Post due 1/29

Our current ways of mining and manufacturing are adding mercury pollution to our environment. Mining, steel production, and coal power plants are contributing to this problem. Mercury pollution is especially problematic for humans as it can become toxic due to consumption of fish that contain higher amounts of mercury.
This pollutant is altering normal environmental patterns, and leading to bioaccumulation of a toxin. This will be harmful for any organism higher up in the food chain.
Is it possible to reverse the damage of mercury pollution?

Post Due 1/22

The Yellow River, a water source for 150 million people, has been contaminated by China's refining processes. Chemicals have leaked into the river over the span of twenty years. Also, in south China, many places have been illegally strip mined, adding to the countries pollution.

The pollution of the Yellow River will have adverse effects on the environments it serves. These effects will almost surely decrease ecosystem function.

Will China be able to revers the damage that has been done to the Yellow River?

Post Due 1/15

The salinization of rivers is becoming an increasingly problematic issue. Not only does it increase economic and environmental cost, but it hurts global health. Human activities such as mining are increasing salt concentrations, along with global warming.
The increased salinization of rivers will disrupt current food webs as it harms many species that depend on the water. This disruption will hurt ecosystem function.
Can the increased salinization of rivers be reversed?

Article due 12/11

DDT is a dangerous pesticide that kills and repels mosquitos more effectively than any other known substance. This chemical was used widely in the developing world to prevent malaria, a disease that not only kills the populations of these areas, but the economies, but has been stopped due to pressures from the developed world. The developed world wants use of DDT to stop because it is a chemical that takes years to decompose, and it bioaccumulates in humans, which could be dangerous.
The continued use of DDT would hurt the environment as it is a pesticide that would accumulate in animals, leading to deaths. Also, the discontinued use of DDT would increase the mosquito population, increasing the cases worldwide of malaria.
Should use be stopped now or should developing countries use DDT?

Post due 12/4

In India alone, 140 million people drink water that is contaminated with pollutants, despite measures to improve water quality. Sarvajal is a company that is trying to tackle this problem with water ATMs, created with sensory equipment and cloud technology. This invention not only provides clean water to many rural areas, but allows for the women and children who used to spend their time only retrieving water may now divert their attentions.
The still growing population of India will begin to stress the water supply beyond capacity, creating a detriment to the region as the water table will fall. The fall of the water table will not only hurt the human populations of the area, but all natural habitats as well.
Will the improvement of water in India be enough to halt over use of the area's resources?

Blog Post 11/27

        The growing human population is creating a need for resources that may not be available in the next century. The demand for food will double by 2050, and triple by 2100, which is not sustainable. Also, water will be scarce as it is wasted on creating luxury products, 2,700 liters for a bar of chocolate.
        The growth of the human population will negatively impact the environment as the destruction of natural habitats will increase dramatically, creating a loss of biodiversity. Also, with the destruction of habitat will come a loss of ecosystem function, hurting our already scarce resources.
Will population growth slow down in time to achieve sustainability? Will I have to do blog posts over winter break?

Article for 11/20

The quality of a banana that consumers love- consistency- is the genetic downfall of the fruit. The plantations that currently provide North America and Europe with their favorite fruit are at risk of disease, the cavendish is being wiped out by the panama fungus. Scientists are trying to create a genetically modified fruit that resists the disease and plantations in central america are trying to breed a consumer welcome replacement.
This circumstance exemplifies the idea that low genetic diversity may leads to a species being unresistant to disease. The loss of these plants would also effect their ecosystems, as they provide shade to growing plants underneath them.
Would a genetically modified plant serve the same function in the ecosystem?