Water resources are limited

and must be protected

We have been pondering the notion of "living in a peaceful world" and some junior writers suggested exploring "the environment" as a theme for our coverage. We feel that human beings should not only learn to live together peacefully without conflicts, we must coexist peacefully with animals and plants, too.

Don't we often refer to the environment in our daily conversations when we say things like, "We're having a hot summer" or "gThis weather is really strange"? But, at the time, as we strive for a more comfortable way of life, nature has suffered from our actions. And since it's true that nuclear tests and wars cause the most destruction to nature, surely a strong link exists between peace and the environment.

Ichiro Kaihotsu, a professor at Hiroshima University and a specialist on the global environment, classifies environmental matters into three categories: water, soil, and atmosphere. And each element is linked to the others. For this issue, we focus on water.

Professor Kaihotsu explaining about environmental issues. (photo by Kotaro Tshuchida, 14)

Q The condition of the environment is worsening. Could you explain the causes?

A Environmental matters can be classified into three areas: water, soil, and atmosphere. The countries of the world are tackling the problems of each area by conducting research and carrying out remedies.

We have to reflect on the relationship between the deterioration of the environment and the comfort of our lives: the more comfortable our lives become, the more harm we do to the environment. This doesn'ft mean we should go back to the sort of uncomfortable lifestyle that was lived many centuries ago, but we need to consider the right balance between comfort and the environment.

Q What issues involve water?

A Water is a limited resource that flows throughout the earth. The economic growth of the industrial revolution led to water pollution. We must be aware that this polluted water ultimately comes back to us through plants and animals.

Q How about issues that involve the soil and the atmosphere?

A In regard to the soil, deforestation and a change in the property of the soil are resulting in drier conditions and human development has brought about changes in geographical features. As for the atmosphere, air pollution from exhaust and emissions and the destruction of the ozone layer have led to global warming and climate change.

And these problems compound each other. For example, as deforestation affects the ecosystem and the quality of the soil, it weakens the soil's function of purifying water. So each environmental problem impacts the others.

Q How should we deal with these environmental problems?

A First, we must define what sort of environment we want to live in. Then, in order to preserve the environment, we have to consider how we can coexist with the animals and the plants, not simply stressing the pursuit of a comfortable life for human beings.

(Yutaro Honkawa, 17)

We interviewed Makoto Taniguchi, 48, Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto. Professor Taniguchi is an expert in groundwater and worldwide water pollution.

Water pollution can be roughly classified into two types: industrial pollution and global environmental pollution. A notable example of the consequences of industrial pollution in Japan is Minamata disease, which occurred in a confined area so the cause could be clearly determined. Overseas, some instances of industrial pollution include the explosion of a petrochemical factory in China in 2005, which fouled the Amur River, and an American company disposing of hazardous wastes into the Hudson River.

In terms of global environmental pollution, this includes cases of waste from homes flowing into rivers and chemical fertilizer used in agriculture affecting the groundwater. The effects of this type of pollution take longer to discern because the contamination occurs gradually over a wide area.

In China and India, this problem is complex as water pollution in these countries is the result of a growing population creating an increased amount of waste as well as the greater demand for food driving the wider use of chemical fertilizer in agriculture.

In many parts of the world, the byproducts of human activities, such as factory runoff and agrichemicals, result in environmental pollution.

But damage from this pollution is not limited to human beings, other living things are affected, too. One example is the hormonal impact on the gender of certain fish-in fact, increasing the number of female fish-but in many cases, the causes and effects are more difficult to detect. Professor Taniguchi holds strong concern about this situation, saying, "Delay in determining the causes leads to a delay in developing remedies and this results in widening damage."

Since our water and atmosphere circulate across the earth, by polluting the water we bring harm to people in countries other than our own. We must stop our selfish disposal of waste and think seriously about the whole global environment. (Moeko Takagi, 13)

Learning about rivers by raising salmon

-Dunlap Elementary School

We sent e-mail to Dunlap Elementary School in the US city of Seattle. The students there are learning about the importance of rivers and water preservation by studying the salmon in their area. Fifth-grade students raise salmon every year and then release the young fish in local rivers. As the salmon grow in tanks in the classroom, the children observe the fish and their development. The project was initiated with the aim of attracting the interest of students in the rivers where the salmon live. At the same time the children are tending to the salmon, they are investigating the quality of the water in the rivers to decide where they should release the fish. By studying this water pollution, they also learn about the living things that inhabit the rivers. In 2004, the students even prepared a presentation for the members of their city council, in which they summed up their learning experience and offered suggestions for improving the state of the rivers. And they discussed ways to raise the awareness of local residents by placing appeals in the newspaper and at town meetings. Joyce Murakami, a teacher at the school, told us, "It's a good opportunity for the children to learn how their life affects the environment around them." (Kyoko Niiyama,18)

Students of Dunlap Elementary School checking the quality of river water near their school. (photo from Dunlap Elementary School)

An artificial mud flat to recover nature's ways

We asked Hideki Ueshima, 63, a professor at Hiroshima Institute of Technology, an expert on the restoration of the environment and an authority on the Seto Inland Sea, to be our guide as we visited the Yahata River. When the natural mud flat still existed, it functioned to purify the river of contaminants as living things consumed and dissolved them. However, reclamation work that began in 1987 has weakened this purifying effect due to a decreasing number of clams and the birds that feed on those clams. To counteract these conditions, in 1990, Hiroshima Prefecture developed an artificial, 24-hectare mud flat to maintain a habitat for these living things. Now, the clams and other creatures are gradually returning. However, it may take a long time to restore the environment to its original state. Professor Ueshima commented, "A lot of effort is required to restore and sustain an environment that corresponds to the conditions created by nature." (Kotaro Tsuchida, 14)

Professor Ueshima standing at the artificial mud flat and discussing the recovery of the damaged environment. (photo by Masahiro Mikoshi,14)

Converting waste into fuel

Mr. Yasuda (left) explaining the process involved in producing BDF. (photo by Ryota Matsuda, 13) One cause of water pollution is the waste products from people's homes. We visited an NPO called INE OASA which collects waste oil and, combined with plants sources, converts it into Bio Diesel Fuel (BDF) for farm machinery. Tetsuhiro Yasuda, 69, the president of the group, began producing BDF with the local residents of Oasa in 2000 after learning of a similar project in another prefecture. BDF can also be used to power certain buses. Recycling waste oil which otherwise might find its way into water resources can help prevent water pollution. A fifth grade student student at Oasa Elementary School, Kentaro Shiramasa, 11, who helps plant the rape blossom used in the project, said, "I'm happy to do something good for the environment. And I now try to cut down on waste, too." Mr. Yasuda summed up by saying, "This project has raised people's awareness of the importance of our environment." (Kyoko Niiyama,18) Way to produce BDF

Raising awareness to improve a river's water quality

Participants check the level of pollution at the Ashida River. (photo by Yutaro Honkawa, 17)

We also looked into the effort to improve the water quality of the Ashida River, rated the most polluted of the principal rivers in the Chugoku region. Apparently, 70% of the cause of its contamination is residential waste. On October 28th, we accompanied the research outing of the Ashida River Environmental Management Center (AEMC) which is made up of officials from the city and national governments as well as local residents. From children to adults, there were 31 people in our party and we checked the levels of impurities at 17 locations along the Ashida River and its tributaries. Although some locations registered good results, others didn't fare as well. Hiroyuki Tanaka, 48, the chairman of the AEMC, told us, "Awareness of the pollution of this river has finally been raised among the local residents, but we still need to take stronger action." This month they plan to call on 170 families in the most polluted areas to monitor their waste more strictly and then follow up later by investigating the results. (Daishi Kobayashi, 15)