Monarch Butterflies

The great Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, has been dying off for the past years. But, now an environmental group has sued EPA on allowing the use of a herbicide, glyphosate, and other herbicides by Monsanto Co's Roundup. The environmental groups and NRDC,Natural Resources Defense Council, wants EPA to review the harmful effects of herbicide on Monarch Butterflies. EPA claims that the science behind the herbicide is still evolving. The lawsuit claims that the number of Monarch butterflies have dropped from 1 billion to 56 million. This is a problem that our country must address.

Monarch Butteflies

(http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/environmental-group-sues-us-epa-over-mon?articleId=USKBN0LV2F320150227)

Monarch Butterflies are some of our State's butterfly and they look pretty and adorable. Monarch butterflies are required to pollinate vegetation, eat rotting fruits, and aphids. We need these beautiful Monarch butterflies to ensure that America's wild life stays in balance and to ensure that our tourism is not hindered. These majestic creatures are truly majestic, for I have seen them fluttered. Nature adapts, but we must help Nature.

Migration route

 (http://paulmirocha.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Monarch-Map_MW.jpg)

-Stephen

Pig Farms and The Environment

Large farms/factories that produce livestock, such as pigs are what feed America's growing population with delicious pork products, such as bacon, but residents around such farms are not happy. These farms produce a lot of manure, which are then used to fertilize surrounding farm fields or are just flung into the rivers. Which causes residents to complain about the smell, using law suites saying that they con not enjoy their property, and that the rivers are not clean enough to drink out of. Environmentalists, residents, animal rights activists, and supporters of local farmers are fighting against the large farms. The large farms/factories say that they do follow environmental standards, but not all factory farms do as some residents complained on how the drinking water is not clean. Most active activity with these farms are from Washington State to North Carolina.

These farms/factories are what keeping pork and other meat products low. Beef takes too long to make, but it is pretty good for the time it takes. This is exactly what the American public must fear, an increase in prices for meat products if we were to stop these farms and factories from growing. However, it may be sufficient to feed America's current and near future population, it will not be enough with our increasing population. We also need these farm/factories to send out pork exports and make jobs. However, if necessary precautions are not done, then the surrounding lands around the farms/factories will become polluted. So it must be up to the American public, since there must be more people protesting on the issue, for deciding which is more important, livestock or our America. If there were any vegetarians reading this article, my jokes on meat products were meant to be humorous, I did not mean to offend anyone.

-Stephen

Note, although these pigs are free from cages, most farms are not like that.

More Producation, less pollution; doable

Companies in the U.S. has been reducing Sulfur emissions while increasing production. Especially for manufacturers. Not only that, but manufacturers did not outsource much. However, Obama still wants to lower our carbon emissions. The improvement on decreasing pollution but increasing production is due to technological improvements, based on Arik Levinson. This improvement will no doubt continue as technology just keeps getting better, but there might be a spike in production causing more pollution than predicted.
Environmentalist groups will continue to want the environment to get better, for we only have one Earth and that is their nature. But, technology will continue to get better, along with alternatives in obtaining more energy. However conventional ways of obtaining energy will continue to exist and it is rather cheap, like coal, so we will always continue to produce pollution. However this is only for sulfur emissions, not carbon emissions.Carbon emissions have stayed relatively the same, even with breakthroughs in technology, probably due to the fact that our demand is balance out with more power plants that generate more pollution. So, in the end we must continue to fight our for our Earth.

From EPA

Project Port San Luis

Hello guys there is a new project going around in the areas of Port San Luis. The project has been going on for some time now and is called the Harbor Terrace. It is decided that the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will hear the oncoming project on March 12. However, to proceed the Planning Commission will have to issue a coastal development permit so that the project can continue on. Now, let’s talk about what the project really is.

 The project includes a restaurant, store, 34 acre campground and other facilities to be made along the lines of the entrance to the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. The camping is also said to consist of tent camping, recreational vehicle hookups and cabins. The Home Fed Corp. of Carlsbad is said to be selected to run the project. The expected cost is about $20 million to build the facility. More information will be provided at a later date.

sanluisobispo

Energy Saving House

Hello guys long time no see. Today we are going to talk about the saving of energy and the use of Thermos-Like Passive Homes. Row houses near the White House are fit with solar panels which is claimed to produce a lot of savings in energy.

The houses are so sealed that they act like a thermos so that the heat can stay inside. We are moving forward in the world by building new innovations and saving more energy. The houses are also affordable as they are built for low-income families.

The house can revolutionize the way we as humans use energy, so that we can keep the environment safe. Energy is something we must take great care in. Many people waste energy every day, and it costs them and the planet a lot. These houses can help stop that. They can help bring down the costs and the wasteful energy.

nationalgeographic

Our Civilization is in Danger

Goodbye.

Valentin Sigalov // Prokhor Zakharov

The Guardian reported on environmental degradation on Earth. Apparently, our kind of life on Earth is at risk of dying out due to humanity’s consumption of resources and general degradation of our own life support systems. The rate at which we are growing causes great damage to ourselves.

They split the devices required for the survival of life into 9 categories, of which 4 are massively off-track - exceeding safe levels. The effects of our ever-growing civilization includes human-driven climate change, loss of biosphere integrity, land system change, and phosphorous and nitrogen content in oceans due to fertilizer run-off.

In the last 60 years, we have caused changes not seen in the last 10,000 years. Carbon dioxide levels are at historic highs, and the rate at which species become extinct is now 100 times faster than ever before. Our urban populations have increased seven-fold, energy use by a factor of 5, and fertilizer use by 8.

The article proceeds to explain that these actions are driving the planet into the environment not hospitable for human life. So, what are we going to do about it? Well, according to the writer of the article, our economic system is driving us towards an unsustainable future. Our generation will be the ones to experience the blow of this maddening industrialization and growth. So that’s probably what we should change for us to stand a chance.

“History has shown that civilisations have risen, stuck to their core values and then collapsed because they didn’t change. That’s where we are today.”

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Yellowstone Oil Spill

Valentin Sigalov // Prokhor Zakharov

Just a few days ago, a Montana pipeline burst, which led to over 50,000 gallons of oil to gush into the Yellowstone River. This led to their governor declaring a state of emergency, warning residents of nearby cities to not drink the tap water.

The pipeline ruptured 5 miles upstream from Glendive, right into a frozen river. This is both a blessing and a curse - The oil hopefully wouldn’t spread far, but the weather conditions make it difficult to clean. Nearby residents reported a distinct diesel smell from their drinking water.

This isn't the first time that an oil pipeline has ruptured into this river - back in 2011, 42,000 gallons poured out of an Exxon pipe. These incidents are exactly what leads me to be against the construction of pipelines, specifically, I am referring to the Keystone XL. A high chance of causing ecological disaster for slicing off a few bucks off the final product’s cost. Is it truly worth it?
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