WATER & WATER POLLUTION
97 % is salt water 3% is fresh
FRESH WATER
1. Ice in glaciers
2. Groundwater
3. Great Lakes, Lake Baikal, L. Tanganika
4. All other lakes & rivers
Biogas : ethanol
wheat, barley, corn is distilled into sugar, then fermented into ethanol
with by-product protein for livestock
Brazil uses sugarcane and cars run on a minimum of 25 %, max. 100%
USA have some FFV run on 85 % ethanol
No ethanol pumps in Canada yet!
Ethanol plant in Minnedosa
Long Plain Sewage "Palace"
Long Plain River Bend: landslide
Visits: Portage Water Treatment Plant
Take water from river, pre-treatment, add chemicals (lime from the Tower),
filter,
ozone to kill living things, then fluorine & chlorine
Long Plain Waste Treatment Plant: State of the Art operation! ("the cadillac")
Two sewage lagoons, add substance with bacteria to break down sewage
No emission of gases like hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs) & methane
uv to kill bacteria prior going back to river
AIR POLLUTION: a life and death issue
W.H.O. data:
3 million die / year from outdoor pollution
1.6 million die / year from indoor pollution
97 % is salt water 3% is fresh
FRESH WATER
1. Ice in glaciers
2. Groundwater
3. Great Lakes, Lake Baikal, L. Tanganika
4. All other lakes & rivers
80 % of illnesses
Are water related
34,000 deaths daily or
3.5 million / year die from drinking contaminated water -
mostly in Asia / Africa less than 5 years old
Can happen anywhere if we don’t wash hands after going to the bathroom
First day in Mexico, Caribbean for tourists: diarrhea!
Above Data
Obtained from World Health Organization
Or WHO for short
They are based in Switzerland, part of the United Nations
Fresh water
Canada has 20 % of world’s fresh water
(10 % of that is legacy from Ice Age)
Canada has 25 % of world’s wetlands (bogs, swamps, marshes)
but
Canadians are the biggest water users: 350 litres /day
(Manitobans 400 l/d)
---- outside N. America it is 10 -100 l/d------
Wetlands
“Nature’s Recyclers”
Host to 200+ bird species
50 mammal species, reptiles, amphibians, insects
Shelter for migrating birds
Since 1700’s 14 % of original wetlands drained for agriculture,
development, golf
Most provinces protect wetlands today
Our water needs
Each day we need 2.4 litres of water to drink (has been questioned,
maybe wrong)
About 6 glasses of water per day (may be obtained by food we eat,
may not be necessary to drink actual water)
It is a matter of replacement
Our blood is 83 % water
Groundwater
26 % of Canadians depend on it
PEI, Frederington, Kitchener, Waterloo, Carberry….. also depend on it
Need a well to access it
½ in the USA depend on it-- problem in the future due to shortage
1/3 of the world depend on it
Nature’s “Hidden treasure”
Needs protection
Inter-connected pores in soil/rock
Moves like a river, but slowly
If remove too much, ground sinks
If polluted, it takes time to treat or fix
Groundwater pollution
If a gas station closes, the tanks leaked into the ground, has to be cleaned
Industrial chemicals
Septic systems, lagoons
Mine drainage
Pesticide in farms / manure
Landfills
DNAPLs (dense, non-aqueous phase liquids) sink fast
Water treatment/ waste treatment
Manitoba has ~ 400 water plants
and ~ 200 sewage lagoons
In Canada, 85 % of sewage is treated
(Sweden is 99 %)
Canada home usage
35 % bathing
30 % toilet
20 % laundry
10 % drinking & cooking
5 % cleaning
Hydro Producer
60 % of Canada’s Energy is generated by
hydro-electricity
It is world’s largest hydro producer
has over 600 large dams
Quebec, B.C., Manitoba
How to treat water before drinking
Ancient Greeks: boil & strain with a cloth
Today, boil for 1 minute
Add bleach (Javex): 2 drops/ litre of water
Activated charcoal or reverse osmosis
Ozone (strong oxidizing agent)
UV light – a few seconds exposure (Wpg)
Purification tablets with Iodine or chlorine for travelers
Bad experiences
1993, Milwaukee: 100 died from crypto.
1996, Collingwood, Ont.: 171-day boil
water advisory from crypto.
. 1990’s, Dauphin, Man.: giardia, many sick
. 2000: Walkerton, Ont. E.coli from manure
seeped underground via wells; up to
9 died
Why water treatment ?
From 1850 people in London, England suspected disease could
be transmitted by drinking contaminated water
Cholera & typhoid were starting after flooding
“Water-borne diseases” are caused by mixing wastewater with drinking water
World-wide problem, it will always be there
3 types of waterborne diseases
1. Bacterial: E. coli, salmonella
2. Protozoan: cryptosporidium, Giardia
(micro-organisms)
3. Viral: Hepatitis A, gastro.
E. coli
Lives in human / animal intestine, produces vitamins, we can’t live without it
(but its business is not in the stomach!)
Wash hands helps to eliminate it
Cooking meat well will get rid of it (if it is there)
Acceptable limit in lakes: 200 units/100ml
Water treatment
1. Intake 2. Pre-treatment (alum,
lime, chlorine)
3. Mixing 4. Coagulation / flocculation
5. Filtration 6. Chlorination (uv /ozone)
7. Distribution
City Water tank (Huge structure, not used)
Wastewater treatment
Primary: Screening forms sludge
goes to Digester (oxygen-free)
product removed, CH4 produced
Secondary: Aeration (lagoons) oxygen
bacteria break it down
sedimentation forms sludge with
heavy metals
Final: Disinfection with chlorine or ozone
Usually, P, N, chemicals not removed
Disposal to landfill
Produces methane (energy source)
Result is reclaimed water
Basically, cleaned by bacteria
Wastes
Manitoba: 75 lagoons need upgrading
25 on the “watch” list
Should I care?
- too much N, P in lakes, algal blooms kill fish, stink up shores, toxins
- Wpg pumped raw sewage 6 times in last 2 years
- in last 2 years 30 spills of sewage
Montreal, Halifax, Victoria: some sewage into the sea
Around Wpg: soil has clay that can’t absorb from septic systems –
result is sewage spills onto surface, lake or river
G.W. Bush’s name given to a sewage treatment plant in Calif. -
a fitting tribute: it would take years to clean up the mess
Composting toilets
Uses NO water
Just air blows in (may also have sawdust
Waste turns into a rich, garden-ready compost & an organic liquid
fertilizer called “compost tea”
Decomposition faster than in sewage treatment
At rest stops across N. America / UK
Waste disposal
85 % can be recycled and composted
Open dumps: smelly, attract birds, animals
Sanitary landfills: covered with soil daily, but end up as mountains.
Leachate rich in metals squeezed out of garbage
Hazardous waste: batteries, paints, chemicals, solvents, used oil
Kamikatsu, Japan
“zero waste” town
They compost all their food waste
Sort garbage into 34 categories for recycling
Many locals are enthusiastic participants
40 % not happy about all aspects
37-storey tower generates own power & recycles water
In Vancouver, BC built by British architects
Captures rainwater on the roof
Filters & re-uses water from sinks/toilets
Generates own power
Uses wind for ventilation
Positive action for the environment- video
Water-saving devices
Composting: 30 % of wastes is food
Hazardous waste
Conservation of water
Conservation of energy
ENERGY - alternative energy resources
Majority of current methods of energy production are not
environment-friendly
Fossils Fuels : gasoline, oil, diesel, coal
Burning them to produce energy is only
~ 30 % efficient (70 % wasted)
However, most important is
EMISSIONS - global warming - glaciers melt
Majority of current methods of energy production are not
environment-friendly
Fossils Fuels : gasoline, oil, diesel, coal
Burning them to produce energy is only
~ 30 % efficient (70 % wasted)
However, most important is
EMISSIONS - global warming - glaciers melt
“dirty oil”, “power that destroys”
When burning, a lot of CO2 is released
Plus sulfur and mercury are released
The heat of the engine forms nitrogen oxides as well
Sulfur can be collected in power plants
All emissions have very negative health effects (asthma? cancer?)
Tar Sands
Currently destroying world’s 3rd largest watershed
Governments love megaprojects
They make money while employment numbers are kept low
At the same time, Fort Chip, down the river, has the highest cancer
incidence in Canada
incidence in Canada
Why fossil fuels are still around
Oil companies are bigger than governments
They suppress the negative health effects
Since they have destroyed battery cars from the 1990’s, people are left
with the impression that there is no alternative
with the impression that there is no alternative
“They can’t be all that bad, if they are allowed to continue”
However,
Mr. Ford designed engine to run on ethanol
Mr. Diesel designed engine to run on peanut oil
Both taken over by oil companies, about 100 years ago, when oil was first discovered
Emissions have filled the air with CO2 from 250 ppm to 400 ppm today
CO2 emissions
There are alternatives!
Such as electrical (battery) cars
Even hybrid cars use less gasoline and have less emissions (all taxis in Wpg)
However, they are still too expensive
Everyone is waiting for the first electric car to come around (only rentals in Europe)
Do you think oil companies will let the electric cars out?
Energy at home
Kilowatt – hours (KWh) for appliances
big spenders are hair dryer, cloths dryer, air conditioner (magnetic fields
produced by them may cause leukemia)
They contribute a lot to the electricity bill
New appliances are more efficient displaying KWh performances
Kilowatt – hours (KWh) for appliances
big spenders are hair dryer, cloths dryer, air conditioner (magnetic fields
produced by them may cause leukemia)
They contribute a lot to the electricity bill
New appliances are more efficient displaying KWh performances
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
1. SOLAR
2. WIND
3. GEOTHERMAL
4. BIOFUELS
5. NUCLEAR
6. HYDROELECTRICITY
7. METHANE
8. other INNOVATIONS
Renewable sources of energy
solar – wind – geothermal – biofuels – currents (tides, rivers, ocean)
Other sources: Nuclear (atomic fission)
New potential sources: Methane hydrate atomic fusion
How much power do we need?
Current Manitoba Power Production is
5,000 MW (Mega-Watts)
SOLAR
Ancient Greece, China : houses faced south for light / heat
A Solar House : Trombe wall (rock / brick) a Canadian invention
Solar calculator
Solar cooker
Solar water heater
How does the solar work
Sun provides heat + light, also electricity
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight to electricity in calculators,
watches, telephones, etc
Use silicon layers with insulator in between
Many methods of making solar collectors on line
One cell produces small amount of electricity.
For bigger amounts use many in series
Solar cooker
Apartment block in Winnipeg
Siphoning heat from roads & parking lots : Holland
Collects heat from a 200 m stretch of road & a parking lot
Powers a 70-unit 4-story apartment block
Feldheim, Germany
Goes off the grid
Solar, wind & biofuels for various uses
Electricity bills 30 % lower
Electric car charging infrastructure
Flooded with visitors
Solar House (Canadian invention from the 1970’s): video
How many are using it? Not many..
Big windows should face south (N. America)
If not, rotate house (!)
Make new windows towards the south
WIND
need generator to convert movement into electricity
Power is proportional to the cube of speed, so double the speed
will get you 8 times the power
(Spain gets 15 % of its power from wind, but in March 2009
got 40 % due to high winds)
To produce energy
Minimum speed is 10 km / hour
Canada : ~ 3,000 MW
(mostly Alberta, Ontario)
Much bigger new projects in Europe (Denmark, Germany, Spain)
Manitoba projects
1. St. Leon 63 turbines, 99 MW (80 m tall, blades 40 m long)
farmers get ~ $ 3,500 / year 2. St. Joseph, 189 turbines 300 MW
(was biggest in Canada)
GEOTHERMAL
ground heat -use a heat pump, refrigeration in reverse - a Canadian invention
Bury a pipe in yard below frost line and circulate glycol solution to absorb
heat from the ground
Uses 40 – 70 % less energy
Has 400 % efficiency
The inventor
Bill Loosely, Ontario -- see video
Iceland’s Geothermal Power
The ground is warm (near volcanoes)
Drilling is dangerous due to high heat (pressure can blow up well)
Use steam that turns turbine & converts power into electricity.
Hot water at 80 ‘C is piped straight into homes
Plus, an unexpected spin-off : blue lagoon from the hot water produced from
the steam factory.
It is like a spa with assortment of salts, bacteria with therapeutic properties
Springhill, Nova Scotia
Abandoned coal mines filled with water act as radiators. They heat / cool factory
right above it.
15 geothermal pumps installed
Electricity bill cut by 2 /3
BIOMASS (like wood)
renewable fuel, any source of organic C
Mostly plants
In Manitoba : use switchgrass, straw, wood chips, etc in stoves in the form
of pellets to heat a house
BIOFUELS : Biogas + Biodiesel
Biogas : methane from manure
an Inventor:
Harold Bates : uses digester to heat up manure, collects gas into a tank, uses
a converter to run his gasoline car with methane. Can switch over while driving
More power, no CO, 98 % efficient burning, cooler engine, acts as an anti-freeze
– see video
Biogas : ethanol
wheat, barley, corn is distilled into sugar, then fermented into ethanol
with by-product protein for livestock
Brazil uses sugarcane and cars run on a minimum of 25 %, max. 100%
USA have some FFV run on 85 % ethanol
No ethanol pumps in Canada yet!
Ethanol plant in Minnedosa
Sweden: 1 in 5 cars runs on ethanol. Why not in Canada?
USA: Obama’s new priority to get more pumps on 85 % ethanol
Canada: everything but oil is suppressed by the Harper Government –
we even pay for ads praising the Tar Sands!
Some controversy using food-growing production for cars instead for food
A bit of the plant is wasted, because they only use the sugary/starchy parts
( no leaves, stalks)
However, they can use enzymes to turn leaves & stalks into sugars
The ultimate biofuel?
From algae
They contain up to ¼ vegetable oil
Don’t need land to grow
Only need sunlight, wastewater and CO2
In experimental stage
Biodiesel
Made from canola, soybean, palm oil
Make-your-own-diesel with used oils, mix them with kerosene & convert to biodiesel
get soap as by-product
or
Take used oils from restaurants or your kitchen and put straight into diesel car / truck
Hydroelectricity
Manitoba has lake reservoirs built on top of flooded forests
Problem: Methane & CO2 emitted from decaying vegetation – no research
New dams have NO lake reservoirs
NUCLEAR
first atom bomb (fission) 1945 from Great Bear lake U
escalated to H bomb (fusion) 1952 – Bikini
Sakharov in Soviet Union independently
Later, nuclear reactor for energy production. U fuel has only 3 % U (too low to explode)
first atom bomb (fission) 1945 from Great Bear lake U
escalated to H bomb (fusion) 1952 – Bikini
Sakharov in Soviet Union independently
Later, nuclear reactor for energy production. U fuel has only 3 % U (too low to explode)
Problem: nuclear waste Accidents : 3-mile Island, 1979 water pump failed
& shut down, but reactor overheated Most accidents caused by over-heating
Chernobyl, 1986 experiment, valve jammed, not seen, overheated,
explosion, into the air over Europe, graphite burned! Concrete poured over.
30-60 died from radiation, 600,000 evacuated late. 400 atomic bombs worth
of contamination. Final toll will be 10,000? 30km area still evacuated
Nuclear Reactor
Fuel bundles in reactor for 1 year
water is heated & drives turbine
Need a coolant (water) to cool the steam
U is the heaviest element
U is attacked by neutrons that result in fission (break up)
Fission gives off neutrons that attack other atoms. Chain reaction takes over
Canadian nuclear reactors
Called Candu: short for
“Canadian Deuterium U”
They slow down the chain reaction with heavy water (rich in deuterium)
However, problems…
Chernobyl, to be covered in steel in 2007 (so that it can be cleaned).
Aliens reportedly neutralized reactor?
Chalk River, Ont.: almost accident, valve leaking since 1972!
On the other hand:
152 reactors under construction worldwide
A nearly nuclear accident
B52 bomber blunder : Aug. 29, ’07
Left Minot for Louisiana transporting 8 atom bombs for disposal
By mistake the bombs were left hanging from the airplane (as if they were
going to be released en route..)
Plane flew over many big cities
At the destination, the plane was searched for bombs, but nothing was found
inside- they were outside!
About 70 workers were prosecuted / fired for their mistake
But wait, don’t army people just obey commands ? even if they think it is
wrong- cannot refuse or argue (that would lead to a court martial !)
Other sources of energy
Methane hydrate “the ice that burns” at the ocean floor from organic remains
Underwater currents & tides:
Water is denser than air, like a windmill
Amount of energy 10X that from wind
(Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia’s only power plant powered by tides)
Water wheel, Syria built 5th cent.
Energy alternatives
me Now: hydro, natural gas
Change to: solar, wind, geothermal, pellets
Water heater now: hydro, gas
Change to: solar
Cars, trucks now : fossil fuels
Change to: ethanol, methane, hybrid, biodiesel, electric
Efficient house, Wpg: “zero energy home”
“Green roofs”: they insulate house
“One-chimney” town: Sweden
waste heat from the mine piped to all homes
“Idle-free” school girls, Stonewall, Man.
Innovations
diant floor heating: eliminates forced air & reduces energy costs by 30 %
(in new arenas, schools, apartments)
Smart car: cheap to run
Front-wheel drive. First designed in the mini car by Alec Issigonis (my uncle).
Honored by the British Parliament
Long Plain Sewage "Palace"
Visits: Portage Water Treatment Plant
Take water from river, pre-treatment, add chemicals (lime from the Tower),
filter,
ozone to kill living things, then fluorine & chlorine
Long Plain Waste Treatment Plant: State of the Art operation! ("the cadillac")
Two sewage lagoons, add substance with bacteria to break down sewage
No emission of gases like hydrogen sulphide (rotten eggs) & methane
uv to kill bacteria prior going back to river
AIR POLLUTION: a life and death issue
W.H.O. data:
3 million die / year from outdoor pollution
1.6 million die / year from indoor pollution
Chemicals
WHO concerned about children
Chemicals climb the food chain and
concentrate on people (we are at the top)
All countries share same air
“the polluter pays”
better throw less things away & recycle
Can be tracked by satellite
Particulate matter is visible
Researchers track how pollution moves from one place to another
Example: a survey of 20 cities with more than 10 million showed that 15
of them had pollution levels 5 to 10 times higher than WHO guidelines
of them had pollution levels 5 to 10 times higher than WHO guidelines
ACID RAIN
Probably, the first form of pollution that people noticed
Gases of S,N,C from burning fossil fuels make rain as acid as lemon juice
Name coined in 1856 in the UK
Textbook cases in Flin Flon & Sudbury
(both have improved a lot since)
Gases of S,N,C from burning fossil fuels make rain as acid as lemon juice
Name coined in 1856 in the UK
Textbook cases in Flin Flon & Sudbury
(both have improved a lot since)
In 1984: 50,000 deaths in USA & Canada from acid rain
Problems in southern Ont. & Que.
Less problems in UK & Sweden
Sulphate & nitrate particles get lodged in the human lungs & cause major health problems
CFCs & OZONE LAYER
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) banned from fridges/air conditioners
The Montreal Protocol adopted in 1987
Elimination of freon
Responsible for depletion of ozone in the Ozone Layer (high up in the atmosphere)
Ozone Layer blocks uv from the Sun
Increase of uv leads to skin burning, etc
Skin diseases
Big increase in melanoma (black spots on skin). Can lead to death
Permanent “Ozone Hole” over the Antarctic – was it always there?
Depletion also noticed over the Arctic
Consult the “uv index” of the weather report for your area, reported daily
Can be high on cloudy days
Punta Arenas
World’s most southern city (inside Antarctic ozone hole)
Belongs to Chile
Still has numerous tanning salons!
(Don’t need them, get a tan for free!)
However, people don’t get it
“a good tan makes my cloths look better”
Recently visited by a BU Prof who came back with a burnt nose!
In Manitoba
There are 470,000 cars (1994) which contain air conditioning
Each car has about 3 lbs of CFC
Cars since 1995 are CFC-free
Still, those freons in old cars will leak the CFCs if we don’t do anything to prevent it
A single CFC molecule can destroy 100,000 molecules of ozone
POPs
Persistent Organic Pollutants
also known as “ The Dirty Dozen”, “chemical time bombs”
Best known: DDT, PCBs, dioxin, furans
They bio-accumulate in fatty tissue
DDT: was thought to be “the ideal insecticide”, but it is toxic to many
more organisms than those it was intended to kill !
The Inuit (Canada, Greenland, Russia)
Cheered when a worldwide ban was agreed in the 2001 Stockholm Convention
“we were quite alarmed, shocked & outraged that we were being poisoned
from afar”: Inuit
Alarming concentrations in fatty tissue & breast milk. Lots of medical
problems, esp. in reproductive organs
Pollutants enter humans from animals we consume
Canada fought a 10-year battle to get the industry & Governments to agree to the Treaty
There are many exceptions from the ban
For instance, India keeps the DDTs against malaria
Dioxin: one of the most toxic chemicals known
An amount the size of a grain of rice is the acceptable dose for a million people
also produced in forest fires, incinerators, even smoking a cigarette
Chemical industry is claiming that it is a natural chemical !
PCBs
Also found in burgers & steaks
Even if cooked well
Indoor air pollution: what is causing it
Mold & mildew that grow any place that is warm & humid (shower, kitchen,
basement
Animal dander & saliva: cats & dogs (dogs live inside houses only in N. America
& England). Unacceptable in the rest of the world
Pollen from trees, flowers, grass & some house plants
Dust, may contain bacteria
Tobacco smoke
RADON GAS IN SOIL
First detected in early 1980’s during a routine check in basements in Uranium City, Sask.
Fans were installed in houses with high levels (one of them was mine)
Radon gas is a decomposition product of uranium that occurs naturally in the
ground (esp. in areas with lots of granite)
Canada-wide survey of houses found Winnipeg to have the most radon in the soil,
followed by Saskatoon & Dauphin.
Levels are not particularly high
Radon gas can lead to lung cancer
Not good news for smokers: radon in combination with the chemicals in cigarettes
can lead to lung cancer faster
How does it get into a house?
Found in the soil and/ or construction materials of the basement floor
It may leak through cracks on the floor
Ventilation disperses it
Famous example of a Mass. worker who raised alarm when entering a nuclear plant.
He had brought it from home!!
COAL FIRES
Coal mines that have shut down years ago
Left over coal inside a hole in the ground can be ignited by oxygen from the air
The fire will burn for ever and ever!
CO2 emissions from coal fires maybe as much as total car emissions from N. America!
Most coal fires in China
Arctic Haze, Asian Brown Cloud
Pollution from human activities, factories, deforestation, etc forms dark cloud that
drifts with the wind in certain seasons
The Arctic haze – Northern Canada -comes from Russia’s industrial emissions
US pollution may damage UK health: recent report
Global Dimming
Too much cloud cover
Less sunshine
Leads to depression
Carbon Monoxide
Product of partial combustion of carbon compounds
Replaces oxygen in blood
One would feel ready to sleep, but one would die if you fall asleep –
you are being poisoned slowly !
Dangerous if garage attached to house and car is running
Many deaths every year in Canada
Indoor Arenas
Many skaters faint
NO2 & CO from exhaust of zamboni (ice machine) stay around at ice level
Children use up oxygen faster then adults, instead they breath in those gases
Symptoms: dizzy, headache, stomach, cough, eyes & throat irritated
May cause death
DU Weapons: A NATO idea
Weapons equipped with depleted uranium tips (produced from nuclear waste)
Depleted means it is from nuclear waste
First used in the 1999 War against Yugoslavia (Shame to Canada)
Pilots did not know about the U and took no precautions
Many pilots got leukemia and died
At the target area, soil, water & food became contaminated (thyroid problems)
Problems with radiation
Thyroid malfunction
Probably an epidemic of thyroid problems in the Balkans today (Yugoslavia
& surroundings) could be due to those DU weapons unleashed by NATO
forces for 2 months into the environment or Chernobyl disaster or both
TB
It is like air pollution because it spreads by air
Anyone can be infected
Avoid crowded areas like buses & trains in rush hour in cities (Winnipeg included)
People thought the disease was eliminated, then a stronger strain came back
Video on TB
Old days almost cured by expensive drugs
People have to be monitored to take drugs regularly
Lac Brochet was the worst epidemic in Manitoba a few years ago – secrecy by Government
Bhopal, India, 1984
“ Worst industrial accident in history”
Pesticide factory of a USA multinational
Explosion released a super-toxic cocktail of gases that blinded thousands
At least 15,000 dead and ½ million injured / affected
Birth defects on next generation. Covered up by Government & company
Basically, “corporate greed” was the cause
Suzuki compiled the story into a documentary
Amazing corruption uncovered
Many scientists worldwide are doing tests to find out how to cure the victims,
after so many years
CLIMATE CHANGE (or Global Warming)
In recent Years
Excessive rains with flooding and landslides are common
Hurricanes have become stronger and bigger
Tornadoes are appearing all over the world for the first time
Excessive heat with deaths of old people
Wind has picked up speed, often of hurricane strength
Increased humidity with health problems, etc, etc
Headlines in last few years
“The Great Alaskan Thaw”
Warming world drying wetlands
Is world’s wettest place getting drier? (India)
Climate set for sudden shifts
Forecast is for more extreme weather
Americans are increasingly acting on their own initiative, they can raise the money (for now)
Climate crisis near “in 10 years”
It was climate change who led to human evolution – the Ice Age
However, today…
“Human activities threaten the earth’s ability to sustain future generations”.
Report by the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment: 1,300 researchers from 95
nations over 4 years
(like an audit of nature’s condition)
In recent Years
Excessive rains with flooding and landslides are common
Hurricanes have become stronger and bigger
Tornadoes are appearing all over the world for the first time
Excessive heat with deaths of old people
Wind has picked up speed, often of hurricane strength
Increased humidity with health problems, etc, etc
Headlines in last few years
“The Great Alaskan Thaw”
Warming world drying wetlands
Is world’s wettest place getting drier? (India)
Climate set for sudden shifts
Forecast is for more extreme weather
Americans are increasingly acting on their own initiative, they can raise the money (for now)
Climate crisis near “in 10 years”
How far off is the next ice age?
World scientists urge CO2 action
Greenland ice cap under threat
Tree planting over global warming
Living at the mercy of the sun
Hurricanes & global warming – a link ?
Alaska : 5 villages relocated
Alaska video: “boiling lakes”, CH4 traps 20X more heat than CO2
NW Passage : 1st time ice-free since 1 m.y. ago
Siberia Peat Bog & permafrost: melting
The UK completely covered in snow, in last 3 years
Paris faces 8 million rats due to warm weather
(4 for every citizen)
It was climate change who led to human evolution – the Ice Age
However, today…
“Human activities threaten the earth’s ability to sustain future generations”.
Report by the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment: 1,300 researchers from 95
nations over 4 years
(like an audit of nature’s condition)
Graph of CO2 versus time - •As far back as
400,000 years
2011
UU Unprecedent increase in rainfall
Should not come as a surprise
How many have cut down on emissions?
Kyoto Accord asked countries to limit emissions by 20 %. Canada signed
& then, only country to un-sign!
Canada’s emissions have increased 30 %
We need to pay for damages inflicted to other nations because we pollute the air a lot
Australia (the lady PM)
First country to propose a tax on emissions
It is for industry at the moment- voted in
25 $ per tonne of CO2
Each Canadian emits 15-20 tonnes per year, pay a $500 fine?
Each USA person emits much more than Canadians
“Weather bomb” over Lake Winnipeg, Oct. 2010, was the equivalent of a hurricane
In the middle of Australia where the temp. can exceed 50’C, road surfaces
are not made with asphalt –it would melt- but with a rubber mixture.
We have to start doing the same…?.
Pope warns of climate change, June 18, 2015-he knew we had this course on!
We are part of nature, not above it
Symptoms of sickness everywhere
Abandon fossil fuels as soon as possible
David Attenborough’s video
“Can we save planet Earth?” by the CBC, 2006
Need to reduce emissions
“It is up to us to change the climate”
Suggestions for action:
- unplug appliances not in use
- drive less
- use renewable energy (solar…)
- buy local produce
The "Carbons" in the west and the "Tan's" in the east
Recent award
Plaster on the Andes!
People complain of extreme heat
Glaciers have long melted
Painted the mountain white gained them the award of $ 200,000 (they didn’t expect)
Amazing initiative
Few years later: the glaciers returned!!!
Alaska video
Teams of young scientists sent to monitor changes
Studied glaciers, forests, animals, permafrost
Amazed at melting glaciers. Walked below one glacier – very dangerous!
Bubbling gas in swamps: The effects would be scary to contemplate..
Arctic ocean acidifying rapidly (2013)
PRESENTATIONS / SUBMISSIONS
Earthquakes: get prepared by taking parts in drills & find safe places in a house
videos on “liquified soil” from Japan: ground “moves” under your eyes – amazing!
“The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”: There are 5 “gyres” or spirals
in the oceans trapping plastic garbage. A 20-year old has a solution to clean it up!
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH or Geomedicine
New science!
“Geographical distribution of disease”, or “location matters” – as regards disease
PRESENTATIONS / SUBMISSIONS
Earthquakes: get prepared by taking parts in drills & find safe places in a house
videos on “liquified soil” from Japan: ground “moves” under your eyes – amazing!
“The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”: There are 5 “gyres” or spirals
in the oceans trapping plastic garbage. A 20-year old has a solution to clean it up!
Flood in Sandy Bay, 2011: sandbagging and organization to help in the recovery
Chile 1960 Earthquake (Valdivia): how the worst earthquake unfolded.
In the future, damage can be prevented by making buildings stronger, esp.
schools and getting better prepared in a house environment
Grassy Narrows Mercury Pollution: Contamination from Pulp & Paper Mill
since the 1960s persists even after 79% of the community showed signs of Hg
poisoning. Solution: stop logging in the area. The 12-year blockage against
logging has won the community an exceptional environmental award,
but the logging continues!
New science!
“Geographical distribution of disease”, or “location matters” – as regards disease
The handout
Abundances of
Organic
Electrolytes
Trace elements
Medical problems associated with them
Foods where one can find them
Hippocrates (400 BC)-Father of Medicine- observed the probable reason
for getting sick
for getting sick
London doctor (1854) –John Snow-traced sick to a contaminated water pump
(water washing through cemetery with plague victims)
(water washing through cemetery with plague victims)
Other examples:
Japan, Eastern USA:
In the mountainous areas
“hard water” results in “less stroke”
(rich in Ca, Mg)
In the lowlands
“soft water” results in “more stroke”
(low in Ca, Mg, high in sulphate)
Kentucky & Ireland
Famous for their horses. Why? They have stronger bones because the
soil is rich in Ca (rock is limestone)
soil is rich in Ca (rock is limestone)
Northern Central USA
“goiter belt”: diet low in Iodine
Iodine is only found in the sea & seafood
(remember all life is marine in origin)
Problem fixed with “iodized salt”
Every package of salt you buy, it says so on the label
Other example
Marco Polo’s horses died in China after eating plants rich in Selenium (Se)
In other words, the horses were poisoned by the plants –
they were not used to high Se
they were not used to high Se
Chemical Elements
Life is created from the chemical elements
Tissue made up of the first 20 “bulk” elements (99 % of body wt)
in the Periodic Table of Elements
Life is created from the chemical elements
Tissue made up of the first 20 “bulk” elements (99 % of body wt)
in the Periodic Table of Elements
This includes the
“Organic” elements
H,O,C,N,P,S
Next we have the
“Electrolytes” :
Na, K, Ca, Mg
They are dissolved in the ocean,
Sea water is similar to our blood
That is where all life on this planet started
Weathering has brought all these elements to the oceans. Life incorporated
these elements into the bodies
Also needed are the
16 “Trace” elements
They have to be present in the “right” amounts
If less, we get sick
If more, we also get sick
Local example
Fluorine in water at Gypsumville has caused some medical problems
Legacy of the meteorite that crashed there
Pollutants
Other elements not found in original life
They are products of human activities
We call it progress, development, technology, etc
But they have given us a lot of medical problems, numerous fatal ones
The 4 “Heavy” elements
are toxic (Pb, Cd, Hg, Al) also As
[ lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, arsenic]
Today, pollution brings added concentrations of these that living things are not used to
The pollutants pass through the food chain to humans
Where do the Heavy Elements come from?
Industries, such as glass, pulp, textiles, fertilizers, petroleum
Most are heavy, so they accumulate in the body once they get in.
Therefore, their concentration increases up the food chain
Affected parts by heavy metals
Pb: kidneys, nervous system, fertility, heart
Cd: kidneys, skeleton
Hg: nervous system, fertility, heart
Al: skeleton, nervous system
As: heart
Mercury (Hg)
known as
“the last major toxic substance without an
emission control plan”
“ a traveler without a passport”
Europeans started collecting it at landfills
Minamata disease 1st noticed in Japan
Minamata disease in Brazil, 1999
advisories in 40 USA states
Norway House: advisories since 1990’s
Grassy Narrows, Ont. : worst case in Canada
(40 people with dizziness, vision, birth defects, examined by
doctor from Japan)
Dr. Sam
tested hair of BUNTEP students- no results (analytical problems came up)
Mercury biomagnifies in water
Can get problems with nervous system, learning disabilities, immune
system, heart, Parkinson’s
Lead (Pb)
Fall of Roman Empire: attributed to poisoning of the ruling class by lead
Pb was used in drinking cups in the ruling class only (lead is bright and shiny).
The Romans found deposits of Pb in the UK.
Without knowing, they got poisoned slowly
Same thing happened to the members of the Franklin Expedition who were
looking for the NW Passage in the 1800’s
In the Franklin expedition they brought tin cans of food. In those days the
cans also contained lead – discontinued since
One can say that the Lead story is a bit of a success story, but the battle not won yet
Children more vulnerable as Pb is more easily absorbed into growing bodies
Eliminated from house paint in 1978 & gasoline a few years later (in N. America)
Cadmium (Cd)
Itai! Itai! (it hurts!, it hurts!)
Eats away at the bones
If you shake hand, the bone will break Cd found in industrial wastes
Affects middle-aged women
Present in Flin Flon
Aluminum (Al)
Aluminum from acid rain gets into the food chain
Poisoned from aluminum cooking pots – banned in Europe, but still
in use in N. America! – don’t use old thin ones!
Arsenic (As)
Has been called “devil’s water”, if present in water
Caused early death & disfiguring
People drank such water for years in many parts of the world & still today
– no clean water around
Didn’t know the cause of medical problems
Routine test of sand in playgrounds in Ontario found an alarming concentration
Pressurized wood is treated with an arsenic compound to extend the life of the wood
Discontinued since
Asbestos
“Does not burn, does not melt”
Still many uses in car brakes, insulation…
Dangerous only if particles broken & inhaled
Emperor Charlemagne used it to convince his guests that he has
supernatural powers!
Lethal if mixed with smoking
Animal Plagues
Diseases pass from flees, rats, etc
Many major plagues in the Middle Ages
In North America, there is still plague passed from squirrels
Notices in parks: “do not feed squirrels”
Epidemic in Canada
Cancer, asthma, respiratory Is Canada losing the battle?
Looking for cure rather than prevention
However in Europe: just prevention Eliminate junk food, pop drinks,
processed foods, large consumption of salt, white sugar & white flour
North Americans are manipulated by Big Companies through smart
advertizing, Hollywood, Disney
Examples: Big Sugar, Big Tobacco, Big Pop, Big Oil, Big Car Manufacturers, etc
“Big sugar”: Industry video
Pop drinks loaded with sugar
Banned in Quebec, Ontario schools and will be across the country
Sugar obtained from sugarcane worked by black “slaves” in the Caribbean
(it should be brown then, instead it gets painted white to look nice & clean!)
They get $ 2 for cutting a ton of sugar cane
Their pension is $ 1 a day !
WHO : only 10 % of energy should come from sugar
Industry: clean your teeth with sugar!!!
The industry wins the battle by false advertising
Big business advertising pop drinks
Aimed at children
Even recruit “stars” like Gretzky
They have succeeded
In the meantime, health costs are escalating …
Solutions
Epidemic of diabetes in N. America & elsewhere (like the South Pacific islands)
U B.C. low-carb diet project for 1 year sponsored by Health Canada
(My Big Fat Diet)
England’s project of sending “junk-food Brits” to Pakistan for 1 month
to get a taste of some of the world’s best diets
Low carb diet, Alert Bay, B.C.
Epidemic of diabetes in peoples of First Nation
Up to 100 participants monitored by a doctor and a nurse. “Starch is out”
They lost ½ ton !
Some threw away their diabetes medication afterwards
Video: My Big Fat Diet
Traditional diet versus “modern” diet
People should eat whatever your parents / grandparents ate, more or less
Brits in Pakistan: junk food versus most healthy diet on the planet
Brits dieting on junk food spend 4 weeks in rural village
Monitored by a doctor
The 20-year old was thought to be 50!
The 51-year old was thought to be 77-78!
Excellent results, everyone thrilled
Examined by doctors on their return
Deadly “fat in the liver” much reduced
Mediterranean Diet
Very few cancers
Olive oil itself cuts risk by 10 %
Peas, beans & lentils cut by another 12%
Diet: Fruits/vegetables/nuts/fish – no meat
No 1 veg healthwise is artichoke, No 2 is broccoli, etc, etc. Food values
are known since ancient times
Fibre-wise: most important is almonds
