Plastic is everywhere in our world. In fact, in the last decade we have produced more plastic then there ever was in the entire world before. The greatest problem is that much of the plastic winds up in the ocean and kills animals who mistake it for food such as a jellyfish. It is estimated that 90% of floating debris is plastic. Unforunatley for the animals, almost 267 of ocean species including turtles, seabirds, fish, etc. have been found entangled in plastic or with plastic in their stomachs. Petitions are being sent to the Environmental Protection Agency for a zero plastic pollution limit. Plastic does not belong it our oceans.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miyoko-sakashita/plastic-durable-disposabl_b_1826328.html

A vegetation species thought to be extinct for 60+ years was spotted in 2009 off the side of a Californian road. The plant called Franciscan manzanita has been tested to prove its authenticity and it is confirmed that it is indeed the long lost plant. This year, the plant was put on the endangered species list. The government spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to carefully move the plant to the Presidio of San Francisco, national park. The plant is over 50 years old, healthy, and can only grow in the San Fransisco peninsula. So plans are being made to give 318 acres of federal and state parkland in San Francisco as a habitat for the shrub.


http://articles.cnn.com/2012-09-05/us/us_california-endangered-plant_1_wild-equity-institute-sarah-swenty-manzanita

Over the past couple of years, scientists have found that the amount of ocean ice present during the warmer summer months has been depleting. They believe it is due to global warming, and are worried because the ice is melting much faster than anticipated. They are very concerned that if Antarctica and Greenland keep melting, then that rise in water level will flood major cities such as New York. It also causes problems for wildlife such as the endangered Polar Bears because they cannot find ice patches to rest on and can drown due to the long distances they have to swim.On the flip side, less ice means better and cheaper shipping routes, more oil drilling sites, and increased fishing spots. scientists also believe that if we lower our pollution and greenhouse gas levels we can help to save the ice. If helped save the ice then global temperatures would stop rising and the Arctic melting season would return to a relatively normal pattern allowing the ice to thicken. If not, then we are predicted to have our first ice less summer in 2030. 


http://www.theinternational.org/articles/239-record-high-arctic-melt-indicates-global

 In the Houston, Texas area, the Attawater Prairie Chicken struggles to stay alive. It has been on the endangered species list for years, and due to the drought last year, the population dropped from 110 to 46. As the prairie chickens loose more and more of there wild habitats to humans, major conservation and breeding efforts have started. The Houston Zoo conducts captive breeding programs to help boost the population numbers. In addition, farmers have been asked to give up some land to become a habitat for the chickens. Despite the odds, many people remain optimistic that the fight to save the species will win in the end.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Drought-deals-setback-to-prairie-chicken-recovery-3842966.php

 Texas is ranked the 10th worst state in the USA in terms of toxic air pollution. A plant in Fort Bend County  is working hard to meet and exceed the standards set by the EPA to ensure clean air. At the moment, it is one of the cleanest coal-fueled stations in the nation. They are currently working hard to clean the mercury emissions. If the plant does not meet EPA requirements by 2015, it could start to be shut down. Over time due to regulation, the United States has seen a decrease in the release of toxic air emissions.


http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/fortbend-news/article/Parish-Plant-works-hard-to-meet-standards-3788058.php

While we were in Idaho, we also went to Coeur D'Alene lake. It is a natural lake that was created by a glacier, so if that doesn't give away any indication of the water temperature then let me tell you, it was chilly. Fortunately, it was pretty hot while we were in Idaho so once you got use to the lake temperatures, it felt awesome to be in the water. Humans use water all the time whether it be recreational or to simply survive. Many people interact with the lake, and potential pollution problems could be present due to the large number of boats that go on the lake. Coeur D'Alene lake is super clean and clear as of now, and I hope everyone continues to keep it that way.

its good quality because it was taken off my phone

After Spain, my family and I ventured up to Idaho to see my mother's family. While we were there I noticed a lot of differences than what you normally see in good ole Houston. First off, agriculture is EVERYWHERE. The "highways", aka 1 lane each way roads, are surrounded by farmland, and I was lucky enough to be there while they were harvesting.

Lumber is also a prominent industry up in the Idahoian (is that a word?) mountains. I saw many logging trucks, stacks of cut down trees, and processing plants. The destruction of the forests can be a negative effect, but I believe that they are doing a decent job of ensuring that the forests aren't over used which allows for them to regrow.

In Spain, I also went to the beach in Nerja. People played in the water, lounged on the beach, and jumped off the higher cliff rocks. Everywhere I looked, people were enjoying nature's beauty (myself included). Many kids built sand castles and dug holes in the sand. I even saw some people skim boarding. The way humans are able to come into an environment is impressive, but sad at the same time. For the most part, the Spanish did a great job of keeping the beaches clean, but I regret having to inform that I did see some trash. Humans need to learn to enjoy nature and interact with it, but without harming the land and organisms in it.

me and my favorite spanish cookie enjoying the view

Nerja

Crossing the Los Cahorros bridge. hey.

 In Spain, we hiked quite a few times. This was a great eco-friendly way to look at nature. We went many miles and we were able to see all the things that nature provides for us. Many of the mountain towns rely on an irrigation system that is run by the natural springs on the mountain, and they are very cautious about using all the water to its greatest potential and not wasting it. Along our hike, our tour guide would show us berries and other herbs that grew along the mountainside and provided food for people. We also got to see the terraces that farmers created in the sides of the mountains to better there food production. The Spanish were very good at finding a pretty level balance between using the resources and conserving them.

the mountains were used for recreational purposes as well

reppin the stangs

 

 

 

 

 

Me staying hydrated on one of our many walks

Royal Palace in Madrid

view from our balcony---la alhambra in the background

Lucky me, I was able to travel to Spain for 5 weeks this summer. One thing I noticed about living in Granada, Spain was the completely different way of life. The family I was living with rarely turned on the lights due to the cost, and  used water extremely sparingly. In fact, I had to turn the water off between shampooing, conditioning, and washing my body. On top of all the eco-friendl daily routines in the home,Spaniards mainly walk to their destinations. Some use a bus transport if needing to go further distances, but very few people own their own cars. By walking and biking to different locations, the Spanish help to save the depleting resources of the world.