Environmental Issues Essay Samples
[...] According to Kyoto Protocol Canada should reduce harmful emissions that cause global warming. These emissions are from such sources as electricity production, heating, vehicles, manufacturing and especially oil and gas production. Oil and gas productions are extremely profitable for Canadian provinces, and with ratification of Kyoto Protocol, these industries will suffer huge losses.
The Ontario Liberal opposition has criticized Mr. Eves's government for being weak in protecting the environment of the province. After Mr. Eves's meeting with Mr. Klein, the criticism had even increased. Former Liberal environment minister Jim Bradley warned of the risks to Ontario of siding with Mr. Klein and resisting a clean up of greenhouse gases, calling the Alberta Premier an environmental Neanderthal. [...]
[...] The effects of radiation can be categorized by the time of their appearance. Prompt effects include radiation sickness and burns, seen immediately after large doses of radiation were received over a short period of time. This can produce such effects as blood components change, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and death. The larger is the radiation dose, the sooner an effect will show.
There are also delayed effects, such as cataract formation and cancer induction, which may appear years from the moment that exposure to radiation occurred. Some of the types of cancers linked to radiation are leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, and skin cancer. There still is no direct confirmation of genetic effects of radiation on humans, even at high doses. [...]
[...] Two of five major pollutants are solid and are called suspended particulates. These are so small that can only be revealed in a laboratory using special equipment. The particulates are especially harmful for humans as they are able to destroy the interior of the lung and carry poisonous gases, absorbed into them. These particulates are mainly a product of combustion. They are mainly the by-product of oil and coal-fired power plants, as well as transportation and residential heating.
Mining is another cause of heavy metal pollution. More than a century ago gold hunters in the United States used mercury to separate gold dust from sediments, polluting many lakes and rivers. Nevertheless, mercury is still used for the same purpose in Brazil, polluting the tropical rivers. Due to intense biological activity in tropical rivers, mercury is more quickly converted into more dangerous forms and quickly reaches man up the food chain (Heavy Metals). Lead is another major source of contamination. Agricultural products grown in soil polluted with lead bring it to the human. Lead is also contained in old paints, water pipes, solder and other source that can contaminate the water. [...]