Biosolids

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 by Rj

In other parts of the world, bio solids (human waste)from sewage treatment plants are treated and used as sustainable agriculture fertilizer. Research the pros and cons of this method and take as to whether this can be a realistic alternative to our current agricultural practices. Who are the potential stakeholders in the issue? Are we influenced by the western view of human waste as an unsanitary and disgusting nuisance?

The thing with every form of matter, is that it never simply "disappears" it always changes into a different form. Food is consumed and is turned into energy and waste. The waste gets flushed and depending where you are,it either is simply thrown into somewhere or used as a fertilizer. The process for creating biosolids is simple. First they take the raw sewage and strain it several times to remove the large chunks of waste, then the more harmful microorganisms in the waste are eaten by other microorganisms that feed on them. This is done continuously until the harmful bacterias are fully removed. Some of the "good" bacteria can even convert the "bad" bacteria into hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas which can then be converted into methane gas, and can be used to power several gas powered objects, including the plant itself.


The use of biosolids is a brilliant way of using our wastes to create even more produce, but why is'nt its use being widely accepted in the U.S? Many people still can't bare the thought of growing produce from human feces and waste. Also, it is still widely believed that the process that "cleans" the sewage doesn't remove all the harmful chemicals found in it like arsenic, copper, and the several medicines that have been consumed and excreted. But what some people don't know is that, the process of cleaning sewage and recycling the water is used both here in Canada and in the United States, it is up to the municipalities to decide what to do with the waste product; either burn it, bury it in a landfill or use it as biosolids. And that the water that is cleaned, is then poured again in the river that we use as a water resource, for us to consume, its a continuous cycle of resources.

The use of human feces or "night soil" as a fertilizer has been around since the ninth century in Japan, and even in ancient Athens. Its use is found heavily today, in under-developed countries lik
e Ghana who use land which had been irrigated with human urine and feces to grow crops that produce vegetables to eat, because its an incredibly cheap alternative to the other fertilizer. Apparently, a study released by the university of Kupio in Finland, stated that human urine is the best substitute for water, to grow a plant; it will make it grow more rapidly because it is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate. The brave testers that ate the urine infused tomatoes used as a test plant, agreed that the tomatoes tasted "different", but decided that they were all equally good.


Of course its a realistic alternative to our current agricultural practices,some of the fertilizer food companies use (or even the ones they sell at Walmart) fertilizer that is resourced from animal manure. Sometimes they even contain bone meal from rotting dead animals! Why are we so worried about consuming something we probably ate before anyways? for all we know we're eating a burrito with a tomato that was grown from crap that came from another burrito! The potential stakeholders in the issue are cities and towns themselves;they have to decide whether the use of something that comes out of them anyways produces something that they really need to survive.

I personally, am all for the use of biosolid
s. The people who run treatment plants that produce biosolids, are probably working their asses off to ensure that the sewage that they are treating is perfectly safe because their entire company is depending on those high standards. In my opinion its not like we're just eating the crap itself, we're using the nutrients and byproducts that our body produces to help produce food we eat! I think the one reason we all share the same unsanitary view on human feces because we try to hold our reputation as a modern and clean society.
There's another reason too, ....involving a cup.


works cited:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosolids

http://www.compost.org/Biosolids_Composting_FAQ.pdf

http://www.perc.ca/PEN/2001-02/s-mills2.html


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Monday, April 12, 2010 by Rj

Artificial slection has resulted in plants that are more disease-resistant, cows that produce more milk, and racehorses that run faster. One must wonder what will come next in the blog entry, answer the following question - under what circumstances should humans be artificially selecting plants or animals, if any?


The use of artificial selection for breeding specially designed living organisms has been around for a long time. Artificial selection can be seen in almost everything we see from the fruits and vegetables we eat to the dogs we keep as pets. Selective breeding itself isn't too complicated, all it really boils down to is managing its reproduction process; for example I saw a National Geographic video on these genetically engineered cattle that were practically just walking mounds of muscle! These cows were created after years and years of selective breeding, they took the cows that were missing the gene that regulated muscle growth and made them mate only with cows with the same trait! Making generations and generations of cows with irregular amounts of muscle growth because of the missing gene! These "Belgian Blues"as they are called, literally weigh more than a ton!

DAYUMM.

These cows help produce meat with almost no fat at all, creating meat that cooks faster and contains less cholesterol and calories. One problem these cows face is dystocia. Because of the almost extreme sizes of the cattle, most of the bulls can't give birth by natural means and have to undergo a caesarean section. These cattle undergo very special treatment, unlike regular cows because of their specialty so their meat run at higher rates than normal meats.


seriously, this one's even got a nose ring and a Mohawk! HOW COOL IS THAT.

But is all this necessary? sure. I mean why shouldn't we play god? artificial selection has helped crops survive droughts and live through insect infestations, helped domesticate animals and helped feed demand. Americans demand only a select amount of animals for consumption: cows, chickens, pigs and lambs. Every once in a while its something different but most of the time its these four animals, what if the milk your drinking was only possible because the cow it came from was genetically modified so it would meet the demands being made? We are a picky species, we need to have a specific vegetables and proteins in order to assure our health, unlike other wild animals who just eat whatever lands in front of them or is abundant in their habitat. So we need these genetically modified animals and plants so we can meet the demands. Large percentiles of the foods being produced and distributed in the U.S are genetically modified! These include: Tomatos, Bananas, Potatoes, Sugar and many more, your entire dinner tonight could consist of genetically modified meat and vegtables! Much like the ways people breed dogs, food companies alter fruits and vegtable in order to appeal to consumers. I remember one time my grandfather had a lemon tree in the Phillipines and everytime he pulled one down to make some lemonade, id question the authenticity of the lemon because it looked nothing like the ones they bought at the supermarket! In reality, the food for years food distributors in a way breeded the lemons so that they would come out as these perfect almost spherical lemons, and not the almost elephant-man looking lemons my grandfather had.

Ususally for these blogs, i really like taking the opposite side, so im gonna go ahead and be all for artificial selection. Why can't we breed the perfect race horse for enetertainment? Would you watch a show with slightly paced horses racing each other? I think that people have a skewed idea on artificial selection. Many people argue that our technological and scientifical advancements will lead to humanity's demise simply because we're playing with nature too much. I personally think there isn't a "too much" i mean everyones blaming cars and various other devices that emit toxins; but come on seriously would you give up that 10 min drive to school for an hour's walk? People argue and argue "artificial selection is bad and is very very wrong" but I seriously doubt that they would eat a tomato or a banana that has'nt been artificially enhanced.







WORKS CITED

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_selection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Blue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_breeding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhwgf2vmNfU

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Monday, March 22, 2010 by Rj

“Designer babies” is the term being used by the media to describe the future of modifying or selecting our children’s genes for desirable characteristics (medical and cosmetic). Are things getting out of hand with our research into genetic processes? In this blog investigate social and ethical implications of this research and technologies that have been developed from it.




From a religious standpoint, I can understand why this is a major topic amongst people. We see it as tampering with mother nature and disturbing the natural order. The creation of "Designer Babies" in the near future could possibly make or break our future as a species. When you think about it, the countless few who managed to change the world dramatically did so, without being "perfect". In a few years scientists will have completed the "Human Genome Project" a scientific research project created to determine the complete structure of the human genetic material (or DNA). In this lifetime, we have evolved to the point where we can direct our own evolution. Imagine a race of "perfect" human beings running around in cities, all designed to live well past the age of a hundred. But what is "perfect" ? some people would want a kid who was as smart as Albert Einstein, as musically talented as Ray Charles, and as talented in oratory as JFK, but all these people were not "perfect" human beings; they did not have the "perfect" genome. Einstein had dyslexia, Ray Charles had Primary Glaucoma, and JFK had Addison's Disease. These men were put in history books despite their slight imperfections. If we were to have figured out how to create the perfect babies well before today, these people would have never been born.



Currently, there are two ways technology has replaced human reproduction. The first being IVF or In Vitro Fertilization. In this process, the ovulatory process is controlled by extracting the eggs from a woman's ovaries, and then releasing the sperm to fertilize them in a fluid. This is all done outside of the womb, thus the name "in vitro" or "within the glass". This technique was first used by Dr. Patrick Steptoe in 1978, when he and a team of scientists in Oldham, UK successfully gave birth to Louise Brown through the use of IVF. This technique is still being used today and can run around for 1,200$ to do such a procedure. The second is PGD or "preimplantation genetic diagnosis" this is done durinf the IVF process, where, after the embryo's are fertilized, they are screened for any possible genetic disorders. This allows the creation of a "perfect baby".



How far are we gonna go? I recently saw a movie called "Gattaca" in this movie, a large fraction of the population is genetically enhanced. The world has embraced the use of science as a means to create the perfect baby and doing so; has made the people born naturally into the social underclass. As they say in the movie: "We've got discrimination down to a science". The main protagoist is Vincent Freeman, he was born natrually within the womb. His brother on the other hand, was created as the perfect specimen and because so; made him the favorite. As the movie continues; him and his brother go swimming in the sea to see how far who could go the longest without chickening out and swimming back to shore. They used to do this all the time as kids, and his brother Anton would always be the clear winner. But one day in their teenage years, they begin their race again, but surprisingly Vincent is the clear winner; because Anton begins to drown halfway. Vincent saves him, and finally departs from his family. In the beggining of the movie; Vincent was given a 99% chance of having a heart problem, and he was given a 30 year lifespan. He had always dreamed about becoming an astronaut, but because of his "genetics" he is only accepted to do very menial jobs. In this future, job applications and social statuses are replaced by genetic reading. Applying for a job, simply consists of giving a DNA sample by blood, piss, or any other disposable human waste such as loose skin or hair. Vincent then decides to impersonate a "valid" specimen in order to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut. He does this by taking human samples from Jerome Morrow, who was destined to become the greatest track runner in history because of his genetics, but after coming second in a big name race, he decides to commit suicide. But he fails to, and instead paralyzes his spine leaving him in a wheelchair for life. So, he decides to "rent his identity" by giving samples to Vincent in order for him to become a celestial navigator. After a group of events that nearly compromises true Vincent's identity, he is able to pull through and eventually go up in to space.

This movie helped bring a full realization of what might happen in the near future, and the problems that would succumb. The entire sexual productive act is eliminated, and couples who decide to have a baby together, propose so by presenting a hair strand.

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Human Intervention.

Sunday, October 18, 2009 by Rj

Many scientists consider humans as the most invasive species, humans can greatly change and environment and impact the living things that reside there. Are we being stewards of the world? Take a look at an issue in which human intervention has positively or negatively affected the biodiversity of our ecosystems?

As humans we are the most invasive, and destructive species on this planet, and this is solely because we are at the top of the food chain, and when your on top you can't help but beat up and laugh at everyone under you right? All organisms on this planet depend on resources to maintain their existence. As the population rises, the dependency on these resources increase, this consumption of resources; greatly impacts the environment. As humans, we depend on the various resources this planet has to offer, and sometimes we manipulate the environment to help meet our needs. The destruction of forests and the extinctions of various animals can all be attributed to man's need to survive. I read somewhere, that it would take a planet twice the size as earth to provide the same type of standard living we find here in the west.

we took his habitat, now we're taking his bucket.

I saw that a lot of people picked issues that negatively impacted biodiversity; so I decided to find one where our species have had a positive effect on the ecosystem by our intervention. We as humans have seen our impact on ecosystems and have begun changing. There are thousands of wildlife reserves around the world used to preserve the various wildlife, and unique geological features in the land. There are over 200 national nature reserves in the United kingdom, spanning a total area of 879 square kilometeres, nearly every rural county has one. In Egypt, there are 27 nature reserves, representing 12% of the land; used to protect the natural resources, culture and history of the area, Egypt is planning on building another 40 nature reserves from 1997-2017. Germany has an outstanding 5,314 nature reserves scattered around the country coveringa total of 6,845 square kilometres. And lastly, the U.S has the National Wildlife Refuge, used to "to manage a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitat." The total amount of land being protected by them is a staggering 388,385 square kilometres. Countries like South Africa, Poland, Russia and New Zealand also contain nature reserves, and soon more countries could follow. The preservation of these various lands, has helped preserve the biodiversity of these ecosystems from human intervention.

Nature Reserves: the perfect screensaver.

Scientists are also begininning to try and clone previously extinct species, Just earlier this year, scientists were able to clone the "Pyrenean Ibex" which went extinct in the year 2000. Sadly the newbon clone diedminutes after birth. Sure, we are manipulating nature, but to re-write previous wrong doings; by introducing a previously extinct species in the wild, it could greatly affect the biodiversity in the ecosystem.

THIS IS POSSIBLE.

There are many negative impacts humanity has done that negatively affected biodiversity; pollution, de-forestation, extinction of various wildlife and many more. But then you have to keep in mind this was all to help us meet our needs. Pollution happens because it just so happens that the energy we use to heat food, power cars to travel long distances, etc. emits a harmful by-product. So until we find a new way to create energy, that doesn't involve installing million dollar fans or glass panes this is our only way of getting energy.Forests are torn down so it would provide an area where people can build housing for the sudden increase in population countries don't just tear down forests for no reason. Although it might be a sad realization, we can't live amongst animals in harmony, we can't just walk around the forest while singing and dancing with a bear about the importance of friendship.

But it would be awesome.




Sources\Sites Read:

http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/3.Conservation/impacts.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_footprint

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090210-bucardo-clone.html

http://socyberty.com/issues/human-impact-on-earth/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Wildlife_Refuge



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