Senator Bernie Sanders along with 4 other senators have asked President Obama to a comprehensive environmental review of the North Dakota pipeline. This pipeline has caused an uproar in the Native American community and environmental community. The Native American community fears that the pipeline will destroy sacred grounds along with pollute local water. Environmental groups also fear the pollution of water systems. Both fear for the well being of of Lake Oahe and the biodiversity that calls it home. Sanders and Senators Dianne Feistein, Ed Markey, Patrick Leahy and Benjamin Cardin released a statement saying, "The project’s current permits should be suspended and all construction stopped until a complete environmental and cultural review has been completed for the entire project," Unfortunately, experts say that this request and, if granted, review, could take several months to complete.
I think that this project spells disaster from the get go. The Native American people have already been robbed of all their lands, religion and well-being so destroying their sacred lands would just add insult to a massive injury. It also spells for environmental disaster as it could possibly pollute water sources that both the local people and the local ecosystems rely on. Even if this somehow does not immediately have negative environmental impacts, it just adds to the odds of a catastrophe. Leaks or ruptures could lead us to a Flint, Michigan 2.0. Also, it is ironic to see one who lost the democratic nomination actually promoting change while our two presidential candidates are stuck on who said what and who deleted what. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pipeline-dakota-idUSKCN12D1Z7
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One of the least covered topics in our presidential elections is the environment. Our two candidates also have completely opposing ideas regarding topics such as climate change and energy use. Hillary Clinton promises a push for clean and renewable energy while Donald Trump calls man made climate change a hoax. Clinton also wants to boost water supplies in California while Trump says there is no drought and that its just poor water management and distribution by the government. Trump also claims that the Chinese made up the idea of global warming as a marketing technique.Clinton on the other hand wants to make a large shift to wind and solar power and create jobs through environmental preservation, restoration and management. Trump on the other hand wants to boost the coal and oil industry back up. He also has this insane plan to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency. It is a tough call who is more of an environmentally friendly presidential candidate.
Not the one does not already know this but Donald Trump is an idiot. There is no other way to put it. He bases what he says off of how he "feels" about the environment. He uses no relevant accurate data to back what he is saying. He either blames the idea of Climate Change on China or takes out a bogus statistic about how the temperatures in Texas are at an all time low, as if Texas represented the entire world. The only time he wants to acknowledge global warming and rising sea levels is when his golf course is in danger. His response to his golf course suffering from erosion from higher sea levels is to of course build a wall around it. This is no joke. He applied for a permit to build the wall. Trump is also notorious for attempting to debunk global warming by gauging the temperature where he is and if it is cold, tweeting about it saying global warming is a hoax. Hillary Clinton may not have all the greatest ideas about environmental protection as she has had a history of being pro-fracking. At least she has a plan though so that our planet does not implode. It would have been life to have a candidate like Bernie Sanders who has extreme ideas to get our planet back on a path where we do not have a mass extinction. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2016/10/13/voter-guide-clinton-and-trump-global-warming-energy-and-california-drought/91277414/ Big decisions were made at the UN's Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). This convention affected the conservation of pangolin, African Gray Parrots, lions, elephants, rhinos, sharks, and rays. CITES put eight species of pangolin on "appendix one" meaning their can be no international movement of these animals for trade. It also finally put the African Gray Parrot on appendix one which have seen their numbers diminish immensely due to deforestation and illegal poaching and catching. Lion parts are now only allowed to be traded by private owners of captive bred lions. The proposal of Zimbabwe and Namibia for allowing of trade of ivory to fund conservation programs was rejected. The southern African Kingdom of Swaziland was also rejected after the proposal of rhino horn to be sold on the market to raise money for conservation efforts. Four species of sharks and nine species of rays are now in appendix two which now strictly regulates all fishing of these animals. The two biggest push's after this convention were the restrictions on ivory trade of elephants and rhinos and as well as the heavy harvesting restrictions on sharks and rays. It is tough to take a side on the ivory ruling as each have good points. Conservation groups rely on trophy hunting and sell of ivory in order to fund their programs. It has shown to be effective sacrificing the few for the improvement of the entire population. The other side counters that with the idea that allowing for any type of ivory trade encourages poaching and keeps ivory as a prominent source in society. The other important ruling about setting tight restricitons on the consumption of certain ray and shark species has me excited yet I would have liked to have seen them add these species into appendix one so that their populations can flourish again without human intervention. http://pulse.ng/world/convention-on-international-trade-in-endangered-species-decisions-made-at-un-meeting-on-wildlife-trade-in-south-africa-id5563466.html |
Alex Garcia-Environmentalist Archives
December 2016
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