Chapter 12 discusses New Jersey's water sources. More specifically, Belton talks about New Jersey's coasts, and the effects of water rising. Throughout the years, the water temperatures in NJ have been increasing, due to global warming. This also includes water rising, which leads to flooding. Flooding causes erosion, which can lead to even more flooding.
At one point, Belton talks about storms, and how they effect the shores. This made me almost immediately think of Hurricane Sandy, and what it left behind. This storm destroyed many towns down the shore, as the bay met the ocean. A lot of the damage could've been avoided, had some of these towns agree to planting dune grass to keep the sand in place. Without dunes, the sand disintegrates into the water, leaving nothing to buffer it from land. It was sad to drive around after the storm to see the damage that was left. It is crazy to think how different things could be now if the towns were not stubborn.
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In chapter 10, Belton describes habitats of animals, and how they are sadly going away, due to human impact. Many people know that this loss of habitat happens in other countries, such as Africa and China, but some people of thriving countries and towns do not realize that some loss is happening in their own backyard. The biggest example I can think of is the bees. Many people, myself included, do not like bees, for several different reasons. The effect of this is that several bee species have a declining population because of this dislike and possible fear. Humans swat at bees whenever they come near them, or do everything in their power to kill them. This happens not only in countries around the world, but in everyone's towns and homes as well.
Preserving animal habitats is extremely important to our environment and society, especially regarding the food chain. If one animal species has their habitat destroyed, they will eventually die off, leaving their predators hungry. This then creates a domino effect, that will leave each of the animals hungry, which will then lead them into dying off. It is a shame that this happens, but it is mostly at the fault of humans. We destroy animal habitats, which can come around full circle and hurt us in the end. In chapter 9, the woodlands are described, hence the chapter title name. Belton discusses some of the trees he was around growing up, and explains how trees are not appreciated by many young children. I can definitely see this happening now, as kids are not outside very often, and just don't seem to care much about them. To kids, a tree is just a tree, and there is nothing special about them. They do not understand that trees give off oxygen that we breathe, so they are very much important and needed.
Even to this day, older adults do not appreciate the beauty of trees sometimes. Many politicians are in favor of cutting down trees in order to build housing, and my township is especially guilty of this. Countless trees, bushes, and other plants are being taken down, just to add to the already growing population. It is a shame to see my beautiful town cut down because of a hungry local government. As the Lorax would say, "Save the trees!" In chapter 11, Belton describes the rivers and watersheds in New Jersey, and how they have been treated in the past. I am going to be honest, this chapter was pretty confusing to understand, so I may have not comprehended everything correctly. The vocabulary used was more extensive scientific than the other chapters, and I found myself passively reading instead of actively reading for this reason. However, I was able to understand that the testing of these water sources were not always the best, and were not done to the best ability as it should have been. In addition, regulating watersheds became difficult, as there was confusion on if the state or federal government was in charge, related to the Clean Water Act of 1972. This act gave the Environmental Protection Agency the power to implement pollution control for the country's water sources.
As an avid water drinker, I have to be careful on where the water that I drink comes from. I do not drink from the tap near school, and more specifically, the Passaic River, as it is not the cleanest it could be. However, I do drink tap water when I am near home, and I rely on filtered or bottled water everywhere else. Water is beautiful and delicious, but only if it is clear from pollutants and other inedible components. In Chapter 8, Belton discusses the importance of environmental justice in the brownfield areas of Camden. Although I have never personally gone to Camden, I have heard that it is not the cleanest city in the world, and the people are not the nicest. However, I would love to go to the city to make my own judgement. Belton explains how the state of New Jersey used their power over the people to displace them from their homes. Yes of course, there is the option for payment for these properties, it is never good to force someone from where they live, especially in a city like Camden. A good portion of the people who live here live around the poverty line, so finding alternative housing can be extremely difficult.
Reading this made me think of my town when construction is done. They use their power to take away land from homeowners to build on it, even when it is not necessary. Sometimes, they take entire houses away, and give compensation in return. However, it can be hard to find a new place to live, as the compensation is not always fair, or for other reasons. The people of my hometown are not as impoverished as the people of Camden, but it is still wrong for the town or state to do, especially when the reasons for doing so are minuscule. In chapter 6, "Environmental Warfare", Belton describes a chemically compound and pollutant called Dioxin. This particular pollutant was found near Newark, which really hit home to me. Although I do not live in Newark, I still feel a connection to the city. School in South Orange is not far away, so chances are this pollutant with the high concentration it was found, can also be found in South Orange. If ingested, Dioxin can cause certain cancers, mental issues, and birth defects. Another reason why this hits home to me is because I am strongly connected to my field placement, which is located in Newark.
Belton discusses how when the pollutant was found, there was such a high concentration of it, that it couldn't be measured. It was also dumped into several bodies of water, that could cause the defects and other issues mentioned above. The people or animals drink this water that has been contaminated, which then enters their bodies, and works through the ecosystem through the food chain. Luckily, the government stepped in and created a ban on the dumping, so that it would not ruin the environment. In chapter 5 of his book, Belton describes how politics and environmental issues sometimes clashed, and how it impacted the residents of New Jersey. In one scenario, he discusses how the Chemical Control fire left a damaging mark in the city of Elizabeth. Many of the first responders were left with serious health conditions, and the residents of the city were negatively impacted as well. In addition to health reasons, this fire left marks on the city’s rivers and landmarks, as the chemical waste flowed through the streets and into bodies of water. This then hurt many of the marine wildlife that can be found in these rivers and streams.
Companies were unlawfully dumping chemical waste into oceans, rivers, and streams, and they did not seem to care about the impact on the world around them. They simply cared about convenience, availability, and cost. It was inconvenient for them to travel to dump waste, as the waters were right there for them. Disposing of chemical waste properly used to be inexpensive for companies. However, as time went on, it became more and more expensive, so it became rare. It costs zero dollars to dump waste into the rivers, but the monetary value should be the least of the problems. It is simply dangerous and unhealthy for these companies to continue this process, and it is scary to think that it could still be happening today. In chapter 7, Belton discusses brownfields, which are plots of land that used to be for industrial purposes, but now are residential. These sites contain many contaminants, but can be cleaned with the right process and materials. However, this is expensive and is often overlooked. Because of this, the land is left with contaminants, and many people reside on it. This is a huge concern, as the contaminants can severely harm the people living there.
This chapter led me to think about an episode of one of my favorite crime shows, CSI Miami. In this particular episode, several houses are built on land that was previously used for some type of industrial purpose, and many of the residents were becoming sick because of it. None of them had any idea of what was going on, yet they lived there anyways. In another instance, of the movie Erin Brockovich, the main character goes out to help people who live on contaminated land. This is extremely harmful, so all future home-buyers should do their research when looking for a place to live. They could never know the history of the land. Chapter 4 of Thomas Belton's book discusses radiation, and how important it is to stay protected from it. Radiation can come from microwaves, certain types of paint, and even the sun, and it is extremely dangerous. This chapter specifically addresses the usage of radiation in paint, and how women were forced to use this paint in factories. There was no warning of protecting these women, so many of them suffered with cancer and unfortunately passed away. Of course, this was covered up by the government, because who would want that bad rep for simply not warning them about the radiation? Obviously not the government.
Even though there have been great strides made on equality for women, we still have a ways to go. Not warning these innocent women about the dangers of radiation poisoning was not a smart move, even though it was proven that radiation is poisonous. It hurt to read that the government tried to cover it up and letting these innocent lives become lost. In addition, this radiation problem led to even more problems, which all could've been avoided if there was a warning about the radiation. If only... Chapter three of Benton's book describes his experiences with water and how there are many issues with the water sources in New Jersey. Some of these issues include sources that are partly dried up, heavy pollution, and finding water that is suitable enough for people to drink. Droughts were common about 30-40 years ago, which immensely decreased the chances of finding drinking water, and when it was found, the water was filled with pollution.
Even though droughts are not common today, there is still a ton of pollution in New Jersey's oceans, lakes, and rivers. My family has a shore house in Point Pleasant Boro, NJ and I am disgusted at the quality of the water every time I visit the beach. The water itself is almost a green color, and is filled with so much garbage and sewage. It is not good for the animals and other creatures of the ocean, and as well as anyone who attempts to use this water for drinking purposes. It is almost impossible to find clean water in NJ, and it is something that needs to be fixed. |
Rebecca MarcinkoJunior at Seton Hall University, studying Elementary Special Education, Environmental Studies, and Applied Behavioral Analysis. Archives
May 2018
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