Month: January 2019

In this week’s issue of “Tackling the Topics No One Wants to Have to Think About,” we are taking a look at yet another all-too-common issue that plagues the world over: air pollution.

Air pollution is essentially a collection of unwanted gases in the atmosphere. You may hear of the word “smog” as a common term for this, which is correct. However, smog is just the most popularly known form of air pollution because it is so visible. There are also forms of this pollution that we cannot see in plain sight. What this basically means is that air pollution is an even larger problem than (literally) meets the eye.

The largest contributor to air pollution is carbon dioxide. Yes, you might be thinking that we breathe out carbon dioxide all the time, so how could that be causing such a problem in the atmosphere? The fact is, carbon dioxide is not an issue coming from the normal bodily functions of mammals, however it is considered dangerous when it is released by burning fossil fuels. That includes power plants as well as cars, planes, and any other vehicle that runs on gasoline and natural gas. And once you think about the sheer number of people that drive cars all the time and the number of airplanes flying around at a given time, you may begin to realize just how much we are impacting our planet. This article shows us exactly how much we are contributing to this problem; the average U.S. family burns around 85 tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Other greenhouse gases are culprits surrounding air pollution beyond just carbon dioxide. Gases such as sulfur dioxide (a component of smog and a cause of acid rain), methane, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are among other contributors. Enough of some of these harmful gases can potentially cause various respiratory issues, cancer, and brain or nervous system damage, especially in children. If we do not want the harmful effects of greenhouse gases to reach this point and produce noticeable affects on our health (and I think it is pretty obvious that we do not want this), we as humans need to figure out how exactly to combat this problem.

The reason behind why air pollution is still an issue is essentially the same as why any other negative environmental impact is still an issue- convenience. Yes, they do make electric cars. But how many people you know actually drive one? I honestly do not think I could name a single person. We all drive gasoline-powered vehicles, because that is what we have always done. Because that is the normal, less expensive, more familiar option. And yes, they do sell products produced by environmentally responsible means. But using them requires a switch from what we are used to. We would have to try out a new brand, maybe spend a little more money, and get out of our comfort zone. As creatures of habit, most of us do not like or want to make this change. It requires more effort, which we do not feel obligated to give if we choose not to think about the way we are impacting our world.

So yes, air pollution is still very much a problem, but there are initiatives being taken by companies and governments to try to combat it. For example, chlorofluorocarbons, previously used in refrigeration and aerosol products, are now banned for their deteriorating effect on the ozone layer. In 2016, The Paris Agreement was ratified, in which 118 countries agreed to take measures to combat climate change. There are other ways that we can help in smaller ways as well. We can use more energy-efficient products such as light bulbs and remember to conserve energy by turning off our lights when leaving a room. We can limit the use of our automobiles by carpooling and not leaving our cars running when we are not in them. We can choose to buy cleaning products that are environmentally friendly, and seal our cleaners so that harmful compounds do not evaporate into the air. Yes, they are all small and may not seem to make much of a difference, but if there is any small way to help our environment that does not require much effort, we might as well. There are also a number of initiatives that many companies are taking to become more environmentally friendly, so there is hope, but we all should be contributing to the efforts to help our planet.

Air pollution is a scary topic. You can see it, you can smell it, you know when you are around it. It can be quite the harmful issue, but there are lots of opportunities for us to combat it before it gets too bad. With the help of people from around the world, we should be able to make a difference for the future.

This week, I am choosing to highlight an environmental issue that is all too familiar in today’s society: the use (and abuse) of plastic. We all use it, we all dispose of it in one way or another, and some of it always ends up in the wrong place.

The biggest impact that this incorrect way of throwing out plastic is having can be seen in our world’s oceans. I am not sure about anyone else, but the first thought that comes to mind when I see soda cans packaged in that ringed plastic is one of a sea turtle tangled up in that plastic. This is because it is, unfortunately, a very real and very common issue.

At the moment, an estimated forty percent of the world’s ocean surfaces is covered with plastic pollution, and if this problem is not solved soon, by 2050 it is projected that the amount of plastic in the ocean will actually outweigh the weight of the fish in the ocean. Aquatic animals can be seriously harmed or even die due to ingesting or getting tangled in pieces of plastic. Besides the fact that disposing of garbage in a way that reaches the ocean is irresponsible, it also has extremely sad effects. This article tells us a little more about exactly what we are doing to our planet’s wildlife.

Since I am certain that this issue is not a new piece of information to anyone with the slightest knowledge of what is happening in the world, why is it still an issue? We have all seen that image (in one form or another) of that poor aquatic creature tangled up in plastic, and yet the abuse of plastic continues to impact the oceans. The answer is simple, yet sad. Responsible ways of using plastic or avoiding it altogether are available almost anywhere, but it requires some extra effort, or maybe an extra cost. Plastic bags at the grocery store are handed out freely, but if you want to use reusable grocery bags you have to buy them first. In order to recycle your plastic you have to first determine what exactly is recyclable, which takes some more effort. We do not actually need plastic straws to sip our drinks, but it is a societal convention, so we get them at every restaurant, every coffee shop, every smoothie stand, and anywhere else we order a beverage. Reusable water bottles can be found just about anywhere, and yet so many of us still choose to use disposable ones. The ability to reduce our impact on the environment is there, but sometimes we are just a little too lazy to take advantage.

There are however, a growing number of efforts in order to raise awareness for the amount of plastic we use as well as an increase in the opportunities we have to lessen our impact. This is happening all over, but especially on college campuses across the country. Yes, this includes good old PSU. You know those bins in the HUB that say words like hard plastics, paper, metal, glass, compost, etc.? The ones that you usually ignore because figuring out which is which is too much of an effort when you have to get to class? Yes, those were put there by people of our great university that decided Penn State would contribute to the greater good in the world. And even if lots of us still just use the trash, it is enough to still reduce the amount of waste we are creating. The trash cans even say the words “Are You Sure?” in order to make you think twice about mindlessly throwing everything away; I do not know about anyone else, but it actually works on me. Penn State also has a number of water bottle refilling stations attached to the water fountains. It provides drinking water for reusable water bottles and eliminates that annoying need to attempt to stick your bottle under the stream of water in the water fountain, which makes reusable water bottles more attractive to use. Some of them also tally the amount of water that they provide, telling you how many disposable water bottles were not used by using these filling stations, which always makes me feel good about using them. Our campus, as well as many others, is really making an effort to help the planet, so it would be a great idea to take advantage of all these opportunities around us.

It is so important that more of us recognize exactly what we are doing to our environment by using plastic irresponsibly. There are so many easy solutions to this problem, and it would be wonderful if more people could participate in them. So the next time you are in the HUB and decide to go straight for the trash can, maybe give it a second thought and take one more step towards ridding our oceans of harmful plastic and protecting the turtles. 🙂

There are an unfortunate number of issues that exist concerning our environment in today’s society, but to begin the discussion of these issues I am choosing to focus on one particular topic: deforestation.

Deforestation is the widespread clearing of trees, typically to create room for something man made. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding it because it is deliberately taking natural resources away as well as removing the habitat for many species. There are a number of reasons that this might occur, involving politics, agriculture, big businesses, or another factor. Although the sheer concept of (and even the connotation of the word) deforestation is haunting and raises some moral red flags, there must be some reason as to why it continues to occur. After all, it wouldn’t be considered a debate if there weren’t people taking both sides.

Those who consider themselves to be environmental activists are greatly opposed to this intentional tampering with the natural world. One article (which can be viewed here) talks about a man who, rather than telling people what deforestation is like, decides instead to show them. He uses Google Earth to show the insane amount of deforestation that has occurred in recent years. Matthew Hansen, the man who uses Google Earth to show the scale of this, did this so he could actually track the process. He uses the data he gathers from it to alert resource managers and climate scientists with accurate information, rather than estimates or outdated numbers. While Hansen’s main goal is to alert these researchers, Tim McDonnell, the author of the article, seems to have a different goal. McDonnell includes the video of Google Maps showing all of the deforestation in the world, not for some scientist, but for the reader. He uses this to not just tell, but show the public what the consequences of this really are.

Looking at the Google Maps video and just hearing the perspectives of those who are against deforestation is enough for many people to turn against the idea of killing the rain forests. However, there must be a reason that we have not yet put an end to this.

Taking a look at another perspective on deforestation, this article tells of a scientist who does not necessarily argue on behalf of deforestation, but instead claims that nature is more resilient than we think. He says that species are actually able to adapt to deforestation, and that the strong efforts to protect the forests and the wildlife inside them are not really needed. He also claims that many slash-and-burn farmers are beginning to move to more urban areas in order to have greater economic opportunities. This allows for the forests to have some time to recuperate, meaning that the affects are not necessarily as bad as once thought.

This kind of perspective is one that many people are eager to take. It is an easier way out because accepting that the consequences are not all that bad feels better than accepting that the Earth is doomed. People like to hear a more optimistic approach to issues because it makes them feel less like they need to be doing something about them. And maybe this optimistic approach has some truth to it. We do not really know at this point, but for many it is the best frame of mind to live with.

While the previously mentioned article still admitted that deforestation was bad (just not THAT bad), there are people out there who argue for its usefulness rather than its harmful effects. In an article with a perspective I have never personally seen before, Kate Sheppard writes on whether cutting down trees is actually helpful for the planet. She writes of some researchers that found that while cutting trees down releases carbon which is inherently bad for the environment, in colder areas (specifically ones with snow) the cutting of trees contributes more good than bad. By leaving more open space not covered by trees, she writes, the reflection of sunlight and its energy off of the snow benefits the landscape more than the emissions of carbon harm it. I can honestly say I have never heard of a perspective in favor of deforestation until now.

For people such as us who are not truly part of the environmental debate, it is easy to assume that everyone either has the stance of wanting to save the planet by stopping deforestation or having a selfish attitude and not caring whether the planet is destroyed. However, there are more layers than what it seems like on the surface. Deforestation is an issue of the environment, but more goes into this debate than just the good guys and the bad guys. As I explore various other topics within the great debate of the environment, I aim to find the widest range of perspectives in order to gain a complete understanding of these issues.