Bolivia's Approach to Tackle Waste

   Waste is a major problem in Bolivia so they decided to tackle the issue by promoting more recycling. They have containers for plastics and cardboards.  The plastics that are collected are melted together and turned into a material called plastiwood.  Plastiwood is used to make furniture in schools to show the students the direct effects of recycling.  I really enjoyed how they repurposed the material, especially for something that is beneficial to the community like school furniture. Often I see products made out of recycled paper or plastics that are use to make a profit. It would be interesting if we did something similar to this in the US.  I feel like I would personally make an attempt to recycle more if I knew that I could see a physical benefit as making furniture for schools.  

HemisfairPark Revitalization

    

   Within the next couple of years there will be big changes to Hemisfair Park, One of the main changes is to make the park more sustainable. According to the Hemisfair Park website, here are some of the ways the park will be sustainable: (taken from proposal)

Water-Plan for sustainable stormwater management and rainwater
harvesting; introduce water features for microclimate control.

Connections-Establish Hemisfair as a “Transit First Zone” –
incorporate the practices of “Smart Growth.”

Energy-Consider the use of rooftop solar collector arrays. Reduce
demands of energy through sustainable design.

Climate-Promote heat island reduction through the use of green
roofs and “Green Streets.”

Best Practices-In all building design, follow “green” building practices
and consider adopting LEED standards as a measure of compliance. A
separate Sustainability Framework and Strategy for the site should be
prepared to guide future development on the site.

Coordination-Promote an overall integration of systems for the entire

Hemisfair and Convention Center site.

   Since San Antonio is growing quickly as a city, it is in much need of a revitalization to its park systems.  The culture is changing and I feel that the younger demographic and the new generation to San Antonio will be more environmentally conscious.  Changes like these would fit the image of the new San Antonio.  The park will use less energy and be more self sustainable but it will also be a representation of the city.

   A link to the master plan is available HERE.

Midway Project

MIDWAY a Message from the Gyre : a short film by Chris Jordan from Midway on Vimeo.

   Photographer Chris Jordan is working on a project that reveals the realities of pollution.  Midway is a remote island located in the middle of the pacific ocean where garbage from the ocean collects. Midway is also home to a large population of birds. These birds consume the garbage and feed it to their young which leads to their death. Jordan is documenting the island over a span of several years to show the real threat of pollution.  In his photo series you can see the trash in the stomachs of the decomposing birds.  The way the trash gets there is from being thrown into the ocean by people.  You can see bottle caps, toothpics, golf balls, and various pieces of plastic. You can make a contribution to the project by visiting Midway Project.

Fracking in Texas

   Often times its hard to understand issues that are affecting the environment.  Things that are talked about in the media are often times so far away and out of our normal lives that we are often disconnected. But this issue hits home.  Texas has some of the largest gas deposits in the world.  According to sourcewatch.org, "If Texas were a country, it would be the third largest producer of natural gas in the world, behind Russia and the rest of the U.S." With the boom in fracking comes a lot of problems. This video talks about some of those problems ranging from "nausea, nosebleeds, headaches, body rashes and respiratory problems." It's scary to think that this is happening in South Texas but many places are making changes to regulate fracking. You can visit http://earthjustice.org/features/texas-and-fracking to learn more about fracking in Texas.

Microbeads: A New Threat

   As society is changing, new threats are being posed to our environment.  With the creation of new materials come new problems on how to dispose of them.  One material that has been causing issues within the past couple of years are plastic microbeads. These microbeads are commonly used in facial products and range in size from 0.0004 to 1.24 millimeters.  The beads are so small that they make it through water filtration systems and end up in natural water sources. 
   According to an article on NPR, researcher Sherri Mason claims that "her testing found, on average, 17,000 bits of tiny plastic items per square kilometer in Lake Michigan." The article also states, the reason this is an issue is because plastic acts as a sponge and absorbs many toxins. Fish mistake the beads for food and eat them causing the toxins to enter the food cycle.
   Many states are banning the use of microbeads and companies are discontinuing the use of the beads in there products. Instead, consumers should use products with bead alternatives.

Lake Eerie's Algae Problem

   This past year there has been an increase in toxic green algae in the US. According to an article on National Geographic, "experts say harmful algal blooms that can turn tap water toxic and kill wildlife are becoming more common in coastal oceans and in freshwater across the United States and around the globe." Scientists say, "a transition from small farms to industrial-sized operations has increased runoff in recent years, and that climate change, with more intense storms and warmer temperatures." This toxic algae is responsible for the death of many aquatic animals and even affected tap water in Toledo, Ohio.  This is one of the effects of global warming and pollution.

Cultural Awareness of Global Issues in 2014

   Growing up I remember seeing a lot of information on how the things we do affect society.  I was born in 1989 and grew up in the 90's.  In children shows, movies, books, magazines, and other things there was always an awareness of how the things we do affect the world.  I remember seeing movies that talked about the cutting of the rainforest and the affects of trash in the ocean had on animals. At the time I wasn't really aware what I was seeing and what true affects it had.  But now that I'm older, I feel that exposure to those ideas at a young age set me up for a better understanding and awareness of these issues as an adult.
   Something I experience today is talking to global issues with my younger brother.  He is currently 16.  Growing up he wasn't exposed to those ideas like I was as a child so those issues don't have a connection with him.  Something that is missing in todays society is an importance on getting people involved and making them feel like they can make a difference. It seems as if people gave up hope with these issues.

Response to the Global Warnings

   As the world is rapidly growing there are also many changes that are occurring.  With the growth of the human population, many resources are dwindling. With the consumption of those resources it is creating many byproducts that are affecting our environment.  It's something we hear almost everyday and it seems like an endless battle.  Should it matter? Should we even attempt to make a difference? Is there any hope?
   This blog will explore the different signs and try to understand the issues our world is facing today.  I'm going to explore many different aspects that affect the world; some that are well known and some that are not.  In the end, I hope to gather enough information to educate my readers and also help them understand how they can make a difference.