Environmental Journal

Alex Pollok
12/2/13
Laura Stivers
Environmental Ethics, PHIL 1110

Introduction
The following journals reflect the few months experience studying environmental ethics. This
was the first time I have had a class dedicated entirely to studying the issues plaguing the world. Issues
such as wilderness destruction, pollution, climate change, overpopulation, nuclear energy, and
environmental racism were covered in large detail during my studies. In this journal I take a look at
how salmon farms have a negative effect on the biosphere including human health; the effects of plastic
manufacturing on the environment; the dangers of nuclear energy; the bio region of my own home, San
Rafael; and finally develop my own perspective on environmental ethics. I hope this journal will
display how much I have learned studying environmental ethics and hopefully the reader will learn a
thing or two as well.

The Effects of Salmon Farming

I absolutely love all kinds of fish, however, my favorite type is definitely salmon. There are two
types of salmon that markets receive, wild and farmed. Wild is pretty self explanatory, fisherman catch
the fish out in the wild and send it to the stores. Farmed salmon involves raising salmon in an enclosed
tank or enclosure. Wild is said to be more healthy and nutritious but as the population of wild salmon
decreases, many believe that salmon farms will be the norm. There are many detrimental effects of
Salmon farming such as disease, human health, overfishing, and the impact on other marine mammals.
Disease is a common problem for all life but certain conditions can make it more prevalent;
Salmon farms replicate some of these conditions. There are four major diseases found in salmon farms:
infectious salmon anaemia (ISA), infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN), furunculosis, and bacterial
kidney disease.i ISA was first discovered in Norway (1984) and has since spread to other regions
including the United States.ii An outbreak in Chile (2007) led to the death of 70 percent of the country's
farmed salmon.iii In 2005, furunculosis killed 1.8 million Atlantic salmon in a single hatchery on
Vancouver Island.iv These farms spread disease and other illnesses to surrounding waters as their cages
will often be open (surrounded by netting) and the waste from the salmon can escape. v There is also a
particular parasite called sea lice that is attracted to these pens. If these farmed salmon escape they can
also spread disease through the lice.vi
If consumed farmed salmon can also have a negative impact on human health. In addition to the
mercury present in all types of salmon, farmed salmon are also susceptible to fat soluble pollutants
such as PCBs.vii This is because of the increasing economic demand leading to farms using high energy
diets and causing their salmon to have higher fat levels.viii In regards to the PCBs and other toxins
present in farmed fish, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put more stringent advice on
the consumption of farmed salmon (compared to wild).ix The methods used to determine this advice
was based on a variety of health impacts from PCBs (and other toxins) such as Cancer and adverse

neurobahavioral and immune affects.x

One of the major effects of salmon farming is the effect it has on biodiversity. Salmon eat,
among other things, smaller fish. Salmon farmers will have large amount of fish caught to be grinded
up and fed to their stock. Even worse, many farms bring in more fish feed than the salmon they
produce. Depending on where the salmon is being produced, between 1.5-8 kilograms of wild fish are
needed to produce one kilogram of farmed salmon. xi Overfishing is a major issue for marine biologists
because maintaining biodiversity is incredibly important for the biosphere. Biodiversity helps species
adapt to environmental changes and without a diverse environment many species would be in danger of
becoming endangered or extinct.
Salmon farms also affect species that are considered to be predators of salmon, such as seals,
sea lions, and dolphins. When one of these animals swims too close to the enclosures many farmers
will shoot them to protect the salmon. Other times they will become caught on the nets surrounding the
cages(this is more often the case as a license is needed to fire upon any mammals that threaten the
salmon).xii One report by Canada's Department and Fisheries and Oceans claims that from the years
1989-2000 the British Columbia (BC) fishing industry killed 6,243 seals and sea lions. xiii The total
number is most likely even higher as it does not factor in the animals that were caught and drowned.
Salmon is one of the more popular fish that humans consume. However, in addition to the
impact on human health, salmon farms can be a detriment to the environment as well as the biosphere.
Like most environmental issues, it is probable that many people simply are unaware of these problems.
Similar to other issues change may take time to catch on. Humans cannot continue simply switch over
to eating purely wild salmon as we are continually overfishing the Earths oceans. Change, like most
environmental issues may have to come from the next generation but we can still do our best to make a
difference in the present.

British Columbia Salmon Farm. Image Courtesy of Friends of Clayoquot Sound.

http://focs.ca/campaigns/wildsalmon/

Bottled Water and the Environment

Water is a basic necessity of life; all living organisms require it. There are two ways most
Americans consume their water: from the faucet and from bottles. A study by the Swiss Gas and Water
association concluded that tap water has less than 1 percent of the impact than its bottled counterpart. xiv
I must admit, I almost exclusively drink bottled water. I'll bring one to class each day, maybe have one
beside my bed for the night, and can even go through three to four bottles when exercising. I am one of
the many people throughout the world contributing to the waste of plastic bottles. Not only does the
plastic end up in landfills, but most of those bottles are a type of plastic called polyethylene terepthalate
or PET which is created using crude oil. The few bottles that do end up being recycled will have
already created more waste than recycling will help fix.xv
There are many issues with landfills, such as chemicals from rotting organic matter and
household cleaning supplies like bleach and ammonia producing harmful gases contaminating the air in
the nearby areas.xvi Many animals can be affected as well by the toxicity of the area, not to mention the
land that has to be set aside and created just for these giant piles of garbage. According to the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are location restrictions that ensure that landfills
are built in suitable geological areas away from faults, wetlands, flood plains, or other restricted
areas.xvii However, even with these restrictions, pollution still occurs. One of the most harmful effects
of landfills is that over 5.6 million tons of methane, the second largest contributor to climate change, is
released annually.xviii In addition to methane, over 170 other pollutants and 44 air toxins are released
even with the landfills collection systems (systems designed to limit these emissions). xix Despite the
massive recycling institutions put into place to reduce the impact of plastic (among other materials),
plastic still makes up 20-25 percent of the weight in landfills and plastic bottles alone account for about
half of the material.xx
According to ZeroWasteAmerica.org, all landfills will eventually fail and leech leachate (water)

into ground and surface water.xxi Chemicals and toxins can still cause degradation in state of the art
liners and pipes that are supposed to prevent contamination. According to Leak Location Services, Inc
(LLSI), 82 percent of landfill cells had leaks while 41 percent had a leak area of more than 1 square
foot.xxii This is how plastic chemicals can reach the groundwater. These plastics, some of which can
take up to one thousand years to degrade, can release harmful chemicals into the groundwater which
can result in poor drinking water quality, loss of water supply, health problems, and more. For example,
estuaries have lost their shellfish habitats due to high nitrogen contamination (though not necessarily
due to plastics alone).xxiii
Even if you choose to recycle your plastics it doesn't offset the impacts of the transportation
process. There are many types of plastics which makes sorting through them difficult. As a result many
recycling plants in the US ship plastic waste to China for recycling. The shipping alone has an effect on
the environment in the form of burning fuel for the ships, planes, etc. Once these bottles have arrived
and been broken down, manufacturers are usually not able to create a new bottle out of recycled ones
alone (a recycled bottle has far more fresh plastic in it than recycled plastic).xxiv
The manufacturing of bottled water has many impacts as well. Most are made of PET plastic
which requires the burning of fossil fuels. According to the Earth Policy Institute, 17 million barrels of
oil are used annually to meet American demand for bottled water.xxv The burning of fossil fuels alone is
a major environmental impact of plastic manufacturing as it adds to global warming and climate
change. Over the last 150 years there has been a 25 percent increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels.xxvi Since the late 1800s the average global temperature
has increased 0.5-1.1 degrees

Fahrenheit.xxvii This prompted scientists

(1995) with the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to conclude the change was largely due to human
influence.xxviii Scientists believe that if carbon dioxide levels continue to rise the planet will become
warmer in the next century. This will lead to glacial melting causing higher ocean levels. The effects of
this will be widespread but especially felt in coastal regions (at first). Rivers, wetlands, and even some

populated ares will experience large scale flooding. However, not just coastal regions will experience
these changes. Altered weather patterns will give rise to more dangerous storms while inland regions
could experience droughts.xxix
Considering the energy crises (which will only get worse over time) as well the fact that the
people who are consuming the most bottled water (developed nations like the US, UK, etc.) don't even
need it, makes it seem especially wasteful and harming. Of course there are people out there who live
in less developed nations where clean drinking water is not automatically siphoned into their homes. In
this case it is understandable to use bottled water if it's available as water is a basic necessity of life.

Carbon

Emissions.

Image

Courtesy

of

Climate

Progress.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/03/29/1791811/bombshell-imf-study-united-sates-is-worldsnumber-one-fossil-fuel-subsidizer/

Electrical Impact
One of the most abundant forms of energy is electricity. Electricity is used for so many things in
society; one such usage is computers. I use my computer for many things: school, games social, etc. but
I never considered where the electricity that is powering my computer comes from. Electricity is
created at power plants that convert some other form of energy into electricity. These other forms
include nuclear, hydroelectric, and fossil fuels among others. Each of these energy sources have many
effects on the environment but I am going to focus on nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy comes from a process called fission where uranium atoms are split. This energy
can be used to make steam which can then be used to power turbines that generate electricity. Nuclear
power accounts for approximately twenty percent of electricity generation in the US. xxx Fossil fuel fired
nuclear plants are responsible for 67 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions, 23 percent of nitrogen oxide
emissions and 40 percent of man made carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. All of these
emissions lead to smog (which can be harmful to senior citizens, children, or people with heart and/or
lung problems), acid rain (which can be harmful to plants, animals, and infrastructure), and haze
(similar to smog and can cause respiratory issues). These emissions can also increase the risk of climate
change.xxxi
Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing humans. According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there are many effects of climate change with a
varying degree of certainty to happen.xxxii Some of these future trends that are likely to occur are the
decrease in snow covered areas, an increased frequency of extreme heat waves, more destructive
storms, and decreased water supply in arid climates. xxxiii All of these effects will have immediate and
long lasting impacts on humans. We got ourselves into this mess, we CAN get ourselves out of it before
its too late.
Nuclear power plants also use large amounts of water for steam production and cooling. This

water is sometimes siphoned from a nearby lake or river which could have severe effects for the marine
(and possibly other forms) life.xxxiv A typical nuclear power plant that provides an average of 740,000
homes with electricity requires thirteen to twenty three gallons of water per day per household. xxxv
Water is becoming a scarcer resource in a world where many people in poor countries have no access
to fresh water. In addition, as mentioned before, the possible habitat disruption and destruction is
evident for marine life in particular.
One of the more known elements of nuclear pollution comes in the form of radioactive waste.
These wastes are shipped to specifically designated disposal sites. xxxvi The waste remains radioactive for
hundreds or even millions of years. This has created issues on where the waste should be stored. For
example the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation wished to store a majority of the US spent nuclear fuel
on their land for monetary incentives but the people of Utah did not wish for it to be stored in their
state.xxxvii These sites can have an impact on the land they are sent to such as the earth collapsing
beneath the weight of the waste as well as difficulties managing the surface and ground water
contamination.xxxviii Aside from water contamination there are other threats as well. The possibility of
an accident is an ever looming threat that most people do not think of. In the past 30 years there have
been two level seven nuclear accidents (level 7 meaning that there is a radiation leaking into the wider
environment): the 1986 Chernobyl (Ukraine) disaster and the 2011 Fukushima (Japan) disaster.xxxix
Both of these incidents resulted in the spread of radiation over a large area and in the case of Chernobyl
has rendered an entire city (Pripyat, Ukraine) completely abandoned. While nuclear companies do have
licenses and regulations in place to reduce their impact on the environment, they still ARE making an
impact.
These are some of the impacts of just one of the means of generating electricity for millions of
Americans. Even though electricity is one of the most abundant forms of energy there needs to be some
changes in what forms of energy we use to create electricity. There is a growing energy crisis in the
world and Humans need to take bigger steps to create clean renewable energy sources. This is likely a

job for some of the most intelligent minds in science. However, we as individuals can help by doing
our best to live in a more sustainable manner and consume less energy. There are over seven billion
people on this planet and that number is rapidly increasing. If we continue to over consume our future
generations will suffer the consequences.

Nuclear Silos. Image courtesy of Scientific American. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/the-curiouswavefunction/2013/05/07/nuclear-energy-for-future-citizens/

Abandoned city of Pripyat following the Chernobyl Disaster. Image Courtesy of GreenFudge.org.
http://www.greenfudge.org/2010/08/03/study-shows-chernobyl-animals-still-suffer-from-radiation/

San Rafael: A Diverse Home

I have lived in San Rafael most of my life, specifically in the area of Gerstle Park. The area
where I live is not particularly flat as San Rafael is nestled between many hills of varying size. San
Rafael as a city borders the San Pablo Bay and has well known cities like Sausalito and San Francisco
to the south. The weather is temperate; it is usually warm(or hot during the summer months) but
usually cools off at night due to the ocean fog and winds moving in; although it is certainly not as cold
as more northern states or areas on high elevations. As most natives to San Rafael know, it does not
snow here (though snow has fallen before on Mt. Tamalpais) but it does rain a decent amount during
the winter months. My home is in the vicinity of the San Rafael Creek watershed that originates in the
hills above San Rafael, flows through residential and industrial zones, and finally flows into the San
Rafael canalxl.
My home is part of the Central Coast bioregion which consists of the areas just north of Santa
Rosa and extends nearly all the way to Los Angeles. This region features some of the most beautiful
scenery in all of California. It is a very agricultural region that is host to a number of farms and
vineyards famous for its artichokes, garlic, and many other fruits and vegetables. The Central Coast
bioregion also supports a fishing industry and oil production at the southern end of the region.xli
One of the more dangerous aspects of living in California particularly near the coast is the
constant threat of earthquakes. The San Andreas faultline, a sliding boundary between the Pacific Plate
and North American Plate, intersects much of the Central Coast bioregion (including Marin County)
and provides a real threat to many Californians. xlii Thus far there have been two major earthquakes in
the Marin County area, a 7.8 in 1906 and a 6.9 in 1989. While Californians continue to live their lives
normally there is a constant knowledge that the Big One will have to come eventually.
Marin County has a large, diverse array of flora and fauna and while it's easy to look out and see
all the numerous plant species around it can be harder to see the animals. Marin County is host to a

number of fish species such as the Coho Salmon and Rainbow Trout. xliii Both of these species are
anadromous meaning they are born in freshwater streams, migrate to the ocean to mature, and finally
return to freshwater streams to reproduce. However, both of these species have disappeared from many
Marin County streams.xliv Another fish, the Chinook salmon can be consistently observed in the
Lagunitas Creek system.xlv There are many other species of fish indigenous to Marin County's waters
such as California roach, threespine stickleback, Sacramento sucker, and prickly sculpin.xlvi
There are also a number of reptiles and amphibians in Marin County. The California red-legged
frog is an endangered species that can be found in many streams and ponds around the county. Other
amphibians include the California newts and Pacific tree frogs. A number of reptiles can be found
throughout the County on the valley floor to the top of hill and mountain ridges.. These species include
the gopher and garter snakes, western fence lizards, and alligator lizards.xlvii
There are over 150 different species of bird that live in Marin County some of which are
endangered.xlviii The endangered California clapper rail can be found in coastal salt marshes while the
California black rail usually inhabits brackish marshes. Away from the immediate coast, the redwoodfir forests are home to the threatened northern spotted owl. Marin County's lower hills and valleys
support more common species such as red-tailed hawk and California quail. xlix Mammals are abundant
in Marin County. Many species such as mountain lions, black-tailed dear, and coyotes can be found all
over the county.l Though mountain lions, true to their name, are usually only found on large hills or
other higher elevations.
Of the plants I have around my place are: ivy, roses, chrysanthemums, lavender, and grass.
There are also many other plant species including the California acaena, hill lotus, trail plant, California
maidenhair. The state flower of California, the California golden poppy can also be found in many
areas in Marin county.li
Whenever I go out to my backyard, especially in the early morning, there is a sense of peace
and serenity. There is something calming about the smell of grass, the songs of birds, the cool morning

air, and rising sun beaming on my head that creates a very serene atmosphere. In addition, the feeling
of being home, in a place that Ive lived in and am familiar with really adds to the whole experience. I
feel safe, content, and happy.

Saint Rafael Church in San Rafael, CA. Image Courtesy of Wikipedia user Xyrrus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_Raphael_Church_San_Rafael_CA.jpg

California

red-legged

Frog.

Courtesy

https://www.savethefrogs.com/amphibians/rana-draytonii.html

of

Save

the

Frogs.

My Environmental Perspective
My own environmental philosophy is primarily centered around an anthropocentric viewpoint.
Human beings have an unparalleled capacity for knowledge and progress among the many species of
this planet. Unlike trees, frogs, or rhinos humans are capable of expanding beyond the earth and
spreading our influence throughout the stars. It is this capacity for knowledge and progress that sets us
apart from the rest of the world. That said, I do not believe that humans should plow through the
Amazon or disregard every animal species for economic gain. Humans have a long way to go. We are
faced with many issues such as hunger, overpopulation, and disease but if humans are to expand we
must first show ourselves worthy caretakers of our own world first.
As far as wilderness and nature in general goes, I am split between the Conservationist and
Preservationist perspectives. I believe that if humans need a resource and if not having it would
negatively impact human lives then we should utilize the resource. As far as things like large houses,
golf course, and other recreational centers, I don't feel that these are necessary for humans to have. We
already have so many of these that constructing more seems unnecessary. Of course some, perhaps
many would disagree which is why it would likely take a paradigm shift for any change to occur. I
agree with the Conservation perspective in their belief that science should serve as a guide to public
policy but I also think that science and technology can enable us to preserve existing resources or even
discover new means of energy in the future. Some wilderness areas should be preserved but more so for
humans than for any intrinsic value of the ecosystem. If an entire ecosystem is wiped out and this
process repeats itself all over the world then biodiversity will plummet and the biosphere-and thus
humans-will be faced with imminent extinction. Not to mention the eradication of forests or jungles
would have a massive impact on the atmosphere.
To prevent the worst case scenario, humans will need a paradigm shift in our way of thinking
similar but not exactly to what Deep ecologists suggest. I do not think we need to limit ourselves to the

basic necessities of life, but many people, particularly in western nations, are living in an unsustainable
manner. The United States alone accounts for a disproportionate amount of food, water, and energy
consumption in the world. This can not go on indefinitely. It is selfish, irresponsible, and unnecessary.
However, I know that asking millions (perhaps even billions) of people to lower their consumption is
probably idealistic. It will not happen over night which is why I believe education, as ever, is the best
tool for this cause. It has worked in relation to social injustice and can work in relation to
environmental injustice as well.
As for animals I believe that in the event of an accident such as an oil spill, endangered species
should be triaged to receive the most immediate care. That is not to say other species should be
ignored. If there are two animals in front of me, one is endangered with maybe less than one hundred
left in the species and the other is abundant with no danger of dying out then the endangered animal
should take precedence. When it comes to animal rights I mostly agree with Peter Singer's perspective
that if animals are sentient then they have a right to be considered in utilitarian calculus. This
perspective would also include circuses and hunting for sport. Hunting raises an interesting question,
however. If hunters are keeping a

particular animal population in check, such as deer, from

overpopulating then doesn't hunting make sense? If the hunting was stopped would the deer population
explode? What impact could this have on the rest of the ecosystem? I do feel that subsistence hunting is
fine as it caters to the needs of humans.
Animal testing I feel should be only used for research that has a clear and important purpose for
humanity. Using animals to test for cosmetics seems somewhat unnecessary. However, if the animal is
non sentient or if it is sentient but no pain is caused by the experiments and there is a guarantee of no
harm in the future because of sickness or other side effects then it may be acceptable in some
circumstances.
The social aspect of my perspective is also a mix of different viewpoints. I think ecofeminists
have a real point about patriarchal society and the negative effects it has had on both the environment

and women. I feel that humans should adopt more egalitarian societies. As far as women go, they have
made great strides in the past sixty years in the United States but elsewhere (especially in the Middle
East) women are still treated to heavy patriarchy. Egalitarianism should also be applied to pollution. I
completely agree with the Environmental Justice movement that it is unjust that poor communities and
nations must deal with a majority of the pollutants in the world. How is it fair that poor countries
develop our resources and ship it to us yet get little to none of said resource all the while bearing the
weight of pollution that inevitably arises from from mines, refineries and other energy sources? We
reap the benefits while others suffer from severe health issues. The best case scenario is finding an
efficient way to rid ourselves of these wastes and pollutants without anyone suffering. This, to my
knowledge, is not possible at the present time. Perhaps science and technology will save the day and
give us all the answers; hopefully sooner than later.

Final Thoughts

This was the first time I have studied Environmental Ethics. I had some basic notions
beforehand as to what it means to be environmentally conscious but this course has given me new
insight into many current issues. The most enlightening perspective I learned about was the
environmental justice movement. I knew that many wealthy countries continue to exploit poorer ones
but I was unaware that it was going on in our own backyard. I was also unaware of many of the
environmental effects of plastics. Considering so much of our everyday items are made of plastic
learning about the negative impacts was very interesting. I was also able to learn a lot about San Rafael
including many native plant and animal species and the location of its watershed.
There are a few things I have thought of doing to help the environment. Considering I live in
San Rafael I could walk or bike more often to class as opposed to driving (could also carpool or use
public transportation). The easiest way I could limit my impact on the environment is to use a thermos
and not purchase bottled water anymore. This is something I learned a lot about in my second journal
entry. There are many impacts of the manufacturing and even recycling of plastic ranging from
groundwater contamination in landfills to the burning of fossil fuels (climate change). In addition to
helping the environment, this would also save money. If my professors are ok with it I could also save
paper by printing on both sides, saving a lot of paper and money. I could also unplug any electronics
I'm not using. Many people (myself included) will only shut off their devices neglecting to unplug
them. Even though the device is off it still consumes electricity. These are some relatively simple things
I could do to help the environment and our planet.

Disease, Farmed and Dangerous, access date September 5, 2013

http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/disease/

ii Ibid
iii Ibid
iv Ibid

v Environmental Impacts, Farmed and Dangerous, access date September 5, 2013

http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/
vi Ibid
vii Fish Feed, Farmed and Dangerous, access date September 5, 2013
http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/fish-feed/
viiiIbid
ix Ronald A. Hites et al, Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon, Science Magazine (2004): Vol.
303 no. 5655 pp. 226-229, DOI: 10.1126/science.1091447
x Ibid
xi Ibid
xii Marine Mammal Deaths, Farmed and Dangerous, access date September 5, 2013
http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/marine-mammal-deaths/
xiiiIbid

xivGraham Hill, Tap has 1/100 the impact of bottled water, Alternet.org, last modified July 31, 2008, access date
September 22, 2013,http://www.alternet.org/story/93485/tap_has_1_100_the_impact_of_bottled_water

xv Julie Layton, How Bottled Water Works, Howstuffworks.com, access date September 22, 2013,
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/bottled-water4.htm

xvi Jare Skye, Environmental Problems: Landfills, Greenliving.lovetoknow.com, access date September 22, 2013,
http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Environmental_Problems:_Landfills
xviiLandfills, Wastes, US Environmental Protection Agency, last updated November 14, 2013, access date December 1,
2013, http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/landfill.htm
xviiiOut of Site...Not out of Mind, Covanta Energy, access date December 1, 2013,
http://www.covantaenergy.com/what-we-do/energy-from-waste/harmful-effects-of-landfills.aspx?
source=efw_info
xix Ibid

xx Galen Killam, Plastic Biodegration in Landfills, Green Plastics, last updated September 24, 2010, access date
September 22, 2013, http://green-plastics.net/news/45-science/93-plastic-biodegradation-in-landfills
xxi Landfills: Hazardous to the Environment, Zero Waste, access date December 1, 2013,
http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/landfills.htm
xxiiIbid

xxiii United States Environmental Protection Agency, Getting up to speed Groundwater Contamination,
http://www.epa.gov/region1/students/pdfs/gwc1.pdf
xxivLayton, http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/bottled-water4.htm
xxvHill, http://www.alternet.org/story/93485/tap_has_1_100_the_impact_of_bottled_water
xxviUnion of Concerned Scientists, The Hidden Cost of Climate Change, last modified October 29, 2002, access date
December 1, 2013, http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/thehidden-cost-of-fossil.html
xxviiIbid
xxviiiIbid
xxixIbid
xxxUS Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Energy in Brief, access date September 29, 2013,
http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/article/nuclear_industry.cfm
xxxiUnited States, Environmental Protection Agency, Air Emissions ,access date September 29, 2013,
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/air-emissions.html
xxxiiNational Aeronautics and Space Administration, The Current and Future Changes of Global Change, access date
December 1, 2013, http://climate.nasa.gov/effects
xxxiiiIbid
xxxivUnited States, Environmental Protection Agency, Nuclear Energy, access date September 29, 2013,
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/nuclear.html
xxxvNuclear Energy Institute, Water use and Nuclear Power Plants, access date September 29, 2013,
http://www.nei.org/Master-Document-Folder/Backgrounders/Fact-Sheets/Water-Use-and-Nuclear-Power-Plants
xxxviUS EPA, Nuclear Energy, http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/nuclear.html
xxxviiPrivate Fuel Storage Targets High-Level Radioactive Waste Dump at Skull Valley Goshute Indian Reservation,
Utah , Nuclear Information and Research Service, access date December 1, 2013,
http://www.nirs.org/radwaste/scullvalley/skullvalley.htm
xxxviiiUnited States, Environmental Protection Agency, Low-Level Radioactive Waste, access date September 29, 2013,
http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/docs/radwaste/402-k-94-001-llw.html
xxxixRichard Black, Fukushima: As Bad as Chernobyl? BBC, last updated April 12, 2011, access date December 1, 2013,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13048916
xl Marin County Department of Public Works. 2009, San Rafael Creek Watershed. In Marin County Watershed Program,
Access date October 12, 2013, Retrieved from http://www.marinwatersheds.org/san_rafael_creek.html
xli California Natural Resources Agency, Central Coast Bioregion: An Overview, last modified September 18, 1996,
http://ceres.ca.gov/geo_area/bioregions/Central_Coast/about.html
xliiDavid K. Lynch, The San Andreas Faultline, Geology.com, access date November 30, 2013,
http://geology.com/articles/san-andreas-fault.shtml
xliiiPlants, Wildlife, and Fish, Marin County Watershed Program, access date November 30, 2013, Retrieved from
http://www.marinwatersheds.org/plants.html

xlivIbid
xlv Ibid
xlviIbid
xlviiIbid
xlviiiIbid
xlixIbid
l

Ibid

li Calflora.org, access date November 30, 2013, Retrieved from http://www.calflora.org/