Point Reyes National Park November 9, 2007

Like a girlscout on an adventure, I went with my Biogeography class on a field trip to Point Reyes. Kurt, our enthusiastic and very knowledgeable professor, showed us the different biomes and types of disturbances that exist in this relatively small area. Biomes usually describe the different plant communities on a global level, but PR happens to have several biomes going on around the area. This is usually the case when mountains are present. We have the Forest, Shrubland, Grassland and the coastline.

Correction from my Professor:

Cool to see that on-line! I especially like the composition of that one marsh shot.

One note, however (since it is on-line for all to see…I can’t help suggesting a clarification): the entire field trip was in one biome–the Mediterranean Biome–but we were in different biotic communities (oak savannah, redwood forest, pine forest, coastal sage and scrub).

I need to pay more attention!

Fire is a disturbance that occurs in this area. Although most people think of fire as an environmental hazard, it actually allows the forest to regenerate. Some plants, like Pine trees, need fire to release the seeds from its cones.

The most amazing thing I’ve seen on my field trip to Point Reyes is the separation of a creek by a man-made walking path and the resulting creation of a new and distinct biota. These two pictures are of the same creek, I took the pictures of both sides while standing on the walking path. One side has dry grasses and shrub growing around the water’s edge, while the otherside seemed lush with tall grasses, green groundcover and fauna such as deer and birds.

A sad phenomenon is happening in this grassland, and that’s the proliferation of an invasive specie from Africa. I forget what it’s called but it’s the pretty red and green plant in the middle picture. Invasive species are a sad occurrence because they dominate the landscape destroying the original vegetation and consequently the animal life as well.

We ended the trip at the beach where it was warm and windless. It almost felt like I was in a tropical beach. I would have stayed to veg-out and enjoy the sun if I didn’t have a wedding to attend that night.

Environmental Booklist July 20, 2006

Environmental issues are all over the news media. To get a better grasp of what the issues are all about I would recommend reading more on the topic. But where to start? The Environmental Defense Fund has come out with their new booklist. The book Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution by Paul Hawken, et al. looks interesting. Can capitalism walk hand in hand with environmentalism?

If there is one book I personally recommend it is Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Although set in the 50’s rural America and first published as a series in the New Yorker in 1962, the story she tells is a global one and a story that still continues today in Asia. RC writes with eloquence, making complicated scientific theories easy to understand. I was engrossed with this book which was text book reading in one of my Environmental Studies courses. The new edition has a forward by Al Gore who was himself changed as a young man after reading the book when it first came out.

Rachel Carson made environmentalism respectable. Before Silent Spring, nearly all Americans believed that science was a force for good. Carson’s work exposed the dark side of science. It showed that DDT and other chemicals we were using to enhance agricultural productivity were poisoning our lakes, rivers, oceans, and ourselves. Thanks to her, progress can no longer be measured solely in tons of wheat produced and millions of insects killed. Thanks to her, the destruction of nature can no longer be called progress.

- Ecotopia

DDT June 12, 2006

Today in 1972 the EPA banned DDT in the USA (oh my, thats a lot of acronyms!). DDT was used as an agricultural pesticide after the second World War. Although its been banned,DDT residue is still found in some foods grown in the U.S. in 2002. It is still used by other countries, especially in the third world.

Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” tells of the dangers of the pesticide DDT and was ultimately responsible for its banning and consequently began environmental movement. DDT was also used as an insecticide against the malaria carrying mosquito. I found this secondary school online module that explains DDT’s chemistry and its effects and this fact sheet and evaluation from a University.

Having taken courses in Environmental Studies I know a little about the DDT issue. Carson’s book was required reading and it was also taken up in chemistry and ecology classes. But for arguments sake lets take a look at this article and this one which are for the use of DDT.

Definitely, biologists are against DDT because of its impact on bird populations and the resulting chain effect on other species populations. But according to the articles DDT may be applied to the environment in a way that is safe and responsible. The articles fails to tell us how. Mostly, it attacks the suggestion that DDT is a carcinogen and fails to address the issue of environmental damage. I’m inclined to stay on Carson’s side, who is herself a chemist, because she explains, in a way anyone can understand, exactly how DDT affects the environment and ultimately us humans.

This document written by Dr. Romeo Quijano, founding Director of PAN (Pesticide Action Network) Philippines, clarifies the issues regarding the use of DDT which has been banned in the Philippines since 1994. He tells us first hand of the dangers to health and his skepticism regarding those touting its use. (Read about Dr. Quijano’s plite with the government in 2003).

The good news is that scientists have discovered that waters polluted with DDT can be controlled by the unlikely seeweed which somehow absorbs DDT much like it does other toxins.

Seafood & Mercury April 6, 2006

I like seafood. But recently I’ve been hesitant to buy or eat seafood because of the health risks involved. I wasn’t sure which kinds of fish or shellfish had the toxic mercury I heard were found in seafood. This is something I didn’t worry about when I lived in San Francisco because I bought my seafood at Whole Foods Market. Now that I live in Manila I have to be more careful because there are no indicators to what the mercury level is, if any, in the seafood bought anywhere in the country. So I did a bit of research for my peace of mind and so I may make informed decisions.

Mercury is found in all sea creatures. So there isn’t a single seafood found in any market in any part of the world that will be free of mercury contamination. That’s sad isn’t it? The implications of this is no longer merely ones health but extends to the health of the planet in general. Mercury is found in the atmosphere, soil, seas and lakes. It enters water systems mainly through rain and surface water run-off. Much of the mercury acquired by sea life comes from toxic heavy metals in the air and water, along with sediment that reaches aquatic life. Mercury comes from multiple sources, the most pervasive of which is from acid rain caused by powerplant emissions and from gold mining operations. Mercury contamination affects us globally since mercury can be transported through the atmosphere over large distances.

Mercury contamination poses health risks to adults and especially children and the unborn fetus. In adults, symptoms of mercury toxicity are hair loss, upset stomach, difficulty concentrating; numbness, burning or tingling of the extremities (lips, fingers, toes); fatigue; weakness; irritability; shyness; loss of memory and coordination; tremors; and changes in hearing and blurred vision. Extremely high mercury levels can permanently damage an adult’s brain and kidneys, or even lead to circulatory failure. In the unborn child, infants and children, high levels of mercury can harm the developing nervous system, kidneys, liver and cause neurological damage.

Some fish have higher levels of mercury than others. Predatory, large and long-lived fish such as shark, swordfish, tilefish, orange roughy, tuna, marlin and king mackerel have the highest levels of mercury and should be avoided altogether. The lowest levels of mercury are found in shrimp, sole, tilapia, clams, oysters, herring, hake, scallops, anchovies, squid, flounder and sardines. In general, the smaller the fish the lower the level of mercury.

The good news is that mercury is released from our bodies through perspiration. But, this isn’t enough if one eats contaminated seafood regularly. The only other way to eliminate mercury from our bodies is to stop eating fish. It will take 2 to 3 months for the toxin be expelled but this is only for mercury we consumed recently. Mercury that has lodged itself in tissue is much harder to remove from our system. I would suppose fasting and taking bentonite would remove mercury together with other toxins from our bodies. The other thing is that we should not altogether eliminate seafood from our diets because we need to consume foods with omega 3 oils, which our bodies don’t produce naturally. So the best thing to do is to eat fish that has very low levels of mercury and consume more foods, such as nuts and seeds, that are high in omega 3 oils.

Works Cited:

BusinessWeek, “Time To Scale Back On Big Fish?”
by Carol Marie Cropper, Jan 19, 2004
http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/BusinessWeek/2004/
01/19/347852?extID=10038&data=mercury_levels

University of Kentucky – College of Agriculture,
“Mercury in Fish: Advice for Consumers”,
http://www.ca.uky.edu/enri/pubs/enri_220.pdf

Oceans Alive, “Mercury in Fish and Shellfish”,
http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=mercury

Natural Resources Defense Council, “Mercury
Contamination in Fish”,
http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/
protect.asp

Earth Day March 20, 2006

Today at 2:26 am the sun crossed the celestial equator, making today’s day and night of equal length. This event is called the Vernal Equinox. Beginning tomorrow the days will be longer than the nights. Meaning, summer is here! I will start my day at 9am with a 2 hour class of Tai Chi. Then I’m off to the farm to seed and plant some veggies. Planting today is believed to produce a greater yield of fruits when harvest time comes.

Today is also the day that Earth Day is celebrated by the United Nations and other countries around the world (for more info click on title). It’s founder is John McConnell and it was first celebrated in San Francisco. Earth Day is a day of reflection and renewal of our commitment to the earth. Now, more than ever, we need to do our part in supporting environmental causes and issues.

It’s funny but when I surfed the web on more info about Earth Day I went on sites that said Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 by the USA. The sites also claimed that a former New York mayor was the founder of Earth Day. Strange.

Plastic Good Enough to Eat August 25, 2005

As I was getting my regular dose of food blogging I came across Food Museum’s post on bioplastics. How wonderful I thought! Finally after 10 years of searching for plastic spoons made of cornstarch after reading about it in the unlikely source W magazine. Better late than never, bottling and packaging companies are looking into making plastics made of cornstarch instead of petroleum which is toxic and hazardous to the environment. Bioplastics are biodegradable and edible!

Here are some websites and pdf files to peruse and use, some have homemade recipes for making bioplastics.

Information on cornstarch based biodegradable plastic bags made by Australian company Mater-Bi

An interesting and educational site for science students and anyone else actually

Bioplastics cost the same as conventional plastics and can be eaten too!

Southeast Asian companies into bioplastics

Switching to biodegradable packing fillers

Decomposing cutlery

Turning biodegradable plastic bags into compost
www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo/CPW/PWTB/4204920.pdf

Make your own bioplastic:
extension.usu.edu/aitc/ teachers/pdf/fieldguide1/plastic.pdf
www.agintheclassroom.org/resources/PlasticsFlyer.pdf
www.clover.okstate.edu/fourh/ aitc/lessons/extras/recipes/plastic.pdf