The Pantone Color Institute, a company which helps choose colors for designs on products, has chosen “Ultra Violet” as its color of 2018. In the past, the color purple was only obtainable from the mucus of snails which lived off the coast of Tyre, Phoenicia, and the process of gathering and processing this dye was disgustingly difficult and smelly. As a result, purple clothing and cloth was extremely expensive, available only to royalty and the very wealthy. Although the discovery of an artificial formula for purple die was discovered in 1856, making the color more widely available, purple continues to hold status as a symbol of royalty and honor to this day. One examples of its importance is the Purple Heart, an award given to wounded soldiers. The executive director of Pantone claims that purple is “the most complex of all colors”, since it combines red and blue, two colors which seem like opposites. Purple is perceived as an intense color. Recently, it was added to weather maps to represent possible rainfall higher than the dark red zones which had been the old limit, due to the downpour of Hurricane Harvey.  Purple is also connected with spirituality and mindfulness in meditation.

The various interpretations of the color purple all go back to its original source. People would only go through the horrible job of collected and boiling snails for a high price, and so the rich and powerful were the only market. As purple became connected to royalty, it developed into a symbol of power, and royalty guarded this image by forbidding that common people wear it. This, of course, added an air of mystery to the color. When Leatrice Eiseman, the aforementioned executive directer, calls purple “complex”, she refers to this mystery, as “complex” delineates from the Latin “complexus”, a word which refers to the twisting, intricate aspect of braided plaits. The scarcity of this resource led to its restriction from commoners, which lead to its rise as a symbol of power and complexity. Prince, of course, knows all about this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/style/purple-pantone-color-year.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=sectionfront

This article focuses on the grave danger of India’s air pollution issue — mostly in the capital of New Dehli. The rising news has come from the most recent cricket game, which had to be cut short, when a famous cricket player could not play on the field anymore because he could not catch his breath properly due to the pollution of the air. He began having great trouble breathing, and started vomiting right on the field. This caused a great spark of responses, namely targeted towards the Prime Minister. They honed in a recent governmental policy which allows businesses to prosper easily. For example, construction zoning sites are able to have less restrictions now after these new laws have been passed. While this may be good for businesses, it allows more toxins to go into the air, since there are less restrictions about filtering them off or not using certain machinery which can exacerbate the air pollution problem. In an effort to increase the business economy of India, the government is inadvertently creating a worse problem for the environment. It is clear that a more clean and green environment are not on the Prime Minister’s agenda in any way. Even with all the backlash they are facing from Indian citizens and residents, they seem to dismiss the problem as one that will go away on its own. In fact, Prime Minister Modi’s team member has states that the problem will go away once the weather changes and the direction of the winds change. This pollution issue is causing grave dangers to the residents that live in this heavily populated area. New Dehli currently has 21.75 million residents who are directly affected by the air pollution. The air pollution is so terrible that seeing thick layers of smog and smoke across are deemed as normal and stationary to the daily lives of many citizens.

A huge issue is India’s own government. They are notoriously famous for having a decentralized government that does not govern its people in unity. Since the country is so large, it is mostly split up among different provinces. A big revenue of New Dehli’s economy comes from their agricultural facilities, and crop burning at the end of the season creates 25% of the air pollution that exists in the area. Many government officials that come from the different provinces and states keep vouching for the main and central government to think of alternative ways to deal with this problem. They proposed an alternative of transferring crop residues to the farming animals for food, instead of directly burning it, so no toxic fumes are emitted in the atmosphere. The cost of this transport and work would be approximately 200 million dollars. While that may seem like a great amount, this is actually smaller than a tenth percent of India’s economy revenue of 2 trillion. The central government tends to focus on matters that do not concern the environment, as they are more focused on advancing their business and overall tourism. However, they do not realize that by ruining their landscape and having people lash out and produce photos of the terrible environment, this puts off many tourists planning to come to the city, as well as other countries that would otherwise be willing to do business with them.

References

Gettleman, Jeffrey, et al. “Environmentalists Ask: Is India’s Government Making Bad Air Worse?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/world/asia/india-pollution-modi.html.

“Delhi Population 2017.” Delhi Population 2017 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs), 20 Oct. 2017, worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/delhi-population/.

This last week, a huge wildfire has ravaged through areas in California. It had destroyed about 800 structures and scorched 56,000 acres by Sunday. This wildfire has been recorded as the fifth largest in state history. People are working very hard to bring the blaze under control but the hot, dry Santa Ana winds and mountainous terrains make these firefighting efforts very difficult. The Thomas Fire has scorched 230,000 acres (more than the area of NYC), destroyed 790 buildings, and left 90,000 homes and businesses without power. The fires have also forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 people. There has only been one death reported from these fires.

Almost 90% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans. These can result from unattended campfires, burning debris, discarded cigarettes, and intentional acts of arson. The other 10% of wildfires in the U.S. are started by lightning or lava. Fires usually start through hot lightning bolts that last for a really long time. It’s unclear at this time why the fires started because it takes while for wildfires to be properly investigated.

REUTERS. “California Wildfire Rages Toward Scenic Coastal Communities.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/12/10/us/10reuters-usa-wildfires.html.

NPS. “Wildfire Causes.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/fire/wildland-fire/learning-center/fire-in-depth/wildfire-causes.cfm.

The world’s biggest gold mining company, Barrick Gold, is seeking to find experts in artificial intelligence in order to incorporate greater technology into its operations (Reuters). There are many potential uses for this technology throughout the “life cycle of mining” which includes exploration, production and closure. Since the 1990s, technology such as tomographic imaging and GPS has been applied to the exploration process to help improve effectiveness and efficiency of exploration operations. One important factor in exploration for ore is the underlying processes in ore formation which can be used in the successful identification and discovery of profitable mining areas. Many metallic ore deposits occur as the aqueous fluid flows through the Earth’s crust and precipitates due to changing conditions. This fluid however, also maintains a high fluid flux by continuing to move through the crust. Furthermore, the ore deposits that do form are often oxidized, causing the dispersion of the metal to create “geochemical and mineralogical haloes”. These features of the ore-deposit formation process- the continued fluid flow and the haloes- are already useful tools in finding ore deposits (National Research Council). However, AI utilization of this information, particularly through the analysis of fluid movement through the Earth, would lead to greater productivity in the mining sector. This would be greatly welcomed due to the annual 3.5% decrease seen in productivity between 2005 and 2015 (Reuters).
The push to increase the use of technology in mining is one that the sector hopes will increase efficiency, resulting in gains of $373 billion by 2025. Artificial intelligence managers will be involved in projects studying the large amounts of data to understand the geology of the mining area. AI analysis would provide predictions on where to mine for the best ore and would maintain control over equipment maintenance. Although working for the mining industry may not be the perceived ideal for AI experts, the job does pay better than many others and Barrick is already beginning to recruit in order to prevent large technology companies from monopolizing the available talent. The company has already begun using computer analysis to determine “more efficient ways to grind and process rocks” and to predict equipment breakdown before it occurs. This project is projected to cut costs by 30%, and its success, as well as that of a previous small project that more actively connected workers and equipment, is acting as the catalyst for the development of further technological advancement projects (Reuters). These projects could create a potential new angle of competition in the mining industry and a potential new norm that can shape the future of mining.

Reuters. “Data Workers Prove a Rare Resource for Barrick, Fellow Miners.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/12/06/business/06reuters-mining-technology-jobs.html.

National Research Council. “Read ‘Evolutionary and Revolutionary Technologies for Mining’ at NAP.edu.” National Academies Press: OpenBook, National Research Council, 2002, www.nap.edu/read/10318/chapter/5.

       The Great Salt Lake in Utah is disappearing. Over time, more of the lake bed has been exposed, and the effect is so large that it can be seen from space. In her article “Seeking the Source of the Vanishing Great Salt Lake,” Joanna Klein discusses the reasons that may explain this occurrence. Wayne A. Wurstbaugh, an aquatic ecologist from Utah State University, analysed the lake and found that surprisingly, the reason has nothing to do with climate change. The issue was also not a fluctuation that occurred every x years. However, the most reasonable explanation is human overconsumption of the lake water. The lake has been used for watering agriculture around the area- corn, hay, grain, and pasture. While this consumption is overkill for the lake’s existence, water diversion has reduced the amount of water that enters the lake. Wartsurgh and his colleagues argue that this alarming issue can be fixed if consumption begins to decrease and if more research is done to observe how water flows in lakes. This issue is very common in saline lakes, and it has been observed in the Aral Sea, a lake that cits in Central Asia between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Klein stresses how this issue was dealt with by building 106$ million dike which helped a small amount. Another possible solution discussed is to divert water from the Colorado River Basin and to generally reduce water consumption.

       A lot of the issue that stems from the increasing occurrences of desiccation of saltwater lakes is due to the resourcefulness and monetization that these lakes can lead to (Wurstbaugh et al., 2017). These lakes most resourceful use is agriculture, but that generates the overconsumption that then fuels the dessication. Wurstbaugh’s research has also shown that this loss of resources going to affect numerous industries, but it will also potentially cause harm to crops and human health (2017). The arid lake area leads to salt-dust storms that are very damaging. In fact, the desiccation of the Owen Lake in California has lead to so much airborne dust that has increased respiratory illnesses such as asthma, sinus infections, and allergies (Kittle, 2000). Klein’s possible solutions have been attempted by the governments that surround the Aral Sea. The dike has helped a significant amount considering the rate at which the Aral Sea was drying up. The fishing industry has survived in Kazakhstan and sickness levels have gone down (The World Bank, 2005). his option should definitely be explored by the Utah government as the restoration of the water levels of this lake is very important to numerous industries who monetize from it and to the health of the people around the area.

Works Cited:

Kittle, S. (2000, January 14). Survey of Reported Health Effects of Owens Lake Particulate

Matter. Retrieved December 09, 2017, from http://www.gbuapcd.org/Information/SurveyofReportedHealthEffectsofOwensLakeParticulateMatter.pdf

Klein, J. (2017, November 28). Seeking the Source of the Vanishing Great Salt Lake. Retrieved

December 09, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/science/great-salt-lake-utah-vanishing.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience

The World Bank (2005, September 01). Saving a Corner of the Aral Sea. Retrieved December 09, 2017, from

http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2005/09/01/saving-a-corner-of-the-aral-sea

Wurtsbaugh, W. A., Miller, C., Null, S. E., DeRose, R. J., Wilcock, P., Hahnenberger, M., Howe, F., … Moore, J. (2017, October 23). Decline of the world’s saline lakes. Retrieved December 09, 2017. Nature Geoscience. doi: 10.1038/NGEO3052

Dr. Sridhar, a NASA scientist, had created a contraption that can use solar energy to transform the atmosphere of Mars into one habitable by humans. However, when the endeavor was shutdown, he began to focus on ways to reduce the climate change on earth. NASA has developed a fleet of fuel-cell generators that produce electricity through a chemical reaction, and with a recent deal for Dr. Sridhar’s company Bloom Energy to install generators at a dozen data centers in California and New Jersey for Equinix. The deal will create a reliable energy source that uses natural gas, rather than hydrogen to produce electricity. This is striking as natural gas has become very abundant due to the production boom over the last decade. Each cell is made from a thin ceramic wafer which are placed between metal plates, and the resulting structure is a solid oxide fuel cell that can operate at very high temperatures, about 800 degrees Celsius. At that temperature, when natural gas mixed with steam flows over one surface of the cell while oxygen flows over the other, a reaction occurs that results in the release of electricity, steam that is recycled through the process and carbon dioxide. The cells prove to be better in combatting global warming as they release less of the heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide than conventional plants. Also, cells have been slowly gaining users who are energy-conscious, already proving to be more efficient and viable. Fuel cells are installed on site, and thus they do not need to burn extra fuel to compensate for energy lost over long transmission lines. In addition, they use less fuel per watt of power than conventional plants as they don’t burn fuels to heat water or air to spin turbines, further making them more efficient and an efficient energy alternative.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat. It is created when the combustion of fossil fuels combines carbon gas and oxygen gas through the burning of a hydrocarbon in oxygen gas. Carbon dioxide traps the heat energy from the sun’s rays in the atmosphere and causes the planet to begin to warm, altering climate patters. Energy arrives from the sun in the form of visible light and ultraviolet radiation which the Earth emits as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture a portion of this heat, and then emit it in back to the Earth’s surface. Through this process, carbon dioxide along with other greenhouse gases keep the Earth’s surface  warmer and allows life to prosper. However, an excess of these gases can trap an even greater amount of heat and lead to drastic climate change. Some of the effects of these increased greenhouse gases include sea level rises by almost four feet within the next century as well as stronger hurricanes. In addition, warmer climates can cause the arctic ice to melt and alter entire ecosystems, extend the growing season through warmer temperatures, and even increase the occurrence of droughts and heat waves.  Alternative sources of energy such as the NASA fuel cells can help decrease the impact of greenhouse gasses on climate change.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 3 Aug. 2017, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

Cardwell, DIane. “Energy Idea for Mars Yields a Clue for Powering Data Cells”The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/business/energy-environment/data-center-energy.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=42&pgtype=sectionfront

-Rasman Rayyan

Heritage Thermal Services is a hazardous waste facility located in East Liverpool, Ohio and on July 2013 an eruption occurred which spewed toxic waste and chemicals around the neighborhood.   Three years later, Donald Trump, someone who is notoriously known for refuting climate change claims, won by a landslide in industrial East Liverpool.  Today, East Liverpool is drafting a protest letter to the EPA which has made no progress in punishing the owner whose plant erupted in East Liverpool in 2013.

Ever since Trump took office the EPA has had major cut-downs which are unprecedented for any previous president, both republican and democrat. When Trumps appointee, Scot Pruitt, took office the amount of investigations on hazardous sites has decreased by less than one-third of the investigations under the Obama administration and one-fourth of the Bush Administration.    In addition, EPA officers no longer have the right to order air and water pollution tests without receiving permission from Washington.  This has slowed down and inhibited the efficacy of EPA enforcement officers and consequently any projects that were in effect to reduce pollution and toxic emissions.  The 31 percent EPA budget cut that Trump put in place led to the loss of about 700 employees at the EPA (Davidson).  After three years, East Liverpool still contains toxic levels of dust with metal additives such as manganese which are harmful to human health.  Other sites that have been stalled because of cuts to the EPA such as TimkenSteel Corporation in Canton, Ohio and Globe Metallurgical in Waterford, Ohio continue to release life threatening chemicals that can cause, “pulmonary edema, respiratory failure and death.” (Lipton and Ivory).

EPA cuts are detrimental to society and Earth.  These toxic wastes are silent killers that not only cause extreme changes in climate but also directly impact human health.  With cut-downs on the EPA these plants remain unpunished free to illegally emit chemicals into the atmosphere.   In an attempt to alleviate the drop in efficiency of the EPA due to cuts, the EPA decided to put more power into the state judiciary in deciding how to deal with the main causes of pollution in their individual states.

Works Cited

Lipton, Eric, and Danielle Ivory. “Under Trump, E.P.A. Has Slowed Actions Against Polluters, and Put Limits on Enforcement Officers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/12/10/us/politics/pollution-epa-regulations.html.

Columnist, Joe Davidson |. “Perspective | EPA won’t be able to do the ‘right thing’ under Trump, says latest protesting official.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 1 Aug. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/08/01/epa-doing-the-right-thing-is-not-possible-under-trump-says-resigning-official/.

Superfund sites are areas designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as toxic areas that need to be cleaned.  There are currently 21 sites that have been designated by the EPA as needing an immediate and intense cleanup.  These sites include a landfill with radioactive waste near St. Louis and a public housing complex with lead contamination in East Chicago.  Even though there are major areas with serious health concerns, the funding for the EPA has decreased dramatically: the Trump administration decreased the Superfund budget by 30 percent.  Because of this, it is difficult to do hasty and comprehensive cleaning.  This is a public health concern, since there are many chemicals that are in sediment which can be detrimental to human health.  These include radioactive material, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and many other toxins which can cause the development of irritation, cancer, and many other ailments.  The way that the EPA defines their sites is somewhat strange as they give higher importance to areas which will help them meet their milestones, or site specific actions, as opposed to actually cleaning up the most detrimental areas (Brady).

The EPA is an instrumental organization which protects the health and safety of people all over the United states.  Figure 1 shows all of the super funds in the United States.  These funds are especially concentrated in New York, which shows the gravity of the situation in this area.  In fact, Brooklyn College is within 4 miles of a superfund site, and there are 4 more within 10 miles of it.

Figure 1: Superfund Sites in the United States

The problem with Superfund sites is that they can be on the Superfund list for decades.  It is expected that the toxins in groundwater and soil will remain for a long time.  This is somewhat uncontrollable.  However, what is controllable is the money in the EPA’s budget.  This budget is necessary since, when there are abandoned Superfund sites with no company to take responsibility, the EPA has to pay.  But, if there is no money, then there is no way to detoxify.  As shown in Figure 2 by the red columns, the number of active Superfund sites have decreased (National Geographic).

Figure 2: EPA Superfunds

To keep this trend going, the EPA needs to keep cleaning, and needs to prioritize their goals correctly, in terms of eliminating the most harmful sites over reaching their milestones.  Once this is done, the effect that harmful chemicals in soil and water can be minimized, which will make these sites, and their surrounding locations a safer place to live in.

Dennis, Brady. “EPA Lists 21 Toxic Superfund Sites That Need ‘Immediate and Intense’ Cleanup.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 8 Dec. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/12/08/epa-lists-21-toxic-superfund-sites-that-need-immediate-and-intense-cleanup/.

“How Close Are You to a Superfund Site?” National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/superfund/.

For years, it was assumed that giant boulders were compiled on a flat peninsula in western Island due to tsunamis. These boulders weighed four times more than a school bus and sit on a field of shallow cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. However, a recent study debunked those assumptions and provided us with interesting, yet worrisome data regarding the potential strength of violent storms and the subsequent storm surge they create. Using historical records, oceanographic data, and field measurements, researchers were able to track the potential wave heights reached in case of a storm. Furthermore, lighthouse records and measurements from offshore buoys point towards a landscape that is commonly ravaged by large storm waves. Past data dating back to 1861, documented a storm that was able to send waves crashing over a 220 feet tall light house near the boulder site. Records from this storm show that the lighthouse was entirely flooded with all of the glass breaking. Researchers configured the potential weight of a cubic meter of such a wave, a metric ton or 2,200 pounds and plugged in this value as well as historical and oceanographic data into a computer model. The results showed that the waves were powerful enough to wash massive boulders that originate beneath the ocean’s surface hundreds of feet inland, exactly on the peninsula on which they are currently found. Furthermore, the calculations showed that the waves can even rip boulders from the surrounding cliffs and that with each successive storm these boulders could be moved further and further inland. (Hall)
It is important to note that while these specific boulders were found to come from extremely powerful storms, the same conclusion cannot be broadened to include borders found further in-feild in New Zealand. These boulders weigh 150 tons and therefore, were probably deposited there via a tsunami (Barbano, Gerardi & Pirrotta). However, more evidence exists than simply their extremely high mass. Between the boulders, researchers discovered pieces of sandstone and broken shells embedded, that come only from the ocean floor. Here we see the process of story telling and the science of geology merge. Geologists use this science in order to fill in the gaps of history and find an explanation for phenomenons that we see today. This is exactly what they did in comparing these two sites. By comparing the two sites, the team found that storm surges can sometimes be just as storng as tsunamis. In fact, their calculations showed that a 65 foot tall storm surge is capable of ripping the same-size boulder from a cliff as a 16-feet-tall tsunami (Barbano, Gerardi & Pirrotta). In western Ireland, such tall storm waves are particularly common, occurring approximately 30 times every year (Barbano, Gerardi & Pirrotta).
This article specifically highlights the danger of powerful storms, such as hurricanes. While the fact that tsunamis are dangerous is somewhat common knowledges, people often underestimate the power behind storms. However, due to global warming, it is predicted that such storms are going to increase both in number and intensity in the near future so understanding the power of coastal waves and storm surge on coastal communities is extremely important. In fact, after recent ex-hurricane Ophelia hit Ireland just this past October, it exemplified just how much Europe’s cities are currently unprepared to deal with such storms (Feed). Furthermore, based on a recent observed increase of surface water temperature, we can anticipate an increase in severe storms of predominantly tropical origin reaching western Europe as part of 21st-century global warming (Feed). Therefore, preparatory actions in Europe need to be undertaken immediately to prepare for the strong storms that are predicted.

Works Cited:
Barbano, M., Pirrotta, C., & Gerardi, F. (2010). Large boulders along the coast of Ireland: Storm or tsunami deposits? Marine Geology, 275(1-4), 140-154. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2010.05.005

Cara Tabachnick Feed. (2017, October 25). As Ophelia Strikes Ireland, Europe Buckles up for Stronger Storms. Retrieved December 09, 2017, from https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/10/ophelia-ireland-storms-climate/543018/

Hall, S. (2017, November 29). Storm Waves With the Power to Heave Massive Boulders Over Cliffs. Retrieved December 09, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/science/boulders-storms-waves-tsunamis.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=32&pgtype=sectionfront

In the New York Times article, “Renewable Energy Is Surging. The G.O.P. Tax Bill Could Curtail That,” the co-authors, Brad Plumer and Jim Tankersley, argue that Republican bills could decrease the amount of wind and solar power used in order to increase oil and gas production. This could be counterproductive to the recent increase in the use of renewable electricity generation due to the lowered cost of solar and wind production from the favorable tax treatment. One Senate bill is attempting to stop multinational companies from moving their profit overseas which could be used to pay for the renewable energy industry. On the other hand, the House bill will “roll back tax credits for wind farms and electric vehicles,” in order to finance nuclear reactors in Georgia. They are also looking to allow oil drilling within the Arctic National Wild Refuge in Alaska. These changes could potentially eliminate around 50% of the new wind farms throughout the nation. These bills only add to federal policy that could stop the Environmental Protection Agency and taxes on imported solar panels.  This could affect states like California that rely heavily on environmental energy while supporting gas and coal production in areas like Texas.  The Trump administration has been vocal about wanting to diminish the use of solar and wind energy completely. It is almost appalling that these bills are even being discussed in the Senate and House. With large amounts of data that correlate the use of coal, oil, and gas to negative climate change and carbon dioxide emissions, it would be surprising if anyone passed this bill. However, due to the fact that the Trump administration and most Republicans are behind these bills, they probably will be passed, continuing the damage to the Earth.

Plumer, Brad, and Jim Tankersley. “Renewable Energy Is Surging. The G.O.P. Tax Bill Could Curtail That.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/climate/tax-overhaul-energy-wind-solar.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate.