Journals: Protecting New Jersey's Environment
JOURNAL 1: JULIEFrom the first chapter, I have learned about the many concerns of our environment such as contaminants in fish, ocean dumping, biological diversity and endangered species, forest preservation, wetlands protection, and watersheds and headwaters. In Protecting New Jersey's Environment the idea is that all these concerns actually translate into real human interest stories about people and their surroundings. This is actually taking place all around the country. I saw the goal of this book to be growth of environmentalism and awareness. Throughout the book we are going to learn more about things such as depletion, nuclear power, toxic waste, sprawl, racial inequity, and concerns of environmental justice. Thomas Belton speaks of key environmental issues in New Jersey regarding justice and health threats. He speaks of people searching for remedies to such concerns within their neighborhoods. The challenges they face result in what Belton calls bare-knuckles environmental protection, replete with back-room political deals, infighting, criminals, and hapless victims. In Chapter 1, Belton shares his knowledge and studies on cancer, where it comes from and why. In our environment, we are supporting waste and other toxins brought into our world. Unfortunately, our bodies cannot handle it and are harmed and filled with diseases. By studying with the state of New Jersey, Belton was able to help research the environment he is surrounded in. His studies on cancer, along with other research, proves the harm in our world and the changes that need to be made. He is aware big companies are a part of the problem and often do not want to acknowledge it. With a healthier lifestyle, we can improve our environment and the community we live in. Cancer is deadly, emotionally and physically, to so many people and we must do our best to prevent it. JOURNAL 4: JULIE Chapter 4 focused on radiation protection. Belton worked as a radiation safety technician at the University of Pennsylvania. He originally took the job because he was broke, in need of money. It ended up being one of the best educational experiences for Belton. He first experienced radiation protection in 1979 when there was a nuclear meltdown underway at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. This turned into a national emergency when the nuclear event released an estimated forty-three thousand curies of radioactive krypton and twenty curies of the more dangerous and gaseous iodine-131 into the atmosphere. (**Iodine-131 can cause thyroid cancer at dosages much lower than this**). This experience made Belton more aware of the dangers of radiation. The experience made Belton believe we should become ‘energy independent’. Following Belton’s thoughts and words on other national emergencies and disasters that occurred throughout his time working as a radiation safety technician, he states, “Along the way I learned a lot about radiation as yet another possible source of my brother’s leukemia” (82). This topic of radiation protection had a personal effect on Belton, possibly affecting someone so close to him. His brother unfortunately grew up during the Cold War when above ground nuclear testing of hydrogen bombs was at its highest. Belton believed this could’ve been the onset of his brother’s leukemia. It is terribly sad to think that all of what goes on within our environment and atmosphere can have such a detrimental effect on the people we love around us. There has to be a solution- Reading about Belton’s constant thoughts and studies on this has me thinking that there one day, we can hope, will be. JOURNAL 7: JULIE Chapter 7 is all about focusing government efforts on controlling companies in our environment. The government wanted to control their destructions as well as their improvements. During the late 1900s, Congress passes an act to tax both chemical and petroleum industries. This was done because they were releasing substances that were hazardous to both people and the environment. This was seen as the government taking control and as a result, companies had to immediately clean up their spaces, especially before being sold or closed. They were required to decontaminate their own land. We need to feel secure within our environments. Every individual and company needs to learn to work together to ensure health and happiness within our environments. JOURNAL 10: JULIE Belton reminisces on a camping trip- he woke up surrounded by rattlesnakes. Yet, he realizes this was first their home that HE came into. He expresses the idea that we must respect animals and their environments. As we have homes, so do they. He then goes into the Clean Water Act, which focuses on clean and healthy water and how important it is for our region. We do not realize how important healthy water is for us as humans. Belton further discusses the idea that as humans, we are capable of making harmful and toxic decisions and must then be accountable for what it relays on to our environment. Our ecosystem connects people, plants, animals all with our environment, so everything we do has an effect on the other and so on. If we make good and healthy decisions day by day, we can impact our environment even if we do not realize it at first. |
JOURNAL 2: JULIEChapter 2 grasps the idea of contamination of marine life. People all over the world do not realize the contamination that is the food they are consuming. This directly harms and affects the environment in which we live. This actually goes back to our project- because humans do not dispose waste in the right way AND are constantly wasting food that ends up in wastelands, our oceans are becoming infected with toxins. Thomas Belton states that there are many biologists actually investigating what goes on within our oceans, consequently due to the massive amount of food waste. He worked closely with these scientists and biologists to gain research on such contamination taking place. Toxins found are long lasting and very, very harmful. There is a strong link between the polluted water and humans themselves. Beyond ocean water, the water we drink has too become contaminated. We need to make a change because by constantly letting these toxins enter our body, we are destroying ourselves and our communities. We, as humans, are the ones polluting the water, ultimately resulting in toxins within our oceans. Through studies it was found that these toxins are in fact the ones causing deathly diseases and even Cancer. Unfortunately, Belton did not have the support of the necessary people. The media did not support Belton's research and he was back-lashed. JOURNAL 5: JULIE Throughout Chapter 5, Belton discussed environmental crime. It has a great impact on society. It discussed Jersey City in particular. It was very expensive to dispose toxic waste, resulting in increased crime. People could not afford proper garbage disposal, which led them to dispose of it illegally. The Mafia became involved. Things got really out of hand. To me, as a reader, I think this is very crazy. There was such an absurd amount of waste and harmful toxins that it resulted in a disastrous fire. Ultimately, the harmful toxins along with the fire had dangerous effects on the area in general. In conclusion, from reading this chapter, I have realized how important it is to realize how harmful toxins surrounding us can be, and to take ACTION. The government needs support from our society in order for the environment to never resort to illegal activity. JOURNAL 8: JULIE Throughout Chapter 8, Belton explains his time as a social worker, first in Jersey City. He visited poor families who were living in unhealthy conditions. Belton went on to visit Camden and saw that people were surrounded by toxins here. He was now fighting for environmental justice. Prior to reading this, I thought everyone had rights and that was it. I found that environmental rights are serious and we NEED them. Belton was able to spread awareness and help Candem to contact the government and influence them to create a plan for low income people within the area. Furthermore, an Environmental Justice Plan was put into action in New Jersey. Places like Candem needed this, they really needed help. In conclusion, if we all work together and have the motivation that Belton did to target poor and toxic areas, we can create economic opportunities and improve the environment, removing these harmful toxins. We are so motivated by little things, we must find that motivation within our society and peers to help make our environment a better, and safer place. JOURNAL 11: JULIE Throughout Chapter 11, Belton discusses headwaters. What are headwaters? They are important in acting as suppliers to bigger forms of water. Headwaters are disrupted, and many think they are not actually important so they are not always receiving the attention and protection that they need. The water from headwaters goes through a cycle through seasons in order to further carry on. Belton has studied what exactly is causing damage and destruction to headwaters. The bigger issue is that all this damage eventually affects biodiversity as a whole. This interests me because when water is not tended to correctly, our animals and humans also are harmed in the process. This affects US. We need to be more aware of how important it is to make sure water is being protected and nurtured, then we will be able to have more of a safe and stable environment. Our surroundings, animals, and us are all being affected and this is more than important to take note of. |
JOURNAL 3: JULIEChapter 3 focused on the quality of water, particularly in New Jersey. Throughout time, water has been deeply contaminated and as we learned in Chapter 2, it has actually been full of harmful and dangerous toxins. Toxins can ultimately cause cancer and other illnesses, which is the issue we currently face. Belton explains that chlorine was added to water to attempt to clean it and filter it. Chlorine was much cheaper than using plant filtration. Yet, unhealthy water conditions have progressed throughout the years. As much as environmentalists try to take control of all of these issues and problems, they are often overlooked and not given the time of day to. There is not much they can do if the community refuses to become aware of this. As a whole, as humans, as a society- we are WASTING water and taking it for granted. We want to ensure health and good water in the years to come. Belton has so much research and studies swamps, lakes, all types of water to try and figure out what exactly is being wasted and what lives around us. Other than drinking water, we at times submerge ourselves in such water. If this water if full of such terrible contamination and toxins, this is not healthy or good for us. JOURNAL 6: JULIE In Chapter 6, Thomas Belton brings to the table the issue of environmental warfare. Environmental warfare is the deliberate and illegal destruction, exploitation, or modification of the environment. Belton speaks about New Jersey being infested with toxins and unfortunately, spreading to more areas. Dioxin is a highly toxic compound found in the soil of New Jersey and many wanted to clarify and take on this issue. It was soon found that the amount of dioxin in New Jersey was contaminated with was an overload and highly toxic. Then, it was analyzed in Sweden and contaminated them too! This was an emergency because this type of toxin can cause birth defects, mental retardation and other long lasting effects on humans. It was soon proven that offshore dumping was a major part of this contamination. This is one of the many reasons that ocean dumping became banned in New Jersey. Reflecting on all this information within Chapter 6, it upset me because so much of what we eat and consume and do comes directly from our environment, yet it is so contaminated and dangerous to our bodies and lives. JOURNAL 9: JULIE In Chapter 9, Belton talks about his deep rooted interest in nature. During his schooling, Belton learned all about different parts of nature. He visited and researched many places. According to Belton, our environment used to have much more green life. It has deteriorated. Although, many efforts have been made to preserve our forests under the New Jersey Forest Service. With its assistance, our forest ensures that our ecosystem is getting all that it needs, which would include wildlife, water, plants. In NJ, the New Jersey Pinelands have become very popular as well as very protected. Many places in our environment need this type of environmental protection. If all areas could receive protection like this, water would be much less contaminated and endangered species would be much more likely to stay alive. Businessmen and politicians have had their eyes on the pinelands, looking to take over. Due to all these issues that can easily happen, we as a society must try our hardest to keep our forests healthy and limit any threats. We may be unaware of all that goes into keeping our environment clean AND safe, but after reading this novel, I for one will definitely be more aware of what goes into keeping our environment at its best. JOURNAL 12: JULIE This is the last chapter of the book. It is focused on the coast of New Jersey. NJDEP is the organization that works to protect the coast. Belton studied and studied, and eventually was a part of an unbelievable discovery. Him and his team took pictures of the bottom of the ocean and found that marine life is surrounded in sulfur clouds, which is very scary. This can cause chemical reactions and toxin substances. As organisms are living surrounded by these toxins, Belton emphasized how much this causes algae to grow. When algae dies, oxygen decreases and the fish die. Yet again, we see how humans have such an effect on our world and our environment. Humans have some of the biggest impacts on aquatic systems. Humans introduce large quantities of nutrients, which end up rapidly reducing water quality by causing overgrowth of certain bacteria and algae that use the oxygen necessary for other species to survive. |