Bamboo

It seems that Ethiopia is about to leave its mark in the flooring industry along with the United States and Europe. However, Ethiopia will not be using the common resource like wood, instead it will be using bamboo. Apparently, Ethiopia is going to revolutionize the market by using bamboo, a very abundant resource in this country.

Acquired At: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/2006-10-01/The-Lowdown-on-Bamboo-Flooring.aspx#axzz2QksRGH2H

Currently, Ethiopia has one million acres of bamboo, making it the largest region of unexploited bamboo in East Africa. This has some bamboo industries wanting to invest for what seems to be a gold mine. A European partnership will plan to invest 10 million euros for five years, which will luckily supply flooring products to United States and Europe’s markets. This company will first try to export 100,000 square meters of flooring in 2014, then by 2016 it will export up to 500, 000 square miles (McKenna).

Acquired At: http://www.motherearthnews.com/biz-bulletins/teragren-bamboo-flooring.aspx#axzz2QksRGH2H

Presently, bamboo is becoming an important resource in the flooring industry because it surpasses wood for many reasons. First, bamboo matures much more quickly than wood. While wood takes 30 years to mature, it only takes bamboo 3 years, which is great for businesses because time is of the essence. The second and third reasons are, bamboo is much more eco-friendly and reduces the number of trees consumed, which is essential in Africa. According to McKenna, the carbon emissions released by burning timber will reach 6.7 million tons by 2050 in Africa, and this is somewhat due to 90% of the population located in Sub-Saharan because they cook with wood (McKenna). 

Africa as a whole, along with Ethiopia will try to reduce the use of timber and other non-renewable resources. Hopefully they will succeed with this eco-friendly and abundant resource, bamboo.

Works Cited

McKenna, Ed. "Ethiopia Leads the Bamboo Revolution." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/apr/10/ethopia-bamboo>.

Peru: A Cleaner Forest

In a post before this one, I wrote about the Peruvian night monkey and the destruction of its habitat, due in part to human activity.

Peru has now indicated a “state of emergency” in parts of its northern rainforests where oil fields are located and operated by Pluspetrol, an Argentinian corporation. A new law was implemented this Monday requiring suitable standards for pollution in surrounding soils, and “officials” agree this will make a difference (Collyns).

 

Acquired At: https://www.theengineroom.org/mining-companies-are-contaminating-your-water-supply-what-do-you-do/

 

According to the Peruvian government, since 2001, when Pluspetrol started operating, contaminates released into the surroundings were never cleaned. In the Pastaza river basin, where the borders of Peru and Ecuador link, the indigenous Anchuar and Kichwa people have lived in poor conditions for too long. The environmental ministry of Peru has stated, from tests performed in February and March, that “[…] high levels of barium, lead, chrome and petroleum-related compounds […]” were found in Pastaza (Collyns).

 

The environmental ministry of Peru has given Pluspetrol 90 days to clean and reduce contaminates that were exposed to the surrounding public.  Fortunately, the government has finally decided to solve the issue involving the north, for for some time the government “[…] lacked the required environmental quality standards” (Collyns).

Andrew Miller (a Peru campaigner for Amazon Watch) states that thanks to the indigenous people and Congress, proper action was taken in time.

 

Works Citied

Collyns, Dan. "Peru Declares Environmental State of Emergency in Its Rainforest." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/26/peru-declares-environmental-emergency-rainforest>.

The Peruvian Night Monkey

It seems that the Peruvian night monkey is in danger of losing its home due to disappearing forests. “The FAO estimates that [Peru] loses somewhere between 224,000 and 300,000 hectares of forest per year […]”. Unfortunately, illegal logging is also a leading cause of deforestation, accounting for 95% of logging. Why is illegal logging so high in Peru? Well, it is mainly due to the valuable mahogany located in its forests (Peru).

Acquired At: http://www.birdspiders.com/gallery/index.php/Tarantula-Habitats/Rainforest-deforestation-Peru

Due to the greed for valuable wood, the Peruvian night monkey is suffering the possible loss of its home. As stated by Jeremy Hance, the Peruvian night monkeys are not well known in the world, but recent research has allowed the world to understand the monkey’s natural behaviors. For example, these monkeys tend to not stay in a single location rather they travel from one location to another (Hance).According to Jeremy Hance, Peruvian night monkeys are “[…] capable of surviving in highly-fragmented forests”. Furthermore, researchers found that a family of 6 monkeys were capable of sustaining themselves in smaller territories, 3.4 acres (Hance).

Although this may be true, can this justify the destruction of the Peruvian night monkey’s habitat? Sooner or later these monkeys will lose their food supply and habitat, which will lead them to the point of extinction. 

Works Cited

Hance, Jeremy. "Peruvian Night Monkey Threatened by Vanishing Forests, Lost Corridors." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/19/peruvian-night-monkey-threatened>.

"Peru: Environmental Profile." Peru: Environmental Profile. Mogabay.com, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/20peru.htm>.

The Coral Reefs

Did you know Coral reefs are currently endangered? Accounting for only about 1% of the marine environment, coral reefs provide a home to 25% of marine life. “Coral reefs are mostly found in clear, shallow, warm waters where sunlight can penetrate and provide nutrients to the algae that sustains coral” (Earthjustice…).Coral reefs provide humans with many benefits such as barriers to coastal communities, and chemical compounds extracted from corals provide medicine for cancer, AIDS, and other ailments, but we are not protecting them like we should (Earthjustice…).

Acquired At: http://reimaginingdisney.blogspot.com/2012/12/animal-kingdom-part-3-south-america-and.html

Humans have caused major damage to coral reefs, which may be irreversible due to pollution, climate change, and trash. Unfortunately, one fifth of the corals have been wiped-out and recovering them will be difficult. Some predications indicate that the remaining coral reefs will disappear by 2050(Endangered Corals). Coral Reefs are important to marine ecosystems and losing them will be a disaster that we will hopefully not witness.

As the human population grows so will our negative impact on coral reefs. However, if we act now we will be able to save the reefs and the organisms that depend on them.

 

Works Citied

"Earthjustice: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer." Earthjustice. Earthjustice, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. <http://earthjustice.org/irreplaceable/coral_reef?gclid=CMSyw7_V4bUCFY6e4AodiEwAeA>.

"Endangered Corals." TakePart. Disneynatureoceans, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. <http://www.takepart.com/oceans/coral>.

Latro

In a post before this one, I wrote about a solar lantern that would help provide light through renewable energy. Now, I read an article about a lamp that has the ability to produce electricity through your water, algae, and your breath. Mike Thompson, the creator of the lamp Latro, states it is a living and breathing product, synthesized from both nature and technology (Alter). Furthermore, he states that cultivating the algae was a simple task that required only carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight.

Acquired At: http://www.designboom.com/design/mike-thompson-latro-algae-lamp/

So when does your breath come into play, you ask? Well, when you inhale oxygen your red blood cells absorb it and then those cells expel a waste product, known as carbon dioxide, a component needed to activate photosynthesis. So basically what you do is just offer a bit of your breath to the algae in the lamp, and then photosynthesis begins to produce electricity for the lamp to use.

Acquired At: http://www.designboom.com/design/mike-thompson-latro-algae-lamp/

Mike Thompson states that the owners of Latro should treat this lamp, which contain the algae, like pets because they have to be taken care of and fed. I believe this is a  great and very useful discovery, for it provides a new type of energy source.

 

Works Cited

Alter, Lloyd. "Amazing Lamp Powered by Algae, Water, and Your Breath." TreeHugger. Treehugger, 8 June 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. <http://www.treehugger.com/interior-design/amazing-lamp-powered-by-algae-water-and-your-breath.html>.

Luci

In the United States some people take for granted the most basic necessities, such as electricity for lights. Unfortunately, many people in the world, approximately 3 billion, cannot afford this basic need, causing them to cook, study, and bath in the dark. The only resources they have to see in the dark are kerosene lamps, oil lamps, and candles which cannot compare to standard light bulbs. According, to MPOWERD this type of energy poverty is unacceptable in this century (Markham).

Acquired At:  http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/buy-one-give-one-solar-lamp-luci.html

MPOWERD, or Micro Power Design, has invented a solar-powered lantern, called Luci that provides clean, dependable lighting to those who are not connected to the grid (Markham). What is great about it is its ability to deliver up to 12 hours of energy in an 8 hour charge. Furthermore, it only weighs 4.5 ounces and can easily be hung on the wall or ceiling (Markham). The creation of this lantern will be greatly beneficial to people who cannot afford electricity, for it can be charged by solar energy and lasts half a day when charged. By the way, this lantern has other purposes too; it can be used as a flashlight or used while camping.

Being able to provide light to people who cannot afford it is great, and being able to provide it through renewable energy is even better.

 

Works Cited

Markham, Derek. "Meet Luci, the Solar Lantern That Shines a Light on Energy Poverty."   TreeHugger. Treehugger, 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. <http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/buy-one-give-one-solar-lamp-luci.html>.

 

 

 

Floating Islands

Water pollution is becoming a clear problem in the United States, due in part to farmers planting and maintaining their crops. In Upper Mississippi, nitrogen and phosphate from crop fertilizer has seeped into rivers and streams without it being filtrated naturally by the surrounding environment. Furthermore, this problem is also critical in Iowa, where the polluted water can reach the Gulf of Mexico, causing anything within 6,700 square miles to die and costing fisheries 2.8 billion dollars a year(Palmer). What can we do?

                                      (Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico that spans 6,700 square miles )

Acquired At: http://www.louisianaseafoodnews.com/2011/11/02/dead-zone-affects-fisheries-in-the-northern-gulf-of-mexico/

 

Preservationists have filed lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency to create stricter standards for phosphate and nitrogen runoffs (Palmer). Resulting from these lawsuits, farmers have created their own solution to the problem: floating islands. Floating islands would be used for filtration; the contaminated water would go through the islands and filtrate all the nitrogen and phosphate before it enters rivers. According to Charles Theiling, a hydrological specialist for the Army Corps of Engineers in Davenport, Iowa, these floating islands will mimic wetlands, which have done this for many years(Palmer).

Acquired At: http://www.floatingislandinternational.com/products/biohaven-technology/

By the way these islands are built from recycled soda bottles and grown with native plants from the area. Additionally, these floating islands will only serve a temporary solution to water contamination; there still needs to be a definite solution for this problem. However, a company called Floating Island International is probably trying to make floating islands part of the solution. This business has created floating islands the size of a backyard, called BioHaven (Palmer). They serve the same purpose as a normal floating island, but they are much bigger.

Works Cited

Palmer, Lisa. "Floating Islands to the Rescue." Green Floating Islands to the Rescue Comments. New York Times, 15 Feb. 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2013. <http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/floating-islands-to-the-rescue/>.

It is Just a Matter of Time

In a couple of posts back, I wrote about smoking and how it is not only bad for your health but for the environment too. Furthermore, I stated that the creation of cigarettes, through the process of planting tobacco crops and manufacturing cigarettes, destroys about 60 million trees a year. Now, this was just the production of one of many wood-based products in the world.

The World Wildlife Fund of Nature (WFF) has stated, in the Living Forests Report that the demand for wood will triple by 2050. It also seems that paper products and consumption will double in the next three decades, putting more pressure on forests (). Clearly industries that depend on forests will need ways to meet demands in the future. Currently, WWF’s forest conservation objective is to reduce net deforestation and degradation to zero by 2020(WWF).

Acquired At: http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?207367/Industry-key-to-conse
rving-forests-as-demand-for-wood-projected-to-triple-by-2050#

                                            

How do they plan to do this, you ask? Well according to the WWF, by recycling wood-based products in countries where they rarely recycle, and reducing consumption in richer nations the likelihood of succeeding is higher (WFF). By recycling wood-based products like paper in nations that usually do not creates a “…particular potential to reduce pressure on natural forests” (WFF). Furthermore, by also reducing the consumption of wood-based products in richer countries such as the United States, China, and Russia, a serious solution can be made. Why? The richer countries in the world, accounting for only 10% of the population, waste 50% of the world’s paper (WWF). This is a lot, no wonder forests are being depleted so fast every year, for our constant waste is evident. Additional solutions are also included, such as bioenergy and caring for current forests.

Works Cited

"WWF - Industry Key to Conserving Forests as Demand for Wood Projected to Triple by 2050." WWF. WWF Global, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2013. <http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?207367/Industry-key-to-conserving-forests-as-demand-for-wood-projected-to-triple-by-2050>.

Plastic Or Reusable Bags?

Are you using reusable bags for groceries? It seems that the desire to protect the environment is harming our health. According to, “The Disgusting Consequences of Plastic-Bag Bans” reusable shopping bags can harbor dangerous diseases. In 2011, researchers examined reusable bags in California and Arizona and discovered 51 percent of the reusable bags contained coliform bacteria (Ponnuru).



Acquired At : merleswater.com/bacteria/

 If you do not know what coliform bacteria are, they are an “indicator of water contamination and possible presence of intestinal parasites and pathogens (Treyens).” The presence of these bacteria (right) is mostly likely due to using the bag repeatedly without washing it. Furthermore, researchers also determined that leaving the reusable bag in a car in the heat increased the growth tenfold (Ponnuru). Nevertheless, there was some good news, if the bags were to be washed it would eliminate 99.9% of the bacteria.

 In 2007 San Francisco, California discouraged plastic bags because it was killing marine life and blocking waterways. In 2012, several other cities including Seattle and Los Angeles also created their bans against plastic bags (Ponnuru). Surely the plastic-bag industries would rather prefer not to have these bans.

According to, Bag the Ban, “Any tax or ban would endanger plastic recycling…and impact our nation's global competitiveness.”  Additionally, a little over 30,000 people are employed directly by plastic-bag manufactures, and recycling industries (“Bag the Ban”).  So should we return to plastic bags? Well, ultimately it is up to you. I guess if you use reusable bags, you run the risk of catching a disease, so wash them regularly if you plan to keep using them.

Works Cited

Ponnuru, Rammesh. "The Disgusting Consequences of Plastic-Bag Bans." Bloomberg. Bloomberg View, Feb. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2013. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-04/the-disgusting-consequences-of-liberal-plastic-bag-bans.html.

 

"Bag the Ban." Bag the Ban. Hilex Poly, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2013. http://www.bagtheban.com/learn-the-facts/jobs.

 

Treyens, Cliff. "Bacteria and Private Wells." On Tap. NGWA, n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. <http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/dw/publications/ontap/magazine/OTWI09_features/BacteriaAndPrivateWells.pdf>.

Smoking, Or The Environment?

Are you a smoker or know anyone who is? Well, I have some news for you. According to, “How Smoking Affects the Environment?” a smoker is not only affecting the health of a second hand smoker but the environment too. Almost 4,000 chemicals are found in cigarettes and thirty percent of Americans are smokers, and the percentage of smokers in developing countries is much higher ("How Smoking…”).

When people smoke we all notice the smoke. This clearly implies that the air is being polluted, but what about the water and land? Everyday millions of cigarette butts are left on the ground, which are eventually washed away in lakes, rivers, and sewers ("How Smoking...”). When these butts unfortunately go into the water fish tend to eat them and die. The lingering butts left on the ground later take 24 to 26 years to decompose (“How Smoking…”). While the butts are decomposing, the 4,000 chemicals in the butts seep into the soil poisoning the soil and plants. This sounds very bad and it is true, for I have personally seen it in parks.

However, the major pollutant is production of cigarettes (“How Smoking…”). When tobacco is grown, taking care of them is the number-one priority, for pests and diseases are always present. To maintain these plants many chemicals are used to keep them healthy and undamaged. Sadly, the land, air, and water around the tobacco fields get contaminated by the chemicals resulting in the surrounding environment being destroyed.

Growing tobacco is half the problem because making the cigarettes are causing trees to be cut down. On average, one tree is cut for every 300 cigarettes, not including the paper packaging (“Tobacco Facts…”). Also in Brazil, where 100,000 tobacco farmers exist, 60 million trees are razed a year (“Tobacco Facts...”). Do you think it is fair to sacrifice trees for the production of cigarettes? 

Works Cited

"How Smoking Affects the Environment." Smoking Site Wide Activity RSS. Yogoy Health Community, n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2013. <http://smoking.ygoy.com/smoking-and-the-environment/>.

"Tobacco Facts and The Environment." Tobacco Facts and the Environment. City of Berkeley Public Health Division, n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2013. <http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Health_Human_Services/Public_Health/Tobacco_Facts_and_the_Environment.aspx>.

Alaska's New Found Problem

Do you remember the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011? Well, it appears that Alaska has suffered the aftermath of the storm. Cleanup crews discovered some beaches covered with polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, threatening wildlife in the area. Apparently, the main concern of environmentalists is the light weight specs floating in the water, fragmented by storms and waves.

For some of you that do not know, Styrofoam is a man-made material used for insulation, packaging, among other uses. Furthermore, Styrofoam is unfortunately not biodegradable because it does not breakdown in the sun, making it last virtually forever (Reuters). It lasts forever, and it floats in the water near Alaska’s shores. Before the tsunami hit in Japan, the total Styrofoam debris in Alaska accountant for only 5 percent. After the tsunami, however, the percentage of Styrofoam in Alaskan shores increased to an astonishing 30 percent (Reuters). If you do the math, it increased six times more, and it is causing six times more damage.

If animals mistaken these specs for food, they could die. According to, Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation, the chemical and physical composition of Styrofoam can seep and absorb dangerous chemicals and contaminates in the water. This in turn can kill fish and other wildlife by blocking an animal’s digestive system causing it to die of malnutrition or starve.

Currently, there are a number of organizations conducting clean ups on beach clean ups ("Tsunami Debris..."). Some these organizations include, the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation and the Island Charters. Hopefully they will succeed in cleaning the shores of Alaska and protecting the wildlife that remain.

Works Cited 

Reuters. "Styrofoam from Japan Tsunami Causing Fears for Alaska Wildlife." NBCNews.com. NBCNews.com, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013. <http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16776937-styrofoam-from-japan-tsunami-causing-fears-for-alaska-wildlife?lite>.

"Tsunami Debris and Other Marine Debris in Alaska." Tsunami Debris in Alaska. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013. <http://dec.alaska.gov/commish/tsunami-debris/>.

Brazil: Amazon Rainforest

It was stunning the article I read about Brazil and its rainforest.  According to the article, “BrazilPlans Amazon Tree Census to Assess Deforestation,” the Brazilian government will launch a four-year tree census in the Amazon to increase environmental awareness (Watts). Clearly the government is aware of the impact of logging and tree razing in the Amazon rainforest. However, could it be too late? Apparently, human settlement is increasing rapidly near the Amazon rainforest, resulting in the construction of homes. Furthermore, a drought twice the size of California is affecting part of the rainforest, due to climate change (Watts).

It is clear that deforestation is a continuing threat for forests all around the world. About 3/10 of the land is covered by forests, however strips of land the size of panama are lost each year (Deforestation). Due to deforestation, many habitats are lost, and climate change then becomes a dilemma. When trees are present in a forest, they serve many purposes, and some of them include keeping the land moist and providing shelter to many animals. So when trees are razed, there is a high probability that the sun will heat the exposed land that the land would eventually become dry. At the current rate at which the forests are being depleted, they could disappear in about 100 years (Deforestation). Clearly, this is bad but how can we fix this? 

We are depending on the forest and the land on which it sits on. Logging, which provides us with wood and paper products also contribute to deforestation. Nevertheless, we need these products for school, the construction of homes, and furniture. So, are you willing to not live in a home? Then there is another contributor to the destruction of forests, and it is agriculture. This is probably the most destructive factor because trees are razed to provide temporary land for crops. When the land is being used for crops, the nutrients in the soil are eventually depleted, so this mean anything you try to plant later on will not grow. This then implies that there will be constant cutting of trees for rich soils.

Hopefully the Brazilian government will do its best to protect the Amazon rainforest, for it is one-of-a-kind.  

  Works Cited:

 -"Deforestation." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.       <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/>.

-Watts, Jonathan. "Brazil Plans Amazon Tree Census to Assess Deforestation." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 27 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2013.<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/27/amazon-tree-census>.

China's Disaster

So, I was doing some reading over the weekend, and I came across a startling article about China. In Discovery News, an article titled, “China’s Urban Air Kills Rural Plants” comments the struggle China is currently facing. China encountered an unfortunate air pollution that covered Beijing and northern China with a toxic smog. Researchers stated that this is making it difficult for plants and crops to flourish.

 

The air pollution was so severe, the American Embassy called the pollution levels “hazardous.” This has been a terrible mishap for China, and they now have to find solutions for this problem. These toxic fumes are negatively affecting its enormous population and the crops needed to feed the public. What might be causing the air pollution? Well, the burning of fossil fuels and awful regulations. China relies mostly on coal to provide electricity to its public and with regulations that basically allow anything it ends in disaster.

 

I believe China has to start worrying about the pollution it’s creating, for it will get to the point where it will be irreversible. China is burning more coal than the United States, Europe, and Japan combined. Probably changing the type of energy consumed would help; nonrenewable to renewable. What do you think?     

Introduction

The environment, in the Encarta Dictionary, is defined as the natural world; it is also known this way when it is harmed by humans. The blog I will be starting today will be about the environment, and the choices we make that affect it. A majority of us have already tried to do our part in helping the environment by reducing, recycling, and reusing. However, protecting and preserving the environment is limited to who it is. A child who is motivated to do their part most likely won’t be as influential as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is why corporations should try to limit their ruthless impact on the planet and set forth an example. Some of you may say that corporations are not the only ones to blame, for they expand due to the demand of the public. However, that might not be always true because some businesses know the impact of their expansions, so why would they do it? The answer is most likely avarice, but justified with the popular demand of people.

I will try to do this topic justice, for it is a very extensive topic.  Also I would like to express one more thought. The environment provides us with everything we have and need.  Whether something was artificially created or synthetically made by humans, the basic compounds to produce the item were found on this planet. We live on a gold mine! We have to preserve it.