Found Objects in Nature

Found Objects in Nature

Is what we think of as"Natural/Nature" really all that Natural?

I have not one but 2 found objects that I want to bring up.

One is the Albany Bulb.  It is this jutting piece of peninsula that hugs the Bay Trail in Albany, and a delightful place to hike. As you meander down the neck (the narrow part) to the actual roundish bulb at the end, you feel you are almost at an island out in the bay, with delightful view of the Bay Bridge on the one side and the Golden Gate Bridge and the hilly Marin county on the other. Sitting there, you can watch the poetry of the sun set over the silver ocean at dusk. Sometimes, you are granted the company of seagulls, ospreys and a falcon as you drink in the view.

But like the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, the Albany Bulb is also the site of a former man-made landfill (till 1983) from construction sites including the nearby Golden Gate Fields Racetrack. The early history of the Bay Area not only meant deforestation of Oakland trees to construct much of San Francisco but also an attempt to fill the shallow Bay. Remains of construction concrete and rebar litter the ground of the bulb though now overgrown by non-native vegetation like acacias, broom, fennel and palm. It is also become a habitat for small wildlife like snakes, owls, hares and the like. But you can still seen rusted iron rods peering out of giant concrete slabs making for a footing that needs care.

From the 1990s it also became a place for the homeless, who faced periodic eviction by the city as their numbers grew. It has also been an artist mecca of sorts with interesting artwork littered around the bulb, many using the debris found on the bulb.

At the end of the day, the bulb is a manmade creation which has had significant impacts on the natural world around it, like altering bay currents. Yet it is now considered part of the natural setting of the East Bay Parks and Trails. It gives us a moment of pause as we reflect upon the fact that what we now think of as "natural" was in fact not natural at all but a manmade artifact.

The 2nd found object I have noticed for a long time now are the “Vista Points” that one sees along the freeways. There is some irony in that we have to create designated spaces so that we humans can take a break to enjoy nature. Have we altered nature so much that it is now has to be compartmentalized into our lives?




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Comments:

I love that you chose the Albany landfill and elude to its interesting recent local history. It's a place I have a longstanding relationship to and have observed so many changes with how the space is used by humans (and their dogs) over the years. It's the first place I remember seeing a shooting star in the city. So much of the bay's coastline is infill, something that has created disastrous effects to large earthquakes in the area...makes me think about the part of the Cronon piece that talked about the unnaturalness of "natural disasters."

I like how you mentioned that society must "create designated spaces so that we humans can take a break to enjoy nature". I can definitely relate to this. This statement made me realize that in every day actions society has normalized the fact that we must be grateful for being able to access local parks and preserves for enjoying nature and escaping our metropolis when in reality it is us humans that have taken away from nature to begin with.

I found your second object particularly interesting to me! It reminds me of parks/ gardens that exist in cities so that people can get away from the concrete/ constructed world and be in a more "natural" setting. I also thought about nature conservatories and zoos, which are literally here to conserve parts of nature that would otherwise be extinct due to human alteration of the world.

Thanks for sharing, Hari! I too enjoy walking around and enjoying the views at Albany bulb. It's so interesting to consider its history. It almost makes me feel guilty to be enjoying the space at the expense of unhoused people who were evicted. I also love how the bay, lingering debris, and art come together to produce a space that is not strictly natural or unnatural.

Science Fiction or What

The smoky air from the Mendocino County wildfires 100 miles away, hovering above the bay area. 

1pm

12p

11am - is it lightening up?

10:30am - Red mixed with gray clouds

10am: A distinct orange, tending to orange-red

9:30am: Yellow Orange Skies

7am - dark grey skies. light ash fall 

An Explanation

https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/09/09/its-not-the-end-of-the-world-despite-appearances-to-the-contrary-in-berkeley?fbclid=IwAR2dDrT-ziGY8GJt-NYBPEsBQ7kXDNieYNW3o8chEnwF3BixJHbOkPZPNo8

— is caused by smoke from the over 300,000-acre August Complex fires burning in Mendocino and neighboring counties.

The Bay Area is directly downwind from the fires and strong winds are pushing smoke about 5,000 feet up in the air through a process called “turbulent mixing.” Or, as NWS meteorologist Drew Peterson put it: “It’s kind of like if there’s a pile of dust, and someone took a leaf blower to it and flung it all up into the air.”

The sky is orange because longer wavelength light (reds and oranges) are able to push through smoke particulates, whereas shorter wavelengths (blues and purples) are filtered out. And it has gotten progressively darker since (the largely invisible) sunrise. According to the National Weather Service, as the winds weaken, gravity takes over as the primary vertical transport of the smoke. “Suspended smoke will descend closer to the surface and could lead to darker skies and worsening air quality today,” the agency posted on Twitter, adding, “This is beyond the scope of our models so we rely on your reports!”

Berkeleyans have been sharing dramatic photo on social media since they woke up — describing the view as a “nuclear winter” or  the “Twilight Zone.”

The good news — and boy do we need good news on an eerie day like today — is that the air quality is actually pretty good in Berkeley. According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District monitor at the Aquatic Park, it was at the yellow, “moderate” level (79 MP2.5) by the 7 a.m. count.

 

Commodifying Nature

I like waterfalls, so many of our vacations end going to places with waterfalls which basically takes us to national parks. There is a trail in oregon where you can see 11 waterfalls.

And national parks give you easier access by building roads right unto them. Its a pity because they are actually making it less natural by building all the roads like in Yosemite.

I feel we have commodified and compartmentalized nature. nature is catered to tourists who have money to spend and cut off from the marginalized bodies and the poor. I want to touch things and maybe obsess over little things like the water tricking over one specific rock.

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

The Maldives is a stunningly beautiful tropical nation in the Indian Ocean. Most of its 1200 islands are no more than 1m above sea level, yet 80% of its islands will be underwater in 100 years. On Oct 17, 2009, its government held an underwater cabinet meeting to bring world attention to the plight of this nation.

Paradise Lost!

Developed nations like the US and emerging economies like China lead the world in terms of their carbon dioxide emissions, but the impact is felt across the world - even in the tiny and underdeveloped nation of Maldives.

One fifth of the low-lying deltas of Bangladesh frequently experience both river and coastal floods. An increase in atmospheric temperature would increase its precipitation rates and cyclone intensities. The increasing glacier melts of the Himalayas would cause increased river run-offs. A 1m rise in sea level could inundate 18% of its land and 40% of its mangrove forest area would forever vanish along with the 49 species of flora and fauna that it houses.

The phenomena of the melting polar ice sheets would expose darker surfaces, which absorb rather than reflect the sun’s heat, causing further increases in temperature.  The artic Narwhal may soon be a distant memory as its specialized diet and migration paths change. Warmer weather patterns would also increase the spread of vector borne diseases such as malaria. Higher altitudes would become accessible to warm weather insects exposing populations with no previous immunity to such diseases.

The list goes on, with effects on our health, forests, water resources, ecosystems and biodiversity and its impact will last generations more.

A Newsweek article in 1975 claimed the very opposite; that the world was headed towards global cooling from the 1940s, and indeed it was at that time. But the trend reversed from 1979 and we are now rapidly plunging in the other direction.  And the earth does naturally go through periods of cooling and warming, as does the intensity of our solar energy. The difference this time, it seems, is that it is largely man that is madly accelerating these changes.

Irrespective of the trends, there is a very fundamental question we need to address: - Do we not respect the home we live in? Our current knowledge knows of no other biosphere in the universe that can sustain us like Earth can. Planet Earth is our home. Why then are we trying to pull the rug out from under our own feet?

Man as a species, has both shocked and awed the world with his technological advances and knowledge over the ages. Yet, Man has often striven to create and advance such that it benefits his species. In fact he has often tried to promote the interest of his own sub group(s), to the detriment of other humans on earth.

But is Man not the most evolved species, amongst the biodiversity present on this planet? If he had destroyed in the past, he is equally capable of working to sustain and revive from now on. It boils down to awareness that our home planet is a whole entity and is inherently interlinked. It is ignorance to think that depletion of the Amazon rainforests will not impact outside of South America. It is equally naive to think that the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of cities like Las Vegas, will not affect the biodiversity of the Grand Canyon.

Global awareness is setting in, and that’s an important first-step. From the perspective of a nation, economics, profit and convenience often sway decisions detrimental to constructive logic. But this just serves as blinders that constrict our foresight. Such a narrow vision may have unparalleled short-term benefits, but it places too great a burden on the shoulders of future generations. Indeed it is these very nations that have the resources to help stem and reverse the tide.

Shifts in awareness needs to translate into real action. Governments can do much by imposing laws and regulations. The success of conservation efforts depend on sound public policies that back them up. At the national level, it is in efforts such as wetlands and forest management, pollution control and monitoring of oceans, rivers and lakes, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices, and programs that conserve biodiversity.

On average, 8% of the gas-fuel in the US, is the biofuel ethanol, thanks to federal and state regulations and incentives towards clean air standards. Brazil, the second largest producer of ethanol, recognized its potential early on - in the 1970s itself, and invested heavily in this renewable, alternative sugarcane-based biofuel.  The US is currently the largest producer of corn-based ethanol. It is however argued by some environmentalists that sugarcane based ethanol is more efficient and more environment friendly. And there are concerns that large scale ethanol production would lead to lopsided agricultural practices as farmers would prefer to grow government subsidized corn at the expense of other much needed food crops. It may even promote deforestation as the demand for ethanol rises, especially in South America where there are large areas of unfarmed land.

Global cooperation is essential such as the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol in which 37 industrialized countries and the European community gave commitments to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol has in fact created a new tradable commodity – “the carbon market,” which allows countries to trade their unused carbon emissions with others who have exceeded their quotas.

However, unless the need is felt at the individual level, laws will mean little, especially in a democracy, which is for the people and by the people. We have spent decades enjoying the benefits of our progress, which has often been at the expense of earth’s environment somewhere, sometime.  Why we’ve even managed to clutter up earth’s atmosphere with space debris from pieces of inactive satellite hardware. It’s gotten really crowded up there in a matter of decades, from the time Sputnik was launched back in 1957.    

Social responsibility has to become a factor for business as well. Why do we need a dozen different chargers in our homes, one for each device that we have? And when a device no longer works or is outdated, its perfectly working charger has to be discarded as well, clogging our landfills. Surely a standards based common charger would reduce the clutter of wires in our homes and therefore mean less clutter in our environment as well. The European Union has already agreed to a one-size-fits-all cell phone charger by Jan 2010.

Going green does not have to mean dragging bottom-lines. The photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftop of Google Inc. in Mountain View, California, produce 1.6MW of electricity. That’s enough energy to power 1000 California homes. Excess power from such measures, can be funneled back into the grid, reducing the need for electricity generation through traditional methods.  In addition to the obvious cost benefits, it provides the company in the long run; it elevates the perception of that business in the eyes of the consumer. Such positive publicity is priceless for any business.  And as more businesses start going green, the cost of going green will reduce for the individual through economies of scale, making it a reality for all.

Individuals can well make the difference in the operation of businesses. Businesses after all, operate on the premise of supply and demand. If the consumer perception and thus demand shifts towards sustainable products, the supply too will follow suit. Business are not some gray indefinable corporate entities. Businesses are run by individuals. Individuals operate as both the producer and consumer of goods in our society.  If the value-system of the individuals change, so will the output of these same businesses. All it takes is a seeming inconsequential action like the use of native plants in one’s yard, which require far less or no watering than just the traditional perfectly manicured lawns. It could be something as simple as limiting the use of paper or monitoring light usage or the types of bulbs used. Or recycling just so all your garbage does not end up in clogged landfills. A single drop of snow is all it takes to start an avalanche.

So used to comforts are we, that its difficult to make that shift in perception. A toy with simpler packing does not reduce its use or functionality in any way. Is the momentary joy of ripping through layers of complex packaging really worth the space it takes up permanently in our landfills? Packaging materials like plastics are not biodegradable. In addition, they may leech out chemicals, which will find its way into our groundwater and therefore into our drinking water supplies.

All said and done, the runaway commercialization and prosperity of developed nations, is bound to influence other lesser-developed nations. In order to attain the lifestyle example set by the developed nations, they emulate the methods to attain them - ironically this example too, was set by the very same developed nations. The result is rampant exploitation of natural resources even in those countries, especially in the burning of fossil fuels, all in an effort to catch up.  

The human race has over time immersed itself in a pattern of instant gratification and instant results.  The effects of conservation on the other hand may take decades or even generations to have noticeable effects.  It can take upto a hundred years for greenhouse gases like Carbon Dioxide to disperse in the atmosphere. So even if we stopped or reduced our carbon footprint now, it will continue to affect our planet for many many generations.

Is it really that hard for an individual or society to think of such a long-term global view? History shows us otherwise. The founding fathers framed the US Constitution such that it has survived unscathed 200 years later. And we continue to admire and be inspired by its basic principles. Our democracy is a model for people of countless other countries. All it took was a few brilliant minds with a really long-term vision.  Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luthur King Jr, are further examples in more recent history. Their vision was then translated into action by the belief and effort of every citizen to make it the success that it is.

The human mind is highly tuned, intelligent and capable. There is nothing that the human race can’t do, once we set ourselves on that path. In the short term there may be skirmishes and disagreements on what the exact path is. But the momentum has been set in motion and its only going to pick up speed and intensity.

We are not just mere citizens of a single country; we need to be proud citizens of Planet Earth. Man living in harmony with his biosphere can be nothing but a win-win situation for all.  

Earth In Peril

Our earth so wondrous when viewed from space
A glowing vibrant globe of blue and much more
With nourishing waters, forests and landforms manifold
A heritage worth preserving for generations more

Yet man of all species is destroying this earth
Enjoying its fruits with thought only for the present
Subjugate and destroy other species that stand in his way
Not to mention the domination he tries on other human races

Pollution justified in the name called progress
Exploitation of earth’s resources, second nature to man
Realizing not the limit, planet earth can take
Diseases and resulting problems rising by the day

Renew and recycle should be the motto of today
Conservation of resources the need of the day
Natural and organic, innately the better way
Change can be felt through all our own small ways.

Change in individual attitudes can lead to global change.
An avalanche starts with a single drop of snow
Change in our lifestyles to a simpler way of life
Green consciousness starts with the single mind

From one to many the change soon spreads
Society working toward collective consciousness
Harmony with nature, crucial to man’s survival
Lets help our planet Earth, precariously in peril.

Sources

1.BBC News South Asia Edition. 7/28/2004 - “Paradise soon to be lost” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3930765.stm
2.CBS World News, 10/17/2009 “Maldives Cabinet meet on Seafloor”
3.Dept of Energy estimates of CO2 emissions from all sources of fossil fuel burning and consumption. www.ucsusa.org/global_warming
4.Agarwal S, et al – 2003 Devt and Climate Change in Bangladesh. Focus on Coastal Flooding. Environmental Directorate Dev Cooperation Directorate, Working Party on Global and Structural Policies. OCDE
5.Newsweek, 4/ 28/1975. “The Cooling World”
6.Los Angeles Times, 11/7/ 2009 “Brazil raises cane over US ethanol tariff”
7.UNFCC – The Kyoto Protocol www.unfcc.int/Kyoto_protocol/mechanisms
8.European Space Agency – “Evolution of Space Debris” http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ESOC/SEMN2VM5NDF_mg_1.html
9.CNN 6/ 29/2009 - Europe gets universal cell phone charger www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/ptech/06/29/cellphones.universal.charger/index.html
10.Official Google Blog – An official tour of the Google Campus. googleblog.blogspot.com
11.National Geographic – Environment http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment