In the past week, Hurricane Harvey has reeked havoc on Houston, Texas and the southern part of the United States. This week we are starting our unit on ecology. What an appropriate way to introduce the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment. Not only have ecosystems been destroyed, but some of the biggest threats are unseen. That flood water is teeming with bacteria, toxic sludge, and alligators.
Your assignment this week is to pick one of the articles or series below:
1. Toxic Waste Sites Flooded in Texas:
2. Is Hurricane Harvey a Result of Global Warming:
3. Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey:
4. How Labs are Coping with Hurricane Harvey:
5. Or watch these clips about first responders:
Read the article (or if you pick #5, watch the video clips). You will write a scholarly paragraph about what you read. Start by stating which article you read. Then summarize the article in at least three sentences. Somewhere in your summary, you must make a connection to ecology. Try and use at least three new vocabulary words in your summary. Conclude your response with your own opinion. What do you think? Where should Houston go from here? What should President Trump do? How can you help?
Remember that a descent paragraph should have at least five sentences, proper punctuation, correct spelling and grammar. I am not an English teacher, but I do know what a scientific paragraph should look like. Read the questions that I posted above and find examples to support what you think. Please try to include additional research or other sites that I should investigate at the end of your response. In addition to posting a response, I would like you to comment on at least one of your peers. This is a public blog meaning anything that you post will be visible to the world, so put your best self out there. I am going to share this link with your parents so they can see your work.
I read the article, "Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey." In this article, there were questions that were being very commonly asked by those suffering in Hurricane Harvey. They were all related to the health of themselves and others and how they can prevent illnesses like hepatitis, cholera and bacterial infections caused by the water like E.Coli. Many questions were also about the mold that will be in their houses as they return home. The response was that the owners would need to rip out all carpet, walls and throw away anything that has been touched by the water because of any harmful bacteria. This related back to ecology because the water caused the mold and that makes those two connected with cause and effect. After one was in the houses, it's bacteria allowed harmful mold to grow. I think that it is good that many people are doing everything that they can and President Trump is requesting 2.9 billion dollars from congress. I think ways that anybody can help are donating online or donating to Red Cross. There are so many people who need immediate medical care or are suffering from an illness and anyone who can help them in any way would surely be greatly appreciated. Places to donate to would be local organizations in Texas that are working on helping people in Texas after the event, Hurricane Harvey.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how you think this problem should be solved, and I also agree a lot with your thinking about this issue.
DeleteYa, I really think people need to step up and donate for the victims of hurricane Harvey so they do not get serious illnesses. People must be cautious of the water and the mold building up in their houses especially for people with asthma.
DeleteLauren,
DeleteHave you heard of people having mold in their houses or schools? Do you know people with mold allergies?
ReplyDeleteThe article I read was on “How labs are coping with Hurricane Harvey’s devastating floods”. In this article It stated that the hurricane attacked and damaged many labs, including ripping the roof off Brett Baker’s microbial-ecology lab but probably the real downside to this lab being destroyed is that it could have helped with the research on all the bad microbes in the water. Other labs were also damaged having to ration food out to the test monkeys and hoping frozen specimens don’t thaw due to nitrogen shortages. Though some labs survived with almost no damage since they put in flood gates and other precautions after hurricane Allison. Really it’s not only about the labs though it’s about the people who run them, and many of these people were dealing with a lot of other issues like one scientist and here family were stuck on the third floor of her complex for three days. I really think that hurricane Harvey was and still is tragic, and anyone in the Houston region or even outside of it should come together and help rebuild because for all we know there could be another storm coming sooner than we think.
I agree that this was so far and still is tragic for everyone that was effected from the hurricane.
DeleteWiktoria,
DeleteDo you think that there are schools in Florida that are packing up their research labs right now? Perhaps the University of Miami? How appropriate that their mascot is the Hurricanes!
I agree with both you and Mrs. Mazzuca since hurricane Irma is just around the corner and if we have labs exposed over there as well there could be a major issue at hand.
DeleteI watched a makeshift army, marching on adrenaline. In the clip they show people being rescued and what the firefighters and police are going through. They also show the destruction in Houston because of Harvey. Harvey also destroyed the police officers home and his high school yearbooks which he can't get back. I think they should first help all the people who need to be helped and then they should start working on getting the water off the streets because the water is contaminated with debris and e coli because my road flooded when we had a lot of rain over the summer and they pumped the water out. President Trump should get people to donate to Houston and he should also help the mayor on what the city should do. I can help by donating at school or go to red cross and donate there.
ReplyDeleteDylan,
DeleteDid you see the jars at lunch where you can donate to the Hurricane relief effort?
I agree Dylan,Trump should push people to donate but he can also send water or supplies to people in need there right now.
DeleteI completely agree with you on them getting all of the water off of the streets. This water is the core of all the illnesses. It's filled with all of this harmful bacteria that is just gonna get worse. I definitely feel like that is one of the top priorities and one of the first steps to getting people safe again.
DeleteI agree that donating, for example at the jars in the cafeteria, is a great way to help Huston recover from Harvey
DeleteI read the article, Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey". Throughout the article, the residents in Houston asked questions concerning their health. Health officials were expecting a sharp increase of gastrointestinal problems. These bacterial diseases can contain E.coli, Shigella and Vibrio vulnificus. Some of these diseases have already been recorded by the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Hundreds of thousands Houston-residents own a water well, the flood water may have contaminated the water. They would have to go through the process of getting their water tested. Along with all of the other problems in the water, the air if very intoxicated. Residents have discovered mold in their wall boards. Residents have also found have mold in their cabinets. Mosquitoes are risking diseases such as Zika and West Nile. While the winds are blowing at very high miles per hour, some of the mosquitoes are blowing to the Gulf of Mexico. Many citizens who have experienced damage to their home were told by officials to check electrical systems (gas leaks), structural damage, food. Hurricane Harvey is risking health for thousands among thousands of citizens. I believe that people should do whatever they can to help Houston. I personally have family down there and I've seen many pictures of homes, the streets and more. President Trump should go out of his way and make a request that Americans should donate money to help out Hurricane Harvey victums. More people will be encourage if the presidents makes a request. To help, I am going to donate money to help citizens get their life back before the hurricane. Texas's most recent enemy, a life changer, Hurricane Harvey
ReplyDeleteI agree that more people should help the victims of Hurricane Harvey by donating money, but my only question is how much of that money donated would actually go towards helping the victims? Would you just have to be careful where you donate to?
DeleteThe effects of the Hurricane are just shocking. So many viruses, mold, and diseases that some people might not be aware of.
DeleteI like how you related the topic to yourself and what you are going to do about Hurricane Harvey. I thought that was really effective.
DeleteSara,
DeleteWhere does your family live in Texas?
I agree that money definitely needs to be donated to help with the clean up. I'm not sure if Trump encouraging people to donate is the right way to do it though. If people want to donate e have or will but if not, the president saying something won't change much.
DeleteI read the article “Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise”. The article explained how enormous the damage of Hurricane Harvey has already been on Texas, and that there is more damage to come. According to the article, the importance of climate change is huge, especially when it comes to this Hurricane. Many disasters like this have happened in the past due to global warming and climate change, yet President Trump continues to not only do nothing about it, but take away Obama’s previous efforts to help with climate change. This post connects to ecology because the hurricane and climate change both are affecting animals, humans, plants, and even bacteria. The water that is filling Texas is infested with infectious diseases and harmful bacteria, which poses an enormous threat to Texas residents. From here, Houston needs all the help they can get. They will need to rebuild their society, many houses, stores, etc. in order for residents to live a normal life again. The costs to do all that will be huge. In conclusion, I think that more needs to be done to help with climate change, so more of these storms can be avoided.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you think should be done. Climate change is becoming a bigger deal as the years come on.
DeleteI agree because the sooner we help with the destruction of Harvey, the sooner we are able to get ready for the next storms coming our way.
DeleteMaddie,
DeleteWhat do you think we should do to slow climate change? Is there an easy fix?
For this week, I chose the article “Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise.” Hurricane Harvey recently hit Houston, bringing record breaking ecological damage, and affecting the lives of humans, and the biotic factors around them. This article explains how global warming is a main cause of this natural disaster and the hurricanes predicted to destroy more of the coast in the near future. Scientists, who have studied the matter, proved that global warming is “increasing the odds of extreme precipitation and storm surge flooding” (DIFFENBAUGH 1). In the end, people on the coast must acknowledge the new abiotic changes in Houston so they may be prepared for what is to come.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I believe that Hurricane Harvey was partially caused by global warming. The only thing Houston can do now is hope their recovery is as short and as least costly as possible. To help make it less costly, people can donate to Houston SPCA, Houston Humane Society, Houston Food Bank, Food Bank of Corpus Christi, or San Antonio Humane Society. These charities are highly rated and are the best way to help those in need. As for Trump, there is not much he can do, other than continue to “unravel President Obama’s climate change agenda” (DIFFENBAUGH 1). I hope Hurricane Harvey is the worst of the storms and that none of the hurricanes predicted to hit other cities emulate the one in Houston. It would be terrible if more people had to experience Hurricane Harvey.
I agree with your response, and I think that is very well written, I agree that Hurricane Harvey was partially caused by global warming (Even if Donald Trump says that it's "fake news")
Deletethe recovery time for Huston is hopefully short like you said.
DeleteNicholas I do have to agree with you, I do think climate change had something to do with Hurricane Harvey.
DeleteThis week I chose Health threats from hurricane Harvey as the topic I am writing about. People have asked what is in the water and is it dangerous? There are E.coli in the water. Also people think many different things about what they are going to expect like will there be a lot of mosquitoes due to the moisture in the air. Or what should I look for when i get back home ect. People asked so many questions that were difficult for the people to answer them. Others were easy to answer like “will i get H.I.V. from exposure from the water? The answer was No. Overall there are many things that are factors to get people sick in the water. I think we should send more help and more money down there so they can get the water level down so its not flooding anymore.
ReplyDeleteI was so focused on the danger of the water and toxics in the water I forgot all about mosquitoes and what long term damage they can do to your body.
DeleteJacob,
DeleteEven though people cannot get HIV from contaminated water, do you think there are other viruses that they could catch?
It's pretty scary knowing all the Bacteria floating in the water that the people of Texas had to walk through.
DeleteIn article #1 “Toxic Waste Sites Flooded in Texas”, it states that during hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas on August 25, multiple chemical plants had been hit and damaged. Upon this destruction many chemicals had spilled into the water many people had waded through. EPA recommended levels for E. coli is 0, the amount in the water floating through Texas is up to 8,600 cfu. That’s 8,000 times over the recommended and people are still walking through this! Next is total coliform, with a recommendation of less than 100 cfu, it has exceed 55,000 hitting a number of 57,000 cfu. With people pushing their way through the water and being exposed to these chemicals they may really hurt some people. Ecology can be related to this because of the different bacteria in this population interacting with other organisms. Knowing this information, we may be able to help the people that could have been infected and fight to clean the bacteria out of the water.
ReplyDeleteI watched the video clips "A Makeshift Army, Marching on Adrenaline". These video clips made my jaw drop because I have not seen much actual footage of the damage and rescuers rescuing people. These video clips showed rescuers trudging through freezing waters to save people. The first video clip showed a team of many people rescuing one person which shows how much people care about a single person. In another video clip it showed people carrying an elderly lady in a wheel chair which shows that it's not an easy job for rescuers. In the same clip it starts with the rescuers being eager to support the family. This Hurricane shows how the biotic factor and abiotic factor are reacting. The biotic factor is how living things are reacting and interacting and living things are definitely having to react differently to their environment then their used to. The Abiotic factor is things like the weather and the weather has been crazy in Houston. Also I am sure their are large populations at shelters for example and it's one area which makes it packed with people. Also the community has had a big change, all living animals in Houston are not back to their regular life yet. I think at this point regular citizens are doing as much as they can, there are fundraisers, many of rescuers fighting for the people to live. At this point it's out of human control with the Hurricane Harvey and donating and praying's the best we can do here in Illinois.
ReplyDeleteIn the article “Hurricane Harvey was no surprise”, it states that the hurricane may have seemed like a catastrophic surprise to most people, but in fact it was not a surprise at all. Global warming had an immense effect on the forming of Hurricane Harvey. When the sea level warms and raises, the atmosphere collects all the excess moisture helping to create extreme precipitation, which can lead to hurricanes. By experiencing this gruesome tragedy, it allows us to prepare for future hurricanes, such as Hurricane Irma which is heading toward Florida right now. All the hurricane victims, especially the people in Houston, are devastated and can only do so much to repair all the destruction that has destroyed their community. We can all help the hurricane victims by donating to reliable charities. More importantly, we need a worthy leader to help in the cleaning up of hurricane harvey and all future disasters. Right now, President Trump is going in the opposite direction, he is tweeting that this was a complete surprise, and undoing President Obama’s climate change agenda, and all previous efforts set-up. We all must be prepared at any given point for any disasters that may come our way, because hurricanes affect all parts of the biosphere.
ReplyDeleteI agree that global warming had a large impact on the situation and due to this hurricane that other individuals will be even more prepared for the next hurricane.
DeleteI agree.Global warming is,has & will have a affect on the United states and will continue to unless we jump in and take action!
DeleteI read the article “Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise”. This article talked about how hurricane Harvey might have been a result of global warming, and how it wasn’t such a big shock to society. It not only mentioned that, but it also talked about how the odds of extreme rainfall, storm surge flooding and severe heat have been increasing lately due to the effects of global warming. This is slowly increasing the risk of severe damage to many places around the world. By touching on this, it backs up the fact that since there is such an increase in severe weather, global warming is most likely the cause of hurricane Harvey. Another main idea they discussed in this article was how many people in society including the President, aren’t very concerned about global warming, and how much of a toll it’s taking on the world. Many people are bringing it to attention they just aren’t doing anything about it. This article has lots of relations to ecology, and touched base on many throughout reading, such as all the abiotic and biotic factors as a result of the hurricane, like the rainfall and wind occurring and all of the bacteria that is contaminating the water in Texas. I think that it is very possible hurricane harvey is a result of global warming because, of all the evidence we have to believe it. There have been so many extreme weather changes and conditions lately, maybe even some of the most severe over the years, and to not consider global warming as part of that issue is getting us one step further from fixing the problem. I also believe that people should be more concerned or motivated to try and take action because of the impact these extreme weather conditions are having on society and the Earth. I think Houston should try to take action, along with the rest of the world to fix and rebuild themselves up again. Not only do that but also try and solve this problem we are facing as a whole to prevent any more of these incidents from happening in the near future. I think President Trump, should join in and take charge as well, because this is a global matter and we need his help as President to minimize this occurrence. We can help as a community and as a country by donating money to help the people in Houston rebuild their city, and also by bringing more awareness and concern to this problem.
ReplyDeleteAnnabella,
DeleteDo you remember what President Trump said about global warming and climate change? Is he a pro-environment president?
I chose to read the article "Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise." In this article, it discusses how Hurricane Harvey, a hurricane that brought unprecedented destruction to Houston, Texas earlier this week, is a clear sign of climate change and how it will affect our ecology. Climate change is disrupting our ecosystem by "increasing the odds of extreme precipitation and storm surge flooding" (Diffenbaugh 1). Hurricane Harvey and the massive storms that will follow due to climate change, will destroy abiotic features in their path, negatively impacting the lives of many Americans. President Trump needs to take action and prepare the nation for more extreme weather influenced by climate change, if he doesn't the American people will suffer because of his ignorance. Hurricane Harvey has reminded us that climate change is no longer a problem we can ignore. To help the victims of Hurricane Harvey, you can donate by putting money in the jar that corresponds with your grade level in the cafeteria. Anything you can do to help those affected by this terrible storm would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI very much agree that president Trump needs to realize the real gravity of this situation. I mean there is just so much evidence and now this devastating hurricane
DeleteI agree that this is one of the first big eye opening events related to global warming and I hope that spreads awareness throughout our community and to the government.
DeleteI read the article "Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey." Victims of Hurricane Harvey frequently ask questions on how safe the water is and if there are any diseases to look out for. The article answers these questions and often gives tips on how to avoid these diseases. Swallowing the water was a problem. Many diseases could be spread by swallowing the water by accident. Mold was a problem for houses and could be serious for older people with asthma. Zika and West Nile virus are not a big threat at the time because a lot of mosquitoes were wiped out, but could be a problem in the future because mosquitoes will reproduce rapidly in moist areas. E. coli is an obvious threat because of all the waste in the water. I think many of these diseases could be avoided as long as the people are smart on how they react to these threats. Donations are needed for the medical help. Volunteers can help clean up houses for older people with asthma. Medical attention for pets is needed to because they are in worse condition than humans to get diseases. People need to take action to save the people of Houston.
ReplyDeletei definitely agree that this is a big problem and that people should be very cautious about their water to prevent any dangerous diseases or infections.
DeleteI completely agree, the people are going to get very sick. They need to know the water isn't just affecting their homes, it is affecting their health.
DeleteGood paragraph! What would you do to prevent health health problems such as these?
DeleteBiology Blog Health Threats From Hurricane Harvey
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article “Short Answers to Hard Questions About Health Threats From Hurricane Harvey” by Shelia Kaplan and Donald G. Mcneil Jr., ecology is express by showing the treacherous hurricane that flooded most of Houston which may contain bacteria and lead to diseases and sicknesses. Due to the filthy waters, people could receive bacterial infections such as Escherichia coli (E.Coli) or Shigella which are biotic factors. Diseases like norovirus which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea as well as dehydration is very severe to everyone in Houston. This type of virus can be transmitted into shelters and can spread affecting an abundance of people. Although, hepatitis and cholera is not certain to be harming any individuals therefore it may not be affecting the people in Houston. Also, many people are concerned about if the drinking water is safe to consume. According to the Houston health officials, the drinking water is fine because there has been no rupture in the city’s main public water supply. They recommend using bottled water just in case the H2O could have a small potential of contamination. One important factor that can cause sickness is the air that is being breathed in by everyone. Pollution is an example of an abiotic factor. Unfortunately, there is air toxic pollution due to refineries and chemical plants which can negatively affect older adults with asthma and they could develop inflammation and other ailments. Since mold has been developed inside residents houses, people will have to remove their wallboard. This can also cause a health risk. President Donald Trump should help by requesting everyone should donate to help them. Donating money to help the ones in Houston can really benefit them. Personally, I believe that Hurricane Harvey left a major impact on people and certain sicknesses and diseases can seriously affect individuals.
I decided to go with "Harvey Aftermath: Region beings long road to recovery" (Nicole Chavez). In the article it states that 13 toxic wastelands sites have been absolutely destroyed during Hurricane Harvey. Not only were toxic wasteland sites destroyed but, 41 Superfund sites have been badly affected by the storm. These sites are so dangerous around this kind of whether that officials let chemical containers catch fire and burn out rather than firemen risking their lives. By Saturday 50 drinking water systems have been shut down completely due to Harvey. I remember a time where my mom's family water in Schaumburg had completely been toxicated with pollution.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think President Trump should do is simple. Water and air are the most important things you need in life to live. Thankfully the air is less polluted as time went on but for those people who don't have drinking water are in the most danger. As soon as Harvey dies down Trump should immediately send whoever he needs to fix this major problem.
That's cool Alec. I didn't know that the hurricanes affected the drinking water too. I wonder how they drink water, besides water bottles.
DeleteI agree he has to send help and really help out texas.
DeleteI read "Harvey Aftermath:Region beings long road to recovery" by Nicole Chavez.The article says 13 toxic wastelands got destroyed and 41 Superfund sites got damaged during Hurricane Harvey.The sites are dangerous with the weather.50 drinking water systems were shut down from Hurricane Harvey.This is not good and can harm many people just from drinking water due to Hurricane Harvey.President Trump should send fresh and clean bottled water to people who's water is affected.
ReplyDeleteDaniel I agree, I never knew about theses sights and it seems like this is a major problem that could lead to many people sick and left without water.
DeleteI read #4.After reading this text it has had a affect on me of what i think of global warming and how it really is affecting us.In my text i was able the find out that with global warming it has caused a increase of sea levels rising causing floods by 80 %!That's a good point to show that the United states and President trump should believe that global warming is real and should be cared about.I also learned that when Obama was president he astablished that when building roads and sewage that sea levels and the posibility of flooding to be accounted when spending goverment $.A action that should be taken is to revise the national flood insurance program to catch up with the changing risk profile.I can conclude on this that global warming is real and we have the data to help support and prove that its causing damage but we need america and president Trump to realize that its not a game and that we are playing with the lives of people who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and many others in the past.
ReplyDeleteI agree that science is once again proving that global warming is very real, and that it is not a game. President Trump and others need to take it more seriously.
DeleteToday I read an article called "how labs are coping with Hurricane Harvey. This article mostly talked about the damages that were caused by this severe storm. On August 25, Hurricane Harvey Struck Houston, Texas and dumped a massive amount of rain leaving everything completely destroyed. Scientists are starting to take stock of the personal and professional toll. As of August 30th, over $200 laboratories across the United States offered their computer time, lab space, animal care and spare rooms to researchers dislodged by the huge storm, using the #SciHelpTX on Twitter. Many people were left without and homes and in my opinion, this was a good way to contribute to the harmed community. Hurricane Harvey was categorized as a category 4 hurricane. This hit facilities at the University of Texas in the Austin Marine Science institute in port Aransas very hard and had a great extent of severe damage. The staff at the Janson Space Center are camping out at mission control to keep the International Space Station and the JWST programs still going. When Hurricane Harvey struck, the JWST was in the middle of a 100 day test in thermal vacuum chamber but fortunately remained unharmed. Researchers and staff are still dealing with their personal losses and an estimate of at least 38 people lost their lives because of the storm.
ReplyDeleteI decided to read the article "Short Answers to Hard Questions About Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey." This article by Barbara Davidson is about all of the posed health safety concerns with the recent severe flooding in Houston. It first starts to go over the possible diseases and infections you could get if you walk around in the flood water or go to a shelter. For example, the article says that diseases like West Nile, Zika, H.I.V., and even Cholera are not likely to spread at this time, but other gastrointestinal diseases E. Coli and Shigella will. It then goes over what to do and not do when you get back home, like throw away any unsealed food, and make sure your electric system is safe and there is no gas leaks, but do not turn on gas-powered electric generators because it can build up carbon monoxide. This article relates to ecology because it goes into disease spread from other people around you and that in turn could lower the population or make even more people sick, affecting a big part of the community. Not only that, but the floods are also destroying our homes and other animal's habitats which is going to it even harder to recover. I think this is a massive problem, not to mention the other hurricanes on the way. I think Houston should try to make sure the people and water is safe first to make it somewhat livable there before they take any bigger recovery actions and I think Trump should be there to help with that because it is the most essential and the least he and the government can do. I think donating money and safe drinking water and spreading awareness in our community is a good first step so we can help get them what they need as soon as they need it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that helping stabilize the water and people of Houston is key in resolving this issue. I'm curious to what processes ecologists are taking to reduce the widespread of these health threats.
DeleteI chose to read the article titled, “Short Answers to Hard Questions About Health Threats From Hurricane Harvey”. Hurricane Harvey has disrupted many ecosystems and population numbers in Houston, Texas. The article showed many questions that victims of Hurricane Harvey have been asking regarding their safety. One example is if “the drinking water supply really safe?” and the author stated that their had been no breaches to the city’s main water supply but Houston residents should still boil water. This is a very helpful article and can help keep communities during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. In my opinion parts of Texas(and everyone else) not affected need to do anything they can to help. Whether it's sending supplies/money or personally traveling down there to help with cleanup. That's the right thing to do just like the penny drive we have at CLC.
ReplyDeleteI chose the article “How labs are coping with Hurricane Harvey’s devastating floods.” On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey swept ashore and dropped record breaking amounts of water on Houston, Texas for several days, causing a sudden violent shift not only in the lives of the human population of Houston, but also destroying the delicate ecosystem of many other kinds of organisms. Many labs and universities in Houston have been trying to limit the damage from the storm and find ways to continue their work, even as most of Houston is flooded with water. Finding innovative ways to keep their livelihood and resources intact, the scientists of Houston are persevering as best they can. Hurricane Harvey was and still is a monumental catastrophe for the people and Houston, and the best they can do is wait it out. Hopefully, when it is over, they can try and rebuild to the best of their abilities. The government, as well as regular citizens, must work together in order to help the people of Houston at this time and preserve the laboratories and scientific institutions for future use and research. If everyone helps the people of Houston during this time of need, then maybe the favor will be returned some day. That’s what I think.
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey”. This article includes questions from people who were affected by Hurricane Harvey. These questions are health related on how to prevent diseases such as hepatitis, cholera, and mosquito borne diseases. Fortunately, hepatitis is not found in most floods and cholera is usually found only in poor countries. Mosquito borne diseases, however, are a bigger issue. Mosquitoes will regain their population once the flood waters recede. Mosquitoes can pick up the Zika virus by consuming blood from a human who returned from an area of outbreaks. Another mosquito borne disease is the West Nile virus. Many people have to tear back their walls and cupboards because of mold growing on them from the flood waters. They also need to get rid their clothes and food that may have been contaminated by the flood. This relates to ecology because the environment is breeding contaminated organisms which can have a negative effect on plants, humans and animals. I think there needs to be awareness to the health risks so people can take precautions to avoid being affected by contaminated organisms. Houston needs to recruit monetary donations, but also enlist many volunteers to help with cleanup. President Trump should raise awareness and encourage people to help either monetarily or physically. He should also provide government funding to help with the cleanup. I am definitely going to help in at least two ways. I will be donating money and next summer with my youth group we will be going on a mission trip to Houston to help them rebuild.
ReplyDeleteToday I read "Is hurricane Harvey a result of global warming?" The article talked about how scientist think that hurricane Harvey was very intense due to global warming. Although hurricanes now have been getting stronger, scientist cant really find out if Harvey was intense because of global warming because, they cant compare it to the same hurricane. Although Harvey may not have been the most devastating hurricanes are getting more intense as the years go by. This relates to ecology because if it is true that hurricanes have been getting more intense because of global warming then that means that our earth is not in very stable state right now.
ReplyDeleteThe article i read was saying that the hurricane was a sign of global warming. I agree that hurricanes are getting more intense
DeleteI read #4. Hurricane Harvey had a large effect on many of the scientific universities and labs in Houston. Some of the building in Houston were left devastated by its torrential rain and strong winds. For Example one research building at the university of Texas had its roof ripped off. However some building were already prepared fro the disaster from a previous storm in 2001, These buildings had pre installed flood gates etc that helped fight off the rain. I feel like it's very good that most of the buildings have pre installed floodgates from the previous storm because a lot of important things were in those labs and i'm sure if we lost all of it, it would have been a big blow to their studies.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "Toxic Waste Sites Flooded in Texas." The article focused mainly on the damage that Hurricane Harvey caused, and how even though the storm is over, it is still taking a toll on Texas. For example, at least 13 toxic waste sites in Texas were flooded or damaged by the storm. These 13 places have been confirmed to have industrial waste from petrochemical companies, acid compounds, solvents and pesticides- all of which are dangerous for humans. This article also mentioned that the mayor of Houston says that Houston is open for business, even though many people are still dealing with the aftermath. First responders are still going door-to-door checking on residents and housing conditions. "It's going to take years for us to be able to overcome this challenge," Governor Greg Abbot said. Another issue is that even though Harvey hit Texas over a week ago, tens of thousands of people are still seeking shelter and aid. The population is still struggling. However, people across the country are helping out- donating food, water, clothes, money, etc. Even though the storm is over, people can not stop- let the time it took to recover from Hurricane Katrina come into perspective. Trump should urge people to help Texas recover, and to help Florida prepare. Insight about some of the biggest flaws in Houston's defense for Harvey should be exploited and shared, so the people of Florida can prepare accordingly. I can help by donating money to the people working to help Texas recover. In times like this, we all need to help out, as a nation- that is the only way we can overcome this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteFor this assignment I chose to read the article "Health Threats from Hurricane Harvey" which related to ecology because of the bacteria in the water and air going to people. The article was about all of the questions on different illnesses and diseases that could be recieved from the aftermath of hurricane Harvey. It talked about the dangers of contaminated water in the community and what to do if you have your own water system. It also talks of the danger of airborne and waterborne illnesses and diseases; from bacterial infection to the zika virus. I think that it's very important for people in Houston to watch out for their health while these sicknesses are spreading fast throughout their area. Houston needs to focus on making sure the people there are receiving proper medical attention and they give out clear symptoms to be aware of.The article did warn about how "Houses may have asbestos and those built before 1978 are likely to have lead paint.". The article is their way of getting information to Houston residents, now they just need to get people to come into shelters and give checkups to those who've come in contact with the water. "It is harmful if swallowed or if it comes into contact with a cut." President Trump already got more government funds to help with Houston but he needs to start raising money with a charity and donating his own money instead of being in North Dakota away from the problem. He needs to be planning how to handle not only the aftermath of hurricane Harvey but also the destruction of the incoming hurricane Irma and to do that he needs to be with the people who need help in those areas. Everyone, including me, can help by donating to The Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund by GlobalGiving.
ReplyDeleteI read this article as well and I like your ideas for what President Trump should do; I agree that he should plan for what hurricane Irma could do.
DeleteI read the article "How labs are coping with Hurricane Harvey's devastating floods." In the text it said that many scientists had put precautions in place after suffering major losses from Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. Other labs had not been so lucky but are being helped by roughly 200 scientific laboratories. Harvey being classified as a category 4 hurricane ripped the roof off of Brett Baker’s microbial-ecology lab. Most of the biomedical-research facilities in Houston had installed special doors and floodgates to hold back storm waters after Allison. The University of Houston don't have a special flood infrastructure and struggled keeping animals fed and dry as the labs in the basement flooded. It's terrible that these people have so little resources at times and are stuck in the labs as well. Also, they have to try to save all of their data, animals, experiments, and everything else they worked hard doing.
ReplyDeleteI read Hurricane Harvey was no surprise and it was about how the climate has been showing signs of global warming. Global warming has already increased the odds of record- setting heat waves. This article is spreading awareness to others about this and how we are taking action. This connects to ecology because we are organisms and our surroundings are changing due to all the events that are occurring. I think it's great that trump is helping and i think we need to do something to prevent these events. We can help by donating and that is what our president did.
ReplyDeleteI went with #5, Harvey First Responders. (The Washington Post) This dreadful disaster, Hurricane Harvey, affected the lives of many people. First responders are leaving their families and friends back home to go help these people in deep need. This hurricane was stated as to be a category 4 hurricane. Not only did this deadly disaster destroy peoples houses and furniture. Animals were drowning under porches along with photographs, certificates, letters, etc. The victims are holding onto one another for hope that they will eventually return to their normal lifestyle and that their community will come out stronger than ever before. As a matter of Ecology, these people are helping one another to slowly get back on their feet. Police officers, firefighters, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, FEMA aid specialist, nurses and doctors. All of these people, and others not named, are striving for the victims of the hurricane to be okay. This flood has brought strangers closer in hope it will make their lives easier. I think that this flood is going to affect these families lives for sure. In the long scheme of things, nature has its way and many people are feeling closer to people they have never even met before because of this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "Short Answers to Hard Questions About Health Threats From Hurricane Harvey" by Sheila Kaplan and Donald G. McNeil Jr. In this article, Kaplan and McNeil describe the many health risks and answer frequently asked questions that victims of the flood need answers to. Some important points included that you should boil your water to make sure it isn't contaminated, and if you have a well, you should get your water tested and drink bottled water in the meantime. This is important to know because if you haven't affirmed that your drinking supply is safe, you could contrast serious illnesses from consuming E. coli bacteria. The air can also be harmful in some cases, especially to those with asthma, due to the toxic air pollution given off by chemical plants. This relates to ecology because the bacteria in the water is a biotic factor, and can cause other problems in the environment. I think Houston should attempt to stop the spread of E. coli and other bacterial infections by treating the water, or providing bottled water to all victims of the hurricane. President Trump should issue a formal address stating the best or most helpful ways to donate to the victims and help people stay informed on the situation. I can help by donating to the victims and informing my peers about the situation so they know what is going on and how to help.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read the New York Times article “Health Threats From Hurricane Harvey”. The article goes through diseases, bacterias, air quality and more health concerns surrounding Hurricane Harvey. It also provides different techniques and warnings to prevent any victims of the hurricane from acquiring one of these deadly diseases as abiotic and biotic factors, both play a role in rapidly spreading each and every on threats involved. With water everywhere, it gives different aquatic species of bacterias and other organisms the grand ability to diffuse quicker. Ecology comes into play as biologists must look into what interactions are happening below the surface. The support for Hurricane Harvey must continue as money for research is essential in resolving and preventing these health threats from advancing. With this, I also think President Trump needs to take initiative in creating funds for this cause. Perhaps having money set aside for natural disasters such as these would make the entire difference in helping the people of Houston.
ReplyDeleteI read the fourth article( How labs are coping with hurricane hne harvey). This article is about how labs all over the houston area are dealing with the hurricane. Some labs are having to use liquid nitrogen to keep the diseases they have in their labs frozen but they are running out of it because they have to freeze so many. People at the Johnson space center were running experiments when it came through. This was a big problem but they got through it. They also were planning to help with the sending of equipment to the ISS. The hurricane has messed up a lot of labs and other scientific buildings and plans but they have found a way to overcome them. I think that president Trump has done a great job with this hurricane. He went down to huston and helped out with the food and he also got congress to allow a $8 billion bailout for huston. I can help by donating to some charity that helps with relife for the victims. Huston has been going in the right direction by saving people and they just have to rebuild and prepare even more for the next one that hits.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Houston should prepare better for the next hurricane.
Deletetoday I chose to watch and read the Harvey Flooding rescue scene, in which the article depicted sacrifices and challenges most people of Houston have to overcome. There has been a lot of unplanned rescues in which people have had jet skis, helicopters, and even air mattresses transport them to safety. Many citizens have helped in assisting those that have lost everything, from contributing clothes and food to risking their own lives to bring those in need to safety. The place where one would spend their days and time at is now underwater and citizens will have to adapt to their new their temporary environment then fix their old one. Personally, I would not be able to bear with the thought of losing my home, my belongings and even the people i love. The thought that thousands of people will have to live in this feeling of grieve, leaves my stomach ache. For houston, people should begin to donate to help with them transitioning to having no home. The grieve and lost, i believe, will only unite Houston, unite the U.S in helping rebuild and make Houston stronger for when and if it happens again. Hopefully, our "president" will make the right choices and does what's right for the people of Houston and those that will be hurt in florida with the more upcoming hurricanes.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article,"How labs are coping with Hurricane Harvey's devastating floods" I saw that even places with the lots of money still had to deal with issues because of the storm. This really shows that hurricanes are really powerful and not something to be taken lightly. You have to be prepared for the sorts of things or you are going to have a serious problem. But this article also shows something else, It shows that people are able to bounce back from things like these with the help of other people. Other labs are now offering lab time to help them. This goes to show how people are willing to help others in situations like these. This is very telling that people are willing to help each other during a natural disaster. The labs flooding also left some dangerous abiotic matter in the water as well as some biotic diseases in the water. Making it dangerous for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you talked about the struggles of the lab.
DeleteI read the article "How Labs are Coping with Hurricane Harvey", which explains the preparedness (or lack thereof) of research labs across Southern Texas for events like Hurricane Harvey. This is shown by the University of Houston and how they lacked "special flood infrastructure", and in turn has flooded basement labs, and is struggling to keep their animals dry and fed. Scientists such as Brett Baker were also impacted heavily by the storm. Barker in particular was led to tears when the roof got torn off his microbial-ecology lab, destroying his research. These are prime examples of why we need to act on climate change now, before it becomes irreversible. We shouldn't brush these incidents off as a one in million chance every time, and with Trump cutting budgets to organizations that would otherwise be studying climate change, the future doesn't look too bright. Not everything is doom and gloom, however, as many institutions such as the Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, have fared well and are continuing research. Harvey itself could've been much worse, as it had relatively low wind speeds. But hundreds of thousands are still without power, water, or even homes, which is why we still need to be there for them, no matter what's about to happen to Florida. Years of research have been lost, and families have been torn apart. These are more than just hurricanes.
ReplyDeleteI read the article about how labs in Texas are getting affected by the Hurricane. They talked about how in 2001 labs lost a lot of data and experiments because of the flooding. They talked about how they were more prepared for the Hurricane and how one university added a wall around the campus to keep out the water. They talked about how people at the Johnson Space center were sleeping on air mattresses and were in the middle of a 100 day thermal air vacuum test but no one was hurt. Almost nothing happened to the labs in Texas because the were prepared. This shows that people in Texas can know how to prepare and recover every quickly. This also shows how people can come together and help each other out.
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Harvey aftermath: Region begins long road to recovery” This article was really interesting because it talk about how destructive hurricane harvey was. The small clip from CNN news tells us that the number of bacteria in the water a stunningly high. It says that the numbers of e coli are extremely high the number that should be in the water is 0 and there is up to 8000 CFU. the article also tells us that there are 13 different toxics waste sites were flooded which means the toxic was spilled and spread throughout the water. This is related to ecology because it is affecting the food chains and food webs in a really negative way. The animals that lived in that area don't longer have a population or community. It is also messing up the consumers because allot of the animals and plants died so some animals or insects won't have anywhere to get their energy from. In conclusion this article made me realize the importance of natural disaster and how they really affect Ecology.
ReplyDeleteI read the article, "Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise" by Noah S. Diffenbaugh. The article covered how climate change is directly impacting human HABITATS in the form of natural disasters: in this case hurricane Harvey. The article also show how Trump is leading America in the wrong direction by slashing Obama's Climate Change Agenda which is slowly increasing the amount of money we pay for repairs and draining our RESOURCES. Hurricane Harvey destroyed the ECOSYSTEM of Huston and ultimately everyone's houses and lives who were in it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Hurricane Harvey was truly terrible in terms of damaging so many lives figuratively and literally and anything that we could do to save a life we should. I also think that Trump should create a carbon tax to reduce global warming and to create money for the damages in impacted areas. Something that we can do to help is to reduce out carbon footprint: we could do this simply by just asking yourself when you next go to your friends house, "Could I bike to their house? Or do I really need a car ride?"
I read the article Toxic Waste Sites Flooded in Texas, which described how the EPA had assessed 41 Superfund sites in Texas. Petrochemical company wastes, acid compounds, solvents and pesticides have been dumped in 13 areas in Southern Texas. Once Hurricane Harvey struck southern Texas, these sites flooded, releasing harmful chemicals into the flood of Texas. This could result in many organisms meeting their deaths due to these floods, which have been seeping around Texas for nearly a week now. I believe the EPA should swiftly clean the chemical flooding and dumping harmful chemicals which can harm the ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteI watched the videos "Harvey: First responders".This is so truly heart breaking to seeing everyone suffering and getting through the water. Seeing children, animals, families, and disabled elderly people, basically everyone in the Houston community getting rescued makes me feel bad for those people. It's impossible for firefighter to put out fires because the hydrants are under the water. It's truly heart breaking seeing this. Knowing my own friends living in Texas are going through this and constantly wondering if they are Ok. Not only are firefights saving other people in the community but they have to save themselves and their own families. This relates to ecology because of the people and animals being affected from the storm. The habitats of different animals are ruined because of the storm. Since this happened the people of Texas should find homes away from states with big bodies of water. You never know if another hurricane will strike. President Trump should help those who were struck in Houston by provide funding for the families and people who need help
ReplyDeleteI read the article “Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise”. It talked about how much damage Hurricane Harvey had already done, yet there's more to come. President Trump is took the wrong actions to preventing these types of things happening. Trump announced a rollback of infrastructure regulations including an Obama-era requirement to consider climate change and sea-level rise when building roads, bridges and pipelines with federal money. Also the climate change and global warming isn’t helping at all. This post is related to ecology because the Hurricane was very destructive and it harmed many animals and organisms. I think Houston should keep doing what they're doing which is getting all the help they can get. President Trump needs to step up and take control of this and help more. The only thing I can do to help in donate money to foundations. One foundation you can donate to is the AARP foundation.
ReplyDeleteI read the article Hurricane Harvey Was No Surprise. I thought that it was very true that it wasn’t really a surprise for any of the scientist and the people who were aware of global warming and its effects. This is not a new concept that they came out with this has been around for years. It sort of makes me think if our president continues to deny global warming then how much longer will it be before all of the USA is flooded and our president is in a helicopter fleeing the country still say that global warming is a hoax. It really is sad for all the people that lose the there house to the hurricane and no can help them until after because they are not prepared.
ReplyDeleteI read the article "While Hurricanes Batter The South, The West Is On Fire". While reading this I didn't think the fires were so bad like the hurricanes were but in Los Angeles the fire they had is the biggest on record and Montana has already spent 53.7 million dollars on the fires already which exceeds the budget they had. Overall these tragedies have devastated many places and they seem to keep going. not much can even be done to them since they used so much money but there probably will be some fund raisers that will help significantly.
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