E C O L O G I C Contributors: Beverly Behner, Jeanette Diaz, Martha Figueroa, Norma Grant, Renee Kanya, Brittany McElroy, Jason Nizich, Alexandria Ramos, Deanna Rendon, Morgan Reutter, Katy Wade, Michelle Bartunek, Andrae Bush, Kati Hirzer, Jennifer Hodge, David Holt, Mary Nelson, Oscar Palacios, Deonna Parish, Jacqueline Phillips
Winter 2012
Thank you to all that participated in this class assignment. This was our attempt at an e-magazine that is written by citizens. We are not scientists or politicians. We are simply students trying to learn about our environment. We are discovering the basics of our environment and looking at how it affects our life, health, economics, government and global community.
The following group of essays is what we discovered about the mission of the EPA, Companies and their products, and our thoughts of the environment. We encourage you to seek out this information for yourself. What is important to you? How can you help? Can you make a difference? Can you teach someone about our environment? We hope you look into the environment and find something to be passionate about. Thank you for reading our magazine. It was a pleasure to put together. My many thanks to my students for having an open heart and mind. Good luck to you all.
We have all heard of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, but do we know who they are and what they do? The EPA began on December 2, 1970 and is an agency of the federal government of the United States. Its purpose is to protect human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. The agency is led by an administrator, who is appointed by the president and approved by Congress. The current administrator is Lisa P. Jackson. The agency currently has approximately 18,000 full-time employees spread over 10 regional offices, and 27 laboratories across the country. Members of the EPA staff include engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists; along with legal, public affairs, financial, and computer specialists. The following summaries, written by students, will describe the EPA or actions of the EPA from four different perspectives: Criminal Justice, Accounting/Business, Health/Human Resources, Law/Legal, or just a concerned citizen. Information was gathered from the official EPA website, www.epa.gov unless otherwise stated in the summary.
Cancer Causing Dioxins in Controlled Burns of BP Oil Spill? Nizich, Jason, M. (2012) Such a beautiful site; the clean gulf coast, gorgeous soft sand beach lines, deep sea fishermen making their way through the sparkling water to fish their catch of the day….this is the picture the government wants you to believe you see. The government and the EPA don’t want you to know, your body could be fighting one of the most severe fights of its life due to the cancer causing dioxins emitted during the controlled oil burns of the Deepwater Horizon BP spill. Although the government has said; the amount of exposure to the cancer causing poison were below the levels of concern, the public really hasn’t been told the truth about the controlled burns and the effects it could have. Furthermore; once oil is set ablaze and the fumes and smoke contaminate air, the dioxins could travel far off the coast and inhaled by people miles away. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “A total of 411 controlled burn events occurred of which 410 could be quantified, resulting in the combustion of an estimated 222,000 to 313,000 barrels of oil (or 9.3 to 13.1 million gallons)”. The EPA enlisted the help from the U.S. Coast Guard, to help them test the emissions from the controlled burn sites. They did tests on three major concerns: 1) potential risks from workers in the direct area of the burns 2) risks to the general public 3) risks to consuming fish caught in the area of the burns. The EPA found dioxins to be created when burning oil on ocean water; however, dismissed the findings on the amount of dioxins found in the area were the same as the emissions of wood burning stoves and forest fires. To back their findings the EPA, with help from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducted a risk assessment on the controlled burns and the dioxins emitted from the burns. The (NOAA) states, “The results indicate that increased cancer risk due to exposure to the dioxins released from the controlled burning of oil was small - less than a 1 in 1,000,000 increased cancer risk. Additional cancer risks for inhalation by workers, onshore residents and fish consumption by residents were lower than risk levels that typically are of concern to the Agency. Typically, the Agency has a concern when the risk is greater than 1 in 1,000,000”. Isn’t just one out of a million to many? Considering, the one person had nothing to do with the oil spill. And what changes, when the number reaches one million and one?
The problem here is the government and the EPA want us as Americans to believe the issues of the oil spill are a thing of the past. They are not. With the EPA and the U. S. government dismissing the many people who helped in the cleanup of the oil and when giving statements concerning the “number” of people who are at “risk” before there is a “concern”, is appalling to me. EPA and U.S government, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You should be held responsible for the wellbeing of the citizens you promises to protect.
Poison Prevention By Renee Kanya Having children tends to make us more aware of our surroundings, what we say, what we do and what we leave lying around. What about poisons? For most people, common sense says to put hazardous, toxic or dangerous chemicals out of children’s reach. But, is that enough? According to the article “Poisoning is a Major Cause of Death from Injury in the U.S. / US Government raising awareness of accidental exposures during National Poison Prevention Week” the author states that 2.4 million human poison exposures were reported in 2011. More than 75,000 of these incidents were pesticide or disinfectant exposures that involved children five years or younger. Cosmetics, personal care products, medications, cleaning products, and creams are some other examples of poisons that children tend to encounter. It appears common sense is not enough, and we need to educate the masses on the dangers of poisonings. Some measures that have been taken to help aid in the prevention of poisonings are child-resistant packaging, the banning of lead-based paints, and warning labels being put on products. Even with these measures in place, it still does not seem to be enough. This is why I believe education is the best tool. The National Poison Prevention Week which is held yearly and has been promoting national awareness on the dangers of poisonings for 50 years is a great place to start. This program not only educates, but helps people be better prepared in reducing the risk of poison exposure. Some of the directives that are being taught when handling poisonous products are to keep the Poison Control Center number programmed in your phone(s), read labels and follow directions to the letter (mixing chemicals can be deadly), never leave products unattended or opened, and remove children, pets and toys before applying chemicals in or outside the home. I also feel that products that are poisonous should not only be out of reach, but in a locked storage compartment too. Children are sometimes monkeys and what we think they cannot get into, they can and do. I also think anyone having a child or taking care of one should be required to take a course on poisons and how to prevent unnecessary exposures. It is not just about common sense, it is about saving lives from preventable poisonings. For more information please go to http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/79c090e81f0578738525781f0043619b/ and click on the article.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY LANDFILL TO SPEND $3.8 MILLION TO RESOLVE CLEAN AIR ACT VIOLATIONS by Alexandria Ramos San Joaquin Valley Residents are pleased to hear that Forward Inc. was ordered to spend 3.8 million to maintain their landfills and change the current trucks used in their landfills fleet to trucks that are less air polluting. Forward Inc. was accused of being in violation of poor air pollution control and landfill gas exposure.
Reports say that Forward Inc. resolves allegations that violated the Clean Air Act by operating gas extraction wells in the landfill’s gas system in violation of the permit it had received from the District, and that Forward did not obtain permits required for equipment at the landfill. This report also stated Federal law requires large landfills that are significant emitters of air pollution to install and operate systems that will collect gasses, such as air toxics, organic compounds, and methane, out of the decomposing refuse and destroy them, rather than allowing them to escape into the atmosphere. Last Little fact stated in the report is the settlement will also benefit the San Joaquin Valley’s air and its communities by reducing emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), which can cause and exacerbate health problems, haze, and smog. To further review the article or the gather more information regarding other related topics visit www.epa.gov.
Much to do about Bees
By Jeanette Diaz
When we think about Bees, we usually think of honey. I personally think of those annoying insects that are around you during a hot summer day while you are enjoying a piece of chicken with honey barbecue sauce, during a cookout, and everyone trying to swish them away or running away from them. Little did I know the importance of these little creatures to the ecosystem, and benefit to humans. You see bees are extremely important to the ecosystem. When they visit each flower they transfer pollen from one flower to another, creating seeds of fruit. Without this simple effect, plants would not be able to reproduce, crops would fail and farmers would go bankrupt, the animal kingdom would collapse and humans would not have the foods we have today. However, bees are weak when it comes to pesticides. Since they go around picking up pollen they also pick up pesticides that are lying around, which kills them automatically. See their immune system is not built to consume these chemicals so they easily die. Currently the EPA is starting to protect bees, because they understand their importance. In 2008 the EPA received a number of inquiries about the death of bees in Germany. An insecticide called clothiandin was used for corn seed treatment to prevent corn root worms. The insecticide and the combination of weather conditions and application created a deadly environment for bees. They were able to rectify the problem, however, the same thing can happen anywhere in the world were insecticide are used to kill of other insects in crops. The EPA is strongly considering the effects of chemicals like these and it is working towards saving bees all around the United States and the world. HTTP://WWW.QWITR.ORG/SURPRISING-QUESTIONS-ABOUT-LIFES-PURPOSEBEES-CAN-HELP-ANSWER
GONE BATTY by Jacqueline Phillips The North American bat death rate is steady rising to at least 5.5 million from the deadly disease white-nose syndrome. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists have already speculated that the number of bats that are dying and will continue to rise. White Nose Syndrome this deadly disease that affects the hibernating bats is a visible presence of white fungus that is around the muzzle, ears, and wing membranes of the affected bats this disease is so widespread it is in at least 16 states and other countries. The scientist are afraid of what the death rates will due to our American agriculture these bats save our American farmers at least 3.7 billion dollars a year in pest control the bats eat the insects that are feeding on the crops. That could potentially affect our fruit and vegetable growing areas as well. This could increase the price of what we pay for fruits and vegetables. The researchers are working with the US Fish and Wildlife along with The US Agriculture to help find a solution to what could be a disaster. http://www.fws.gov
Energy Star turns 20! EPA Celebrates. By: Jennifer Hodge If you go to the store and look at any appliance you will see the Energy Star approval logo on just about every appliance. This program was launched in 1992 and is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Americans use the Energy Star program to help save on their energy bills. According to the EPA this program and its partners, saved approximately $23 billion on their energy bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 41 million vehicles. This is a very important program to help the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Energy Star. They are starting out this celebration by recognizing this year’s winners for outstanding leadership and commitment to the environment. The EPA states that over the last 20years the energy star program has saved American’s about $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution. The energy start program is committed to helping others and thanks their partners. These partners include: Corporate Commitment: Sears Holdings Corporation is being recognized with the highest honor, the Energy Star corporate commitment award. This award is reserved for partners whose superior achievements in energy efficiency span the breadth of the Energy Star program. Sustained Excellence: Fifty-seven sustained excellence winners continue to raise the bar across their respective industries for outstanding achievements in energy efficiency. A few of these winners include: Food Lion Family, Bloom, and Bottom Dollar Food; GE Appliances & Lighting; Gresham-Barlow School District; Hanesbrands Inc.; Nissan North America, Inc.; PepsiCo, Inc.; and Saint-Gobain. Partner of the Year: Thirty-six organizations are receiving partner of the year awards for protecting the environment through energy efficient products, practices and services. These organizations promote Energy Star products and practices in their own operations, and provide efficient products and services to consumers within their community. A few of these winners include: Cleveland Clinic; Colgate-Palmolive Company; General Motors Company; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Staples, Inc.; and The Boeing Company. Excellence: Fifteen organizations are recognized with an excellence award for advancing energy-efficient products, homes, or buildings and helping to expand the reach of the Energy Star program. A few of these winners include: Design Tech Homes; DIRECTV; Good Earth Lighting, Inc.; and Sharp Electronics Corporation. It’s very humbling to see all these partners working to make America a very energy efficient place to live. I think the next time you looking for a product you will look to the energy star label for the best product for the environment. Source: Hooven, Molly (2012). EPA celebrates 20th anniversary of Energy Star/ Americans saved nearly $230 billion in two decades. Retrieved March 31, 2012 from http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/bd4379a92ceceeac8525735900400c27/bded630b984c3c1b852579c200535fb8! OpenDocument
is for Pesticide by Deonna Parish Most parents worry about their children picking up bad habits from school not harmful pesticides being used to control pest problems in the schools. The EPA is working to ensure that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is available to school systems across the country. By practicing IPM, schools inspect for pest problems and only apply pesticides when needed. This reduces exposure to pesticides for students, teachers, and other people who work in schools. IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management. IPM programs use comprehensive information about pest life cycles and the influence of the environment to choose the best methods for controlling pest populations. This information is used to manage pests economically with the least possible hazard to health, property, and the environment. All schools are expected to implement this program by 2015.
PALM OIL by Kati Hirzer Nitrogen management is essential to prevent tropical oil palm plantations from causing ground-level ozone pollution: by- C.N. Hewitt More than half the world’s rainforest has been lost to and has been affected agriculture since the Industrial Revolution. Palm oil is the most widespread among global production, which now exceeds 35 million tones per year. Malaysia is a good example of the palm oil production. Oil plantations from Malaysia directly emit more oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds than rainforest. These compounds lead to the production of ground-level ozone, (O-3) which is an air pollutant that damages human health, plants, and materials. It also reduces crop productivity and has effects on the Earth’s climate. Food, domestic products and especially biofuels are a great increase to palm oil production. O-3 concentrations do not differ over rainforest and adjacent oil palm plantation landscapes. In North America ground-level concentrations of oxides and nitrogen will reach 100 parts per billion, volume and exceed levels known to harm human health. Researchers studies have provided and early warning of the urgent need to develop policies that manage nitrogen emissions if the detrimental effects of palm oil production on air production on air quality and climate are to be avoided.
Help Save The Endangered Species By Brittany McElroy Can you imagine walking in the forest without hearing birds singing in the trees, chipmunks running, or wildflowers blooming in the grasses? All living things depend on other species to survive. Extinction Happen because of changes to the earth that are caused either by nature or by the actions of people. Under the Endangered Species Act the government protects endangered and threatened plants and animals and their habitats. The EPA's Endangered Species Protection Program helps promote the recovery of listed species. Government agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are making information available to help protect
endangered species. Do your part and contact these agencies and join in on saving the endangered species from extinction.
The Harmful Effects of Pesticides Martha Figueroa Did you know that there are seven toxic chemicals that are approved for use as pesticides in the production of your foods? Well it is a known fact. Pesticides help kill insects, bacteria, fungus, and a number of things that feed on your crops. Things that are diseases, things that get on your nerves, and destroy everything. Farmers have it bad. Did you also know that farmers have to make money at any cost so they use this pesticide? They use it and don’t care what the cost of hurting someone or the environment would be. There are two types of pesticides, biological and chemical. Biological pesticides can be used for fungi, bacteria, and other things. Chemical pesticides are the greater risk to humans and the environment. Pesticides are very harmful and they consist of toxins that are referred to as Persistent Organic Pollutants. They are persistent and they are not easily moved from the environment. Pesticides are toxic to humans and some animals. In China it is estimated that about five-hundred people suffer from pesticide poisoning annually. (http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/effects-of-pesticides/effects-of-pesticides). Pesticides are also harmful to the unborn fetus, the child can experience behavior problems as well as growth issues. There is a known fact that pesticides can remain in the body and build up in the liver. Some symptoms range from fatigue, skin reactions, cancer, brain disorders, breathing problems and many others. The EPA seems like they aren’t doing their job for protecting the people of this great nation. They have seemed to joined forces with the World Health Organization, government, and other commissions about the use of these pesticides and have approved them. What should we do as consumers? Should we start buying organic? Should we stop eating foods with pesticide all together? She would picket and rally for them to stop using them or grow our own? There is no clear answer to these questions. But we must all realize that we are hurting others when we use pesticides. We must find a way to stop this use. Putting pesticides on food is very dangerous, and just washing your fruits or vegetables does not ensure 100% that the pesticides are gone. In my opinion not using pesticides and thinking about a more natural way to get rid of nuisances is the only way to ensure human and animal safety. Deanna Marie Rendon http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/invasive/ The issue of invasive species is an ever growing problem in the Great Lakes. Invasive species have taken over the water ways to the point that the changes have had broad economic and social effects on people that rely on the system for food, water, and recreation. The invasive species that have entered the Great Lakes are fish as well as plants. Some of the invasive fish included are round goby, sea lamprey,
Eurasian ruffe, alewife, zebra mussels, Asian carp, and spiny water fleas. Some of the invasive plans include common reed, reed canary grass, purple loosestrife, curly pondweed, Eurasian milfoil, frogbit, and cattails. There are particular steps that the EPA and United States Coast Guard are taking to try to eliminate the invasive species that are in the Great Lakes, and to also prevent further invasion. In the early 1990’s, the U.S. Coast Guard began requiring ships to exchange their ballast water, or seal their ballast tanks for the duration of their stay. As of today, the U.S. Coast Guard is in the middle of developing ballast water discharge standards. In 2004, EPA and other state and local agencies began construction of a permanent electric barrier to prevent the fish from entering Lake Michigan. The EPA is currently studying how invasive species have become a part of the Great Lakes in the hopes that their studies will prevent further invasion. For more information and to learn about how you can help put a stop to further invasion and destruction of the Great Lakes economic system, go to http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/invasive/.
So you want to be Buried in the Sand, Beach sand testing has revealed Contaminants! By: Beverly Behner A study performed by the EPA (www.epa.gov) has revealed important information about the dangers of going to the beach. Sand samples that were gathered from public beaches, located in Warwick, Rhode Island and Fairhope, Alabama; both beaches located within two miles of a public owned waste treatment centers. The sand samples were tested for a variety of bacteria containing fecal contaminants including a viral indicator called F+ coliphage. Researches had interviewed people that had visited these beaches; they were asked about what types of activities they had participated in at the beaches. Two weeks later these people were contacted and asked questions about diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and/or stomach ache. They were also asked about their activities since they left the beach. These questions included: did they return to the beach, swim in a pool, and eat raw or undercooked food. They Study revealed that people that dug in the sand had the highest levels of Enterococcus levels were 2.0 for gastrointestinal illness and 2.4 for diarrhea. These results were for individuals who dug in the sand. Individuals that dug in the sand and were buried in the sand had higher levels or GI illnesses than those that just dug in the sand. Researchers also remarked that it is possible that exposure to these contaminants could be from contact to water in addition to the sand. Researchers also remarked that it is hard to separate the effects of these properties because; most individuals who played in the sand also were exposed to the water. Eighty-one percent of the swimmers versus 19% of nonswimmers stated digging in the sand, whereas 89% of swimmers versus 11% of nonswimmers stated being buried in the sand. It has been well known for quite some time that swimming in waters that are contaminated with fecal matter increases the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses. However at this time, this was the first study to tie these symptoms to amounts to fecal matter in the sand. These symptoms that were observed were typically mild and should not discourage people from experiencing the beach. The EPA recommends the use of hand sanitizer and hand washing after playing at the beach.
It’s easy being green By: Michelle Bartunek Being green is a lot easier than you may think. Anyone can help the environment, sometimes without even realizing it. There are so many ways of being green just within your house. Save energy by unplugging any appliance when not in use, turn off lights when you leave a room and use a programmable thermostat to reduce heating and cooling temperatures. Another simple change is to switch out your incandescent light bulbs for compact florescent light bulbs. Initially, they do cost more, but the energy cost savings that you will see more than make up for it. When it comes to water consumption, there is a variety of ways to save. It can be as simple as turning the water off while you brush your teeth or while washing the dishes. There are also options of installing low flow showerheads, low flush toilets and high efficiency washing machines. Outside you can use a rain barrel to collect rainwater and use it to water the garden. Simple changes like these can help anyone to go green. For more information on these ideas and other ways of being green, go to www.epa.gov.
The Zhome becomes the future for sustainable housing. By Katy Wade How can a nation become more sustainable? The answer to this question is a Zhome. In the EPA article by Debra Sherbina explains that a Zhome was made to push the limits of sustainable, production housing. The Zhome, which is an ultra sustainable, ten unit townhome development in Issaquah, WA. Issaquah is the first community that has a Zhome. The Zhome has received the water sense label, which the goal of the label is to reduce water use nationwide and to save water resources for the future generation. The Zhome was created though s highly collaborative public/private partnership spearheaded by the city of Issaquah. The Zhome main goal is to use twenty percent less water than a standard home. So if the nation would like to become more sustainable then the Zhome is the right choice for sustainable housing.
Hydraulic Fracturing: Drilling for Answers Growing up in Catskill, on the outskirts of New York state, Hugh Bases loved his family farm. Thoughts of camping in the local woods during his early childhood encouraged him to create a familiar tradition with his children. Camping, fishing, traveling throughout the Catskill region has become the norm for he and his family. Hugh was under the impression that the family land has more to offer financially underground with gas pockets; compared to the farm that is currently leasing the property for economic growth. Hugh’s family farm was one of many properties that were operating on top of natural gas pockets. The trail of natural gas reserves reached from New York to Tennessee. These pockets are as deep as 8,000 feet below the
earth’s sedimentary rock. The experts say the natural gas reserve would have met the entire United States needs for two full years. “Fracking” has made unlocking the natural resource within the United States possible and profitable. Fracking is drilling while injecting water, sand, and chemicals deep into the ground. This process breaks rock formations and releases the built up gas that was brewing within the gas pockets, out into the air. Ideally, the gas would be released from the ground, then harvested within a chamber, and channeled to its destination through proper tubing. However, the practice of fracking has risen more than jobs for our local economy; fracking has raised questions. These questions are concerning the American people’s health and well-being. The EPA’s office of Research and Development produced research studies providing a relationship between fracking and drinking water resources. People like Hugh Bases want to know, what can we do about the government of the United States who approves companies to frack in our drinking water? www.epa.gov/sciencematters/june2010/scinews-fracking.htm Summarized by David Holt
The documentary Gasland by Josh Fox is a movie my students watched. This next section is a movie review of sorts. The students were assigned to explain the process of fracking, the laws, and the ramifications of the process according to the movie. For more information go to www.gaslandthemovie.com Forget the Fracking By Michelle Bartunek Pennsylvania native Josh Fox made a documentary, Gasland the Movie, to investigate fracking after he was offered $100,000 out of the blue for the natural gas drilling rights to his property. Fracking is the process in which natural gas companies drill down about 8,000 feet in order to locate the resource. These companies generally pay around $5,000 per acre to use the land and when that check arrives the land owner is happy, but not once the drilling occurs. These sites can cause many problems from heavy gas odors in the air to natural gas in your water supply. When you can light your water on fire as it is coming out of the tap, there’s no doubt you have major problems. Unfortunately, these gas companies hold no responsibility for these problems due to the Halliburton loophole in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. We can thank former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney for this loophole, who by the way used to be the CEO of Halliburton, an oil and natural gas company.
This documentary was a real eye opener and something everyone should watch. Granted, these problems don’t occur everytime fracking is done, but they do more often than not. We need to stop fracking and start using more renewable resources. Once the damage is done to the land there is no going back and the land owners are stuck with their destroyed land.
Want a Fresh Glass of Water? Think Again. By Jason M. Nizich Josh Fox; a film maker from the rural part of the Delaware Basin, which is on the border of New York and Pennsylvania, was offered one hundred thousand dollars for the rights to his property for the process of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”. Like anyone else living in the United States today, the amount that kind of money is very tempting and could provide a means of support in today’s fragile economy. Josh Fox was very tempted to accept the money, but instead he wanted to find out exactly what the fracking process was and what kind of environmental risks if any this process could have on the land in which we live. He took his video camera, a four door car, and a new found passion into a journey which lead him on a cross-country mission to numerous fracking well sites. On his journey he came in contact with families who claim to have had their potable water source contaminated from the chemicals in the fracking process, and numerous government agency employees who work on the fracking well sites. These employees claim the fracking process is safe and effective and cannot contaminate the fresh water supply, but when asked to drink the water they are accused of contaminating, they would not. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock layers deep within the earth. Fracking makes it possible to produce natural gas extraction in shale plays that were once unreachable with conventional technologies. Horizontal drilling (along with traditional vertical drilling) allows for the injection of highly pressurized fracking fluids into the shale area. This creates new channels within the rock from which natural gas is extracted at higher than traditional rates. This drilling process can take up to a month, while the drilling teams delve more than a mile into the Earth’s surface. In December of 2011 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a preliminary report that they’ve found dangerous levels of toxic chemicals related to hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) in aquifers near drinking water wells in the heavily fracked town of Pavillion, Wyoming. In their investigation they found “synthetic chemicals, like glycols and alcohols consistent with gas production and hydraulic fracturing fluids, benzene concentrations well above Safe Drinking Water Act standards and high methane levels.” This investigation is one of the highly publicized government studies that have confirmed what people in communities where fracking occurs have already said – that the process severely contaminates drinking water reserves. Under President Bush and Vice President Cheney, fracking was exempted from significant EPA regulation. Hydraulic fracturing is not subject to the same standards as other industries when it comes to protecting underground sources of drinking water. Other forms of underground injection are regulated to protect drinking water, but in 2005 Congress created exemptions for hydraulic fracturing to benefit Halliburton and other oil and gas companies, this is known as the “Halliburton Loophole”. This is a loop hole which allows the fracking process to continue without further investigation or testing by the EPA. The fracking process is a horrible way to deceive the great people of the United States. When potable water turns to contaminated poison, there’s a definite problem. When the poison coming from your kitchen sink can be lit on fire, there are definite health concerns. Please do your part and help stop the process of fracking. I would hate to drink, cook, shower, and give my family pet water from a secondary holding tank, because the fresh water supply has been contaminated and unsafe for consumption.
Fracking by Martha Figueroa The name of the film is Gasland. The name of the filmmaker is Josh Fox. The purpose of the film is to make people aware of the dangers of fracking, to be aware of what fracking is, and to get more people involved in the cause against fracking. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock layers deep in the ground. Fracking can damage the water supply systems; make you sick because of all of the chemicals. Some illnesses that can occur are neurological disorders, cancer, and leukemia. The chemicals they use in fracking contain methane and other carcinogenic chemicals that can contaminate the water and even the air. Fracking was exempted by the Bush-Cheney energy policy act of 2005. Regulations are the safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act. President Obama and his administration have stepped up to the plate and are taking fracking serious. Obama wants to make it safer to do hydraulic fracking to obtain natural gas. After reviewing the Gasland movie I found myself appalled and utterly disgusted. I could not believe my eyes. Our government says that they are protecting the American citizens, now it seems that they are suddenly trying to kill us. I felt like it was terrorism from our own government on the American citizens. I think that we should do what we did in the past before this so-called fracking, and live like we use to if there is not a safer way to do this. No citizen should be chosen to die over some natural gas issue. Government needs to take a step back and look at this situation and realize that if it is causing sickness in some areas, it’s going to eventually get everyone sick because we all breathe the same air, and there is no getting around that.
GasLand by Jacqueline Phillips This documentary was written by Mr. Josh Fox with an attempt to educate people on the conditions of fracking. First of all what is fracking this is when natural gas extraction employed in deep natural gas and well drillings. Why is this so important it gives a general to why we should have clear drinking water? We need water as a supplement to live off of. The law was passed in 2005 by Bush/Cheney which is better known as the Halliburton loop hole which gave exemption to different companies from the safe drinking act meaning they did not have to follow policies and procedures as a result my people and livestock became sick some even died. I believe that the law should be revisited and that they must overturn this making sure that everyone associated with this process must follow all steps of the safe drinking water act or more lives and cattle will be lost.
Fracking and the Uneducated By Renee Kanya An oil executive tells you that the company he works for will pay you $4,750 per acre to extract oil from your land, without you lifting a finger. You think that sounds great, answer to my prayers. Where do I sign? STOP! Before you sign anything, educate yourself and watch “Gasland” by Josh Fox. This movie will show you other people who thought it was an answer to their prayers too, and are now wishing they never signed. In this movie, you will learn how the oil extraction process “fracking” works, the destruction it brings and the reason the law is doing nothing to help. First let me educate on how these oil companies are extracting this oil. They use a process called fracking. Fracking is blasting water (1-7 million gallons are used each time) and chemicals in the ground as
they are drilling. The entire process takes 3-4 weeks to set up a drill rig and its first fracking. Let us take a look at how it’s done: 1.
Drill Rig established and first fracking is done. Drilling consists of 1100-8000 feet down to the shale (this is what produces the oil and gas). By drilling, you are putting enormous pressure on the rocks underground which break and free the gas. These feel like miniearthquakes. It takes 1,150 truck trips to complete this step. 2. Pits are made. These can be earth made, man made, and have liners or not. This is where all the flow back water is stored. This is the water (about half of what was initially used) that was used to drill that is now contaminated with the fracking fluid (contains over 596 chemicals that are carcinogens, hazardous chemicals and other things). The oil companies call it produced water. 3. Pits are equipped with Evaporation Sprayers. These are used to get around water clean-up. They spray the contaminated water into the air to have it evaporate faster. As we all know clouds are blown around, and when it rains, the contaminated water is being dispersed all over. Not just where the drilling occurred. The acid rain then releases pollutants into the ozone creating more breakdowns. 4. Venting is the next step. This is where the gas is boiled and the water and other chemicals are released at the site as evaporation. Again causing more of the effects listed above. 5. The last step is the condensate tanks. This is where the produced water (waste) up to low grade jet fuel can be stored until it is hauled away for disposal. Not all disposals are done properly either. We dump most of the produced water into the oceans. Again polluting the water, air and life. Unfortunately, this process, and the risks are not explained to you when you are asked about drilling on your land. This process can be repeated up to eighteen times during the life of the well. In this movie, Josh interviews many different people from across the country about the effects fracking has had on them. Not all of the people interviewed signed the consent for drilling on their land, but have suffered effects from others that did. Several interviewees stated that they never had problems with their water wells until the fracking was implemented. Their wells have become saturated with gases and are unsafe to use for anything (drinking, washing clothes, bathing, etc.). Some could light their water on fire because of the amount of gases and chemicals flowing through it. Another effect of fracking is health deterioration; this can range from headaches, dizziness, testicular toxicity, malformation of embryo’s, bone marrow depression, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells), loss of hair (in animals too), vomiting, asthma, cancer, neuropathy (irreversible brain damage), and countless other things. Simply put, fracking pollutes our air, water, and soil that we depend on for the existence of life. When these people approached the oil companies they were told that it is not from fracking and that they would have to prove that it is. The legal ramifications for the companies are none. The reason being is because of a loophole in the Bush-Cheney Energy Act of 2005 which gave oil companies an exemption while fracking. It is known as the Halliburton Loophole and it violates at least 16 environmental and democratic regulations that were included in this Act. They were able to include this stipulation because it was a way for the United States to stand on their own feet and to begin using their own resources. They were also informed by the Energy Task Force created by
Cheney and consisting of executives of the oil and gas companies that it was a safe practice. No further investigations were permitted to prove otherwise. There are two bills currently in congress that oppose fracking and the effects it has on the environment, community and life around it. I feel that this film is very educational and shows people that making a quick buck may not be worth the sacrifices one has to go through to get it. Education needs to be done with all citizens that have the possibility of being approached to drill for oil. Once they are educated, I do not see people agreeing to it.
Gasland By Deonna Parish In the documentary Gasland, filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a means of natural gas extraction employed in deep natural gas well drilling. Once a well is drilled, millions of gallons of water, sand and proprietary chemicals are injected, under high pressure, into a well. The pressure fractures the shale and props open fissures that enable natural gas to flow more freely out of the well. There is also something called Horizontal hydrofracking is a means of tapping shale deposits containing natural gas that were previously inaccessible by conventional drilling. Vertical hydrofracking is used to extend the life of an existing well once its productivity starts to run out, sort of a last resort. Horizontal fracking differs in that it uses a mixture of 596 chemicals, many of them proprietary, and millions of gallons of water per frack. This water then becomes contaminated and must be cleaned and disposed of. The chemicals that are used during the fracking process then go into the land and are not biodegradable. The chemicals and natural gas then goes in the ground water that is the reason why nearby residents can light their water on fire. Many of the residents are getting sick to the contamination left by fracking. Due to the HR 6 (109th) Energy Policy Act of 2005 also known as the Halliburton Loophole energy companies are not held responsible for polluting the environment. So that leaves the people affected by the pollution with no recourse. After watching the movie my thoughts are that Fracking is more trouble than the benefit it provides. It very costly, uses up too much water and destroy the land. Then after the natural gas is collected the water that was used is left to pollute the water supply and the land. I think that fracking should be outlawed and never be used again as a way to collect natural gas.
How We Were Tricked by Morgan Reutter The film maker of “Gasland,� John Fox, was one of many people who got offered money from gas and oil companies to drill on his land. In this film he tries to shed light on this rapidly spreading occurrence and how it can ultimately affect many lives across America. These gas companies
are using hydraulic fracturing or fracking to get natural gas out of these peoples’ land. What they do is dig down vertically then horizontally, shooting water and fracking fluid, which consists of a mixture of chemicals and toxins into the shale which causes mini-earthquakes in the rock. This will then push up natural gas to the surface level. The fracking fluid sometimes gets left in the ground which ultimately ended up in these individuals water supplies. This then created situations where people’s regular water supplies were mixing with natural gas. These people could actually light their faucet water on fire. What made this so terrible was the fact that these oil and gas companies were not taking responsibility for what they did and the laws were not on the people’s side. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 became known as the Haliburton loophole because the people in charge of the commission to oversee this act become a law were the heads of many of the big name gas companies in our country such as BP. There was nothing these people could do because the law in itself was corrupt. I believe we need to invest in other areas of technology to find sources of natural energy, such as solar and wind power. Hydraulic fracturing is a way to maintain our countries natural gas supplies, but at what cost. Is it worth the possible deaths of human beings? No, it is not. The false sense of security these people got with the money these gas companies gave them was quickly taken away, and their lives were changed forever.
Fracking by David Holt Gasland was produced and directed by Josh Fox in 2010. The purpose of this documentary was to inform the general public about the dangers of Hydraulic Fracturing also known as “Fracking”. The film maker Josh Fox received an offer from a drilling company to purchase his property, so they can drill for the natural gas from Fox’s property. Fox refused the offer and was curious to see why a drilling company was interested in his property. He did some researching and found other residents receiving similar offers for their properties across the country. Fox decided to make a documentary showcasing the intentions of the offers by the drilling companies. Fox also wanted to inform the general public how the government was aware about the dangers of hydraulic fracturing. According to Fox (2010), “Horizontal hydrofracking is a means of tapping shale deposits containing natural gas that were previously inaccessible by conventional drilling. Vertical hydrofracking is used to extend the life of an existing well once its productivity starts to run out, sort of a last resort. Horizontal fracking differs in that it uses a mixture of 596 chemicals, many of them proprietary, and millions of gallons of water per frack. This water then becomes contaminated and must be cleaned and disposed of” (Fox, 2010). Fox traveled to different cities across the United States listening to the locals complaints of the water contaminations due to the drilling. The companies assured these residents fracking was safe and they had nothing to worry about. While continuing his journey, Fox discovered the drilling companies have been contradicting assurance to the residents. The residents of the different states were complaining about their water resources. The residents described their water, land, air, and health issues to Fox. They showed Fox what would happen if they lit their water from their faucets, which resulted in a fireball. Fox could not believe how water would light up into a fireball. This was reoccurring with all the residents he interviewed in different states. Some of the residents experienced severe headaches, nausea, and hair loss. Their livestock and crops were slowly diminishing due to the water pollution, which resulted from fracking. The residents did not have potable water, so they would go into another town to get filtered water that was not contaminated. The drilling companies kept insisting the water was potable. Some residents have even offered the drilling companies water to drink, but they all refused to drink the water from the home faucets, leaving the residents to believe there was something wrong with their water. Upon further investigation, Fox discovered the EPA was unable to enforce the rules for the drilling
companies to follow due to the Halliburton Loophole. The Halliburton Loophole, which former Vice President, Dick Cheney, a former chief of Halliburton, allowed drilling companies to not require disclosing all the chemicals that were used in fracking. The drilling companies were not liable for any health issues that the residents encountered from their contaminated water due to fracking. The residents were not able to sue the companies for contaminating their water due to the Halliburton Loophole. I believe fracking should be terminated because it causes more harm to mankind and the ecosystem. I feel if we can put a man on the moon, we can utilize other natural resources like mastering solar, wind, and water to provide renewable energy. I believe that it is important to stop wasting and recycle more. I feel fracking will be more of a danger in the long term. Fracking is the unforeseen cancer that will live in our potable water. If we do not act now, our children and grandchildren will not be able to enjoy the beauty of these national parks and rivers. I also believe there should be no loopholes for these drilling companies and they should abide by all the rules and regulations that everyone else has to. I think these companies should be held accountable for anyone’s deteriorating health, tainted water supplies, loss of livestock, and destruction of land and national parks.
Gas Drilling, USA By Andrae Bush On March 24, 2012, my Ecology class watched a movie called Gasland. A filmmaker named Josh Fox created this movie as an attempt to release what is going on in our country. He’s presented cautionary view of the USA’s largest domestic natural gas drilling campaign in history. It’s said that this is currently sweeping the country and, in turn, promising USA landowners a quick payoff. Josh Fox discovers a drilling process called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Fracking is a new way to get natural gas out of ground. This method was created by the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy Act of 2005, including the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clear Air Act. All over the country, drilling is either prohibited or is already occurring directly in our water supplies. Fracking affects millions of Americas, eventually. In my opinion, fracking is a bad idea. It’s dangerous, risky, and has many negative results for the environment—like contaminating our fresh drinking water. The USA should definitely find another method to use to utilize natural gases. Our country should find a safer, more effective method to use our natural gases.
Gasland: The World of Fracking by Deanna Marie Rendon Josh Fox is a regular American who went out and created a documentary he named Gasland, on exactly what fracking is. The purpose of this documentary was to inform his fellow citizens on what is going in the world around them. Fracking is the cracking of the shale of the earth to gather up a plentiful supply of natural gas. It is done by using hydraulics pumping water and over five hundred chemicals eight hundred feet down in the ground. Josh Fox wanted people to understand the process and health risks involved in fracking and what it is doing to the families who have already leased their land out to natural gas suppliers. The major problem with fracking is that fifty percent of the left over water that is used ends up being left in the ground and ultimately ends up in people’s drinking water. This makes the drinking water unsafe as there are all those chemicals added into it, and now there is also
natural gas being added into the drinking water. People who affected with this start to get headaches, ringing in the ears, consistently sick, lesions attached to their brain or major organs, cancers, and ultimately death. The big companies who are doing the fracking know full well that they are responsible for these issues. However, because of a loophole law called the Haliburton Loophole, they are exempt from economically safe laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Fracking takes place in more than a thousand places and is becoming more and more wide spread, and can even be found here in Ohio. My personal thoughts on this is that it infuriates me. I don’t understand how these big companies can get away with doing this and knowingly harm the American public. One person in the film labeled this as “un-American” and I have to fully agree with him. This is just wrong. It needs to be stopped and these companies need to try to undo the damage that they have done to people’s lives and homes. Families well being and way of life are being destroyed for the almighty dollar and this sort of thing should never be tolerated here in America. I would fully encourage any and everyone to watch this move and write to your local house representative and demand that they put a stop to fracking and fix the wrong doings they have already wrought on people. Be sure to know exactly who is endorsing the candidates this November when you go to vote and make your voice heard on this issues. The Frac Act and the HR 1084 Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act need to be passed. Write, call, vote, make it known that change needs to happen and it needs to happen now. Some of these families do not have time to wait to see what could happen. For more information on fracking, go to gaslandthemovie.com.
If you want water that can be set on fire, then choose natural gas drilling. By Katy Wade The movie gas land by Josh Fox is about natural gas drilling. The filmmaker Josh Fox was offer 100,000 for natural gas drilling rights to his property in the Delaware River basin. Josh does not accept and chooses to go on a trip to visits people who have agree to the drilling. Josh interviews the people who have agreed to the drilling and realizes that many of them regret the choice. The people tell josh that after the drilling they were having trouble with their water. The trouble with the water is that water is not only dirty but it can also be set on fire. The problem is that the drilling has cause the water to have gas and chemicals in it. The main issue in the movie is fracking. Fracking is a means of natural gas extraction employed in deep natural gas well drilling. The destruction of fracking is that fracking fluid is injected in high pressure to break the fracture that will make the natural gas to flow freely. The issue with fracking is that Bush/Cheney made the energy policy act of 2005 but it exempts drilling companies from disclosing the chemicals used during fracking. The problems with this act is that the chemicals the companies are using are going into people water and making them sick but the companies do not have to tell the people what chemical they are using. My thought about fracking is that it needs to stop. I understand that we need to use natural gas but there need to be a way that it won’t affect people’s water. I feel that fracking is causing water to be toxic and this can make everyone sick and not just the people who agree to the drilling. Fracking needs to stop now or many people will be affected from it.
GASLAND by Beverly Behner Screenplay by Josh Fox The name of the movie that I reviewed is the Gasland; the film maker of this movie is Josh Fox. Josh Fox is an ordinary citizen of the Delaware River Basin; this is the border of New York and Pennsylvania. Josh like so many other people located in the same area was offered a large amount of cash for the drilling rights to their properties. The offer that Josh received was $100,000. Josh was very attracted to this offer; however Josh did not accept the offer. Josh decided to explore the environmental repercussions from the effects of drilling. After repeated failed attempts to speak to a representative of the drilling company to ask questions; Josh to embark on a cross-country voyage to investigate the
environmental risks associated with drilling for gas. Josh discovers so much startling information as his journey progresses. Josh has experienced many families that are willing to talk to him on camera and many that are afraid to talk publicly or has signed a contract with the drilling company not to speak to anyone. Most of these families have had similar experience; a resident from Weld County, Colorado also known as the “red zone” a very heavily drilled area demonstrates to Josh that he can light water on fire-as it comes out of his kitchen faucet. A fluke you think? No, so can Mike Markham he lives in Ft. Lupton, Colorado. Many other residents of the area could ignite their water source right from the tap. Mike Markham also has a sample of his family’s water source; this is the same water that they drink. The water sample is completely dark grey; not able to see through it at all. Many unexplained illnesses in people and their pets, why? Throughout Josh’s journey he enters many drilling sites; these sites cover vast areas. These areas are so large that they have road signs. Josh navigates these winding roads; never to be stopped or questioned as to why he is there; in spite of the danger signs. In one screen Josh stops to play the banjo; where is the security or the safety precautions to protect the residents of the area. The method that is used in most drilling procedures is fracking. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gasses from shale rock layers deep within the earth’s surface. The use of fracking makes it possible to reach natural gases that were once inaccessible via traditional technologies. As a result of fracking our country is experiencing a higher number of earth quakes. The epicenter of some of these quakes can be traced to fracking sites. There are many issues that are involved with fracking that effect our environment; our laws. These laws were created to protect our society. The law that made exemptions too many basic environmental regulations this including the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act is the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This law is also known as the Haliburton Loophole. This loophole was included to the energy bill of 2005 at the demand of Vice-President Dick Cheney- of yes-former chief executive of Halliburton. After watching this movie I felt such a sense of sadness; these poor people; how will they go forward and lead healthy lives. What about their children? Will they be able to have children? Then I became very angry, this does not have to happen. As a country; we have the capability to do better. We have the resources including financial resources to make change! Change that will be friendly to our environment, change that includes economic growth, and allows our children to lead healthy productive lives. I feel that the first steps to making change will be to increase public awareness to the dangers of fracking. I feel that increasing public awareness will include showing the country how close fracking is to them; this is not a problem that affects other people this is our problem. This is their children’s problem! As long as society is unaware of the issues that come with drilling it just won’t matter. Make them realize it is in their back yard! Progress can be achieved only when society is on board!
Gasland A FILM BY JOSH FOX Review By: Jennifer Hodge When the film maker Josh Fox created the movie Gasland he was looking to share his experience and the experience of others on the world of fracking. You may be thinking what is fracking? Hydraulic fracturing otherwise known as “fraking” is when a mix of sand, water, and chemicals are pumped into layers of rock and shale. The purpose is to create cracks, or fractures, in the rock that allow natural gas trapped to escape to the surface. This is a way to get natural gas but in the process of creating these cracks the natural gas escapes into the soil and water around the site contaminating the areas around the site. When Josh Fox was approached to lease his land for fracking he went out to see what experiences other people had. When he set out in to a nearby town Pennsylvania were they have been fracking. Josh was pleasantly surprised to see what others were going through. Many of the homes that he had visited had contaminated running water in their homes. The water was
filled with the natural gas that they could light the water on fire. This did not just happen at one home he went through many home and they all were facing this. These people did not want to use this water to drink but also did not want to use this to wash there close or take a shower. Once he stated seeing all of these people experiencing this he set out to see how much he could find and show the world what this could do if fracking was done near their residence. While I see how fracking could be a very useful source to get natural gas but it has very dangerous side effects. I think these side effects would ruin everyday life as you would not be able to use the running water inside your home. At this point it would be why have a home that you could not live in. You do no think of the things that you do in your home that invoile water and then to know if there was a spark near your water your home could go up in flames. I will say that this movie has changed my propective on fracking. I know that I will be sharing this movie with my sister in-law as they have a current contract with a company to do fracking on their property. I hope it is not to late.
Gas Lands & Hydraulic Fracking Save Our Delaware River By: Alexandria Ramos Gas land was a documentary produced by a man named Josh Fox, who is a local resident in Delaware. He was trying to warn people of what gas companies wanted to do in his local neighborhood and wanted to put a stop to it. When the gas company made him such a generous offer for his land he was shocked and skeptical. So he did some research. The gas companies have leased over 400,000 acres of land for oil drilling and wanted to use hydraulic fracking in the Delaware River Basin to find the oil. Hydraulic fracking is sending millions of tons of contaminated water in to the ground with tons and tons of pressure to break the ground beneath it and harvest the oil. The Delaware River Basin stretches as far as New York, and supply’s drinking water to over 15 million people. Hydraulic fracking cause things like air pollution, water pollution, mass land scars, and miles of piping, truck traffic, explosions, and much more. Since the Delaware River Basin is such a large drinking water supply millions and millions of people can be affected by this drilling and its affects it causes. This documentary gave valuable information about hydraulic fracking I feel it should be changed and with the drinking water supply is so large the government should be considering that 1st over any other benefit it may bring.
The Hidden Truth about Natural Gas By: Oscar D Palacios II The documentary Gas land made by filmmaker Josh Fox explained some of the most drastic environmental effects that drilling for natural gas does to the environment. Fracking is a method of natural gas extraction by drilling into a well. When this method is used millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand are injected into the water table. This causes a lot of damage to the surrounding like forests are being cut down, it can pollute water ways, it can also make people sick or kill them if the gas or chemicals are introduced into drinking water. There used to be an act that made sure that water was safe to drink it was called Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This made sure that there were no contaminates in the water. In 2005 an energy bill passed and that bill excluded drilling for natural gas from the SDWA and this is now called the Halliburton Loophole. This gives companies a right to dump whatever they want when they are drilling with no regulation and they are also not responsible for any of the damages caused by this. This method of gas extraction should not be tolerated since the damage it causes outweighs the benefits it provides. The companies should find a more environmentally sound solution to gas extraction or just convert to a renewable source that causes less damage.
Food for Thought: Here are some thoughts and opinions. These thoughts are meant to get you thinking. They might inspire you, anger you or make you laugh. Please go a research more about your environment and how it supports you every day.
People learning ecology will make a better environment. By Katy Wade I have learned many different subjects in ecology class but one important subject is the relationship between people and ecology. I learn that many environment problems are caused by humans and their activities. I feel if people learn more about ecology then it would affect how they act toward the environment. I feel that many people don’t realize how they activities for example burning fossil fuels really affect the planet. Before taking this class I knew things about the environment but I wasn’t aware of how much harm our activities can cause till I took this class. I didn’t realize how fracking can affect everyone and not just the place that it occurring and this made me think that even if I’m not causing harm someone is and that will still affect me. This is why it’s important for everyone to know that they are responsible for the environment and that everyone plays a role. This is why I think everyone needs to take an ecology class to better understand their involvement in the environment.
Non-existent Futures by Renee Kanya When I thought about my future before taking this ecology course, it was about what I wanted in my life, marriage, home, family, and stability to name a few. After taking this course I realized that none of that matters if we do not learn to respect the world we live in. I think the most important thing that people should learn in order to protect and insure future generations the same luxuries that we have, is sustainable development. Sustainable development is using renewable resources (those that can be regenerated by natural processes) in harmony with ecological systems to produce a rise in real income per person and an improved standard of living for everyone. In a nut shell it is using renewable resources in moderation so that future generations will also be able to enjoy these resources. Sustainable development is not possible if we do not educate the current population about the land we live on and the resources that are available to us. We need to learn that everything that we do or even that an ant does affects everything else in the world. We are all connected in one way or another and our actions not only have consequences for us, but for all species. These consequences may not be seen immediately, but they will surface and others will pay for what we have done. Be responsible when using renewable resources. Think about others and how much we are leaving behind for them to prosper from. Shouldn’t they be allowed the same or better than what we have? My future now consists of how am I depleting renewable resources and what can I do to help cut back on them. I want my children to enjoy a wonderful life and if we do not preserve and protect the world we live in, how can they?
Opinion by Norma Grant What impacted me the most in this class is that I have a better understanding of ecology, defining what it is, and to understand what issues in ecology in today’s world. I’ve also learned between what soil, water, and atmosphere are taught into understanding how the earth is, and focusing on government policy, economics, energy and the ethics of ecology. I would choose movies Gasland, Earth Day and to have someone to look at. The movies were
very interesting which the movies focus on the history of the environmental movement in the United States, and highlights energy consumption, government and environmental degradation.
Learning Great Things Nizich, Jason, M. (2012) Learning great things in Ecology has been a depressing but interesting experience for me, Jason Nizich, a Criminal Justice student. Depressing because learning about all the different things people do to cause the many kinds of pollution and waste. People will do anything to protect their land, even to the death; however, the same people can cause the most harm to a community or an environment. The growth of the population is on a steady rise and the world seems to becoming a smaller place. Resources are on a decline which leads to companies trying dangerous ways to find and use natural resources. Some ways to obtain these natural resources are causing Americans to disrupt and poison another person’s potable water supply in search of the mighty dollar. Gone are the days of helping your fellow brother or sister, using what you have before buying new, and trying to reduce you carbon footprint for the good of the earth not just because it’s the “in” thing to do. Becoming resourceful should be a topic for everyone to talk about and practice. I hope the world will be a better place for me as I become a father one day. More important, I hope it will be a better place for my kids to grow up in. Isn’t that reason enough?
The most important thing by Kati Hirzer The most important thing to me that I learned in this class was fracking and global warming. I think that those are the most important things to learn about because as of right now global warming is going on as we speak. Fracking is following right behind us because it’s happening in different cities of Ohio. Global warming is a big problem around the world and has been for a while and fracking is where our water supply is being contaminated and being able to be lit on fire. I think that these would be good topics for someone to know because it affects everyone and everything. If people know about these issues that are affecting the world then they can tell other people and keep them imformed.
The Future of Recycling Plastic Trash By Michelle Bartunek For those of us that make sure we recycle, it is a disappointing fact that less than 10% of plastic trash is recycled! These days practically everything is made of plastic and we know it will never decompose in a landfill, yet such a small percentage of it gets recycled. Entrepreneur and plastics engineer, Mike Biddle, developed a cheap and energy efficient plant that recycles any type of plastic material. This process turns the various plastic items into pellets that can be re-used in industry and takes less than a tenth of the energy required to make plastic from crude oil. Currently there is only one of these processing plants in the United States. This technology needs to be expanded throughout North America so we stop burying plastics in our landfills.
The Importance of Being Informed by Deanna Marie Rendon In taking my Ecology class here at Bryant & Stratton College, I have learned so many things. One of the most important things I believe I have learned is about what is going on around me in my world; in other words, being informed of my world. The thing I learned that has helped me the most is about trying to “Go Green”. It is incredibly important to know how to care for the planet that we live on. Recycling, shutting off lights when you are not in the room, walking or car pooling instead of always driving, and being aware of everything harmful we are eating and drinking is a huge part of being conscience of the decisions we make every day that can cause
harm to our planet. We must ensure that the planet we live on is safe and healthy for our children and grandchildren. The ramifications of not ensuring a healthy and safe planet for future generations has a bleak outlook. We can be conscience in simple ways such as planting grass that is indigenous to the area, not wasting water constantly watering our gardens, not washing our car every weekend, and to quit smoking if you are a smoker. For more ideas on how to “Go Green” and help save our planet, please go to http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/issues/global/index.shtml?gclid=CMSHhoa0uq8CFYe5Kgodhn_hjA or also http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/gather/help.htm for more helpful information.
My Opinion by Martha Figueroa I think the most important thing that I learned in this class is that the world would be a better place without all of the things humans are doing. Most importantly we all must know that it takes all of us to make the world a safer, more better place to live. We are all responsible in for what is happening in the world today. We must take care of the environment we live in. People should know about this PSA class because, this class will inform students of the things that are going on in the world, how to better take care of the world, and environment we live in. I would recommend this course to everyone. We need to know what goes on in the world. I learn some good things, and I learned some bad things. But most importantly, it made me want to be more health conscious, and taught me how to contribute to making the world a better place.
Opinion by Mary Nelson In my opinion fracking is a dangerous process that is affecting the entire environment. The film Gasland by Josh Fox really opened my eyes to what is going around me right in my own community. Driving down the road seeing the stop fracking signs got me interested but I didn’t know much about it. After this class, seeing the movie and learning about the process and the other resources we could be using I have to say I was disturbed with the government and anyone else who thought this was a good idea. I believe that fracking even if we stop today will still have many consequences for the environment for hundreds of years to come. I believe the people who come up with these ideas do not spend enough time researching and thinking about the future. They had no concern for anyone they hurt in the process. It did not amaze me that these same people denied that all the drinking water that caught fire was contaminated. This even after they gave some people other containers to hold water or to filter the water. This is typical; all humans should pay attention to the history of people in power. They always lie and deny.
What I Have Learned & What you should Know by Alexandria Ramos In the being of this semester when I started my Ecology course I didn’t know half of what I know now about my environment and the environments around me. I didn’t even know an environment was only a small part of an entire ecosystem. See everything we do, make, produce, burn, cut down, grow, destroy, restore etc. affects the environment, MY ENVIRONMENT! What I want people to know is no matter what part of the world we live in if you abuse your environment you are abusing my environment. Water, wind, and dirt are the transporters for pollutant and the waste people put into the earth and during life’s natural process those pollutants one community exposed to the earth will eventually travel to me an become my pollutants and waste. So take care of your environment and remember your world is my world.
Opinion by Beverly Behner I feel that I have gained so much knowledge about our environment. I am not able to narrow my experiences from this class to one subject. I was surprised about many global issues that we are experiencing as a society; how could so many of these issues be happening? I have learned that as individuals we can make a difference to the
environmental impact of our world. Such simple steps; such as recycling can make a huge difference to our society and our environment. I am very pleased that I was required to take this class in Ecology; honestly I would not have taken this class if it were not a college requirement. I wish everyone would be exposed to the information that was presented to me through this class. Society really needs to be aware of the issues that are affecting our environment; these issues ultimately affect our children.
Water Supply by Jeanette Diaz Water is basically used in just about everything from domestic to agricultural, in stream and industrial uses. However, we fail to realize that domestic water supply will soon run out. We use our water and waste it when we let the water run do dishes, or take long showers, but what we fail to realize is that this natural resource will soon be gone. If we do not start finding ways to use our water more efficiently we will soon find ourselves like third world countries, looking for ways to find drinking water. Americans can make daily small changes in the way we use water. Appreciating this natural resource and using it wisely will help us live longer and better lives.
Closing Remarks Thank you for reading through our magazine. This is purely an adventure into learning more about our environment and sharing it with others. We hope you have been inspired to read more, research more and perhaps appreciate our world a bit more. This is truly the only plant we have. Thank you for your time.