special focus: global food production tools and human …€¦ · world ecology report is printed...

Spring 2017, vol XXIX, No. 1

Education brings choices.Choices bring power.

World Ecology Report is printed on recycled paper.

TABLE of CONTENTS

SPECIAL FOCUS:Global Food Production Tools and Human Health: Some Comments and ExamplesProf. Mark Robson

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTMarine Pollution: How it Affects HumansRenée S. Landzberg.

FOOD FOR THOUGHTPrinciple vs. Practicality of Incorporating Law of the Sea in Local RegulationsSuzy Hallak

Our Future: the Killing Sky

DID YOU KNOWCorrelation Between Fracking and Earthquakes Shown in CanadaDomoic AcidAs Oceans Warm, Fish MigrateBangladesh struggles to turn the tide on climate change as sea levels riseTurning Up the Thermostat Could Help Tropical Climates Cool Down

GOOD NEWSSolar Power Plant to be Built in ChernobylGreen Development in AfricaTidal PowerCleaner Oceans The Breakthrough Energy FundWaves as a Renewable Energy SourceSea Life Protected from Damaging Seismic Cannon UseIndia: Delhi Bans Disposable Plastic

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SPECIAL FOCUS:GLOBAL FOOD PRODUCTION TOOLS AND HUMAN HEALTH: SOME COMMENTS AND EXAMPLES

The world faces a number of tough choices about feeding itself: there are more than seven billion people now and by 2050 there is likely to be nine billion people on the planet. A planet that loses considerable amount of fertile soil each day to urbanization and to erosion. This increase in the population leads to an obvious need for an increase in food. The developing world, which is home to 85 percent of the world’s population, has fewer resources to meet the food needs of the future. How do we resolve this dilemma? How do we do it in a sustain-able manner that does not contribute to environmental degradation and harm the world’s scare resources?

From 1960 to present, the human population has more than doubled to reach 7 billion people and in 2050, the population is projected to increase by 30 % to about 9.2 billion. Source: FAO (2009). Taken from Pesticide productivity and food security: a review. József Popp, Károly Pető and János Nagy, 2013.

World Population Growth

Some facts:The difference in world population between developing and developed

countries is large: 1.2 billion in developed countries, and 5.9 billion in devel-oping countries. 2013 World Population Data Sheet - Population Reference www.prb.org/publications/datasheets/2013/2013-world-population-data-sheet.aspx

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimated that world food production would need to increase by 70% if the global population reaches 9.1 billion by 2050. The developing world would need to double food production in order to meet this need. In 2009, the FAO estimated the number of people suffering from chronic hunger at 642 million in Asia and the Pacific, 265 million in sub-Saharan Africa, 53 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 42 million in the Near East and North Africa.

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The FAO cited several factors, in addition to population growth, as reasons for the upsurge in global hunger, such as increased grain prices that set off riots in many countries in 2008. The global recession has boosted unemployment and decreased the remittances that immigrants send back home. The FAO estimates that the current economic crisis has forced 105 million more people into hunger. https://www.population-institute.org/resources/populationonline/issue/1/8/

How do we balance things and what safeguards can we place on the food system to make certain that we provide ad-equate food and yet we do not harm farmers, farm families, the ecosystem and the consuming public. This is a big task. Some countries have looked to genetically modified crops as the solution to produce more food and to reduce the use of agrochemicals. China uses GMO crops extensively, The Nuf-field Council on Bioethics reported that half the cotton grown in China was genetically modified to produce a substance that is poisonous to the cotton bollworm, a pest that devastates many cotton crops. Farmers had previously applied the toxin directly by spraying the crops. The benefits of the ‘Bt cotton’ are a reduction in pesticide use, an increase in yields and prof-its, and health benefits for farm workers who often apply pes-ticides without protective clothing. http://nuffieldbioethics.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/GM-Crops-short-version-FINAL.pdf

Agriculture in China is different than most parts of the world, even with one fifth of the world’s population Chinese farms are, for the most part small in size, many farmers work other jobs and farming is not their only means of support.

Yield versus pest resistanceGMO crops have been credited with increased produc-

tion but there has been controversy over the increase in pest resistance, a good example is shown below with the increase in weeds that are resistant to the popular herbicide Roundup.

Farmer suicides and GMO cropsHowever there are also a number of claims and comments

that are not substantiated such as the increase in farmer sui-cides. As seen below in data taken from: Guillaume Gruère and Debdatta Sengupta (2011) Bt Cotton and Farmer Suicides in India: An Evidence-based Assessment, The Journal of De-velopment Studies, 47:2, 316-337. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00220388.2010.492863?needAccess=true

Food production and the loss to pestsSo people turn to pesticides to increase yield as an alter-

native to GMO crops. However as pointed out in the Lancet (2002) in parts of the developing world, pesticide poisoning causes more deaths than infectious diseases. Use of pesticides is poorly regulated and often dangerous; their easy availabili-ty also makes them a popular method of self-harm. As pointed out by Flood and Day (2016) Up to 80% of global commodity

SOURCE: Nature 2013. http://www.nature.com/news/case-studies-a-hard-look-at-gm-crops-1.12907#/ref-link-4

An average of 35 % of potential crop yield is lost to pre-harvest pests worldwide. In addition to the pre-harvest losses transport, pre-process-ing, storage, processing, packaging, marketing and plate waste losses along the whole food chain account for another 35 %. Source: IWMI (2007) Taken from Pesticide productivity and food security: a review. József Popp, Károly Pető and János Nagy, 2013.

Losses along the food chain

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production comes from smallholdings of less than 0.5 ha. Yet commodity crops may be a substantial proportion of a coun-try’s exports, and feed into global supply networks. Pest risks thus have consequences at local, national and global levels.

Pesticide training and proper equipmentPesticides are an option for many farmers in the develop-

ing world, the goal is that if the farmers elect to use pesticides they must be carefully trained on the proper use and applica-tion techniques. They must be given proper protective cloth-ing and training on how to use this clothing. This is a harder task than one might imagine. First, many parts of the world are hot and have tropical climates where the majority for ag-riculture takes place year round, the hot temperatures make wearing traditional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) un-reasonable and the PPE itself may present a greater risk than the chemicals. Second, PPE is expensive and many farmer will not have the resources to buy even the most basic PPE, and finally, in many parts of the world farmers have a low literacy rate and so it is difficult for them to read and compre-hend the safety precautions on the pesticide products.

Thailand: A Case StudyLet’s look at a case study in Thailand. Thailand is major

producer and exporter of rice. Rice is a basic food for millions and millions of people around the world. Rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population – more than 3.5 billion people depend on rice for more than 20% of their daily calories. Rice provided 19% of global human per capita energy and 13% of per capita protein in 2009. Asia accounts for 90% of global rice consumption, and total rice demand there continues to rise according to Global Rice Science Part-nership. (Rice almanac, 4th edition. Los Baños, Philippines. Inter-national Rice Research Institute. 283 p. 2013).

Thailand made the commitment In the mid-1990s to in-crease rice production and then also decided to increase pesti-cide imports. Below you will see the importation of pesticide products to the Kingdom of Thailand followed by some epi-demiological data regarding the increase in exposure to farm-

Source: Thai Ministry of Agriculture.

Pesticides by type imported to Thailand

ers and their families as a result of increased pesticide use. Cleary this points to the necessary requirement for education and training of farmers and their families to avoid the risk as-sociated with pesticides.

Source: Thai Ministry of Public Health

Reported cases of pesticide poisoning by age group Cases/100,000. 2010

Source: Thai Ministry of Public Health

Results of health screening for organophosphate exposure among farmers

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Finally, this picture of pesticide application in a rice paddy in central Thailand exemplifies, in a very powerful way the risks associated with farmers and their environment. As the developing world continues to increase in population we will need more food, whether we use GMO crops, more pesticides and agrochemicals or other methods we will need to make ed-ucating and assisting farmers large and small a global priority.Author: Mark Robson – Rutgers University

Paddy field spraying with organophosphate pesticides near Rangsit, Thailand. (Photo Robson and Siriwong).


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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT:MARINE POLLUTION: HOW IT AFFECTS HUMANS

The marine pollution crisis we are experiencing today has no simple explanation. While airborne pollutants contribute by transporting pesticides and other chemicals into the ocean, eighty percent of the pollution originates from land. There are many ways to classify marine pollution and it sources, but a few of the main pathways include contaminated land runoff, direct discharge, atmospheric pollution, and ship-based pol-lution. Alone, these pathways do not seem threatening. How-ever, in combination, they can lead to ocean acidification, eu-trophication, and the buildup of debris and toxins.

Contaminated Land Runoff: The first pathway is contaminated land runoff, in which

chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and detergents are introduced upstream and along the coastlines. This can include surface runoff from agriculture, urban runoff from construc-tion, and runoff from paved roads and other developing land. Any of these man-made materials can end up in local rivers and groundwater, and can eventually collect in bays, deltas, etc. The added chemicals and nutrient-rich water can lead to the eutrophication of algae and other invasive species.

Direct Discharge:Direct discharge refers to any wastewater sent into the

ocean directly from domestic, commercial, industrial, or agri-cultural sources. Examples of materials collecting in the ocean via direct discharge include ‘Microbeads’ (plastic pieces used in skin care products), synthetic fabric fibers (artificial clothing materials like polyester), and biodegradable-labeled plastics

and products (meant to disintegrate under certain conditions unattainable in the bodies of water in which they end up).

Atmospheric Pollution:Another pathway is atmospheric pollution; this includes

debris from landfills, gases released from the burning of fos-sil fuels, and any other “dust” from residential, agricultural, and industrial sites. These are also major sources of harmful pathogens, organic and inorganic macroscopic contaminants, and thermal pollution. Debris from landfills can include a large variety of materials, the most common of which is plas-tic. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other harmful gases, which primarily leads to ocean acidification and eutrophication.

Ship-Based Pollution:Ship-based pollution is an emerging problem in the

world’s oceans, with most problems being sourced to oil spills, lost containers, released garbage/sewage, and the transportation of invasive species. Almost half of the oil en-tering large bodies of water comes from marine shipping. The largest oil spills are caused by damaged oil tankers. However many ships also purposely and/or unintentionally release bilge oil and other chemicals. There is a buildup of solid waste including plastic bags, foam, fishing nets and other synthetic materials discharged into the oceans by ships at sea. Exotic marine pests clinging to the ship’s hull or collected in ships’ ballast water can harm new environments. When introduced into a new area, invasive species can take over and kill off native populations. Lastly, loud and repeated sounds from ships and oil rigs can affect the communication, hunting, mi-gration, and reproduction patterns of marine life.

When individually introduced, these pathways do not seem as unsafe and harmful. When put in combination, these pathways often lead to more severe forms of pollution: ocean acidification, eutrophication, and the buildup of debris and toxins.

Ocean Acidification: Ocean acidification is global problem of growing con-

cern, with atmospheric pollution as its largest contributor. The effects of the acidification can vary, but the increased at-mospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is projected to cause damage to ocean biochemistry, to calcifying organisms, to other ma-rine life, and eventually humans and human industry.

Burning fossil fuels brings excess CO2 into the environ-ment, but plants are not able to use up the CO2 as fast as we are making it, which means that the excess is getting absorbed into the oceans. In bodies of water, it creates an acid as it bonds with water molecules. This acid dissociates, leaving an excess of an acidic agent. A chemical naturally found in ocean water bonds with the agents to remove them. This seems to be a

Source: serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/pes-ticides_grea.html


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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:PRINCIPLE VS. PRACTICALITY

OF INCORPORATING LAW OF THE SEA IN LOCAL REGULATIONS

“Healthy oceans are critical to sustaining life on our planet. They regulate the climate and provide an incredible range of natural resources, nutritious food, and jobs that benefit billions of people” –UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson remarks to the fortieth annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy (UN Press Release).

Eliasson’s statement precedes a discussion highlighting the consequences of leveraging the ocean and sea’s resources. While world economies flourish, the health and sustainability of our oceans and seas deteriorate as a result. It is so impor-tant to preserve our planet’s bodies of water, as they impact not only marine species, but also the people living nearby. Ul-timately, global citizens will no longer have the opportunity to utilize our sea’s and ocean’s resources if they are not preserved and used in a sustainable manner.

Although the stakes are very high when it comes to ne-glecting the health and longevity of the planet’s seas and oceans, it is difficult to implement law of the sea regulation at the local level. Countries have come to unified agreements at the national level, but have had trouble monitoring localized incorporation of the law. This notion is commonly referred to as the “implementation gap” (UNEP). There are various rea-sons for the challenges faced by local governments to incor-porate law of the sea in their regulations, but the main cause is the conflicting nature of humanitarian goals at a local level. While nations support the idea of sustaining our ecosystems, local governments prioritize economic growth and health of citizens. Although these issues are the most important, they should not undermine the wellbeing of seas and oceans. Local regulatory institutions must find a balance between prioritiz-ing both areas, as they strongly impact one another. Taking a long-run perspective on the issue is crucial for economic and ecological sustainability.

Cameroon has created an “integrated coastal manage-ment” (ICM) to achieve sustainable development in coastal areas (APRH). In principle, this framework should be a posi-tive force overcoming obstacles to reach a sustainable future for our planet’s seas and oceans. However, Cameroon, along with many other states, has had trouble implementing this ideal plan practically at local regions. Local authorities have had much pushback when attempting to constrain the use of Cameroon’s 402km coastline due to citizen need of essential resources and income to support their families through lever-aging the seas and oceans (APRH). This is only one example of the issues our global economy is experiencing in attempting to sustain all areas of our ecosystem.

Here is my “food for thought” question: How can we inte-grate both categories of sustainable goals at the local level of member states?Autor: Suzy Hallak, Sources: UN Press Release – DSG SM – Sea – June 27, 2016, APRH – “Exploring the Challenges of Implementing Integrated Coastal Management and Achieving Sustainability within the Cam-eroon Coastline”.

perfect example of how ecosystems are able to notice threats and adjust accordingly. However, the same chemical used to remove the acidic agents is needed by coral and other organ-isms to form shells and other calcified defenses. As a result, coral reefs and crustaceans shells thin. These changes in coral are likely to negatively affect all organisms that live within it in symbiosis, including the ones fished and eaten by humans.

With the introduction of industrial contaminants and fer-tilizer use, we can observe impacts at both the organism and population level. By affecting the dominance and competitive ability of key species, there are major impacts on food webs, human fisheries, the structure of ecosystems, and biodiversity as a whole.

While the greatest effects of ocean acidification can be ob-served in coral reefs, shellfish, zooplankton, plants, etc. there are some significant effects on the human diet and human in-dustry to be noticed. Food webs are delicate systems, and any interruption to the balance can have drastic effects. Billions of people depend on food from the ocean as their main source of protein. Additionally, the world’s jobs, tourism, and global economies rely highly on the life in our oceans.

Eutrophication:Nutrient pollution and eutrophication are some of the

most recent problems affecting the world’s waters. Most pol-luting chemicals come from sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, over-fertilization and more generally contaminated land runoff, atmospheric pollution, and direct discharge. When combined with ocean acidification and the increase in glob-al temperatures, nutrient pollution promotes harmful algal blooms (HABs), which can have devastating effects on fish and plants, as well as human health, industry, and communities.

Like plants on land, photosynthetic algae and seagrasses benefit from higher concentrations of CO2 and other excess nutrients. The resulting massive blooms of algae rob the wa-ter of oxygen, which leaves behind areas unable to sustain other marine life. Two basic classifications of HAB species in-

Ocean Acidification

This diagram demonstrates, in more detail, the chemical process of CO2 getting absorbed into ocean water.Source: http://www.chesapeakequarterly.net/V11N1/side1/


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clude: toxin producers, which directly contaminate and kill seafood/fish, and high biomass producers, which lead to hy-poxia, anoxia and (in high concentrations) fish mortality.

An example of a toxin producer, Pfiesteria (a single-celled algae species), releases potent toxins into the water, causing painful sores and death for marine species. While consuming fish affected by the Pfiesteria toxins is not directly harmful to hu-mans, exposure to waters where blooms occur may put humans at risk for serious health problems. The second type of HAB can cause waters to become hypoxic (oxygen lacking) and/or anoxic (completely oxygen-deprived). Hypoxia adds physical stresses to marine life, whereas anoxia more often kills them.

The damages we most often see from eutrophication af-fect animals and plants. However, there are also significant damages to local economies and communities surrounding the affected bodies of water. Communities suffer, and lose a huge source of income, when their tourist attractions lose rec-reational and commercial function due to bad odors and un-desirable views. Additionally, many communities lose a food source when major bodies of water are deemed unusable.

The Buildup of Debris and Toxins:The pollution-based problem most devastating to human

health is the buildup of debris and toxins. While there are many contaminants that affect human health, this section will focus on plastics, and heavy metals (specifically mercury). The short-term effects of these chemicals present in marine life, and the long-term result is usually human poisoning or illness. Debris and toxins can get introduced into the world waters through any of the pathways previously discussed.

Plastics are an area of major concern. The chemicals from plastic are released into the water and the atmosphere. They are usually not biodegradable, which results in them break-ing into small pieces, which are then consumed by fish and other marine species. Fish also easily pick up contamination from the chemicals in water. Interestingly, plastic is not only responsible for its own toxins, as materials like Styrofoam act as sponges, soaking up toxins from all kinds of outside sources. When these chemicals are introduced into new eco-systems, they can lead to the poisoning, infertility and genetic disruption of many marine species. Naturally, as animals con-sume harmful materials, humans are subject to the same tox-ins when ingesting marine species.

There are a few ways that plastic affects human health. One example is Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP); it is a part of some plastics and is highly carcinogenic. There are other tox-ins that have been directly linked to birth defects, childhood development problems, immune system disorders, and vari-ous cancers. Another common example is health-bisphenol-A (BPA), which breaks up over time. Through consumption of contaminated materials, it can enter the human body and dis-rupt hormonal function.

The heavy metals posing the biggest threats to human health are lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. Humans have utilized heavy metals for thousands of years, and de-spite knowledge of several adverse health effects, exposure

continues, and is increasing in the less developed countries of the world. As seafood is a primary source of heavy metals, the human population is most often exposed to methylmercury through food.

Fish and shellfish are important components of a bal-anced diet. They are great sources of protein and essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and are full of omega-3s. A fish-inclusive diet can lead to decreased cardiovascular dis-ease and can aid in the healthy growth and development of children. The downside is that most fish (and shellfish) have traces of mercury. As mercury travels through the food chain, there are significant increases in the amount. The path usually goes as follows: mercury starts in trace amounts in plankton → many plankton get eaten by smaller fish → many smaller fish get eaten by larger fish etc. With this system, by the time mercury reaches humans, it is in much higher concentration.

Marine life that contains high levels of mercury may cause harm to developing fetuses and the nervous systems of young children. The main symptoms of methylmercury expo-sure are contained to nervous system damage. Poisoning can manifest as numbness in the hands and feet, difficulty with coordination, and problems with sight and hearing. High doses can be fatal. Additionally, if large amounts of mercury are consumed, it has been predicted to increase the chances of developing coronary heart disease. Mercury poisoning can be severe, but fortunately it is based on individual intake, and does not spread to a general population.

Marine pollution is an ongoing and devastating problem; if we do not assume responsibility for its current state, we are not only putting our own lives at risk, but those of our own children and all other species inhabiting or benefitting from the world’s oceans. It is crucial to maintain a focus on the sus-tainable development goals (SDGs) and the 2030 agenda. This report aims to stress the importance of SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sus-tainable development.Author: Renée S. Landzberg.Sources: 1. “Deep-sea mining adds to fears of marine pollution.” The Inde-pendent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 2. Hester, R. E., and Roy M. Harrison. Marine pollution and human health. Cambridge: RSC Publishing, 2011. Web; 3. Jarüp, Lars.” Hazards of heavy metal contami-nation.” British Medical Bulletin | Oxford Academic. Oxford University Press, 01 Dec. 2003. Web. Feb. 2017; 4. “Metals.” Metals. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/default.htm; 5. “Microplastics in the sea a growing threat to human health, United Nations warns.” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 6. “Nutrient Pollution - Eutrophication.” US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 7. The Ocean Portal Team. “Ocean Acidification.” Smithso-nian National Museum of Natural History. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017. http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-acidification; 8. “Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health.” Case Studies. N.p., 14 Nov. 2016. Web. Feb. 2017; 9. “Shipping prob-lems: Steady release of oil and chemicals.” WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 10. Society, National Geographic. “Marine Pollution -- Pristine Seas.” National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 11. “Types of Pollution from Ships That Can Affect the Marine Environment.” Ships and the Marine Environment. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 12. “Wastewater, Sewage and Sanitation.” The Caribbean Environment Programme. N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017. 13. “What is Ocean Acidification?” What is Ocean Acidification? N.p., n.d. Web. Feb. 2017; 14. “What You Need to Know about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish.” EPA. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency, 01 Feb. 2017. Web. Feb. 2017.


Spring 2017

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:OUR FUTURE: THE KILLING SKY

The number of birds colliding with commercial airlines has increased substantially worldwide. Avian impacts affect birds, humans, airline traffic, and insurance claims.

The greatest incidence of bird strikes occur at low alti-tudes. 70% happen below 500ft. Other collisions go up to 3000 feet. Coastal waterfowl are at higher risk and migratory sea-sonal patterns appear to increase the likelihood of collisions. Although doves incur the highest number of deaths from aircraft contact, it is Canada geese that cause the greatest damage to planes. Large birds of prey, such as the Red Tailed Hawk have seen a 50% increase in deadly interactions as well.

A “BBC News, Washington” magazine article in 2013, reported that, “According to a report by the Federal Aviation Ad-ministration, the number of bird strikes has increased nearly six-fold since 1990 to a record 10,343 in 2012. This is blamed on four factors. There are larger populations of birds responsible - for in-stance, there are twice as many Canada geese in North America now as there were in 1990. And many birds find airports to be attractive habitats. There are also more flights and quieter engines”.

A more recent F.A.A. USDA’s 2015 report further sup-ports the rise in bird-strikes with figures indicating as much as a 739% increase. The most common strike spots: Sacra-mento, Kansas City, Denver, and JFK airports. An additional 3,580 strikes were reported for US registered aircraft in for-eign countries.

FINDINGS:As competitors, in the First Lego League (FLL) “Animal

Allies” season, a team of Challenge Corps Students (#10190)

voted to focus on this global issue. Their in-depth investiga-tion and presentation of information earned them the Re-search Innovation Award at the FLL Illinois Northern Cham-pionship event held this past January, Woodstock School District, Illinois.

The students systematically examined existing ideas that have been tried around the world but without consistent suc-cess (pyrotechnics, bio acoustic deterrents, vegetation remov-al, predatory mammals, blinking pulse lights etc). They con-tinued their research and developed their hypothesis based on information pertaining to a bird’s field of vision from experts in ornithology, risks and costs associated with bird strikes from aviation industry representatives, and data from governmental agencies.

The graphic below indicates the color of a bird’s ultra-violet vision spectrum. Where their eyes work in unison (bin-ocular foveal area - red) they identify what is directly in front of them. Fovae are pits in the retina where cones are tightly packed allowing greater acuity. According to the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, “Used together foveae can tri-angulate diurnal birds’ of prey fields of vision” and human vision . “.compared with that of birds is poor, because birds have four single-cone types: red, green, blue, and ultraviolet (UV). Not only do birds have more types of cones, they have more of them. What’s more, birds’ cone cells contain a colored oil droplet, which may allow them to distinguish even more colors.” The discrimination in the contrast of colors, specifi-cally those registering red, in the ultraviolet vision field is what the students analyzed to be important to the success of their proposal reported in Audubon Magazine.


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SOLUTION:The team’s solution is to add red to the nose cone and

engine housings, in addition to red chevron stripes on the belly and underside of the wings of aircraft, so the birds’ ul-traviolet vision can detect the contrast between planes and the sky. This application would increase the visibility of the plane from the ground and in the air.

Student solution from ground view:An estimated cost analysis from representatives of a ma-

jor aircraft design company indicated that skinning an aircraft, with the red chevron pattern, at its inception would be most cost-effective. While there is some weight difference associ-ated with non-white colors, there is no appreciable effect on aerodynamics. Repairs to bird-strike impact areas are more costly when dents are involved. Beyond paint and replace-ment parts, an airline can incur downtimes from 2 weeks to a month when the aircraft is out of service.

The students also found that while there is an increase in the number of organizations that report bird strikes, it is still a considered a voluntary action. Because it is not mandatory, the wildlife-strike database is believed to greatly underesti-mate the problem of planes hitting animals.

The loss of life is costly not only to wildlife species pres-ervation. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an average annual cost of $957 million dollars has been used for plane reparations in the past decade. In 2013, John Allan, head of the National Wildlife Management Center suggested that if one adds compensation payments to the passengers, the number climbs to an estimated $1.2 billion in the US alone each year.

The student team believes their idea could be extended to other types of aircraft such as helicopters and wind tur-

bine blades. The number of windshield projectile and pilot incapacitation incidents has risen 68% since 2009. When the turbine blades are incapacitated or unable to perform, en-ergy production is interrupted. If just one turbine blade was striped, it is possible the birds could then recognize the dan-ger and avoid it. Further consideration of the incorporation of a UV film to the red paint on the blades and airplane skins, could enhance the visibility of the most common bird-strike zones.

CONCLUSION: It is important to understand that international efforts to

reduce bird-strikes will require cooperation between govern-mental aviation agencies, commercial airline companies, and wildlife management systems around the world. It is a global problem that needs to collect data and set safety standards accordingly” with “requires the collection of data and im-plementation of safety standards. However, consideration of novel solutions based on the science of bird vision should be further explored to reduce bird-strikes with aircraft.

Authored by:

Challenge Corps Students, Woodstock School District 200, Illinois.

Bibliography:

Allan, J. R. (2000). THE COSTS OF BIRD STRIKES AND BIRD STRIKE PREVEN-

TION. Human Conflicts with Wildlife: Economic Considerations, 146-153.

Retrieved January 10, 2017, from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/view-

content.cgi?article=1017&context=nwrchumanconflicts

Benincasa, R. (2009, April 27). Pinpointing Airports with High Rate of Bird

Strike. Retrieved January 28, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/templates/

story/story.php?storyId=103530836&scrlybrkr=a80dbe46

Berger, C. (2012, July 19). True Colors: How Birds See the World. Retrieved

October, 2016, from https://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-

Wildlife/Birds/Archives/2012/Bird-Vision.aspx

Blackwell, B. F., Devault, T. L., Seamans, T. W., & Ferna’ndez-Juricic, E. (2012).

Exploiting Avian Vision with Aircraft Lighting to Reduce Bird Strikes. Journal

of Applied Ecology, 1-9. Retrieved October, 2016, from http://estebanfj.bio.

purdue.edu/papers/jpe_2165_Rev_EV.PDF

Dolbeer, R. A., Weller, J. R., Anderson, A. L., & Begier, M. J. (2016). Wildlife

Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States, 1990-2015. Washington, DC:

Federal Aviation Administration. doi:www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/

wildlife/media/wildlife-strike-report-1990-2015.pdf

Federal Aviation Administration. (n.d.). Wildlife Strike Database. Retrieved

December, 2016, from http://wildlife.faa.gov/database.aspx

Geoghegan, T. (2013, November 6). 10 ways to prevent plane bird strikes.

BBC News Magazine.

Doi: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24751208


Spring 2017

Correlation between Fracking and Earthquakes Shown in Canada

face to extract oil or gas. A recent study by David W. Eaton and Xuewei Bao of the University of Calgary examined the earthquakes that were occurring in Fox Creek, a popular drilling location for oil and gas companies. By looking at seismic data from a series of earth-quakes from 2014 to 2015, they found that a substantial number were caused by changes in pressure either as frack-ing occurred or as a result of remain-ing fracking fluid. When earthquakes were caused during fracking, it was because the injections during fracking were strong enough to change the stress patterns of the rock. As Dr. Eaton ex-plains it, “If there is a critically stressed

In the past five years, many of the earthquakes that occurred in Alberta, Canada have been directly linked to the process of hydraulic fracturing. Hy-draulic fracturing, also known as frack-ing, is the process through which water, chemicals, and sand are injected into fractures in rocks below the earth’s sur-

fault, those stress changes are sufficient to push it over the edge.” While the tie between fracking and earthquakes has been shown for Canada, more research is necessary to determine whether it holds true for the rest of the world. Source: New York Times, https://nyti.

ms/2k1mrmL

Source: http://jobsanger.blogspot.com/2015/12/fracking-is-likely-cause-of-texas.html

Domoic Acid

New data shows that domoic acid, a harmful neurotoxin, is linked to rising ocean temperatures. Seafood consum-ers’ should be concerned because this toxin can accumulate in food like clams, mussels, and the Dungeness crab. While mild cases of the toxin cause vomiting and abdominal cramping, more serious cases can cause coma or even death.

Domoic acid travels up the food chain by first being created during an algae boom by phytoplankton. When filter feeders, such as clams, eat the phytoplankton, and then Dungeness crabs eat the clams, the toxin is traveled up the food chain until humans con-sume the crabs. Previously, scientists had been unable to predict when nor-mal algae booms would turn toxic, un-til they looked at climate patterns and found that the presence of domoic acid was highly correlated with the ocean’s warm phases. As the ocean’s tempera-ture rise, the likeliness of future domoic acid events is greater, negatively im-pacting the seafood crop. Representa-tives from the California Department of Public Health said that the first time domoic acid was found in the Dunge-ness crab was in 2015, and some experts in the field believe that tests for the tox-in should be performed over a greater area in order to keep a closer eye on the spread of the toxin.

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/the-salt/2017/01/10/509008803/warmer-oceans-could-boost-the-toxins-in-your-shellfish-dinner

Source: www.foodqualitynews.com/Food-Out-breaks/Shellfish-toxins-sicken-70-in-UK


Spring 201710

As Oceans Warm, Fish Migrate

As a result of ocean warming, around two-thirds of marine species in the Northeast United States have mi-grated in search of cooler waters. Tom Nies, executive director of the New Eng-land Fishery Management Council ar-gues, “I would be surprised if you found very many fishermen who will tell you that climate change is not happening.” However, fishing regulations have not adapted to these changing conditions; northern states such as Maine are only allowed to keep a small percentage of the fish they catch, while southern states like North Carolina are failing to catch as many fish as they are allowed to. As a response to this, scientists and manag-ers alike have been formulating models to set fishing quotas that take tempera-ture and environmental concerns into account. However, there are many dif-ficulties associated with this process, namely the uncertainty of estimating the size of fish populations. Further-more, it is difficult to judge how much of a decrease in a fish population is the result of climate change, and how much is the result of natural fluctuations and overfishing.

SOURCE: New York Times; December 30, 2016https://nyti.ms/2k1y4tZ

“Bangladesh struggles to turn the tide on climate change as sea levels rise”

Bangladesh is the country most affected by climate change. Global warming is bringing more frequent and stronger floods and cyclones. Last year, there were four cyclones, explain-ing the high tides and the even frequent seasonal changes. In comparison, there was only one cyclone in 2015. The weather change is hitting businesses hard. For instance, the town of Cox’s Bazar practices drying fish for con-sumption and selling. It is a major sec-tor in the local business, but due to the conditions that habitually cover the en-tire land, the economy has been plum-meting. The trend is also being noted in other parts of the town. The water levels are increasing and homes are go-ing under water more regularly than ever. At this rate, 25 million Bangladesh people will be affected by the rising sea level by 2050. Consequently, Kutubdia, an island in the Bay of Bengal has been affected by the rising tides. Increased saline water makes rice farming im-possible, thus only salt fields are left. Residents had no choice but to adapt. Also, salt farming, although definitely more profitable than rice farming, is a lot harder. Salinity is becoming a crucial issue as it is causing erosion and even though the government and the Bang-ladesh people are doing everything to

protect it from disappearing, a solution does not seem to exist.

Source: The Guradian, Karen McVeigh in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jan/20/bangla-desh-struggles-turn-tide-climate-change-sea-levels-rise-coxs-bazar

“Turning Up the Thermostat Could Help Tropical Climates Cool Down”

A recent research done in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University has revealed that raising slightly in-door temperatures during the summer months surprisingly save significant amounts of energy. 50-70% of electric-ity is consumed by commercial and residential buildings, and among the uses of electricity, air conditioning sits at the top. The average set point for air conditioners are reported to be at 23°C (or 73.4°F), but reports reveal that the optimal thermal temperature should be at 26°C (78.8°F) or higher in order to experience the best air quality. If the set temperature of 23°C continues to be the mean temperature of commercial and residential buildings in the sum-mer months, by 2050, most of the world population will live in tropic tempera-tures. Yes, air conditioning is essen-tial in order to provide comfort and a productive environment, but it affects the environment in extreme ways. Ex-periments conducted in the universities offer a solution to the problem. Using smart fans while simultaneously having indoor temperatures above 26°C pro-vides the comfort equivalent to comfort experienced at 23°C. This practice is the best way to effectively save up to 35% of energy and to provide a better future for all of us.

Source: ScienceDaily, UC Berkeley, College of Environmental Design, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170105101316.htm

Source: https://nyti.ms/2k1y4tZ

Source: http://displacementsolutions.org


Spring 2017

Solar Power Plant to be Built in Chernobyl

Chernobyl, the most devastating nuclear accident in history, directly re-sulted in 50 deaths as well as at least an additional 4,000 fatalities as a result of radiation exposure. Vast areas of land were contaminated and researchers purport that contamination still lingers. Now, 31 years later, the China State Con-struction Engineering Corporation and the Golden Concord Holdings (GLC), have plans to build a one-gigawatt solar power plant in the exclusion zone to the south of the Chernobyl plant. The com-panies plan on spending up to $1 billion on the facility and intend on beginning work this year. They hope to renew the area with renewable energy which will come with “remarkable social benefits and economical ones.”

Source: Cooke, Kieran. “Solar power to rise from Chernobyl’s nuclear ashes”. The Guardian. 12 January 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/12/solar-power-to-rise-from-chernobyls-nuclear-ashes

Green Development in AfricaAs a direct result of the accelerated

growth of Africa’s economy, an indus-trial revolution has had evident impact within the climate of the continent. This transformation calls for an imperative to initiate a greener economy. In par-ticular, the nation of Rwanda is highly affected by the industrial transition; to combat this, Rwanda’s green growth agenda has been working to revise cur-rently implemented laws. Alex Mulissa, the Coordinator of the National Fund for Environmental and Climate Change (FONERWA), conveyed how officials aim to increase the potential of resourc-es mobilization. FONERWA finances green growth in order to maintain an agenda with sustainable development in mind. Funds are invested in the fields of forestry, clean energy, agricul-ture and water; thus far, Rwf15 billion has been funded by FONERWA. The Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS) is a vital part of the nation’s development blueprint. Fur-thermore, throughout the investments, the objective is to meet climate goals, whist providing a prosperous and se-cure society for the nation’s inhabitants. To further indulge these initiatives, the Africa Ecosystems Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFO-SA) was created to act as a platform that increases renewable energy access.

Source: Tashobya, Athan. “How Rwanda, Africa can finance the green growth agenda.” The New Times Rwanda 2007-2017. 10 Jan 2017Link: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/arti-cle/2017-01-10/206964/

Tidal PowerTidal power could be the future of

alternative energy. In areas where solar power is not a viable option due to a lack of sunshine, tidal power could hold the key. Cost effectively, a tidal power sta-tion in Korea showed that after just 4.3 years, tidal power cost is equal to coal. Due to the predicted industrialization in developing countries, the demand for energy worldwide is only expected to grow in the future. Since tidal power works like clockwork due to the oceans tide moving in correspondence with the moon’s gravitational pull, it is fairly easy to harness. Since the tides move in expected way, tidal power is more pre-dictable than solar and wind, making it easier to plan how to use it. Around the globe, there are many areas with po-tential for tidal power. For instance, the African coastline could provide those in rural Africa with reliable and cheap electricity. Using tidal power could aid in industrializing eastern Africa.

Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/4035495-tidal-power-invest-next-major-renewables-market?page=2#

Cleaner Oceans Australian surfers, Andrew Turton

and Pete Ceglinski invented the “Sea-bin” out of concern for the plethora of accumulation of pollutants within the sea. Early this year, in seventeen coun-tries, this underwater bin which gath-ers dispersed plastic detritus from the ocean, will become publically available. Once submerged into the water, the bin

Source: eniday.com/en/technology_en/cherno-byl-future-in-solar-energy/

Source: The New Times Rwanda Source: fujitaresearch.com/reports/tidalpower.html


Spring 201712

implements a pump intending to suck waste from the surface. Varying types of rubbish, including plastic bottles, oil, fuel, paper, and detergent, are caught by the “Seabin.” In addition, this device is not harmful at all to sea life as it remains only at the surface of the water. The de-vice includes a solar powered pump which was tested at four different ports of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Following these successful trials, a partnership be-gan with a French marina-building com-pany. Also, aside from the utilization of the “Seabin”, waste can be kept out of the ocean through the banning of plastic microbes within products for personal care, installing washing machine filters for collecting synthetic fibers, using storm water filters for isolating waste, and the improvement of trash collection services.

Source: Tashobya, Athan. “Ocean-cleaning sea bins will gobble up plastic waste to recycle.” The New Scientist. 29 July 2016

The Breakthrough Energy Fund

Bill Gates, co-founder of Micro-soft, is a strong proponent of climate change initiatives, and his interest has led to the creation of the Breakthrough

Energy Ventures fund, a $1 billion fund invested in clean energy technology to promote a healthy environment. Gates is not alone in this venture; Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Linked-In co-founder Reid Hoffman, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, and Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma have declared their intentions to work with the Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, the investments of which will go towards projects relating to clean en-ergy issues, such as energy storage and carbon emission reduction. As Gates stated in his address on the fund, “If we create the right environment for in-novation, we can accelerate the pace of progress, develop and deploy new so-lutions, and eventually provide every-one with reliable, affordable energy that is carbon free.” Investments in startups and companies are anticipated to begin this year.

Source: Miller, Hayley. “Bill Gates And Billion-aire Buddies Invest $1 Billion In Clean Energy Fund To Fight Climate Change.” The Huffington Post. 12 Dec 2016. huffingtonpost.com/entry/bill-gates-climate-change-venture-fund_us_584e9119e4b04c8e2bb07424

Waves as a Renewable Energy Source

The ocean covers 70% of the world, and the force of its waves are enough to generate massive quantities of energy. Deriving energy from waves is environ-mentally friendly, nearly cost-free, and beneficial for areas surrounded by or next to the ocean. Multiple wave energy plants exist, but all have different meth-ods and tools to derive energy from the waves, and the rate of success of each

approach taken by the different plants varies. Yam Pro Energy, an Israeli-based company, plans to establish a wave-en-ergy plant in Accra, the capital of Gha-na. The plant will utilize “floaters” con-nected to wave breakers on the coastline that will bob up and down with the mo-tion of the waves. This movement will harvest hydraulic pressure and turn it into electricity. While construction of the plant may be costly, Yam Pro Energy highlights that this plant will not pro-duce or emit pollution and has very low maintenance costs. Yam Energy Pro also takes into consideration the effect their plant may have on wildlife, which they anticipate will be minimal. It is estimat-ed that the plant is capable of produc-ing 65% of energy consumed in Ghana per year, whereas solar panels and wind turbines only produce 22%. It is also estimated that 10,000 households will benefit from this new source of energy.

Source: Britton, Bianca. “Could waves become the next big renewable energy source?” CNN. 3 Jan 2017. http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/12/africa/ghana-wave-energy/index.html

Sea Life Protected from Damaging Seismic Cannon Use

Before ending his two terms as President of the United States, Barack Obama effectively halted drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean by denying the 6 permit requests of companies trying to use seismic cannons to search for oil un-der the ocean floor. The seismic surveys are meant to map the ocean floor by us-ing air guns emitting acoustic energy pulses across vast areas of the sea floor

Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2099339-ocean-cleaning-sea-bins-will-gobble-up-plastic-waste-to-recycle/

Source: CNN

Source: A drilling platform stands offshore on Dauphin Island, Ala., in October 2013. (Steve Nesius/Reuters)


Spring 2017

India: Delhi Bans Disposable PlasticIndependent, 25 January 2017

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India has banned and pro-hibited all forms of disposable plastic in the capital, Delhi, to address its con-cerns with India’s physical environment and air quality. Initially proposed after locals complained of the illegal burning of trash and plastic, the restriction has completely altered the manner in which the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi disposes and reduces waste in hopes of significantly decreasing its per-centage, 60 per cent, of plastic dumped in the world’s oceans.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-delhi-bans-disposable-plas-tic-single-use-a7545541.html

Preparatory Meeting for the Ocean Conference: Our Oceans, Our Future: Partnering for the Imple-mentation of Sustainable Development Goal 14

From 15 to 16 February 2017, the UN General Assembly will gather in United Nations Headquarters New York for a preparatory meeting for the Ocean Conference: Our Oceans, Our Future: Partnering for the Implementa-tion of Sustainable Development Goal 14, under the facilitation of Álvaro Mendonca e Moura of Portugal and Burhan Gafoor of Singapore, to discuss elements of the expected outcome docu-ment, a ‘Call for Action,’ and themes for partnership dialogues.

Source: http://www.iisd.ca/oceans/sdg14con-ference/prep/

5 - 9 June United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustain-able Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

From 5 to 9 June 2017 in New York, the Governments of Fiji and Sweden will co-host a high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementa-tion of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Coinciding with World Oceans Day, the Conference will be comprised of plenary meetings, dialogues, and special events regarding voluntary commitments to implement Goal 14 through a concise and inter governmentally agreed declaration.

Source: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=3280

FAO Committee on Agriculture - 25th SessionSource: http://www.fao.org/biotech/biotech-add-edit-section/biotech-add-edit-news/biotech-news-detail/en/c/467844/

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 29 Jan. 2017

From 26 to 30 September 2016, the 25th session of the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) gathered in its Rome headquarters to discuss docu-ments regarding policy and regulatory guidance on agricultural biotechnolo-gies and nutrition. “Achieving sustain-able rural development through agri-cultural innovation” (COAG/2016/6) and the “Summary report of the FAO

for prolonged periods of time. Howev-er, the seismic blasts could harm marine life, either by driving away fish as prey or by hurting them directly. Concerns were raised for acoustic marine life that depend heavily on sonar to communi-cate and hunt for food. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management stated that the value of obtaining the information from such seismic testing would not outweigh the potential harmful impact on marine life.

Source: Fears, Darryl. “Obama denies permits for seismic testing to search for oil in the Atlantic”. The Washington Post. 6 January 2017

Waste collector Saudagar Mukherjee and his daughter Madhuri collect recyclable material at the Ghazipur landfill in New Delhi Reuters


Spring 201714

International Symposium on the Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sus-tainable Food Systems and Nutrition” (COAG/2016/INF/5) were the docu-ments provided.Source: http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/agribiotechs-symposium/en/

Two Reports on Genome Sequencing EventsFood and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 28 Jan. 2017

175 participants from 50 countries of the FAO met on 23-25 May 2016 in Rome Headquarters to discuss both the 9th meeting of the Global Microbial Identifier and impacts of the whole ge-nome sequencing (WSG) on food safety management. The committee focused on topics such as the drawbacks and benefits of WGS, globalization and fea-sibility of identification of pathogens, and concerns over roles of international organizations. Source: http://www.fao.org/biotech/biotech-add-edit-section/biotech-add-edit-news/biotech-news-detail/en/c/467845/

Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/whole-genome-sequencing-still-uncertain-doctors-disagree-how-use-unreliable-results-271059

FAO Publication on Averting Risks to the Food ChainFood and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 26 Jan. 2017

The FAO released the publication “Averting risks to the food chain: A compendium of proven emergency pre-vention method and tools,” which con-tains information sheets issued by the Food Chain Crisis- Emergency Preven-tion System (FCC-EMPRES). The docu-ment focuses and assesses topics such as the development of new technologies and tools, plant and animal health, food

safety, and diagnoses of major diseases. Source: http://www.fao.org/biotech/biotech-add-edit-section/biotech-add-edit-news/biotech-news-detail/en/c/467847/

ters in New York City. The 50th session of the Commission will assemble to dis-cuss “changing population age struc-tures and sustainable development”.Source: http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=375&type=13&menu=14

UN REVIEW of Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLPF 2017)

July 10-19, at the United Na-tions Headquarters in New York City, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will call for the meeting of high-level political forum on sustain-able development. Representatives will discuss “eradicating poverty and pro-moting prosperity in a changing world” and review specific goals: end poverty in all its forms everywhere; end hunger, achieve food security and improved nu-trition and promote sustainable agricul-ture; ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all ages; achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; build resilient infrastructure, pro-mote inclusive and sustainable indus-trialization and foster innovation; con-serve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustain-able development; and strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.Source: sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpfSource: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdinaction/newsletter/january2016

Source: reliefweb.int/report/world/averting-risks-food-chain-compendium-proven-emer-gency-prevention-methods-and-tools

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/padek/international-conference-on-population-and-development-5927294

Commission For Social Development (CSocD55)

Feb. 1-10, 2017, CSocD55, will convene at the United National Head-quarters in New York City to discuss “strategies for the eradication of pover-ty to achieve sustainable development for all”. The Civil Society Forum con-vened Jan. 30-31, 2017.Source: http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=369&type=13&menu=14

Commission For The Status Of Women (CSW61)

March 13-24, 2017, CSW61 will convene at the United Nations Head-quarters in New York City. Global rep-resentatives and member states, UN entities and nongovernmental organi-zations for the 61st session of the Com-mission. Themes will include women’s economic empowerment in the chang-ing world of work and the empower-ment of indigenous women.Source: http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=376&type=13&menu=14

Commission On Population And Development (CPD50)

April 3-7, 2017, CPD50 will con-vene at the United Nations Headquar-


Spring 2017

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