Last APES blog post EVER - Iran's Salty Dilemna

Well, I can admit, it's been fun. Being in the class, that is, and enjoying Schaedel's insane antics all the while. I'm happy to say, this will be my last APES blog post for the rest of my days. Thank you, Mother Nature. It's finally over. But seriously, the final topic is on Iran's problem with their largest lake, Oroumieh, turning into salt.

This is an issue. Can you imagine? Going out to your favorite family vacation spot, the third largest saltwater lake, and then one day finding all the beautiful H20 has shifted into salt filled liquid. That is disgusting. Apparently, this lake has shrunken down 60% over the past few years, and will eventually disappear. Boats have been getting stuck in the increasing salt amount, as it has been lamenting the bottom of those boats so much they cannot move any furthur. Home to pelicans, flamingos and gulls, losing this lake will mean more than just losing a photogenic tourist area.

Nature plays a big part in this water to salt effect by transferring over the salt during storms. As the rainclouds pick up the salt, it can travel then over to surrounding farmlands, raining down and slowly deterriorating fruits, plants, all that those poor farmers rely on to live. But I believe the BIGGEST issue here, is in the future, this may cause a giant salt tsunami to reign upon Iran. It is predicted at this rate, the lake will dry out in three to five years. As I know from enduring high school for four, so many years can really go by FAST. And this lake will be gone before Iran even knows it.

Unless something can be done to save the lake. An increase in rainfall would be able to help shift the future results of the lake disappearing, as it would give the lake more water, getting rid of the salt at the same time. Another possible savior would be the purple gladiolas. These "flowers have grown every year for a thousand years in the spot where a princess of Oroumieh was killed as she warned the people of the city about an invading enemy" - quoted by the Yahoo article on Iran's largest lake turning to salt. Of course, this is a legend, but you never know what could have happened, and what could have not. If this is something to look forward to, then I say let the people pray. If hope can help them, then maybe some magic is in the air that can actually help curve the lake drying out too early.

I wish Iran best of luck with this endeavor. And I also wish our class of 2011 best of luck in whatever they go out to do in the future. College is insane, and so is the real world. All we have to do to get through it and prosper is Believe and Stay chill. But not too chill, cause global warming is happening, man. And it's probably gonna get hot.

Food is a Waste. Or something like that.

Once again, I come to the conclusion at the end of a wonderfully stimulating class of AP Environmental Science, that humans suck. Big big time. Basically, the food we eat isn't as natural as we make it out to be. McDonalds is a big bully to blame for this. Taking control of what we think of today as Fast Food, McDonald's has changed the business by abusing their workers, and meat, and then serving to us options that may be delicious (to everyone but myself), but also one of the worst options we can stuff into our stomachs. We as humans tend to crave meat, it is built in our genes like craving sugar. Meat is so cheap now that we can get it anywhere, even for 99 cents. This may be fantastic for the lower class family, but health wise, this is horrible. We are not suppose to even have so much meat as we now eat. The things we stuff into our bodies, chew up and swallow, is slowly (even quickly sometimes) killing us. We might as well be feeding ourselves waste, as from my point of view, it probably would be more nutritious than this 'food' we eat today.

Waste can also equal food as some companies, Nike for a great example, will recycle nonbiodegradable parts, making the most of things that would otherwise dirty the earth and never truly leave the system. By reusing and putting rubber, plastic, other materials from their shoes into new products, Nike is helping this planet little by little to send a message, that we must be more resourceful and smart about what we throw out. Not everything we want to throw out should even be thrown out. A lot of items can be reused, if we just take the time to clean milk cartons out and use them for tap water jugs, or reuse plastic bags instead of just throwing them away carelessly. The world needs to wake up. And wake up NOW.

We Need Energy!!!

So. Basically, there is a huge problem in the world's demand for oil. The demand is spilling over the world's supply. Oil production is not able to keep up with our demand for it, therefore we are doomed. However, I feel that if we take other ways to make energy into mind, we may be alright in the long run. I'm no professor, or nerd on economics or ecology, and all that jazz. But I do have some ideas. They probably won't work out as well as I imagine. But this IS a blog. I AM suppose to just ramble on about what is going on through my head while I type. So, here goes.

Wind turbines. I was taking a trip to Indiana U. a couple weeks ago, and everytime I go to visit, I take notice of how many wind turbines are set up in the area. It is AMAZING. I must have seen around ten, twenty, maybe even thirty of these gigantic, monstrous, winged contraptions. They were impressive, with their wings slowly moving through the air, cutting through it with the immense help of the wind. All the while, energy was being generated with these movements. It was astonishing to me. I kept talking with my mom about how I wished we had more of these around Illinois, but I'm not so sure where they could go. Chicago would be a great place, just because of how windy the climate is. Maybe in the park of a museum, like the exhibits for art outside. It would be sort of cool to look at. They. Are. Huge. Just sayin'. In case you've never seen one.

Also, I'm not sure why more organizations and people aren't using solar plates on their roofs and such. That always seemed like a great idea to me, and I don't see them around too often. I wish people could take more to these options, also walking and riding bikes around, instead of everything we are doing more commonly today. America is getting pretty lazy, and it is disappointing. We need to move, we need to move NOW. Or we're all doomed. So. That should be some motivation for you.

P.s. I just had an image in my head of tiny wind turbines, like the size of hands. Wouldn't that be adorable? AND efficient? Thought so.

One Fish, Two Fish, Dead Fish, No Fish.

Nice title, I know. Thank you.

The fish are being over hunted. It's plain and simple as that. Japan and Norway are vigorously out there, capturing, killing, and selling fish on the market. But will they end all this when the fish become endangered? Most likely not. With this as their jobs, they depend on the money made from selling their catch to support their households and family. But does this make it right? I don't believe it does.

When watching Open Oceans, Empty Nets, I frequently cringed. As the people could just cut off the heads and tails of those poor fish, and throw their frozen bodies against the ground, I could bring myself to feel joy at all. It would have been odd if I felt joy during this film anyways. Point is, it really had an impact on me. Whoever had put together the movie really wanted to appeal to the audience's ethos, and capture their emotional mind to force that information of how the fish are quickly depleting in the world. I believe it is horrifying how fishermen are capturing fish. Especially with the trawling method, they are destroying the ocean floor as well as killing aquatic species. Sure, it is a quicker way to go about things, but it doesn't make it right!

One positive note I was happy about, was how there are fishermen still that use more traditional, healthy ways to catch their fish. And to know that there is a label at the fish market saying that this fish was caught using those good methods is nice to recognize. I do eat fish, even though I'm a vegetarian, I have to because I am anemic, we think. But watching that video made me not want to even go near fish for that weekend. It was horrible, and so sad. I have no jokes for it today..

National Geographic Awesome Stuff

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/11/photogalleries/101130-best-of-2010-science-nature-pictures-news-fish-hands/#/skink-evolves-live-birth-eggs_25436_600x450.jpg
Please. Look at that link, and tell me the lizard isn't the coolest thing you've seen today (thus far). Stumbling upon this image of a yellow-bellied three toed skink, found along the warm coastal lowlands of New South Whales, this australian amphibian has made a huge change in the way of its evolutionary pattern. Instead of laying eggs to produce its young, it has started giving live birth. Imagine this little skink laying there, giving live birth as if a dog would to its pups. I found it strange to picture, but incredible, all the same. This is interesting, because it is a discovery in what new things these creatures are starting to do. Who knows, in a couple years they could evolve even furthur to grow wings and fly. Probably not, but tell me THAT isn't cool to imagine either.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/11/photogalleries/101130-best-of-2010-science-nature-pictures-news-fish-hands/#/new-handfish-species-pink_20881_600x450.jpg
A fish with hands. Seriously, no, it's a real thing. The pink handfish is a newly named species of 'walking fish', who use their fins instead to move around the ocean floor like legs and hands over the traditional swimming method. Apparently, the world knows of 14 types of handfish at the moment, all of which can be found in the shallow, coastal waters of southeastern Australia. It seems Australia gets all the good species, pretty crazy looking ones that I like to gawk at, especially for this assignment, as it is my job to do so. I found this interesting because a handfish could be something I could have come up with by doodling in my notebook. To see that something so surreal is actually REAL, again, evolution is pretty amazing, and that just goes to prove it.

Oh, and here are some bonus AWESOME photos of new species I looked up. They're pretty amazing, and crazy looking, if you ask me. Enjoy.

SUPER TINY FROG {new class pet, plz?kthnx.}
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101006-papua-new-guinea-species-tube-nosed-bat-science-animal-pictures/#/papua-new-guinea-new-species-camouflaged-frog_27191_600x450.jpg

HUGE HEADED ANT {Ew.}
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101006-papua-new-guinea-species-tube-nosed-bat-science-animal-pictures/#/papua-new-guinea-new-species-ants_27186_600x450.jpg

INSECT THAT LIKES TO POKE YOUR EYES {Ow..}
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101006-papua-new-guinea-species-tube-nosed-bat-science-animal-pictures/#/papua-new-guinea-new-species-brown-katydid_27187_600x450.jpg

OPPOSSUM WITH A FEATHER FOR A TAIL {Bird-Oppossum?..}
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101006-papua-new-guinea-species-tube-nosed-bat-science-animal-pictures/#/papua-new-guinea-new-species-mammal_27190_600x450.jpg

Here's the best one.. Don't get too excited, try to stay calm..
YODA BAT {Oh.My.God.}
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/photogalleries/101006-papua-new-guinea-species-tube-nosed-bat-science-animal-pictures/#/papua-new-guinea-new-species-bat_27185_600x450.jpg

China Revs Up

Watching the second part of that dvd Mr. Schaedel showed us in class, the China Revs Up hour, I first was surprised by how quickly China is catching up to America. Of course, not in population, since China is huge compared to the U.S., but in carbon emission. It is said that China will be releasing just as much carbon emission into the atmosphere as the United States by 2030. That's not very far off, if you think about it. Pretty scary, actually, that not only will America be destroying and polluting the air, but China will be helping us out with that. Super. Great to know, right? Also, according to the UN, China is home to 7 of the most polluted cities. How sad is that? It makes me wonder how many cities America has that are the most polluted in the world. 

China is known, at least to a majority of my friends and I, for it's gigantic population. Population control in China is very strictly enforced. Families are allowed one child each, and they will have to pay a certain amount of money if they wish to have more children. But as China is still growing, there is always the scare of a possible overpopulation, leading to famine, then a revolution, and the throwing over of their government in a frenzy. Hopefully, this will not happen soon. Just maybe, China will start to slow down on the producting of babies.

China uses coal three times more than the USA does. Apparently, China is famous for having coal producing plants. Of course, this may be a cheap way to generate energy and fuel, but it is very dirty, and pollutes the air an immense amount.
Also, without steel, China's economy would come to a halt. Steel had been one of China's leading factors of pollution. But recently, Chinese government had put a stop to all the steel, limiting the output of it where factories were too polluting to the environment. I hope my sentences make sense, by the way. It's hard to type down my thoughts as I watch the video, as like notes in class, I'm slow to take down what I hear before the speaker moves on to the next topic.

Cars have started to overtake China's roads. As they once have been deserted, nowadays, it is incredibly hard to find a Chinese consumer who doesn't have an interest in owning a car, or drives one already. Luckily, there are some companies that still try to encourage bicycle riding, or walking as opposed to polluting the air with gas from cars. It's sort of funny how China houses cars from other countries other than itself. China does not manufacture any cars of their own, so they take in the cars from Germany, America, Japan, etc etc.
BUT.
What is different for China, is that the cars that have, and may create in China that are models from around the world, have the emission 2 model of engines. Meaning, their equipment in the Chinese cars are about ten years older than what cars use today say in Europe or America. So, the emissions given off from the car is even more filled with bad toxins and icky stuff for the air. That sort of makes me want to frown at China even harder than before. If my frown could possibly fall to the floor, that's where it would be at this moment in the program.

Even though China has the largest population, only 7% of China is airable land. O.M.G. That is horrible!! China is seriously being pushed to it's limit. It's like, as that percentage diminishes, China will explode. And if China explodes, then we will explode from some sort of ripple effect. I think to solve this problem, China needs to have an intervention with itself. Or, sit down, look out to the country, and say Slow. Down. Nothing good can come from all this, except manufactured items to export to America. But, that's selfish of us, since everything we own is pretty much made in China. This is a serious problem, and I believe China really should try to calm down, be responsible, and take hold of it's own reigns.

Clean Stoves FTW.

According to an article in the New York Times (A Move to Replace Soot-Spewing Stoves in the Third World), in developing countries, millions are still using primitive indoor stoves. These stoves are nothing, nothing compared to the kind we would use in America. Fueled by crops waste, coal, wood and dung, these stoves are creating a major problem for the people of the Third World, and for the rest of the earth. Not only is it producing toxins that can cause users to come down with diseases, and various sicknesses, but it is also pertruding chemicals into the air that add to the effects of Global Warming. All in all, these stoves are a problem. As it turns out, this problem has a solution. Hilary Clinton has been working on funding money to give 100 million clean stoves to these countries, in order to replace their dingy, unhealthy and just no good kitchen appliances. These stoves won't be all out until 2020, unfortunately, but Hilary is working on it with the help of organizations, like E.P.A., and other governments wanting to assist these poor people.

My reaction to reading this article wasn't positive one, because it probably shouldn't be. I think it is horrible, and so unfortunate. The moment these individuals find resources to build and work their own stoves the best they can with what they have around them, it turns out to harm them, those around them, and everyone on the planet. It's very sad and unlucky. I was proud of the Third World users of these dirty stoves, though, as it is impressive they were successful in cooking meals and providing for their families. It just turns out to bring everything downhill once it was found out these stoves were a problem, and not the solution they thought they had come upon.

I found it surprising that it was predicted to take until 2020 to have these clean stoves ready and shipped over for the people of developing countries. That is such a long time away. It's only ten years..but still, it's more than two, five, or eight. So, still, people will be dying from diseases caused by these stoves, and still, the air will be tainted with the harmful chemicals and soot thrown into the atmosphere. It's a sad fact, and it surprised me entirely.

By replacing these stoves, I believe all aspects of life will change for the Third World-ers. Not only will their food most likely taste better, it will be faster to cook, easier, and be more efficient on taking up less space. The air will be cleaner for their living areas, which means they won't become sick from the soot and debris from cooking with the stoves, as these new stoves won't produce any of that icky, bad stuff. It will also combat global warming by, again, not releasing all the toxins it did before into the atmosphere. And it will also reduce deforestation by eliminating the need for wood to fuel the stoves.

In conclusion, of course these new stoves are a great thing to have for the Third World population. I say, YESSSS to Hilary Clinton for working on helping them out. I would clearly give her a high five if I could.