Personal Environmental Statement and Action Plan free essay sample

The dynamic relationship between humans, Earth and all else within has always captivated me. I was born in 1973 in Jamaica, my parents were politically active, I was taken as a child to rallies mostly about challenging socio-political injustices and poverty, in the streets of London, Kingston and New York and can recall the first time hearing such terminology as, ‘limits to growth’, ‘the pollution pandemic’, ‘alternative energy’, ‘consumerism,’ and ‘overpopulation’. Only much later did a bell go off, connecting the two seemingly separate thought structures, culminating in the realization that these ills, whether social or environmental is one and the same. The Protocols of Montreal, Kyoto and more also fueled me with a drive to make sustainable living not only more accessible, but globally more accepted. Further study of a related degree is the only way forward for me. A desire to complement the broad spectrum of Environmental Studies has quietly lead me into the fascinating intricacies of Biology. Here my newfound scientific skills are being honed by controlled experiments, leading toward statistical analysis and debating ethical issues. The thought of studying issues of such overwhelming importance still fills me with awe. Environmental Studies continue to give substance to the issues that are continually significant to me, such as biofuels, soil science, permaculture and policy. I am vehement about pollution and waste management practices/solutions now for our Island, polluted runoff is the greatest threat to Hawai`i’s surface and ground water quality. Polluted runoff, or nonpoint source pollution, results when storm water or irrigation water washes pollutants off the land—from farms, urban areas and construction sites—into our streams and coastal waters. When it rains, water soaks into the ground where plant roots and soil bacteria can absorb or breakdown many pollutants. During heavy rains, water that does not infiltrate the soil runs off into storm drains, streams, rivers then eventually into the ocean. As the runoff washes over the ground, it carries pollutants—dirt (sediment), nutrients (from fertilizers), bacteria (from animal waste), oil, trash and yard waste—away with it. Roads, buildings and parking lots prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground. This increases the volume and speed of water runoff, increases erosion and washes pollutants through storm drains into streams and the ocean. We’re putting hundreds of millions of tons of plastic and other garbage into the sea, killing marine life. Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities. From plastic bags to pesticides – most of the waste we produce on land eventually reaches the oceans, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. This includes: oil, fertilizers, solid garbage, sewage toxic, and chemicals. The Hawaii State Department Of Health, Clean Water Branch has a Polluted Runoff Control program whose objectives are management measures for Hawaii’s Coastal Non-point source. (2009) The Environmental Protection Agency has donated a grant of $1. 1 million to help mitigate issue of Land Based Pollution, (U. S Environmental Protection Agency, 2013). Algal Biofuels, promising—and has many more benefits than traditional fuels and other types of biofuels. Getting our fuel from algal sources: reduces the requirement for aerobic treatment of wastewater, reduces the land requirements for water treatment facilities when space is limited, results in a Net-positive energy gain in terms of reduction of energy load, produces a biomass source (microalgae) that has excellent properties as a feedstock for energy producing pathways, reduces the amount of anaerobic solids that are disposed of in landfills and finally, reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists at the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of California San Diego argues, â€Å"Biofuel can be produced from various sources, but yield estimates are significantly higher for algae than for any other crop. This has considerable implications for land-area requirements: algae cultivated on only 30 million hectares and yielding biofuel at a conservative estimate of 40,000 litres per hectare per year is sufficient to replace the 1,200 billion litres of petroleum used by the world’s largest consumer of petroleum, the United States† (Ryan Mayfield, 2012). (Ryan Mayfield, 2012, p. 330) Bioremediation — the application of biological processes to address environmental problems — is among the technologies being touted to treat contaminated soils and water sources, and to process wastes. There are significant advantages to using bioremediation over other approaches. Most bioremediation processes can be performed in-situ, which reduces cost and disruption to operations, simplifies logistics, and minimizes liability. Unlike many traditional methods that rely solely on disposal or containment, bioremediation usually aims to decompose pollutants, and therefore represents a permanent strategy, minimizing long-term liability. Soil Science deals with soils as an environmental resource. It includes soil characterization, classification, and mapping, and the physical, chemical, hydrologic, mineralogical, biological, and microbiological analysis of soil. Bioremediation Use of cover crops, green manures, composts, compost teas, flash-carbonized charcoal, and biological waste products to quantifiably improve plant and soil health selection of hardy crop varieties plant–microbe symbioses (e. g. , biological nitrogen fixation, mycorrhizae) and integrated pest management The practice of soil science means any service or work, the adequate performance of which requires education in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences, as well as soil science; training and experience in the application of special knowledge of these sciences to the use and management of soil by accepted principles and methods; and investigation, evaluation, and consultation; and in which to performance if related to the public welfare by safeguarding like, health, property and the environment. Practice of soil science includes, but is not limited to investigating and evaluating the interactions between water, soil minerals, plants and other living organisms that are used to prepare soil scientists’ reports for; subsurface ground absorption systems, including infiltration galleries; land application of residuals such as sludge, septage, and other wastes; spray irrigation of wastewater; soil remediation at conventional rates; land application of agricultural products; processing residues, bioremediation, and volatilization; soil erodibility and sedimentation; and identification of hydric soil and redoximorphic features. Holistically, English Literature was an obvious choice; the need for imaginative communicators is vital to catalyze understanding and unity. Extensive essay writing combined with an exploration of views and purpose has helped to further shape me into an open minded, creative, and engaging writer. Part Two Sustainable Practices I have been engaged in sustainability since the beginning of my experience as a student at Maui College. I have made use of the awareness I’ve gained learning about sustainability by participating in various projects and internships such as the Maui Smart Grid Project, spearheaded by the Hawaii Institute for Natural resources and the Department of Energy by will give me a unique opportunity to apply my studies to a real life situation and, vitally, help sew the seed of environmental conservation to tourists and our local and indigenous community. Balancing this with my other endeavors such as the Vice Presidency of our student environmental and social conscience club; The Student Ohana for Sustainability, permaculture workshops and the new gardening plot I have recently purchased access to, obtained from the campus’s community gardening program, these endeavors has proven challenging, but I have maintained my dedication to all with zeal. For the future, my vision is to use my degree to communicate the urgency to act upon what we are continually learning about the Earth, before the ramifications of our actions become catastrophic. I understand that cultures have a right to develop to gain equal standards of sanitation and economic stability; volunteering in the Salvation Army soup kitchens has shown me people who are desperately suffering. Yet it is imperative that global standards of living progress in a way that promotes harmony throughout the environmental and social realms, without compromising future needs. Retreating glaciers, drought, disease: far too many tragedies prove we have a debt to pay to our incredible planet, a duty to evolve society around sustainable ways of life. We humans have not always recognized the importance of, and our responsibility in, safeguarding the environment. In fact, we didnt always recognize that the industries that we build and the ways in which we use our resources can be damaging to the environment, or, subsequently, that damaging the environment can directly affect our health and our well being. Scientific and public awareness of the important balance between humans and nature has increased slowly since the beginning of the industrial age. Our understanding of how pollution affects our environment and us has improved throughout history because of work done by concerned scientists and citizens. Through their observations and investigations, these individuals have contributed to our appreciation of pollution impacts. Through their public action, these people have instigated changes in laws and public opinion. The work of these individuals has made a significant and beneficial change in the way we exist in, and treat, our environment. It was during an English lesson that I stumbled upon this unforgettable forecast: â€Å"The sedge is wither’d from the lake, and no birds sing. † These poignant words, by the poet Keats, were also credited in Rachel Carson’s revolutionary ‘Silent Spring’. However, I’m glad to say: Mr. Keats, I disagree. Humanity has not yet rendered your prophecy true. Through university, I hope to take my first steps to help steer the world from the clutches of devastation, before it is too late. I am inspired and privileged to live in this island community where many who share their knowledge, resources and zeal to help us, help each other .