bioaccumulation
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Bald eagles return to the southern Great Lakes after near extinction
The bald eagle population in southern Ontario has made a remarkable recovery after near extinction due to DDT, symbolizing hope for both wildlife and human health.
In short:
- The pesticide DDT nearly wiped out bald eagles in North America, causing their numbers to plummet in the mid-20th century.
- Decades of conservation efforts have led to a significant recovery, with Ontario declaring bald eagles no longer at risk in May 2023.
- Despite the success, bald eagles now face new threats from climate change and emerging contaminants.
Key quote:
"If we’re not paying attention to what we’re doing, if we’re not careful about what we’re putting into the environment, we’re just going to repeat the story over and over again."
— Jody Allair, Birds Canada
Why this matters:
The resurgence of bald eagles is a testament to the effectiveness of environmental regulations and conservation efforts. It speaks to a broader issue of how human activities impact both wildlife and human health, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and action. Read more: Pesticide DDT linked to increased breast cancer risk generations after exposure.
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| BigStock Photo ID: 476208333 |
| Copyright: Svetlozar Hristov |
How plastics are poisoning us
Plastics release and attract toxic chemicals, and appear everywhere from human placentas to chasms thirty-six thousand feet beneath the sea. Will we ever be rid of them? Elizabeth Kolbert writes for The New Yorker
In a nutshell:
Born in 1865 out of a quest to eliminate elephant ivory from the billiard ball supply chain, plastics are now being spewed forth at an annual production volume of over eight hundred billion pounds. As plastics break down into microplastics and disperse, they make their way to the most distant parts of our planet as well as infiltrating the internal organs of species up and down the food chain. No amount of recycling, reusing or repurposing is going to solve the plastics problem.
Key quote:
“So long as we’re churning out single-use plastic . . . we’re trying to drain the tub without turning off the tap,” Matt Simon writes. “We’ve got to cut it out.”
Big picture:
Reducing plastic pollution cannot be seriously entertained without a commitment to reducing, if not eliminating, plastic production; and that in turn would involve a winding down of the petrochemical industry at precisely the point in time when Big Oil, faced with an energy transition to renewables, is looking to plastics as one of the mainstays of future profits. The oil and gas industry, protected by massive political might and bankrolled by decades of record profits and willing financiers will not go quietly.
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Dave Bezaire/Flickr
U.N. report calls for the ban of mercury trade and its use in gold mining
Small-scale gold mining is the key driver of global mercury demand, according to a U.N. report on the highly toxic metal, with South America accounting for 39% of this demand.
Environmental injustice measures under new Philly bill
Philly Councilmember Helen Gym plans to introduce legislation Thursday that could protect already overburdened communities by keeping additional pollution out.
www.nationalobserver.com
Plastics and toxic chemicals are killing fish — and poisoning us
Plastic, pesticides and other toxic substances are devastating the world’s fish and marine animals, according to a report released Tuesday.
www.cbc.ca
Alberta promises close watch on new mines but cuts oversight of coal-polluted rivers
Alberta government documents show repeated cuts to environmental monitoring despite contaminants in some waterways that exceed thresholds that are supposed to trigger increased scrutiny.
cen.acs.org
Biden calls for review of recent EPA actions
Decisions on chemical risks, pesticides, and science under scrutiny.
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