Why Scott Pruitt's Denial Of Coal Could Be A Good Thing | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

Why Scott Pruitt's Denial Of Coal Could Be A Good Thing

Reminding the environmental movement that it is about more than carbon.

9
Why Scott Pruitt's Denial Of Coal Could Be A Good Thing
worldfinance.com

I am an environmental studies student who identifies as an environmentalist and I agree with Scott Pruitt's skepticism towards coal.

Now I agree in a different sense. Why do we only focus on coal? I support the idea of having scientists look more into the effects of coal on the environment. That is wonderful! Hell yes I am going to support environmental research! The more information we have the better management plan we can create even if his hypothesis is that coal is not causing climate change.

There are other plenty of other pollutants that are decimating our environment as well as our health.

In pursuit of cerebral dominance, here's a list of some of the things that are surprisingly environmentally related.


Heavy Metals

Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury and Chromium are examples of "heavy metals" which are , "toxic, metallic, high density chemical elements that are poisonous even at low concentrations" Heavy metals present in the body have not only lead to a decrease in organ function (i.e. liver, heart, brain, etc.) but have attached themselves to cells causing a disruption in replication that an lead to cancer and other diseases. A small list of ways people come in contact with heavy metals is: diesel, jet fuel, some paints, some dyes, some soaps, PVC products, soil from smelters, and some pesticides.


Bioaccumulation of Chemicals

The main example of this I wanted to display is Mercury, a neurotoxin (impacts the nervous system). Mercury adds up within the fatty tissue of animals and increases up the food chain. If there was a fish that consumed 3g of mercury in two different fish, it would have 6g of mercury. And this continues up the food chain. The mercury does not disappear. Impacts of different mercury compounds on humans include: memory loss, loss of peripheral vision (if you have Methylmercury Poisoning), muscle weakness, insomnia, poor performance on mental function exams, tremors, headaches and more. A child exposed to mercury in the womb, via the mother, is at risk for: less function of cognitive thinking, poor memory, lack of attention, difficulty with language, and difficulty with visual spatial skills.


Cancer

Cancer occurs due to a replication issue within the cell itself. UV rays have been linked to cellular DNA damage which can cause skin cancer. By depleting the Ozone layer, we are letting in UVA, and UVB. It was used to think that UVA, which is the main ray in tanning booths, was less harmful than UVB. "Studies over the past two decades, however, show that UVA damages skin cells called keratinocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis, where most skin cancers occur...UVA contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers." UVB is the cause of skin reddening and also plays a large role developing in skin cancer. UVC is the shortest wavelength that is currently being blocked by the ozone layer. However it is predicted that, "...because of its short wavelength and high energy it would cause severe damage to living cells in both plants and animals if reached the Earth's surface."


Possible Increase in Autism

Currently every 1/68 children have autism and by 2050 it is predicted that nearly half of all children will be autistic. Studies have shown that there has been an increase in Austism cases as GMO's have been more popular in our diet. Dr. Seneff of MIT has data showing that the symptoms of glyphosate toxicity almost exactly match those of autism. Glyphosate is in different pesticides (especially Roundup) industrial agriculturalists spray on their crops which ends up on your plate.


At the end of the day, we must remember that people are animals. People are included in this interconnected system of the world. And we are currently throwing off its balance, which will inevitably harm us as well.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
mouse with a cookie

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone does not try to help their self before asking others. How can someone else be expected to help you if you do not first do that yourself? I'm all about helping those that need it when the time comes, however whenever someone does not even attempt to help him or herself first then that becomes a huge problem. As we all have learned, people tend to take advantage of us in one way or another. I am sure we all read this short story when we were younger and it follows that same principle:

Keep Reading...Show less
39 Traits You Know You Have If You're A Libra
Flickr

If you were born between September 23rd - October 22nd, then you are a Libra. Let's be real, Libras are the best because you are the perfect balance of all things in life. Some may find this boring, but they don't know anything about what it means to be all things at once. As Libras, we hold much on our shoulders that no one can understand. These are traits you know to be true if you are a Libra:

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

12 Types Of Drunk Girls You'll See In Every Friend Group

"Getting drunk with your best friends is an experience in and of itself. It takes us on wild and ridiculous adventures with the people we trust with our lives."

513
friends
Cloud Front

Getting drunk with your best friends is an experience in and of itself. It takes us on wild and ridiculous adventures with the people we trust with our lives. Each one of you plays a vital role in making sure the night goes (relatively) smoothly.

Keep Reading...Show less
Kardashians
Cosmopolitan.com

Finals week is so rude! So, there's no one better to explain it than the Kardashians themselves!

1. When you look at your finals schedule and become immediately overwhelmed:

2. When your professor says that the final is only going to be short answer questions:

3. When you text your parents to tell them that you're going to have a mental breakdown and drop out of college and they're just like:

4. When you're trying to study with friends, but then you realize that you haven't gotten anything done:

5. Then you just end up going on your phone.

6. When you're two weeks away from finals and your professor tells you that you should probably start studying now:

7. When you sit down to take your final and the first question hits you like:

8. When you start the practice problems and you're just like:

9. When you're in your final and find a question that you actually know the answer to:

10. When that one annoying kid in your class says that the final was super easy and they aced it:

11. When you come back from your 7:30 a.m. final and crash:

12. When your professor tries to teach you new material a week before the final:

13. When you decide to eat away the pain that is finals week by ordering massive amounts of food:

14. Filling out course evaluations for that one difficult professor like:

15. When it's right before your first final and you're just like:

16. When your professor tells that you the final is cumulative:

17. When the kid next to you keeps looking over at your test:

18. Looking back on the outfits that you wore during finals week like:

19. When it's been two hours and you've only gotten through five notecards:

20. When you finally make it to the end of the week:

Lifestyle

10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant

There's always chaos in the restaurant business.

1461
10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant
Brisanis

Working in the restaurant industry is possibly the most fundamentally challenging occupation I have ever experienced when it comes to hospitality and customer service. When you go to a five-star restaurant you expect the time of your life, a two hour getaway, a walk through another time period (rustic Italy, France, Spain, etc), or simply a honeymoon undergo. What you don't see are the behind the scenes scut work: carrying trays, polishing glassware and silverware, kitchen chaos, the list is endless. Now, I'm not saying being a host, server, or bartender is the worst thing in the whole wide world, there are definitely worse things. But the fact of the matter is that it isn't always sunshine and rainbows. In the two years that I have spent in restaurant and customer service, I have spoken my share of expletives, yelled at kitchen staff, and dealt with not-so-happy guests. It isn't easy to keep a bright and shiny smile on your face when all you want to do is choke every person who walks near you. Anyone who has spent even two weeks working in a restaurant understands the rigor and stress that comes with it. Restaurant culture is a tiny world in and of itself that operates on its own principles and creates its own society. It even has its own language. The sayings "runner", "corner", and "on a bus" wouldn't make sense to anyone otherwise. My mother and I both work in a restaurant and the best advice I can give someone going out to eat is to treat us like people. Yes...believe it or not we are people, people. Say "please" and "thank you", or stack your cleared plates before a busser gets to the table. Trust me, the gesture goes a lot farther than you may think.

So, if you work in a restaurant, you can relate with the following points. If not, check out how the brain of a restaurant service (or any customer service) worker actually works. See if you can identify any crazy weird habits your friends have a tendency to partake in.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments