Chinese Population

Usually, people do not care about other countries; however, this action is inappropriate accurate, because nobody can say we will never get the same situation. Moreover, nobody wants to get accidents; however, in the world, there are a lot of problems. People must think ahead of every accident, which means those accidents have possibility. Fortunately, people have a lot of experience with accidents, so people can anticipate many events. Especially, China has long history and many accidents. Moreover, this country has new population problems too. China tries to fix its population problems. Of course, the government or Chinese people attempt to fix their population problems them selves; however, people have to learn the solution of population problems, because I think people have to learn the solution efficiently. “Despite the substantial decrease of China’s population growth since 1982, the possibility that the growth rate may stop declining still remains”(Nicolas and Platzer, 2004, para.2). “Current problems due to overpopulation are evident, and future problems are imminent”. China has a very huge population, which makes for many problems, especially, the only-child policy, agriculture, aging society, and pollution are heavy problems.

Those factors make huge population problems, so people have to ascertain the problems and have to find the best solution. Moreover, people have to not forget those problems, because any experience will become people’s power. China is the country with the biggest population, which is almost 1.3 billion people (Population & Nationalities, 2006). This number is around one fifth of the people on earth. “As a unitary multi-national state, China has a total of 56 nationalities” (Population & Nationalities, 2006, para.2).

First, in China, the government tries to lower the population, because too much population makes many problems. the most popular strategy is the only-child policy, which is as follows: “The most basic description of the one-child policy is that it is a population control policy put in effect in China in 1979 that seeks to limit the number of children each couple has to one child” (What is the One-Child Policy?, n.d, para. 2). This policy is very reasonable, because if population declines, problems will pass. However, the only-child policy caused a problem, which is imbalanced sex. And the other problem too, which is that “social scientists are talking about a future in which 15 percent of men won't have wives” (Marquand, 2004, para. 5). Moreover, sudden population decline will make another problem, which is that this country will come to have negative growth. This policy is very good in its efficiency; however, this policy makes many problems too, because of this transformation into the new population number, therefore general people are tortvred by this big change.

Second, in China, there has been a lower birth lately than before, surely; however, population is increasing. Therefore, China will become a bigger country than now in the near future. As a consequence, people can guess about some problems. Especially, agriculture is a very big problem. For example, “Water pollution from industries and untreated urban sewage systems is a serious problem in some agricultural areas that depend on irrigation” (Does China's agriculture have a water problem?, n.d, para.3). “China has - by far - the highest total emission of organic water pollutants in the world”. Thus, China agriculture is not at a very high level. Moreover, China agricultural people are poor, because “Slow increase in farmers' income is the greatest factor thwarting efforts to explore rural markets. When farmers' purses are not so bulging, increase in actual consumption demand will be slow. To increase farmers' income is, in essence, to enhance the rural economy's adaptability to the socialist market economy” (Agriculture, n.d, para.12). “In the opinions of authoritative persons, it is essential to get hold of two links: one is what to grow. Farmers have to grow farm crops easy to yield added value”. So those factors delay to an agriculture promotion; however, people have to improve their agricultural level, because in the close future, China will have a very huge population. Because of this, population growth will keeps rising. Therefore, high agricultural level is a necessary condition.

Third, China has to prepare for the aging society, because even now, people are aging into the retirement ages, which means China will become negative growth country. “In absolute numbers, the magnitude of China’s coming age wave is staggering” (Parker, 2004, para.1).“By 2040, assuming current demographic trends continue, there will be 397 million Chinese elders, which is more than the total current population of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined”. In my country, Japan, we have same problem, which is a negative growth problem. Especially, the pension problem is a very big problem, because old people cannot live. There are a lot of old people, which means young people have to pay for a lot of pensions and old people cannot get much pension. Those generations have problems. First, the old people paid in to their pension; however, they cannot get the pension, because they do not have many children. Moreover, 10 years ago, people who were over 60 years old could get the pension; however over 65 years people can get the pension now. So they need to save money for fiver more years. On the other hand, young people do not want to pay for the pension, because no one do not know how old our generation can get the pension and young people need to pay bigger money to the government. It is so hard, so young people think we should save money our selves. Aging society makes serious problems. Therefore, people have to bring down the population growth late slowly.

Some people may argue that only-child policy does not have weak points; however, it does, because many female babies have been was killed. “They also point out that those who choose to abort their babies - poor peasants and migrant workers - are among the most underprivileged social groups, and the criminalization of such abortions could marginalize them even further” (Bezlova, 2005, para.1). It is not humane. Moreover, sometime there have more inhumanity events. “Daughters, by contrast, are married off to into their husbands' families. They are looked down upon and discriminated against” (Bezlova, 2005, para.9). “Cases of female infanticide and neglect existed long before China began to implement its restrictions on family fertility”. It is an awful event. In China, some parents want to kill them own daughters; however, they do not really want their daughter to die, which means if their own family is wealthy, they want to live with their daughter. However, it is impossible, because they are very poor and the government makes the rule. People have to change this problem now.

In conclusion, China’s problems are very serious problems, because they affect human life and they rob humanity. People have to stop those problems, which are the only-child policy, agricultural problems, and aging society. People must not dissemble, because they must try to live now. People have to save themselves from those problems.

Reference

Agriculture. (n.d.). A web site to the China market. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from http://www.index-china.com/index-english/agr-tech-s.html

Nicolas, A and Platzer, B. (2004, April 24). Negative Consequences of Overpopulation. Population Control in China. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.columbia.edu/~bcp26/web-pages/consequences.html

Bezlova, A. (2005, February 8). China to punish abortion of females. ASIA TIMES. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GB08Ad02.html

Does China's agriculture have a water problem?. (n.d.). IIASA. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/SRD/ChinaFood/faq/faq_8.htm

Marquand, R. (2004, September 3). China faces future as land of boys. THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0903/p01s03-woap.html

Parker, R. (2004, April 28). FuturePundit. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002075.html

Population & Nationalities. (2006, October 19). Warrior Tours. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.warriortours.com/intro/population.htm

What is the One-Child Policy? (n.d.). Women and China's One-Child Policy. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/womens-studies/ws399/ws399_05/Public/Vanessa%20China%20Website/OneChildPolicy.htm

Summary and Response #2
Imbalance

In Xinhua General News Service’s article “China vows to halt growing gender imbalance,” the author critiques the new disposition about abortion and test of sex. The Chinese government declares that if people try an abortion because they want to select the sex or use illegal sex testing, the government will punish them. That means medical institutions will be guarded from the government. One of the reasons is that Chinese people have an imbalance sex ratio. Moreover, the government said this imbalance would affect social balance. Then they are trying three ideas, which are assistance for people with girl-only families, people who marriage late, and people who bear children at an advanced age. However, the government said that we impose penalties on offender families too. They will keep looking for better family planning service. Moreover, they respect old people, and they will make better facilities for them. If young people misuse old people, they will be punished by government.

I agree with this author, because the author completely gets the Chinese population problems, and with accuracy suggests the answers; especially, I strongly agree with those three points, which are punishment for illegal testing, assistance for wider families, which means that in the past, the Chinese government helped just a few families, who had one boy child; however, they help other families, who have girl child too; and establishment of person of advanced age’s social disposition, because they treasure human rights. I think those ideas can help China in the future, because those ideas grasp the most important points faultlessly.

First, the Chinese government declares that they do not allow choosing sex through abortion, and control unborn baby gender testing, because the government does not want any more sexual imbalanced society. China has too many boys, because Chinese people have a limit such that usually people cannot have more than two children; however, people care about sex. China has imbalance sex; therefore, people have different opinions about it. Males and females do not have different on the human rights, so we must respect both.

Second, in the past, many people could not take help from the government; however, now they can get assistance, because the government moderated qualifications. They may not notice, but those qualifications have changed. However, they changed, because China has a new problem, which is imbalance sex. First, they wanted to decrease the berth rate, however, this action created a new problem, which was that people did not want to get the new girl baby. This assistance system can help many children. And this idea can emphasize human rights.

Finally, people must protect old people, especially. Many countries will became aging societies, however, we must not treat old people as obstacles, because they have human rights. Moreover, we must respect for them, because they tried hard to make a better world. We must admit their efforts. The Chinese government’s idea, which they establish better facilities, is a great idea.

In conclusion, many people argue whether the only child policy was good or bad; however, it is not very important, because it is just one of the many solutions, which means that China has other ways too. This article suggested the other ways. I strongly agree we should keep trying assistance, punishment, and a foundation of helping old people. Moreover, usually people suggest who will take responsibility; however, those articles see the future. I think it is one of the most important things. If we can forget about the future, those problems will become fixed easily; however, we must not forget the future, because our children will take over anything from us. We have to establish the future, which are those three subjects.

Reference

China vows to halt growing gender imbalance. (2007, January 22). Xinhua General
News Service. Retrieved July 15, 2007 from Lexis Nexis.

by Shota

China population

In recent years, many countries have tried to control population, because those countries sometimes do not have enough money, food, or resources, so they notice population control; however, this action has a lot of problems too. I had an especially interesting time reading an article about China’s population. R-Saiget, in “Riots expose underside of China’s population control”, wrote that China used a special population strategy, which is family planning; however, this strategy created new problems. I will introduce this article.

This author tried to find the reason that, in China, people raised a revolt over the human rights abuse problem, from its only child policy. Baby trafficking was established as a new business in China, especially in the southern region, because they are poor people, which means they cannot raise babies easily. “Nicholas Becquelin, who is “Hong Kong-based research director of Human Rights Watch,” said the only child policy is one of the important factors. Usually, people who live in cities can have one child. If they live in the countryside and their first child is a girl, they can have a second child. However, most people want a boy child. Therefore, they check the child. If they have a girl child, some people abort. This action makes a strange condition, in which China has almost 40,000,000 more males than females. Moreover, this condition causes another factor too which is baby trafficking. They who are baby trafficking were used drug. After this affair, which was transitory, this principle was relaxed; however, this year this principle returned. The government wants to fix the population problem and finish the goal, which means people have a heavy handicap. Because of that, people have started start to rise in revolt against the rule. Because of those problems, the ratio for babies was 126 boys to 100 girls in Guangxi. The government intimidated the countryside people with this rule.

I think the China government should make recommendations, because if they keep giving too much strong pressure, the Chinese people will get very huge stress; moreover, the government hopes people will avoid big problems, so they made a population strategy; however, this action gave new problems. If the government cares for people, it does not have meaning. I strongly agree with this author’s opinions, which are that the only-child policy has a fault, and is not humanity action problems. Those problems are not just Chinese problems, which mean no one knows when we will get problems like those, so we must think about those problems. It is a starting line.

First, China has a special strategy about population, which is its only child policy, which means normally one family can make just one child; however, this conduct makes a very difficult problem too. It is especially out of balance in its average of boys and girls. Naturally, the percent by sex is 50/50; however, China is different, because China uses this policy; besides, they want to get boys. Therefore, many female children were aborted. As a result, this country is out of balance. This problem is very difficult, because this problem has its own lad result which means the government tries to fix huge population; however, the government must fix these problems for people.

Second, recently, China has had a strange event, which is that some girl children were killed, because in this country people can not get many children; however, they want to get a boy, so if they get a girl, sometimes they kill their own child, especially country people. Moreover, there is a new business, which is baby trafficking. They carry the girl babies. It is not humane. Of course they have lives. By the way, those actions rise up out of the unbalance; however, we must think about what the origin is. The origin is that the government started the only child policy. Many innocent girl children were killed, so we must stop now; therefore, we should think about what we can do.

Some people may argue that the only child policy is a success, because population growth is slower than before; however, they are wrong because they do not think about the future. In my country, Japan had a baby boom; however, the baby boom made one big problem, which is negative growth. Too many old people cannot get the pension, because Japan does not have many children. So sudden population changing usually makes big problems. We must guess about the future. If we will not guess, we will get big problems from our past action.

In conclusion, I can see the Chinese government try to fix those problems; however it is too much sudden action, which means that sudden decline in birth rate is very dangerous, because this action makes new problems. Moreover the only child policy is very dangerous too. If they keep this policy, their population will decline; however, it makes s horrible event and no humanity. It is a very difficult problem; however we must try to fix those problems; because many people are suffering and many girl children have been killed with the only child policy.

Reference
Saiget, R. (2007, May 27). Riots expose underside of China’s population control.
Retrieved July 12,2007 from Lexis Nexis
http://global.lexisnexis.com/us

Best Family

My country, Japan, has some population problem, which is a declining birth rate problem, because they want to spend anything for few people; however, this action can make a big problem. Usually, people have a pension, plan, then after 60 years old, we get money; however, if the next generation has a declining birth rate problem, we cannot get the pension. On the other hand, this problem makes another problem, too; we may lose the succession of culture. So, we must think about what is the best family; however, I think this question’s answer depends on people, because each person has different ideas based on opinions, economic power, or cultures. My opinion is that the ideal family has four people who respect personal opinions and do not misunderstand what is loving support and what is stifling control.

First, usually, people have different ideas about ideal number for a family; however, if we think about many problems, the best family is four people, because this number can keep good balance. In the world, the earth has 6.6 billion people. This number makes a lot of problems, which include pollutions, starvation, and changing environment. This number limits us. On the other hand, four members mean parents who are father and mother, and two children. This family structure means that if all parents make two children, the next generation will have the same number of people in the world. So if we will do this action, which is make same number, they will not have heavier problems. Four people in the family can keep the population, and we can think about fixing those problems; then, this family style is best.

Second, respect is important about in all relationships but it is especially important among members of a family. We have personality before family; however, normally, families have to live together. So, we need to think about how we can live together smoothly. The answer is that members should respect the other members, because if they respect the other members, of course, they try to avoid many problems. What’s more, they can have the feeling of I wanting to help the other members. This feeling can make a good family. No one hopes for their family’s misfortune, so we should make the best family with respect.

Third, of course, parents wish children would have happiness; therefore, parents must not misunderstand what is loving support and what is stifling control. Usually, parents want to control their children from parent’s experience. Almost always, this action is justified, because parents have more experience than children; however, children are living different lives. Fundamentally, parents and children live different lives; that means we can compare those experiences. If children have their opinion, parents should wonder why their children said such ideas. On the other hand, children have to listen to parents’ opinion carefully, because parents love them then they teach many things. By the way, I never became a parent, so I do not know parents’ thinking; therefore, I noted what children wish for parents in this paragraph. Parents need to teach everything to children. It is very important and children feel love; however, parents should think about children’s opinions and think carefully.

Some people may argue that we should have just one child and rear him or her very carefully; however, they are wrong, because they just think about their child. We must think about the future, because I think it is part of being human. The other animals think about how they can save their posterity; however human is not same because human have reason. If we think just about our children, it is the same as the other animals. We must think about society, because only we can do that.

In conclusion, family is very a heavy thing; however, it is very fragile. Actually, many families have problems. We should try to make the best family. And we should not forget our lives, the next generation, or our reason. The best family is four people who can respect each other, and parents who can think about children’s opinion. If we try to make that family style, we can make the best family and the best world too; in addition, this action can help our posterity.

by Shota

Plastic

Usually, people do not know how much plastics help us and how much plastics attack us. Plastics help us achieve a convenient world. However, I must not forget plastics have a bad effect too, because plastics have a good effect on human lives, but bad effect on humans and the environment. Human is a very egoist animal; however, we must not conscience. First, we should start learning about what plastics problems are. “Plastic waste blocks drains and gutters, stopping the flow of rain water and sewerage, causing an overflow which becomes the breeding ground for germs and bacteria causing many diseases (Abdulla, 2007, para.10-11.). The toxic smoke produced while burning plastic kills thousands each year. Workers and people living near a plastic or resin factory are prone to certain kinds of cancer and birth defects. Plastic bags that fly and land in agricultural land retard the growth of the crops by wrapping itself around the plants. Domestic animals like cows and goats are often found dead after swallowing bits of plastic that gets mingled with the grass they eat. More than one million sea birds and approximately 100,000 sea mammals die each year after ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic debris. Some marine life has been found with plastic fragments in the stomachs and plastic molecules in their muscles” Those problems are just a few of the many problems, but we have a lot of problems. Second, I want to introduce about what plastics is and history of plastics. “1839 - Polystyrene or PS discovered - Eduard Simon. 1872 - Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC - first created by Eugen Baumann. 1909 - First true plastic Phenol-Formaldehyde tradenamed Bakelite. 1938 - Polystyrene made practical. 1941 - Polyethylene Terephthalate or Pet - Whinfield and Dickson. 1953 - Saran Wrap introduced by Dow Chemicals” (The History of plastics, 2007, paras6-8). These sentences tell us that the history of plastics is very short, but it has grown very quickly. And these plastics are more and more complex. Next, we should know what plastic is. “Plastic covers a range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products. They are composed of organic condensation or addition polymers and may contain other substances to improve performance or economics. There are few natural polymers generally considered to be ‘plastics’. Plastics can be formed into objects or films or fibers. Their name is derived from the fact that many are malleable, having the property of plasticity” (Plastic, n.d. para.1.). This article gives basic information. Plastics have some characteristics; why do not transmit electricity, are strong in weather and with chemicals, and are weak with ultraviolet rays.

I suggest that we should look for new plastics that do not attack humans and the environment, because the earth is not just for ourselves. All creatures and in the future must share the earth; that means we must think about the next generation.

First, many animals were killed for plastic bags because we do not bother for other animals. “In the marine environment, Planet Ark estimates that plastic bags kill at least 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles every year” (Plastic Bags Reduction Program, 2007, para. 5.). Like that, many animals are damaged by plastics that are from human activity. Especially, plastics can kill many animals because plastics do not come back naturally. That means plastics have a special characteristic; they are strong in weather and arith chemicals; therefore, usually naturae cannot resolve plastics. “A wide array of marine creatures, including threatened species such as Green Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Blue Whales and Humpback Whales, albatrosses and petrels, may be severely injured and even die after ingesting and becoming entangled with plastic waste” (Keep the sea plastic free-bin it, 2006, para.7-8.). “Fishing line, fragments of trawl netting, and synthetic ropes can cut into their skin, leading to infection or the slow and painful amputation of flippers, tails or flukes.” Thus, harmless animals suffer from our oppression. I think it is not an allowable action.

Second, plastic pollution is not just for the sea; of course it is for the earth too. Plastics “are a significant source of pollution. The stuff last decades. Some 95% of all plastic produced since the material was introduced in the 1930s is still in existence, much of it buried in landfill sites. Plastic bags have even been found littering relatively untouched Himalayan mountains” (The problem with plastic, 2006, para.3.). Most plastics can remain until people dump it. Moreover, “Every year 20 million Australians use around 5 billion plastic check-out bags. A person’s use of a plastic check-out bag can be counted in minutes – however long it takes to get from the shops to their homes. Plastic bags however, can take between 15 and 1000 years to break down in the environment. Over 200,000 plastic check-out bags are dumped in landfills every hour” (Why are plastic bags a problem?, n.d., para1,2+9). This article told us that we do not start now. That means, those numbers tell almost nothing, and it is just talk about Austrarlia. If we think on the global scale, it becomes very huge numbers. Like this, the earth has a big problem too, so we must start to think about the earth problem from plastics.

Finally, I will suggest how to fix those problems well. My first suggestion is that we should reuse plastic bags. Usualy, after we buy something, we use plastic bags just one time. However, if all people reuse twice, we can reduce usage by a half. “Some said that many consumers reuse the bags, saving them for household jobs such as lining trash cans or picking up after a dog. They also said lawmakers are misdirecting their efforts” (Plastic bags may be banned in Boston, 2007, para.10.). My second suggestion is that we must reduce plastics. “San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to become the first U.S. city to ban plastic bags from large supermarkets to help promote recycling. Under the legislation, beginning in six months large supermarkets and drugstores will not be allowed to offer plastic bags made from petroleum products. ‘Many [foreign] cities and nations have already implemented very similar legislation,’ said Ross Mirkarimi, the city legislator who championed the new law. ‘It's astounding that San Francisco would be the first U.S. city to follow suit’” (Newsroom blog - get the inside track on plastic bag news, trends & ideas worldwide, 2007, para.2). That article said that San Francisco's Board of Supervisors gave bags to people, and they try to stop that people from using plastic bags. My final suggestion is that people should think about recycling. “The key to San Francisco's recycling success is our ability to find markets for the recyclable products we pick up from residents and businesses. If there were nobody making paper out of recycled fiber, then all that paper we collect would end up in the landfill. So SF Environment and our partners at Norcal Waste Systems work hard to maintain existing relationships, and build new ones” (Now accepting plastic tubs & lid, n.d. para.1.). We have the success example, so it is not impossible. Fixing those problems is very difficult. However we have obligation to fix those problems.

We have a lot of problems; however, we can fix them because we know what we should do. Only we will or we will not. Notmally humans cannot think of other another animals seriously. However, we will fix those problems, and that action can help our next generation. I think no one hopes our kids are unfortunate. Therefore, we must fix plastic problems now, because the time flies fast.

Reference

Bellis, M. (2007). The History of Plastics. About.com. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/plastics.htm

Keep the sea plastic free-bin it. (2006, May 06). Australian Government. Retrieved June
20, 2007 from
http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/publications/waste/bin-it/index.html

Newsroom blog - get the inside track on plastic bag news, trends & ideas worldwide.
(2007, March 28). reusablebags.com. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://reusablebags.typepad.com/

Now accepting plastic tubs & lids. (n.d.). SF Environment. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://www.sfenvironment.com/aboutus/recycling/plastic.htm

Plastic (n.d.) Wikipedia. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic

Plastic bag Reduction Program. (2007, June 21). Zero Waste SA. Retrieved June 20,
2007 from
http://www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au/index.php

Plastic bags have long been a waste problem that harms the environment. (2007).
PLANET ARK. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://www.planetark.com/
campaignspage.cfm/newsid/52/newsDate/7/story.htm

The problem with plastic (2007, May 23) DAVE’S PART. Retrieved June 20,
2007 from
http://www.davidosler.com/2007/05/the_problem_with_plastic.html

Viser, M. (2007, April 26). Plastic bags may be banned in Bostion. Boston.com.
Retrieved June 20, 2007 from
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/04/26/plastic_bags_may_be_banned_in_boston/

EAP2
Shota Watanabe
Summary Response #2
Plastics

Many beautiful sea animals are tormented by garbage, because many people have a mask, which means that on the outside, they said we must worry about the ocean, however in their minds, they do not matter about that. The author of “Part 14: Plague of plastics-forever!”, Frosty Wooldridge, explains that plastic is the worst invention in human history, because 30 years ago, he dove into the ocean at the Caribbean. It was very beautiful. However, after 30 years, he dove again. He was surprised because many plastics had killed many sea animals and the sea environment. He explains much of his experience. After words, he quotes Alan Weisman, the author of “Polymers are forever,” which talks about the terror of plastics. This book discusses the fact that many animals were killed by plastics, the way plastics kill them, plastics with the Second World War, the diapers from plastics, the Hopis problem, and recovering and throwing away plastics. After that, he said that if clerk asks “paper or plastic bags?” you would answer, “I have a cotton bag”. He continues to say, “It is a start. Nature thanks you.”

I strongly agree this author’s opinion that is if we start to fix those problems, “Nature thanks you.” because we should not be despotic toward for the other animals.

First, many animals are affected by small environmental change; on the other hand, if it is a big environmental change, do you know what the animals do? Plastics ware a bad effect on all animals. However, people do no know what we did. We must know our guilt. In “PVC-The Poison Plastic” the author said, “The production of PVC powder involves the transport of dangerous explosive materials such as vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and the creation of toxic waste, notably ethylene dichloride (EDC) tars. Tar wastes in particular contain huge quantities of dioxins that are then incinerated or dumped, spreading dioxins into the wider environment. Previously these tar wastes were burned on ocean incineration vessels until a world wide ban was imposed in 1991 due to their toxic emissions and threat to the marine ecosystem. These wastes are now burned in land incinerators or dumped into deep wells.”(1997, para.7-8 ). This author said plastics are the most dangerous elements. We know that from chemistry. However, the problem of plastic has not stopped yet. Many animals are affected by our egoism, but we must not do that. We must stop the bad effects for every environment.

Second, the dangerous effects of plastics are not just for animals, they affect humans too. Plastic affects human in two ways. First, there effects come to the human indirectly. For example, people eat the fish. If this fish is affected by dioxin, those people’s body saves dioxin. That means dioxin concentration increases in the body. Another way is very directly. In “Trash in our Oceans--You Can Be Part of the Solution,” the author said, “Humans can also be directly affected by marine debris. Swimmers and divers can become entangled in abandoned netting and fishing lines like marine organisms. Beach users can be injured by stepping on broken glass, cans, needles or other litter. Appearance of debris, such as plastic, can also result in economic consequences. Floating debris, either as a floating slick or as dispersed items, is visually unappealing and can result in lost tourism revenues. New Jersey now spends $1,500,000 annually to clean up its beaches, and $40,000 to remove debris from the New York/New Jersey Harbor (YOTO Discussion Papers, 1998)” (2007, para.13). This author said plastic hurts the human body immediately. The ocean is a big part of human amusement. However, people hurt themselves by our plastic garbage. We must clean up an order to protect ourselves.

Third, too much plastic garbage has many bad effects; usually people think just animals eat plastic or plastic makes the dioxin. However it is not enough. In “Are Plastic Grocery Bags Sacking the Environment?” the author said, “But like candy wrappers, chewing gum, cigarette butts, and thousands of other pieces of junk, millions of the plastic bags end up as litter. Once in the environment, it takes months to hundreds of years for plastic bags to break down. As they decompose, tiny toxic bits seep into soils, lakes, rivers, and the oceans, said Cobb” (Roach, 2003, para.8). As this author said, we dump plastic garbage easily; but it is over million pound. The environment needs to spend a lot of time that become harmless, and the ocean absorbs small plastics. We must know this reality and we must fix this problem soon.
In recent years, plastic has made or lives more convenient. However, this revolution had a reverse effect. People exchanged convenient and the environment. As a result, we have made a lot of problems. Those problems are our responsibility. In
addition, we could trouble for many animals. We must recover the environment.

Reference
Wooldridge, F. (2007, May 11). Part 14: Plague of Plastics-forever!. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from Opednews.com.

PVC-The Poison Plastic. (1997).Greenpeace Toxics Archive Site. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/html/content/pvc1.html#life

Trash in our Oceans—You can be Part of the Solution. (2007, March 15). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/

Roach, J. (2003, September 2). Are Plastic Grocery Bags Sacking the Environment? National Geographic. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/0902_030902_plasticbags.html

EAP2 WW
Shota Watanabe

Plastic and Ocean

I think the ocean is not just our tool because the ocean takes care of many different types of animals’ lives. Usually, humans start to think about themselves, after that they think of others, because humans are egocentric, or ethnocentric; however, it is mistake, because we are just one of the animals in the food chain. The author of “Are Plastic Bags Harming the Environment?,” Proditia Sabarini, explains that the ocean has a big problem which is fly-tip, especially plastic. It causes harm to sea animals and the shelves of coral. And people torture sea animals, shelves of coral and other people by the action of throwing garbage away in the ocean. Especially, the shelves of coral get destructive damage such that 20 percent are almost dying, and 50 percent, if we do not start to protect the shelves of coral now, will die. However, recently, many volunteer groups have tried to clean up the ocean, especially on the 22nd of April, which is Earth Day.

I agree with this author’s suggestion and opinion, because I found mach evidence that the ocean was dirtied by people.

First, in the world, a lot of sea animals are endangered by people who litter many plastic garbage items on the ocean. Usually, people throw the plastic bottle anywhere. If we throw the plastic bottle in the rivers, this bottle flows the ocean. Sometime, many sea animals are mistaken that the plastic garbage is foods. Regrettably, plastic is digested slowly, and is difficult to discharge. Therefore, if they eat plastic, they save plastic in their stomachs. Besides, it is not just plastic bottles. Plastic bags can suffocate sea animals. In “Are Plastic Bags Harming the Environment” the author said, “Plastic bags in the ocean can choke and strangle wildlife. Endangered sea turtles eat the bags and often choke on them—probably because the bags look like jellyfish, the main food of many sea turtles” (Ives, 2004, para 6). This article tells the cruel truth. Plastic items become a weapon against sea animals; we should start to think about sea animals’ life soon.

Second, sea animals are bothered by plastic’s characteristic; which are very strong in water. This characteristic is very convenient for us. Plastic must be strong in water because usually, we use a plastic bottle that has some liquid in it. However, this characteristic did the sea animals a disservice, because if plastic were not strong in water, many sea animals would not need to be killed by plastic items. If we saw just that information, I think we would feel we cannot solve this problem. However, we can. In “Amcor to start producing biodegradable bottles,” the author said, “Many analysts believe that biodegradable packaging has a bright future. Growing environmental awareness and consumer power coupled with the inexorable rise in pre-packaged disposable meals means that food manufacturers and packagers are increasingly being targeted to improve their environmental performances” (EIAmin, 2005, para.3). This plastic has the possibility of helping to make a good environment. I hope environment and plastics can coexist then, the sea animals will not be killed by plastic items that people make that will break the relationship.

Finally, the shelf of coral protects us; however, we break the shelf of coral with plastic. My country, Japan is an island. Especially, Okinawa has a lot of the shelf of coral. The shelves of corals were called a living bank by Japanese, because growing the shelf of coral can relieve big waves. However, people have killed a lot of the shelf of coral. One of the reasons is that plastic can stop their breathing. They always help us, but we forget that and there’s no way that we would try to kill them, so we must think about how we can stop the breaking of the shelf of coral and fix it.

In the world, many sea animals are dying, because people throw many plastic items away. This author told what we can do and gave good ideas. I agree with her ideas that we must pick up trash. It is not difficult. Children can do that. If we start to think about sea animals eating plastics, the relationship of the environment and plastics, and the shelf of coral, we can create a good future.

References
Sabarini, P. (2007, May 10). Saving Ocean Reefs the Jakarta Port. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from LexisNexis.
Ives, S. (2004, April 05). Are Plastic Bags Harming the Environment? National Geographic Kids News. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids/2004/04/pasticbags.html
EIAmin, A. (2005, October 31). Amcor to start producing biodegradable bottles. Food USA productiondaily.com. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from http://www.foodproductiondaily-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=63610-amcor-natureworks-pla