Conservation of Natural Resources Environmental News Are We Recycling Enough? The recent article in the Desert Sun told us that six of our nine cities are below standards of California recycling levels. Those cities that are below standards just missed the cut of 50 percent. Are valley is doing great in the advancement of technology in recycling, but because of new developments recycling levels are down. California recycled 42 percent of its total trash in the year 2000 also just falling short of a projected 50 percent total. Compared to the rest of the country, at 33 percent, California is a leading example of recycling. What about all the trash that isn't being recycled, the other 58 percent? Most of the LA Districts trash comes to the Eagle Mountain Landfill that is dangerously close to our valley. What impact does this Landfill have on our surrounding environment? With all the recent controversy about the desert fringed lizard and bighorn sheep it would only seem logical to make a huge ordeal about this Landfill being so close to their habitat.
Landfill
Landfill
Landfill Towers 2In class we talked about the range of tolerance and zones of stress for animals and plants. This Landfill can be a contributing factor that pushes a species out of the optimal level of performance, which then sets off a synergistic effect caused by adaptation of new ecological niche and habitat. If a surrounding species cannot adapt to new conditions of food and living it will eventually die off, in which, will also set off a chain reaction in the food webs.
In my opinion I believe we need expert scientists to examine our environment and the effects the Eagle Mountain Landfill has on it. The many different species found in the desert aren't found any were else in the world.