November Update

So it's November, that means this semester is flying by.    I am actually enjoying my classes at Western.  Who would have thought Geography would be something I like, if only I'd known that 4 years ago when I was doing my undergrad.   Biogeography is awesome I wish there was more classes in it, I think that is something I really want to do like understanding geographic ranges of animals linking biology and geography so perfect.  Geomorphology started off fun going in to the forest and having fieldwork labs, which were to use the information for a filed report, which we still don't have a guideline for.  The midterm in it was hard all written had to pick 5 out of 10 questions, hope I did well still don't know my mark in that class, the rest of our marks are from a report and 2 labs we have yet to hand in.  I feel like so uncertain about the class, I like the material its interesting but I don't like the uncertainty, and now we have a lot of math stuff to do like trig equations havent done that since highschool.   My other class is a research methods class, but more on social research, but I like it and am doing a big group project on smoking, I'll get to go do some interviews soon then analyze the data.   My online class is the last for a certificate in Environmental Conservation from Guelph that I started in 2011.  It is Natural Chemicals in the Environment, I like it so far I've learned about pheromones, plant and animal interactions, pesticides (synthetic and natural) and even had to debate that both are equally harmless, next is about herbal medicine.  Pretty soon it will be Christmas, but before that is finals AHHH!  Hope I can do well and get good marks and that they will be good enough to apply fro grad school.  I tried to email a couple profs but no responses, not sure if I should try to go to their offices or follow up, maybe meet with the Environmental Sustainability Program Coordinator again, see what she thinks.  
Oh I forgot most importantly, I am doing a contract for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, for some online mapping work.  I finally started in Mid October ( a bit later than I planned).  I like it its pretty interesting, I will do it till the end of December.  I am almost half way done, good experience for the resume and good spare money, since OSAP is being cheap.  I don't get paid till the end but its good money, and they gave me extra work and want me to do more in January.   I hope if I keep doing it maybe I can get a permanent job later. 

Natural Cheimcals In the Environment

So its that time again, my course discussions usually fuel my blog posts, as I sometimes have nothing to blog about and these topics are relevant to current issues.   My online course this term is Natural Chemicals in the Environment and we have been asked to pick sides based on our own opinions right off the bat.  If you know me you know how I feel about these issues and if you don't you are about to.  Regardless keep reading please.
The first topic to debate is whether synthetic pesticides should be banned and only natural ones should be used or if both should be used.  The second is whether medicinal plants should be harvested in an unsustainable way to save lives or if the medicinal plant biodiversity should be saved over the lives of a few people.  Below are my positions. 

I have chosen Position 1: In order to protect the environment and human health only natural chemicals should be used as pesticides and synthetic pesticides should be banned.  I chose this side because I am strongly against the use of synthetic pesticides, as they have been proven to cause problems in air, surface water and groundwater as stated by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring (1962).   Beyond these obvious environmental problems synthetic pesticides have been linked to health problems in humans.  These problems include neurotoxicity such as nervous system damage, respiratory problems, seizures and even death, as well as carcinogenic effects linking to multiple types of cancer, endocrine disruption causing hormonal imbalances which can lead to cancer, and rises in childhood asthma (Draper and Reed).   What continues to make no sense in the synthetic chemical use is that we spray our food with chemicals that we know kill organisms.  If it does that to bugs what does it do to our food, or to us? Should we really be eating it? If we were to use natural chemicals such as aggregate pheromones it would give the pests a false sense of predators which they would avoid it, so if we stick to these or other biological controls our food and our health will remain safer. 

Draper, D. and Reed, M. Our Environment A Canadian Perspective 4^th Edition. Chapter 6. P 215.  Nelson Education Ltd. 2009. 

PART 2: Saving Lives VS Saving Species?

I have chosen Position 2: Protection of biodiversity of medicinal plant products must take precedence over the lives of a few.   This may seem to be a controversial choice, or that I am not being sensitive to those who need medicinal plants, but if the plants are conserved and harvested sustainably then more lives will be saved in the long run.  Medicinal plants are the oldest “medicine” known to man and have been used for 1000’s of years as natural remedies for illness and injuries.  If we have managed to use these plants in a sustainable way for centuries then we should be able to continue to do so.  Unsustainable harvesting of plants, especially medicinal should not be justified for a quick fix to “save lives”.  This would only be suitable for short periods and can cause serious long-term damage to the crops and roots of these plants.  If we protect this biodiversity of medicinal plants we are conserving natural medicine that has been used for centuries to future generations, where as if we harvest it unsustainably it will run out and will not be able to save lives in the future. I also believe that indigenous people should be entitled to have first pick at the crops in their areas before the plants can be cultivated for international sale to meet the global demands.   This is because they have used the plants for generations and cannot afford or have access to synthetic medicines that wealthier countries have. 

 

The cycle continues......Back to School...

So as most would know I am an avid earth and oceans protector.   It is my passion I love the ocean, the world and our animals, and it is my goal to get a job where I can do this or help to protect them in some way.  However the job market in this is impossible and living in London its incredibly hard.  But I try not to let this discourage me.   I apply to every relevant job in the area as well as those outside of the area.   I am pretty proud of my resume and get a good amount of responses to it and positive feedback as well.  So when I do actually get the call for the interview I prepare as best I can and I have had some sketchy ones this past summer.   The last one I went to was for a Team Leader position for a Water Plant.  First of all I have never worked in one, I don't have an operator's certificate that was required and have no manager/supervisor experience (my job experience is limited enough due to the tough field, so how would I gain manager experience).   So that being said I couldn't figure out why I was even called for it, some would say why did you apply for it then, well it was close by and water related I didn't think I stood a a chance but if you apply to these positions that are likely filled internally atleast they know your name in case a position you are more qualified for opens up.    I didn't embelish my resume it says what my real background and skills are.  So anyways I went to the interview, and the receptionist handed me a sheet of questions I would be asked, they were very job specific about water plant maintenance, finance, management, a couple I had no idea and then some that were more genera.  After seeing these I really just wanted to leave but instead I stayed.   There were 4 interviewers writing things down asking questions and me trying to answer and I had to actually say I have no experience in that it was intimidating and hard this went on for about an hour.   But that is not all there was a written component where I was assigned a scenario and had to write a memo, which is hard when you don't know their protocols but I managed to write one.  Then there was a really hard test with a lot of questions about water plant operations and procedures there was lots of chemistry and math and questions about how a plant runs which I had no idea, I am sure I bombed it but I had asked how I could study for it and was told it wouldn't be very hard.  I did my best so not much more I can do.  I also had  a sketchy interview last month what was for a junior taxonomist position at a biological firm, it sounded so perfect what I went to school for.  I knew there would be a test for it involving invertebrates.  I spent days studying for this test and interview I had out all my invert books and notes and did pracitce tests on the internet.  I felt I had prepared.  First of all this firm was located in the basement of somebody's house (not very professional).  After getting into the "lab" I was told to do the test which was a petri dish of invertebrates (mostly bugs), and she expected me to identify them without keys......talk about ridiculous.  So I tried and she told me I was doing well, then she asked me to show her 2 and I was wrong.   Then after that she told me if I didn't know my bugs and would have to relocate she didn't know how to go further than that and did not interview me further.   Talk about rude after driving 2 plus hours to get there she wouldnt even interview me.  It was also 11.00 an hour in a ritzy area of the GTA, to work in a basement who would even do that. 

Anyways, due to frustrations and the fact that I haven't found a permanent job in my field I had applied to go back to school to try to take some upgrades to apply for grad school.   I hope it is the right move, its so hard to break this school-work cycle.  I got into Western and will be taking some geography to go along with my GIS background.   I am going to be taking courses in Biogeography, which seems like a good mix of Biology and Geography, Geomorphology and Hydrology about water systems and cycles, and Geography Research Methods which has projects and qualitative and quantitative methods.  I hope I can do well, although I have biology and GIS I don't really have basic geography but I think that should be fine.  These courses seem relevant to my degree and the type of work I want to pursue and will be good to apply for grad school, that is my plan.  There was only an intro GIS course this term that seems below me the counselor told me I could take it to try to get a good mark but I'm not sure there are some other GIS ones next term that sound more interesting and would expand on my skills.   I also have one course left from my Environmental Conservation Certificate so I am going to take that as well one called Natural Chemicals in the Environment.   Back to school again in order to take more school, call me crazy if you want but I think I need to try. 

Thames River Clean Up at Meadowlilly Woods

Well, I haven't written a blog lately and I thought that I should.  Haven't done a whole lot lately but this week I took part in something that was important to me.  I helped out at a local clean up for the Thames River at Meadowlilly Woods with the Friends of Meadowlilly Woods.  This is a great opportunity to get involved in helping to clean up the local river.   It is quite an eye opener to see what things can be found in the water and along the river bed.   We found lots of scraps of metal, glass, tools, car parts, the usual coffee cups, cans and bottles, pieces of clothing/furniture and even a shopping cart.   I know it could have been a lot worse but it's still pretty bad.  What bothers me the most is how does this trash end up here.  Why are people polluting the river?  They must know its wrong, especially in today's age with all the warnings we have about pollution.   Do people not care about the river or the animals that live in it?   I really don't get how people can still pollute a river this way.  It is just wrong on so many levels.   Do people not understand if they put something in the river it will float further down?  I really want to know how we can prevent people from dumping things into the river.  Do we need more education on water pollution?  Anything dumped into the water will eventually make its way back to us.  Although London's drinking water comes from Lake Erie and Lake Huron, the river eventually drains into these lakes so it is still a concern that it could effect humans through consumption.  Also, indirectly if someone were to catch fish in the Thames and eat it it would have chemicals from the water or if someone went swimming in it too could be harmful if there were toxins.   It just boggles my mind how people can be so careless.   I know that their has been other cleanups and groups doing river clean ups along the Thames which is great and I support it but how can we prevent pollution and dumping all together.  Well maybe we should all do our parts in cleaning up when we walk by the river? Maybe we need steeper fines and better moderation of the river.  Maybe people need more access to the dumps for dumping scraps or more curbside pick up.  Pollution is not good for the animals and plants that live in the river and it degrades water quality which again will affect the drinking water eventually.  You wouldn't want to have to think before you drink, ie think about what could be in the water you're drinking.  So if everyone thought about lawsuits after they pollute maybe they would think twice before dumping trash in the river. 

Canada Day

Well it is Canada Day, the day we celebrate our great country.  As mad as we are at our current government and their cuts to well everything we can't let this damper Canada's Birthday.  Canada is a great country and always has been so lets celebrate it.  Canada deserves a celebration, it has given so much to us, and it deserves us to give back to it.  If Harper won't stand up for Canada it is up to us.   I believe as Canadians we are patriotic and when our government fails us we get really upset because we don't understand how and why our government would do that.  I take it personal when there are cuts to the environmental ministries: Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, and Natural Resources.   These are agencies I dream of working for and cutting them leaves little hopes for me getting a job and not only that it is really putting our environment at risk.  The environment is what makes our country so beautiful, destroying our nature damages the true nature of our patriotic symbols: maple trees, destroying the homes of our wildlife: beavers, loons, caribous, polar bears, etc.   It is their country too.  Lets celebrate the nature of Canada, as well as our culture, and the land.  We may not support our current policies and changes but we need to support Canada.  It is just a matter of how.   I can't support every charity through money which I am asked for on a regular basis but I think by being aware of the issues and willing to stand up for Canada and know that our country is in trouble is the first step.  I am trying my best to make this post positive and patriotic but also realistic, forgive me if I sound pessimistic.  I just wanted to give my rant on Harper but in Honor of Canada. And I think I am not alone in this.

Water Potection, What can I do?

Question #25 of the Roundtable focuses on focuses on source water protection.
Our soft deadline for your answers on the question today and for next week is April 20th.
You are welcome to offer up to 500 words.

Access to high quality drinking water is a precious resource in Canada and our city. We cannot afford to overlook our dependence on it and to sustain eternal vigilance ensuring its protection. In London, we are favoured with access through water pipelines to Lake Huron and Lake Erie, back-up groundwater wells to ensure a secure supply, and treatment plants to ensure our safety.

            

And yet, activities that cause water pollution are everywhere. From the salt we put on our roads, to combined sewer overflows and sewage treatment bypasses that end up in the Thames River during major rain storms, to the nearly unchecked chemical run-off coming from both farm fields and even our residential lawns. All this effluent flows into our streams, into the Thames River, and then into the Great Lakes from which we drink.

            

Periodically, we alert to the problem of water pollution such the Walkerton tragedy in 2000, and it draws our attention for a limited time. However, on the everyday business of ensuring the quality of water resources, the majority of us appear to pay limited to no attention. According to City officials, a survey of Londoners in 2011 illustrated that many Londoners were not specifically aware of the source(s) of their tap water.

           

 The Provincial Government is slowly putting into place "source water protection plans." "Regional source water protection committees" under the Clean Water Act, 2006 are finishing their 5 year task to prepare plans, but definitive plans are not yet in place. The Sustainable Water and Sewage Systems Act, 2002 still has not been declared into force and its regulations have yet to be approved.

            

Do you think we value our drinkable water supplies sufficiently, or do we take drinkable water too much for granted? Do you think it important that the City of London increase awareness about the connection of citizens's household practices and effluent going into the Thames River (e.g., driveway runoff and yard management)? In the face of government's long time frame and modest action on "source water protection," what do you think we should do locally on our own as individuals? What can ordinary citizens do to improve water quality and source water protection?

Answer

Personally I think it is rather alarming that we don’t know where our drinking water supply comes from.  It is something we really don’t think about, we turn on our tap we drink it we hardly think of where it comes from, Lake Erie and Lake Huron.  I think we do take this for granted and since we are getting our drinking water from another source people don’t really think about the effects of polluting our own local water the Thames River.   London residents should be made aware of their own water wastes and how they can impact the local river which will in turn empty into the drinking water supply.  I think that Londoners should be made aware of the impacts that their daily products have on our water, if possible such.  We are limited to what we throw out what if we were limited to what water we waste or what chemicals we dump.  If people don’t know then they are less likely to care.   The pollution in water does not dilute, it spreads and traces can be found at all levels of the food chain.  This can effect human health through consumption of fish and water.  

As far as household products go how do we know what will be less harmful to the water? Avoid products with hazardous symbols.   Buy only environmentally friendly products.  Look for the eco logo.  Don’t dump things down the drain that could cause problems to the sewage system such as dental floss, hair, disposable diapers and plastic tampon holders in the toilet – these items create many problems at the sewage treatment plant.  Save food scraps and compost them instead of dumping them down the drain.  Choose latex (water-based) paint instead of oil-based and use it up instead of storing or dumping it. Choose safe pest controls to eliminate pesticides in our water, DON'T pour oils, paint compounds, solvents and other products into storm sewers, onto the street, or into your driveway.  Remember water quality when camping with safe swage and boating by keeping up with maintenance to reduce risks of leaks.  Stay informed.  It’s easy. That is what I do anyways read what products are good and safe and how I can help to ensure I am doing my own parts.  London needs more awareness in the newspapers, radio, news, pamphlets, ads. 

Flouride is becoming an issue and Londoners are becoming aware, this is a problem that we can unfortunately not control in our own daily water use and consumption but atleast with household items we can control the impacts on our water supply.

http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=2C3144F5-1

Fish Habitat it's Everyone's Business

Fish Habitat it’s Everyone’s Business

What is fish habitat and why does it matter?  Fish Habitat is any place that fish go that provides fish with food, shelter, space to reproduce and spawn as well as migration routes.   What does this mean to water quality? Everything, good fish habitat proves that the water provides healthy fish populations and this is a good indicator of water quality.  Also under the fisheries act fish, shellfish and even marine mammals are considered “fish”. 

Why is fish habitat protected?  In Canada, Fish Habitat is protected under the Fisheries Act, which is federal legislation enforced by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).  The Act states that anyone or organization that wishes to work near water must ensure that they do not cause any Harmful Alteration Disruption or Destruction (HADD) to fish habitat.   Working near water includes private landowners putting in a deck, new factories, city bridges, and oh yes even mines, pipelines and oil sands.  

So what’s the problem?  You may have guessed it.  What is Harper’s favourite resource oil, therefore it is more important than our other resources fisheries, and even freshwater.  Would you be surprised to know that the next legislation that Harper plans to gut is the Fisheries Act?  Why to speed up the Enbridge Pipelines process. How would this achieve this you ask?  Well under the fish habitat guidelines every project must submit proposals how they will avoid any HADD to fish habitat and if they cannot they have to explain what they will do to rebuild it.   Before a project is allowed to start an environmental assessment must be preformed to ensure that there will be no harm to the fish habitat.  

By removing this law the government will eliminate the need for these assessments and will allow projects and developments to occur in these areas.  Therefore those pesky environmental professionals wont be getting in the way of the pipeline Harper is so insistent on.  Not only will this have serious harmful effects on the fish habitat at the site, it will effect all the fish populations in these rivers and other habitat.  These fish are food to other wildlife including grizzly bears, walruses, otters and whales.  Fish habitat is not only important to coastal communities most of the communities along the pipeline route are in BC’s interior and will suffer enormously if the fish habitat laws are removed.   Other provinces will suffer as well, our worst fear arctic gas exploration may be possible.  

First, to challenge the Fisheries Act one would need to prove that the activity in question was having an “adverse effect” which would be like saying we can’t prove conclusively that smoking causes cancer or that eating cake leads to weight gain.  Just because we cant prove it does not mean people wont get cancer form smoking, just like destroying fish habitat will kill the fish.   Second, a person would need to prove that the fish population was of “economic, cultural or ecological value” but values are based on social and cultural perspectives, which vary widely, and are infinitely difficult to nail down.

 Former DFO Scientist Otto worked for the federal government for 32 years, says “Mr. Harper and his ministers plan to remove a decades-old requirement in the Act to protect all fish habitats. Instead, the protections would apply only to fish that are of “economic, cultural or ecological value.”  This really baffles the 600 scientists that work for DFO they argue that “All species are of ecological value, a fact recognized by the current Act,” they write, “For example, some of our most economically and culturally valued fish species feed upon minnows and so-called ‘rough fish’ species, which allow them to survive and grow.”

We need to protect all of our fish species, as they are all important to the aquatic ecosystem and the food chain.  In order to protect the fish we must protect their habitat and keep the Fisheries Act the way it is.  Fish are the glue that holds our country together.  Fish support our economy, shape our cultural and are passed down to our children. 

The current Fisheries Act allows us to understand that fish need habitat to survive, and harming their habitat will inevitably cause harm to the fish.   This act has been around since the 1860s and has been serving well since, in other words “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. DFO used to pass out on pencils saying “No Habitat – No Fish”.  

Another message from DFO, I have a fish that says Fish Habitat, it’s everyone’s business.  This is so true and we need to stand up for it.  Sign the petition now:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/124/389/037/keep-protection-of-habitat-in-the-canada-fisheries-act/?cid=FB_TAF

Here are my links

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/dont-gut-fisheries-act-scientists-urge-harper/article2377774/

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2012-03-23/article-2937465/Opposition-grows-to-possible-Fisheries-Act-changes/1

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/fish-habitat-why-rock-the-boat/article2375800/

http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2012/03/15/hadd-enough-keep-habitat-protection-in-the-federal-fisheries-act/