Quarter 3, Article 10

1. BP Seeks to Resume Drilling in Gulf of Mexico

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a regional environmental issue.

4. BP has asked United States regulators if they could resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, not to long after the tragic oil spill. The oil spill devastated ecosystems, displaced populations, and even killed numerous people because they spilled 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf. BP is looking for permission to continue to drill at 10 deepwater production wells in the region in July in exchange for complying to stricter safety and supervisory rules so that an accident like what happened does not occur again. President Obama says that he is seeking to reduce our dependence on imported oil by increasing domestic production. This shows that Obama may be considering letting BP resume drilling. Many companies have been allowed to resume drilling in the region if they comply with the new regulations. Some companies include Exxon Mobil and Chevron.

5. I don't think that BP should be allowed to resume drilling until the mess of the oil spill is cleaned up as best as it can be. I think they should suffer stricter consequences for what they have done. Although this means that we would have to rely on foreign oil, I believe that if we do not punish BP for the huge mistake they made, it is more likely that if they resume drilling another accident is bound to occur and this time it may even be worse than what happened in the Gulf.

6.Compensated- to make amends for

Quarter 3, Article 9

1. World Bank Proposes to Limit Funding to Coal Plants

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.

4. The World Bank has issued new rules regarding the use of carbon-intensive coal burning plants. These new rules would only allow lending for coal plants to the world's poorest nations and would only lend after renewable energy choices have been completely ruled out. The President of the World Bank has spoke out and says that we need to do something about the climate change and move away from the amount of fossil fuels we currently use. Although he has says this, the actions of the World Bank show to be very different. Last year the bank received criticism for approving a 3.75 billion dollar loan to South Africa to build one of the world's largest coal plants. Many say that we should move away from fossil fuels completely, like oil and gas and not simply just coal.

5. I think it is great that the people that give away the loans to build power-plants are doing their part to limit how many coal-fired plants we have in the world. They recognize the damage it is doing to the climate and the environment. I also think they should set new rules for the drilling of oil and gas. Since fracking for natural gas has become increasingly popular and very destructive, they should also try to do something to limit that.

6. Fossil Fuels- A hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.

Quarter 3, Article 8

1. Is Japan Reactor Crew Exposed to Fatal Radiation?

2.

3. This article deals with a regional environmental issue.

4. With the recent earthquake and nuclear plant disaster in Japan, many serious issues have arose. One serious question is how much exposer to harmful radiation did the people of Japan get throughout this disaster. Studies have shown that exposure levels around the nuclear plant reached up to about 400 millisieverts of radiation an hour, but the plunged to .6 millisievert and hour. Millisivert is an internationally accepted measure of radiation does based on biological effects in humans. This amount is extremely dangerous because the average person receives about 1-2 millisieverts a year from natural sources in the environment. 50 millisieverts is the lowest cumulative annual dose for which there is evidence of radiation related cancer in adults. So for the people in Japan that were around the extremely high amounts of radiation, there are serious risks for cancer and radiation sickness. If the plant workers were around this radiation for 2 brief intervals, they could get temporary radiation sickness which includes nausea and decreased blood cell count. To make sure that these workers do not get seriously dangered, an evacuation was ordered for everyone within 12 miles from the nuclear power plant. And for the people that live around 19 miles away, they have been ordered to stay indoors and seal all windows.

5. It is scary to think that people are still even working on the nuclear power plant after the disaster, but it is crucial that they keep the plant cooled with seawater to make sure that the fuel rods don't overheat and release more radioactive material. It is shocking that there is such a high level of radiation in Japan and people still live there because they have no where else to go. It is important that we are aware of how awful the conditions are right now in Japan, and we all do our part to help contribute.

6. Trepidation- tremulous fear, alarm or agitation,

Quarter 3, Article 7

1. Effects of Over-Consumption and Increasing Populations

2.

Chapter 9: The Human Population

3. This article deals with a global environmental issue.
4.The State of the World, 1999 Report from the Worldwatch Institute suggests that the global economy could be seriously affected by environmental problems, such as the lack of access to enough resources to meet growing population demands. Environmental degradation can contribute to social and political instability, which can lead to security issues. This has not currently been addressed by the foreign policy of many nations. Already around the world we are seeing an increase in violence and human rights abuses as disputes about territories, food and water are spilling into wars and internal conflicts.Studies point to ecological limits to sustain people, but these limits can be different, based on the way we consume resources etc so it is hard to say for sure what over population means let alone if we are at some threshold, below, or above it.
5. We can not fully blame countries with a higer population for the cause of the loss of natural resources. Countries like the US which isnt the most populated country uses the most resources. Yet, the figure of 6 billion and literature about over-population naturally looks to the poor regions where there are high populations and environmental degradation as the problem. Its also to see how the scarcity of foood is not a problem but the fact that people can't afford food is reallly the problem. It is a scary thought and this article address all the problems.
6. natural resources: the natural wealth of a country, consisting of land, forests, mineral deposits, water, etc.

Quarter 3, Article 6

1. State Must Take Hard Look at Natural-Gas Drilling

2.

Chapter 16: Nonrenewable Energy

3. This article deals with a local environmental issue.

4. Natural gas is a very valuable and necessary gas that is often used, but there have been concerns with the way drilling companies have been extracting the gas deposits. Questions are even being raised as to whether or not there should be strong limitations on certain areas. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has stated that this natural gas issue is the most shocking issue that have ever had to deal with. The main area in question is in New York, near the Catskills, which involves the Marcellus Shale. If drilling was to occur, there could be a detrimental impact on water supplies in the Hudson Valley and New York City areas. This fear is due to a previous incident that occurred in Pennsylvania, which dealt with Marcellus Shale as well. Drilling led to contamination of water wells and rivers within the state. One of the major concerns with drilling is a process called hydrofracking. Hydrofracking is used by industries to break up rock structures to release natural gas. This involves injecting large quantites of water, sand, and chemicals into the ground to pry open cracks in the shale to bring the gas to the surface. Some of these chemicals may runoff/leech into the water table and contaminate the drinking water of hundreds of people in New York.

5. I don't agree with the practice of drilling for natural gas, because so many incidents have occurred that put harmful chemicals into water in all different places of the United States. After seeing the video about fracking in class, I don't think that it should be practiced because of how risky it is. I think it is good that the New York state government is being cautious about the practicing of fracking because they don't know what could possibly come if they were to drill in New York.

6. Daunting-to overcome with fear;intimidate.

Quarter 3, Article 5

1. Water Utilities Failed to Alert Public to Presence of Likely Carcinogen

2.

Chapter 21- Water Pollution

3. This article deals with a nation-wide issue.

4. Water utilities have known about chromium (a carcinogen) that has been polluting water for the past few years and failed to release this information to the public. The American Water Works Association Research Foundation has been testing waters and doing research to find more about the amounts of hexavalent chromium in waters all over the country. They tested over 300 different water samples in over 40 states and determined that chromium was found in majority of water, especially in groundwater. Their studies also showed that when the water is treated by the utilities, the hexavalent chromium is not effectively removed. The worst part is that the utilities did not share this information, so millions of people have been drinking water not knowing that chromium was heavily found in it. This hexavalent chromium is a carcinogen when inhaled but studies also show that it has health impacts when in water as well. More tests are being conducted which may lead to a change in drinking water standards. California is already doing something about this problem and already lowered the drinking water standard for the chemical from 0.06 parts per billion to 0.02 parts per billion which will be in effect in January.

5. I think it is awful that the water companies did not share this crucial information with people and continued to let them drink water that could possibly increase peoples risk of cancer. They should have let them know as well as the EPA so that tests could be done and thoroughly looked at and dealt with. But I think it's good that at least one state (California) is already doing something about this problem to reduce the risks associated with the hexavalent chromium.

6. Hexavalent Chromium- Used for the production of stainless steel, textile dyes, wood preservation and as anti-corrosion and conversion coatings. Hexavalent chromium is recognized as a human carcinogen via inhalation.