Ecological Footprint: Impact of War

When we think of war we usually think in terms of human casualties and displacement.  But human tragedy is only one aspect of war.  Another is the long lasting ecological footprint resulting from war that often takes decades to resolve.

Ecological footprint normally refers to an entity such as an individual, company or government. In this article it is used in the context of a military presence or product of war.  An ecological footprint refers not only carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases contributing to the carbon footprint but also to ecological issues including pollution and use of non-renewable resources such as clean water. 

Ecology is of great concern because war generally involves the indiscriminate destruction of land and damage to the surrounding environment. One such example was the dropping of the atom bomb on two Japanese cities at the end of the 2nd world war.  In this case the ecological footprint consisted of massive destruction of land and long lasting effects of radiation.  Another example of war-induced ecological footprint was the spraying of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.  Not only was Agent Orange an effective defoliate but also released dioxins as it degraded, causing serious health problems for anyone exposed to it. 

Some of the more obvious environmental issues resulting from war are air and ground pollution, destruction of forests and land mines.  An indirect impact to war's ecological footprint is the diversion of government money and resources from less urgent programs, some of which relate to the environment.

There are other more obscure ecological issues to consider such as the weakening of basic services and infrastructure within a country.  This often results in water shortage, cooking fuel shortage and waste mismanagement during and after the war.  The ecological footprint is impacted because inadequate water management can result in bacterial contamination, water loss via leaks (pipe damage) results in insufficient irrigation of cropland, food shortage and soil erosion. The Iraq war resulted in cooking fuel shortages and led to residents cutting down trees in order to cook.

Another war-related issue is the threat to biodiversity due to large numbers of displaced refugees.  For example, the mountain gorilla population and habitat were threatened after the Rwanda genocide as displaced refugees returned to an overpopulated country and were forced to inhabit the forest reserves.

A very serious impact to war's ecological footprint in wartime is the mishandling of hazardous substances such as radioactive material. For example, during the Iraq war (in 2003) two hundred barrels of uranium oxide were stolen from a nuclear plant south of Baghdad. The contents of the barrels were dumped into rivers then local residents used the containers for storing basic amenities. Iraq's nuclear inspector now believes that one thousand people could die of leukemia. Manufacture and test of dangerous weapons (in wartime or peace) also increases the ecological impact of the military presence. The contaminants from military sites are slowly leaching into the environment.  Disposal of nuclear waste is a significant global problem.

In recent years, most scientists and responsible individuals have been much more concerned with the ecological footprint we are leaving for future generations to deal with.  Concerns such as climate change, biodiversity and pollution.  War is a significant contributor to all of these environmental problems. Hopefully our political and military leaders will be joining the green movement and consider the environment in future war activities, more so than in the past.

This article was originally published by Steve Auger in EzineArticles entitled Ecological Footprint of War.

No More "Zoom, Zoom"

I have a confession to make: when I drive my car, I have what my Daddy called "a heavy foot." That means I drive fast and furious. As I zoom down the road, I consider speed limits for sissies -- none of you are officers of the law, are you?

I know that driving fast burns more fuel, releasing more greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. I am trying to mend my ways so that I can go green, but it doesn't come easily. I have a lifetime of bad driving habits to overcome.

Part of making my living involves traveling across the state, and that isn't anything I can change. I don't drive a Hummer, but I don't drive a hybrid vehicle, either. My Honda Element gets about 25 miles to the gallon on the highway.

When I am at home, I have tried to reduce the amount of driving that I do. I have wished for a long time that I lived in a "walkable neighborhood," but I don't have many stores or shops nearby. These days, however, I plan my trips to town and map my errands before I go. That way, I don't find myself criss-crossing the town several times. I've also discovered that I really don't have to go to my post office box every day, because all I'm going to find is bills.

After watching a television news program about ways to drive to save fuel, I searched for tips to help me. At We Test the Tips I discovered pretty much what I already knew (but don't always practice):

• Don't drive like a maniac. By not stomping hard on the brake pedal and by slowly accelerating, you can have major savings. In their tests, the group at Edmonds.com discovered that you can realize up to 37% savings on fuel.
• Drive at slower speeds. On long trips, you can have a savings of 14%.
• Using cruise control on those long trips can cause a 14% savings.
• Reducing idling time can save up to 19%, so if you will be sitting for more than a minute they suggest turning off the car

I'm looking at that and wondering about it. If I do all of those things, will I realize an 84% savings on fuel? No, I won't, but I can make a difference!

The hardest part for me is slowing down on the highway. In the past eight days, I've driven across Texas and back twice and that's a long time in the car. When I sit for that long, my feet begin to swell, so my foot is "heavy" in a different way than Daddy meant. But, I guess that having toes that look like Vienna sausages is a small price to pay for doing my part to save the environment. As long as my toes don't "go green," I can handle the slow drive.

© Shelly Tucker, 2009

Baby Steps To Going Green At The Grocery Store

I'm looking at my attempts to "go green" as if I'm going on a "diet," because in a sense I am: an "energy diet." Successful dieters know that in order to lose weight they have to monitor how many calories they are consuming. They know that by making small changes and turning those changes into habits, they can achieve their goals. I’ve decided that to reduce my carbon footprint I need to do the same. I need to know what I’m consuming and make small changes -- baby steps, to ensure my success.

Lately, I've been looking at my grocery shopping as an area on which to concentrate. Everything that we purchase has a cost to the environment. It all adds up: the milk we drink for breakfast, the plastic jug that contains it, the plastic bag that brought it home. Every one of those things has a negative impact on the planet because of the greenhouse gasses that procuring them releases.

I hear what you are thinking. “Shelly, I can see the plastic jug and bag … but surely not the milk? That's udderly ridiculous!”

Darn tootin’ it's true… literally! Those cows, and other livestock, produce methane gasses and more CO2 emissions than our transportation methods. Ruminants, such as cows, sheep and goats are responsible for more than 1/3 of methane emissions which are 20 times more powerful at trapping solar energy than carbon dioxide.

Scientists have discovered that feeding cattle the omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils not only makes the cows more healthy, but significantly reduces those emissions. Not just in the cows, but in us!

Now, it makes sense to cut back on our consumption of meats (except for bacon, of course) just from a health standpoint – but it is also good for the environment and your pocketbook! My first change in my shopping habits began in the Meat Department.

We no longer “feature” meat at a meal. Years ago, our plates were covered with a huge slab of beef with a tablespoon or two of vegetables on the side. That's just the way that Texans ate in the days when I was young. Now, I use meat in casseroles, stir fry meals, or serve us the proper serving (about the size of a deck of cards). It’s helping with my grocery bill, my weight, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that I’m helping the environment as well.
Less demand = less production = less cow farts.
There is no nice way to say it.

In the Produce Section of the store, I'm changing habits as well. I'd love to buy only organic vegetables, but sometimes the cost is astronomical. Also, some of that organic produce is trucked to Texas from California. Which is more harmful -- the chemicals or the gasoline emissions? I have no clue.

My solution is to buy organic produce that is in season and locally grown. If I can't find it at the grocery store, I go to the Farmer's Market during summer months and pray that the farmer didn't douse the produce with pesticides. I'm also trying to grow a few of my own vegetables! I've got tomato plants in pots on the porch that already have tiny tomatoes. I can almost taste them now.

Rest assured that I avoid those "gassy" vegetables like cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and asparagus! Far be it from me to add to the greenhouse gasses!

Throughout the rest of the store, I'm concentrating on packaging. I'm learning to "pre-cycle." Thorne makes a good case for it in her Trash Thursday post, The Poop on Plastic. Although we recycle, our city's collection service doesn't take the thin plastics. I'm searching for products with less packaging (when I can find it). I'm astounded by the packaging on paper towels!

OK, I know that if I were really serious about going green I wouldn't even be looking at paper towels ... I'm slowing down on my use of them, but I can't give up the convenience yet. Some paper towel brands wrap each roll in plastic, and then encase all twelve rolls in another yard or two of plastic wrap. I promise I avoid those brands.

If I had grandchildren, I'd recycle those plastic milk jugs to make them an igloo! It would be a much tinier igloo, because we don't drink that much milk.

I also make certain to carry my cloth bags with me to the store. Friends tell me that they often forget to take them. I've trained myself by writing "grocery bags" at the top of every grocery list. I also keep one cloth bag stashed right by my car seat, so that I can't miss seeing it when I get out of the car.

Although these changes might not seem like much, in fact they seem like baby steps, I've convinced myself that every little change I make is one for a better planet.

© Shelly Tucker, 2009