Senior Thesis Paper
The Effects of Agriculture on our Environment
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture as an industry is the leading cause of global warming, deforestation, species extinction, ocean pollution, and air pollution. However, surprisingly, most environmental organizations do not address it. In the 50 years between 1950 and the turn of the century the world population doubled, but humans produced and consumed five times more meat. (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Today, about 30% of the Earth’s land is used to produce food, and almost 70% of that land is used to produce animals for consumption. (Mark Bittman, Ted). The sustainability of animal agriculture has been debated for many years, and with new studies being done about the magnitude of the negative effects, we need to make substantial changes to the way we produce food.
Before we can try to change our agriculture industry, we must first look at how it came to be. A hundred years ago, everyone ate locally grown, organic food because that was all that was available. Every city was surrounded by small farms, and everyone ate home cooked meals. As transportation became less expensive, it became more practical to ship food across the country. This was also about the time when frozen food was invented, which made it even easier to ship food from one place to another. As more and more women began to enter the workforce, food became more about convenience. Microwave meals became common, and less and less people ate home cooked meals. New technology, social pressures, and advertizing, led to a huge increase in meat consumption. Today we continue to destroy habitats to make room for more food production, but if the human population continues to grow at the current rate, we will run out of resources very quickly. (National Geographics, History of Agriculture & Jonathan Foley, Ted).
LITERATURE REVIEW
H2O Trash Patrol is a non-profit business with the goal of achieving sustainably clean waterways in our community through cleanups and education. During cleanups, they focus on removing debris from our local waterways, and what makes them unique is the fact that they achieve this by cleaning up trash on a stand up paddleboard. They host local events to spread their important message, as well as hosting field trips and educational camps for school children. I have been doing an internship with H2O trash patrol for the past few months. As part of my internship, I have the opportunity to go out on the water once per week and clean up trash. It is astounding how much trash we collect and remove from the water in just a few hours. I was very surprised to find out that the physical trash is not even the most damaging contaminant in the ocean. The most dangerous contaminants are invisible particles, originating from fertilizers, pesticides, and livestock feces.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has done thorough research in the field of ocean pollution and report that agriculture is an important issue to address. “Agricultural operations account for a large percentage of nonpoint source pollution in the United States…” NOAA reports that agricultural operations, while beneficial to our economy, may be responsible for introducing dangerous pollutants into our oceans. “This [plowing] increases the runoff that carries fertilizers and pesticides away from the farm and into nearby waters,” (NOAA). They also note that farming is a large source of nutrients, which may cause algae blooms or offset the natural balance of the ecosystem by altering the temperature, oxygen concentration, or the amount of sun that can penetrate the area. “Runoff from agricultural areas where manure is either generated or spread on fields can be a source of bacteria and viruses, some of which may be pathogenic, leading to outbreaks of disease,” (NOAA). NOAA offers many tips on how an individual can help protect our oceans, but making different food choices is, surprisingly, not mentioned.
National Geographic magazine recently released an article addressing the effect of meat production, specifically beef, on the planet. In the article, they uncover some surprising facts and analyse the sustainability of the meat production business taking into account the growing population. “Last year in the state, [Texas] ten times as many calves were born, 3.85 million, as human babies,” (National Geographics, Carnivore's Dilemma). With this many cows being produced, it is not surprising that the cattle industry in particular uses a tremendous amount of natural resources. National Geographic reports that it typically takes 434 gallons of water to produce 1,000 calories of beef (about one pound). “The issue that concerns Defoor most is water. The panhandle farmers who supply corn and other crops to the feedlots are draining the Ogallala aquifer; at the current pace it could be exhausted in this century,” (National Geographic). The article also takes into account the many other effects of animal agriculture on our planet, such as the large carbon dioxide and methane emissions, land space requirements, and pollution.
Jonathan Foley, in a Ted Talk, discussed the ‘inconvenient truth’ behind the agriculture industry. He begins by addressing how much of our planet’s surface is devoted entirely to creating the food we eat. He took into account areas used to grow crops, as well as pasture land where animals are raised. “If we look at this carefully, we find it's about 40 percent of the Earth's land surface is devoted to agriculture, and it's 60 times larger than all the areas we complain about, our suburban sprawl and our cities where we mostly live,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Foley discusses how diverting the natural path of a watershed can completely change an ecosystem, kill natural habitat, and push species to extinction. “We already use about 50 percent of the Earth's fresh water that's sustainable, and agriculture alone is 70 percent of that,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Foley reports that the use of fertilizers and other chemicals used for farming are the leading cause of loss of biodiversity. “We've doubled the flows of nitrogen and phosphorus around the world simply by using fertilizers, causing huge problems of water quality from rivers, lakes, and even oceans, and it's also the single biggest driver of biodiversity loss,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). It is crucial that we rethink our use of fertilizers, and take into account where the toxins will eventually end up.
I consider myself an environmentally friendly person, which is why I was surprised to find out that the production of the food I eat may be responsible for polluting our oceans, driving loss of biodiversity, emitting carbon dioxide and methane into the environment, and deforestation. This led me to wonder what the affects of agriculture are on our environment, and what can we do to turn the problem around.
METHODOLOGY
Patti Diaz, has spent most of her life working hard through her business H2O Trash Patrol to keep our waterways clean. I wanted to see what she thought was the biggest threat to our waterways, after all of her first hand experiences. I set up a time for the interview where we wouldn’t be rushed, and recorded the audio for future referance, to ensure information wasn’t lost or changed during transcription.
First, I asked her to tell me about her educational background, so I could have a better understanding of what brought her to start the nonprofit. Also, being able to cite her education in my project would make her a more credible source. Next I asked her why she started her nonprofit, because I wanted to capture her passion which I could use in my paper to demonstrate the fact that Pati Diaz spent most of her life trying to protect our oceans. I asked her if she ever experiences the effects of agriculture on the ocean when she is working. I asked this question because I wanted to see how much agriculture affects our local waterways, and if it the problem seemed to be getting worse over time. The next question I had for Patti Diaz was what, in her opinion, is the biggest threat to our oceans. The final discussion was about her ‘One Simple Change’ project, and I asked her to tell me what some simple things people can do in regards to their diet and lifestyle to protect our oceans. I can use this in the conclusion of my paper to give people simple things that they can actually do to help solve the problem.
In addition to the interview, Patti Diaz also provided me with some additional resources. Her colleague, Travis Pritchard, is the water quality lab manager for the San Diego Coastkeepers. Mr. Pritchard graciously allowed me to use data collected about local water qualities. The water quality tests include data about fertilizers, pesticides, and fecal coliform bacteria, which all originate from agricultural areas. The study includes five different assessments; chemistry, toxicology, biological, microbiological and biochemical. I used their results from their biochemical assessment, specifically the harmful algae bloom study. The study evaluated trends in historic data regarding hypoxia and acidification, and tried to use this information to predict future blooms. “This research will [study] the linkage between anthropogenic nutrients and algal bloom development,” (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project). Anthropogenic nutrients are nutrients that originate from land based human activities, and travel to the ocean through watersheds.
RESULTS
Conducting an interview was a very successful way to collect the information I needed. In addition to collecting data directly from Patti Diaz, my internship mentor, I also got the name of one of her colleagues and collected more data from him. First I asked her to tell me about her educational background, and she told me that she got a Bachelors of Science in Aquatic Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. Patti Diaz started her nonprofit unintentionally when her and her husband noticed the need for people to clean up debris from our local waterways. They did beach cleanups often, but noticed that there was a lot of trash in the water so they had the idea to use stand up paddleboards which gave them better access to the areas with debris. Then, companies wanted to sponsor what they were doing, so they formed an official nonprofit to allow sponsors to receive tax benefits. When I asked Patti if she ever experiences the effects of agriculture on the waterways, she told me that earlier this year she was called to the San Luis Rey river to clean up the thousands of pounds of fish that died as a result of an extensive algal bloom. “There were literally thousands of fish that died in the river… we [H2O Trash Patrol] were called in to remove… over a thousand pounds of dead mullet and some halibut from the mouth of the river.” (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol) The algal bloom was caused by a large rainfall that washed pesticides and fertilizers into the river from farms. Pesticides, fertilizers, and animal feces are rich in nutrients which cause the algae population to explode. “...but because of how much \ nutrients and everything is in the water the algae becomes extensive…” (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol) The algae then uses all of the oxygen in that area, and when the oxygen is gone it dies, leaving the river suffocated and barren of life.
In response to my question asking what, in her opinion, is the biggest threat to our oceans, Patti tells me about the dangers of debris in the waterways. She tells me that Baleen whales collect food by scooping up mud from the ocean floor, then push the mud through their teeth, trapping organisms. Unfortunately, there is so much plastic on the ocean floor that Baleen whales are in huge danger. She has also seen birds and sea lions die because debris gets clogged in their digestive system. Recently, she has been learning more about how devastating agricultural runoff is on our oceans. She used to think that the nitrogen and chemicals would disperse enough to not have a huge impact, but now she realizes that there are so many chemicals entering the oceans, creating dead zones. There are five major gyres in the ocean that are supposed to be devoid of life, but now trash and nutrients from agricultural runoff are creating false habitats for organisms out in the middle of the ocean. Also on the coasts, where there is supposed to be life, the coral reefs are dying off and the fish are leaving, creating dead zones where they shouldn’t be. She states “I feel like we are upsetting the balance so much, in ways that we can’t even comprehend…” Patti is worried that nature will not be able to balance back out if we continue on this path.
Patti Diaz started her ‘One Simple Change’ program because she understands that nobody is perfect, and it is not realistic to expect everyone to change their entire lives. The program was created to cross political, social, and economic barriers, and get everyone to think about how they can help reduce marine debris. She knows that if everyone made one small, sustainable change, the reduction of marine debris would be reduced substantially. Using reusable water bottles can help reduce the amount of debris entering our oceans, as well as cutting down on the amount of dangerous leaching plastics we use. Eating organic, non-processed foods can greatly reduce the amount of chemicals that are leached into our environment. Pesticides, in Patti’s opinion, are very terrible for our watersheds. Scientific studies have been conducted to track the severity and frequency of algae blooms in our local waterways. “Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in frequency and severity along the US West Coast in recent years.” (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project). Eating less or no meat will reduce the amount of chemicals and organic waste that enter our oceans. Patti agrees with all of the points discussed in the new documentary Conspiracy. Patti believes that it is impossible to be an environmentalist and eat meat, because of the large impact producing meat has on our planet.
DISCUSSION
Humans have been practicing agriculture for 12,000 years, but in just the past 65 years the industry has completely changed. Agriculture began with the Neolithic Revolution, when humans began transitioning from their hunter-gatherer lifestyle to permanent settlements. This transition allowed for sudden population growth. “ Out of agriculture, cities and civilizations grew, and because crops and animals could now be farmed to meet demand, the global population rocketed—from some five million people 10,000 years ago, to more than seven billion today,” (National Geographic, The Development of Agriculture). In the 1900’s an entirely new revolution began that changed agriculture substantially. As new technologies made traveling easier, it became cheaper and easier to ship and receive foods from other places. By the late 1900’s more jobs were available for women, taking them away from their traditional role in the kitchen. Food became more about convenience, and frozen foods became common. New methods of food preservation and new technologies such as the microwave allowed people to have certain foods all year, when historically it wouldn’t have been available.
To keep up with the growing demand for food, more and more space was being reserved for production. In addition to space, the growing demand also demanded that farming became more efficient. The first genetically modified plants were introduced in 1994, with the goal of increased efficiency, (National Geographic, History). Food crops were genetically modified to be resistant to disease or certain pests. While this allows for less pesticide use, it has other unexpected consequences on the environment. One of these consequences is that the bugs that once survived off of the crops are no longer able to survive. Then, the organisms next in the food chain also are affected. Although there have not been many studies conducted regarding the effects of genetically modified foods on human health, some scientists believe they are dangerous.
Animal agriculture, as an industry, also underwent some drastic changes in the past 50 years. In just time between 1950 and 2000 the population doubled, but meat production increased by five times (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks). For the past 10,000 years, humans have been raising animals for food. Traditionally, animals were kept outside, and consumed a diet of grasses and other natural plants. But, as the population grew so rapidly this method of meat production was no longer sustainable. Farmers then began substituting animals diets with corn, which is very cheap to produce. Then, the large number of livestock and the small amount of available space forced farming to become industrialized. Most cows now eat a diet of entirely corn, which, because it is not their natural diets, causes illness. Today almost two thirds of our antibiotics are used in animal production. (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks) Today there are about 1.4 billion cows on the planet, and a staggering 19 billion chickens. That is three times more than the population of humans. Most of their waste travels, untreated, into our oceans.
Animal feces contain bacteria and nutrients that can be responsible for algae blooms. Recently, in a local San Diego watershed, the San Luis Rey River, this became a serious problem. Because of the drought conditions in the area, the river mouth no longer connected to the ocean, stopping the flow of the river. Then farm runoff, which contains high levels of nitrogen, entered the river. This caused the oxygen level in the water to increase, which allowed more organisms to grow. But, there was so much oxygen that algae grew extremely quickly. The algae used all of the oxygen and then died when the source was no longer available. This caused the oxygen levels to plummet, and life in the river was no longer sustainable. Thousands of fish died, as well as small crustaceans and plant life. Chemicals from fertilizers are a big threat to our world’s oceans, because they are altering the natural balance. (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol)
There are five major gyres in the ocean, which should contain no life. But recently, plastic and debris from land has been collecting in the gyres, creating garbage patches. Now organisms are adapting to live on these human-made garbage islands. In addition, coastal reefs that historically were home to thousands of different types of organisms are in danger. There are dead zones, areas where aquatic life is unsustainable, along our coasts. These dead zones are caused by a combination of pesticides, untreated animal waste, coliform bacteria, antibiotics and other medicines, and human trash.
The fishing industry also poses a great threat to our oceans. Overfishing is when fish are removed at a rate that is too high for the species to replenish itself. Overfishing one specific species is detrimental to the natural food chain because the organisms that typically eat that species man run out of food. Back in 2003, it was estimated that the fishing industry was responsible for depleting the fish population by 90% (National Geographic). We have already lost countless species to overfishing. In addition, ocean fishing also directly affects large marine mammals, such as dolphins and whales, as they often get tangled or trapped in fishing nets. It is estimated that 20% of commercial fish catch is bycatch (How Stuff Works), which refers to any species that was not the target for the catch. That means that one in every five pounds of fish catch is actually not the fish they were looking for and is wasted.
As the population of the world continues to grow, the demand for meat also increases. This means that not only do we need to create more space for the animals themselves, but we also need to create space to grow enough food to feed those animals. Our world’s forests are being cleared for this exact reason. “70 percent of the agricultural land on Earth, 30 percent of the Earth's land surface is directly or indirectly devoted to raising the animals we'll eat,” (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks). Animal agriculture has lead to the demise of countless species. In America, the wolf was nearly hunted to extinction because they were threatening livestock. Wild horses compete with cows for space, so the government rounds up and removes the wild horses. If we stopped eating animals, we could restore natural habitats and start bringing species back to natural balance.
Aside from space, mass animal production also needs other resources, such as water. It is estimated that it takes 1,874 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef (Huffington Post). This includes the water necessary to produce the animal’s food, as well as sustain the animal itself. Contrary to common belief, grass fed beef may not be better for the environment than industrially farmed beef. Grass contains far less calories per acre, when compared to corn. This means that grass fed cows need access to much more space than industrially farmed cows, which means that more habitats are destroyed. (Cowspiracy) Also, it takes more water to grow grass, and there is more water wasted from absorption and evaporation. However, grass fed cows are typically healthier and require the use of less antibiotics than industrially produced cows.
WORKS CITED
Boehrer, Katherine. "This Is How Much Water It Takes To Make Your Favorite Foods." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/food-water-footprint_n_5952862.html>.
"The Carbon Footprint of 5 Diets Compared." Shrinkthatfootprint.com. N.p., 25 Jan. 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/food-carbon-footprint-diet>.
"Comparison of PCR and Quantitative Real- Time PCR Methods for the Characterization of Ruminant and Cattle Fecal Pollution Sources."Raith, Meredith R.Southern California Costal Water Research Project (n.d.): n. pag.Sccwrp.org. Web. <http://ftp.sccwrp.org/pub/download/DOCUMENTS/AnnualReports/2013AnnualReport/ar13_491_500.pdf>.
Cowspiracy. Prod. Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn. A.U.M. Films & First Spark Media, 2014.
"The Development of Agriculture." Genographic Project. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/development-of-agriculture/>.
"FACT SHEET: Feedlot Finishing Cattle." Beef USA (n.d.): n. pag.Beefusa.org. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Web. <http://www.beefusa.org/uDocs/Feedlot%20finishing%20fact%20sheet%20FINAL_4%2026%2006.pdf>.
"Global Livestock Counts - Counting Chickens." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 27 July 2011. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/07/global-livestock-counts>.
"Happening Now: Dead Zone in the Gulf 2014." Ocean Now. National Ocean Service · NOAA · Department of Commerce · USA.gov, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2014. <http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/happnowdeadzone/>.
"Is Sport Fishing Bad for the Environment? - HowStuffWorks."HowStuffWorks. InfoSpace LLC, n.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2014. <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/fishing/fish-conservation/responsible-fishing/sport-fishing-bad.htm>.
Kunzig, Robert. "Carnivore’s Dilemma." National Geographic Magazine. N.p., 2014. Web. 06 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/meat/>.
"Nonpoint Source Pollution - Nonpoint Source Pollution : Agricultural Operations." NOAA's National Ocean Service Education: Nonpoint Source Pollution. N.p., 25 Mar. 2008. Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/pollution/06operations.html>.
"Nonpoint Source Pollution - Pollutants from Nonpoint Sources: Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals." NOAA's National Ocean Service Education:. N.p., 28 Mar. 2008. Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/pollution/012chemicals.html>.
"The Other Inconvenient Truth." Jonathan Foley:. Ted Talks, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_foley_the_other_inconvenient_truth?language=en>.
"Overfishing - Plenty of Fish in the Sea? Not Always." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2014. <http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-overfishing/>.
"Supplemental Information Terrestrial Nutrient Loads and Fluxes to the Southern California Bight, USA." Southern California Costal Water Research Project (n.d.): n. pag. Sccwrp.org. Web. <http://ftp.sccwrp.org/pub/download/DOCUMENTS/AnnualReports/2013AnnualReport/ar13_245_258SI.pdf>.
"Terrestrial Nutrient Loads and Fluxes to the Southern California Bight, USA." Southern California Costal Water Research Project (n.d.): n. pag. Sccwrp.org. Web. <http://ftp.sccwrp.org/pub/download/DOCUMENTS/AnnualReports/2013AnnualReport/ar13_245_258.pdf>.
Agriculture as an industry is the leading cause of global warming, deforestation, species extinction, ocean pollution, and air pollution. However, surprisingly, most environmental organizations do not address it. In the 50 years between 1950 and the turn of the century the world population doubled, but humans produced and consumed five times more meat. (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Today, about 30% of the Earth’s land is used to produce food, and almost 70% of that land is used to produce animals for consumption. (Mark Bittman, Ted). The sustainability of animal agriculture has been debated for many years, and with new studies being done about the magnitude of the negative effects, we need to make substantial changes to the way we produce food.
Before we can try to change our agriculture industry, we must first look at how it came to be. A hundred years ago, everyone ate locally grown, organic food because that was all that was available. Every city was surrounded by small farms, and everyone ate home cooked meals. As transportation became less expensive, it became more practical to ship food across the country. This was also about the time when frozen food was invented, which made it even easier to ship food from one place to another. As more and more women began to enter the workforce, food became more about convenience. Microwave meals became common, and less and less people ate home cooked meals. New technology, social pressures, and advertizing, led to a huge increase in meat consumption. Today we continue to destroy habitats to make room for more food production, but if the human population continues to grow at the current rate, we will run out of resources very quickly. (National Geographics, History of Agriculture & Jonathan Foley, Ted).
LITERATURE REVIEW
H2O Trash Patrol is a non-profit business with the goal of achieving sustainably clean waterways in our community through cleanups and education. During cleanups, they focus on removing debris from our local waterways, and what makes them unique is the fact that they achieve this by cleaning up trash on a stand up paddleboard. They host local events to spread their important message, as well as hosting field trips and educational camps for school children. I have been doing an internship with H2O trash patrol for the past few months. As part of my internship, I have the opportunity to go out on the water once per week and clean up trash. It is astounding how much trash we collect and remove from the water in just a few hours. I was very surprised to find out that the physical trash is not even the most damaging contaminant in the ocean. The most dangerous contaminants are invisible particles, originating from fertilizers, pesticides, and livestock feces.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has done thorough research in the field of ocean pollution and report that agriculture is an important issue to address. “Agricultural operations account for a large percentage of nonpoint source pollution in the United States…” NOAA reports that agricultural operations, while beneficial to our economy, may be responsible for introducing dangerous pollutants into our oceans. “This [plowing] increases the runoff that carries fertilizers and pesticides away from the farm and into nearby waters,” (NOAA). They also note that farming is a large source of nutrients, which may cause algae blooms or offset the natural balance of the ecosystem by altering the temperature, oxygen concentration, or the amount of sun that can penetrate the area. “Runoff from agricultural areas where manure is either generated or spread on fields can be a source of bacteria and viruses, some of which may be pathogenic, leading to outbreaks of disease,” (NOAA). NOAA offers many tips on how an individual can help protect our oceans, but making different food choices is, surprisingly, not mentioned.
National Geographic magazine recently released an article addressing the effect of meat production, specifically beef, on the planet. In the article, they uncover some surprising facts and analyse the sustainability of the meat production business taking into account the growing population. “Last year in the state, [Texas] ten times as many calves were born, 3.85 million, as human babies,” (National Geographics, Carnivore's Dilemma). With this many cows being produced, it is not surprising that the cattle industry in particular uses a tremendous amount of natural resources. National Geographic reports that it typically takes 434 gallons of water to produce 1,000 calories of beef (about one pound). “The issue that concerns Defoor most is water. The panhandle farmers who supply corn and other crops to the feedlots are draining the Ogallala aquifer; at the current pace it could be exhausted in this century,” (National Geographic). The article also takes into account the many other effects of animal agriculture on our planet, such as the large carbon dioxide and methane emissions, land space requirements, and pollution.
Jonathan Foley, in a Ted Talk, discussed the ‘inconvenient truth’ behind the agriculture industry. He begins by addressing how much of our planet’s surface is devoted entirely to creating the food we eat. He took into account areas used to grow crops, as well as pasture land where animals are raised. “If we look at this carefully, we find it's about 40 percent of the Earth's land surface is devoted to agriculture, and it's 60 times larger than all the areas we complain about, our suburban sprawl and our cities where we mostly live,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Foley discusses how diverting the natural path of a watershed can completely change an ecosystem, kill natural habitat, and push species to extinction. “We already use about 50 percent of the Earth's fresh water that's sustainable, and agriculture alone is 70 percent of that,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). Foley reports that the use of fertilizers and other chemicals used for farming are the leading cause of loss of biodiversity. “We've doubled the flows of nitrogen and phosphorus around the world simply by using fertilizers, causing huge problems of water quality from rivers, lakes, and even oceans, and it's also the single biggest driver of biodiversity loss,” (Jonathan Foley, Ted). It is crucial that we rethink our use of fertilizers, and take into account where the toxins will eventually end up.
I consider myself an environmentally friendly person, which is why I was surprised to find out that the production of the food I eat may be responsible for polluting our oceans, driving loss of biodiversity, emitting carbon dioxide and methane into the environment, and deforestation. This led me to wonder what the affects of agriculture are on our environment, and what can we do to turn the problem around.
METHODOLOGY
Patti Diaz, has spent most of her life working hard through her business H2O Trash Patrol to keep our waterways clean. I wanted to see what she thought was the biggest threat to our waterways, after all of her first hand experiences. I set up a time for the interview where we wouldn’t be rushed, and recorded the audio for future referance, to ensure information wasn’t lost or changed during transcription.
First, I asked her to tell me about her educational background, so I could have a better understanding of what brought her to start the nonprofit. Also, being able to cite her education in my project would make her a more credible source. Next I asked her why she started her nonprofit, because I wanted to capture her passion which I could use in my paper to demonstrate the fact that Pati Diaz spent most of her life trying to protect our oceans. I asked her if she ever experiences the effects of agriculture on the ocean when she is working. I asked this question because I wanted to see how much agriculture affects our local waterways, and if it the problem seemed to be getting worse over time. The next question I had for Patti Diaz was what, in her opinion, is the biggest threat to our oceans. The final discussion was about her ‘One Simple Change’ project, and I asked her to tell me what some simple things people can do in regards to their diet and lifestyle to protect our oceans. I can use this in the conclusion of my paper to give people simple things that they can actually do to help solve the problem.
In addition to the interview, Patti Diaz also provided me with some additional resources. Her colleague, Travis Pritchard, is the water quality lab manager for the San Diego Coastkeepers. Mr. Pritchard graciously allowed me to use data collected about local water qualities. The water quality tests include data about fertilizers, pesticides, and fecal coliform bacteria, which all originate from agricultural areas. The study includes five different assessments; chemistry, toxicology, biological, microbiological and biochemical. I used their results from their biochemical assessment, specifically the harmful algae bloom study. The study evaluated trends in historic data regarding hypoxia and acidification, and tried to use this information to predict future blooms. “This research will [study] the linkage between anthropogenic nutrients and algal bloom development,” (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project). Anthropogenic nutrients are nutrients that originate from land based human activities, and travel to the ocean through watersheds.
RESULTS
Conducting an interview was a very successful way to collect the information I needed. In addition to collecting data directly from Patti Diaz, my internship mentor, I also got the name of one of her colleagues and collected more data from him. First I asked her to tell me about her educational background, and she told me that she got a Bachelors of Science in Aquatic Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. Patti Diaz started her nonprofit unintentionally when her and her husband noticed the need for people to clean up debris from our local waterways. They did beach cleanups often, but noticed that there was a lot of trash in the water so they had the idea to use stand up paddleboards which gave them better access to the areas with debris. Then, companies wanted to sponsor what they were doing, so they formed an official nonprofit to allow sponsors to receive tax benefits. When I asked Patti if she ever experiences the effects of agriculture on the waterways, she told me that earlier this year she was called to the San Luis Rey river to clean up the thousands of pounds of fish that died as a result of an extensive algal bloom. “There were literally thousands of fish that died in the river… we [H2O Trash Patrol] were called in to remove… over a thousand pounds of dead mullet and some halibut from the mouth of the river.” (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol) The algal bloom was caused by a large rainfall that washed pesticides and fertilizers into the river from farms. Pesticides, fertilizers, and animal feces are rich in nutrients which cause the algae population to explode. “...but because of how much \ nutrients and everything is in the water the algae becomes extensive…” (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol) The algae then uses all of the oxygen in that area, and when the oxygen is gone it dies, leaving the river suffocated and barren of life.
In response to my question asking what, in her opinion, is the biggest threat to our oceans, Patti tells me about the dangers of debris in the waterways. She tells me that Baleen whales collect food by scooping up mud from the ocean floor, then push the mud through their teeth, trapping organisms. Unfortunately, there is so much plastic on the ocean floor that Baleen whales are in huge danger. She has also seen birds and sea lions die because debris gets clogged in their digestive system. Recently, she has been learning more about how devastating agricultural runoff is on our oceans. She used to think that the nitrogen and chemicals would disperse enough to not have a huge impact, but now she realizes that there are so many chemicals entering the oceans, creating dead zones. There are five major gyres in the ocean that are supposed to be devoid of life, but now trash and nutrients from agricultural runoff are creating false habitats for organisms out in the middle of the ocean. Also on the coasts, where there is supposed to be life, the coral reefs are dying off and the fish are leaving, creating dead zones where they shouldn’t be. She states “I feel like we are upsetting the balance so much, in ways that we can’t even comprehend…” Patti is worried that nature will not be able to balance back out if we continue on this path.
Patti Diaz started her ‘One Simple Change’ program because she understands that nobody is perfect, and it is not realistic to expect everyone to change their entire lives. The program was created to cross political, social, and economic barriers, and get everyone to think about how they can help reduce marine debris. She knows that if everyone made one small, sustainable change, the reduction of marine debris would be reduced substantially. Using reusable water bottles can help reduce the amount of debris entering our oceans, as well as cutting down on the amount of dangerous leaching plastics we use. Eating organic, non-processed foods can greatly reduce the amount of chemicals that are leached into our environment. Pesticides, in Patti’s opinion, are very terrible for our watersheds. Scientific studies have been conducted to track the severity and frequency of algae blooms in our local waterways. “Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have increased in frequency and severity along the US West Coast in recent years.” (Southern California Coastal Water Research Project). Eating less or no meat will reduce the amount of chemicals and organic waste that enter our oceans. Patti agrees with all of the points discussed in the new documentary Conspiracy. Patti believes that it is impossible to be an environmentalist and eat meat, because of the large impact producing meat has on our planet.
DISCUSSION
Humans have been practicing agriculture for 12,000 years, but in just the past 65 years the industry has completely changed. Agriculture began with the Neolithic Revolution, when humans began transitioning from their hunter-gatherer lifestyle to permanent settlements. This transition allowed for sudden population growth. “ Out of agriculture, cities and civilizations grew, and because crops and animals could now be farmed to meet demand, the global population rocketed—from some five million people 10,000 years ago, to more than seven billion today,” (National Geographic, The Development of Agriculture). In the 1900’s an entirely new revolution began that changed agriculture substantially. As new technologies made traveling easier, it became cheaper and easier to ship and receive foods from other places. By the late 1900’s more jobs were available for women, taking them away from their traditional role in the kitchen. Food became more about convenience, and frozen foods became common. New methods of food preservation and new technologies such as the microwave allowed people to have certain foods all year, when historically it wouldn’t have been available.
To keep up with the growing demand for food, more and more space was being reserved for production. In addition to space, the growing demand also demanded that farming became more efficient. The first genetically modified plants were introduced in 1994, with the goal of increased efficiency, (National Geographic, History). Food crops were genetically modified to be resistant to disease or certain pests. While this allows for less pesticide use, it has other unexpected consequences on the environment. One of these consequences is that the bugs that once survived off of the crops are no longer able to survive. Then, the organisms next in the food chain also are affected. Although there have not been many studies conducted regarding the effects of genetically modified foods on human health, some scientists believe they are dangerous.
Animal agriculture, as an industry, also underwent some drastic changes in the past 50 years. In just time between 1950 and 2000 the population doubled, but meat production increased by five times (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks). For the past 10,000 years, humans have been raising animals for food. Traditionally, animals were kept outside, and consumed a diet of grasses and other natural plants. But, as the population grew so rapidly this method of meat production was no longer sustainable. Farmers then began substituting animals diets with corn, which is very cheap to produce. Then, the large number of livestock and the small amount of available space forced farming to become industrialized. Most cows now eat a diet of entirely corn, which, because it is not their natural diets, causes illness. Today almost two thirds of our antibiotics are used in animal production. (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks) Today there are about 1.4 billion cows on the planet, and a staggering 19 billion chickens. That is three times more than the population of humans. Most of their waste travels, untreated, into our oceans.
Animal feces contain bacteria and nutrients that can be responsible for algae blooms. Recently, in a local San Diego watershed, the San Luis Rey River, this became a serious problem. Because of the drought conditions in the area, the river mouth no longer connected to the ocean, stopping the flow of the river. Then farm runoff, which contains high levels of nitrogen, entered the river. This caused the oxygen level in the water to increase, which allowed more organisms to grow. But, there was so much oxygen that algae grew extremely quickly. The algae used all of the oxygen and then died when the source was no longer available. This caused the oxygen levels to plummet, and life in the river was no longer sustainable. Thousands of fish died, as well as small crustaceans and plant life. Chemicals from fertilizers are a big threat to our world’s oceans, because they are altering the natural balance. (Patti Diaz, H2O Trash Patrol)
There are five major gyres in the ocean, which should contain no life. But recently, plastic and debris from land has been collecting in the gyres, creating garbage patches. Now organisms are adapting to live on these human-made garbage islands. In addition, coastal reefs that historically were home to thousands of different types of organisms are in danger. There are dead zones, areas where aquatic life is unsustainable, along our coasts. These dead zones are caused by a combination of pesticides, untreated animal waste, coliform bacteria, antibiotics and other medicines, and human trash.
The fishing industry also poses a great threat to our oceans. Overfishing is when fish are removed at a rate that is too high for the species to replenish itself. Overfishing one specific species is detrimental to the natural food chain because the organisms that typically eat that species man run out of food. Back in 2003, it was estimated that the fishing industry was responsible for depleting the fish population by 90% (National Geographic). We have already lost countless species to overfishing. In addition, ocean fishing also directly affects large marine mammals, such as dolphins and whales, as they often get tangled or trapped in fishing nets. It is estimated that 20% of commercial fish catch is bycatch (How Stuff Works), which refers to any species that was not the target for the catch. That means that one in every five pounds of fish catch is actually not the fish they were looking for and is wasted.
As the population of the world continues to grow, the demand for meat also increases. This means that not only do we need to create more space for the animals themselves, but we also need to create space to grow enough food to feed those animals. Our world’s forests are being cleared for this exact reason. “70 percent of the agricultural land on Earth, 30 percent of the Earth's land surface is directly or indirectly devoted to raising the animals we'll eat,” (Mark Bittman, Ted Talks). Animal agriculture has lead to the demise of countless species. In America, the wolf was nearly hunted to extinction because they were threatening livestock. Wild horses compete with cows for space, so the government rounds up and removes the wild horses. If we stopped eating animals, we could restore natural habitats and start bringing species back to natural balance.
Aside from space, mass animal production also needs other resources, such as water. It is estimated that it takes 1,874 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef (Huffington Post). This includes the water necessary to produce the animal’s food, as well as sustain the animal itself. Contrary to common belief, grass fed beef may not be better for the environment than industrially farmed beef. Grass contains far less calories per acre, when compared to corn. This means that grass fed cows need access to much more space than industrially farmed cows, which means that more habitats are destroyed. (Cowspiracy) Also, it takes more water to grow grass, and there is more water wasted from absorption and evaporation. However, grass fed cows are typically healthier and require the use of less antibiotics than industrially produced cows.
WORKS CITED
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See my 'Ted' talk about this issue: |