The Problem with Dams

Problems with Dams

Garrison Dam

Dams are a controversial since there are both benefits and problems that come with them. The benefits of dams include irrigation, recreation, flood control, and some generate electricity. Dams help farmers with irrigation for their lands, without them it would be harder to harvest enough water to spread to their crops. Another perk is recreation with dams. Recreation include skiing, camping, swimming, ect... Dams have control of how much water the release back into the river, this helps with flood control. One of the most beneficial aspects of dams is that some can generate electricity with the water pressure. Water would push propellers to generate electricity. 

However with all these benefits, there are numerous environmental concerns to think of.  Dams are imposing on an animals natural habitat. Dams  interfere with many animals/plants life cycle that could depend on floods and a naturally flowing river. Many dams don't include a bypass system for fish and other creatures to let them pass through the dam. This messes with their cycle and could kill them. Some dams also block fish from their spawning ground. 

Soil erosion is also a hazard with Dams. There is natural erosion that happens with sediment going downstream, however when it gets clogged by the dam, the normal sediment doesn't reach downhill. So downhill starts to erode. 

Dams in tropical areas can gather disease since water is blocked off from naturally flowing. Mosquitoes that harbor disease could be more prevalent.

So with positives come negatives. Dams are useful economically, but harms the environments ecosystem. 

China's Air Pollution

China's Smog

Within the last decade or so, China's air pollution has sky-rocketed to the point where people wear masks in heavy smog. It's ridiculous. The population in China is around 1.351 billion since 2012 count according to Google. Just about 2 weeks ago a NASA satellite took pictures and a video of a city called Harbin (10 million population). The city was surrounded by smog. 

During heavy smog storms, China's schools close down. People in china are suffering in the smog that they produce. The government must pressure companies to reduce use of emissions or be more environmentally conscious in this economically driven society. They must put measures in place, set standards, and follow through with them. The public is getting restless with the pollution they live in since they have to deal with it everyday.

There was one case where there was a public outcry about an 8 year old having lung cancer from all of the smog. There is also a correlation to low sperm count and pollution.

Here's also an interesting opinion essay regarding the air pollution.

The air pollution is caused by the numerous coal factories, car emissions, and other considerable factors.

News Tuesdays

Happy Tuesday everyone! 

Here's a very interesting short article on the energy consumption in China. They ask if Dams do more harm than good. China's main drive is to prosper economically and by doing that people need more energy. However having more energy has the damaging effect of near by ecological systems.

According to a study done by NASA, deforestation has increased dramatically in Madagascar, China, and Bolivia. It's interesting how they use newer technology produced by NASA to detect forest loss. A sensor called Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to detect at least 40% of loss greenery around the world .

Researchers are looking at dog tails to determine their mood which could help owners and vets care for them. They gather information from the wags of either anxious or happy dogs. 

Big Tuna In Trouble

Bluefin Tuna In Trouble

Bluefin Tuna are in trouble. Their numbers have been decreasing due to over-fishing. It's gotten to the point where Bluefin Tuna are in such demand that the price for them is high. Just this January, a Bluefin tuna sold for 1.76 million dollars in Tokyo. That's a ridiculous amount, but it's because Bluefin tuna are integrated in many meals like sushi. Primarily, Bluefin tuna are used in Japanese delicacies like sushi and Japan consumes 80% of bluefin caught around the world. The largest players that catch them are Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and the United States. 

Just this year, they recorded that more than 96% of Pacific Bluefin Tuna are in decline. It's been a few years that Bluefin tuna are endangered, but as time goes on and as they reach critical endangerment, fisheries and tuna lovers will face hard times. The Bluefin tuna are being caught at their juvenile stage, before they can even reproduce. It takes between 4-8 years for Bluefins to reach sexual maturity. "Stocks of all three bluefin species —the Pacific, Southern and Atlantic — have fallen over the past 15 years amid overfishing" 

Here's a long article by the National Geographic that might put this whole theme of "overfishing" into perspective.