Research and describe a topic related to biodiversity affecting a location in your home state, preferably one on close proximity to where you live. Attach a system diagram illustrating the inter-connectivity of the some of the components in your chosen location. Cite any sources used.

Reed Canary grass. Scotch bloom. In Kitsap county, and most of western Washington, these two plants have nearly become household names. Both are non native species that were introduced into the region in hopes to improve habitat for livestock or garden aesthetics. Reed Canary grass was first introduced by farmers in the Clear Creek valley who were looking for a cheap, easy to grow food source for livestock. The problem with reed canary grass was that the livestock would not eat it. It quickly took over native vegetation and crowded out nearly all other grasses and native species. This is still a large problem along clear creek and throughout the valley. It is resistant to herbicides and because of its close proximity to clear creek and its watershed, most can not be sprayed regardless. Manual removal is very labor intensive and costly. Recent attempts to kill off the reed canary grass by covering it with a thick layer of mulch has been shown to be only marginally effective. Scotch bloom is another difficult non native species in my area. First introduced as a garden ornamental, it quickly escaped gardens and established a strong foothold across the region. Scotch Bloom reproduces and spreads quickly, choking out native vegetation, including smaller trees and undergrowth. It also has no known consumers, at least not native to this area. Its pollen is very irritating to most people, especially those with seasonal allergies. Like canary reed grass, it is also very resistant to herbicides and must be removed by hand. Manual removal is very difficult and costly as they are deep rooted and grow several feet tall.

These two non native invasive species have caused a significant amount of native habitat loss in Kitsap county, with reed canary grass being especially prevalent throughout the clear creek watershed. It is currently unknown as to the full extent and range of losses attributed to these plants, but the effects of local wildlife are more easily noticed. As typical forage areas for wildlife are taken over by these invasives, more wildlife are seen foraging closer and actually in town. While having black tail deer and rabbit in your yard may seem innocent enough (not taking eating your plants into consideration), their predators, which follow them in, are causing concern for many residents. Over the last several years, black bear, coyote and cougar sightings inside city limits have grown significantly. As their typical food sources move closer to town, they too, will move closer to town. It is always a little shocking to see the results of tampering with an ecosystem. By adding a new species, just as much damage can be done as if you took a species away. The biodiversity can be radically changed, sometimes irreversibly.

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Port Orchard, Washington is located in western Washington on the Kitsap Penninsula in the southern Puget Sound. According to the NATHAN map data, we are located within a zone 3 earthquake region that has the potential to experience earthquakes within the range of 8 on the modifies mercali scale. According to the NATHAN maps, Port Orchard is at a low risk for all other listed natural hazards. Going beyond the required maps, we do experience warmer than average weather during an el nino and wetter that average weather during an el nina. It is my opinion that while the NATHAN maps are informative, the scale at which they present their information is slightly to large to ascertain any accurate information regarding a specific town or city. It is an excellent set of maps if you only desire to view hazards on a large scale.

After viewing the Hungarian National Association RSOE EDIS interactive map, I selected an earthquake located 14.29 miles outside of Los Banos, California. Although the date was off (it occurred today, but they had it listed as tomorrow), the earthquake had a magnitude of 3.5 with a shallow depth of .62 miles. The potential effect of the earthquake was listed as “People do not feel any earth movement”. I found that strange, and I suspect location and geology are to blame, but here, in Washington, it makes the news. This type of event does happen with a slightly regular occurrence in my hometown of Port Orchard. We are in a seismically active region and are “due” for a large quake. Although we are aware of the risks and potential of moderate to large earthquakes in our area, many homes and businesses are still under prepared to handle a large earthquake. Had this same earthquake occur in Port Orchard, the magnitude, timing and duration would have little to no effect on the community at large. Schools and most businesses practice earthquake drills and damage would be minimal. The effect this disaster would have on the population of Port Orchard would also be minimal. Its magnitude is not large enough to create any large or moderate scale discord. Had the magnitude been higher, Port Orchard and Kitsap County at large would be in a very precarious situation as we are largely only connected to the rest of the state by 2 bridges (which would close down until deemed safe) and a small patch of land. In the aftermath of such a large disaster, we would largely be left to fend for ourselves and wait for assistance (which would take time, larger cities first). In that aspect, we are very vulnerable, and that is why our DEM preached the importance of shelter in place and having emergency supplies.

As an ex firefighter I volunteer as a CERT (community emergency response team) leader for the south end of Kitsap County. Through many long hours and days (last year), in conjunction with the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management and local fire, PUD and law enforcement, we have focused the likelihood of  any natural hazard that would have a large impact on the county. Of all the scenarios (omitting terrorism for the sake of the lesson, and earthquakes which were previously discussed), wildfires and drought are on the list of highest concern. Recent warming trends (global warming or otherwise) have caused areas of our county to experience wildfires that we are not fully equipped to handle. To add further complications attributed to warmer and drier weather in the region is Kitsap Counties unique geology. water is a precious and limited resource. We have no snow-pack to supply water to our county, and with the exception of one city and its reservoir, all of our water is sourced from groundwater that is recharged from rainfall. In recent years, well pumps have actually began to suck up salt water from the sound as the aquifers run dry. These are the two largest issues (other issues aside) that we currently face in Port Orchard and the county. There is no ready answer for these situations, but plans are in place to help those most in need, including the elderly and local healthcare facilities (all schools are prepared and have emergency supplies in case of ANY disaster). (Kitsap County Department of Emergeny Management 2016)

In Port Orchard (or any city for that matter), the best way to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards in preparedness. Inform the public, show and teach them how to build and use a survival kit. Increase public awareness to the availability and location of community points of distribution. Create and actively recruit for CERT teams. Build stronger communities and neighborhoods by establishing neighborhood watch programs. All of these things are the absolute core fundamentals when it comes to reducing vulnerability. All of these things can be performed by your average citizen as well. I would encourage everyone to contact their local DEM or fire department and ask about the availability of programs like CERT and neighborhood watch or a community action corp.

I live in the city of Port Orchard in Washington State. It is a predominately automobile suburban type of neighborhood, largely due to the fact that a large portion of this area is rural in nature. The city of Port Orchard and it surrounding area has a population of 12,959 people as of our last census and has a rough area of 5 square miles (incorporated city limits). I bought my home and lived in Port Orchard for a little over 10 years. I am an active member within my community and neighborhood. Although my home is in a suburban area, we make the most of our home and property by having gardens everywhere and really focus on vertical gardening. We recycle rainwater and try to find alternative uses for items before throwing them out (I have built some really cool things!). I love my city. We have a thriving and growing community of sustainable gardeners and “preppers” who are truly trying to be self sufficient and learn more sustainable practices.

The first city I would like to discuss is Copenhagen. I am completely envious and totally admire their mindset and city planing towards slowing down and increasing the amount bicycling and walking done by its residents. Although my hometown in Port Orchard is largely automobile based, we have a large city center area (located on the waterfront) that would be perfect for a slow speed, pedestrian oriented atmosphere. We do have one small park and some walking paths, but we also have a lot of parking lots and a couple of abandoned buildings on the waterfront as well. These large (and largely unused) lots would make an excellent place for community gardens and parks. With a slower speed and no (or very limited) vehicle traffic in this area, more locally owned businesses would be noticed and visited and the vitality of downtown would be rejuvenated. 

The second city I would like to discuss is Detroit. I admit, I do take a largely ecocentric philosophy when viewing things. That being said, I like seeing more green in  Detroit. I like seeing how abandoned lots and derelict buildings are being reclaimed by both nature and urban farmers. I love the idea that people are growing their own food and even selling this local food to others in the community. We have a farmers market here, in Port Orchard, but it is not large. We do not have a lot of local farmers providing their goods, instead, we have a lot of craft and food truck style vendors. Some of the produce vendors we have are coming from Eastern Washington, as far as several hundred miles away. If we had more local farmers, our footprint would be smaller, our food fresher and we would make a huge impact on the food miles attached to our produce. 

As Americans, we live in a society bred by the glamour of convenience. We are accustomed to getting what we want, when we want it. Waiting is something akin to a deadly sin. We need it right here, right now, because our time is important. Gotta have time for Netflix, I guess. We buy our meals from fast food restaurants, we buy any type of produce at anytime of year, seasons or regions be damned. Transportation costs and under ripe produce are no concern to us. I say this ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek, but perhaps even one day we will buy food pre-chewed, to save the time and inconvenience of actually eating our food. This social norm is what has prompted my family to grow a significant portion of our own food. We eat what is is season and what comes from our gardens. When we do by produce, we strive to buy what is locally grown. Our protein sources are either hunted or fished by myself, or bought from local farms as well. It is certainly not cheaper, but it is a much more socially and ethically responsible choice.

By choosing to act as “locavores” my family and I are actively contributing to a sustainable food consumption model. It is truly not that difficult to do, even here in the pacific northwest. It takes no more effort to shop at a farmers market or co-op as it does to shop at the local mega-mart. Not only is the food you purchase pesticide and herbicide free (in a majority of cases), but it is picked closer to its peak ripeness, imparting more beneficial vitamins and minerals in the food itself. Additionally, this locally grown food is not being trucked across the nation or world, reducing the cost of excess greenhouse gasses passed off through vehicle emissions as well as the cost of the fuel the vehicles consume delivering the produce. By choosing to consume locally grown, seasonal foods we can substantially reduce our carbon footprint while at the same time stimulating our local economies and improving the quality of the food we consume.

For my case I chose “Environmental Justice Case Study: Union Carbide Gas Release in Bhopal, India” from the Colby- Sustainable development webpage (http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/lopatin.html). This case study deals with the release of toxic material from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. The pesticide plant was located near the poorest sector of the population (similar to the Camdem, New Jersey video linked in the module 5 text) and when the leak occurred, nearly 40 tons of methyl isocyanate flowed from its containers over a two hour period. According to the report, even if plant workers knew about the leak earlier, safety standards at the plant would not allow them to do anything about it. The leak killed 2,500 people, and injured about 400,000, with the toll still rising as of this current day.

For my second case study, I chose “Environmental Justice Case Study- Marcropper in the Phillippines” by Gerald Christopher Aguila, Joy Anne  Aplasca, Paolo Miguel Babasa, Loisa Castro and Beverly Ann Gulaga from the docslide webpage (http://docslide.us/documents/environmental-justice-case-study.html). This case study also deals with environmental justice issues. In this case study, Marcropper, a mining corporation was dumping mining waste into the bay and waterways on Marinduque island in the Philippines. According to this case study, it was dumping waste at the rate of 2.5 tons per second (length of time unspecified). This dumping of waste destroyed the fisheries (The government actually declared the fishery dead in this area, major upset for local fisherman), caused major health problems (skin rashes, respiratory problems including cancer) and affected the land that the people rely on heavily for agriculture. Once again, this mining operation was located on an island with very low poverty levels, just as in Bhopal. 

These two cases have a strong connection to where I currently live. Currently there are plans underway to construct a new Methanol  plant in Tacoma, Washington. This plant, (scheduled to break ground in 2017) would be the largest in the world. Placement of this plant, just as in India and the Philippines is in the industrial portion of Tacoma, which is also intermixed and adjacent to the lowest income housing portion in the city. With the negative effects of Methanol production (Environmental, health and even water consumption) we could stand to learn a few valuable lessons from both the Marinduque Island and Bhopal examples. Local tribes and city government see the associated economic benefit of having the methanol plant, but not nearly enough attention has been given to the possibilities of catastrophes, the massive amount of water required during the production process (nearly equal to the usage for the entire city) and the health concerns for those living near the plant, as well as the fisheries and wildlife likely to be affected by the plant. With water in the Greater Tacoma are already being asked to lower water usage by 10% due to little snow pack (still an issue) this is definitely not the time or place to consider building the plant here, in the Puget sound. The negative effects of  building the world’s largest methanol refinery in the Puget Sound region are far-reaching. This area is too sensitive ecologically to accommodate such an industry.

1-a:

First of all, I am really excited for this blog. I am a Stream Steward for my county and I am extremely well versed in water conservation and where our water comes from. My City and County have a unique geographical location which makes our water acquisition process unique to many places here in Western Washington. With the exception of only one other county, all of our water is sourced from local aquifers. We (Kitsap County) are a peninsula located in the Puget Sound (only connected by a very small piece of land). We have no snow pack or lakes/ rivers that we draw from. In my local PUD, all of our water is pumped from two water systems(aquifers) that combine the use of 6 wells, 8 tanks and approximately 230 miles of piping, supplying over 500,000 gallons of water per day, with numbers double that in the summer. Sewer service is also provided through the local PUD, where it is also treated. We have an award winning waste water treatment plant, where after a very thorough cleaning process, the water is eventually used for crop irrigation or pumped into the Puget sound.

1-b:

TOTAL                                                                                         47

1c:

I knew going in to this experiment that it was going to be very challenging. Right off the bat, I knew that luxury expenditures like showering and laundering were not going to happen. Additionally, I consume a minimum of 1 gallon of water a day for hydration (I lift weights, need the water). This is something I am not willing to compromise on, so I will be working with one gallon of remaining water. I planned on brushing my teeth in the morning only, no showers, no laundry, no dish washing and as far as toilet usage… my plan was (for lack of a better word), keep it country. I have the property to allow me to do this, so, I watered the trees. I did have to flush once, though. I suppose I could have dug a hole, but my wife said  “NO”. As far as cooking, it was no big deal. I just age caveman style. Raw veggies and grilled meat. With these parameters in place, my experiment was a success. I used a little less than 2 gallons. A majority of my water usage, aside from hydration, was used for cleaning and sanitation. It is not a way I would choose to live. I suppose I could go for a swim to clean up, maybe redefine what I consider clean, but, it is no where close to what the American standard of living is. I feel like I’m pretty good at conserving my natural resources, but this experiment definitely sheds light on where I can work on cutting back. Living in a water rich geographical region like the Puget Sound, it might seem like we can afford to use a bit more water, but I believe this to not be the case. Water is a finite resource and despite where we live, we need to be conscientious of how much we use and to conserve where we can. In more arid regions, the conservation efforts need to be especially well observed.

1. Is it more important to be a good person or to perform good acts (virtue ethics vs. action ethics)?

I have always lived by the adage, speak softly, but carry a big stick. This was a term often repeated in my home growing up. We were encouraged to always “Walk the walk” and to never “Talk the talk”. That being said, I believe that performing good acts will always be more important than just being a good person. You can be a good person by all traditional sense and meaning, and still leave no indelible impression on those around you or the place you live (perhaps other than being remembered as a nice guy). Talking and wishing for good acts may sound pleasing, but no good will truly be made tangible from hollow words and thin air,  Performing good acts, on the other hand, is a strong outward expressed manifestation of who you are. By all traditional sense, an evil man will not perform good acts, so it is no large stretch of the imagination to say that those who perform good acts, are good people. Good acts make an indelible impression on where you live, who you are and how you are seen. This is why I believe so strongly that performing good acts will always be more important than just being a good person.

1. Do ecosystems matter for their own sake, or do they only matter to the extent that they impact humans (ecocentric ethics vs. anthropocentric ethics)?

My answer to this question is, yes. They matter for both sakes. I truly do not believe that you can ascertain their importance by examining only one focus of ethics. Ecosystems and humanity are both so intricately intertwined and symbiotic that you can not affect one without invariably effecting the other. Ecosystems matter for their own sake because we depend so heavily upon them. For their resources, protection and global benefit. Every part of any ecosystem has a significant role that can affect all other parts, as humans, we are part of that system and need to realize the potential effects of manipulating the system. It is also true that as a species, Humans have the ability to manipulate resources and ecosystems in a way that further benefits our species. We often manipulate and destroy ecosystems in the pursuit for resources. We need the resources they offer, but we need to be aware of our place within the system and work within the abilities and tolerances of any given system, minimizing any impact we may make.

1. Is my own life worth more than the lives of others, the same, or less (selfishness vs. altruism)?

This question has caused me so much grief and self doubt. Initially I believed my own life held the same amount of worth as anyone else. Biologically, this made sense to me. In the scope of that type of thinking, everything seemed relatively black and white. But, the more I thought about the true worth of my life and those lives that depend on me or are emotionally attached to me, or the places I work to improve, or the people I teach my values to, my value seemed to increase exponentially. This led me on a path to evaluate the worth of others. Does the homeless drug addict have the same worth? Does the death row inmate have the same worth? What impressions or positive benefits could their lives possibly have? In that light, I am know beginning to value my life as having more worth than some. I do god acts, and therefore am a good person. I am important to many people and causes. It makes me ashamed to write that. Although my feelings sway in that direction, I am still reminded of a quote from C.S. Lewis, reminding me that we can not truly judge the value of any individual at any given moment but rather only reflect at the end of their time.

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which,if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship…”

Ben

The core design behind my diagram was to illustrate the direct cause and effect of having a biogas generator in any small village. The effects (indicated by the arrows) have a primarily positive feedback benefiting both the local village social system as well as the local ecosystem. With proper construction and management of a biogas generator system, the resilience of both the village social system and the ecosystem in regards to the stressors and challenges related to fuel collection, lost educational opportunities, habitat loss, poor air quality and poor pulmonary health are substantially reduced. This system also has the potential to remain relatively stable if the same conditions of construction and management are met.

In comparison to the Gerry Marten diagram, both diagrams exhibit the same type of cyclical directionality. If something is changed in one system, it has the potential and likelihood to affect change in the other system. This can be referenced by observing the connection between deforestation and time spent collecting firewood (loss educational opportunities). The largest difference in the diagrams is both the perspective and scale at which we choose to illustrate the relationships. While Marten uses a more generalized distant approach, I chose to use a more localized, semi- specific approach. The similarities and differences can be largely attributed to scale. With comparison between the two diagrams you can easily see that the amount of change reflected in my diagram is truthfully only a small section of items affected by the addition of a biogas generator.

Hello, my name is Ben Calhoun. I currently live in Port Orchard, Washington, but for a significant portion of my childhood I lived in southern California. I love the idea and practice of sustainability and green energy. My home and property are largely chemical free and organic, from the food we grow to even how we clean we truly strive to make a minimal impact. I am by no means a “hippy”. I  hunt, I fish and my family and friends all seem to enjoy pointing out that I’m still quite the “type A knuckledragger”.  Because of my passions for the environment and sustainability, I would like to end up working somewhere in conservation or green energy. I don’t have a specific goal at this time. Aside from this course being a requirement for my degree, I have always been interested in geography. It seems to be the most multidisciplinary inclusive subject I have ever encountered. We all seem to have some type of information or experience to add to the larger picture.

In regards to my thoughts on issues that geography would be well suited to address, I have one that stands out strongest in my mind. In my county, all of our water is sourced from groundwater which is provided nearly entirely from rainfall, as we have no snow pack. In order to maintain an adequate and sustainable supply of water we depend on natural features like wetlands to maintain the supply. As the population in the county increases (and it has been for several years), residential development has grown ever closer to these sensitive ares and in some cases, they have even been filled and built over. I can see geography being incredibly important in identifying these areas (including potential and seasonal wetland areas) to help put policy in place to restrict building and land use in these areas.