Oil Spills: Humanity's Impacts on Otters

Hunting otters, fishing mass amounts of their food, and spilling oil in their homes since the 1900s; how badly does our world want to kill off these felines of the sea? The sea otter, endangered since 1977, still faces the threats of humanity’s mistakes today [1]. On the news, we hear of millions of gallons of oil being dumped into the sea and the countless kelp forests that have been lost. Sitting on the edge of your couch staring at that news reporter you might find yourself asking: “What can I do to help?”

First, one should understand what these creatures are facing today. Oil spills are among the biggest threats to sea otters and other animals. One of the more recent oil spills affecting otters occurred on March 24, 1989, off Bligh Reef, Alaska. The Exxon Valdez dumped over 11 million gallons of Prudhoe Bay crude oil into the waters. [2]. Over 2000 otters died from this oil spill. Otters rely on their thick fur to keep warm in colder waters. However, their insulation loses its purpose when coated in oil, and the otters almost immediately freeze to death [3]. 

Furthermore, according to Scott Bose, one of the people hired to clean up that oil spill, trying to remove oil from the water was almost completely useless [4]. Even though Exxon spent $2.1 billion hiring 10,000 cleanup workers, 1,000 boats, and 100 aircraft to fix their mess, oil can still be found on the shore by digging down a mere few inches. 

Now we come to the most important part: What can you do? Even though you may feel powerless hearing about these massive accidents, your seemingly “insignificant” actions can do a lot! You can start by preventing oil from going down drains that lead directly to the ocean. Even better, raise local awareness about littering and oil spills. Although we cannot clear the oceans of all the oil we have already dumped in them, we must stop more oil from entering our waters in the future. 

Do your part, no matter how little, to address the problems otters face. 

Sources:

[1] https://www.mmc.gov/priority-topics/species-of-concern/southern-sea-otter/

[2]https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/largest-oil-spills-affecting-us-waters-1969.html

[3] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-sea-otters-affected-oil-spills-roy-yu/

[4] https://www.americanrivers.org/2015/02/oil-spill-cleanups-are-a-myth/

Image Credit: https://alaskahistoricalsociety.org/personal-memories-from-the-1989-exxon-valdez-oil-spill-rehabilitating-sea-otters/

What Is Greenwashing?

We’ve all had those moments when we are deliberating between options for a product. Should you buy the wipes in a white container or an orange one? The brand credibility and prices are similar, and you deliberate in the store aisle until something catches your eye—a green leaf symbol next to the words “eco-friendly.” Great! The decision is made: you buy the “eco-friendly” wipes and help out the environment a little while you’re at it. But what if you put too much trust in that green leaf? 

You wouldn’t be alone in your attempts to help our earth in this small but meaningful way. 63% of people seek “greener” products to contribute to the sustainability of the environment [1]. Although consumers do this with good intent, the same cannot always be said of the producers. That green leaf might be an image companies throw on their labels to attract the commendable people concerned about sustainability—a marketing tactic otherwise known as greenwashing [2]. A study has shown that 42% of claims for true sustainability are misleading, and 50% of advertised environmental benefits do not provide evidence for a customer to verify such claims [3]. 

With this in mind, how can you avoid falling into companies’ marketing ploys? The easiest way is to do your research. It has been shown that 37% of the phrases tacked onto products are vague and lack substantial details about their environmental contributions [3]. If you see the words “eco-friendly” or “we use natural ingredients,” don’t take it at face value. Research the company and see for yourself if they demonstrate specific measures to make products sustainable, like minimizing their carbon emissions and waste creation [4].  A company that is going green would be transparent about its practices and have easily accessible evidence. Although it may take a few extra minutes, avoiding the trap of greenwashing will not only clean your conscience but also allow you to make positive impacts that benefit the environment, not the company’s profits. 

Citations

[1]https://theroundup.org/environmentally-conscious-consumer-statistics/#:~:text=A%20separate%202023%20survey%20of,from%20just%2027%25%20in%202021

.

[2]https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2023/09/27/how-identify-greenwashing-and-make-sustainable-buying-decisions#:~:text=When%20businesses%20falsely%20promote%20their,a%20portion%20of%20recycled%20materials

[3] https://www.circularise.com/blogs/greenwashing-in-businesses-part-1 

[4] https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/greenwashing 

Cover Image: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/10/11/How-to-avoid-the-greenwashing-trap

The Tijuana Wastewater Crisis

For those living on the US-Mexico border, daily life is tainted by the noxious stench of human waste and toxic chemicals leaching in from the Tijuana River. In the past five years, the International Boundary and Water Commission has reported that over 100 billion gallons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, and urban runoff have poured into the Pacific Ocean and Tijuana Estuary through from the Tijuana River. This problem is reportedly due to Mexico's tremendous industrial and population growth along with their inadequate sewage infrastructure. Consequently, sewage generated on the Mexico side of the watershed flows into California through the Tijuana River or Tijuana River Valley. This escalating public health crisis has already been reported by local citizens for decades-- but remains unsolved to this day.

Other than the horrible smell, the pollution presents a wide range of health hazards. The sewage contains antibiotic-resistant strains of legionella and E coli, along with many strains that have already been eradicated in the United States, including tuberculosis. Banned pesticides such as DDT and heavy metals have also been found in the waste. 

To make the problem worse, the never-ending mass of raw human sewage, carcinogenic chemicals, viruses, bacteria, and parasites is easily aerosolized by crashing waves, presenting an even bigger problem for those who live near the pollution. These pollutants and pathogens have been found in the air and soil many miles away from the water, putting over 750,000 people at risk.

Vulnerable groups such as seniors, children, outdoor workers, and pregnant women are especially prone to the effects of breathing in this aerosolized raw sewage. Furthermore, border communities often have limited economic resources, and already have an increased risk of chronic diseases. A hazard like this only exacerbates these risks further. 

The sewage not only harms local residents, but also presents a critical risk to our native ecosystem. Three bottlenose dolphins have already died from sepsis resulting from bacterial pollution. The Tijuana River Watershed is also home to some of the most ecologically significant coastal island ecosystems on the Pacific Coast. Over 300 bird species, many of which are endangered and threatened, use the estuary as a stop in the Pacific Flyway. Furthermore, the Tijuana River Mouth Marine Conservation Area is a key nesting habitat for 36 seabird species, two sea turtle species, and four pinniped species. Objects such as waste tires, and other plastic pollution can serve as vectors for disease-carrying mosquitoes and other diseases that may infect native species and their offspring. 

A lack of U.S. Jurisdiction in Mexico makes it difficult for California to address the source of the sewage flow. Efforts from the US and Mexico International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) include constructing diversion structures and pump stations, but they have made little impact so far. Years of inaction on this issue have caused it to get exponentially worse. The IBWC has plans in place to increase the volume of wastewater that can be treated, yet limited funds continue to pose a significant obstacle. While this problem is fixable, it seems that we will only be seeing major improvements several years down the line. 

Citations

[1] “Border Water Pollution Economic Impacts | Engage San Diego County.” Engage.sandiegocounty.gov, engage.sandiegocounty.gov/border-pollution.

[2] Little, Joe. “Toxic Tide: The Sewage Crisis at the Border.” NBC 7 San Diego, 1 Jan. 2024, www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/toxic-tide-the-sewage-crisis-at-the-border/3391666/.

[3] “New Report Finds Tijuana River Contamination a Public Health Crisis.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=06EHaeNtzvU. Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.

[4] Rios, Pedro. “San Diegans Hold Their Breath as Newsom Defers to Washington D.C. On Tijuana River Sewage Crisis.” CalMatters, 20 Nov. 2023, calmatters.org/commentary/2023/11/san-diego-tijuana-river-sewage/.

[5] “Sewage Pollution within the Tijuana River Watershed | San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.” Ca.gov, 2014, www.waterboards.ca.gov/sandiego/water_issues/programs/tijuana_river_valley_strategy/sewage_issue.html.

[6] Singh, Maanvi. “Heavy Metals and E Coli: Raw Sewage in Tijuana River Endangers California Communities.” The Guardian, 15 Feb. 2024, www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/15/us-mexico-california-tijuana-river-illness-public-health.

[7] Team, SDSU News. “New Report: Public Health Crisis Unfolds as Tijuana River Sewage Contamination Escalates.” Www.sdsu.edu, 14 Feb. 2024, www.sdsu.edu/news/2024/02/public-health-crisis-unfolds-as-tijuana-river-sewage-contamination-escalates.

[8] The Tijuana Estuary Is One of the Largest Remaining Coastal Wetlands in Southern California.

Cover Image: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-06-24/san-diego-federal-plant-treating-tijuana-sewage-needs-repairs