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| Mercury has been found here, in the Arctic. |
Summary:
Mercury goes by many names like quicksilver or liquid silver. Mercury's ultimate nickname is dangerous. The element of mercury is found naturally in the environment at low levels. When the level of mercury is high enough, it can cause severe damage to fetuses, cause serious pain, and damage to multiple organs because it is a neurotoxin. This mercury is coming from the atmosphere and into the rivers and streams that run through the Arctic. This mercury in the water flows into larger bodies of water around the world and will only get worse as the Arctic begins to melt. The rivers that the contaminated water flows into some of the largest rivers in the world that also carry ten percent of the Earth's water into the ocean. The start of this vicious cycle began with the pollution caused by humans in the atmosphere. This mercury is harming those living in the area as well. Many of the people living there are experiencing symptoms of mercury poisoning.
Reaction:
I was very surprised by this article. The fact that we, as global citizens, let this happen to one of the most rapidly depleting landscapes in the world is atrocious. There should be laws, regulations, statutes, or codes that could help lessen the amount of pollution that goes into the air by one city. We are poisoning ourselves by polluting the air and oceans.There should also be care provided for those with mercury poisoning in the Arctic regions. This mercury is also having an adverse effect on the wildlife in that area. The effects of mercury on wildlife could speed up the extinction process exponentially.
Questions:
- Are there any other methods of reducing the mercury in the Arctic? What are they?
- Is there a way to remove the mercury from the water? Any ideas?
- Should we as Americans worry about Mercury in the water? Why or Why not? (More on mercury)
- Whose responsibility is it to solve this problem? Why? Who is to blame? Why?
First thig is first, if we can stop the mercury from getting into the arctic then would we even have to stop it from getting in the water. Personally I dont' believe that humans are the only cause of mercury in the atmosphere so there is no way to completely stop it. Yes we should worry about drinking from a stream or lake for the possibility of mercury, but water in our tap is filtered for a reason isn't it? The responsibility is not the government as regulations would only put people in jail for things not deserving of jail time or make them pay fines which frankly is ridiculous. No one is particularly to blame.
ReplyDeleteOpinion/Reflection: Obviously, the mercury being carried through our waterways and finding our drinking water has terrible effects that can harm us extensively. However, we as humans are not the complete cause of the mercury levels. Mercury levels in our water is slightly dependent on our pollution. Most of the factors that heavily are affecting the levels of mercury and how they find their way to us refer to nature itself and the things that we cannot control. Mercury being carried through various waterways is virtually impossible to stop. Human pollution is just one small factor of this large array of factors. In my opinion, laws should not be set against us. There just has to be another way figured out on how to deplete or remove mercury levels in water that we use everyday.
ReplyDeleteExpansion: Referring to the question about if there is a way to remove the mercury, I believe not. I do believe that mercury levels can be reduced by the process of filtration, which currently is being used today. Other than filtering water containing mercury, not much can be done. You can try to track areas of high mercury levels and stay away from those areas, but the problem is that water can easily find its way through to another source. Mercury can be found anywhere. That is why that I think it is impossible to remove mercury completely from water.
i agree with mara. i free in order to stop mercury in the arctic we have to stop it at the home-front first. i think that if we dispose of batteries right alo of this problem would disappear. why doesn't the government do anything.
ReplyDeletei think that people should filter it out.
we should worry because it is toxic to humans.