hydraulic fracturing. what are your thoughts or concerns?

The article, “EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination” essentially discuss that underground water pollution in central Wyoming that is linked to hydraulic fracturing had many contaminants found in it that was allegedly caused by the gas drilling process. Furthermore, EPA took water samples from residents’ drinking water wells in 2008 and found many chemical compounds – hydrocarbons, among others. They drilled two water monitoring wells to 1,000 feet and confirmed that high levels of chemicals were among the Wyoming wells – such as benzene, and 2 butoxyethanol (used in fracking.)  EPA officials released a 121-page draft report on the issue. Contaminations from fracking are happening; high-pressure injection of the mixture of water, sand, and toxic chemicals are migrating into the underground sources of drinking water and citizens are drinking it without even knowing it. Question that should be rattling in your mind is, what is there to do about it?

First, Renewable energy sources should be used (prices must decrease as well to reasonable price for ordinary average citizens.) Second, tracers should be used. Non-toxic, benign tracers should be used; they are markers of fluids (color.) Essentially, the color of tracers would definitely distinguish if the water contamination's where caused by humans or naturally. Tracers and the scientific drilling research EPA does would knock this dilemma out of the park.Third, I read recently on Smart Economy, that a green alternative is also available, “Cavitation Hydrovibration.” Many other alternatives are available but this one particularly intrigued me. Cavitation Hydrovibration is designed to fracture rock, using a pressurized water pulse action on rock stratum to increase its degree of fracturing. Moreover, it operates using pure water only, without using any of the chemicals usually used in fracking that damages the environment and contaminate water tables.

With many alternatives readily available as such, there should be no reason that hydraulic fracturing should still be occurring, especially due to the many toxic chemicals involved, and the many lives that will be destroyed. 

http://smarteconomy.typepad.com/smart_economy/2009/12/a-green-alternative-to-chemicalbased-hydraulic-fracturing-or-fracking-for-shale-gas-drillingcavitati.html

 

PowerPoints or Essays?

If I had to say either one, I'd say I prefer PowerPoints. Firstly, they give you the opportunity to be creative - although I'm a science major, I do love the arts too. Secondly, they are fairly quick. Last but not least, it gives your fellow peers, co-workers, citizens, whomever, the opportunity to know you personally. Essays are on the other hand usually have a very strict criteria, which leads to unwanted stress among other things. Furthermore, essays don't give you the opportunity to express your visions (w/ pictorials.) Well, technically you can, but you are fairly limited most of the time to the amount of photographs and such that you can have in academic writings.  I won't "bag" on essays entirely, I'd prefer an essay over a powerpoint if the topic is interesting and I truly want to voice my opinion...verbally on paper. Powerpoints are pinpointed for visual aids; essays are pinpointed for your words on paper. Both have their pros and cons...

Regardless of how I feel about either; I'd complete both and complete them well. After all, I do love seeing A's.

kudos to Ms. Taylor Swift

Saw an amazing article, thought I'd post it. It's an article dealing what our society needs more of, generosity, kindness, and inspiration.


Here's the link of the article :)

http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/our-country/cancer-fighting-teen-invites-taylor-swift-prom-gets-214655227.html

 Florida has the greatest accumulation of chemical wastes than any other state. The writer goes further stating, "thanks to the phosphate chemical industry centered in Polk County, has a volume of toxic and radioactive waste products three times as large as any of them." Meaning the more industrialized states, such as Texas and Ohio. Much of the waste was stored behind earthen dikes in thousands of acres of acid waste ponds.  Also, another reason of why Florida had the greatest accumulation of chemical wastes were because of the rupture of a reservoir dike built by the Florida Power and Light Company to store cooling water for an oil-burning generating plant. Interesting stuff.



http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fsEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qmcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6232,2014912&dq=environment+man+made+disaster&hl=en

Environmental Question

What Should the Relationship between religion and the environment be?

First, I must say religion and the environment goes hand & hand, or together. God created the Heavens and the Earth; therefore, to be religious, you must respect the environment that our Heavenly father blessed us with. After viewing the video of Dr. Grim and Dr. Tucker, the co-directors of the Yale University forum on Religion and Ecology, I realized that both of the educated individuals believed science and humanities (prime example: religion) will save the current generation, and will continue to save future generations. Earth is a beautiful place that stores all of our lives, so why not take care of it? Why pollute it? Why create adversities for your future children, grandchildren, great-grand children, among others? Why upset our God?
With the help of scientist and humanity people, they can work together to discover new innovations, ideas, creations that will provide help for global crisis, such as climate change (global warming), including many other highly important things that are affecting us for the worst. I agree with their ethics, but I don't agree with a statement made by Dr. Tucker on that, "the bible should be re-written." I feel as though no one is worthy enough to re-write any verse of the bible, period. Respect both, respect God, and the creations that we have be so fortunate to have.

I guess you can say I'm sort of biased, its' because I am a true believer in Christ.

Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad-based Peagogy theory

In towards Ecopedagogy, Richard Kahn argues about environmental education being unresponsive and how ecopedagogy will affect the planet for the better. He also explains upon the capitalism society in the century. He opens with, “It is urgent that we assume the duty of fighting for the fundamental ethical principles, like respect for the life of human beings, the life of other animals, the life of birds, the life of rivers and forests.” He continues stating, “I do not believe in love between men and women, between human beings, if we are not able to love the world.”

First, is the environmental education that is taught in school unresponsive to children?  Second, are people so “selfish” or/and “self-centered” with themselves that they don’t care for the good of the environment?  And finally, what exactly is ecopedagogy according to the author? First, I do believe the environmental education that is taught in the school system is unresponsive. Secondly, absolutely, people are driven by money and they do not care for the environment, as long as they can’t see that they are truly affected by it. And finally, “ecopedagogy,” according to Richard Kahn is an interdisciplinary mixture of theories from Joel Kovel, Paulo Freire, and many others, dealing with race, anthropology, theology, poltical science, philosophy, geography, class, gender, and species/nature liberation.

Ecopedagogy cannot be “lowered,” to just the education that we learn about while in school. It’s a lifelong knowledge and process that we must share with each other, with the entire general public. Again, I tell you, environmental education in the school system is surely not enough to help individuals improve their conservation of energy and sustainability of the ecosystem. The environmental group, EcoVitality, believes that “Education can seldom change self-interested choices in circumstances where people can obtain higher incomes through ecologically destructive activities than by conserving natural features.” Think of the automobile industry, electricity industry, and how many companies there are whose doing the absolute worst for the planet. Again, people are getting rich by any means necessary, whether it harms other people, or the environment in which they live in.

There was also an article in The Undersea Journal that showed the widespread practice of dynamite fishing, which is illegal in virtually all-coastal states. According to Kahn, “while throughout the oceans, global fishing also has doubled resulting in a recent report finding that approximately 90% of the major fish species in the world’s oceans have disappeared.” In addition, “Forty mile-long drift nets are routinely used to trawl the ocean bottoms, causing incalculable damage to the ocean ecosystem.” Giant biomass nets are now commonly used and by 2048, it is expected that there will be no extant commercial fishery left. To succeed with change, we must show the public (everyone – rich, poor, young, old, you name it) statistics, surveys’, and prime examples of how they can contribute to a sustainable ecosystem. Many can fish less, or drive less, ride a bike, walk, there are many ways that people can contribute to maintaining productivity, diversity, resilience, and disturbance to the planet.

http://richardkahn.org/writings/ecopedagogy/towardsecopedagogy.pdf

EcoVitality – http://ecovitality.org/badeduc.htm

Overusing Water - unethical or ethical?

The topic we discussed in class was about the water crisis. Specifically, is it ethical for Americans to use over their allowance of water? I have an opinion; I’d have to say yes. First, let me state now that I have an “S” personality type; so I’m more sensitive and emotional towards other people. But, I would hope almost everyone would believe it’s unethical and unfair. And although I feel that it’s unethical very much so, what am I to do to change the current state?  We supposedly live in a “democracy” and not a “dictatorship,” but it seems like it's the complete opposite. I can’t change the state of the water crisis by myself, I’m not a king, or in the House of Representatives, or the president. I’m only a young citizen (who  by the way is only a student.) I can however speak my mind, but only that. While thinking about the topic this weekend, I saw a Google alert similar to it. The Google alert showed an article entitled, “Water privatization and the rising conflict.” The author, Jan Lundberg went to great depths to explain about the water crisis, the overpopulation issues, and other global issues.  The author explains upon us being “robbed” by the government because we are paying for polluted water. Furthermore, the author goes into depth about the clean water has been becoming more and more scarce due to overpopulation. And not only that, but because of waste and greed! The author gave a startling statistic about Africa, “Every day 30,000 children in the Third World die of preventable causes.” Bottom line, we must do something, anything if possible. Although you are only one person, just as I am, we can still gather media and a create media frenzy so that the subject is known and that it should be stopped as quickly as possible.

Here is the article if you would like to view it. 

http://culturechange.org/e-letter-water.html