Poison Planet

There is a poison that exists in the world, and it is finding its way into our homes, and our bodies. While this poison is derived from a naturally occurring element, its existence in the quantities that it has attained is not natural. It is by the actions of humanity that our waters are poisoned to the extent they are now. An unfortunate by-product of the industrial age, mercury has made its presence known, and many suffer under its influence. Records of mercury poisoning run rampart across the world.

Mercury itself comes in a number of forms. In its pure natural state it is a liquid metal, which is very volatile. This is perfect for items like thermometers, switches and some light bulbs. This can be also found in coal, and is released into the atmosphere when burned. This accounts for over 40 percent of all domestic human-caused emissions within the United States. Mercury is also released into the environment through the burning of hazardous wastes, chlorine production, destruction of products containing mercury, and improper treatment and disposal of material that contains mercury.

Through whatever means mercury uses to find its way into the environment, it eventually settles within our water supply. Once deposited, certain micro-organisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. This becomes the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans.

Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of people of all ages. Research shows that most people's fish consumption does not cause a health concern. However, it has been demonstrated that high levels of methylmercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system, making the child less able to think and learn. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been seen in children exposed to methylmercury in the womb.

Symptoms of methylmercury poisoning:
impairment of the peripheral vision;
disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings, usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth);
lack of coordination of movements;
impairment of speech, hearing, walking;
muscle weakness

Another less common exposure to mercury that can be a concern is breathing mercury vapour. These exposures can occur when elemental mercury or products that contain elemental mercury break and release mercury to the air, particularly in warm or poorly-ventilated indoor spaces.

Symptoms of elemental mercury poisoning:
tremors;
emotional changes (e.g., mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness);
insomnia;
neuromuscular changes (such as weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching);
headaches;
disturbances in sensations;
changes in nerve responses;
performance deficits on tests of cognitive function.

To protect ourselves, and our children, from this poison we must be aware of the actions we take. Reduce your consumption of fish and shellfish, and conduct some research on which has higher mercury content. While important for a well-balanced diet, they should be consumed in moderation. This is especially important for children. For pregnant women, or those still nursing, omit all consumption. Use caution when handling material that contains mercury (like compact fluorescent lights or thermometers), and dispose or recycle material properly.

Though it is virtually impossible to negate the existence of mercury in our lives, and the world around us, we can affect our exposure to it. By realizing what products contain mercury, how to properly dispose of them, and they symptoms caused by over exposure we can better protect ourselves and loved ones, and work for a better lifestyle.

The plague of the seas

There appears to be trouble brewing within our seas. While many aspects of it our naturally occurring, there is apparent evidence to indicate that the results of our actions are moving it to a more noticeable and detrimental state. The effect of the slight increase in worldwide temperature in conjunction with runoff from agricultural farming and sewage has provided excellent spawning grounds for an interesting creature. Cnidaria are becoming more prominent within our waters, more commonly referred to as jellyfish.

There has been a noticeable increase the populations of numerous varieties of jellyfish across the world. This has been due to the growth of jellyfish "blooms". These "blooms" can contain up to hundreds of thousands of these sea creatures. There are a number of factors involved in the jellyfish reproduction rate; primarily nutrient content, temperature and oxygen levels. These creatures are able to survive in areas with a lower oxygen content than what other marine life can, and feed off the plankton that grow in the nutrients from the waste pumped into the ocean by humanity.

The detrimental effects of vast populations of jellyfish are few in number, but very noticeable. The first direct affect to humanity would be contact, stinging by their tentacles on humans in swimming waters is a known occurrence. As many are fairly small, and their body structure makes them appear translucent, they are nearly invisible in the waters they inhabit. Another prominent effect is upon fish. While they not only eat the same food as fish, they feast on the fish as well. This can result in severe or complete decline in fishing stocks.

Proof of their expansion has been noticed around the world. In Hawaii, the Box jellyfish makes an appearance every month, on the darkest nights near the new moon. Thousands of them swim towards shore to reproduce. They effectively clog the waters, making it unpleasant and unsafe to swim. In Japan, their fishing industry has been decimated at times due the presence of the Nomurai, a giant in the world of jellyfish, which can grow up to 2 meters in diameter and 450 lbs. While not much a direct threat to humans, they do affect the fish population, though they do not feed on them. Hundreds of them in one location can poison and kill the fish, and get caught in nets. In 2009, a Japanese trawler was capsized due to the number of Nomurai within their fishing nets.

These are just two known occurrences of the effects of jellyfish on the world around them. There are others in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bering Strait, and the Dead Sea. Check these hot spots for more stories.

While there is not vast research into the world of jellyfish, there is enough known and witnessed to believe the potential detrimental effects they can have in great numbers. There is proof that our actions that affect our oceans have an effect on marine life, in conjunction with nature. If we continue to pollute our waters at the rate we are going, we may completely offset the balance of nature. Worse case scenario, the jellyfish become the dominate species within our waters, and we could lose our viable resources, and the natural beauty of our world that makes in wondrous.