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.

Canadian Carbon Tax

In order to save our environment, and reach the Kyoto Protocol goal’s, I believe that a carbon tax is a good idea. People will not just reduce their emissions, there has to be a disincentive or an incentive to make a change. People need to be motivated whether it be positive or negative persuasion. If people were taxed for an excess of carbon, people would make an effort to try and reduce their emissions. However, if this tax were to work, proper techniques need to be implemented so carbon emissions can be properly measured. A reason the One Tonne Challenge was a "flop" was because there was no system to calculate the amount of carbon emissions produced by companies and people. Before any carbon tax is decided, both pros and cons of the topic need to be considered; CBC describes these points quite well in an article. We also need to be aware of the effects it may have on certain industries. For example, Alberta is one of the main produces of oil and gas in Canada, and they would be hit quite hard with carbon taxes. Also, trucking industries would suffer as they rely on the burning of fossil fuels to keep the companies going. Of course though, one of the most famous environmentalist in Canada, David Suzuki, totally agrees with carbon taxes. He makes a good point that the USA has had one for years, and if they can do it, so can we. In conclusion, I think a carbon tax would be a wise idea for Canada, but further research needs to be done.

I really enjoyed An Inconvenient Truth. After I watched the movie, I felt that I need to somehow do my part in stopping global warming or help in preserving the Earth. Of course, it is difficult to do any major change, but I thought I could at least do little things. I decided that I should be more cautious in turning off lights, turning off appliances, shorter showers and not leaving water on. Also after watching An Inconvenient Truth, I was more convinced that global warming is happening. It is hard not to believe the facts that Al Gore suggests; how could he possibly “make” up all of that information and show it to millions of people?
I have found four websites, two of which support An Inconvenient, and 2 that are against the arguments. The first website is: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YmFiZDAyMWFhMGIxNTgwNGIyMjVkZjQ4OGFiZjFlNjc which is titled “Gorey Truths”. This site has counterpoints for all of Al Gores main points. The second site that I found has various news paper and people that disagree with Al Gore’s statements. These people also say that Gore is exaggerating his arguments. The URL is http://newsbusters.org/node/11377 . The third website is http://tgws.org.uk/ which agrees with the documentary. The site is committed to convincing people to take global warming seriously. Their objective is stated as: “To move the crisis of Global Warming to the very top of everyone's personal and political agendas; above increasing prosperity, health, education and the "War on Terror"”. The final website that I found is also dedicated to stop global warming, with the trailer of An Inconvenient Truth accessible.
In conclusion, I think there are a lot of different ideas when it comes to global warming. Some people totally agree, while others despise the topic. It is difficult to know what is correct, but possibly with more data and scientific analyses, we will find an answer.

Did January Seem Warm to You?

The NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The 'Goldilocks Effect' is that Earth is the perfect temperature. Like the story of Goldilocks, she finds the porridge that is just right, and the other bowls are either too hot or too cold. Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, and the Earth is just right.
I have always believed in global warming and I think this article proves some good points. It is not sure if global warming is for sure, and there are supporters of both sides. Personally, when December came around, and there was no snow, I got quite worried. Ever since I was little, I could remember playing in snow at least by the month of December; but this year was different. I was starting to get frustrated by January because I wanted to snowmobile and snowboard; and then it finally it happened. Suddenly, it seemed that “winter” had come and we were hit with snow. Along with the snow, temperatures dropped drastically; late January resulted in temperatures below -20 degrees Celsius. After the cold chill, I wasn’t so sure as to what to think about global warming. Yes, we had some very warm periods, but also some very cold periods as well. Perhaps, the wide range of temperatures could average out to similar trends in the past years.
At this point, I am still unsure exactly what to think. It may not be the result of global warming that we are experiencing above average temperatures across the globe. We will just have to wait to see what happens I suppose.

Incentives and Rebates

While browsing http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/ through the incentives and rebates currently offered in Ontario, I’ve found four effective ideas that I will discuss.
The first program is a subsidized household waste recycling/composting barrel. This item is available in Hamilton, Kingston, and Hamilton. These backyard compost barrels sell at a price of $33, saving you about $20 from the normal price. The compost barrel can be purchased at the Municipal Service Centres. I like this incentive because it’s very easy to start and can benefit your own backyard. If you compost left over food, or any other compostable matter, you could later use it as soil for your yard or gardens. I think this is effective because it’s quite simple to go out and buy a compost barrel, and then easily set it up in your backyard or wherever you might store it. Also, people could save on garbage. If people instead used compost barrels for some of their garbage, they would not need to spend as much on garbage tags or garbage pick-ups.
Household waste recycling/composting: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=112&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=7&keyword=
The second program that I like is called Car Heaven Ontario. If people have a car of 1995 vintage or older that they are still currently driving, they can call a number and their vehicle can be picked up for free. Also, they will receive a $1000 gift certificate for a new General Motors Vehicle, Saturn/Saab vehicle, or a charitable receipt for a minimum of $60. After their car has been taken, it is disposed in an environmentally friendly way. I like this incentive because there are so many old cars that people don’t know what to do with. Also, instead of people just putting them at a landfill or wreckage site, they can expose of them in a manner that will not hurt the environment. I think this is effective because people can get money out of this program. Anytime there is money involved, people are interested in participating. People who live in cities and do not have room for a second vehicle in their lane way/garage, can really benefit from this program. Car Heaven Ontario: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=61&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=8&keyword=
The third program is a high-efficiency clothes washer rebate. This is rebate is offered to residents of Toronto. For every new qualifying washing machine, a $60 rebate will be give, plus your name will go in a draw to win back the purchase price of your machine. I like this incentive because washing machines use so much water and electricity, it would really help conserve resources by people purchasing high-efficiency washers. I think this is effective because sometimes people cannot always afford new things. Although it is only $60, it can be helpful for paying for your new appliance.
City of Toronto high-efficiency clothes washer rebate: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=127&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=4&keyword=
The last program I have chosen is called the Summer Savings 10/10. If people cut their electricity use by 10 percent, an additional 10 percent rebate will be given on their electricity bills. I like idea because it is a very good incentive for people to cut back on energy use. Once again, this program offers money rebates which are always popular to people, and are always quite effective. Not only do people have a less expensive electricity bill, they receive an extra 10 percent off.
Summer Savings 10/10: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=249&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=1&keyword=

Why am I taking this course?

"The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands." ~Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923

There are a couple of different reasons why I have decided to take this course. First of all, I had dropped a math course and I had an opening for another class that I could take. I looked at the options for the classes and as soon as I saw this course as an option, I wanted to take it. I have always been a person that has been very interested in the environment and things going on around the world. I’m a real animal lover and I hate to see wild animals becoming extinct and pushed out of their habitats because of the greed of human beings. I hope to learn about ways I can personally contribute into maintaining a planet suitable to all living organisms. I do not believe it is fair that humans have made other organisms extinct just because they want something out of their homes.
I have many concerns about the Earth and the environment. Even though I am only 17, I have still noticed many changes in the environment now, compared to the environment when I was younger. I remember the temperature getting very cold and lots of snow falling on the ground usually starting in November and lasting until about March when I was small. Now, things have drastically changed. This year we had a single snow storm in December, along with temperatures reaching 20 degrees Celsius, and plenty of rain. It wasn’t until sometime in January that we started to encounter cooler temperatures and more snow.
Recently in the news, it was announced that a huge sheet of ice had broken off in the Canadian arctic. It was thought to have happened about two years ago, but was just discovered. The ice sheet was approximately 11 000 foot ball fields big, and scientists were very worried about it getting into populated boat ports or other areas. When I heard of this news, it frightened me. I hate how the Earth is changing so quickly, and it feels like the Earth is almost literally "falling apart." Not many people realized the fact that the Earth is changing so drastically. Every day, many people wake up, have a hot 15 minute shower, eat half of their breakfast (throw the rest out), get into their car, get some gas and drive to work (not to mention various other things included in getting ready for the day). An abundance of the Earth’s resources are wasted every single day, but very rarely do people sit and think about how much they have used.
I think it is time that people start realizing what they are doing to the Earth and environment around them. Also, I want to learn more about what I can do to help preserve the beautiful planet we live on. It’s time to make some changes.