wakingtimes--2020-01-14--Cops Acquire ‘Nasal Ranger’ Smell Amplifier to Crack Down on Marijuana Users

In case after infuriating case , the Free Thought Project has reported on instances of horrifying rights violations all stemming from a police officer claiming to smell a plant .
We have seen both women and men sodomized and raped — often times in public — as cops search for this smell .
We have seen entire families held hostage , women and children beaten up , rampant sexual assault , and all of it stemming from a plant smell .
Now , police are arming themselves with a “ smell amplifier ” to go after those who ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a state where recreational marijuana is legal .
In December 2018 , the state of Michigan legalized recreational marijuana .
According to the city council in the town of Bessemer , however , the most common complaint from residents in the town is the smell of weed .
Despite it being legal , cops are now arming themselves with new smell technology to go after those who dare partake in a legal plant in the legal state .
The Daily Globe reported that the Michigan town of Bessemer has voted to spend approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smell marijuana plants and train police officers in its use .
Council Member William McDonald added , “ It ’ s time we do something , ” even though he said the cost of the equipment posed some concern for him , the Globe reported .
Michigan law enforcement has been struggling with the ramifications of marijuana use since it was legalized .
In November 2019 , Newsweek reported that state police were still receiving calls about marijuana smoke and odor but lacked the jurisdiction to investigate them unless they suspect that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While it is legal to grow marijuana in Michigan , the state ’ s statute mandates that the plants can not be visible to the naked eye or grown outside of an enclosed , secure area .
This move by the city to acquire a smell device to catch “ stinky ” marijuana users and growers highlights a problem that still plagues the United States — the bureaucracy ’ s addiction to the war on drugs .
A recent article out of Forbes pointed out just how bad this problem has become .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ marijuana , arrests for the beneficial plant continue to increase .
As Forbes reports : According to new data released by the FBI in October , there were 663,367 marijuana arrests in the country in 2018 .
That ’ s one every 48 seconds , and represents an uptick from the 659,700 cannabis busts American police made in 2017 , and from 2016 ’ s total of 653,249 .
The jump comes despite the fact that there are now 11 states where marijuana is legal for adults over 21 .
“ Americans should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country continue to waste tax dollars and limited law enforcement resources on arresting otherwise law-abiding citizens for simple marijuana possession , ” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said .
We agree .
Now , cops are reverting back to smell technology they used when weed was illegal nationwide .
This is a dangerous move in the wrong direction for many reasons .
As TFTP reported in June , an infuriating video was shared with the Free Thought Project showing North Carolina cops violate the rights of multiple innocent people because one of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that didn ’ t stop cops from holding a family and their guests hostage for over an hour to look for it .
Also in June , TFTP reported the case of Erica Reynolds , 37 , who is seeking $ 12.5 million in damages accusing police of sexual assault and battery , wrongful arrest , false imprisonment , gross negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress .
The reason for this sexual assault and battery ?
Cops smelled weed .
Just last September , TFTP reported on another case in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving a restaurant when she was targeted by police who claimed they smelled marijuana .
The officers ’ olfactory intuition was then used as the justification to detain , savagely beat , and kidnap the entirely innocent woman who had caused harm to no one .
The infuriating and disturbing scene was captured on video .
There is at least one state moving in the right direction , however .
As TFTP reported in August , the violence associated with cops claiming to smell weed has gotten so out of hand that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it .
The court ruled that police are not justified in searching a person based solely off of the smell of marijuana .
This ruling is a major boon for freedom and will only serve to improve police and citizen interactions by removing one of the ways police can harass individuals .
Hopefully it will spread to other states like Texas where tyrant cops like Parris smash in people ’ s heads for the smell .
In the land of the free , cops will claim to smell a plant on you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body in the most horrific way .
And some people still have the audacity to call this “ justice.
” Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and now on Minds .

Cops Acquire ‘Nasal Ranger’ Smell Amplifier to Crack Down on Marijuana Users
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
In case after infuriating case, the Free Thought Project has reported on instances of horrifying rights violations all stemming from a police officer claiming to smell a plant. We have seen both women and men sodomized and raped — often times in public — as cops search for this smell. We have seen entire families held hostage, women and children beaten up, rampant sexual assault, and all of it stemming from a plant smell. Now, police are arming themselves with a “smell amplifier” to go after those who’d dare grow or partake in a plant—in a state where recreational marijuana is legal.
In December 2018, the state of Michigan legalized recreational marijuana. According to the city council in the town of Bessemer, however, the most common complaint from residents in the town is the smell of weed. Despite it being legal, cops are now arming themselves with new smell technology to go after those who dare partake in a legal plant in the legal state.
The Daily Globe reported that the Michigan town of Bessemer has voted to spend approximately $3,400 to purchase a device to smell marijuana plants and train police officers in its use.
“The city of Bessemer stinks,” council member Linda Nelson said. “You can smell marijuana everywhere. We’ve got people who can’t sit in their backyard because the smell from their neighbor is so bad.”
Council Member William McDonald added, “It’s time we do something,” even though he said the cost of the equipment posed some concern for him, the Globe reported.
As Newsweek reports:
Michigan law enforcement has been struggling with the ramifications of marijuana use since it was legalized. In November 2019, Newsweek reported that state police were still receiving calls about marijuana smoke and odor but lacked the jurisdiction to investigate them unless they suspect that it was being consumed by underage users. While it is legal to grow marijuana in Michigan, the state’s statute mandates that the plants cannot be visible to the naked eye or grown outside of an enclosed, secure area.
http://youtu.be/mQgWc25NGB4
This move by the city to acquire a smell device to catch “stinky” marijuana users and growers highlights a problem that still plagues the United States — the bureaucracy’s addiction to the war on drugs. A recent article out of Forbes pointed out just how bad this problem has become.
Despite an increasing number of states legalizing marijuana, arrests for the beneficial plant continue to increase. As Forbes reports:
According to new data released by the FBI in October, there were 663,367 marijuana arrests in the country in 2018. That’s one every 48 seconds, and represents an uptick from the 659,700 cannabis busts American police made in 2017, and from 2016’s total of 653,249. The jump comes despite the fact that there are now 11 states where marijuana is legal for adults over 21. “Americans should be outraged that police departments across the country continue to waste tax dollars and limited law enforcement resources on arresting otherwise law-abiding citizens for simple marijuana possession,” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said. We agree.
Now, cops are reverting back to smell technology they used when weed was illegal nationwide. This is a dangerous move in the wrong direction for many reasons.
As TFTP reported in June, an infuriating video was shared with the Free Thought Project showing North Carolina cops violate the rights of multiple innocent people because one of them smelled marijuana. No marijuana was found, but that didn’t stop cops from holding a family and their guests hostage for over an hour to look for it.
Also in June, TFTP reported the case of Erica Reynolds, 37, who is seeking $12.5 million in damages accusing police of sexual assault and battery, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, gross negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The reason for this sexual assault and battery? Cops smelled weed.
Just last September, TFTP reported on another case in which Chanel Bates, 26, was leaving a restaurant when she was targeted by police who claimed they smelled marijuana. The officers’ olfactory intuition was then used as the justification to detain, savagely beat, and kidnap the entirely innocent woman who had caused harm to no one. The infuriating and disturbing scene was captured on video.
There is at least one state moving in the right direction, however. As TFTP reported in August, the violence associated with cops claiming to smell weed has gotten so out of hand that one top court in Maryland is doing something about it. The court ruled that police are not justified in searching a person based solely off of the smell of marijuana.
This ruling is a major boon for freedom and will only serve to improve police and citizen interactions by removing one of the ways police can harass individuals. Hopefully it will spread to other states like Texas where tyrant cops like Parris smash in people’s heads for the smell.
In the land of the free, cops will claim to smell a plant on you and use that claim to violate your body in the most horrific way. And some people still have the audacity to call this “justice.”
About the Author
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.


wakingtimes--2020-01-14--US Drone Strike Reportedly Kills 60 Civilians in Afghanistan

While corporate media in the United States has been fixated on events in Iran , specifically the recent admission from Iran that Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was accidentally shot down by its military , other equally—if not more important—news has largely been ignored or glossed over during the growing tit for tat conflict between the two countries .
• The U.S. state department ’ s Friday statement that the U.S. military will stay in Iraq indefinitely despite being told by Iraq ’ s government to leave .
• Massive anti-Macron Yellow Vests protests continued in France for the sixty-first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a U.S. drone strike reportedly killed around 60 civilians on Wednesday .
According to Tolo New , a drone strike targeting Mullah Nangyalai , a top commander in the Taliban , killed him along with around 60 civilians in the Shindand district of Herat , Afghanistan .
Locals have called the attack that involved four armed drones a mistake , despite officials from Afghanistan ’ s Ministry of Defense reporting that the strike was coordinated between U.S. forces and the Defense Ministry .
The Pentagon ’ s confirmation of the attack was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Stripes in an article titled Airstrike in western Afghanistan kills leader of Taliban splinter group , may have killed civilians .
Unsurprisingly , the article does not confirm civilian deaths .
Instead the article appears to gloss over them quickly , saying the strike “ may have killed several civilians , ” adding later that an investigation was launched to determine if civilians were killed .
U.S. officials sent a statement to the Afghan media that lacked comment on casualties .
The statement also said that fighters belonging to the Taliban splinter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against “ the U.S. and other foreigners.
” According to a local resident , “ a few civilians were killed and injured ” in the first strike , before a second occurred as the dead and injured were being gathered .
One eyewitness , Saleh Mohammad , whose two nephews were wounded in the strike said “ 37 to 38 members of Commander Nangyalai ’ s group were martyred.
” Mohammad Javad , another eyewitness said the plane was reportedly “ dropping bombs everywhere on the people and it was killing them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ War project estimates that 157,000 people have died as a result of the US-led war in Afghanistan since October 2001 .
This includes more than 43,000 Afghan civilians and more than 500 humanitarian aid workers and journalists .

US Drone Strike Reportedly Kills 60 Civilians in Afghanistan
Emma Fiala, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
While corporate media in the United States has been fixated on events in Iran, specifically the recent admission from Iran that Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was accidentally shot down by its military, other equally—if not more important—news has largely been ignored or glossed over during the growing tit for tat conflict between the two countries.
Such important events include:
The U.S. state department’s Friday statement that the U.S. military will stay in Iraq indefinitely despite being told by Iraq’s government to leave.
Massive anti-Macron Yellow Vests protests continued in France for the sixty-first consecutive week.
The disturbing fact that a U.S. drone strike reportedly killed around 60 civilians on Wednesday.
According to Tolo New, a drone strike targeting Mullah Nangyalai, a top commander in the Taliban, killed him along with around 60 civilians in the Shindand district of Herat, Afghanistan.
Locals have called the attack that involved four armed drones a mistake, despite officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense reporting that the strike was coordinated between U.S. forces and the Defense Ministry.
The Pentagon’s confirmation of the attack was published in the U.S. military publication Stars & Stripes in an article titled Airstrike in western Afghanistan kills leader of Taliban splinter group, may have killed civilians. Unsurprisingly, the article does not confirm civilian deaths. Instead the article appears to gloss over them quickly, saying the strike “may have killed several civilians,” adding later that an investigation was launched to determine if civilians were killed.
U.S. officials sent a statement to the Afghan media that lacked comment on casualties.
The statement read, in part:
“U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, at the request of Afghan Security Forces, conducted a coordinated defensive air strike in support of Afghan forces in Shindand, Herat on January 8, 2020.”
The statement also said that fighters belonging to the Taliban splinter group that Nangyalai commanded would continue to fight against “the U.S. and other foreigners.”
According to a local resident, “a few civilians were killed and injured” in the first strike, before a second occurred as the dead and injured were being gathered.
One eyewitness, Saleh Mohammad, whose two nephews were wounded in the strike said “37 to 38 members of Commander Nangyalai’s group were martyred.”
Mohammad Javad, another eyewitness said the plane was reportedly “dropping bombs everywhere on the people and it was killing them.”
Brown University’s Costs of War project estimates that 157,000 people have died as a result of the US-led war in Afghanistan since October 2001. This includes more than 43,000 Afghan civilians and more than 500 humanitarian aid workers and journalists.
By Emma Fiala | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-14--Boy Scout Organization is a Magnet for Tens of Thousands of Pedophiles, Lawsuit Claims

Lawyers for eight plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C. on Monday , demanding justice for victims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by leaders of the Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ) .
The lawsuit states that the organization failed to protect children who were entrusted to their adult scoutmasters and leaders .
The eight plaintiffs are identified as John Does 1 through 8 .
The lawsuit states that the BSA was fully aware that their organization had attracted pedophiles into its leadership and did nothing to stop the abuse .
Further , BSA refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining secret files of leaders known or suspected of committing acts of sexual abuse .
Courthouse News reports that the plaintiff ’ s lawyers are associated with the Washington firm Zuckerman Spaeder and Abused in Scouting , a nationwide legal team that is currently signing up hundreds of clients across the United States who allege they were sexually abused by scoutmasters .
The team of lawyers state that the federal court in D.C. is the appropriate venue for the lawsuit because the Boy Scouts were originally incorporated there in 1910 .
Additionally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , New Jersey , and California change their rules for statutes of limitations allowing lawsuits for claims of sexual abuses that may have occurred decades ago .
The eight plaintiffs live in states—Arkansas , Arizona , Florida , Hawaii , Kentucky , Utah , Virginia , and West Virginia—where the statutes of limitations prevent them from suing the Boy Scouts .
The attorneys hope that choosing Washington D.C. as the venue will allow the alleged victims to seek justice .
Although listed in the lawsuit as John Doe , one victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Associated Press .
Dave Henson , now 39-years old , says he was abused by an assistant scout leader in Lake Dallas , Texas , starting in 1991 when he was only 11-year-old .
Henson says the abuse went on for five years and has left him enduring anxiety , shame , and depression .
“ The abuse occurs once you ’ re isolated from the rest of the group , and you stay in that isolation for years , ” he said .
The Boy Scouts of America continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this latest lawsuit is only one of hundreds more expected to come .
The Boy Scouts told the Associated Press they do not comment on pending litigation and reiterated that they “ believe victims , support them , and will pay for counseling by a provider of their choice and we encourage them to come forward.
” Unfortunately , stories like this are rampant across the world .
From teachers , principals , police officers , politicians , celebrities , and royalty , the world has a problem with pedophiles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will bring some relief to the victims and justice to their abusers .
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist , activist , and author from Houston , Texas .
He is the founder of The Houston Free Thinkers , and The Conscious Resistance Network .
His writing can be found on TheConsciousResistance.com , Truth In Media , the Anti-Media , Activist Post , and Mint Press News , and The Mind Unleashed .
Follow him on Steemit : www.Steemit.com/ @ dbroze **This article ( Boy Scout Organization is a Magnet for Tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was originally published at The Mind Unleashed and is re-posted here with permission .
**

Boy Scout Organization is a Magnet for Tens of Thousands of Pedophiles, Lawsuit Claims
Derrick Broze, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
Lawyers for eight plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C. on Monday, demanding justice for victims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by leaders of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The lawsuit states that the organization failed to protect children who were entrusted to their adult scoutmasters and leaders. The eight plaintiffs are identified as John Does 1 through 8.
The lawsuit states that the BSA was fully aware that their organization had attracted pedophiles into its leadership and did nothing to stop the abuse. Further, BSA refused to acknowledge the abuse was taking place despite maintaining secret files of leaders known or suspected of committing acts of sexual abuse.
Although the BSA submits annual reports to Congress, the lawsuit states that “never once in 103 years of reporting to Congress has BSA disclosed the fact that its programs were, and are, magnets to tens of thousands of pedophiles. Instead, BSA’s Reports to the Nation have miscast the organization as a bastion of moral authority.”
Courthouse News reports that the plaintiff’s lawyers are associated with the Washington firm Zuckerman Spaeder and Abused in Scouting, a nationwide legal team that is currently signing up hundreds of clients across the United States who allege they were sexually abused by scoutmasters. The team of lawyers state that the federal court in D.C. is the appropriate venue for the lawsuit because the Boy Scouts were originally incorporated there in 1910.
Additionally, in 2019 the District of Columbia, New York, New Jersey, and California change their rules for statutes of limitations allowing lawsuits for claims of sexual abuses that may have occurred decades ago. The eight plaintiffs live in states—Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia—where the statutes of limitations prevent them from suing the Boy Scouts. The attorneys hope that choosing Washington D.C. as the venue will allow the alleged victims to seek justice.
“We’re intentionally trying to make this a venue for a national case against the Boy Scouts,” Aitan Goelman, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, told Courthouse News. “We’re doing it conscious of the fact that it’s unusual and we explain why we believe it’s legally sound.”
Although listed in the lawsuit as John Doe, one victim recently chose to speak on the record with the Associated Press. Dave Henson, now 39-years old, says he was abused by an assistant scout leader in Lake Dallas, Texas, starting in 1991 when he was only 11-year-old. Henson says the abuse went on for five years and has left him enduring anxiety, shame, and depression. “The abuse occurs once you’re isolated from the rest of the group, and you stay in that isolation for years,” he said.
The Boy Scouts of America continue to face allegations of sexual abuse of children, and this latest lawsuit is only one of hundreds more expected to come. The Boy Scouts told the Associated Press they do not comment on pending litigation and reiterated that they “believe victims, support them, and will pay for counseling by a provider of their choice and we encourage them to come forward.”
Unfortunately, stories like this are rampant across the world. From teachers, principals, police officers, politicians, celebrities, and royalty, the world has a problem with pedophiles and sexual abusers. Hopefully the changing tide will bring some relief to the victims and justice to their abusers.
About the Author
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist, activist, and author from Houston, Texas. He is the founder of The Houston Free Thinkers, and The Conscious Resistance Network. His writing can be found on TheConsciousResistance.com , Truth In Media, the Anti-Media, Activist Post, and Mint Press News, and The Mind Unleashed. Follow him on Steemit: www.Steemit.com/@dbroze
**This article (Boy Scout Organization is a Magnet for Tens of Thousands of Pedophiles, Lawsuit Claims) was originally published at The Mind Unleashed and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-01-14--Fluoride Exposure May Contribute to Degenerative Eye Diseases

Water fluoridation is a practice that is so deeply ingrained in public health policy that it ’ s widely accepted as a safe , effective strategy against tooth decay .
For decades , however , a mounting body of research continues to reveal its dark side — a long list of toxicity symptoms , including a link to degenerative eye disease — that prompts the question : is that glass of fluoridated water harmful to drink ?
The Link Between Fluoride and Blindness-Causing Eye Conditions A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health presented evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diseases .
[ i ] The team of researchers from Ireland probed fluoride exposure ’ s link to eye conditions through stimulating or inhibiting the biological pathways associated with cataracts , age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ) and glaucoma .
These eye conditions remain the leading causes of eye diseases and blindness worldwide .
AMD is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors and is the leading cause of irreversible vision damage in people over age 50 .
Previous human and animal studies documented that fluoride can accumulate in high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retinal toxicity .
[ ii ] The researchers concluded that fluoride inhibits certain important antioxidant activities as well as enhances oxidative stress .
Their findings also suggest an association between fluoride exposure and other inflammatory diseases , such as pulmonary diseases , neurodegenerative disorders , neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer .
In a related investigation , the team also found that fluoride exposure in pregnancy and early infancy may lead to chronic disease in both the short and long term .
[ iii ] In the U.S. and elsewhere , people most commonly come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fluoridated toothpaste .
Other sources include certain types of tea , pesticide residues in food , tobacco use , food cooked in nonstick Teflon-coated cookware , medications and medical inhalers containing fluoridated gases .
[ iv ] Fluoride has no known essential function in human development , with no evidence of fluoride deficiency identified so far .
[ v ] It has been prevalently used to fight dental caries through topical application and systemic ingestion , despite caries not being a disease of fluoride deficiency .
Amid superficial claims of fluoride ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal documents in the past were quick to point out that fluoride was a fertilizer industry byproduct that was added to municipal water treatment .
A drop in tooth decay incidence in the U.S. until 2010 — which also happened to be mirrored in countries with unfluoridated water — was mostly credited to the fluoridation of the water supply .
[ vi ] Fluoride toxicity , however , has garnered great public attention in part due to one of its telltale signs — dental fluorosis , a defect of tooth enamel caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of life .
[ vii ] Fluorosis is more than just a cosmetic issue , though , as it permanently damages the enamel and clearly demonstrates that a toxicity is occuring in the body .
The scientific literature has also documented fluoride ’ s damaging effects on reproductive health .
A 2014 study showed a link between fluoride exposure and male infertility in mice , with data suggesting that sodium fluoride impairs the ability of the mice ’ s sperm cells to normally fertilize the egg .
[ viii ] The mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries around the world has a long history and has been critically reassessed , leading to efforts at fluoride phaseout globally .
Read more about the fluoride problem in this report by Gary Null and editorial by Andrew W. Saul .
The GMI Research Group ( GMIRG ) is dedicated to investigating the most important health and environmental issues of the day .
Special emphasis will be placed on environmental health .
Our focused and deep research will explore the many ways in which the present condition of the human body directly reflects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
[ i ] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “ The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases : Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health ” Int J Environ Res Public Health .
2019 Mar 8 ; 16 ( 5 ) .
[ ii ] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “ The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases : Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health ” Int J Environ Res Public Health .
2019 Mar 8 ; 16 ( 5 ) .
[ iii ] Declan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Induces Inhibition of Sodium-and Potassium-Activated Adenosine Triphosphatase ( Na+ , K+-ATPase ) Enzyme Activity : Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health ” Int J Environ Res Public Health .
2019 Apr ; 16 ( 8 ) :1427 .
Epub 2019 Apr 21 .
[ iv ] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “ The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases : Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health ” Int J Environ Res Public Health .
2019 Mar 8 ; 16 ( 5 ) .
[ v ] Carlo Agostoni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reference Values for fluoride ” EFSA Journal .
2013 Aug ; 11 ( 8 ) :3332 .
[ viii ] Lu , Z , et al “ In vivo influence of sodium fluoride on sperm chemotaxis in male mice ” Archives of Toxicology .
2014 Feb ; 88 ( 2 ) :533-9 .
Epub 2013 Jul 24 .
“ © [ 01/10/20 ] GreenMedInfo LLC .
This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC .
Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo ?
Sign up for the newsletter here //www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter @ @

Fluoride Exposure May Contribute to Degenerative Eye Diseases
GMI Research Group, Guest
Waking Times
Water fluoridation is a practice that is so deeply ingrained in public health policy that it’s widely accepted as a safe, effective strategy against tooth decay. For decades, however, a mounting body of research continues to reveal its dark side — a long list of toxicity symptoms, including a link to degenerative eye disease — that prompts the question: is that glass of fluoridated water harmful to drink?
The Link Between Fluoride and Blindness-Causing Eye Conditions
A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health presented evidence of fluoride exposure contributing to degenerative eye diseases.[i] The team of researchers from Ireland probed fluoride exposure’s link to eye conditions through stimulating or inhibiting the biological pathways associated with cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma.
These eye conditions remain the leading causes of eye diseases and blindness worldwide. AMD is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors and is the leading cause of irreversible vision damage in people over age 50. Previous human and animal studies documented that fluoride can accumulate in high concentrations in the eye, leading to retinal toxicity.[ii]
The researchers concluded that fluoride inhibits certain important antioxidant activities as well as enhances oxidative stress. Their findings also suggest an association between fluoride exposure and other inflammatory diseases, such as pulmonary diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer.
“Based on the evidence presented in this study, it can be concluded that F [fluoride] exposure may be added to the list of identifiable risk factors associated with [the] pathogenesis of degenerative eye diseases,” the researchers wrote, adding that further studies are needed to examine the links unearthed in the study.
In a related investigation, the team also found that fluoride exposure in pregnancy and early infancy may lead to chronic disease in both the short and long term.[iii]
The Problem Called Fluoridation
In the U.S. and elsewhere, people most commonly come in contact with fluoride through water fluoridation and fluoridated toothpaste. Other sources include certain types of tea, pesticide residues in food, tobacco use, food cooked in nonstick Teflon-coated cookware, medications and medical inhalers containing fluoridated gases.[iv]
Fluoride has no known essential function in human development, with no evidence of fluoride deficiency identified so far.[v] It has been prevalently used to fight dental caries through topical application and systemic ingestion, despite caries not being a disease of fluoride deficiency.
Amid superficial claims of fluoride’s role in preventing tooth decay, internal documents in the past were quick to point out that fluoride was a fertilizer industry byproduct that was added to municipal water treatment. A drop in tooth decay incidence in the U.S. until 2010 — which also happened to be mirrored in countries with unfluoridated water — was mostly credited to the fluoridation of the water supply.[vi]
Fluoride toxicity, however, has garnered great public attention in part due to one of its telltale signs — dental fluorosis, a defect of tooth enamel caused by excess fluoride intake during the first eight years of life.[vii] Fluorosis is more than just a cosmetic issue, though, as it permanently damages the enamel and clearly demonstrates that a toxicity is occuring in the body.
The scientific literature has also documented fluoride’s damaging effects on reproductive health. A 2014 study showed a link between fluoride exposure and male infertility in mice, with data suggesting that sodium fluoride impairs the ability of the mice’s sperm cells to normally fertilize the egg.[viii]
The mass fluoridation campaign in the U.S. and other countries around the world has a long history and has been critically reassessed, leading to efforts at fluoride phaseout globally. Read more about the fluoride problem in this report by Gary Null and editorial by Andrew W. Saul.
About the Author
The GMI Research Group (GMIRG) is dedicated to investigating the most important health and environmental issues of the day. Special emphasis will be placed on environmental health. Our focused and deep research will explore the many ways in which the present condition of the human body directly reflects the true state of the ambient environment.
References
[i] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Mar 8;16(5).
[ii] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Mar 8;16(5).
[iii] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “Fluoride Exposure Induces Inhibition of Sodium-and Potassium-Activated Adenosine Triphosphatase (Na+, K+-ATPase) Enzyme Activity: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Apr; 16(8):1427. Epub 2019 Apr 21.
[iv] Declan Timothy Waugh et al “The Contribution of Fluoride to the Pathogenesis of Eye Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Public Health” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Mar 8;16(5).
[v] Carlo Agostoni et al “Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fluoride” EFSA Journal. 2013 Aug;11(8):3332.
[vi] GreenMedInfo.com, Are You Fluoridated? www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/are-you-fluoridated
[vii] FluorideAlert.org, Fluorosis http://fluoridealert.org/issues/fluorosis/
[viii] Lu, Z, et al “In vivo influence of sodium fluoride on sperm chemotaxis in male mice” Archives of Toxicology. 2014 Feb;88(2):533-9. Epub 2013 Jul 24.
“© [01/10/20] GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here //www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--US Clearing Anti-War Voices Off Social Media in Vast Censorship Operation

Instagram and its parent company Facebook are removing posts that appear to be in support of the late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in order to comply with U.S. sanctions , a company spokesperson recently told CNN .
The Iranian government has responded by calling for legal action against Instagram , going so far as to create a portal for the users to submit posts that have been removed by the social media giant .
Iran ’ s government spokesperson , Ali Rabiei called the move “ undemocratic.
” Unlike Facebook and Twitter , Instagram is not blocked in Iran .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the matter is that as long as users abide by its rules the social media platform will not seek to remove posts .
That being said , independent news outlet the Grayzone reported that Twitter suspended dozens of accounts run by people in Venezuela , Syria , and Iran—including Iran ’ s supreme leader—during the first two weeks of January .
Instagram removed Soleimani ’ s own account last April shortly after the U.S. government designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) a foreign terrorist organization .
Less publicized is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament to designate all U.S. forces as “ terrorists ” following the assassination of Soleimani .
The pressure on social media companies to give effect to U.S. sanctions has also led to the removal of posts by Instagram which were posted by outspoken critics of the IRGC , including human rights advocate Emadeddin Baghi .
Unsurprisingly , the International Federation of Journalists released a statement declaring Instagram ’ s actions as going “ against global standard principles including freedom of speech and media .
However , Instagram and Facebook are not the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be construed as supporting Soleimani .
According to the Grayzone ’ s Ben Norton , a French reader attempted to donate $ 10 to the independent media outlet , writing “ I am making this donation to The Grayzone for the sake of free speech and balanced reporting , particularly in regard to recent events in Iraq and Iran.
” PayPal then froze the payment as it did with many others .
Around the same time , Facebook also censored a Grayzone video which sought to report on Hezbollah , Iran , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN Business , Google did not comment on its policy on this issue when contacted .
However , YouTube—owned by Google—has also allegedly removed all PressTV videos with the exception of PressTV Francais .
PressTV is funded by the Iranian government and has been targeted by both Google and YouTube in the past .
A brief search by the Mind Unleashed at the time of writing was unable to locate an official PressTV YouTube channel , confirming the assertion that it has been removed .
As the Grayzone notes in its reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time been partnering up with shadowy think-tanks , helping to assist the U.S. government in its apparent bid to control the boundaries of free speech and political dissent .
In 2018 , Facebook and Twitter jointly shut down a range of antiwar and anti-corruption pages under the guise of fighting spam accounts .
Donald Trump ’ s recent warning to Iran not to shut down its Internet makes little sense in the context of what has been described above .
According to the U.S. government , Iranians should not be restricted in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usage advances the agenda of the U.S. foreign policy establishment .

US Clearing Anti-War Voices Off Social Media in Vast Censorship Operation
Darius Shahtahmasebi, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
Instagram and its parent company Facebook are removing posts that appear to be in support of the late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in order to comply with U.S. sanctions, a company spokesperson recently told CNN.
“We operate under U.S. sanctions laws, including those related to the U.S. government’s designation of the IRGC and its leadership,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Iranian government has responded by calling for legal action against Instagram, going so far as to create a portal for the users to submit posts that have been removed by the social media giant. Iran’s government spokesperson, Ali Rabiei called the move “undemocratic.”
Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is not blocked in Iran. Despite this, Twitter’s position on the matter is that as long as users abide by its rules the social media platform will not seek to remove posts. That being said, independent news outlet the Grayzone reported that Twitter suspended dozens of accounts run by people in Venezuela, Syria, and Iran—including Iran’s supreme leader—during the first two weeks of January.
Instagram removed Soleimani’s own account last April shortly after the U.S. government designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization. Less publicized is the recent decision by Iran’s parliament to designate all U.S. forces as “terrorists” following the assassination of Soleimani.
The pressure on social media companies to give effect to U.S. sanctions has also led to the removal of posts by Instagram which were posted by outspoken critics of the IRGC, including human rights advocate Emadeddin Baghi. Unsurprisingly, the International Federation of Journalists released a statement declaring Instagram’s actions as going “against global standard principles including freedom of speech and media.
However, Instagram and Facebook are not the only companies cracking down on speech that could be construed as supporting Soleimani. According to the Grayzone’s Ben Norton, a French reader attempted to donate $10 to the independent media outlet, writing “I am making this donation to The Grayzone for the sake of free speech and balanced reporting, particularly in regard to recent events in Iraq and Iran.”
PayPal then froze the payment as it did with many others.
This is Orwellian. PayPal keeps blocking small donations from our readers to @TheGrayzoneNews. Why? They mention the word in "Iran," praising our coverage of US warmongering against Iran One of the donations frozen by @PayPal even mentioned "free speech"!https://t.co/79uxrXLQqf — Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) January 13, 2020
Around the same time, Facebook also censored a Grayzone video which sought to report on Hezbollah, Iran, and U.S. president Donald Trump.
According to CNN Business, Google did not comment on its policy on this issue when contacted. However, YouTube—owned by Google—has also allegedly removed all PressTV videos with the exception of PressTV Francais. PressTV is funded by the Iranian government and has been targeted by both Google and YouTube in the past. A brief search by the Mind Unleashed at the time of writing was unable to locate an official PressTV YouTube channel, confirming the assertion that it has been removed.
As the Grayzone notes in its reports, Silicon Valley Tech companies have for some time been partnering up with shadowy think-tanks, helping to assist the U.S. government in its apparent bid to control the boundaries of free speech and political dissent. In 2018, Facebook and Twitter jointly shut down a range of antiwar and anti-corruption pages under the guise of fighting spam accounts.
Donald Trump’s recent warning to Iran not to shut down its Internet makes little sense in the context of what has been described above. According to the U.S. government, Iranians should not be restricted in their usage of the internet—but only if that usage advances the agenda of the U.S. foreign policy establishment.
By Darius Shahtahmasebi | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--VICTORY! Mandatory Vaccine Bill Fails After Thousands Show Up to Protest in New Jersey

A bill in New Jersey that would ’ ve stripped parents and children of their right to informed consent by allowing them to object to mandatory vaccinations failed on Monday .
Much to the chagrin of the tyrants who claim ownership over the bodies of others , the bill that would have eliminated religious exemptions to mandatory vaccinations failed to pass the New Jersey state legislature .
According to reports , the bill was canceled in the Senate before the vote because lawmakers knew they lacked the passing votes .
The proponents of the bill vowed to reintroduce it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time frame on the public hearing and voting process .
The victory for medical freedom was an emotional and dramatic one as thousands of pro-freedom protesters showed up at the Statehouse to voice their concern over the government removing their right to informed consent .
Naturally , those who want to remove your freedom of choice and sovereignty over your own body and force you to take an injection even if it goes against everything you believe in , were furious .
They even vowed “ war.
” Others , who don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to undergo medical procedures against their will , disagreed .
Sue Collins , co-founder of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice , told NJ.com this was “ a victory for both religious and medical freedoms ” in the state .
The battle over this bill began last year when the United States saw a rise in measles cases across the country .
While New Jersey saw just 19 cases , ground zero was just to the north of them .
More than 70 percent of the 1,282 cases in the nation occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention in Rockland County , NY and New York City .
In 61 of these cases , patients were hospitalized with complications , including pneumonia and encephalitis , the CDC said .
There were zero deaths .
Since the beginning of 2019 , the Free Thought Project has been reporting on the hysteria associated with the measles outbreak and the subsequent loss of liberties and police state crackdown that ’ s ensued .
We ’ ve seen children banned from public spaces , mandatory vaccinations enforced with police action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media like we ’ ve never seen before .
In May , the pro-mandatory vaccine push reached a new level , as the Washington Post published an article calling for the arrest of those who choose not to vaccinate .
In August , we reported on the inevitable result of said hysteria and it came in the form of massive pharmaceutical industry profits and a loss of freedom .
The pharmaceutical giant Merck said consumer demand for its measles vaccine skyrocketed thanks to the “ outbreak ” which helped boost sales in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frank Clyburn even mentioned the coverage in the news specifically .
The failure of this bill in New Jersey is a massive win in a time when there are very few wins for medical freedom .
To reiterate once more , no one here is advocating “ antivaxxer ” information .
TFTP is simply questioning the policy of the government forcing medical procedures on citizens without their consent and advocating for fines and arrests of those who refuse .
If you truly value freedom , you should also stand against forcing someone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not want .
The only other option is tyranny .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world .
Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and @ @ @ @

VICTORY! Mandatory Vaccine Bill Fails After Thousands Show Up to Protest in New Jersey
Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project
Waking Times
A bill in New Jersey that would’ve stripped parents and children of their right to informed consent by allowing them to object to mandatory vaccinations failed on Monday. Much to the chagrin of the tyrants who claim ownership over the bodies of others, the bill that would have eliminated religious exemptions to mandatory vaccinations failed to pass the New Jersey state legislature.
According to reports, the bill was canceled in the Senate before the vote because lawmakers knew they lacked the passing votes. The proponents of the bill vowed to reintroduce it on Tuesday but this gives opponents a new time frame on the public hearing and voting process.
Sources at the Statehouse say Democrats are looking for one final vote to pass the vaccine bill in the Senate. Asked about it passing today, @NJSenatePres told me: “I don’t know yet.” Top sponsor Joseph Vitale said: “We’re still having some meeting. We’re not done yet.” — Brent Johnson (@johnsb01) January 13, 2020
The victory for medical freedom was an emotional and dramatic one as thousands of pro-freedom protesters showed up at the Statehouse to voice their concern over the government removing their right to informed consent. Naturally, those who want to remove your freedom of choice and sovereignty over your own body and force you to take an injection even if it goes against everything you believe in, were furious. They even vowed “war.”
“We’re ready to go to war over this,” Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D), told reporters Monday, according to NJ.com. “We will pass this bill. This is about public health. It’s about protecting people.”
Others, who don’t agree with the government forcing people to undergo medical procedures against their will, disagreed.
Sue Collins, co-founder of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice, told NJ.com this was “a victory for both religious and medical freedoms” in the state.
“There is a lot of work to be done now to formulate legislation that will truly improve public health,” Collins said. “This bill would not have achieved that and would have stripped fundamental rights.”
The battle over this bill began last year when the United States saw a rise in measles cases across the country. While New Jersey saw just 19 cases, ground zero was just to the north of them. More than 70 percent of the 1,282 cases in the nation occurred, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Rockland County, NY and New York City. In 61 of these cases, patients were hospitalized with complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis, the CDC said. There were zero deaths.
Since the beginning of 2019, the Free Thought Project has been reporting on the hysteria associated with the measles outbreak and the subsequent loss of liberties and police state crackdown that’s ensued. We’ve seen children banned from public spaces, mandatory vaccinations enforced with police action, and a pro-vaccine push in the mainstream media like we’ve never seen before. In May, the pro-mandatory vaccine push reached a new level, as the Washington Post published an article calling for the arrest of those who choose not to vaccinate. In August, we reported on the inevitable result of said hysteria and it came in the form of massive pharmaceutical industry profits and a loss of freedom.
The pharmaceutical giant Merck said consumer demand for its measles vaccine skyrocketed thanks to the “outbreak” which helped boost sales in its second quarter. Merck Chief Commercial Officer Frank Clyburn even mentioned the coverage in the news specifically.
“There was some buying to the private sector within the U.S. this quarter based on some of the measles outbreaks that you read in the news,” Clyburn said in a post-earnings conference call with investors. “And we do believe that we’ll continue to see growth for our pediatric vaccines going forward.”
The failure of this bill in New Jersey is a massive win in a time when there are very few wins for medical freedom.
To reiterate once more, no one here is advocating “antivaxxer” information. TFTP is simply questioning the policy of the government forcing medical procedures on citizens without their consent and advocating for fines and arrests of those who refuse. If you truly value freedom, you should also stand against forcing someone to inject something into their body that they do not want. The only other option is tyranny.
About the Author
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--Peru Vows to Plant One Million Trees Around Machu Picchu to Preserve Iconic Incan Citadel

The treasured archaeological region of Machu Picchu , home to the iconic citadel of South America ’ s great Incan civilization , is soon going to receive major protection in the form of one million new trees .
Peru ’ s President Martin Vizcarra pledged last week that the celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site , which spans 86,000 acres ( 35,000 hectares ) in the Andes Mountains , will be the focus of a new reforestation campaign that would see at least one million trees planted in the area .
The aim of the reforesting is to prevent any damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hills from summer forest fires and mudslides resulting from heavy winter rains .
The tree root structures would provide a natural bulwark against soil erosion , forming a powerful defense from mudslides .
According to AFP , Vizcarra presented the project as a pledge to the world , the region , and local communities to protect their common heritage .
The Peruvian head of state said : The grand estate of Machu Picchu , which means “ old mountain ” in the indigenous Quechua language , is comprised of three prime zones for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The citadel , which was built during the reign of Inca emperor Pachacuti ( 1438-1471 ) , lies about 60 miles ( 100 km ) northwest of Cuzco which was the administrative and religious capital of the great Incan empire .
At the time of the Spanish invasion during the 16th century , the Incan empire extended along South America ’ s pacific coast from the Andean highlands of modern Ecuador to Central Chile ’ s Maule River .
It is believed that the vast estate was abandoned following the European invasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911 .
Earlier in May , Peru announced that it would restrict tourism to the site in hopes of preserving it .
Authorities announced that they would restrict entry to three of the main attractions—namely the Temple of the Sun , Temple of the Condor , and Intihuatana Stone—to prevent the degradation of the iconic historic sanctuary and ensure that it remains intact for future generations .
Like Waking Times on Facebook .
Follow Waking Times on Twitter .

Peru Vows to Plant One Million Trees Around Machu Picchu to Preserve Iconic Incan Citadel
Elias Marat, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
The treasured archaeological region of Machu Picchu, home to the iconic citadel of South America’s great Incan civilization, is soon going to receive major protection in the form of one million new trees.
Peru’s President Martin Vizcarra pledged last week that the celebrated UNESCO World Heritage site, which spans 86,000 acres (35,000 hectares) in the Andes Mountains, will be the focus of a new reforestation campaign that would see at least one million trees planted in the area.
The aim of the reforesting is to prevent any damage to the iconic site and its surrounding hills from summer forest fires and mudslides resulting from heavy winter rains. The tree root structures would provide a natural bulwark against soil erosion, forming a powerful defense from mudslides.
According to AFP, Vizcarra presented the project as a pledge to the world, the region, and local communities to protect their common heritage. The Peruvian head of state said:
“We’re here to begin the planting of a million trees in the protected zone around the Machu Picchu sanctuary … [this is] a commitment from the government, the region, the municipality and all the citizens who want to protect this world wonder.”
The grand estate of Machu Picchu, which means “old mountain” in the indigenous Quechua language, is comprised of three prime zones for agriculture, accommodation, and religious ceremonies. The citadel, which was built during the reign of Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438-1471), lies about 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Cuzco which was the administrative and religious capital of the great Incan empire.
At the time of the Spanish invasion during the 16th century, the Incan empire extended along South America’s pacific coast from the Andean highlands of modern Ecuador to Central Chile’s Maule River. It is believed that the vast estate was abandoned following the European invasion after which it languished in relative obscurity until U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham brought it to international attention in 1911.
Earlier in May, Peru announced that it would restrict tourism to the site in hopes of preserving it. Authorities announced that they would restrict entry to three of the main attractions—namely the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor, and Intihuatana Stone—to prevent the degradation of the iconic historic sanctuary and ensure that it remains intact for future generations.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--After Living For 200 Million Years, The Chinese Paddlefish Is Now Extinct

The Chinese paddlefish is one of the oldest fish that swam the Yangtze River in China .
These fish were here when dinosaurs flourished .
They survived that epoch and came to the age of bamboo and pandas .
At the end of it , they finally came across humans .
They have been here for close to 200 million years .
Their long , tapered snout was useful in locating both predators and prey , but overfishing and construction of dams were beyond their abilities to predict and protect themselves .
Science of the Total Environment reported this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese Paddlefish was published .
Qiwei Wei , the leading researcher of the study , mentioned that this was an unforgivable loss that could potentially destroy the ecological balance of the area .
Qiwei Wei hailed from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and had been on a search for the Chinese Paddlefish for years .
Zeb Hogan from the University of Nevada stated how it was a very tragic incident .
Although not directly involved with the study , Hogan mentioned that the loss of such a unique animal should be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals .
He went on to say that while the Chinese Paddlefish was the first large freshwater species to be extinct , others might soon follow .
The crisis is at hand , and if steps aren ’ t taken immediately , things could get dire in the next 15 years .
But he hopes that suitable actions would be taken and balance restored in the ecosystem .
While one of the reasons for the critical stage of the paddlefish was overfishing , scientists believe that the main reason was the construction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the passageway to the upstream where the paddlefish reproduced .
Unfortunately , the mistake was discovered way later into the 1970s .
Although the population continued to dwindle , it couldn ’ t be measured as to how much was left , and which stage did the Chinese paddlefish fall on the IUCN list .
Ivan Jaric tells us that sometimes , there is a significant gap between cause and effect which prevents the appropriate distribution of information , in this case , about the population of the Chinese Paddlefish .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paddlefish was functionally extinct back in 1993 .
From individual sightings to tagging fish , everything was tried out but to no avail .
Most researchers are of the notion that conservation methods should have started from the 1990s when they were reported to be functionally extinct .
In retrospect , the study mentioned the time of extinction to be 2005-2010 .
While the researchers didn ’ t stop looking , it was entirely ascertained that the fish was extinct .
The scientists used nets , electric gear for fishing , sonar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fish were supposed to be found in shoals , but tragedy had struck .
It was at this point that they decided to calculate the population at present mathematically .
This was based on the sample size of the previous population and the sightings at infrequent intervals .
Although Jaric says that there could be a chance that the Chinese paddlefish hasn ’ t turned extinct and is indeed alive , the chances are incredibly negligible .
*This article ( After Living For 200 Million Years , The Chinese Paddlefish Is Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Theory and is re-posted here with permission .
**

After Living For 200 Million Years, The Chinese Paddlefish Is Now Extinct
Mayukh Saha, Truth Theory
Waking Times
The Chinese paddlefish is one of the oldest fish that swam the Yangtze River in China. These fish were here when dinosaurs flourished. They survived that epoch and came to the age of bamboo and pandas. At the end of it, they finally came across humans. They have been here for close to 200 million years.
Their long, tapered snout was useful in locating both predators and prey, but overfishing and construction of dams were beyond their abilities to predict and protect themselves. Science of the Total Environment reported this, wherein a new study dedicated to the Chinese Paddlefish was published.
Qiwei Wei, the leading researcher of the study, mentioned that this was an unforgivable loss that could potentially destroy the ecological balance of the area. Qiwei Wei hailed from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and had been on a search for the Chinese Paddlefish for years.
Zeb Hogan from the University of Nevada stated how it was a very tragic incident. Although not directly involved with the study, Hogan mentioned that the loss of such a unique animal should be an eye-opener for conservationists to protect other freshwater animals. He went on to say that while the Chinese Paddlefish was the first large freshwater species to be extinct, others might soon follow. The crisis is at hand, and if steps aren’t taken immediately, things could get dire in the next 15 years. But he hopes that suitable actions would be taken and balance restored in the ecosystem.
While one of the reasons for the critical stage of the paddlefish was overfishing, scientists believe that the main reason was the construction of the Gezhouba dam. This dam cut off the passageway to the upstream where the paddlefish reproduced. Unfortunately, the mistake was discovered way later into the 1970s.
Although the population continued to dwindle, it couldn’t be measured as to how much was left, and which stage did the Chinese paddlefish fall on the IUCN list. Ivan Jaric tells us that sometimes, there is a significant gap between cause and effect which prevents the appropriate distribution of information, in this case, about the population of the Chinese Paddlefish. Yet, there have been estimates that the paddlefish was functionally extinct back in 1993.
From individual sightings to tagging fish, everything was tried out but to no avail. Most researchers are of the notion that conservation methods should have started from the 1990s when they were reported to be functionally extinct. In retrospect, the study mentioned the time of extinction to be 2005-2010.
While the researchers didn’t stop looking, it was entirely ascertained that the fish was extinct. The scientists used nets, electric gear for fishing, sonar, travelled the length of the Yangtze where the fish were supposed to be found in shoals, but tragedy had struck. It was at this point that they decided to calculate the population at present mathematically. This was based on the sample size of the previous population and the sightings at infrequent intervals.
Although Jaric says that there could be a chance that the Chinese paddlefish hasn’t turned extinct and is indeed alive, the chances are incredibly negligible.
*This article (After Living For 200 Million Years, The Chinese Paddlefish Is Now Extinct) was originally posted at Truth Theory and is re-posted here with permission.**


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--Heavy Rainfall Set to Drench Australia’s Fire-Ravaged Lands This Week

Relief is finally on the way to Australia in the form of heavy rainfall expected this week .
Australia ’ s Bureau of Meteorology ( BOM ) is forecasting “ widespread rainfall , ” according to ABC .
The rain is expected to start sometime on Wednesday and last through the weekend with rainfall totals reaching 30-80 mm ( 1.8-3.15 inches ) in the east .
Sarah Scully , BOM ’ s extreme weather forecaster , said that the monsoon trough in the tropical north is bringing humidity and moisture to the island nation .
While the news is welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough to end the bushfire threat .
Those unfamiliar with Australia may be likewise unfamiliar with the country ’ s size and usual weather patterns .
While bushfires are ravaging certain areas of the island , other areas have been greeted with record-breaking rainfall after a dry 2019 .
On Friday , the island of Dum In Mirrie broke records with 562 mm ( 22 inches ) in just 24 hours and Wagait Beach received 515 mm ( 20.2 inches ) of rain in 24-hour period as well .
Residents of Wagait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ like nothing they ’ d seen in years.
” According to Scully , the rain from the north is expected to collide with a low-pressure trough that will develop over parts of fire-ravaged New South Wales ( NWS ) and will extend down to Victoria as it develops .
Thankfully , the trough is currently expected to move slowly , providing ample opportunity for showers and storms to drench the area .
While the storms won ’ t be enough to completely extinguish the current bushfires , some of them may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires may be prevented .
Even the Rural Fire Service is getting excited .
The excitement sure is warranted .
According to the forecast , it is clear that there will be increase in shows and thunderstorms .
However , Scully says that due to the nature of such storms it is “ difficult to say is the exact location where the heaviest totals are going to be accumulated.
” Due to the increased moisture expected , any lightening associated with the storms is not expected to light new fires .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mind .
The saturated ground can be an additional hazard for those fighting fires and rescuing animals .
In addition to surfaces simply being more slippery than normal , saturated grounds can become unstable and especially hazardous when dealing with large equipment used for firefighting .
And strong winds that often come with thunderstorms may further damage trees and structures damaged by the bushfires .
Flash floods wreaked havoc across California ’ s fire-ravaged areas during the deadly , record-breaking wildfire season of 2018 .
The floodwaters were blackened by ash and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Australia and southern Western Australia will missing out on the forecasted precipitation but all hope is not lost Tropical Cyclone Claudia is currently spinning off the the coast of West Australia and may bring additional rain to the country .

Heavy Rainfall Set to Drench Australia’s Fire-Ravaged Lands This Week
Emma Fiala, The Mind Unleashed
Waking Times
Relief is finally on the way to Australia in the form of heavy rainfall expected this week.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is forecasting “widespread rainfall,” according to ABC. The rain is expected to start sometime on Wednesday and last through the weekend with rainfall totals reaching 30-80 mm (1.8-3.15 inches) in the east.
Sarah Scully, BOM’s extreme weather forecaster, said that the monsoon trough in the tropical north is bringing humidity and moisture to the island nation. While the news is welcome, the rain is not expected to be enough to end the bushfire threat.
Scully explained:
“As well as that, over eastern Australia we’ve had a high-pressure system that’s been sitting in the Tasman Sea. That’s been directing a moist onshore flow over the eastern part of Australia over the last few days.”
Those unfamiliar with Australia may be likewise unfamiliar with the country’s size and usual weather patterns. While bushfires are ravaging certain areas of the island, other areas have been greeted with record-breaking rainfall after a dry 2019.
On Friday, the island of Dum In Mirrie broke records with 562 mm (22 inches) in just 24 hours and Wagait Beach received 515 mm (20.2 inches) of rain in 24-hour period as well. Residents of Wagait Beach and other areas said the deluge was “like nothing they’d seen in years.”
According to Scully, the rain from the north is expected to collide with a low-pressure trough that will develop over parts of fire-ravaged New South Wales (NWS) and will extend down to Victoria as it develops. Thankfully, the trough is currently expected to move slowly, providing ample opportunity for showers and storms to drench the area.
“So with the instability that’s created by this trough, plus the increased humidity, all those ingredients go together to create a really unstable environment with increased showers and thunderstorms,” Scully said.
While the storms won’t be enough to completely extinguish the current bushfires, some of them may be contained following the rainfall and new fires may be prevented.
“The best-case scenario, with the ongoing showers and storms from Wednesday onwards, is that they can really impact and help to extinguish some of the fires,” Scully said. “At least with this heavy rainfall the ground will be more moist and it’ll be harder to ignite.”
Even the Rural Fire Service is getting excited.
If this @BOM_NSW rainfall forecast comes to fruition then this will be all of our Christmas, birthday, engagement, anniversary, wedding and graduation presents rolled into one. Fingers crossed. #NSWRFS #nswfires pic.twitter.com/R9VfD0bqu2 — NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) January 12, 2020
The excitement sure is warranted. According to the forecast, it is clear that there will be increase in shows and thunderstorms. However, Scully says that due to the nature of such storms it is “difficult to say is the exact location where the heaviest totals are going to be accumulated.”
Due to the increased moisture expected, any lightening associated with the storms is not expected to light new fires. There are, however, other risks to keep in mind.
The saturated ground can be an additional hazard for those fighting fires and rescuing animals. In addition to surfaces simply being more slippery than normal, saturated grounds can become unstable and especially hazardous when dealing with large equipment used for firefighting. And strong winds that often come with thunderstorms may further damage trees and structures damaged by the bushfires.
“There’s a risk of flash flooding and landslips with any heavy bursts of rainfall, particularly over the dry and burnt out areas of NSW and eastern Victoria,” Scully said.
Flash floods wreaked havoc across California’s fire-ravaged areas during the deadly, record-breaking wildfire season of 2018. The floodwaters were blackened by ash and carried debris from the fires.
Unfortunately South Australia and southern Western Australia will missing out on the forecasted precipitation but all hope is not lost Tropical Cyclone Claudia is currently spinning off the the coast of West Australia and may bring additional rain to the country.
“It’s still a number of days away, but it does look like some of the moisture from Tropical Cyclone Claudia may be picked up by the passage of a frontal system,” Scully said.
By Emma Fiala | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com


wakingtimes--2020-01-15--You Will Eat Two Recycling Bins of Plastic in Your Lifetime

Tiny bits of plastic about the size of a sesame seed or smaller are everywhere .
News headlines often show intact plastic bags , rings and bottles as the primary threats to the environment — and these are indeed harmful to marine life and more — but the smaller , more insidious plastic bits may be even more harmful .
These microplastics , as they ’ re known , are smaller than 5 millimeters ( mm ) , and found in a number of commonly consumed foods and beverages .
In a study at University of Newcastle , Australia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what this means for humans , revealing a shocking finding that the average person could be eating about 5 grams of plastic per week — about the amount found in one credit card .
Reuters then extrapolated on the findings , revealing what 5 grams of plastic per week adds up to over a lifetime .
Drinking Water Is the Largest Source of Plastic Ingestion The University of Newcastle study analyzed the “ existing but limited ” literature available on the average amount of plastic ingested by humans .
The calculations were based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plastic via foods and beverages , such as drinking water , beer , shellfish and salt .
Per week , the researchers estimated that the average person consumes : As the data show , drinking water is the greatest contributor to plastic ingestion for humans , and plastic particles were found in groundwater , surface water , tap water and bottled water throughout the world .
In the U.S. , 94.4 % of tap water samples contained plastic fibers , as did 82.4 % of tap water samples from India and 72.2 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water is not a solution and , in fact , may contain even more plastic than tap water .
Research published in Environmental Science & Technology even suggested people drinking bottled water exclusively may ingest more microplastics than those drinking tap water .
It ’ s thought the plastic pollution in bottled water originates from the manufacturing process of the bottles and caps .
When researchers at the State University of New York tested 259 bottles of 11 popular bottled water brands — including Aquafina , Nestle Pure Life , Evian , Dasani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on average , 325 pieces of microplastic per liter .
Shellfish represent another notable source of plastic exposure , contributing up to 0.5 grams a week .
Part of the reason for their large contribution is because they ’ re eaten whole , digestive system and all , after living in oceans polluted by plastic .
Inhalation of plastic particles from the air was found to contribute only a negligible amount of humans ’ lifetime plastic burden , although the researchers noted that this could vary largely depending on local conditions and lifestyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that indoor air contains more plastic pollution than outdoor air , due to more limited air circulation and the fact that household dust and synthetic textiles are significant sources of microplastics in indoor air .
Further , while humans are exposed to more microplastics via food and beverages than air at this time , microplastics are known to be airborne and have been found in remote locations you wouldn ’ t expect , including the top of the Pyrénées mountains in southern France and “ in the northernmost and easternmost areas of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shape of the plastics ( small and weathered ) found suggested they had come not from local areas , but had traveled great distances .
Calling the northeast Atlantic section of the Arctic Ocean a “ dead end ” for the plastic debris , researchers hypothesized that the seafloor below would be a catch-all for accumulating plastic debris .
In separate research , it was also revealed that plastic pollution has reached the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica .
You May Eat Two Recycling Bins of Plastic in Your Lifetime It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily and , as mentioned , Reuters used the disturbing statistic that people are likely consuming 5 grams of plastic per week to illustrate just how much plastic you may be ingesting over time .
Five grams of plastic , the news outlet noted , is about the same weight as a plastic bottle cap or enough plastic bits to fill a porcelain soup spoon .
Further , in time this amounts to : • Every month — 21 grams of plastic ; the same weight as five die or enough shredded plastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Every 6 months — 125 grams of plastic , which is enough shredded plastic to fill a cereal bowl nearly to the top • Every year — 250 grams of plastic , which is enough to fill a dinner plate with a heaping portion • Every 10 years — 2.5 kilograms ( 5.5 pounds ) of plastic ; the same weight as a standard life buoy • In a lifetime — Based on an average human life span of 79 years , the average person will consume 20 kilograms ( 44 pounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same weight as two full-sized plastic recycling bins Thava Palanisami of the University of Newcastle , who was involved in the featured study , told Reuters : What Are the Health Risks of Ingesting Plastic ?
The long-term effects of plastic ingestion are unknown , but there ’ s reason to be concerned .
Microplastics for textile fibers , for instance , make up 16 % of the world ’ s plastic production .
It ’ s been suggested that inhaled plastic textile fibers could persist in the lungs , leading to inflammation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as polycyclic hydrocarbons ( PAHs ) , which may be genotoxic ( i.e.
, causing DNA damage that could lead to cancer ) , along with dyes , plasticizers and other additives linked to additional toxic effects , including reproductive toxicity , carcinogenicity and mutagenicity .
As noted by the University of Newcastle report : It ’ s difficult to link human health problems back to microplastics , especially considering the heavy toxic burden most are exposed to daily , but many of the chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dysregulate hormones and gene expression , and cause organ damage .
They have also been linked to obesity , heart disease and cancer .
As Pete Myers , Ph.D. , founder and chief scientist of the nonprofit Environmental Health Sciences and an adjunct professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University , told Consumer Reports , “ There can not be no effect.
” More Nurdles Than Ever What are nurdles ?
As explained by Kim Preshoff in the TED-Ed video above , a key plastic pollutant you may never have heard of is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the raw material for plastic products of all kinds .
Ranging in size from microscopic grains to millimeter-sized pellets , nurdles are now found in lakes , rivers and oceans across the globe .
The small pellets easily escape during production , transport , processing and waste management procedures , such that an estimated 5 billion to 53 billion plastic pellets are lost by British production companies annually .
It takes about 600 nurdles , which resemble plastic lentil beans , to make one disposable water bottle , and these tiny plastic pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fish eggs , making them appealing snacks to marine animals .
This is another way that microplastics are deadly , as consuming microplastics is known to inhibit appetite in marine animals .
Further , nurdles , like other plastics , are efficient at absorbing toxins from waterways and can concentrate them to extreme levels .
They ’ re so ubiquitous that nurdles are said to be “ the second-largest direct source of microplastic pollution to the ocean by weight.
” And , once in the environment , nurdles and other plastics are unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accumulate in the environment for generations to come .
As journalism organization Orb Media and researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia explained : WWF is calling on governments worldwide to support further research into how plastic and microplastics enter living organisms as well as their consequences on health .
They also suggest establishing national targets for plastic reduction , recycling and management , along with an international treaty to stop plastic pollution in the oceans .
“ The current global approach to addressing the plastic crisis is failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure all actors in the plastic system are held accountable for the true cost of plastic pollution to nature and people , ” WWF noted , adding : That being said , don ’ t underestimate the impact one person — you — can have by making simple tweaks to your daily life .
By avoiding the use of single-use plastics like straws , utensils , bags and bottles , and seeking to purchase products that are not made from or packaged in plastic , you can make a dent in the amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

You Will Eat Two Recycling Bins of Plastic in Your Lifetime
Dr. Mercola, Guest
Waking Times
Tiny bits of plastic about the size of a sesame seed or smaller are everywhere. News headlines often show intact plastic bags, rings and bottles as the primary threats to the environment — and these are indeed harmful to marine life and more — but the smaller, more insidious plastic bits may be even more harmful.
These microplastics, as they’re known, are smaller than 5 millimeters (mm), and found in a number of commonly consumed foods and beverages.
In a study at University of Newcastle, Australia, researchers for WWF International, they quantified what this means for humans, revealing a shocking finding that the average person could be eating about 5 grams of plastic per week — about the amount found in one credit card. Reuters then extrapolated on the findings, revealing what 5 grams of plastic per week adds up to over a lifetime.
Drinking Water Is the Largest Source of Plastic Ingestion
The University of Newcastle study analyzed the “existing but limited” literature available on the average amount of plastic ingested by humans. The calculations were based on 33 studies on the consumption of plastic via foods and beverages, such as drinking water, beer, shellfish and salt. Per week, the researchers estimated that the average person consumes:
1,769 plastic particles from drinking water
182 plastic particles from shellfish
10 plastic particles from beer
11 plastic particles from salt
As the data show, drinking water is the greatest contributor to plastic ingestion for humans, and plastic particles were found in groundwater, surface water, tap water and bottled water throughout the world. In the U.S., 94.4% of tap water samples contained plastic fibers, as did 82.4% of tap water samples from India and 72.2% of those from Europe.
Drinking bottled water is not a solution and, in fact, may contain even more plastic than tap water. Research published in Environmental Science & Technology even suggested people drinking bottled water exclusively may ingest more microplastics than those drinking tap water.
It’s thought the plastic pollution in bottled water originates from the manufacturing process of the bottles and caps. When researchers at the State University of New York tested 259 bottles of 11 popular bottled water brands — including Aquafina, Nestle Pure Life, Evian, Dasani and San Pelligerino — they found, on average, 325 pieces of microplastic per liter.
Shellfish represent another notable source of plastic exposure, contributing up to 0.5 grams a week. Part of the reason for their large contribution is because they’re eaten whole, digestive system and all, after living in oceans polluted by plastic.
Inhalation of plastic particles from the air was found to contribute only a negligible amount of humans’ lifetime plastic burden, although the researchers noted that this could vary largely depending on local conditions and lifestyle.
They did note, however, that indoor air contains more plastic pollution than outdoor air, due to more limited air circulation and the fact that household dust and synthetic textiles are significant sources of microplastics in indoor air.
Microplastics Traveling to Remote Regions
Further, while humans are exposed to more microplastics via food and beverages than air at this time, microplastics are known to be airborne and have been found in remote locations you wouldn’t expect, including the top of the Pyrénées mountains in southern France and “in the northernmost and easternmost areas of the Greenland and Barents seas.”
The size and shape of the plastics (small and weathered) found suggested they had come not from local areas, but had traveled great distances. Calling the northeast Atlantic section of the Arctic Ocean a “dead end” for the plastic debris, researchers hypothesized that the seafloor below would be a catch-all for accumulating plastic debris.
In separate research, it was also revealed that plastic pollution has reached the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.
“It was thought that the Southern Ocean was relatively free of microplastic contamination; however, recent studies and citizen science projects in the Southern Ocean have reported microplastics in deep-sea sediments and surface waters,” researchers wrote in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
You May Eat Two Recycling Bins of Plastic in Your Lifetime
It’s likely that you’re consuming plastic daily and, as mentioned, Reuters used the disturbing statistic that people are likely consuming 5 grams of plastic per week to illustrate just how much plastic you may be ingesting over time. Five grams of plastic, the news outlet noted, is about the same weight as a plastic bottle cap or enough plastic bits to fill a porcelain soup spoon. Further, in time this amounts to:
Every month — 21 grams of plastic; the same weight as five die or enough shredded plastic to fill a rice bowl half way
Every 6 months — 125 grams of plastic, which is enough shredded plastic to fill a cereal bowl nearly to the top
Every year — 250 grams of plastic, which is enough to fill a dinner plate with a heaping portion
Every 10 years — 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) of plastic; the same weight as a standard life buoy
In a lifetime — Based on an average human life span of 79 years, the average person will consume 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of plastic, which is the same weight as two full-sized plastic recycling bins
Thava Palanisami of the University of Newcastle, who was involved in the featured study, told Reuters:
“We have been using plastic for decades but we still don’t really understand the impact of micro- and nano-sized plastic particles on our health … All we know is that we are ingesting it and that it has the potential to cause toxicity. That is definitely a cause for concern.”
What Are the Health Risks of Ingesting Plastic?
The long-term effects of plastic ingestion are unknown, but there’s reason to be concerned. Microplastics for textile fibers, for instance, make up 16% of the world’s plastic production. It’s been suggested that inhaled plastic textile fibers could persist in the lungs, leading to inflammation.
Such plastics also contain contaminants, such as polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which may be genotoxic (i.e., causing DNA damage that could lead to cancer), along with dyes, plasticizers and other additives linked to additional toxic effects, including reproductive toxicity, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. As noted by the University of Newcastle report:
“In marine animals, higher concentrations of microplastics in their digestive and respiratory system can lead to early death. Research studies have demonstrated toxicity in vitro to lung cells, the liver, and brain cells. Some types of plastic carry chemicals and additives with potential effects on human health. Identified health risks are due to production process residues, additives, dyes and pigments found in plastic, some of which have been shown to have an influence on sexual function, fertility and increased occurrence of mutations and cancers. Airborne microplastics may also carry pollutants from the surrounding environment. In urban environments, they may carry PAHs — molecules found in coal and tar — and metals.”
It’s difficult to link human health problems back to microplastics, especially considering the heavy toxic burden most are exposed to daily, but many of the chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics are also known to disrupt embryonic development, dysregulate hormones and gene expression, and cause organ damage. They have also been linked to obesity, heart disease and cancer.
As Pete Myers, Ph.D., founder and chief scientist of the nonprofit Environmental Health Sciences and an adjunct professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, told Consumer Reports, “There cannot be no effect.”
More Nurdles Than Ever
What are nurdles? As explained by Kim Preshoff in the TED-Ed video above, a key plastic pollutant you may never have heard of is nurdles — tiny plastic pellets that form the raw material for plastic products of all kinds. Ranging in size from microscopic grains to millimeter-sized pellets, nurdles are now found in lakes, rivers and oceans across the globe.
The small pellets easily escape during production, transport, processing and waste management procedures, such that an estimated 5 billion to 53 billion plastic pellets are lost by British production companies annually.
It takes about 600 nurdles, which resemble plastic lentil beans, to make one disposable water bottle, and these tiny plastic pieces are similar in size and shape to fish eggs, making them appealing snacks to marine animals. This is another way that microplastics are deadly, as consuming microplastics is known to inhibit appetite in marine animals.
Further, nurdles, like other plastics, are efficient at absorbing toxins from waterways and can concentrate them to extreme levels. They’re so ubiquitous that nurdles are said to be “the second-largest direct source of microplastic pollution to the ocean by weight.”
And, once in the environment, nurdles and other plastics are unable to biodegrade, allowing them to persist and accumulate in the environment for generations to come. As journalism organization Orb Media and researchers at the State University of New York at Fredonia explained:
“Being composed largely, if not entirely, of hydrocarbon chains, the lack of double bonds or other functional groups provides an inherent stability to its molecules, and its synthetic nature means that the vast majority of microorganisms haven’t evolved to utilize plastic as a food source. Thus while plastic will break into smaller and smaller particles via photo-oxidative mechanisms, the fundamental molecule structures of the material change very little throughout that process. Plastics become microplastics become nanoplastics, but they are all plastics, just of increasingly smaller size, allowing them to be more easily ingested and perhaps even cross the gastrointestinal tract to be transported throughout a living organism.”
A Call to End Plastic Pollution
WWF is calling on governments worldwide to support further research into how plastic and microplastics enter living organisms as well as their consequences on health. They also suggest establishing national targets for plastic reduction, recycling and management, along with an international treaty to stop plastic pollution in the oceans.
“The current global approach to addressing the plastic crisis is failing. Governments play a key role to ensure all actors in the plastic system are held accountable for the true cost of plastic pollution to nature and people,” WWF noted, adding:
“Systemic solutions using strategic and tactical interventions are required to stop plastic pollution at its source, and bold action from a broad range of stakeholders is needed across the full plastic lifecycle to implement these interventions.”
That being said, don’t underestimate the impact one person — you — can have by making simple tweaks to your daily life. By avoiding the use of single-use plastics like straws, utensils, bags and bottles, and seeking to purchase products that are not made from or packaged in plastic, you can make a dent in the amount of plastic waste and pollution being produced.