Blue Man on the Blue Dot

I can't believe that the school year is over and I am done my high school career for the rest of my life! I really enjoyed school this year and particularly this course. I have learned a lot and I now treat resources that I use more carefully. I only use CFL's, I have shorter showers, I flush the toilet less (sort of gross but oh well), I turn off the tap while brushing my teeth, I keep the proper PSI in my vehicle's tires, and I ride my bike whenever possible. These are just a few things that I always keep on my mind while doing ordinary tasks.

Although I am going to Guelph University for animal biology (eventually veterinarian school), if that didn't work out some sort of environmental course would be my next choice. Next year along with my calculus, physics, biology and chemistry, I have decided to take a geography course about the impact of humans on planet Earth.
I have become more interested in preserving our precious Earth since I started this course. There were some good times. Thanks Mr.Holmes!
P.S. The Blue man Group is sort of irrelevant but I think it looks like a volcano and they are a cool group.

Taking the Lead on Lead

The Public and Catholic school boards for the Thames Valley area (that includes Parkhill) are checking the water in their schools for lead. Although these schools were thought to have been built without lead piping, it is a precaution the school is taking just to make sure there is no lead in the water which could harm staff and students. All schools built before 1989 (118 schools) are going through a six to eight week testing program.
Short term exposure to lead can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma or even death. Symptoms of long-term exposure to lower lead levels may be less noticeable but are still serious. Anemia is common and damage to the nervous system may cause impaired mental function. Other symptoms are appetite loss, abdominal pain, constipation, fatigue, sleeplessness, irritability and headache. Continued excessive exposure, as in an industrial setting, can affect the kidneys. Lead is especially dangerous to young children because they can absorb lead more easily.
People living in London, in homes built near 1952 should be concerned about lead in their water. One in four homes tested in London confirmed lead in their homes. However, not all Londoners should be worried; newer houses do not contain lead pipes. If someone does own an older home, a water filter would be a wise decision to install before drinking water from your tap.

The first species I have researched is a fungal disease called Endothia parasitica or Chestnut Blight. It was accidentally brought to a zoologist park in New York by a Chinese chestnut. There is no known method of combating these fungi so it has spread throughout the United States. These fungi would affect any animals that rely on eating chestnuts.
The second species I’ve researched is a relation to the beaver called the nutria. This animal was purposely introduced in the United States to stimulate the fur industry. When the fur industry failed, there was a surplus of these animals because they have no natural enemies. Nutria have severely damaged marsh vegetation which causes conversion of heavy vegetation to open water, thereby removing nesting or over wintering habitat for many birds, and eliminating habitat critical to the juvenile stages of important commercial species such as shrimp, crabs, oysters, many species of young fishes, and others.
Finally, I have researched a flower called the purple-loose-strife. No flowering plant in the Northeast has caused as much concern as the European, marsh-loving Purple-Loose-strife. Crowding out other wetland species with its tenacious root system, Purple Loose-strife is changing the face of many of our freshwater marshes, by turning them into biologically unproductive monocultures. The sometimes vast magenta flowerbeds attract bees and butterflies to their blossoms, but offer no sustenance to higher life-forms. Efforts to control the species by pulling it up have been fruitless. Introducing European beetles that feed exclusively on this plant may prove the best defense.

What is SFM?

Canada is well on their way to sustainable forest practices, but there is still much work to be done. Canada’s government would agree that they have been sustaining their forests with a variety of methods. However, non-governmental organizations (NGO) would state otherwise; they believe the Canadian government has the right idea, but have put nothing into affect. I also agree with this. For example, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia have all made reports explaining they are doing their part in conserving and sustaining forests, although they have no real evidence. In 1992 National Forest Strategy came up with SFM Criteria and Indicators (C&I) in order to determine the success of sustainable forest management. “The first and only report on Canada’s forests using these C&I was published in 2000 (based on the 1995 C&I)… The report is a view of Canadian forests and their management through the lens of the six criteria, but it offers no inferences or conclusions regarding the sustainability of Canadian forests except to suggest that the efforts by various governments to protect more land are positive,” (http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0513-e.htm). In conclusion, the Canadian government is doing a good job planning practices to sustain our forests, but the plans need to be put into action.

The current (2003-2008) National Forest Strategy, A Sustainable Forest: The Canadian Commitment, defines actions and goals that will lead to sustainable forest management in Canada. These are grouped under eight broad themes:

• ecosystem-based management;
• sustainable forest communities;
• rights and participation of Aboriginal peoples;
• forest product benefits;
• knowledge and innovation for competitiveness and sustainability;
• the urban forest and public engagement in sustainability;
• private woodlots’ contribution to sustainability; and
• reporting and accountability.

The six criteria under the Canadian approach to SFM are:

• biological diversity;
• ecosystem condition and productivity;
• soil and water;
• role in global ecological cycles;
• economic and social benefits; and
• society’s responsibility.

(Information gathered from SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN CANADA:CLEAR POLICY - QUESTIONABLE PRACTICE:Prepared by: Michel CharronScience and Technology Division19 July 2005 )

Mmmmm... genetically modified... drool

Are genetically modified foods a good idea? Genetically modified food is a very touchy subject here in Canada and other places around the world. I believe that just like European countries have done, Canada needs to start labeling food letting consumers known if it has been genetically modified. Although many hours of research is done regarding allergies and sickness that can result from GMO’s, it is still not totally sure if there are consequences. However, I do not think that GMO’s are totally bad since there have been some advantages. For example, a species of rice has been genetically modified to become a new kind of rice called “golden rice”. “Golden rice” had a gene planted in it that produces Vitamin A which will reduce the amount of blind children in undeveloped countries. Blindness is a result of a Vitamin A deficiency. Evidently, GMO’s can potentially be very helpful in solving hunger and vitamin deficiency. Although useful, I believe laws should be put in place to label GMO foods. This way, if consumers don’t believe in genetically modified products, they can choose other varieties of food. In conclusion, I believe GMO’s could have a bright future, but more testing has to be done, and more laws need to enforced.

References
http://www.thecampaign.org/
http://www.gene.ch/genet/2001/Oct/msg00004.html
http://www.msu.mcmaster.ca/sil/archives/010301/oped/bartoll.htm

What can YOU do?

I have found a variety of ways to reduce my greenhouse gas emissions. They are as follows:
1.) Use my vehicle less often and choose to car pool or use public transit
2.) While I am driving, drive more moderately. Do not accelerate as quickly, and drive slower to save fuel.
3.) Make regular adjustments to my vehicle, and keep it in good working condition. Properly tuned engines use 50% less fuel, and vehicles with well inflated tires also use less fuel.
4.) Lower my thermostat at home; I can save about 3% on heating costs for every degree you reduce your thermostat.
5.) Use my microwave more often instead of a stove top element as it uses much more energy.
6.) Reduce my computers energy consumption by turning on the energy saving feature.
7.) Reduce the lighting I use by taking advantage of natural light and also turning off lights while I am not around.
8.) Hang my clothes instead of putting them into a clothes dryer.
9.) I can be a smart shopper by buying groceries in recyclable packaging.
10.) I can be open to new ideas about the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
11.) Buy energy star appliances.
12.) When using dishwashers and clothes dryers, make sure it is a full load.
13.) I can weatherize my home by making sure it is well insulated (more heat escaping means more your furnace has to work).
14.) I can replace any incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones.
15.) I can buy solar panels and set them up for an alternate energy source.
16.)I can decide to eat low on the food chain. On average, it takes nearly 10 times as much fossil fuel to produce animal protein compared to plant protein, like beans and grains.

17.) People who live in the city could ride their bike to work/school etc instead of driving.
18.) The last thing I could do, is educated people around me like family and friends on how they can also reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
http://envirorentals.com/Topic_of_month/reduceemissions.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Your-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions
All of these suggestions could be used by myself, friends, relatives, co workers and so on. I think there are quite a few good ideas to contribute to lowering GHG emissions, but people just have to try. We all need to do our part.

My Footprint

After taking the first footprint test, these were my results:
Category Global Hectares
-Food -3.3
-Mobility -0.7
-Shelter -1.2
-Goods/ Service -2.0
TOTAL FOOTPRINT -7.2
If everyone lived like me, we would need 4 planets.

Next, I took the future life-style footprint quiz and this was the result:
F4: Factor Four
As people reinvent a new kind of quality of life in local communities, true wealth spreads more evenly. The ecological footprint is reduced overall by a factor of four, by combining increased efficiency, better distribution, and zero-waste closed cycle production and consumption.

In order to reduce my footprint, I could do a couple of things. For food, I could choose local, and fresh foods instead of packaged and processed food. As for the mobility section, I could car pool with friends, choose to ride my bike more often, and in the future buy a fuel efficient vehicle. It is a little difficult to lessen my footprint when it comes to shelter. At this point, I cannot change the house I live in, or the number of people that inhabit it. In the future, perhaps in university, I could share a home with several room mates. The goods/ service section I could alter. I could choose to purchase less services like dry cleaning, mechanics etc.
In conclusion, I think this would lower my footprint by a large quantity. We all have to do our part in incorporating change, this could be somewhere to start.