WEEKLY REFLECTIONS
WEDNESDAY APRIL 18
CHAPTER 12
The oceans are such an incredible force of nature. As much as we try to tame the coasts to use beaches for summer recreation, they are much too powerful to be held back by human forces. Time and time again we are reminded how little the oceans care for our beach homes. Storm after storm blows through all man made protection from the elements and devastates our structures along mother natures coastlines, reclaiming them. Centuries of careful planning and building can be wiped away in a matter of hours. And each time we replenish the beaches and rebuild what was drowned by Mother Nature. While storms are an immediate threat to coastal structures, a more ominent threat looms- gradually rising sea levels. Buildings damaged in a storm can be repaired or rebiuilt. But there's no retrieving entire cities submerged by the ocean. The book mentions 2,000 feet of shoreline in Monmouth County has been submerged since 1650., but the Jersey shore isn't the only troubled area. Coastal cities like New York, Miami, and New Orleans could suffer in the near future, and entire islands in the Pacific are already sinking. The ocean is powerful, but in some ways, humans are more powerful. All of this sea level rise is a result of climate change, which is human-caused.
CHAPTER 12
The oceans are such an incredible force of nature. As much as we try to tame the coasts to use beaches for summer recreation, they are much too powerful to be held back by human forces. Time and time again we are reminded how little the oceans care for our beach homes. Storm after storm blows through all man made protection from the elements and devastates our structures along mother natures coastlines, reclaiming them. Centuries of careful planning and building can be wiped away in a matter of hours. And each time we replenish the beaches and rebuild what was drowned by Mother Nature. While storms are an immediate threat to coastal structures, a more ominent threat looms- gradually rising sea levels. Buildings damaged in a storm can be repaired or rebiuilt. But there's no retrieving entire cities submerged by the ocean. The book mentions 2,000 feet of shoreline in Monmouth County has been submerged since 1650., but the Jersey shore isn't the only troubled area. Coastal cities like New York, Miami, and New Orleans could suffer in the near future, and entire islands in the Pacific are already sinking. The ocean is powerful, but in some ways, humans are more powerful. All of this sea level rise is a result of climate change, which is human-caused.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 11
CHAPTER 11
I don't know very much about headwaters or watersheds, so this chapter taught me a lot. I didn't realize the kind of biodiversity that lives in headwaters, or that a lot of development is now moving upstream and happening around headwaters. I thought it was really cool how they used fish, salamanders, and crayfish to determine initial water quality and track it over time. Just the presence of some species, like brook trout, indicate high water quality. It's fascinating what amphibians, as well, can tell us about environmental quality. It's amazing how diverse species are when it comes to human interference in their habitat. Some, like amphibians, are extremely sensitive to changes, while others are more robust and can adapt to environmental changes more easily. No matter how different populations react, we know that they are suffering consequences of the human lifestyle either directly or indirectly.
CHAPTER 11
I don't know very much about headwaters or watersheds, so this chapter taught me a lot. I didn't realize the kind of biodiversity that lives in headwaters, or that a lot of development is now moving upstream and happening around headwaters. I thought it was really cool how they used fish, salamanders, and crayfish to determine initial water quality and track it over time. Just the presence of some species, like brook trout, indicate high water quality. It's fascinating what amphibians, as well, can tell us about environmental quality. It's amazing how diverse species are when it comes to human interference in their habitat. Some, like amphibians, are extremely sensitive to changes, while others are more robust and can adapt to environmental changes more easily. No matter how different populations react, we know that they are suffering consequences of the human lifestyle either directly or indirectly.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 4
CHAPTER 10
I love that this chapter touches on the idea of humans invading the habitats of other species. When we see undeveloped land, we see it as open space, ready for humans to move into. Whether it be homes or an apartment building, a shipping center, or space for a new business, we feel entitled to build on this "open" land and use it however we want. Often we fail to consider who already lives there. Every time we build on undeveloped land we take away the habitat of many species or entire ecosystems. Habitat loss is a huge problem for wildlife since they become displaced and must find a new habitable place where they call fulfill their ecological niche. For threatened or endangered species it is especially crucial to preserve their habitats, otherwise we risk losing the wild populations.
This is one reason why land conservation is so important. I recall from E.O. Wilson's book The Future of Life that he believed so strongly that conserving land was the only way to ensure a biodiverse future on Earth that he called for 50% of the worlds land to be put aside for wildlife. Humans should only be allowed to occupy half of the Earth because all other species are essential to our survival. While this may sound extreme or impossible or impractical, I agree that not enough of the natural world is being preserved. Human impact is so strong and destructive that current conservation efforts are likely not enough to ensure the survival of life.
CHAPTER 10
I love that this chapter touches on the idea of humans invading the habitats of other species. When we see undeveloped land, we see it as open space, ready for humans to move into. Whether it be homes or an apartment building, a shipping center, or space for a new business, we feel entitled to build on this "open" land and use it however we want. Often we fail to consider who already lives there. Every time we build on undeveloped land we take away the habitat of many species or entire ecosystems. Habitat loss is a huge problem for wildlife since they become displaced and must find a new habitable place where they call fulfill their ecological niche. For threatened or endangered species it is especially crucial to preserve their habitats, otherwise we risk losing the wild populations.
This is one reason why land conservation is so important. I recall from E.O. Wilson's book The Future of Life that he believed so strongly that conserving land was the only way to ensure a biodiverse future on Earth that he called for 50% of the worlds land to be put aside for wildlife. Humans should only be allowed to occupy half of the Earth because all other species are essential to our survival. While this may sound extreme or impossible or impractical, I agree that not enough of the natural world is being preserved. Human impact is so strong and destructive that current conservation efforts are likely not enough to ensure the survival of life.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 28
CHAPTER 9
"The Woodlands" is an interesting chapter because in stark contrast to the preceding chapters that discuss the chemical toxicity and poison all around us, in the air, the water, the soil, this chapter tells us that New Jersey has done at least one thing right to protect the environment. The state has preserved so much land that actually 45% of the land is covered by forest. Despite all of the chemical factories and illegal waste dumping and failed brownsite and Superfund cleanups and development and population increase, we have taken care to protect and regenerate our forests. But in Belton's style, after starting off so positively and making me feel proud of my state, he then delves into the negatives. 2/3 of the forests are younger than 60 years old, which means they are not highly biodiverse and are more sensitive to damage.
CHAPTER 9
"The Woodlands" is an interesting chapter because in stark contrast to the preceding chapters that discuss the chemical toxicity and poison all around us, in the air, the water, the soil, this chapter tells us that New Jersey has done at least one thing right to protect the environment. The state has preserved so much land that actually 45% of the land is covered by forest. Despite all of the chemical factories and illegal waste dumping and failed brownsite and Superfund cleanups and development and population increase, we have taken care to protect and regenerate our forests. But in Belton's style, after starting off so positively and making me feel proud of my state, he then delves into the negatives. 2/3 of the forests are younger than 60 years old, which means they are not highly biodiverse and are more sensitive to damage.
WENESDAY MARCH 21
CHAPTER 8
The topic of environmental justice is something that has come up in many of my classes as an environmental studies major. Communities that are generally poor and are mainly comprised of minorities are more likely to be exposed to environmental injustices and suffer more health problems as a result. Because wealth translates to political power, the poor have very little say in politics. Land in poor communities also tends to be cheap. For these reasons, environmentally hazardous sites like landfills, recycling centers, waste treatment plants, and other similar sites are easier to place near poor and minority communities. The land is desirable because it is cheap, and the community often does not have enough political power to fight it. Other times, the community may accept the proposition of such a site for the employment opportunities. While it is true that such sites would provide much needed jobs to the community, there is a huge cost to the workers especially, but also those in close proximity to the site. There are other tactics that potential hazardous site builders may employ to ensure the affected community cannot prevent the placement of the site. One that I recall learning about in a class was hosting public meetings regarding the site during the day. On the surface, this seems harmless. But consider that residents of poor communities are working class. They have to be at work all day, so hosting meetings during work hours ensures that the residents cannot attend and thereby voice oposition. It is so important to have groups and organizations that fight against environmental racism or injustice on behalf of affected communities who do not have the political power to do so themselves.
CHAPTER 8
The topic of environmental justice is something that has come up in many of my classes as an environmental studies major. Communities that are generally poor and are mainly comprised of minorities are more likely to be exposed to environmental injustices and suffer more health problems as a result. Because wealth translates to political power, the poor have very little say in politics. Land in poor communities also tends to be cheap. For these reasons, environmentally hazardous sites like landfills, recycling centers, waste treatment plants, and other similar sites are easier to place near poor and minority communities. The land is desirable because it is cheap, and the community often does not have enough political power to fight it. Other times, the community may accept the proposition of such a site for the employment opportunities. While it is true that such sites would provide much needed jobs to the community, there is a huge cost to the workers especially, but also those in close proximity to the site. There are other tactics that potential hazardous site builders may employ to ensure the affected community cannot prevent the placement of the site. One that I recall learning about in a class was hosting public meetings regarding the site during the day. On the surface, this seems harmless. But consider that residents of poor communities are working class. They have to be at work all day, so hosting meetings during work hours ensures that the residents cannot attend and thereby voice oposition. It is so important to have groups and organizations that fight against environmental racism or injustice on behalf of affected communities who do not have the political power to do so themselves.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 14
CHAPTER 7
As of last March, the US had over 1,300 Superfund sites listed. 150 of those are located in New Jersey. Additionally, NJ has a ton of brownfields. It was hard to find an exact number, but it could be around 14,000. Knowing how toxic the state is, it was encouraging to read about the strict environmental clean up laws NJ had passed in the early 80s. Even when the federal government relaxed the Superfund Act, New Jersey expanded our clean up laws to make them more effective. Sadly, the expansion of environmental law did not last. Only a few years later we changed the rules to lower standards for cleaning sites that would remain industrial land. Even if these sites were near residential areas, they were only cleaned up enough to be "safe for its neighbors", but not fully cleaned up. While I understand that this method was less costly and would take less time than a full cleanup, there is no way to guarantee that these sites wouldn't be made into residential property in the future. And remaining contaminants could still leech into surrounding areas or water sources. Plus, I don't find it fair to leave parts of the environment in such a degraded state.
CHAPTER 7
As of last March, the US had over 1,300 Superfund sites listed. 150 of those are located in New Jersey. Additionally, NJ has a ton of brownfields. It was hard to find an exact number, but it could be around 14,000. Knowing how toxic the state is, it was encouraging to read about the strict environmental clean up laws NJ had passed in the early 80s. Even when the federal government relaxed the Superfund Act, New Jersey expanded our clean up laws to make them more effective. Sadly, the expansion of environmental law did not last. Only a few years later we changed the rules to lower standards for cleaning sites that would remain industrial land. Even if these sites were near residential areas, they were only cleaned up enough to be "safe for its neighbors", but not fully cleaned up. While I understand that this method was less costly and would take less time than a full cleanup, there is no way to guarantee that these sites wouldn't be made into residential property in the future. And remaining contaminants could still leech into surrounding areas or water sources. Plus, I don't find it fair to leave parts of the environment in such a degraded state.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 7
CHAPTER 6
What interested me in this chapter was the similarities between the Ironbound section of Newark and the forests in Vietnam where Agent Orange was used. For Vietnamese people (and even US veterans of the Vietnam war), Agent Orange has caused a myriad of health problems. Over 50 years and multiple generations, Vietnamese people continue to suffer various cancers, birth defects, neurological and psychological problems. US and Vietnamese soldiers saw increased birth defects in children born after the war- after exposure to the chemicals. It wasn't until recently that the VA even acknowledged and began offering health coverage for veterans' health problems and birth defects related to Agent Orange exposure. Chapter 6 says that dioxin levels in soil samples from the factory in Newark are very close to levels found in Vietnamese forests where the defoliant chemical was sprayed for years. While the effects on health and the environment undoubtedly burden Vietnamese citizens and veterans most, they don't stop there. They effect US veterans, children of veterans, and citizens of Newark.
CHAPTER 6
What interested me in this chapter was the similarities between the Ironbound section of Newark and the forests in Vietnam where Agent Orange was used. For Vietnamese people (and even US veterans of the Vietnam war), Agent Orange has caused a myriad of health problems. Over 50 years and multiple generations, Vietnamese people continue to suffer various cancers, birth defects, neurological and psychological problems. US and Vietnamese soldiers saw increased birth defects in children born after the war- after exposure to the chemicals. It wasn't until recently that the VA even acknowledged and began offering health coverage for veterans' health problems and birth defects related to Agent Orange exposure. Chapter 6 says that dioxin levels in soil samples from the factory in Newark are very close to levels found in Vietnamese forests where the defoliant chemical was sprayed for years. While the effects on health and the environment undoubtedly burden Vietnamese citizens and veterans most, they don't stop there. They effect US veterans, children of veterans, and citizens of Newark.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28
CHAPTER 5
The one thing that really jumped out at me in this chapter was a quote from Ellen Wright, the leader of the Jersey City Interfaith Comunity Organization. When discussing remediation of a toxic site on Garfield Avenue, close to her home, she said, "...so far none of the people with the power to clean up this site have been able to feel the same sense of urgency that I feel living blocks away from it." Throughout this whole book so far, I've been appalled and disgusted by the frequency and severity of toxicity in my home state. And while some of the toxic sites mentioned are close to me (like the radium in South Orange), none of them have really been in my backyard. Of course it makes me angry that so many extremely hazardous sites in my state and in my county have yet to be cleaned up, but if I were living on top of one, if I or people close to me were suffering the health effects that come from living in toxic waste, it would be a different kind of anger and motivation to resolve it. Politicians and CEOs of the companies that are responsible are especially removed from the issue. They don't live on top of the waste, they don't feel the effects, and as far as most of them are concerned, it isn't their problem to clean up. While politicians are supposed to represent the interests of their constituents, and CEOs should be responsible for their companies, their families are not dying of cancer from exposure to toxic sites. They don't feel the same urgency that the people who's families are affected do.
CHAPTER 5
The one thing that really jumped out at me in this chapter was a quote from Ellen Wright, the leader of the Jersey City Interfaith Comunity Organization. When discussing remediation of a toxic site on Garfield Avenue, close to her home, she said, "...so far none of the people with the power to clean up this site have been able to feel the same sense of urgency that I feel living blocks away from it." Throughout this whole book so far, I've been appalled and disgusted by the frequency and severity of toxicity in my home state. And while some of the toxic sites mentioned are close to me (like the radium in South Orange), none of them have really been in my backyard. Of course it makes me angry that so many extremely hazardous sites in my state and in my county have yet to be cleaned up, but if I were living on top of one, if I or people close to me were suffering the health effects that come from living in toxic waste, it would be a different kind of anger and motivation to resolve it. Politicians and CEOs of the companies that are responsible are especially removed from the issue. They don't live on top of the waste, they don't feel the effects, and as far as most of them are concerned, it isn't their problem to clean up. While politicians are supposed to represent the interests of their constituents, and CEOs should be responsible for their companies, their families are not dying of cancer from exposure to toxic sites. They don't feel the same urgency that the people who's families are affected do.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21
CHAPTER 4
Unlike the previous chapters, which dealt with fish and water and general cancer, which I had at least some preexisting knowledge, I knew next to nothing about radiation and radium. This chapter, like the preceding ones, was eye opening and insightful. I learned a lot about the state's history- like the fact that radium paint was produced right here in Seton Hall's backyard. This section about the "Radium Girls" was especially sad. All of these young immigrant women were not made aware of the dangers of the paint they worked with every day. The dangers were known- the chemists took precaution not to come in direct contact with it. But these poor workers were allowed to continue ingesting it and applying it directly to their body for jokes. It never fails to shock me how companies take advantage of their employees, fail to protect them (often intentionally because they would lose money otherwise), and then so often deny any blame when the consequences arise. These women suffered all sorts of cancers and anemia and bone fractures and jaw issues and deaths that could have been prevented had they only been advised not to lick their radium-saturated paintbrushes.
CHAPTER 4
Unlike the previous chapters, which dealt with fish and water and general cancer, which I had at least some preexisting knowledge, I knew next to nothing about radiation and radium. This chapter, like the preceding ones, was eye opening and insightful. I learned a lot about the state's history- like the fact that radium paint was produced right here in Seton Hall's backyard. This section about the "Radium Girls" was especially sad. All of these young immigrant women were not made aware of the dangers of the paint they worked with every day. The dangers were known- the chemists took precaution not to come in direct contact with it. But these poor workers were allowed to continue ingesting it and applying it directly to their body for jokes. It never fails to shock me how companies take advantage of their employees, fail to protect them (often intentionally because they would lose money otherwise), and then so often deny any blame when the consequences arise. These women suffered all sorts of cancers and anemia and bone fractures and jaw issues and deaths that could have been prevented had they only been advised not to lick their radium-saturated paintbrushes.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14
CHAPTER 3
"Over a ninety-year period, people throughout the developed world have been drinking low levels of carcinogens."
In the early 1900s there were many outbreaks and deaths from waterborne diseases. Sewage-contaminated water caused cholera and typhoid to run rampant, particularly with seasonal bursts. To combat these bacterial water diseases, New Jersey, and many other states soon after, started treating water with chlorine to kill the diseases. It was cheap and effective, but we later found out that chemicals from water treatment are carcinogens. Knowing this, we still treat water with chlorine- leaving 200 million people susceptible to the health risks associated with chemical treatment. We don't really know what this chronic consumption of low levels of water treatment carcinogenic chemicals will do to our health. It could lead to high rates of cancer, or maybe diseases of the mouth, throat, or stomach where our bodies are in contact with chlorinated drinking water.
This is scary to think about because as a developed nation, we think ourselves lucky to have clean drinking water readily available to us. We sometimes think about underdeveloped countries where people have to walk miles to collect clean water for bathing, cooking, and drinking. There, it is not easy to access and may not even be clean. Areas like this still suffer from the waterborne diseases that we haven't known since the early 1900's because they still lack plumbing or sewage treatment, so their drinking water is contaminated with human or animal feces. Knowing that our chemically treated water can cause cancer, are we really any better off than those whose water is contaminated with bacterial diseases? Maybe not, if either one of these water supplies could kill the drinker.
CHAPTER 3
"Over a ninety-year period, people throughout the developed world have been drinking low levels of carcinogens."
In the early 1900s there were many outbreaks and deaths from waterborne diseases. Sewage-contaminated water caused cholera and typhoid to run rampant, particularly with seasonal bursts. To combat these bacterial water diseases, New Jersey, and many other states soon after, started treating water with chlorine to kill the diseases. It was cheap and effective, but we later found out that chemicals from water treatment are carcinogens. Knowing this, we still treat water with chlorine- leaving 200 million people susceptible to the health risks associated with chemical treatment. We don't really know what this chronic consumption of low levels of water treatment carcinogenic chemicals will do to our health. It could lead to high rates of cancer, or maybe diseases of the mouth, throat, or stomach where our bodies are in contact with chlorinated drinking water.
This is scary to think about because as a developed nation, we think ourselves lucky to have clean drinking water readily available to us. We sometimes think about underdeveloped countries where people have to walk miles to collect clean water for bathing, cooking, and drinking. There, it is not easy to access and may not even be clean. Areas like this still suffer from the waterborne diseases that we haven't known since the early 1900's because they still lack plumbing or sewage treatment, so their drinking water is contaminated with human or animal feces. Knowing that our chemically treated water can cause cancer, are we really any better off than those whose water is contaminated with bacterial diseases? Maybe not, if either one of these water supplies could kill the drinker.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7
CHAPTER 2
What really stood out to me in this chapter was the section called "The PCB Project". What I didn't realize about the FDA's tolerance scale for harmful substances is that safety is not the only factor. I assumed that when the FDA looked at toxins and chemicals that can be extremely damaging to human health, that their only concern would be protecting human health. As it turns out, the economic market is also a major factor. If a value given to a chemical will negatively affect industries related to the chemical in an economic sense, the FDA will actually lower the tolerance value.
Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised by this, but I thought the FDA was trusted to protect the health and safety of Americans. By putting economic effects on the same level as health risks, the FDA does not protect our health as well as it could- and should. Lowering the tolerance value of dangerous chemicals is completely misleading to Americans. The FDA knowingly under-reports the hazards of chemicals to Americans, which I find outrageous in the "beyond all possible bounds of decency" sense of the word. This was eye-opening to me. I will forever be more critical of FDA approval of food and other products, and especially critical of tolerance values.
CHAPTER 2
What really stood out to me in this chapter was the section called "The PCB Project". What I didn't realize about the FDA's tolerance scale for harmful substances is that safety is not the only factor. I assumed that when the FDA looked at toxins and chemicals that can be extremely damaging to human health, that their only concern would be protecting human health. As it turns out, the economic market is also a major factor. If a value given to a chemical will negatively affect industries related to the chemical in an economic sense, the FDA will actually lower the tolerance value.
Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised by this, but I thought the FDA was trusted to protect the health and safety of Americans. By putting economic effects on the same level as health risks, the FDA does not protect our health as well as it could- and should. Lowering the tolerance value of dangerous chemicals is completely misleading to Americans. The FDA knowingly under-reports the hazards of chemicals to Americans, which I find outrageous in the "beyond all possible bounds of decency" sense of the word. This was eye-opening to me. I will forever be more critical of FDA approval of food and other products, and especially critical of tolerance values.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31st
CHAPTER 1
This first chapter of Protecting New Jersey's Environment covered what most Jersey residents already know- that despite New Jersey's beautiful areas of protected wilderness, the state is also highly industrialized, with tons of factories, Superfund sites, and pollution. All of this ambient toxicity can cause severe health problems for residents, particularly those who live in close proximity to sources of pollution. Even in my own town I know of toxic sites, and plenty more areas in state that were not mentioned in the text. Today there are laws that prevent dumping toxic materials wherever the company producing them sees fit, but effects from previous dumping and polluting can still be seen, both on human health and the health of the environment. Its crazy to think how much dumping happened before we knew how harmful it was, and even crazier that so many of these sites have still not been cleaned up. And it's maddening to know now how much sickness it's caused and is still contributing to.
This chapter made clear how much we didn't know about carginogens until only a few decades ago. We didn't know what dose of a substance could cause cancer, or how much of potentially harmful substances were in our air or water. It makes me wonder what we still don't know. What carcinogens will we discover in the future that we currently think are safe (or are unaware of the true danger)? The jury is still out on cell phones (or radio frequency energy) as a carcinogen. Some organizations claim there is no evidence to link cell phones to higher risks of cancer, while others suggest high cell phone usage is potentially carginogenic. GMOs are in the same boat. So far, studies linking genetically modified foods to higher instances or risks of cancer are inconclusive. But we may soon discover that the majority of foods we've been eating are carcinogens. Already, as stated in the chapter, the largest source of carcinogens is our food, though it is mainly concerned with seafood (for now).
CHAPTER 1
This first chapter of Protecting New Jersey's Environment covered what most Jersey residents already know- that despite New Jersey's beautiful areas of protected wilderness, the state is also highly industrialized, with tons of factories, Superfund sites, and pollution. All of this ambient toxicity can cause severe health problems for residents, particularly those who live in close proximity to sources of pollution. Even in my own town I know of toxic sites, and plenty more areas in state that were not mentioned in the text. Today there are laws that prevent dumping toxic materials wherever the company producing them sees fit, but effects from previous dumping and polluting can still be seen, both on human health and the health of the environment. Its crazy to think how much dumping happened before we knew how harmful it was, and even crazier that so many of these sites have still not been cleaned up. And it's maddening to know now how much sickness it's caused and is still contributing to.
This chapter made clear how much we didn't know about carginogens until only a few decades ago. We didn't know what dose of a substance could cause cancer, or how much of potentially harmful substances were in our air or water. It makes me wonder what we still don't know. What carcinogens will we discover in the future that we currently think are safe (or are unaware of the true danger)? The jury is still out on cell phones (or radio frequency energy) as a carcinogen. Some organizations claim there is no evidence to link cell phones to higher risks of cancer, while others suggest high cell phone usage is potentially carginogenic. GMOs are in the same boat. So far, studies linking genetically modified foods to higher instances or risks of cancer are inconclusive. But we may soon discover that the majority of foods we've been eating are carcinogens. Already, as stated in the chapter, the largest source of carcinogens is our food, though it is mainly concerned with seafood (for now).