The Concept of Sustainable Development and Pollution in Utah - Essay Example

? Pollution in Utah The explosive growth of electronic industry over the last few decades has led to the production of huge volume of electronic wastes, which pose dreadful threats to environmental safety across the globe today. Resources like water, wood, and organic fuels are widely exploited to enhance industrial development and thereby economic benefits. Admittedly, it is high time for the world to realize the adverse impact of compromising environmental concerns for money. In this context, it is relevant to point out some of the current environmental issues in Utah in order to emphasis the significance of the above statement. To begin with, in 2010, a trio of oil spills raised potential challenges to Utah’s environment. As Fahys reported in Salt Lake Tribune, two separate incidents of Chevron pipeline spills in the Salt Lake City less than six months apart led to the release of 1,300 barrels of oil. The first pipeline failure despoiled the Red Butte Creek and officials estimated that nearly 766 barrels spread into the riparian waterway. With the second failure of the pipeline, it is expected that full remediation would take years to complete. To worsen this issue, someone deposited 40 barrels of crude oil into the Strawberry River and reports indicate that the thick crude is spreading to the Duchesne River. Evidently oil spillovers have dreadful consequences on the environment in the long term. As reported in a technical information paper, the major environmental effect of oil spills is that it damages marshlands and fragile marine ecosystems; and, oil spills kill birds, fishes, and marine mammals as this environmental issue damages their habitats. Finally, oil spills also challenge the existence of wildlife habitat and breeding grounds. It is undoubted that crude oil and other fuels are vital for the development of industries and the promotion of manufacturing and construction activities. However, the thing to be noted is that the safety of these pipelines must be ensured primarily using highly advanced technologies. In other words, safety of pipelines should not be compromised in order to benefit from financial gains. As O’Donoghue argues, water pollution issues are also creating serious challenges for Utah. The recent Chevron pipeline spills and crude oil dumping in the river significantly contributed to the water pollution issues in the state of Utah. Evidences suggest that tons of concrete, scrap, litter, and other materials are being deposited in the rivers and these rubbish materials make the water contaminated. Some scientific studies indicate that the high levels of phosphorous in dishwashing detergent support the growth of algae blossoms, which in turn limit the level of oxygen available to fish (SERC). It is also observed that unwanted or unused medications are widely dumped in rivers and other water bodies because it is the easiest and most cost-effective way of waste disposal. It is evident that fresh water sources are being depleted rapidly, and hence people are challenged by the paucity of water. Drinking contaminated water can result in a variety of serious health problems including influenza and other epidemic diseases. In addition, water pollution can seriously affect the agricultural production and lead to the destruction of aquatic ecosystems. As Agarwal point out, water pollution has far reaching consequences such as poisoning, heating, sedimentation, disease transmission, objectionable odors, deoxygenation, and retarded photosynthesis; and also it leads to changes in water quality, which in turn make it unfit for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use (76). Therefore, it is the collective responsibility of the government and the public to ensure the long term sustainability of water resources in Utah. O’Donoghue reports that recently the US Department of Energy has removed nearly3 million tons of radioactive waste materials from the banks of the Colorado River in Utah. This radioactive waste removal process was accelerated because of the concern that accumulation of radioactive wastes in the river would put the water supply for 30 million users at risk. Over the last several years, disposal of large quantities of depleted uranium in rivers and marshlands has become a potential environmental problem. World Nuclear Association clearly warns that radioactive wastes can pose dreadful threats to humans as well as environment if they are not stored properly. Also, careless dumping of radioactive wastes can be a potential security issue to the human community considering that these waste materials can be used for the production of nuclear weapons. As researchers point out, radioactive wastes can remain hazardous for tens of thousands of years and hence it may threaten even future generations (World Nuclear Association). An effective surface and underground infrastructure is necessary to facilitate the proper disposal of radioactive wastes and hence to prevent its dreadful future impacts (Toth 94). Hence, the Utah government has to take some immediate measures to ensure safe disposal of radioactive wastes. Considering the issues related to oil, water, and radioactive wastes in the state of Utah, it is better for the Utah government to promote the concept of sustainable development. The government should take strict legal actions against those who violate the environmental laws of the state. In addition, industries and business organizations should strive to promote environment sustainability as part of their corporate social responsibility. In the view of Ocampo, the concept of a green economy can really contribute to the overall growth of an economy. As the author points out, the United Nations General Assembly and many UN agencies claimed that this concept is still of greater scope despite the global recovery process. As the author argues, “the concept carries the promise of a new economic growth paradigm that is friendly to the earth’s ecosystems and can also contribute to poverty alleviation” (Ocampo). In total, the state of Utah is currently struggling with a number of serious environmental issues such as frequent oils spills, water pollution, and dumping of radioactive wastes. Thoughtless development activities and human greed for money have resulted in these issues. Hence, it is recommendable for the Utah government and business organizations to ensure that environmental safety is no way compromised for monetary benefits. Works Cited Agarwal, S. K. Water Pollution. New Delhi: APH Publishing, 2009. Print. “Effects of oil pollution on the marine environment”. Technical information paper. Web 29 July 2013 Fahys, Judy. “Diesel spill at Willard Bay much worse than previously thought”. The Salt Lake Tribune (March 23, 2013). O’Donoghue, Amy Joi. “Oil, water, radioactive waste among top environmental issues in Utah in 2010”. Desert News. (Dec. 28, 2010). Web 29 July 2013 Ocampo, Jose Antonio. “The Transition to a Green Economy: Benefits, Challenges and Risks from a Sustainable Development Perspective”. United Nations Environment Programme. UN Conference on Trade and Development. Web 29 July 2013 SERC. Web 29 July 2013 Toth, Ferenc L. Geological Disposal of Carbon Dioxide and Radioactive Waste: A Comparative Assessment. US: Springer, 2011. Print. World Nuclear Association. Radioactive Wastes - Myths and Realities. Web 29 July 2013 Read More