Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Big Issues
Over viewing all of the topics and issues that have been discussed in this class I feel that the most important environmental issues all revolve around human over consumption and misuse of our natural resources, which sort of includes all issues. One important issue that does need to be resolved soon is our energy usage. Our dependence on oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear power is a problem that will have to be solved soon. Sooner or later we will run out of the natural resources and nuclear power is a volatile process. People have some extremely innovative ideas that need farther research such as bio diesel and using algae. It find the fact that the first engine was a diesel engine is extremely interesting and rather telling of its abilities. The problem we have revolves around economic politics. Those making money off of this already established business are going to use every last resource before looking for a new field to explore. As a society we need to demand that more money and effort be put into the research and development of renewable energy. On an individual scale we can simply be conscious and reduce our power consumption. Another issue with our society is how callously we use items then throw them away. We need to put more emphasis on the ideas of 'refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle'. The general push in our society today is to consume,consume, consume. This mindset is a big issue but one that is not likely to change quickly. This means we need to both try to fix this mindset and find better ways of packaging and producing products. Overall I enjoyed the debate portions of our class because it caused us to look at issues from different perspectives. Previously I did not know all of the issues surrounding recycling and find this information very useful. I feel like I have a greater ability to look at these social issues from a logical perspective because I know how to see things from the opposing side.
Where the stuff goes
My environmental science class took a field trip to the Badlands Sanitary Landfill in Moreno Valley to see where it is that much of our waste goes. My group and I got there a bit later than the tour started because, as we found, the Landfill is in a rather remote part of the city, as makes sense, and we got lost. When we did arrive there was still much to see. The first thing that we saw was where certain types of waste were sorted; mainly what is considered 'e-waste' such as T.V.s, computers, cell phones, etc. Many elements in these items are toxic and must be treated with care to prevent polluting soil and groundwater. There was also an area where refrigerators were completely dismantled. Our guide explained that there were pallets of e-waste that were going to be sold to the highest bidder so long as the bidder has regulations for proper disposal (meaning it wouldn't go to China where they have terrible regulations). There are elements in e-waste such as copper that are valuable and that is why they can be sold to profit the landfill. Next we went to what I think is my favorite area. Under the ground of the landfills there are large hollow tubes that collect the ethanol emitted. The ethanol is then directed to an engine that burns it creating energy that is then sold to energy companies. After we went to see where all the trash was being compacted using large machinery. Thus went our trip to the Landfill, something I think everyone should do so that they know their trash doesn't just disappear with the trash trucks.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Trash everywhere
This week's blog assignment was by far the most difficult to accomplish. I was to track all of the waste (trash) I produced over a period of three days then attempt to minimize how much trash I produced for the next three days. Under most circumstances this assignment might have been a bit of a task, but on this particular week I was on a 6 day road trip to northern California and back to visit school campuses. Lacking access to a kitchen and our regular amenities meant we had to purchase more readily made food producing trash. The problem with this assignment for this particular week is that overall it does not apply to my day to day life, though I did pick up a few tips. Anywho, here is a list of the trash that my sister (who went with me) and I produced in the first three days.
-7 coffee cups (including hotel cups)
-4 1liter water bottles
-1 pringles container
- 2 apple cores
- 1 grapefruit peel
- 4 clear plastic snack bags (rice crackers, carrots, etc.)
- 2 Chip bags
- 2 egg shells
- 1 oatmeal bag
- 1 cardboard microwave dinner container
- 1 metal chili can
- 2 plastic grocery bags
- 1 paper grocery bag
- 5 glass bottles
- 6 napkins
- 6 cotton balls
To do the next part of the assignment looked up some tips on how to minimize waste from a few websites:
http://www.futurefriendly.com/Pages/KitchenRoom.aspx#livingroom
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-reduce-daily-waste-3065137.html
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/community-tips/reduce-food-waste-460708
Tips:
- use high concentration soap to waste less bottles or buy home made soap without wrapers
- use low core paper towels or reusable kitchen rags
- buy less food at one time to minimize food going bad
- use reusable shopping bags
- use LED lightbulbs with longer life
- recycle furniture and electronics
- purchase reusable batteries
- use waste reduced diapers or cloth diapers if you have children
- buy locally produced food free of wrapping
- use reusable coffee cups
- Skip individually wrapped snacks
- cancel all junk mail
- plan meals ahead of time so you buy only what you need
- eat left overs first
- serve small amounts of food
- use a compost pile
My attempts to minimize my waste production were not as successful as I would have liked. I still had to use some disposable coffee cups and water bottles. However I reused the water bottles as often as I could. We sat down and ate at restaurants that served with ceramic plates and cups. I purchased a reusable bag so that I didn't have to use any more plastic or paper ones. I still had to purchase packaged food. We did happen upon a farmers market in Santa Barbara where we bought a lot of vegetables and some fruit. We stopped at a bar in Humboldt county and I made a point to ask for locally brewed beer from the tap so that there was little transportation costs and no bottle or can to throw away. I think that using reusable bags, water bottles and coffee cups is something that I could definitely continue. I also enjoy going to farmers markets but do not think I can cut out packaging entirely. I actually really liked the idea of buying only locally brewed beer and now have an even better reason to get it on the tap. If I have the opportunity I will sit down at restaurants or make my own food instead of buying it and needing wrapping and packaging.
-7 coffee cups (including hotel cups)
-4 1liter water bottles
-1 pringles container
- 2 apple cores
- 1 grapefruit peel
- 4 clear plastic snack bags (rice crackers, carrots, etc.)
- 2 Chip bags
- 2 egg shells
- 1 oatmeal bag
- 1 cardboard microwave dinner container
- 1 metal chili can
- 2 plastic grocery bags
- 1 paper grocery bag
- 5 glass bottles
- 6 napkins
- 6 cotton balls
To do the next part of the assignment looked up some tips on how to minimize waste from a few websites:
http://www.futurefriendly.com/Pages/KitchenRoom.aspx#livingroom
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-reduce-daily-waste-3065137.html
http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/community-tips/reduce-food-waste-460708
Tips:
- use high concentration soap to waste less bottles or buy home made soap without wrapers
- use low core paper towels or reusable kitchen rags
- buy less food at one time to minimize food going bad
- use reusable shopping bags
- use LED lightbulbs with longer life
- recycle furniture and electronics
- purchase reusable batteries
- use waste reduced diapers or cloth diapers if you have children
- buy locally produced food free of wrapping
- use reusable coffee cups
- Skip individually wrapped snacks
- cancel all junk mail
- plan meals ahead of time so you buy only what you need
- eat left overs first
- serve small amounts of food
- use a compost pile
My attempts to minimize my waste production were not as successful as I would have liked. I still had to use some disposable coffee cups and water bottles. However I reused the water bottles as often as I could. We sat down and ate at restaurants that served with ceramic plates and cups. I purchased a reusable bag so that I didn't have to use any more plastic or paper ones. I still had to purchase packaged food. We did happen upon a farmers market in Santa Barbara where we bought a lot of vegetables and some fruit. We stopped at a bar in Humboldt county and I made a point to ask for locally brewed beer from the tap so that there was little transportation costs and no bottle or can to throw away. I think that using reusable bags, water bottles and coffee cups is something that I could definitely continue. I also enjoy going to farmers markets but do not think I can cut out packaging entirely. I actually really liked the idea of buying only locally brewed beer and now have an even better reason to get it on the tap. If I have the opportunity I will sit down at restaurants or make my own food instead of buying it and needing wrapping and packaging.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Things are heating up
This week's blog assignment centers around the controversial topic of global warming. Looking at some official websites that comment on the topic explaining both sides. The United States EPA climate change site gives an overview of the concerns that surround the problem of global warming from the standpoint that it is a legitimate threat. This site claims that the climate is changing right now. Historically the climate is in constant change going through long cycles of heating and cooling. However since the industrial revolution the amount of greenhouse gasses being released into the atmosphere have dramatically increased leading to quicker heating of the climate. Burning fossil fuel and biomass have lead to more CO2 in the atmosphere trapping heat in and aerosols which emit heat and reflect light. One of the most prominent changes that will occur with the rising temperature is the effect it will have on certain biomes. Winters are becoming shorter and summers longer disrupting the normal pattern in many ecosystems such as the arctic. Precipitation will also be effected, more in some areas and less in others, and the heating that will occur in the oceans will lead to more natural disasters such as tsunamis. Coastal sea levels are expected to rise. The agricultural industry will be negatively effected as certain areas may be susceptible to droughts or flooding. Fresh water supplies will decline as natural run off sources are reduced.
There are those who do not see the rising temperature of global warming as legitimate and find the science lacking. One such group is called the Heartland Institute. Their website explains their skepticism in a few key ways. The first thing mentioned is that people so readily believe that global warming is a crisis because it fits into their political views. Dealing with climate change would mean more government regulations, higher taxes, wilderness preservation, subsidies for renewable energy, etc. These are things that many liberal want anyway and the global warming scare gives a justification for making them happen. There is a general consensus that global warming is a real threat but not because everyone has looked at the evidence and found it to be sound, rather that they are just taking it at the word of authorities. It also questions the scientific studies that have been done on the topic and comments on the difficulty of actually proving mankind's role in the heating process. The institute states that it is commonly agreed among scientists that climate change is natural and that two thirds of the recent temperature rise occurred because of natural causes. Skeptics also believe that those claiming global warming will lead to intense weather issues while stating that there is no solid way to predict future weather patterns are experiencing cognitive dissonance. There are many problems economically, especially for large corporations, that would occur should regulating emissions and wilderness protection be enabled. This is probably one of the main reasons behind the skepticism surrounding the issue of global warming.
There are those who do not see the rising temperature of global warming as legitimate and find the science lacking. One such group is called the Heartland Institute. Their website explains their skepticism in a few key ways. The first thing mentioned is that people so readily believe that global warming is a crisis because it fits into their political views. Dealing with climate change would mean more government regulations, higher taxes, wilderness preservation, subsidies for renewable energy, etc. These are things that many liberal want anyway and the global warming scare gives a justification for making them happen. There is a general consensus that global warming is a real threat but not because everyone has looked at the evidence and found it to be sound, rather that they are just taking it at the word of authorities. It also questions the scientific studies that have been done on the topic and comments on the difficulty of actually proving mankind's role in the heating process. The institute states that it is commonly agreed among scientists that climate change is natural and that two thirds of the recent temperature rise occurred because of natural causes. Skeptics also believe that those claiming global warming will lead to intense weather issues while stating that there is no solid way to predict future weather patterns are experiencing cognitive dissonance. There are many problems economically, especially for large corporations, that would occur should regulating emissions and wilderness protection be enabled. This is probably one of the main reasons behind the skepticism surrounding the issue of global warming.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Chemical Toxicity in our products
This week's assignment for my Environmental Science class was to read an article entitled “Regulating toxic chemicals: Do we know enough about chemical risks?” and reflect upon its contents. This article presents a fairly complete overview of the issues that surround the topic of chemical usage in commercial products. One of the main points that it makes is the manner that chemicals are regulated. It states that the EPA and FDA are the government organizations that are in charge of chemical regulation. The problem that arises is the manner that they are authorized to test and regulate chemicals. In the United States it is the responsibility of the agencies, not the businesses, to test the chemicals, a pricey thing to do. The agencies must prove that a chemical is bad for the environment or human health before it will be banned. The United Nations have adopted a different approach to the issue. REACH (registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals) uses a precautionary principle requiring that chemicals must be tested and proven to be safe to the public and environment. To me, the precautionary approach makes much more sense. Some problems have come up with banning chemicals though, such as the use of DDT, an insecticide. The EPA banned it for its negative effects on the environment but the World Health Organization endorsed DDT for its help in controlling mosquitoes and the spreading of malaria. Chemical companies also have a large stake in how chemicals are regulated and are vocal about it. Another issue was the use of nanomaterial, chemicals, many of which are considered safe at larger sizes, that are not tested in their smaller size. How these nanochemicals react with the human body and the environment have largely been untested.
I found the debate about DDT to be particularly interesting so I chose this topic to finish the second half of this assignment, to look up other articles that relate to one of the topics talked about in this article. This is one source I found:
http://www.edf.org/about/our-mission-and-history
It was very interesting to me the affect that DDT has on the environment. One major problem it causes is the thinning of egg shells causing harm to many bird populations such as the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. I had known about this problem before because of my brief stint with falconry. I had seen wild peregrine falcons and knew that because of some pesticide they were nearly extinct. I now know that was DDT and had it not been banned and the birds rehabilitated they would be gone now. This article also claims that the use of DDT for mosquito control was in decline because of growing resistance to the insecticide.
This next article is only slightly in favor of DDT:
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/517
This article seems to show the desperation that malaria evokes. It acknowledges that DDT is extremely harmful, but is to date one of the most effective means to control the disease. Controlling mosquito populations is the only reason that DDT is still in use. DDT is still used in 19 countries, mostly Africa. Despite its ban in many countries it is still one of the most prevalent chemicals found in breastmilk because it does not break down easily and is still very present in the environment.
I found the debate about DDT to be particularly interesting so I chose this topic to finish the second half of this assignment, to look up other articles that relate to one of the topics talked about in this article. This is one source I found:
http://www.edf.org/about/our-mission-and-history
It was very interesting to me the affect that DDT has on the environment. One major problem it causes is the thinning of egg shells causing harm to many bird populations such as the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. I had known about this problem before because of my brief stint with falconry. I had seen wild peregrine falcons and knew that because of some pesticide they were nearly extinct. I now know that was DDT and had it not been banned and the birds rehabilitated they would be gone now. This article also claims that the use of DDT for mosquito control was in decline because of growing resistance to the insecticide.
This next article is only slightly in favor of DDT:
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/517
This article seems to show the desperation that malaria evokes. It acknowledges that DDT is extremely harmful, but is to date one of the most effective means to control the disease. Controlling mosquito populations is the only reason that DDT is still in use. DDT is still used in 19 countries, mostly Africa. Despite its ban in many countries it is still one of the most prevalent chemicals found in breastmilk because it does not break down easily and is still very present in the environment.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Watching my energy intake
This week's blog assignment was a bit of a difficult one. I was to go 24 hours with as little electricity usage as possible. A simple task in theory, but in today's technology dependent world I was sort of at a loss of how to handle certain things. The guidelines were to turn of and unplug all unused appliances and do not use more than is necessary, drive as little as possible, short showers, cold water when washing clothing, and no phones or computer or radio...! Needless to say that last bit was the most difficult. I did this assignment one Tuesday May 1st. Now my phone is usually my alarm clock so the night before I asked the lady I live with, Beth, to wake me up at a decent time. My first class didn't start until 11 because we had a test so I set to work finding and unplugging all unused appliances such as the toaster, coffee maker, rarely used lamps, etc. I got a few questions and snide remarks today about why nothing was working in the house, all jokingly (I think...). It was a nice cool day out so I opened a few of the windows to keep the house cool. The house has a house fan that draws air from outside the house in that I turned on at night, I am told it is relatively energy efficient. I do not honestly know what is the more energy efficient method of cooking, with electricity or gas, but I opted to make breakfast using the gas stove. I made my coffee using my french press and had some fruit and toast for breakfast so I wouldn't have to cook too much. I live 2 blocks away from RCC's campus so I walked to class, all the while resisting the urge to check my phone. After class I walked back home to find the mail waiting for me. I got a birthday card from my mom along with a gift which made the temptation not to use my phone to call her quite difficult. I also received in the mail my financial aid package from my first pick school which made things very difficult. First I wanted to call and text everyone to share my delight, then I wanted to go on the internet and look up what some of the info actually meant (it can be a bit confusing). Luckily I had work to keep me busy. I took a short shower and let my hair air dry. I usually have to blow dry it but I had some time before I had to leave. I opted out of straightening it as well like I usually do. I had to drive to work in Corona seeing as I do not know the bus schedule and unfortunately no one I know goes out that direction to carpool with. After work I usually watch a show or movie until I am tired enough for bed, instead I sat in bed with my nightstand lamp on and played Sudoku for a bit. Trust me, gets you tired quick.
There are a few things that I did in this assignment that would be an easy step to continue doing. Things such as unplugging my toaster and coffee maker are simple. Making sure all lights are off when not used and taking short showers is mostly about being conscious of it. I could change my habits up a bit and let my hair air dry more often and straighten it less often. I could definitely unplug my phone charger when it is not in use, something I am particularly bad at. Reading or doing puzzles is probably a much better habit to get into at night than watching a show so I could make sure I set aside at least a few nights for this. Sudoku is addicting. Some of the things I do not think I would like to change is not using my phone or the internet. I understand the benefit of limiting my usage, but moments like the ones that I had from getting my mail are the heart of the reason I personally have the technology I have. It did make me appreciate being able to contact a person at any give time or look something up from my house in an instant. In regard to the house I live in i think the best things that we can do are utilize the house fan, close windows and curtains when it is hot out, and be aware of our light and AC usage. Some of the areas of the house do not have insulation seeing as it is an older house, so that is definitely something that can be accomplished given enough money to do it. The kitchen was just redone and insulation and better appliances such as an energy efficient fridge were just put in so we are on a step in the right direction.
There are a few things that I did in this assignment that would be an easy step to continue doing. Things such as unplugging my toaster and coffee maker are simple. Making sure all lights are off when not used and taking short showers is mostly about being conscious of it. I could change my habits up a bit and let my hair air dry more often and straighten it less often. I could definitely unplug my phone charger when it is not in use, something I am particularly bad at. Reading or doing puzzles is probably a much better habit to get into at night than watching a show so I could make sure I set aside at least a few nights for this. Sudoku is addicting. Some of the things I do not think I would like to change is not using my phone or the internet. I understand the benefit of limiting my usage, but moments like the ones that I had from getting my mail are the heart of the reason I personally have the technology I have. It did make me appreciate being able to contact a person at any give time or look something up from my house in an instant. In regard to the house I live in i think the best things that we can do are utilize the house fan, close windows and curtains when it is hot out, and be aware of our light and AC usage. Some of the areas of the house do not have insulation seeing as it is an older house, so that is definitely something that can be accomplished given enough money to do it. The kitchen was just redone and insulation and better appliances such as an energy efficient fridge were just put in so we are on a step in the right direction.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Learning about cork
This week's blog assignment for my environmental studies class was to record everything that I used or came in contact with that came from a natural source. The guidelines for what exactly is considered 'natural' was pretty vague, to be left open to our own individual interpretation.We were to place our list of items into 8 categories. These are as follows.
A) Food and drink
The next part of this assignment was to pick out one of the items I listed and do some research on it to find out its origins and impact upon the environment. The item I chose to investigate the cork from the wine bottle. I knew beforehand that cork comes from a tree, but I didn't know which one or the impact of harvesting the cork. I have seen that some wineries have begun to use plastic corks instead of the natural cork and wondered if the reasoning behind that was practical, environmental, or maybe both. I have learned that the cork used in wine bottles is from a tree called the cork tree (pretty straight forward) a species of oak, and it's scientific name is Quercus Suber. This tree grows in areas in Spain and Portugal and the older it is the more cork it produces. After the processing of the bark, the part of the tree that is used, only 40% of the final product ends up being usable. The remaining cork is then ground up to be used in other compounds to make things like bulletin boards. The cork can only be cultivated around every 10 years so maintaining the health of the tree is vital. The strips of cork are removed by hand, no machinery is allowed to be used which is a positive thing for the environment. This system is pretty much the same one that has been used for hundreds of years because it is one of the most effective methods for its purpose. The harvesting industry employs more than 15,000 workers to harvest the cork as well as seasonal employees to maintain the forests. These forests seem to be fairly well cared for in order to maintain the profitable industry. The reason that this is used is to create an air tight seal for the wine bottles so that oxygen does not get into the bottle and aerate (get oxygen into) the wine before it is ready to be served. For the most part after corks are removed from the bottle there is no farther use for them and they get thrown away. I have seen people use them for things such as making art, but that is not a very important use. This product is, overall, a want and not a need. The cork is, however, a biodegradable and renewable substance. That is more than can be said for the new plastic cork stoppers some wineries are using. Wine industries demand 13 billion cork stoppers annually. I couldn't find much information on the methods that cork is shipped, but I am assuming special care would have to be taken in order for the cork to remain dry and free of germs and molds. It is a very light weight product though so I would think that shipping them would be minimal. In regard to the impact on the biodiversity after the extraction of the cork, a recent study of the birds that inhabit the area shows that the harvesting is relatively well balanced for the ecosystem. It indicates that while in the first year after harvesting the richness of certain bark dwelling insects would decrease and thus so would the richness of the birds that prey on them, but overall the biodiversity is well maintained. The threat of plastic bottle stoppers is becoming the norm in wine industries would lead to the eventual end of the cork harvesting industry and thus the forests that are maintaining this biodiversity would be put to different uses such as housing or other agricultural farming. Knowing this I think I would have to say that I will do my best to stick with real cork rather than the plastic ones. I was surprised that this product is better environmentally that the new synthetic products, I started out my research with the idea that the reality would be the other way around and cork harvesting would be bad for the environment.
Sources:
"Cork Institute of America--Harvesting Cork." Cork Institute of America. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://www.corkinstitute.com/harvest.html>.
"History of Cork." Lisa Shea's WineIntro. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://wineintro.com/history/glassware/cork.html>.
Leal, Ana, Ricardo Correia, José Granadeiro, and Jorge Palmeirim. "Impact of Cork Extraction on Birds: Relevance for Conservation of Mediterranean Biodiversity." EBSCO Host. Biologinal Conversation, May 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. <http://ezproxy.rcc.edu:2059/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=24&sid=05162bf3-f70c-471a-a740-6304bba662f0%40sessionmgr113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=8gh&AN=60789283>.
A) Food and drink
- coffee
- sugar
- eggs
- salad - lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, olives
- Naked fruit juice
- cork from a wine bottle, along with the actual wine
- beans
- water
- wood
- brick
- leather couches
- gasoline
- asphalt
- leather shoes
- jeans
- cotton tee shirt and socks
- cotton scar
- paper
- pencils
- burts bees lip balm - (although it is slightly processed, most of the ingredients are natural) beeswax, sunflower oil, coconut oil, lanolin, comfrey root, vitamin E, honey, rosemary leaf oil
- witch hazel
- bar soap
- bare essentials make-up
- face lotion
- chalk for rock climbing
The next part of this assignment was to pick out one of the items I listed and do some research on it to find out its origins and impact upon the environment. The item I chose to investigate the cork from the wine bottle. I knew beforehand that cork comes from a tree, but I didn't know which one or the impact of harvesting the cork. I have seen that some wineries have begun to use plastic corks instead of the natural cork and wondered if the reasoning behind that was practical, environmental, or maybe both. I have learned that the cork used in wine bottles is from a tree called the cork tree (pretty straight forward) a species of oak, and it's scientific name is Quercus Suber. This tree grows in areas in Spain and Portugal and the older it is the more cork it produces. After the processing of the bark, the part of the tree that is used, only 40% of the final product ends up being usable. The remaining cork is then ground up to be used in other compounds to make things like bulletin boards. The cork can only be cultivated around every 10 years so maintaining the health of the tree is vital. The strips of cork are removed by hand, no machinery is allowed to be used which is a positive thing for the environment. This system is pretty much the same one that has been used for hundreds of years because it is one of the most effective methods for its purpose. The harvesting industry employs more than 15,000 workers to harvest the cork as well as seasonal employees to maintain the forests. These forests seem to be fairly well cared for in order to maintain the profitable industry. The reason that this is used is to create an air tight seal for the wine bottles so that oxygen does not get into the bottle and aerate (get oxygen into) the wine before it is ready to be served. For the most part after corks are removed from the bottle there is no farther use for them and they get thrown away. I have seen people use them for things such as making art, but that is not a very important use. This product is, overall, a want and not a need. The cork is, however, a biodegradable and renewable substance. That is more than can be said for the new plastic cork stoppers some wineries are using. Wine industries demand 13 billion cork stoppers annually. I couldn't find much information on the methods that cork is shipped, but I am assuming special care would have to be taken in order for the cork to remain dry and free of germs and molds. It is a very light weight product though so I would think that shipping them would be minimal. In regard to the impact on the biodiversity after the extraction of the cork, a recent study of the birds that inhabit the area shows that the harvesting is relatively well balanced for the ecosystem. It indicates that while in the first year after harvesting the richness of certain bark dwelling insects would decrease and thus so would the richness of the birds that prey on them, but overall the biodiversity is well maintained. The threat of plastic bottle stoppers is becoming the norm in wine industries would lead to the eventual end of the cork harvesting industry and thus the forests that are maintaining this biodiversity would be put to different uses such as housing or other agricultural farming. Knowing this I think I would have to say that I will do my best to stick with real cork rather than the plastic ones. I was surprised that this product is better environmentally that the new synthetic products, I started out my research with the idea that the reality would be the other way around and cork harvesting would be bad for the environment.
Sources:
"Cork Institute of America--Harvesting Cork." Cork Institute of America. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://www.corkinstitute.com/harvest.html>.
"History of Cork." Lisa Shea's WineIntro. Web. 07 Mar. 2012. <http://wineintro.com/history/glassware/cork.html>.
Leal, Ana, Ricardo Correia, José Granadeiro, and Jorge Palmeirim. "Impact of Cork Extraction on Birds: Relevance for Conservation of Mediterranean Biodiversity." EBSCO Host. Biologinal Conversation, May 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. <http://ezproxy.rcc.edu:2059/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=24&sid=05162bf3-f70c-471a-a740-6304bba662f0%40sessionmgr113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=8gh&AN=60789283>.
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