighting how significantly important it is to operate with pesticides lawfully, because otherwise there is significant risks to air, water, human health, and ecosystems. I am alarmed that such dangerous and illegal practices/opertations like the cannabis farm in this article are around, and efforts to stop them should be persued more.

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An Ancient Law Could Shape the Modern Future of America’s Beaches

Dean, C. (2025, July 19). An Ancient Law Could Shape the Modern Future of America’s Beaches. Here’s How. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/19/climate/beach-erosion-sea-walls.html


One of the many consequences of sea level rise is that it is accompanied by coastal erosion. As oceans rise, larger tides begin to break down, or erode, structures and land that have not been previously exposed to the sea. This process results in beaches slowly being pushed inland. In an attempt to preserve their estates, some homeowners have been installing sea walls along their property that effectively expel these tides, keeping their land safe from erosion. However, this results in the disappearance of beaches because the natural flow of sediment is destroyed, ultimately repelling sand, and creating a barren oceanfront. Activists have long attempted to ban sea walls in the US, as they want to preserve beaches which not only bring joy to our community, but also are habitats for millions of animals. This ongoing struggle has forced many to choose which they value more: their property, or nature.


I think that the struggle between choosing money (sea walls) over the environment (beaches) reflects a serious problem in the US. People are so concerned with their riches, that they neglect what is healthy for Earth. Although I understand that people don’t want their properties to wash away, I believe that we should try to find alternate solutions that leave both parties happy. This relates to environmental science because it conveys how society is so caught up in greed, and how it results in a disruption of one or Earth’s natural cycles. Rather than create a solution that benefits everyone, people only look out for themselves. This sad reality happens everyday, whether a company chooses to use a hazardous plastic due to its cheap price, or a civilian decides to dump their waste on the side of the road because it’s convenient. The end result is always the same: another negative factor our environment must endure.

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Soil Erosion in California Article 5

 

The lack of potable water in California will continue because of soil erosion; the runoff water and soil contaminates water sources, and makes it unusable for drinking. This runoff will have serious effects on the supply of potable water in California. Walls must be put around reservoirs and bodies of water that are susceptible to being polluted by runoff water otherwise it could be very dangerous.

 

There are serious consequences that may arise from erosion of soil, which will be amplified by El Niño. There are lot of things to watch out for in California this year; there needs to be storm damage prevention measures taken to protect land from soil erosion, bridges, roads, and even reservoirs/water sources. If nothing is done to prevent the destruction of our resources because of soil erosion, then the effects will be felt for thousands of years, and could significantly affect California and its inhabitants.

 

Geiling, N. (2015, July 1). The West Is Literally On Fire, And The Impacts Could Be 

Widespread. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from 

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/01/3675710/western-wildfires-impacts/

 

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Soil Erosion in California Article 4

 

 

The soil erosion being experienced by California right now is destroying farmland as well as many coastal regions, but it is also damaging infrastructure. The increasing prevalence of soil erosion is causing people to be worried about the possible destruction of levees, which could cause significant damage to California. The levees are being weakened by the eroding of the soil, which could potentially lead to high repair costs.

 

Soil erosion could lead to lots of damage to our infrastructure this year; it can damage bridges, roads, levees, and other public structures. This widespread damage could lead to repair costs, which could have financial consequences on the state of California. There could be lots of accidents and potentially injuries because of erosion damaging structures.There must be steps taken to protect the residents, and there needs to be more funding for maintaining these structures.

 

El Nasser, H. (2015, September 22). California drought and impending El Niño raise fears of 

levee breaks. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from 

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/9/22/california-drought-raises-fears-oflevee-breaks.html

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Soil Erosion in California Article 2

 

The incoming storm, El Niño, could help California get out of the historic drought, but it could also cause some new problems, namely, Soil Erosion. The drought has damaged the soil in the especially dry parts of California, and in farm lands. The dry soil is now more susceptible to being eroded and washed away by water from the rains expected to come from this storm.

 

I hope that we are prepared for these rains coming into California this year, because if not, it could potentially destroy the agricultural productivity of California; which could destroy the economy of California, and raise unemployment. If soil erosion destroys lots of land, it will take thousands of years to reaccumulate that layer of topsoil, meaning that California could be in serious trouble if the Storm is not taken seriously.

 

Romero, E. (2015, October 14). Drought-Stricken California Prepares For Flash Floods. 

Retrieved November 23, 2015, from 

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2015/10/14/california-drought-flash-floods

 

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Soil Erosion in California Article 1

The big wildfires that have occurred during this especially hot year have damaged lots of land in california. These burnt lands in california are especially susceptible to soil erosion by the incoming rains from El niño. The residents in these areas are being advised to take measures to protect their damaged lands from soil erosion, in order to protect them and allow the lands to continue to provide grazing lands, lumber, and other crops/products.

 

This is article is hinting at the potential danger that lies ahead in the future for california. The presence of rains, although very helpful for the drought and the dry conditions, could potentially lead to a worsening of conditions by eroding away the soil. It is critical that measures are taken to preserve these lands, in order to maintain enough productive land to use to produce necessary crops. If we do not protect these lands, then we will be in grave danger of not being able to support our population, or maintain the agricultural industry that is a prevalent part of the economy in California.

 

 

Hearden, T. (2015, November 19). Owners of fire-damaged land urged to guard against soil

erosion. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from

http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20151119/owners-of-fire-damaged-land-urged-to-guard-against-soil-erosion

 

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Soil Erosion in California Article 3

 

 

All along the coast of california, soil erosion has been very prevalent; there have been many instances of landslides and the “disappearance” of lots of soil/land in the past year. This has displaced many residents who live on the coast of california, and has destroyed some beautiful coast.

 

Not only can soil erosion destroy farmland, but it can also destroy the coastal regions of California; this could displace many people, but also destroy some of the treasured places of California. Measures must be taken to reduce the soil erosion in California, otherwise, California will be hit hard, and will lose a lot. California can not afford to lose lots of farmland, and could suffer financially if we lose lots of our famous coastal regions.

 

Mekouar, D. (2015, August 14). Forbidden Visitors Sneak to California Cliff That Slid Into 

Ocean « All About America. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from 

http://blogs.voanews.com/all-about-america/2015/08/14/forbidden-visitors-infiltrate-california-cliff-that-slid-into-ocean/

 

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The Components of Composting

Goldstein, N and Platt, B. (2014, July 16). State of Composting in the USA. BioCycle |            The Organics Recycling Authority.

Retrieved August 11, 2015 from

http://www.biocycle.net/2014/07/16/state-of-composting-in-the-u-s/

 

Composting is a technique of recycling where old food scraps, paper, and cardboard is used to created new soil. This technique lessens the amount of waste loaded into landfills, creates stronger soil structure, provides greater soil quality, and increases the amount of water able to be held in soil. Along with improving the soil contents by composting, composting creates jobs for the US. In many states like California, they have started to enforce composting by supplying composting bins to each house, and many states have started to join California. Composting creates jobs at the composting facilities, composting supply services, and jobs that supply the tools to compost at home. Since composting boosts the economy with the addition of jobs, many states in the US have started to encourage composting into daily life of citizens.

This article supports composting and provides many statistics to why composting has benefited the communities that have adopted composting and have started to use it more frequently. Composting not only improves the environment, but also the community, which is what the article strongly expresses as to why the US should enforce more laws about it. The authors also write about how composting is a simple way to recycle, but the public needs to know exactly what they can and cannot compost. It is encouraged that states make more campaigns about composting and the correct way to do it.

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When Dams Come Down, Salmon and Sand Can Prosper

Dean, C. (2015, August 10). When Dams Come Down, Salmon and Sand Can Prosper.The New

York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2015 from

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/science/elwha-river-dam-removal-project-washingt

on.html

 

In Washington state, the removal of a dam on the Elwha river has demonstrated that the beach can benefit from dam removals. Millions of cubic yards of sediment that had been trapped behind the dam are now flowing through the river to the coast and the mouth of the river, extending beaches and rebuilding estuaries. Dams have been contributing to coastal erosion because of the immense amount of sediment they withhold from traveling down rivers. Many environmentalists advocate for supplements of sand to beaches whose sand abundance is low due to dams. More plans to remove dams and restore the flow of sediment to the coast have been made, however when these plans will be put into action is undecided due to a need for dams because of low water-levels and drought.

 

This article relates to environmental science because it describes the ways in which dams alter certain environments. The effects that smaller beaches and estuaries had on the local wildlife is also relevant to environmental science. Now that these natural locations are beginning to return to their usual states, the landscape can more readily support wildlife. The removal of dams in this situation seems to be so plainly beneficial that one can wonder why dam removal is not more commonplace in areas that have the ability to part with dams. Here in California, it is understandable that dam deconstruction isn’t underway because of our need for water storage, however in places with water abundance it seems as though it’s time to rebuild the damage that dams have had on coastal habitats.

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Soil Erosion: Article 5

After a few days of heavy rainfall, there has been lots of flooding in Namsai, India. The banks on the Noa Dihing river have undergone major soil erosion because of the rainfall, causing the river to expand. The river has been flowing above the danger mark as of late; which has caused growing concern, and will most likely continue to rise. If the soil on the banks of the river continues to degrade, the flooding will only worsen. In addition, the erosion of the soil has started to affect buildings and houses in the proximity.

Severe weather has been known to cause major soil erosion, in many cases. The erosion that is caused can be severely damaging and dangerous to people and structures. In the past few years, there have been more and more cases of this, due to changing weather patterns. The weather patterns of today play a major role in the condition of the environment. There need to be more steps taken to protect people from the erosion caused by the severe weather, and the weather itself. There must be steps taken to stop the rampant soil erosion, otherwise, there will continue to be destruction and injury.

 

Flood scene grim in Arunachal. (2015, August 22). Retrieved August 23, 2015, from

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/flood-scene-grim-in-arunachal-115082200291_1.html