Traditional Food Ways Increasingly at Risk

When we, in North America, think about food and where it comes from, we see supermarkets, farmers' markets, and for a growing few, our own backyard and community gardens. When it comes to clean water, we look no further than the kitchen tap or the store, for those who insist on or have no choice, but to purchase bottled water. This is not so for millions of people elsewhere on the earth.

When it comes to medicine, we turn to doctors who prescribe something for us or we rely on over the counter pre-packaged medication, perhaps we will purchase an herbal product from the local health store, and increasingly some people are growing their own healing herbs. However, we, for the most part, purchase, rather than produce the products we believe we need.

Once again, around the globe there are people who have traditionally relied on nature to meet their needs. Now, according to the recently released IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, these traditional supplies of food, water, and medicines are at risk, more so than any other period in our history.

The most recent version of the Red Lists shows that of the 63,837 species assessed, 19,817 are threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 33% of reef building corals, 25% of mammals, 13% of birds, and 30% of conifers.

What does this loss of species mean; Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) said;

“Sustainability is a matter of life and death for people on the planet. A sustainable future cannot be achieved without conserving biological diversity - animal and plant species, their habitats and their genes - not only for nature itself, but also for all 7 billion people who depend on it. The latest IUCN Red List is a clarion call to world leaders gathering in Rio to secure the web of life on this planet.”

Besides food and medicine, what services does Nature, in it diversity, provide for humanity and the planet?

One vital service is the control of air quality; a service that is generously and freely given by the trees and plants; For example, when a tree reaches maturity, it is able to produce as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. Trees also, clean the soil, act as carbon sinks, and clean the air.

Wetland plants provide water filtration services and thus clean the water as do bivalve molluscs. Snails help to control algae. The latest IUCN Red List reports that in Africa, 42% of all freshwater molluscs are globally threatened; while in Europe, 68% of endemic freshwater molluscs are globally threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and the development of dams.

Human behaviour has a major impact on other species with which we co-habit this planet and we do so at our own peril. Once a species is lost, so are the services that species provided, and we cannot readily replace those services, while we continue to spoil ecosystems worldwide.

Faith and values impact the water in La., Or

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Carol Forsloff - LOUISIANA - Values and faith are involved in more than just politics and social issues but environmental ones as well, including the water folks drink.

Environmental groups, both private and public, raise concerns about contaminated water caused by hydraulic fracturing for gas or by chemical or waste companies of various types.  Politicians and some religious conservatives maintain that agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency should be dismissed because oversight may lead to rules that interfere with “good business” when some of that business impacts clean water.

East Feliciana Parishn is under a boil advisory until June 2.  The deadline has been extended as the Department of Health and Hospitals has not yet delivered its results on possible contamination following a lightning strike. But contaminated water does not result just from nature's behaviors.  Areas of contamination are often cited in public pronouncements and news in Louisiana.  Natchitoches Parish folks, for example, regularly receive notices that the water of the area has a warning label.  Another example is Plaquemine's Parish in the area of Baton Rouge.  Conamination by Dow Chemical waste has led to heavy pollution of the waters in the area.

Values impact choices.  Environmental issues are often seen as of less consequence in Louisiana with its emphasis on being an oil and gas rich state than they are in places like Oregon where reducing waste has been the order of the day for more than 30 years.  In the 1970’s people were found squashing and flattening cans with their feet in Oregon  in order to reduce tin can rubbish in the landfills.  Oregon also prides itself on its good water from lakes and streams, pointing to Bull Run water in Portland as the hallmark of the best.  Portlanders are quick to brag about the water, as having good, clean water to drink is considered a significant value in the state of going green.

On the other hand, Louisiana’s pride extends to the Saints, the food, Mardi Gras events and anything goes, and often that “anything goes” means healthy water.  Pressure on politicians to save the environment does not match that of ensuring that the productivity of oil and gas remains without interruption, even at the risk of people’s lives.

Already there are legal issues being raised by hydraulic fracturing from the Haynesville Shale, said to be poisoning cows that have been drinking water spilled from a natural gas wellpad.

Louisiana’s beauty in its foliage, fauna and flowing waters gives an atmosphere of nature at its finest; but it takes more than that to really going green.  It means valuing what faith and ethics offers most: the benefits for the overall health of the community as a foundation for a wholesome life.  So long as there is little demand placed upon politicians to ensure environmental safety, and a willingness to accept contamination as the price to pay for corporate bucks from oil and gas, boil advisories will likely continue to be part of Louisiana life when man ignores nature.

Water, water everywhere while some cities may run out of water

While Mississippi is getting flood waters one foot higher than experienced before in modern history, the Southwest is parched, thirsty and aching for relief, showing the wide variations of environmental desperation in the United States.

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Across Texas fires have intermittently threatened some of the state's major cities, with the accent on the North and Central areas and the Dallas - Fort Worth areas feeling the heat as well.   Places like Tucumcari, New Mexico have had fires at the edge of town, with the surrounding areas bleak and dry.

Las Vegas that drinks from Lake Mead, sharing its water demands with Los Angeles,  is more than 100% below the usual and customary water levels.  Las Vegas is one of the ten cities in the United States reported in 2010 to be running out of water.    Water indeed is in short supply along the Nevada corridor from the middle of the state to its border with California.  Lakes are running dry, and the sandy bottoms raised in a fashion not seen in many years.

Climate change is considered by scientists to be at the heart of these wide variations in climate, which can be seen in a travel across the country.  Bearing witness in person to what scientific studies relate and various news media announce gives one a level of understanding to recognize how important it is for individual responsibility and energy options to mitigate what is said to be increasing environmental risks.

Texas, New Mexico, Mississippi, Arizona, Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee are feeling the pain, the kind of pain where the wounds are apparent, and it is water, too much and not enough, at the center of the problems.