The Impact of Urbanization- Aditya Patil

The Impact of Urbanization- Aditya Patil

Currently, about half of the worlds population lives in urban areas. In 1800, a mere 2 percent of the world's population lived in urban areas. The cause for this sudden influx of new residents in cities around the globe is part of the term urbanization. Urbanization is the population shift from rural areas to urban areas. This shift has caused many positive and negative side effects.


Land in urban areas are generally used as commercial buildings, transportation, and residence buildings. Due to the massive population living in urban areas, poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, and waste-disposal problems often are serious issues in this area. Urbanization also decreases biodiversity. As more buildings are needed to provide for the influx of people moving to the city, habitats are destroyed and land is cleared for building. This leads to many animals having no place to live and eventually dying off. These new buildings cause an increase in air pollution in the area. The poor air quality will lead to many humans getting sick as well as contamination of water sources and foods. The compact city will also allow many diseases to spread fast in a short amount of time.


When I visit India with my family, I witness urbanization firsthand all around me. Although the urban area has created many jobs for the forever increasing population of India, there are many side effects. Mumbai, a city in India, is almost always cast under a haze that is created from pollution. There are many forms of transportation and factories that create many negative impacts on the health of residents and ecosystems. Wildlife in India cities is very scarce and this is part of the reason for the poor air quality in India. Furthermore, Urbanization is still occurring in India at an even faster rate! It took nearly 40 years for India’s urban population to rise by nearly 230 million; it will take only half of that time to add the next 250 million. This means that unless India finds a way to deal with their issue of urbanization in a timely manner, they could have a major economic crisis on their hands.


However, some say that urbanization has more positive impacts than negative on a location. Urbanization is shown to bring a higher productivity rate than those in rural locations. Urban areas have been shown to use less energy per person due to the mass transit systems located in most major cities. Urban life is also associated with high population density resulting in more people walking or bicycling as transit rather than using motorized vehicles that will negatively impact the environment. Finally, the higher standard of living associated with urbanization provides people with better food, education, housing, and health care. 

Questions

• Do you believe that urbanization has more positive or negative impacts?
• Have you experienced the positive or negative impacts of urbanization first hand?
• What is a solution to an issue related to urbanization?

Sources

• https://richmondvale.org/en/blog/6-major-effects-of-urbanization-that-will-make-you-think 
• https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/urbanization/indias-urbanization-a-closer-look
• https://www.asiapathways-adbi.org/2012/12/urbanization-can-be-good-for-the-environment/

The Race to Rock Bottom

By: Tej Patel

        When you think of the bottom of the ocean, if ever (fairly unlikely), you may picture a very vast area of smooth sand spread out over the sea floor. However, this perfect picture is the farthest from the truth. In actuality, the sea floor is extremely concave and convex, comprising of sharp protrusions as well as deep cut-offs. The landscape varies greatly as there are underwater mountains as well as canyons and valleys, showing the very unique nature of this mostly unexplored expanse. One of the most well known of these land formations is the basin found in the Pacific Ocean: the Mariana Trench. Not to deviate too much from this blog's main idea, but I thought including this natural formation would give just some perspective on how unique and extensive the ocean really is.

        These amazing, naturally occurring formations are not only valuable in looks; in fact, they hold some of the most important minerals to us in abundance, which is why recently, some of the world's largest mining superpowers have begun to mine underwater. If these mining companies get a hold of international waters for their capitalist adventures, then they will have amassed more than half of the global seafloor, which holds more valuable minerals than all of the continents combined.   

(The areas in dark blue are international waters)

        The problem, of course, arises with humans once again. Our anthropogenic activities, and lack of knowledge or care for that matter, are what have great potential in affecting every ocean environment in a drastic and harmful manner. These mining companies are requesting, no, fiending for land grants and permission to mine out the top five inches of the sea floor. This doesn't sound bad at first, considering that certain areas in the ocean can reach immense depths such as the Mariana Trench, but listen to the following predictions and you might be surprised. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recently conducted a study which came back with relatively extreme results. They predicted that each ship involved in this mining process would release about two million cubic feet of discharge daily. To put this in perspective, that is enough to completely fill a freight train that is 16 miles long. What's even more shocking is that the scientists who found these results stated that this was a 'conservative' prediction with actual estimates almost being three times this amount. This much waste and toxin released by the ships is enough to obscure the ocean environment to the point of no return, in which organisms, both micro and macro, may not be able to withstand. 

        So what can we do? For starters, it is important to educate and understand the importance and vulnerable nature surrounding these deep sea environments. This would in turn help regulate the environmental impacts of this seemingly inevitable process of mineral extraction from the ocean floor. Although it may seem that we are just individual people, there is a larger force working to limit these environmental effects known as the ISA (International Seabed Authority). However, we can't simply rely on these major corporations and associations to do what we know needs to be done. Just like with almost any environmental problem that comes our way, the best method to ensure that it has no drastic impacts is to encourage reduction, recycling, and reusing of products. In this case, specifically, these three things would immensely help decrease the demand for raw materials from the ocean floor, saving countless organisms and thousands of miles of sea floor.

What emotions arise when thinking about the mining companies and their desire for sea floor mining permission?

Have you ever considered how unique and diverse our oceans are?

Are there any practical ways to make a change in this worsening situation as day-to-day citizens?

https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/deep-sea-mining

https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/how-will-underwater-mining-affect-deep-ocean-growing-a-research-community-find-out

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/20000-feet-under-the-sea/603040/

The Future of Autonomous Vehicles

The Future of Autonomous Vehicles: Andrew Lin

        Since most car crashes are caused by human error, in theory, taking humans away from controlling the car will reduce car crashes. This idea has brought a new, innovative, idea to the table: autonomous vehicles. An autonomous vehicle (AV), also known as a self driving car, is a vehicle that is capable of moving safely with little or no human command. AVs utilize a variety of sensors to identify their surroundings, such as a radar, sonar, and GPS. Their advanced control systems interpret sensory information to identify navigation paths, as well as obstacles. Among the major automakers testing self-driving cars are Audi, Chrysler, Ford, Mercedes, Nissan, Tesla, Toyota, and Volvo. Technology companies including Apple, Waymo, Lyft, and Uber are also considerably invested in testing autonomous vehicles.

Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid undergoing testing in San Francisco Bay Area

        There are a few different types of technologies that are used in autonomous driving systems. For example, AVs use what's called lidar units. Those are the round things on the top of the vehicle that is constantly spinning to generate a 360 degree image of the car's surroundings. It can detect light and everything around it. Under the lidar sensors are cameras that are used to detect traffic lights and signs. It also helps recognize moving objects like pedestrians. Furthermore, the main computer, located in the trunk, analyzes data from the sensors and compares its stored maps to assess current conditions. Lastly, radar sensors are used to gather data on nearby objects. It categorizes the objects as bicyclists, pedestrians, or other cars based on how they behave. 

Example of radar sensors categorizing objects

        Currently, there are no legally operating autonomous vehicles in the United States. Although it's still in its beginning stages, self-driving technology is becoming increasingly common and could soon transform our transportation system. Based on technology company estimates, fully-autonomous cars could be for sale in the next several years. The difference between fully- and partially-autonomous is that partially autonomous vehicles may require a human driver to intervene if the system encounters a problem and fully-autonomous vehicles may not even offer a steering wheel. Environmental impacts are an overarching concern. Accessible, affordable, and convenient self-driving cars could increase the total number of miles driven each year. If those vehicles are powered by gasoline, then emission could skyrocket. On the other hand, if AVs are electric powered, emissions could drop, perhaps significantly. Assuming that electric self-driving cars are used for carrying public transportation, emissions could drop even further. 

Early stages of Google's fully-autonomous vehicle without a steering wheel

         Everyone can agree that the idea of a self driving vehicle sounds cool and futuristic, but like anything else, it also has some down sides. In one fatal accident in 2018, a woman was ran over by an AV operated by Uber in Tempe, AZ. It was known to be the first pedestrian death associated with self-driving technology. With a human safety driver at the wheel, the Volvo XC90 SUV was in autonomous mode. It was going 40mph on a 45mph speed limit when it struck the woman who was walking her bicycle across the street. Police officials claimed that the vehicle's failed sensors where at fault. The accident shows that self-driving technology is still in its experimental stages and that it still has a long ways to go before they go for sale. 


Questions: 
1) Do you see a future in autonomous vehicles? If so, how long will it take for them to be legal?  

2) Do you think autonomous vehicles will ever be 100% safe? 

3) Will you ever use autonomous vehicles for public transportation, if available?

Sources:
https://www.fastcompany.com/90459114/how-the-race-to-autonomous-cars-got-sidetracked-by-words

https://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/new-rules-of-the-road-allow-steeringwheelfree-cars

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/ubers-self-driving-cars-cant-detect-pedestrians-who-walk-outside-of-crosswalks-says-report/Content?oid=16160888

Should there be more vegetarians in this world?

Should there is more vegetarians in this world?

By: Shelly Lim

Being a vegetarian can be tough for people like me, but to those who have given up meat for their own goods or for the animals are the ones who are actually helping the environment. 18% of human created greenhouse gases come from livestock farming, which is terrible since it is a large amount of percentage. This percentage is more than all emissions of transportation put together. Livestock farming has a wide environmental footprint because it results in deforestation, biodiversity loss, water degradation, and more.

In 2013, the production of meat increased to around 320 million tonnes. The world is slowly producing more than four times the quantity of meat than they used to 50 years ago. As the world is getting richer the utilization of meat is increasing. When we lose biodiversity, then habitats are being destroyed and the air we breathe will worsen. About 56% of air pollution and 57% of half of water are being contributed towards livestock farming. Thinking about our future generations, no one would want this horrible disaster to happen in our ecosystem. 

 It has been proven that vegetarians were about 25% less likely to die from a heart attack and death from cardiac causes. To protect the heart, choose high fiber whole grain and legumes. Non-green food, such as, white rice, potatoes, and white-flour causes a higher risk to blood sugar, which raises the risk of diabetes and heart attacks. Also according to the University of Oxford, researchers monitored the 48,000 UK adults for eighteen years and found that people who have been eating plant-based diets had fewer cases of heart diseases. Even though, eating healthy can be hard, it lowers the risk of any kind of disease. It also helps the environment grow more and healthy.  

I was never a 100% healthy eater, but looking at the environment and doing some research, I want to push myself to eat more greens than meat. I personally don’t like the idea of animal abuse and animal being killed for our good, so to save the animals, there should be more plant-based eaters than meat eaters. It will take time to get used to eating healthy, but if we try to eat vegetables little by little everyday, we will get used to it someday. There are 1.62 million US vegetarians out there giving up meat for the animals. Let’s at least think about the animal that had been slaughtered for you to eat a good meal of hamburger.

Questions:

1. Would you ever become a vegan for the farm animals? Do you think it would be easy?
2. Do you think there should be more vegetarians in this world?
3. Is it right to kill the animals so we can survive?

Resources:

http://theconversation.com/five-ways-the-meat-on-your-plate-is-killing-the-planet-76128

https://ourworldindata.org/meat-production

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian

https://veganbits.com/vegan-demographics/

The Issue of Ozone Layer Depletion

The Issue of Ozone Layer Depletion

By: Kendall Lee

Located in the stratosphere lies the protective ozone layer, which acts as a barrier between UltraViolet rays emitted from the sun and Earth’s surface. Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms that work together and absorb UV light in the atmosphere. The discovery that the ozone layer had begun depleting was first brought to attention in 1970 by a chemist named Paul Crutzen. Crutzen discovered that nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere would attach itself to the three molecules of ozone and remove a molecule, which overtime began destroying the barrier. An additional discovery was made in 1974 by chemists Mario Molina and F. Sherwood Rowland, who realized that chlorofluorocarbon coming from Earth gases shared a role in the destruction. 

Chlorofluorocarbon gases are manufactured gases composed of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon. Before their banishment, these gases were used as refrigerants in cooling systems, propellants in spray paint cans, and elements in fire extinguishers. Although the warnings by the chemists lead to minor restrictions of Chlorofluorocarbon, no real action was taken until 1985, when the dramatic depletion of the ozone layer was noticed specifically over the Antarctic. This became known as the “ozone hole,” which occured in the Antarctic due to its extremely low temperature and its polar stratospheric clouds that promote damage from the gases.

As awareness spread, chlorofluorocarbon gases were slowly phased out by a treaty called the Montreal Protocol, and by 2005 their usage had depleted by roughly 90-95 percent. The alternatives that replaced the gases were organic molecules called hydrofluorocarbons, which are used as refrigerants for many air conditioning systems today. Unfortunately, this replacement isn’t entirely an effective solution because Like CFCs, HFCs are greenhouse gases that are climatically damaging and long lived. Although they don’t attack the ozone layer HFCs have a higher potential for fueling global warming than CO2. Thankfully more and more developments are trying to phase out hydrofluorocarbon and replace it with less harmful substances such as hydrocarbons and ammonia.

The reason that all of this is so important is that without the ozone layer, all the inhabitants on Earth would die. For starters, plants would completely lose their ability to function through photosynthesis as a result of the overpowering radiation from the sun. The wiping out of plants would quickly collapse the food chain and each organism would eventually starve. Even if the ozone layer was simply damaged excessively and not necessarily gone, the sun’s ultraviolet rays would increase skin cancer, cataracts in eyes that cause blindness, and weaken immune systems. We must keep our ozone layer healthy by completely refraining from use of damaging gases because it plays a vital role in supporting life itself on Earth.

Questions:

1. Do you think harmful gases should simply be phased out for convenience or completely banished all at once?

2.              What is the current status of the ozone layer and what can we expect for it  in the future?

3.              How do the issues with the ozone layer and global warming relate?

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/science/ozone-depletion

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Paul-Crutzen

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1995/press-release/

https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/chemicals-and-contaminants/chlorofluorocarbons-cfcs

https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/csd/assessments/ozone/2010/twentyquestions/Q10.pdf

https://www.britannica.com/event/Montreal-Protocol

https://eia-global.org/campaigns/Climate/what-are-hydrofluorocarbons

https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/what-if/what-if-ozone-layer-disappeared.htm

The Coronavirus and Animal Trafficking

The Coronavirus and Animal Trafficking
By: Sartaj Kaler

Definition: The coronavirus is any group of genetic material (in this case RNA) that results in diseases in humans and/or animals

What is the coronavirus?

Before I begin on it's overall trafficking impacts, I thought I should thoroughly explain what the coronavirus actually is. To start, the original outbreak of this type of virus has it's origins in Wuhan, China (a city of nearly twelve million people). The virus itself is referred to as a novel coronavirus, in essence, meaning it is so freshly discovered it doesn't have a given scientific name. Symptoms of this ailment include, but aren't limited to, the following: cough, fever, and overall respiratory issues. However, what is genuinely intriguing is that many people portray mild symptoms/conditions of the virus and never end up in the hospital. Basically, all the news that's being spread is regarding severe cases only, in these severe cases, a common symptom is severe viral pneumonia. 

Well, how did it spread? Should I be worried?

To begin, the virus originated in a fish market in the city of Wuhan. It is believed that patient zero may have digested an infected bat, which caused the animal-to-human transfer of the virus. Now, how does it spread? The virus, to our knowledge, only travels from person-to-person contact including bodily fluids and other human excrements. Quite honestly, we aren't 100% certain as to how contagious it is, but, like always, we should take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. At the moment, you, probably anywhere from 16-18, shouldn't worry too much about this illness, since it attacks populations generally over 40. To expand, most of these people have existing conditions that significantly depress their immune systems. Furthermore you have to look at our geography, being in the United States we are surrounded by two oceans to our East and West, meaning the virus is highly unlikely to travel by land. In all, you shouldn't be worried about the coronavirus, however, always remember to properly wash your hands and maintain hygiene, since, as we've learned, no one is invincible.

*****Update!!!! As I was writing this, an article developed claiming pangolins to be the actual/real originator of the coronavirus.

What does trafficking have to do with the coronavirus?

Surprisingly, the coronavirus has a lot to do with animal trafficking. Referring back to it's origins, the same Wuhan fish market that the coronavirus is believed to have been started in has one major problem, animal trafficking. Both the believed originators of this illness, pangolins and bats, are highly trafficked in this area due to their Chinese cultural values. The pangolin, an already critically endangered animal, is being sold illegally due to it's significance in traditional Chinese medicine. Now what does this have to do with the coronavirus? The pangolin and bat are both suspected of being the originators of the ailment. If animal trafficking were to simply have been put to a halt by the Chinese government earlier, the current crisis we're having may never have started to begin with.

How can we stop trafficking animals like the pangolin?

The best ways to stop animal traffic is to buy animals from a verified, legal seller. Most of all, the practice is severely inhumane, if we were to apply just a little logic then we would understand not to buy illegal animals as pets or food. In the case of the pangolin, the greatest thing we could is spread the word!!! The most valuable resource we could provide other than our direct aid, is our word of mouth. In today's day and age, spreading things via social media and mouth can quickly and effectively spread information.

Questions

1.) Do you have any concerns regarding the coronavirus?
2.) How are you protecting yourself from getting sick?
3.) Do you believe the coronavirus will reach an epidemic or pandemic level?
4.) How do you think we could stop animal trafficking?

Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/30/make-coronavirus-ban-on-chinese-wildlife-markets-permanent-says-environment-expert-aoe
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/coronavirus-came-from-bats-or-possibly-pangolins-amid-acceleration-of-new-zoonotic-infections/2020/02/07/11eb7f3a-4379-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/science/pangolin-coronavirus.html

Australian Wildfires

Australian Wildfires

By: Soumya Joshi

Recently, the Australian government has declared a national emergency due to the massive fires erupting in predominantly the southern region of the country. Not only Australia, but the entire world is grieving over the worst wildfires seen in decades. Federal authorities have been struggling to control the extremely strong blazes. Because Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the summer season starts from December till February, making the months susceptible to wildfires. But, this recent spread of fires was “unusually severe”.

The intensity of the fires is incredibly immense. New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria are the worst affected regions: the fires have burned five million hectares, destroying more than 2,000 houses. As seen in the picture below, the fires are threatening the surrounding areas of the current burnt land. It seems that there is no definite end to the fires because of the spreading embers. Furthermore, approximately ½ billion animals have been affected by these dangerous fires. The most serious destruction happened to the natural habitat of koalas; almost ⅓ of the koala population in NSW has died. Other species that have been greatly affected include possums, kangaroos, and wallabies. The smoke, containing plumes of black carbon, is another major disastrous outcome, impacting lives thousands of miles away in New Zealand.

Environmental scientists and ecologists are still debating the cause of the fires, but the extended drought conditions and dry lightning are the main reasons. Strong winds played a major role in spreading the fires, making them uncontrollable to contain. The Australian police have arrested over two dozen people who are suspected to have deliberately caused the fire. Climate change is also a major contributor to the fires as the prolonged periods of heat are causing the fires to persist. 1,600 firefighters are putting efforts to lessen their spread.

I applaud everyone who has donated towards the efforts in preventing the fires and those who show concern for this catastrophe. Currently, more than 1,600 firefighters are constantly working to lessen the severity of the fires, and I honor the American firefighters who have voluntarily traveled to Australia to help out. Over the past couple of months, watching this beautiful country burn to ashes is indescribably heartbreaking. All over social media and the news, we have seen the disastrous results of these fires. Videos of koalas seeking shelter in the black landscape are ingrained in my mind. Pictures of those crying near the wreckage that was once called “home” cannot leave my thoughts. The situation is simply devastating. Unfortunately, there is no magic button to reverse what has happened. However, we all can look towards a new horizon and rise from the adversities.

Discussion Questions:

How did you feel after discovering about the current conditions in Australia?

Do you believe that climate change is the main reason for the fires? 

What are some ways that you can raise awareness? 

Sources: 

https://www.newsweek.com/australia-wildfires-arson-new-south-wales-police-1480733 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/01/australia/australia-fires-explainer-intl-hnk-scli/index.html 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50951043 

Risks Posed to Coral Reefs

Anya Gupta

The Risks Posed to Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are known as some of the most beautiful and magical environments on Earth. Sadly, this biome may not be around for future generations to enjoy due to mechanisms that are causing the reefs to slowly die.

To start, the earth's oceans take up a large quantity of carbon dioxide. In fact, according to a recent study, the ocean takes up around one-third of the world's carbon dioxide. Some might think this is good news for global warming, but this carbon sink will not work indefinitely. Scientists estimate that the oceans will take up carbon dioxide for only another 50 years. In the meantime, however, the amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean is already doing damage. Once the carbon is absorbed, it will undergo the process known as ocean acidification. Basically, the carbon combines with water to create carbonic acid; this react with carbonate (which the reefs use to make calcium carbonate for shells) to create more bicarbonate. This process results in less carbonate for coral reefs to use and means that there isn't enough calcium carbonate for shells and coral skeletons. This can lead to corals dying, which sets off a whole chain reaction in the environment.



Unfortunately, ocean acidification is not the only danger corals face. Pollution by humans effects the corals in many ways. For instance, runoff containing harmful chemicals and pollutants can cause coral bleaching, which is when corals turn white due to a loss of algae (which make food for the corals in exchange for a home). Additionally, plastic in coral reefs has been shown to increase the coral's risk of infection of harmful diseases. While this is still being researched, this is most likely because plastic can carry a lot of pathogens into the reefs and it is capable of cutting into coral and exposing it to diseases.





Coral reefs are one of the the most diverse biomes on Earth and they need to be protected. They are home to many plants and animals and also are a home to food for humans. However, the dangers are stacked up against them (as a disclaimer, not all dangers are listed in the blog), and corals cannot survive them without efforts to reduce them.

How can you , personally, help coral reefs survive?
What are other dangers to coral reefs that can be prevented?
How will the lives of organisms (humans included) be affected by the loss of coral reefs?





https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/coralseat.html
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/oceans-do-us-a-huge-service-by-absorbing-nearly-a-third-of-global-co2-emissions-but-at-what-cost
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/plastic-trash-making-coral-reefs-sick