Eco Save Club Awareness Campaign at the Seoul Art Center

From May 11th to 16th at the Seoul Art Center, the biggest multi-performance center in Seoul, S.Korea, Eco-Save Club run an awareness campaign on pressing environmental issues. As a part of Art Korea 2015 Exhibition, our club rented a booth and welcomed visitors with any environment concerns. WWF(World Wildlife Fund)-Korea partly sponsored the campaign with 100 comic books donation. The comic books, which explains the environmental issues easy and friendly, were very popular among visitors,within the first two days, they were all gone.
Based on this successful awareness campaign, we will try to reach out to broader audience during the upcoming summer.

Reported by Alberta Yoo

Ocean Pollution: a Cruise Ship Pollute as much as 13 million Cars in One day

The cruise industry markets its ocean voyages as a chance for vacationers to “return to the sea” and forget their troubles onshore.

But keeping 5,000 people afloat, fat, and happy comes with hidden environmental costs.

The 16 major cruise lines plying the waters today generated more than 1 billion gallons of sewage in 2014. Thanks to lax laws, ships can dump that sewage straight into international waters—polluting the pristine ocean near cruise destination hot spots.

This year, the industry is expecting a record 23 million passengers to hit the high seas—meaning the problem isn’t going away anytime soon.

Original story reported by Taylor Hill

Reported by Alberta Yoo

Tips on how to conserve water

Photo source: http://endtimeheadlines.org/2015/04/how-many-people-will-have-to-migrate-out-of-california-when-all-the-water-disappears/

One of the environmental issues we face is shortage of water. Although water occupies 70% of the earth, it is evident that supply of water is decreasing rapidly. Water shortage is a crisis faced by all nations regardless of income, GDP and race. Unless everyone of us take the responsibility to consciously conserve water, the current water shortage will only increase which may eventually make water one of the most expensive commodity in the world. Our efforts to conserve water should start at home. The following are very helpful tips we can all practice at our home to conserve water. 

How to conserve water in your:

Kitchen
Laundry Room
Bathroom
General Indoor

Source: Water Use it Wisely (http://wateruseitwisely.com/)



Posted by Daniel Kim 

An Empty Landscape

     

     About 60% of giant herbivores - plant eaters - including rhinos, elephants, and gorillas are at risk of extinction, says a research. 

     A recent article in a magazine, Science Advances, blamed poaching and habitat loss for the analysis of 74 herbivore species. A previous study of large carnivores showed similar declines. Professor William Ripples from Oregon State University added, "The process of declining animals is causing an empty landscape in the forests, savannah, grasslands, and desert."

According to the research, the decline is happening by a number of factors including habitat loss, hunting for meat or body parts, and competition for food and resources. For example, with rhinoceros horn worth more than gold, diamonds or cocaine on illegal markets, rhinos could be extinct in the wild within 20 years in Africa, says researchers. 

The consequences of large herbivore decline include:

-Loss of habitat: for example, elephants maintain forest clearings by trampling vegetation.

-Effects on food chain

-Seed dispersal: large herbivores eat seeds which are carried over long distances

-Impact on human: billions of people depend rely on wild meat

The biggest losses are in South East Asia, India, and Africa.

How to survive against Yellow Dust and Ultrafine Dust

Cherry blossoms, warm breeze and the migration of songbirds to Seoul are not the only things we encounter during spring seasons.

Along with these signs of spring, Korea has for years, unwillingly have hosted yellow dust from China. However, this year, we have another unwanted intruder in our air - ultrafine dust. These dust are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter which poses a major health threat to our bodies.

According to an Article in Korean Herald, the Seoul Metropolitan Government last year issued 11 alerts ultrafine Times, Triple the Number from the year before. 

The Capital an average concentration of ultrafine Also SAW 25.2 micrograms per cubic meter dust in 2012, Which is more than double the safe level advised by the World Health Organization, according to the Environment Ministry. Please read the full Article for http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150323000889 .

According to the article, about 60% of ultrafine dust are caused by coal combustion. And as of January, Korea has been running coal-fired power stations with a Capacity of 53 Generation Twenty-six thousand two Hundred Seventy-Three megawatts, 40 percent of the Nationwide Supporting electricity usage. It seems the need to convert our energy source to a clean energy is needed more than ever.

While it's difficult for us to control what the government does to reduce coal combustion, there are things we can do to combat the effects of yellow dust:

·       Avoid Outdoor Activities, this Applies especially to the elderly, and people with Young Children Heart disease, Diabetes and Lung diseases or respiratory problems, Such as Asthma.

·       Wear Masks (best to use Designed for Those Yellow dust and Approved by the Korea Food and Drug Administration)

·       Keep Windows and DOORS closed.

·       Remove Contact lenses and glasses Wear your INSTEAD, the dust can scratch your lenses and damage your Eyes.

·       Brush your teeth and wash your Hands, Eyes and face with warm water when returning Indoors.

·       Drink Plenty of water to Keep your Skin Tears flowing well and Prevent Dehydration.

·       Use to Keep AIR AIR Clear filters and a Humidifier to Increase the humidity level Inside your home / Office.

·       Wash fruits and vegetables that have been exposed to May Yellow dust before eating them.

·       Eat vitamin-rich and high-protein Foods to Help your immune stabilise System

·       Avoid spicy Foods, Fish and smelly Excessive drinking.

·       Wear Sleeves Often as long as possible when outside.

·       Remove and wash Clothing as Soon as possible after Coming in from Outdoors.

·       Avoid walking in the rain IF possible.

·       Wash your Hands carefully before handling food.

·       Avoid Burning candles or smoking Indoors

·       Light Showers are Recommended rather than long, Hot baths

·       After the Yellow dust / Sand Storm has cleared, AIR OUT the House and wash any exposed object before using it, Including your Car.

·       Even after the Storm passes, be careful Since the dust has settled and can Easily be Stirred by movement, Wind, etc.

·       Strips to seal up Windows and DOORS

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/02/23/lok-hancocks-south-korea-yellow-dust.cnn


- Posted by Daniel Kim

http://www.rttnews.com/2465008/environment-report-shows-eu-policies-delivering-benefits.aspx

Environment Report Shows EU Policies Delivering Benefits 

 A new report published in 3/3/2015 Tuesday that the policies of Europe regarding environments were very beneficial in making significant improvements.
Europeans enjoy cleaner air and water, send less waste to landfill and recycle more; while environmental policies drive jobs and growth. 

Europe has established their climate and energy EU2020 objectives. This has resulted into a variety of improvements. It includes greenhouse gas emissions falling by 19 percent since 1990 while the EU economy grew by 45 percent. Also, The Report says that between 2000 and 2011, green industries grew by more than 50 percent in the EU, making them one of the few sectors to have consistently flourished despite the crisis. 

 Despite all these improvements, there are some aspects that were not yet covered. These are marine diversities. Europe is not on track to halt biodiversity loss, as habitats for animals and plants continue to disappear. Marine biodiversity, in particular, remains under threat. In the course of 2015 (a year dedicated to Natural Capital), the Commission will complement the findings of the Report with an in-depth report on the "State of Nature".  

 Although there are some aspects to cover, direct policies are showing significant changes to our environment. If other countries also adopts these policies, there can be a big change to our environment.  

 

Reported by Ga Yeon Kathy Moon 

Coral Reefs are in danger

The coral reefs around the world are getting damaged by the warm water around them. 
Most coral reefs can only handle temperature as high as 29 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, recent temperatures of sea water has been going over 29 degrees. If the temperatures goes higher than 29 degrees, the coral release the algae living in their tissue. The name of this process is called "bleaching" because it makes the coral turn white. But more importantly, this increases the chance they will get diseases and die. Corals and the algae that live in them need each other to remain healthy.

Coral reefs have been in danger for many years. Human actions such as polluting, overfishing, and construction damage them too, but climate change is the biggest threat to the corals. Scientists also blame the acidic water for the reason to cause the corals to die. Acidic water is caused by oceans absorbing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which comes from climate changes. The acidic water makes it hard for the corals to get calcium which they need for growing shells.

However, thankfully, it looks like the corals and algae will settle in with the temperature change quickly. 

"It's not all doom and gloom for the corals," marine biologist Andrew Baker says. He adds that they can respond to bleaching in several different ways and "very quickly, within a few years."

Reported by Cindy Kim