Questões de Vestibular Para copeps

The Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill on the U.S.

www.freewebs.com/mathewstolte/oilspills.html. 21/06/2010

      Although the oil has been pouring into the Gulf of Mexico for months, the consequences of this larger than ever environmental disaster have yet to be fully examined and determined. Scientists and researchers have started to put together some of the puzzle pieces, and the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are likely to be big.

      North Americans will have fewer choices on the store shelves. The Gulf of Mexico is a huge shipping lane through which products of all shapes and sizes come into North America. From toys to clothes to cars to building materials, you may find that the selection at your local store begins to shrink as shipping lanes slow down as a result of the oil spill.

      Whether you’re taking a vacation or hoping to walk along the shore, you may be disappointed. Many beaches in the U.S.A. are now closing as clean-up efforts on removing oil slick from the sands. But the impact may be felt for quite some time as oil continues to wash up on shore.

      Many wildlife animals will be impacted by the oil spill. Oiled birds, otter, bald eagles, pelicans, turtles, fish, and dolphins are already washing up on shore, making the beach sights less than palatable for someone looking to see some pristine nature.

      Over time, molluscs like clams incorporate calcium into their shells throughout their lifetimes. But the heavy metals like nickel and vanadium from the petroleum industry and the resulting oil spill may be incorporated into the shells of these creatures. As other wildlife consumes these clams, they incorporate the toxins into their bodies, and on it goes as the heavy metals bio-accumulate in the food chain. This could have serious, long-term consequences for human health. 

      Environmentalists have been working on restoring the populations of oysters by reseeding certain reefs to boost their numbers. The Gulf of Mexico has been home-working on some of these projects, but with the massive oil spilling into that environment, the oysters could soon become tainted with chemicals, making them unsafe to eat.

      The Gulf of Mexico is also a nursery for species like shrimp that grow up in the estuaries. The oil that is taking over this natural environment will choke out the plants that make the estuaries so nutritious to shrimp. 

      According to the National Weather Service, a hurricane like Hurricane Katrina could have a devastating impact on New Orleans. Researchers expect 15 named storms to develop into 8 hurricanes, and with a well-placed hurricane, the oil could be pushed onto New Orleans shores, further impacting the already devastated region.

Adapted from http://www.thenewecologist.com (21/06/2010)

Irã anuncia a construção de mais reatores nucleares

       Mesmo sob sanções impostas pelo Conselho de Segurança da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), o Irã anunciou nesta quarta-feira (16) que irá construir mais uma série de reatores nucleares (...). Segundo as fontes iranianas os “poderosos reatores” serão utilizados em usinas destinadas à produção de medicamentos.

      O anúncio foi feito uma semana depois de o Conselho de Segurança da ONU impor uma série de sanções ao Irã. No entanto, o diretor-geral da organização de energia nuclear iraniana afirmou que o país “dispõe de mais de 50 anos de experiência em ciência e tecnologia nuclear” que deve ser aproveitada.

Fonte: Agência Brasil, 16/6/2010 – Texto adaptado 

Países desenvolvidos do G20 cortarão pela metade déficits até 2013.

      “Os países desenvolvidos do G20 se comprometeram, a cortar em pelo menos 50% seus déficits públicos até 2013, segundo a declaração final da cúpula deste grupo que reúne potências industrializadas e emergentes, celebrada em Toronto (Canadá).

      Líderes dos países do G20 alertaram que “falhar em implantar a consolidação onde for necessário minaria a confiança e obstruiria o crescimento”. “Refletindo este equilíbrio, as economias avançadas se comprometeram com planos orçamentários que diminuirão os déficits e estabilizarão ou reduzirão a dívida pública com base no PIB até 2016”, diz o texto do documento(...)”.

UOL Notícias – Folha de São Paulo – 27/06/2010

AUMENTA A COLETA SELETIVA

A entidade que reúne as empresas de limpeza pública do país divulgou na semana passada um relatório segundo o qual a maioria dos municípios brasileiros (55,9%) já conta com coleta seletiva de lixo(...).

Revista Época, Edição nº 625, de 7/5/2010.