<![CDATA[Just A Pale Blue Dot

<![CDATA[Just A Pale Blue Dot - Blog]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 20:57:32 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[How Can Mariculture Help Save The Oceans? (EarthTalk)]]>Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:39:41 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/how-can-mariculture-help-save-the-oceans-earthtalkI joined as an EarthTalk Columnist at E - The Environmental Magazine, a non-profit organization aimed towards education and empowerment of its readers. Here is my most recent article.

Dear EarthTalk: What is mariculture and why are proponents so bullish on it as a solution to environmental challenges?

—Peter Manchin, Atlanta, GA

Growing demand for seafood adds more pressure to ocean populations. Mariculture has an alternative that can help mitigate environmental challenges and even climate change. This type of aquacultural practice cultivates marine species in their natural habitats. Like conventional land-based agriculture, farms are carefully monitored and use a variety of pens, nets and cages to centralize the farmed species. Among the organisms are mollusks, crustaceans and finfish, all which are a popular staple for seafood.

Traditionally, seafood production involves catching these animals in their natural habitats, a process that entirely removes organisms from the ecosystem. If demand is high, overfishing can greatly disrupt the wild populations and reduce the long-term viability of seafood industries. Biodiversity will also plummet if this trend continues. In the 2022 Food and Agriculture Organization Report, researchers found that 35 percent of fish were overfished, causing many populations to decline and reach endangered levels.

Mariculture is a very promising solution to these impacts due to its regenerative capabilities and controlled approach to food production. Most mariculture species are born in hatcheries or taken in small amounts from the wild, leaving the natural populations relatively untouched and free of any human-induced pressures. As Robert Jones, Global Aquaculture Lead at The Nature Conservancy, explains, “[Marine] aquaculture can be one of the more resource-efficient means of animal protein.”

There have also been developments toward transforming mariculture into a way to fight climate change. Since oceans absorb around 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, adding marine plants like seaweed to farms can accelerate this carbon sequestration. That said, mariculture isn’t perfect. Farming in open waters can create a lot of waste from feces, uneaten food or chemicals. Also, accidents are much more detrimental to the ecosystem, causing disease spread and invasive species if the organisms ever get into the wild. Nonertheless, researchers continue to restructure their approach to mariculture. A report by Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Mariculture noted how selecting farm sites with strong water circulation can help disperse waste and mitigate this issue. There has also been increasing supervision and protocols regarding farm species’ health, which can reduce the possibility of disastrous escapes.

To support mariculture and contribute to a future of sustainable seafood, make wiser seafood choices that promote responsible practices. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch can provide many helpful resources for finding sustainably sourced fish. You can also encourage businesses to adopt mariculture products or supporting investment and research to integrate mariculture.
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Seafood Watch

]]><![CDATA[Bridging Environmental Academia to Real World An In-Depth Look featuring Dr. Jeremy Sorgen]]>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 06:20:10 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/april-14th-2025As our world constantly searches for solutions to our growing climate crisis, environmental research has become ever more critical to prevent our planet from becoming uninhabitable. Whether this exploration entails technological solutions or environmental philosophy, this research can help us find possibilities for positive change in our world. Yet, among the thousands of published articles, it may feel like nothing has significantly changed in how we approach climate change. As I begin to explore environmental academia in my own life, I have always wondered why this occurs.

My curiosity led me to Dr. Jeremy Sorgen, an environmental researcher and professor at Mills College Northeastern who specializes in philosophy and tribal research. From our talk together, I realized that though we may understand the theory and information about solutions to environmental issues, how can we actually implement, solve, and practice them in the real world?

Sorgen began his career as a philosopher. He grew fond of the field, believing that “philosophy as a discipline can actually improve the condition of the world and respond to social problems in a way that makes a difference right beyond the academy.” Studying ethics, religion, and the environment, Sorgen hoped that his academic career would lead to real social justice and change in the world. Through writing his dissertation and gaining more experience in this field, Sorgen “saw this disconnect between academic research and action in the world.”

Especially when dealing with communities and diverse groups, environmental research can seem inherently extractive. We tend to helicopter in for the sake of academia but do little to reciprocate the kindness of these groups for sharing their knowledge. As a result, high-level academia tends to boil down to capitalist schemes by universities and research facilities that hope to gain popularity from their efforts; real-world social justice becomes just secondary.

Sorgen hopes to rewrite this narrative through an idea called engaged scholarship. Instead of isolating the realms of social change and intense research, researchers can directly stir social change in collaboration with communities. In the context of environmental research, Sorgen believes this approach can be especially effective in mitigating the impacts of our climate crisis. Addressing this predicament, he believes that “we need some level of cultural and institutional change that gets us to political questions. What are the institutions that are driving the climate crisis, what are their histories?” Beyond technological advancements, understanding the politics and social knowledge of the climate crisis is vital—insights that can be gleaned through working directly with these communities.

For example, Sorgen’s research has uncovered the importance of “learn[ing] from the people who have historically shown that they know how to live in relation—in a different relationship with the land.” America’s history of settler colonialism often masks Indigenous knowledge and the connection between this less popular culture and the environment. Recently, Sorgen proposed that uncovering and bringing this knowledge to light suggests that solving the environmental crisis involves “redistributing power to groups that know how to live in relationship with the land.”

In a world increasingly shaped by ecological uncertainty, Sorgen’s vision of engaged scholarship offers a hopeful path forward—one grounded not just in data, but in dialogue, justice, and collective responsibility.]]><![CDATA[Greens Bracing For The Worst With President Trump, Take 2 (EarthTalk)]]>Sat, 15 Feb 2025 20:20:56 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/greens-bracing-for-the-worst-with-president-trump-take-2-earthtalkI joined as an EarthTalk Columnist at E - The Environmental Magazine, a non-profit organization aimed towards education and empowerment of its readers. Here is my most recent article.

Credit: Houston Public Media

Dear EarthTalk: What can we expect regarding changes President Trump is promising regarding climate, environment and energy policy? —Name Witheld

Despite only being in office for a second term for a few weeks, Donald Trump has already begun rolling back climate initiatives and environmental regulations. Trump, who has previously called global warming a “hoax,” made bold decisions in his first term; notably, he slashed the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and also replaced Obama’s Clean Power Plan which mandated states to reduce carbon emissions. With his return, Trump has pledged more efforts as follow-ups to his previous acts.

One of his promises is removing strict environmental regulations on the fossil fuel economy. On January 20, Trump announced a “national energy emergency”—the first in Presidential history, only preceded by regional energy crises in the early 1970s. This assertion gives Trump the authority to limit environmental regulations on oil firms and boost the use of natural resources like coal. Yet, the U.S. isn’t facing a fuel shortage like in the 70s: Bank of America analysts predict that oil prices will fall in 2025 as the American crude supply surpasses its demand. In his second inaugural address Trump stated, “we have the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it,” adding that America stands on “liquid gold.” While more drilling could lower energy prices, this optimistic outcome isn’t guaranteed and could also spark a price resurgence from the oil industry’s boom-bust cycle. His policies, however, do assure an increase in national emissions and pollutants that would exacerbate global warming.

Trump is also targeting the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Over the last four years, Biden’s administration promoted emission-reducing cars and put regulations on total emissions for gas vehicles. By removing these standards, Trump hopes to save “our auto industry” and keep his “sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers”—though he misinterprets Biden’s regulations and treats them as mandates to ban gas vehicles entirely. Trump will soon work to remove more integrated EV policies such as tax credits.

Trump has also withdrawn from the Paris Agreement—an international treaty with over 190 countries aimed to combat climate change via emissions reductions—just like he did in his first term. He hopes to save America “trillions of dollars” by pulling out of these climate accords first ratified 10 years ago. With 2024 already exceeding the agreement’s intended limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius as the hottest year ever recorded, global warming will likely continue to rise during his presidency. That said, many leaders are optimistic about halting climate change. Said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, “Chicago and our peer cities are, and will remain, at the forefront of climate action.” To fight environmental deregulation, contact your local representatives, join advocacy groups, or donate relevant organizations.
CONTACT

Trump May Thwart Federal Climate Action, but Opportunities for Progress Remain

]]><![CDATA[Bullish on Bamboo: Fast Growing Hardwood Alternative Wows Green Builders (EarthTalk)]]>Mon, 13 Jan 2025 04:51:38 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/bullish-on-bamboo-fast-growing-hardwood-alternative-wows-green-builders-earthtalkI joined as an EarthTalk Columnist at E - The Environmental Magazine, a non-profit organization aimed towards education and empowerment of its readers. Here is my most recent article.

While trees die after harvest & take decades to regrow, bamboo stalks can be continually harvested & regenerated without killing the plant. Credit: Pexels.com.

Dear EarthTalk: Why are some people in the green building industry so bullish on bamboo? —Tim Carey, Puyallup, WA

Bamboo, one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet, is well-known as a rudimentary building material used for many centuries. Today, although the resource is often limited to scaffolding or remote housing projects, advocates have recently rallied for its usage in modern construction. To combat growing greenhouse gas emissions in this industry, bamboo can become an alternative to traditional building materials, mitigating climate change with both economic benefits and sustainable qualities.

Contrary to popular belief, bamboo is a type of grass, not a tree, so it has a unique advantage as timber. While trees typically die after wood harvest and take decades to regrow, bamboo stalks can be continually harvested and regenerated without killing the plant, practically turning it into a limitless renewable resource. In addition, bamboo can match the sturdy properties of more resource-intensive substances. It withstands compression forces greater than concrete and has a tensile strength similar to steel.

What makes bamboo so unique is its ability to fight climate change directly. Like most plants, it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas, throughout its life, removing it from the atmosphere and storing it. Researchers at China’s Xihua University note that every cubic meter of bamboo structural components store up to 187 kilograms of CO2 in its entire lifecycle. If harvested and utilized as a material, bamboo can act as a long-lasting vault for emissions.

“It’s a great way of taking carbon out of the environment and making sure it doesn’t get re-released,” Atelier One engineer Chris Matthews told Dezeen in 2023. “In general, the idea of bio-based materials where we are capturing carbon and locking it up in a building—that has to be the way forward.” Usually, industrially refining timber like tropical hardwood emits CO2 enough to offset the benefits of this carbon bio-capture, making the process carbon neutral. Bamboo, however, is different. Dutch researchers found that the carbon footprint of flattened bamboo (similar uses to tropical hardwood) is a net-negative.

Bamboo isn’t perfect; Matthews admits that it is “prone to fungal and insect attack.” Thus, researchers continue to engineer more effective products such as laminated bamboo, densely glued blocks of bamboo fiber and hybrid materials. Project Drawdown, which provides free climate solutions ideas and guides to facilitate the transition to a carbon-neutral world, sponsors projects to implement bamboo into degraded forestland to help mitigate climate change. Bamboo can become the future of sustainable construction. Bamboo’s renewability and carbon-sequestering abilities make it an ever more valuable building material.

CONTACT

Designing with Bamboo for Superior Environmental & Human Health Impacts

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

]]><![CDATA[A Visit to the Santa Ynez Chumash Plant Nursery: How Indigenous Knowledge Shapes Our Understanding of Wildfires]]>Wed, 31 Jul 2024 04:42:38 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/part-1-a-visit-to-the-chumash-plant-nursery-understanding-the-wildfire-wreck

Source: Smokey Bear. Recently, Smokey the Bear retired to change society's perspective on wildfires as something to oversee rather than immediately destroy.

After the long 45-minute drive from the coast of Santa Barbara, I finally emerged into the scorching weather of inland California, standing amid dry grasslands and beige hills. In the distance, brush was erupting into flames as the smoke blew away eastward. I was lucky; a few hours earlier, the smoke had engulfed this exact spot in toxic fumes. I could hardly believe that this lonely nursery, one of the few run by Native Americans, exists in this dry, smoke-choked field. While today’s society views wildfires as horrific conflagrations, the California Indigenous peoples have understood fire as an essential part of the ecosystem – a key to their livelihood and heritage.

As I stepped into the open-spaced compound with both free-ranging vegetation and potted plants, Diego Cordero – the land technician at the Santa Ynez Chumash Environmental Office – introduced a project to revive native plant growth for the tribe. The Chumash Plant Nursery, he explained, was a way to restore a part of their lost traditions by regrowing these cultural tokens for their future.

It’s a miracle that this fragment of indigenous culture still remains. When I spoke with sociocultural anthropologist Jordan Thomas in his cozy office at UC Santa Barbara, the graduate student explained to me how the rise of the mass agricultural industry repurposed much of California’s land. Industrialists began removing native plants in favor of cash crops, and efforts to preserve them became a lower priority. At the nursery, Cordero presented another reason for their decline: fire suppression.

Guiding me to a row of sprouts under the mesh canopy, he pointed to the Matilija poppy. While the plant may seem typical to others at first glance, Cordero described its unique affinity to being burned! He regularly places combustible fuel around the plant and lights it on fire, charring the seeds and soil to increase the germination rate. This plant is an example of a fire follower – a species most successful when grown in burned areas. Understanding California’s unique ecosystem, the Chumash traditionally harnessed fire as a tool to promote native plants, clearing the way for new, healthy vegetation. In addition, fire was vital to reshaping the landscape type to fit the people's needs, whether for agriculture or personal use.

What happened to these controlled burns? Researchers at UC Santa Barbara proposed that when the Spanish colonized the area centuries ago, the settlers believed that the indigenous fire practices were harmful to the environment, forbidding artificial burns and fighting any naturally occurring fires. Even after the colonial period, the U.S. Forest Service Management continued the policy of fire suppression: the Weeks Act of 1911 practically outlawed cultural fires. From advertising figures like “Smokey the Bear,” wildfires acquired a deleterious reputation and instilled excessive fear among the public.

For many communities like the Chumash, the cultural fire – a persisting part of their identity – was extinguished. Native plants traditionally accustomed to periodic fires became scarce. A few feet away from the poppy was a potted tobacco plant, another fire follower. As Cordero explained its medicinal and ceremonial purposes for the Chumash, I realized that traditions tied to these native plants could disappear as well.

The impact of fire suppression extends beyond indigenous cultures. In his upcoming book When it All Burns, Thomas explores how it can also exacerbate the effects of climate change. As wildfires become more prevalent from rising global temperatures, centuries of accumulated biomass – which should have been periodically reduced from the natural fire cycle – will make these climate disasters much larger and more chaotic. By allowing the build-up of dense forests and brush, fire-fighting today raises the perilous dilemma of whether we should remain vigilant and let biomass proliferate, or have megafires go unchecked – possibly endangering over 100,000 acres of land.

There are no easy answers to our predicament, but as Cordero suggested I freely explore the rest of the nursery, I found hope in watching these humble native plants make their return back to the Chumash tribe. Beyond their cultural context, the nursery is a small but important step toward reinstating the forgotten indigenous practices in California. After all, in a world that often seeks to control and suppress nature, perhaps the key to preserving both our heritage and the environment lies in learning to work with, rather than against, the forces that have shaped the land for millennia.

]]><![CDATA[Part 2: The Political Predicament of Environmental Conservation]]>Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:23:25 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/part-2-the-political-predicament-of-environmental-conservationRecently, we discussed Kiko Pellets and their future in water remediation.

There is no doubt that Kiko pellets and similar technology have the power to change the world. In my opinion, the science of the future is already here; the true culprits that slow down environmental conservation are the inherent government policies and lack of political action to make monumental technology like Kiko Pellets less effective in today’s society.

Chun Pong, who introduced me to Kiko Pellets, explained more about this lack of political action. In addition to Kiko Pellets, Pong described how trash could be transformed into something far more purposeful and sustainable. Unzipping his bag, Pong handed me a grayish substance in the form of a cube, claiming it to be a source of fuel and energy. My jaw dropped when he told me that it was made from our everyday trash. While landfills often contain a lot of hazardous materials, Pong was able to refine the waste to repurpose a harmful substance into a form of energy.

However, in our flawed and slow world, I realized that every innovation brings a setback. While Pong was able to create the fuel cube out of his own trash, he had trouble receiving permission to use landfill from other places. When he asked his local district’s school system if he could access their landfill for this project, he was swiftly denied. Although it is understandable why some may be hesitant to secede personal property, Pong pointed out the larger problem in our fight against environmental injustices across the nation.

In a world motivated by greed and finance, many scientific innovations – whether Kiko Pellets or repurposed fuel – are often drowned out in the political landscape. Even if these methods may be effective for environmental restoration, many believe the investment to expand its usage is not worth it, Pong explained.

Meeting Chun Pong opened my knowledge to developing water remediation projects and repurposed fuel sources. While learning about these great developments brings optimism for the future, there is still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully, applying this technology to the real world will become more accessible and documented.

]]><![CDATA[Earth Day! Unveiling Our Plastic Problem]]>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:00:36 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/april-21st-2024In 2024, the most recent alarming news about pollution is the danger and prevalence of microplastics. Now ubiquitous around the globe, microplastics are small plastic particles less than 5 millimeters long. When released into the ocean, they often find their way into the fish and eventually the food we eat. Even smaller nanoplastics have been found throughout the human body. Scientists are concerned that these can affect our bodies through heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. For a long time, people have been concerned about plastic pollution, especially in our oceans. Now with more research into the effects of microplastics on our bodies and planet, the issue has become more urgent.

In California, we have tried to reduce single-use plastics such as straws, utensils, and famously, grocery bags. Although many believe that reusable alternatives are the solution to these issues, recent research into the amount of energy, water, and waste produced by these alternatives emphasizes the complexity of this issue. For example, the new 10-cent grocery bags made of thicker plastic require more 10-20 times more resources to produce compared to the old, translucent plastic bags. One study reported that a cloth bag needs to be reused 7,100 times (!) to offset the environmental impact of the original single, flimsy plastic bag. The overuse of cloth bags for the sake of sustainability also creates problems related to cleanliness and the spread of disease that are not seen with single-use bags. In the end, we must strive to reuse these bags or donate them to others before we think about discarding or recycling them.

Recycling plastics themselves have also become a large problem. Most of the plastic items collected in our blue recycling bins are not actually recycled. Very few plastic items can be recycled, as most of them end up in a landfill or an incinerator. In the past, plastic waste was shipped away to other countries for recycling, dumping the pollution burden to poorer countries where there is less protection from environmental hazards. As these countries began refusing plastic waste arriving from our country (also known as “waste colonialism”), the cost of recycling plastics became much higher.

Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia. Courtesy of CNN

On a trip to Bali, I was taken aback by the large amount of plastic garbage on the beaches and around town. Since the island was very hot and I drank lots of bottled water, I felt bad for contributing to the pollution problem, but drinking regular tap water on the island was not an option. A lot of people had similar feelings of their contribution to the problem, and the government and several companies have formed to remove the plastic pollution plaguing the island. 4Ocean spearheads efforts to cleanup beaches all around Bali and the world, funded by sales of bracelets made from recycled plastic they have collected. The Ocean Cleanup company is more ambitious, tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which contains millions of tons of floating plastics trapped circling in the ocean. With a large net and clean up system, they hope to quickly and humanely clear plastics from a patch of ocean over 1.6 million square kilometers, twice the size of Texas. They have also targeted the 1% of rivers that contribute to 80% of ocean pollution with smaller nets called interceptors.

Reducing Plastic Pollution is not as simple as it looks; while recycling and plastic-free alternatives may seem viable, each solution holds its own problems that make the situation much more complicated and controversial than ever imagined. Recently, I switched to using glass bottles as an more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic; however, the fragility of glass bottles make it difficult to transport compared to plastic water bottles. Hopefully, in the near future, authentic efforts will be made to correct the faults in our current fight against plastic pollution both locally and globally.

]]><![CDATA[Part 1: Kiko Pellets, the Future of Environmental Restoration]]>Mon, 04 Mar 2024 01:20:01 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/part-1-kiko-pellets-the-future-of-environmental-restorationThis month, I was lucky enough to meet Chun Pong, engineer and innovator at Zoetic Global. Participating in clean and renewable energy projects since the 1980s, Pong has contributed to countless programs and has developed numerous solutions to the most pressing issues in society today. He introduced me to the future of sustainable water usage and remediation proposed by Kiko Technology.
To help paint a picture of this monumental discovery, Pong led me to a small pond in Alameda's Crab Cove Regional Park. Clear, beautiful, and filled with wildlife, the pond was once riddled with algae all across the surface. However, in a matter of days, the algae and suffocating vegetation magically disappeared from the pond and birds of all sorts returned. All it took was one pellet.
Pong told me they were Kiko Pellets – small pieces of volcanic rock and other substances scientifically compiled into a single gravel-sized rock. Unlike most water-remediating substances, Kiko Pellets did not rely on chemical or mechanical filtration to clear out the pond. These pellets utilized the power of bioremediation, where small organisms called microbes eat and clean out the waste of the pond.
Through fluctuating vibrations and altering the physical interactions of water, Kiko Pellets speed up the process of microbes that make them extremely efficient in consuming algae. The volcanic rock is a unique geomagnetic compound that causes vibrations in water at low frequencies, which naturally supports the cellular functions of living organisms like microbes. The pellet itself did not dissolve or perform any chemical interactions to clear the algae, but acted more as a catalyst and tool. In a matter of days, microbes were able to consume algae at an astonishing rate.
What really surprised me is the potency of Kiko Pellets. Pong elaborated that a single pellet could have actually cleared out 5 times the size of the pond – which was around 1500 square feet – and continue these effects for around 20 years!
The remarkable efficiency and longevity of Kiko Pellets span far beyond environmental cleanup. Pong emphasized its agricultural and industrial usage, noting how water in contact with Kiko pellets have boosted crop growth. In businesses, clean water is vital. Pong explained to me the need for purified and clean water in the computer chip industry. He told me that he was flabbergasted when he realized that the chip industry uses microbes and bioremediation to clean contaminated water.
The science and findings behind it may spearhead even greater change in a world suffering from microplastics and pollution. There are some microbes known to break down harmful substances – like microplastics and litter – just like algae-consuming ones in Crab Cove. Using the same idea of Kiko Pellets, microbes could be the future of cleaning our oceans and keeping marine life pure.
What is holding this technology back, and why haven’t we implemented it today? Stay tuned for Part 2, where Chun Pong breaks the harrowing truth about environmental technology and application to the real world.
If you like to learn more about Kiko Pellets and their case studies across the globe, visit their website Kiko Technology.
]]><![CDATA[Avian Influenza: What is Happening to the Bird Population?]]>Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/avian-influenza-what-is-happening-to-the-bird-populationOver the past few years, avian Influenza, officially known as the H5N1 bird flu, has infected the bird population around the globe. From raptors across North America to now penguins on Antartica, avian influenza has become a pressing issue in the modern wildlife world. How did this deadly bird flu even arise?

Although this may be the first time you are hearing about avian influenza, the H5N1 strain has been around for around 30 years. The first recorded case occurred as early as 1996 in southern China -- it was associated with 18 human deaths as well. Luckily, most strains of avian influenza today are not as contagious to humans. However, environmentalists have been concerned due to the record-breaking number of affected birds, both wild and commercial poultry. In the US alone, at the time of this writing, 81 million birds have been affected.

A string of articles by The Guardian describes the different animals affected by avian influenza. Many endangered animals, even those that are not birds, are threatened by this infectious disease. Our interconnected ecosystem is vulnerable, as infected birds might be scavenged by mammals or other creatures and then relay similar symptoms. Migratory routes and the movement of infected birds play a pivotal role in this contagious spread as well.

At the Lindsay Wildlife Center, I have personally seen much stress and fear around H5N1 strain. As more raptor patients enter the hospital with this influenza, safety precautions have skyrocketed in recent years to protect the resident raptors that serve as educational animal ambassadors. In 2022, for example, I had to constantly use medical shoe covers and masks throughout the building, disinfecting myself along the way too. While these measures may seem extreme, it demonstrates how contagious the disease truly is. We took every necessary step to stop the spread of this disease across the rehabilitation center.

Unfortunately, endangered species and our wild bird population are only a fraction of the problem. Economically, the avian influenza has place the poultry industry in jeopardy. With the fear of a massive outbreak among domestic birds, the poultry industry has suffered with costly sacrifices. Since December 2023, around 2.6 million chickens have been euthanized to prevent the spread of avian influenza in California. Consumers have felt the consequence of this with higher prices.

With the migration of thousands of bird species all over the world, avian influenza may turn into a pandemic. Fortunately, there seems to be very little threat to people at this time. Although there has been the rare case of a human infected with H5N1, the risk is quite low and there has not been any confirmation of human to human transmission. Nonetheless, the recent Avian Influenza outbreak is something to keep an eye on, drastically affecting industries and threatening all species across the globe.

If you want to learn more about how scientists are combating this bird epidemic, visit The World Organization for Animal Health.

]]><![CDATA[Most Impactful Environmental Stories of 2023]]>Sun, 31 Dec 2023 04:59:11 GMThttps://www.justapalebluedot.com/blog/most-impactful-environmental-stories-of-2023

Record-Breaking Number of Climate Disasters: In 2023, the US NOAA reported a record 28 extreme national disasters across the United States. From heat events to tornados and flooding, these disasters cost more than 92 billion dollars. Climate change will continue to result in costly weather events that affect human lives.
Northern Hemisphere Heat Waves: In the summer, Europe, Southern U.S. and China reached record-high temperatures that caught many off-guard. As more greenhouse gases collect in our atmosphere, intense heat waves will continue to disrupt the ecosystem and impact our safety and health.
Maui Wildfire: The Maui fire in August devastated Lahaina and affected the entire island economically. Although the true cause is still up to debate, one major contributor is climate change. High winds and low humidity due to drought conditions were likely the initial trigger. Disaster events like the Maui fires highlight the importance of environmental readiness and preparation.
Smoky, Red Skies on the East Coast. In June, New York was under red and apocalyptic-appearing skies for days. Smoke from the Canadian wildfires filled the atmosphere with the most unhealthy air quality on record in New York City. As global warming continues, wildfires will be a mainstream story even in the major metropolitan areas.
Anthropogenic Earthquakes: March A new study in March revealed that the 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Alberta Canada was actually human-induced. This is the first study to show that Injection of wastewater underground could trigger seismic activity many hundreds of miles away. We need to consider how our actions underground can affect human safety.
Environmental Injustice The 2023 "State of the Air" Report by The American Lung Association notes that 1 in 3 people live in areas with unhealthy pollution. Their data suggests that unhealthy air pollution disproportionately affects low income communities and people of color. Environmental hazards should not be left unchecked in some areas; everyone deserves the right to breathe in clean air.

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