Toxins

I personally never been aware with the amounts of toxins that pollute our planet earth from the gold mining era. After doing some research I came across some interesting facts and I was blown away by. I have heard of toxins such as Mercury and Asbestos and am I aware of the damaging effects that come from them, but I was more surprised when I learned about other toxins in our area that I was not aware of.

While mining does create jobs, for communities that are dependent upon the mining industry they can resemble ghost towns when they close. Often people not only depend on the government or mining owners for their jobs, but also their water and transportation. Toxins used in the extraction process such as cyanide and byproducts like mercury can permanently pollute the land and water which affects peoples ability to farm, hunt or fish. Spills into oceans and lakes from mining cause damage by adding toxic heavy metals and sulfuric acid to the environment which leaves damage that can take thousands of years to repair.

Mining is generally very destructive to the environment. It is one of the main causes of deforestation. In order to mine, trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. With the ground completely bare, large scale mining operations use huge bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the soil. In order to amalgamate (cluster) the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or methylmercury. These chemicals go through tailing's (pipes) and are often discharged into rivers, streams, bays, and oceans. This pollution contaminates all living organisms within the body of water and ultimately the people who depend on the fish for their main source of protein and their economic livelihood.

Toxic chemicals have the capability to enter the body by absorption through the skin. If toxic chemicals fall, drain or seep into our water supply, we drink, bathe and breathe them into our bodies. People believe if you bury the toxins in landfills, they will disappear, or it you burn it will will just disintegrate. I believe that no toxic chemicals will disappear by burring them or burning them. Are we forever stuck with these toxins? Will they ever go away?

Guest Speaker Mike Thorton

After listenig to Mike Thorton speak of the toxic legency of gold mining, it really made me think. I have never showed an intrest to gold mining. I knew that gold mining originated in Coloma, Ca. I always just thought it was a way of living in the early years. After listening to Mike Thorton and hearing the details of gold mining, it shocked me a little bit. I had no idea that gold mining was so dangerous to us and out enviorment. Hearing that the Sierra soil is host to mercury and asbestos, and lead due to the Gold Rush was a information that I had no idea about. What also shocked me is to learn that the government has permitted schools, buildings, basketball courts, etc. to be built over old mines and homes we live in to be built over abandoned mines is quite shocking. It is definalty a scary thing to know how exposed our lives are to these hazardous materials.

Guest Speaker Gary Noy

Who would of known that Sacramento was the beginning of the Sierra Nevada...?! I definatly had no idea...

After hearing Gary Noy speak on the Sierra Nevada, it really made me appreciate the history of California and being proud to live in Northern California. I love the beauty of the Sierra Nevada's, but I never thought of them as such an interesting area. I have driven through them countless times, and always just thought of them as "another mountain range." After hearing Gary Noy speak, it really made me feel a little ashamed realizing that I live in this beautiful mountain range and know nothing about it. I knew mining happened here in the Sierra Nevada, but I had no idea of what a big role it played in the Women's freedom to outdoor activities, Entertainment industry, or how it was the first skiing anywhere to this area. It is amazing what history was made here in California. Gary Noy really made me understand and appreciate the Sierra Nevada. I was astonished when I heard the 2/3 of California's water comes from this area, and how we supply most of California's water. Another main fact that I thought was intresting from the discussion, is that some of the oldest trees in the world are in the Sierra Nevada. It is sad to me that in early 1800's, people removed trees to prove their strenghth to nature.

Sitting back and hearing/feeling exactly the words Gary Noy expresed really made me want to read about the Sierra Nevada and educate myself more.

How do we choose which species/plants to conserve? Plants and animals hold medicinal, agricultural, ecological, commercial and recreational value. We must protect species fo the future generations can expierence their presence and values. Plants and animals are species that are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem. Humans depend on ecosystems such as prarie grasslands, forests, and coastual estuaries to supply them with food. We need to realize that when a species becomes endangered, it is our indicator that the ecosystem is beginning to unravel.

Do we as humans really have the power to pick and choose which species can live, or which ones we should allow to go extinct? I believe it has become known that majority of the world's population have focused their conservation on the cute and fury mammals such as polar bears, tigers, and panda bears. I believe, instead pointing all the aim towards the cute mammels, we also have to pay attention to species such as plants, insects and fish. Did you know that the pollution off the coast of Flordia is killing coral reefs, which serves as a habitat for hundreds of species of fish? Due to the high trafficing of tourism throughout the Flordia Keys, it has caused many species of fish to decline. Also, Freshwater mussels have also become a problem in the past few years as well. 43% of fresh water mussels are now endangered, due to the stimilated pearl construction. People are most intrested in the high dollar pearls then killing off the species.