Chapter 2
Ecuador is an incredibly unique country with unique export earners. The United States is Ecuador’s main import supply, and their largest export receiver is also the United States. Its diverse lands create an environment ideal for growing, harvesting, fishing, drilling, and exploring. How do these various activities affect Ecuador’s environment?
Cut flowers, bananas, cacao, shrimp, and coffee are all major exports from Ecuador. Not all organically grown, pesticides and fertilizers are a concern for the population’s wellbeing. As runoff water carries these chemicals into larger water sources, other plants and wildlife can be adversely affected. Humans living near the spraying of these pesticides reported varying symptoms including anything from fever to diarrhea, burning eyes to trouble breathing. These people were also found to have damage to their DNA, which could also be linked to cancer (Paz-y-Miño 2017).
Mammals experience the most damage from these chemicals. Although important for the production of crops, other sustainable methods of pest control are now recognized. This could be comparable to our DDT crisis. When it is understood that such chemicals are so harmful to their people, Ecuador should enforce a ban on them to protect its population.
Alternative methods of pest control include pheromone traps, natural oil sprays, “trap crops” that draw pests away from the crops that are worth more, and the addition of the pest’s natural predators to the area. All of these methods need to be carefully researched and monitored do decide which is best for any particular situation.
For fertilizers, there are many practices that were used in ancient farming that we can look to today for inspiration on how we can become more sustainable farmers. These vary depending on your location and crop, but all can be modified to fit Ecuadorian culture.
Crop rotation helps to prevent pests while also allowing the soil to replenish is nutrients. Cover crops may be planted in between growing seasons to later be tilled into the soil. This method is considered green manure. Not only does the green manure add additional nutrients to the soil, it also helps to aerate the soil, making it less dense. This is important for root development and water retention. Animal manure is another sustainable method of fertilization. Grazing animals are allowed to walk over a planted area and when they excrete waste, the area is then fertilized. Composting, mulching, and agroforestry may fertilize the soil or reduce the need for fertilizers in the farming industry (Fukada 2012).
I would also like to touch on the harmful effects of oil drilling. Ecuador has several rich oil fields, some of which are in protected land. But the debate remains as to whether or not this oil should be accessed. Drilling oil sends harmful emissions into the atmosphere that contribute to global warming. Oil rigs may disrupt wildlife’s natural homes and travels, while also creating noise pollution and light pollution, ruining Ecuador’s beautiful landscapes. Their impact is so strong that the land rigs are built upon may never recover from the damage inflicted upon it.
Why should any country, town, or community with such unique flora and fauna be forced to drill oil from their land in order to survive financially? Such places should be protected with every resource available because our current ways only involve taking- exploiting any resource of monetary value, even if larger damage to the environment is inevitable. As a people, we should realize that there are other ways to obtain the energy we need, depending on what part of the world you live in. Some methods work better in different locations. But the logistics are not the problem at this point. The problem is larger its details. It’s changing the way of humankind. Instead of looking at the world as a resource for us to exploit at our every whim, we should look instead at the life we share it with.
We are a small part of a huge population of creatures on Earth. There needs to be more respect and less harm to this planet. Currently, it is the only one we have, so we must do our best to conserve what we have, live sustainably, and care for all of our neighbors, no matter what their species.
Works Cited:
Fukuda, M., Nagumo, F., Nakamura, S., & Tobita, S. (2012, December 12). Alternative Fertilizer Utilizing Methods for Sustaining Low Input Agriculture. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from https://www.intechopen.com/books/soil-fertility/alternative-fertilizer-utilizing-methods-for-sustaining-low-input-agriculture
Paz-y-Miño, C., Sánchez, M. E., Arévalo, M., Muñoz, M. J., Witte, T., De-la-Carrera, G. O., & Leone, P. E. (2017, March). Evaluation of DNA damage in an Ecuadorian population exposed to glyphosate. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572007000300026
Cut flowers, bananas, cacao, shrimp, and coffee are all major exports from Ecuador. Not all organically grown, pesticides and fertilizers are a concern for the population’s wellbeing. As runoff water carries these chemicals into larger water sources, other plants and wildlife can be adversely affected. Humans living near the spraying of these pesticides reported varying symptoms including anything from fever to diarrhea, burning eyes to trouble breathing. These people were also found to have damage to their DNA, which could also be linked to cancer (Paz-y-Miño 2017).
Mammals experience the most damage from these chemicals. Although important for the production of crops, other sustainable methods of pest control are now recognized. This could be comparable to our DDT crisis. When it is understood that such chemicals are so harmful to their people, Ecuador should enforce a ban on them to protect its population.
Alternative methods of pest control include pheromone traps, natural oil sprays, “trap crops” that draw pests away from the crops that are worth more, and the addition of the pest’s natural predators to the area. All of these methods need to be carefully researched and monitored do decide which is best for any particular situation.
For fertilizers, there are many practices that were used in ancient farming that we can look to today for inspiration on how we can become more sustainable farmers. These vary depending on your location and crop, but all can be modified to fit Ecuadorian culture.
Crop rotation helps to prevent pests while also allowing the soil to replenish is nutrients. Cover crops may be planted in between growing seasons to later be tilled into the soil. This method is considered green manure. Not only does the green manure add additional nutrients to the soil, it also helps to aerate the soil, making it less dense. This is important for root development and water retention. Animal manure is another sustainable method of fertilization. Grazing animals are allowed to walk over a planted area and when they excrete waste, the area is then fertilized. Composting, mulching, and agroforestry may fertilize the soil or reduce the need for fertilizers in the farming industry (Fukada 2012).
I would also like to touch on the harmful effects of oil drilling. Ecuador has several rich oil fields, some of which are in protected land. But the debate remains as to whether or not this oil should be accessed. Drilling oil sends harmful emissions into the atmosphere that contribute to global warming. Oil rigs may disrupt wildlife’s natural homes and travels, while also creating noise pollution and light pollution, ruining Ecuador’s beautiful landscapes. Their impact is so strong that the land rigs are built upon may never recover from the damage inflicted upon it.
Why should any country, town, or community with such unique flora and fauna be forced to drill oil from their land in order to survive financially? Such places should be protected with every resource available because our current ways only involve taking- exploiting any resource of monetary value, even if larger damage to the environment is inevitable. As a people, we should realize that there are other ways to obtain the energy we need, depending on what part of the world you live in. Some methods work better in different locations. But the logistics are not the problem at this point. The problem is larger its details. It’s changing the way of humankind. Instead of looking at the world as a resource for us to exploit at our every whim, we should look instead at the life we share it with.
We are a small part of a huge population of creatures on Earth. There needs to be more respect and less harm to this planet. Currently, it is the only one we have, so we must do our best to conserve what we have, live sustainably, and care for all of our neighbors, no matter what their species.
Works Cited:
Fukuda, M., Nagumo, F., Nakamura, S., & Tobita, S. (2012, December 12). Alternative Fertilizer Utilizing Methods for Sustaining Low Input Agriculture. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from https://www.intechopen.com/books/soil-fertility/alternative-fertilizer-utilizing-methods-for-sustaining-low-input-agriculture
Paz-y-Miño, C., Sánchez, M. E., Arévalo, M., Muñoz, M. J., Witte, T., De-la-Carrera, G. O., & Leone, P. E. (2017, March). Evaluation of DNA damage in an Ecuadorian population exposed to glyphosate. Retrieved September 12, 2017, from http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572007000300026