Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

EPA Gets tough on Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Summary

For 27 years, 5 states have done almost nothing to help stop phosphorus and nitrogen pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. In fact, they contributed for 70% of all the pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Algae blooms are happening too, depriving fish and crabs of oxygen, which kills them. Of the 5 states that are polluting the Chesapeake Bay, one of them is our state, Pennsylvania. The other 4 states are Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York. EPA has given them until November 29th to fix their cleanup plans or else they will raise sewer taxes, causing more property taxes on consumers and businesses. States are complaining that they do not have enough time to change cleanup plans and prevent pollution, but then again, they have been doing almost nothing for the past 27 years but adding to the pollution.

---

President Barack Obama issued an order for EPA to have more authority with the Chesapeake Bay clean up in May 2009. Since then, EPA has been laying down rules and new target dates to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. The target date used to be 2000, and the states failed to meet the goals, and yet again in 2010 they did not meet the goals. EPA has set 2025 for the new target goal to meet the mandated pollution goals.

Reflection
I can't believe that this is happening. And it has been happening for the past 27 years. Hopefully, the states will change their plans for waste products and lower pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, or else they will get taxed for what they do, and we will be affected by those taxes too. There is a lot of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay already, and if we continue to contribute waste, think of what will happen to that area. It would probably have a different color and a lot of the trash in the above picture.

Questions

• When should pollution be reduced to a set goal?
• Which states were dumping waste into the Chesapeake Bay, contributing to about 70% of all the pollution?
• How come algae blooms are happening?
• What is it called when algae deprive fish and other sea life of oxygen, killing them?

Canadian Rain Forest Edges Oil Pipeline Path

A proposed plan to build a oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada to the western coast of that nation could put pristine Canadian western coastline in environmental danger. An oil company wants to use the pipeline to carry 525,00 barrels of oil to the coast line daily for overseas oil export. Environmentally, this pipeline poses a risk because it will pass through watersheds that are important to the Canadian commercial fishing industry and go right by both Coastal First Nations lands and the Great Bear Rainforest. The Great Bear Rainforest is a protected coastal region that contains red cedars, spruce, and the rarely seen all-white "spirit bear." Although the proposed pipeline does not go through the Great Bear Rainforest, it places this protected habitat in danger because to get to the pipeline terminal oil tankers would have to pass through “treacherous waters, with tremendous currents”, according to an environmental organization which assessed the environmental risks of this plan. The pipeline would threaten not just the lives of the plants and animals in the rainforest, but the lives of the Coastal First Nation people who live in or nearby the rainforest and depend on the food it supplies for their livelyhood. The survial of the Coastal First Nation people would be put in jeopardy if there was an oil spill. "One major oil spill on the coast of British Columbia would wipe us out," Coastal First Nations director Gerald Amos
Opinion / Reflection:
I don’t think that Canada should endanger the lives of plants, animals and people to ship oil to other countries. The people who profit from the sale of the oil are not the people who will suffer if there is an spill. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico should be a warning to Canadians about the devastation that an oil spill can cause. Why would they want to risk harming a protected rainforest?
Questions
1.How many barrels of oil dose the pipeline move a day?
2. Name one plant found in the Great Bear Rainforest?
3.what contry is this taking place?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101007-energy-enbridge-oil-pipeline-canadian-rain-forest-pictures/?now=2010-10-07-00:01

Coral Reefs In Danger?

Because of the extreme heat of late, a lot of things have been in danger. But one that might see very horrible measures is coral reefs, home of millions of sea life. You can tell when reefs are in danger when they shed or bleach to white into survival mode. But this has only been the second worldwide bleaching of coral reefs, and the last time was in 1996, the hottest year in recordThey are early sign for climate changes, and so far they haven't been wrong yet. All of coral is made of up of tiny animals called polyps and have a special relationship with algae. They are important to our ecosystems and could be catastrophic if they end up dying. Whole populations of people rely on reef fish for food. Though most coral reefs can make a comeback if the temperature goes down, but if the climate rise continues, then there may be no going back.

I think this is so horrible! Look how global warming is effecting us. The only way we could help the coral is to slow global warming. I wonder if there's anything the scientists are doing. I think that corals are really pretty and helping the ecosystems a lot. Hopefully this will all be worked out some time.

1.) What happens to the coral in extreme heat?

2.)When was the last time coral started dying?

3.)What animals make up coral?

4.)Do you think coral has a chance?

Wlidlife: A Bevy of New Species Discovered in Papua New Guinea


http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2010/10/06/wildlife-a-bevy-of-new-species-discovered-in-papua-new-guinea/?xid=rsstopstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29


Summary:


There has been a discovery of 200 new species of plants and animals in the forests of Papua New Guinea. They have found different versions of animals and plants, but they have also found new never before seen plants and animals. For the Conservalion International (CI) this just goes to show you that everything still hasn't been discovered on Earth. Yellow-spotted frog, Ceratorbrachid frog, Emerald-green katydid, and Sharp-legged katydid were some of the new discoveries that they found. The sharp-legged katydid has sharp legs on the top of its head and jabs all of its predators, as a deffense mechanism. Loggers and oil palm producers pose a threat on the wildlife here. If they do pose a threat the CI would like to save at least 25% of the plants and animals.

Opinion/Reflection:

I think that this is a really cool thing, I thought that they knew everything that was on this earth, but I guess you will always be able to find new species. That is a very cool way that the katydid can fight off its predators that way it won't get eaten. I also hope that the loggers and oil palm producers do not effect the forest, I'm sure that some of these areas have never seen humans before and it would be really bad if we messed up their habitat.

Questions:

1. Where did they find these new species?

2. Name two of the four species that were listed.

3. How does the sharp-legged katydid fight off its preadators?

4. What percent of the forest do they want to save?

The Worlds Bees are Disappearing?

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/animals/news-doctor-says-bees-have-left-building%E2%80%A6-er%E2%80%A6-solar-system-0

Environmentalists all over the world are trying to figure out as to why the number of honeybees, our number one pollinator, is disappearing. This is not only happening in the United States, but also in England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, and Japan.

Over the past twenty years, more than one million hives have mysteriously disappeared, and this number is still decreasing today. Although many might not worry for after all you would not get stung as often, this is a serious matter. According to Albert Einstein, without bees, the Earth would not last more than four years. Although the blue planet we call "home" will not completely parish, we would lose a very important insect, vital to the human food chain. Without them, there would be no flowers, nuts, fruits, etc.

Even worse, in less deveoped countries, which depend on natural polination would begin to lower in numbers, for there would be no bees to polinate the plants and continue "creating" more, therfore stopping the production of new fruits/vegetables, putting the countries at risk for starvation. Many people do not know how, and why they are disappearing, although there are a few with thoeries. Some scientists believe that they are living in unhealthy conditions, with lice/mites, and large amounts of heat. However, there are others who claim the radiation of cell phones mess with their "internal guiding systems" which ensure the bee gets back to the hive. There are studies in which a cell phone was placed near a hive, and bees that have left would not return, being unable to find their way back.

Response: I believe that this is horrible, for without them, there would be no vegetarians, no herbivores, etc. I am glad that scientists are conducting studies in order to learn the cause of their disappearance, so that we may be able to stop them, before we have to risk the extinction of one of natures most important animals.

Questions: 

1. By how much has the number of bees decreased?

2. Why may cellphones be the cause of their disappearance?

3. Why are bees so important?

4. How long would the Earth last without bees?

5. What would happen to the less developed countries?

The worst invasive species ever?

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/offbeat-news/the-5-worst-invasive-species-in-the-world/463

Throughout the years, many different type on introduced species have impacted the world and native species in one way or another. These few species are thought to be some of the worst introduced species yet.

Feral pigs are considered to be a bad introduced species. Although they were introduced through farming, many escaped. These pigs would tear through large chunks of land in order to find food, which would in turn negatively impact plant species, for their roots would be damaged and the plant would die, which would also harm species that rely on the plants for nourishment. These pigs would also consume cropland, causing millions of dollars of damage every year. In specific places, they would eat the native species eggs, causing their numbers to decrease. A location of example is Santiago Island, where sea turtle numbers were drastically reduced because of the eggs being consumed by the pigs.

Zebra mussles are also thought to be one of the worst introduced species. The zebra mussel, which is native to western Asia, was introduced into Europe during the 1700's. They were then introduced into North America by a European ship that accidentally released them into the Great Lakes. They caused millions of dollars in damage by colonizing water intake pipes which would then become clogged. There is also competition for food between them, and the native species.

However, one of the worst introduced species is the European rabbit. These rabbits were introduced by choice, when a hunter names Thomas Austin released twenty-four of the animals in order to have variety in the animals he would shoot. While other farmers also released rabbits, it is thought that Austin was responsible for the infestation. This human impact caused a horrible infestation that not only caused agricultural damage, but also helped contribute by nurturing many other non-native species such as foxes, or feral cats, which further damaged Australia's ecosystem.

Response: I never knew the damage caused by these species! it is truly amazing that these animals were very close in causing the extinction of others. It also surprised me that people released one by choice! I cannot believe that people would stoop so low just to get a thrill.

QUESTIONS:

1. Who released the European Rabbit?

2. Why are Zebra Mussels a threat?

3. What happened on Santiago Island?

4. How many European rabbits were released?

Massive Fish Kill in Gulf Caused by "Dead Zone," Oil?

Summary
Thousands of fish died belly-up in a marsh in Louisiana. No one really knows what the main reason why the fish died and they don’t know if it was just everything conspirering against the fish because fish decompose so fast that it's hard to get a fresh enough sample. Kevin Kleinow, a LSU fish toxicologist, said"Very surprised if someone was able to definitely determine the cause of death" for these fish”. Some theories of the fish death is that the agricultural runoff that goes into the Mississippi River contains nutrients that help the growth of an algae bloom that is oxygen-hungry. As the algae oxygen level goes down, the fish will choke. Anouther reason of the death of the fish can be the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This is causing a serge of oil-eating bacteria that take up oxygen. This expands the low oxygen dead zones. The last fish died at the time of the year when dead zones expands.
Opinion / Reflection
I was surprised about the death of all of the fish and that they will wash up on shore. One this will have a huge affect on an already messed-up ecosystem. Also this will make it harder to fish in areas where the fish are dying by the thousands.

Questions
1. How many fish died?

2. What is one way that could have had been the main reason the fish died?

3. why is it hard to get a fresh sample of a fish?


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/100916-fish-kill-louisiana-gulf-oil-spill-dead-zone-science-environment/