Exotic snakes are putting the squeeze on the Everglades
Located at the tip of Florida, the Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the US. It’s taken Americans a while to appreciate what the “River of Grass” has to offer. Early settlers had a drain and conquer approach to this wetland. [Read more…] about Exotic snakes are putting the squeeze on the Everglades
Power from the deep earth?
It sounds like a grade school science experiment on a grand scale. This summer, a team of geothermal energy developers is planning to pump 24 million gallons of water into a dormant volcano in Central Oregon. Their hope: that volcanic rock will heat the water to a temperature that is hot enough to generate clean electricity. [Read more…] about Power from the deep earth?
Cities as ecosystems?
Ecologists define an ecosystem as a unit of the landscape—a forest, a lake, or a river. Often, they are interested in the movement of materials through that area. For instance, rain may deposit nitrogen in a forest, while a stream may carry nitrogen away from the forest and into a river. [Read more…] about Cities as ecosystems?
Herring – little fish of the sea
The springtime herring run in New England is legendary. Two species of small fish, known collectively as river herring, return to the rivers, streams, and creeks of their birthplace, to breed again. After a few months in freshwater, their young return to the sea. [Read more…] about Herring – little fish of the sea
Have you thanked a green plant today?
In a few weeks, spring will arrive with a profusion of plant growth—buds will burst and seemingly overnight, leaves will expand to their summer fullness. Containing chlorophyll, leaves conduct photosynthesis, the combination of carbon dioxide and water to produce carbohydrates, known as sugars, which are the basis of life on Earth. [Read more…] about Have you thanked a green plant today?
Remember heavy metal?
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One of the biggest success stories of the environmental movement was getting the lead out of gasoline. Tetra-ethyl lead was first put into gasoline in the 1920s to improve engine performance and eliminate “knock.” Of course, it was necessary to get the lead out of the engine, so potassium bromide was added to the gas as well, and the lead was emitted as a lead bromide aerosol. Most of this fell beside the road. [Read more…] about Remember heavy metal?
Saying no to DDT
DDT became a household name in the 1960s, when Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’ drew national attention to the impact the pesticide had on breeding birds. The EPA banned its use in 1972 and affected wildlife, such as bald eagles and pelicans, have made a remarkable recovery.
Recently, there have been calls from the international community—most notably the World Health Organization—to revisit using DDT to combat mosquito-borne disease. Malaria claims almost a million lives each year, with losses concentrated in the world’s poorest countries. Dengue, encephalitis, and yellow fever are also concerns.
DDT is inexpensive and good at killing mosquitoes. But let’s remember, it was banned in developed nations because it has been linked to serious health concerns, including breast cancer, diabetes, reproductive impairment, and neurological damage in children. Spraying it in homes and near living areas is a risky proposition.
When we release DDT to the environment, we give up control of where it goes, what it does, and how long it persists. DDT accumulates in the food chain, making top predators—like people—especially vulnerable. Residues are found in Antarctic penguins, thousands of miles away from its application. They are also found in all of us.
We need to combat mosquito-borne disease without entering into a chemical arms race that harms future generations and creates pesticide resistant insects. Instead, let’s set our brightest minds to understanding how management practices and native predators can help keep mosquito populations in check.
Photo, taken between 1945-1946, courtesy of John Tewell via Flickr.
When it comes to cell phones, we're talking about a lot of toxic trash
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18 months. That’s the average lifespan for a cell phone in the US. Most carriers let customers upgrade their phones after a year and a half, and most customers opt to do it. The bulk of discarded cell phones end up mixed in with household garbage. Less than 10% are recycled. [Read more…] about When it comes to cell phones, we're talking about a lot of toxic trash
Cancer: not a word we want to hear
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Last year, 1.6 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer, and more than a half million died from it. The process is protracted and painful.
But, how does cancer arise anyhow? Cancer begins with a change in the activity of our genetic material, or DNA. Normal cell division is compromised, and tumors form. Some people are genetically predisposed to certain cancers. For instance, inherited mutations in the BRCA genes, are linked to a family history of breast and ovarian cancers.
A widely-cited study in Scandinavia found that among nearly45,000 pairs of identical twins—individuals with identical genes— breast, colorectal and prostate cancers had a strong genetic link. But the results of this exhaustive study also revealed environmental factors are linked to twice as many cancers as genetic factors.
We are exposed to carcinogens through smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, breathing industrial pollution, radiation exposure, and infections like hepatitis. Carcinogens are also in a wide range of products designed to make our lives easier: insect repellants, cleaning materials, solvents, and personal care products.
The rates of environmentally-induced cancers speak strongly for the regulation of toxic substances. Unfortunately, only about 200 of the nearly 80,000 chemicals being used in the U.S. have been assessed for their potential to cause cancer.
Knowledge is power. Let’s make analyzing our chemical inventory a priority, so that we can identify substances like dioxin, which need to be eliminated from production.
Photo, taken on December 11, 2007 using a Canon EOS-1D Mark II N, courtesy of Jose Goulao via Flickr.
Succession – it isn’t just a change in government
