Biosolids are a great fertilizer...as long as you enjoy eating Salmonella

            The increasing effects of global warming have a huge impact on the planet, so of course people want to find green alternatives to the use of pesticides and green house gases. However this does not mean that we have to fertilize the soil with our own poop.

            Biosolids are human wastes that have been treated so that they can be used “safely” on the land. They are organic materials that are rich with nutrients, and are therefore useful fertilizers that can improve the productivity of soils and plants. Its nice that people are trying to recycle everything, but this practice is simply disgusting.

However, I am not opposing the use of biosolids because they sound disgusting. Honestly, I would be all for this green alternative, if they didn’t present a risk to human health. The Canadian water and waste water association is the organization that monitors the use of biosolids in Canada. When asked if the use of biosolids is a safe practice, their response is “if the practices are sufficiently conservative and if (rules are) followed properly, (the biosolids) show no significant risk to the environment or human health” (Canadian water and waste water association). What do they consider to be significant? Can the small risks become significant risks? Are they aware of the diseases and bacteria present in human waste?

Protective gear worn when handling raw sewage. 

There are four different types of harmful human disease causing organisms present in biosolids. These four groups are bacteria, protozoa, viruses and parasitic worms. There are two different types of biosolids, class A and class B. The type of treatment that was applied to the biosolid determines what class it belongs to. “Class B biosolids may contain the same types of pathogens as the source sewage, but at reduced concentrations” (centers for disease control and prevention). This is not only truly disgusting, but also very dangerous for people. Land that has been treated with Class B biosolids must be kept closed off to the public for at least a year after they have been applied to the land because it is not safe for the public (centers for disease control and prevention).

Salmonella bacteria

You may actually be familiar with some of the pathogens that are present in these biosolids. Salmonella, the Norwalk virus, E. Coli and Giardia are just some enteric organisms that are in biosolids. Enteric organisms are a type of organism that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. If these organisms come into contact with a person, they have the potential to cause disease, or that person could become a carrier of disease. These diseases can also seriously affect sensitive populations, such infants, children and the elderly.

In ones mind, the thought of using biosolids is nice. We are fertilizing the earth, while recycling at the same time. But are we willing to risk the health of other human beings? Biosolids actually have the potential to cause death. Are we really willing to risk all of this just so that we can recycle our poop?

Blogs I commented on: 

connies bio blog

natasha bio blog

Works Cited

"CWWA - FAQ - Biosolids." CWWA/ACEPU. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp>.

"Frequently Asked Questions | Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) | US EPA." Index | Water | US EPA. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/wastewater/treatment/biosolids/genqa.cfm>.

"Guidance For Controlling Potential Risks To Workers Exposed to Class B Biosolids - PREPRINT." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2002-149/2002-149.html>.

"NutriBlend | FAQ." NutriBlend Biosolid Land Application. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.nutri-blend.com/faq/index.htm>.

New Treatment for Asthma Sufferers

Sigh....people and their lifestyles. Our unhealthy lifestyles, such as lack of exercise and obesity are the cause behind a growing number of heath problems. So it didn't really come as a surprise when I learned peoples living condition and lifestyles were the cause behind a growing number of asthma sufferers. People with asthma have a larger amount of smooth muscle in their bronchial tubes than the average person. When this muscle gets irritated, it contracts, making it difficult to breathe. My brother has asthma. Its not really serious, he has only had two asthma attacks, but other people with serious asthma are often in and out of the hospital monthly, so its not a joking matter.

           

Compare these bronchials. Its easy to see why an asthmatic would have difficulty breathing.  

          As I said before, the frequency of asthma is on the rise. There has been a “74% increase in self reported asthma over the past two decades” (5). Doctors don't quite know what exactly causes asthma, but they know that it has something to do with peoples living conditions. According to the Seattle times, researchers say air pollution could be one of asthmas causes. However other researchers say our homes may be too clean for our own good, literally. By having overly clean homes, children aren’t being exposed to germs like pollen, cat dander or dust at an early age, so they do not develop the immunity to these things (5). Now that we have an excuse not to clean our rooms, there is good news for asthma sufferers. 

           

The good news is that asthma can be treated. It is not possible to cure asthma, but treatments have been developed. There are two main types of medication that are used to treat asthma. The first type of medication is known as controllers. Controllers are medications that are meant to be taken on a regular basis. They keep asthma under control by reducing the amount of inflammation and mucous in the airways. The second type of asthma medication is known as reliever medications. These medications are used to relieve asthma symptoms fast but only for short periods of time. Relievers are used for things like stopping asthma attacks or reducing asthma symptoms after exercise. Relievers are only supposed to be as needed. Most asthmatics who have light to mild asthma symptoms can get by fine simply using controllers and relievers. But people with really serious asthma need for serious treatment.  

This is a picture of the bronchial thermoplasty treatment.

         

            Bronchial thermoplasty is new technology that has been developed to help treat people with serious asthma. While this technology is still considered experimental, people who have undergone treatment have found that they use their relievers much less and that they have fewer trips to the hospital. What the treatment consists of is sending a flexible pipe called a bronchoscope into the airway through the mouth or nose. As the bronchoscope travels through the airway, a piece called the Alair comes out. At the end of the Alair, there are four arms which produce heat. When in contact with the airway wall for 10 second periods, this heat reduces the amount of smooth muscle in the bronchials. Less smooth muscle means the bronchial cannot contract as much. Less contracting means more air is getting in and out of the lungs. the procedure is so noninvasive that patients remain awake during this hour long procedure. Some sedative is needed, but patients aren't even kept over night. This treatment is repeated three times over the span of a few weeks. The video clip below has a visual demonstration of the procedure.

          There is no doubt that bronchial thermoplasty is a great new treatment. However, the goal for our society should be to be rid of asthma, not to need to create new treatments for it. Sadly, it doesn't look like this goal will be reached anytime soon as peoples living conditions and lifestyles are only causing asthma to become more common.

Blogs that I have commented on:
connies bio blog
adorablogs

Works Cited

(1) "Breakthrough Asthma Treatment Could Change Lives – American Morning - CNN.com Blogs." American Morning - - CNN.com Blogs. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/03/breakthrough-asthma-treatment-could-change-lives/>.

(2)"CADTH: Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Hot Approach to Asthma Treatment?" CADTH: Home Page. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://www.cadth.ca/index.php/en/hta/reports-publications/health-technology-update/health-tech-update-issue6/bronchial-thermoplasty>.

(3) C-Health. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=3400>.

(4) Folk, Erik. "Airway Interventions in the Tracheobronchial Tree: Bronchial Thermoplasty." Medscape.com. 2008. Web. 6 May 2011. <Airway Interventions in the Tracheobronchial Tree: Bronchial Thermoplasty>.

(5) Ostrom, Carol M. "Health | Asthma Is on the Rise but Remains a Mystery | Seattle Times Newspaper." The Seattle Times | Seattle Times Newspaper. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2002140520_healthasthma05m.html>.

(6) "Treatment - The Asthma Society of Canada." Asthma Society of Canada. Web. 06 May 2011. <http://www.asthma.ca/adults/treatment/>.

  

Healthy happy world vs. manure in your water (The answer to whether less genetic diversity is worth it).

If you were to ask me what my favourite hobby was, and I might say something like reading or listening to music, but I would be lying. My favourite pass time probably has to be eating. I eat when I am bored, I eat when I am stressed, I eat when I am hungry and I eat because I simply love eating.

The reassuring fact is that I am not the only person who enjoys a love of eating. Or perhaps this fact isn’t so reassuring. Our population is expanding pretty quickly and everyone else needs to eat too. So what are we going to do?

Well many businesses think industrial agriculture is the answer. Industrial means having anything to do with the manufacture of products; which is exactly what industrial agriculture is.(10) Industrial agriculture is the manufacture of meat, eggs or diary done on a massive scale. This type of farming is fairly new since it only came into existence in the 20^th century.(7) Sustainable agriculture is a tried and true method of agriculture. It is a form of agriculture that is socially just, humane, economically viable, and environmentally sound” (2). Sustainable agriculture sounds great, but what’s the problem with the new type of agriculture? Everyone still gets to eat, right?

These are statues in Ireland that commemorate the Potato Famine.  

Well, not quite. Take the potato famine that occurred in Ireland during the 1840’s as an example. (1) A disease struck that killed all of the potato crops. What you need to understand is that within a species of crop there are thousands of different varieties of that crop; each variety having its own unique genetic instructions. In sustainable agriculture, pretty much every farmer grows their own variety of the same crop. However industrial agriculture greatly reduces the genetic diversity of crops since only a few varieties of the crop are mass produced. What happened in Ireland was that the farmers were all growing the same variety of potato. This variety of potato was unable the disease that struck, killing all of the potatoes. Other varieties of potato might have been resistant to the disease, but all the potatoes were the same. Since 1900, industrial agriculture has caused the genetic diversity of crops to reduce by 75%. (1) A scary fact indeed, but this is not the only scary consequence of industrial agriculture.  

This is a picture of the inside of an industrial farm where cows are being raised.

Remember those story books you read when you were a kid about all the animals living on a green farm, in the wide open space. Well, those were a lie. For example, on sustainable farms cows live and work outside. But on industrial farms, the cows would die if they lived outside. Industrial farm cows must live in climate controlled environments where they eat special high fibre feed and receive regular doses of antibiotics. Most of these cows were purposely bred to be genetically identical since it’s the fastest way to produce a food product. This means disease spreads like wild fire.

               Still unsure whether sustainable agriculture beats industrial agriculture. Consider the fact that the amount of manure created on industrial farms is so great that the manure seeps into the ground water, our water supply. Pesticides used on industrial farms contaminate our water supply and surrounding ecosystems as well. According to sustainable table, 90% of all human food comes from fifteen plant species and eight animal species. (1) What happens if one of these species is killed off by something like, oh I don’t know, disease? But I am not going to worry about that because I have a full fridge….for now.  

Works Cited

"Biodiversity, Biodiversity and Mass Production - The Issues - Sustainable Table." Sustainabletable. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/biodiversity/>.

(1) Bixler,, Catalina. "Definition of Industrial Agriculture | EHow.com." EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/about_5161645_definition-industrial-agriculture.html>.

(2)"CUESA Sustainable Agriculture Glossary of Terms." CUESA, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture :: Ferry Plaza Farmers Market :: San Francisco, California. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.cuesa.org/sustainable_ag/glossary.php>.

(3) Druidry, Following. "THE CAMPAIGN FOR ECOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY :: OBOD :: The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids :: Druid Grove :: Druidism & Druidry as a Spiritual Path, Druid History, Bards, Ovates & Druids Ancient and Modern." Courses in Druidry, Druidry Training, Druidry Courses, Druids, Druidism :: The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.druidry.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=2&page_id=81>.

(4) "Factory Farming: Debatabase - Debate Topics and Debate Motions." IDEA: International Debate Education Association - Debate Resources & Debate Tools. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>.

(5) "Factory Farming: Debatabase - Debate Topics and Debate Motions." IDEA: International Debate Education Association - Debate Resources & Debate Tools. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>.

(6) "Factory Farming." European Environment Information and Observation Network - Eionet. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/concept?ns=1&cp=3103>.

(7) "Industrial Agriculture Law & Legal Definition." Legal Definitions Legal Terms Dictionary. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://definitions.uslegal.com/i/industrial-agriculture/>.

(8) "Sustainable Agriculture | Define Sustainable Agriculture at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sustainable agriculture>.

(9) "Sustainable Agriculture - Definition." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - WordIQ Dictionary. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Sustainable_agriculture>.

(10) Videopedia, 5min Life. "What Is the Definition of Industrial | Directhit.com." Ask.com Search Engine - Better Web Search. Web. 20 Jan. 2011. <http://www.directhit.com/ansres/What-Is-the-Definition-of-Industrial.html>.

Blogs I commented on: 

Caitlin's Bio Blog

It's Alive- Conn

"Its a blue eyed boy!" "WHAT??? I paid for green eyes! Return it!"

 
Designer babies? Are they high end accessories?

Well, I would hope not. The term designer baby refers to babies’ whose genes have been artificially selected through a process called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD. Meaning scientists can now choose certain characteristics in a child.

          Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis or PDG lets doctors select the gender of a baby, the hair colour, eye colour and so on. Presently some clinics in the world allow parents to pay large sums of money so that they can choose the gender of their baby. However the last time I checked babies were considered humans, just like any one of us. So why are babies being treated like they are consumer goods? I thought parents were supposed to love and accept their child no matter who they are, and especially no matter what they look like. But these new technologies being developed could mean having blue eyes makes a kid "unlovable".

I think using this technology for cosmetic purposes is wrong, but what about the medical benefits? PGD allows doctors to screen embryos for genetic disorders. Then once they have chosen a healthy embryo, they implant it in the mother and dispose of the other embryos. A healthy embryo is carried to term and the parents get their happily ever after. But what about the embryos that were disposed of?

In the process of creating a healthy baby, other embryos that had diseases, but had the potential to live, were killed. I want to say that its’ right to save children from horrible, painful and crippling diseases but what about those other embryos? "Many people see aborting a fetus as “killing”, whereas in the case of PGD the spare embryos are “allowed to die" (Medical ethics). Had those embryos had the chance to develop naturally, they might have been able to develop into people. In my mind, the fact that there was any chance those embryos could become people makes "letting them die" wrong. 

Furthermore PGD sends out the message that its better that those diseased embryos die. But then what kind of message are we sending to the people who are alive and suffering from those diseases? Are we saying that it would have been better if they weren’t born? I think society has to realize that some people may have diseases, but their lives still have value. If a treatment is created for genetic disorders where numerous embryos are not "disposed" of, I will be all for that. But until then, I have to say that I think the use of PGD is wrong.

Using this science means we are making decisions about peoples lives. We are saying your life has value, and yours' does not. We are saying you need to look this way, or you need to be this gender, and if your not, well then we don’t want you. Before we make the decision to go ahead and continue playing God, we should think, wait a second; we’re actually affecting real people. 

Works Cited

"Designer Babies: Creating the Perfect Child - CNN." Featured Articles From The CNN. 30 Oct. 2008. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://articles.cnn.com/2008-10-30/tech/designer.babies_1_genetic-screening-designer-babies-animal-embryos?_s=PM:TECH.

""Designer Babies" Ethical? - The Early Show - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/03/earlyshow/health/main4840346.shtml.

"Discovery Health "The In Vitro Process"" Discovery Health "Health Guides" Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/fertility/in-vitro-fertilization1.htm.

"Embryo Screening and the Ethics of Human Genetic Engineering | Learn Science at Scitable." Nature Publishing Group : Science Journals, Jobs, and Information. Web. 23 Nov. 2010. http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/embryo-screening-and-the-ethics-of-60561.

"Is There an Ethical Difference between Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis and Abortion? -- Cameron and Williamson 29 (2): 90 -- Journal of Medical Ethics." Journal of Medical Ethics - BMJ Journals. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. http://jme.bmj.com/content/29/2/90.abstract.

 

Blogs I commented on:

natasha's bio blog: The Moral Dilemmas of Being Smart
and
Bob Loblaw's Bio Blog: I'll have one baby please, thanks. Hmm black hair, green eyes, not too many freckles please.

MISSING: 40 Different Species of Amphibians (Last seen over a Decade Ago)

Conservation International is a global organization on a mission: achieve a clean, stable and healthy planet for all of us to enjoy.

Conservation International knows that economic and infrastructure expansion impacts the environment. Therefore they are working at all levels of society to create sustainable development. One way Conservation International is working towards their goal is through a campaign called "The Search for the Lost Frogs". This campaign organizes expeditions whom search for 40 different species of amphibians, all of whom have not been seen in at least a decade. These expeditions are taking place throughout Asia, South America and Africa. No research has been conducted on any of the missing species in over a decade; therefore it is unknown whether they are extinct.

Amphibians play important roles in ecosystems since they filter waterways, eat disease carrying insects, regulate nutrient cycles, and provide us with breakthroughs in medicine. The skin of amphibians is especially useful in medical research because it contains substances that protect amphibians from certain microbes and viruses. Of all the Nobel Prizes won in Physiology and Medicine, 10% of them have used frogs in their research (Save the Frogs).

The majority of the expeditions have not begun their searches yet. However some expeditions have already rediscovered some species.



 The Cave Splayfoot salamander had not been seen since 1941. A scientist from a Conservation International expedition rediscovered the salamander in a Mexican cave.



The Omaniundu Reed Frog was last seen in 1979 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Conservation International expedition team spent hours searching a flooded forest off the Congo river in order to rediscover this species.

 

The Mount Nimba Reed frog was last seen 43 years ago, but it has been rediscovered by a Conservation International expedition in the Cote d'Ivoire. Part of Mount Nimba is already protected, however it is urgent the rest of this region is protected since this is the sole habitat of this highly threatened species.

The organizer of Conservation Internationals' campaign, Dr. Robin Moore said "These are fantastic finds and could have important implications for people as well as for amphibians. We don't know whether study of these animals could provide new medicinal compounds" (Conservation International). These findings will be presented at the International Biodiversity Conference being held in Japan this month.



The search for the rest of the missing species continues. Some species that remain missing include:

 

The Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad was last seen in 1995 and is listed as critically endangered.

 

The Scarlet frog, hasn't been seen for over 20 years. They're only known to exist in a certain stream in a forest at a high altitude in Venezuela.

I think the work Conservation International is doing is extremely important. Since all organisms are interconnected, the loss of just one species is a huge loss for all of us. By doing this research, Conservation International could save numerous species of amphibians, which directly benefits us and our ecosystems. I admire the fact that Conservation International sees the value in doing this research. They are literally reinforcing the web of life.  



Sources:

"Benefits of Amphibians." The Zoological Society of London. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.zsl.org/about-us/>

"The Search for the Lost Frogs." Conservation International. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.conservation.org/campaigns/lost_frogs/Pages/search_for_lost_amphibians.aspx>

"What is Biodiversity?" Countdown 2010. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.countdown2010.net/biodiversity>

"Worldwide Amphibian Declines." Amphibiaweb. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.amphibiaweb.org/declines/declines.html>

"Why We Must Save the Frogs." Save the Frogs. Website. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.savethefrogs.com/why-frogs/>

Blogs I commented on:

 http://itsalive-conn.blogspot.com/2010/09/crikey.html?showComment=1286241948157#c5407455283525118911

http://natashasbioblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/worlds-fastest-cats-are-disappearing.html?showComment=1286242837442#c7202012741578210922