Month: March 2020

In my childhood, my parents and I often went to the seaside near my grandma’s house to grab seafood, such as crabs and crayfish.  At that time, there were many types and numbers of marine organisms, and the seawater was very clear, without any pollution. About five years ago, many factories were built near grandma’s house. Due to the high cost of purifying wastewater, many owners of factories secretly discharged wastewater into the sea, then, resulting in severe seawater pollution in recent years.  Last summer, when I went to the seaside again, I found that many fish and shells on the beach were dead, and the gills of the crabs in the sea became very dark and looked unhealthy.  Due to a large amount of wastewater is discharged into the sea, the species and number of organisms in the sea are decreasing, and many of the remaining marine organisms are also seriously polluted.

 

The main sources of sea pollution are industrial waste, sewage and power plants, which cause the presence of toxic substances in seawater.  Some toxic substances will float in shallow waters. Fish and shellfish in the shallow waters are vulnerable, when they are foraging, they will ingest these toxic substances and cause death.  Once this contaminated seafood is consumed by humans,  toxins can accumulate in the human body and cause cancer or other long-term health problems.  Regarding this issue, the government should issue more regulations to limit the discharge of wastewater from private factories, such as paying high fines after being discovered, closing down factories, and other penalties. Not only in some industrial areas, but private factories in rural areas should also be strictly managed.

Reference: https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Solutions_for_Ocean_Pollution

About two years ago, while scrolling on Instagram, I came across an image of a skinny polar bear. At first, I thought that the image was either fake or photoshopped, but once I looked it up and found out that it was real, I became speechless. I had never seen an animal that looked that fragile and weak before. Once I found out that the image was real, I did some research and found the photographer and the website that it had originally been published in, National Geographic. The article stated that the image was intended on raising awareness for climate change by showing the detrimental effects that it has had on animals around the world, including polar bears. This was one of the first times that I can remember when I realized the severity of climate change because prior to this, my knowledge of this issue had simply been from articles or from my parents. 

After seeing how one image reached over millions of people around the world, this made me understand how vital photography can be in raising awareness of the grim climate situation to people who cannot see the destruction for themselves. Photography is a very effective way to raise awareness on the severity of climate change because images are not only a universal language that can be understood by people from all parts of the world, but also because their transparency provides the audience with a piece of evidence that cannot be disputed or claimed as false since it was taken from a real-life event. Climate change photography has definitely had a significant impact on how I view the Anthropocene and our current climate situation because it has allowed me to form personal connections with the animals that have been affected. As a result of this personal connection, I have become more aware of the damages that climate change has on these innocent creatures than I was before. 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/12/starving-polar-bear-video-climate-change-spd/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/08/explore-through-the-lens-starving-polar-bear-photo/

Documentary Source- “The Cove”-https://youtu.be/4KRD8e20fBo
I picked this source because the documentary goes behind the scenes of the process of capturing the dolphins in the wild. The film also depicts old dolphin trainers and their opinions and thoughts on the industry.
Magazine Article Source- “World Animal Protection Petitions to End Dolphin Cruelty in Entertainment Industry”- https://vegworldmag.com/world-animal-protection-petitions-to-end-dolphin-cruelty-in-entertainment-industry/
This article goes over the change within how dolphin captivity is seen among the media and how many countries are taking action in order to stop this cruel form of entertainment.
Podcast Source- Joe Rogan episode 1297- Phil Demers
In this episode Joe speaks with a former professional marine mammal trainer from Canada. This source is important because like The Cove, it gives an inside perspective to dolphins in captivity and how they are really treated and the problems that they face in isolation.

Op-ed:
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/science/24fauna.html?searchResultPosition=1
I choose this article because the post date of this article is the nearest one. Also, it gives data of the
distinction of the animals.

Documentary:
World II
I choose this video because I don’t know what kind of film could explain the animal kingdom as well as
this can. This film gives too many examples of the animal kingdom.

Podcast:
https://www.npr.org/2018/02/22/587696574/occult-forces-and-human-hearts-stir-in-darkly-gorgeous-
november
I choose this podcast because this one is the distinction of both human and animals. It is good to help people to have the alarm to know we may distinction if not protect the environment.

Blackfish
http://www.blackfishmovie.com/

This documentary film discusses about the history of SeaWorld and how killer whales are affected by captivity. The film is rather engaging by using graphic scenes and interviews.

Joe Rogan Experience

This podcast clip has Joe Rogan talk with Kelly Slater about SeaWorld mistreating their killer whales and how a whale should be free from captivity. Using their voices the audience can listen to a discussion. (Note: strong language used)

Aeon Article

https://aeon.co/ideas/stop-boycotting-seaworld-if-you-care-about-marine-conservation

This article takes a deeper look into SeaWorld and how supporting SeaWorld can actually help more animals rather than destroying the environment. Using statistics and logic, there are many reasons to convince why it is important to save SeaWorld.

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-carbon-tax-is-right-for-environment-and-economy/

I chose this because it’s a straightforward op-ed that hits a lot of compelling points and includes rebuttals, making it easy to work with. Unfortunately, it is also frustratingly short.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/07/18/630267782/episode-472-the-one-page-plan-to-fix-global-warming-revisited

I chose this for two reasons: 1) It’s from Planet Money, an excellent podcast that I’ve listened to for years, and 2) because it’s actually revisiting an earlier episode talking about the topic, which means it’s basically two sources in one.

https://www.tvo.org/video/documentaries/ep-6-carbon-tax

I chose this because it’s formatted as a debate between two politicians over a Canadian bill that I find very interesting. Debates are very easy to review, since the academic conversation is literally laid out in front of you.

Podcast: After Dump, What Happens To Electronic Waste?

https://www.npr.org/transcripts/132204954

This podcast interviewed Jim Puckett, whose company monitors the e-waste trade.  In the interview, he described how e-waste is treated after it is thrown away, and how e-waste leaks people’s privacy.

Op-ed: The Human and the Environmental Effects of E-Waste.

https://www.prb.org/e-waste/

This article mainly describes the harm of electronic waste to human health and the environment.  The article lists diseases that electronic products may cause, such as respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

Documentary:  ToxiCity: life at Agbobloshie, the world’s largest e-waste dump in Ghana

This documentary mainly shows the current situation of the e-waste plant in Ghana, which is the largest e-waste plant in the world. The video not only captures the daily life of Ghanaians working in the e-waste field but also shows the appearance of the e-waste plant. Besides, the video shows how e-waste affects people’s health.

 

 

 

1. This article from The New York Times explains the effects of the meat industry on water intake, greenhouse gas emissions, and erosion.
   1. https://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/meat-vs-climate-the-debate-continues/?searchResultPosition=12
2. This documentary, Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, follows one environmentalist and his journey to find the truth about the effects of animal agriculture on many different areas including water consumption, deforestation, and climate change.
   1. https://www.netflix.com/watch/80033772?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2C2ad3a2f9-7ce8-4e38-8b9a-46d7da65a6f1-118942023%2C%2C
3. This clip from Bill Maher has a young author named Xiuhtezcatl Martinez on his show to promote his new book, but I found a specific clip very useful for my essay due to the description of the outcome of no longer consuming meat that Xiuhtezcatl Martinez gave.
   1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivz4OaYpMpc

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v3uqD1hWGE

This TedTalk talks about how trading between different countries is not really about trade and the foundation that we set up are corrupt. 

2. https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/global-environmental-policy-and-global-trade-policy

This article talks about the acts countries are trying to make to decrease greenhouse gas admissions but it violates rules of WTO. This shows how new regulations and progress towards eliminating carbon emissions need to be placed. 

3. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/climate/companies-climate-change-financial-impact.html

Due to extreme and drastic changes in climate change, an estimate of trillion dollars will be at stake. The changes in extreme weather could possibly disrupt their supply chains or stricter climate regulations that could hurt the value of coal, oil, and gas investments. 

Op-ed:

A Troubling Discovery in the Deepest Ocean Trenches

In this report, the study shows that in the deepest parts of the ocean, every tiny animal tested had plastic pollution hiding in its gut. With so much plastic harming the ocean’s ecosystem, experts are calling for more responsible action.

Podcast:

Beer, Drinking Water and Fish: Tiny Plastic is Everywhere

Plastic trash less than 5 millimeters long is in the things we eat and drink, and the air we breathe. Scientists are just beginning to study where it comes from and how it might affect our health.

Documentary:

Drowning in Plastic

Plastic fills the oceans, threatening everything from tiny plankton to giant whales. Biologist Liz Bonnin works with the world’s leading Marine biologists to study the sources, effects and disposal of plastic waste in the oceans.