Sustainability - Issue 8 - NLCS Jeju

SUSTAINABILITY VOL. 08 | FEBRUARY 2021 NLCS JEJU ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SOCIETY

CONTENTS 02 FEBRUARY ENVIRONMENT CALENDAR #ONTHENEWS 03 DEEP FREEZE IN TEXAS: MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER 06 SOUTH KOREA TAKES ONE STEP CLOSER TO HYDROGEN ECONOMY 07 SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW 08 ARTISTS BEING INFLUENTIAL THROUGH “JUNK ART” 09 PLASTICS: THE GLOBAL CONUNDRUM 11 CONTAMINATED ISLAND: HOW TO PROTECT IT #INTERVIEW 13 INTERVIEW BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

16 A LOOK AT NATURE

REISE | PAGE 2

15 TAKE ACTION!

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FEBRUARY ENVIRONMENT CALENDAR

February 2 World Wetlands Day : a day celebrated to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971.

February 15 World Hippo Day : a special day to celebrate the world's third-largest mammal February 27 International Polar Bear Day : a day to raise awareness about the conservation status of the polar bear

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DEEP FREEZE IN TEXAS: MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER BONNIE HYUN On the 20th of February, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Texas. The extreme chill, which has brought snowstorms and dropped the temperature down to -18°C, has thrown Texas into chaos. Power outages have left millions of people shivering in the dark, exacerbated by a combination of high demand, weather-disrupted power plants and a grid that is shut off from the rest of the country.

The new chill of Texans was caused by intense heating in the stratosphere, 8~50km above the Arctic, the second-lowest section of the atmosphere. It allows the polar vortex, a ring of cold air that encircles the poles, weakening the forces that keep cold air corralled at high latitudes, known as “sudden stratospheric warming.”

This increases the flow of cold air southward and warm air northward, causing low temperatures to sweep into warm regions like the southern United States.

Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant in Austin has stopped for the first time in 20 years amid a series of massive power outages due to the Texas freeze. Large global companies including HP and 3M that have factories in Texas, have also experienced disruptions in the supply of electricity. Austin City ordered companies such as Samsung Electronics, NXP and Infineon to shut down their factories as the power shortage became serious. The Austin plant is Samsung's only semiconductor plant in the U.S. that was established in 1998.

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Samsung Electronics said, "There will be no damage caused by the shutdown because the operation was not suspended due to a sudden power outage, but because Austin City had time to announce and prepare in advance." However, it is expected that production losses due to suspension of operations and restoration costs for restarting lines will reach tens of billions of dollars.

Fig. 1. People wait in long lines in front of a grocery store in Austin

Fig. 2. A woman collecting bottled water from a shelter in the city of Galveston, Texas

Fig. 3. A sign states that a mart is closed due to a power outage in Austin, Texas

The State Electrical Trust Commission of Texas (ERCOT) further reported that 45,000 MW of electricity was cut off due to the shutdown of power plants. Especially Texas, which is increasing the use of renewable energy technologies and relies 33% on wind power, showed the vulnerability of the reliance on green technology. The Wall Street Journal said on the 15th, "The greater the dependence on wind and solar power, the less reliable the power grid is. This is because renewable energy cannot reliably supply electricity 24 hours a week." It added, "Liberals say that renewable energy prices are comparable to fossil fuels, but that's when they get subsidies. There is no free lunch, as the Texas Energy Emergency has shown."

On the 17th of February, 3.8 million households in Texas had lost power according to local media. As of October last year, the total energy consumption by Texas was 52% natural gas, 23% renewable energy, 17% coal, and 8% nuclear power, hydroelectric and petroleum power. It has the largest natural gas ratio since Texas is where shale gas is produced and has nearly tripled wind power generation in the past decade. Unfortunately, the cold weather caused gas power to stop running as the gas pipes froze, and wind turbines froze to produce no electricity leading to the large blackout in Texas.

At least, nuclear power plants are serving as a power supply, preventing complete power outages across Texas. Of the four nuclear power plants in Texas, STP's first nuclear power plant has been cut off due to frozen water pumps, while the other three nuclear power plants remained in power 100%. During the cold wave that hit the northwest of the U.S. in November 2019, wind power, gas, oil, and coal power plants, as well as wind power, were shut down, but nuclear power plants were 100% operational.

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In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, a large oil refinery stopped and a chemical plant exploded, the nuclear power plant also operated normally. At the time, the U.S. Atomic Energy Association said, "The nuclear power plant proved to be a very safe energy source after suffering from the super-strong hurricane."

Bibliography Texas weather: President Biden declares major disaster. (2021). BBC News. [online] 20 Feb. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada56129833 [Accessed 24 Feb. 2021].

News, A.B.C. (n.d.). Bitter Texas freeze hits most vulnerable hardest. [online] ABC News.

Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/US/bittertexas-freeze-hits-vulnerable-hardest/story? id=75982290 [Accessed 24 Feb. 2021].

환경일보. (2021). 미국, 기록적인 한파와 폭설.

Fig. 4. Texas residents having dinner with candles lit

[online] Available at: https://www.hkbs.co.kr/news/articleView.html ?idxno=617424 [Accessed 24 Feb. 2021].

Experts have stressed that nuclear power plants are needed to overcome the limitations of renewable energy, which has jagged power generation depending on the weather, and gas power generation, which has problems with freezing gas pipes or soaring prices in freezing cold weather. Professor Chung Yong-hoon of KAIST said, "The power outage in Texas has taught the Korean government a lesson in pushing for nuclear power plants. If we focus only on renewable energy and LNG power generation, there is a risk of a massive power outage in the cold or hot weather."

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SOUTH KOREA TAKES ONE STEP CLOSER TO HYDROGEN ECONOMY JANICE YOO

On February 5th 2021, the “hydrogen law” first came into effect in South Korea. It is the first in the world to legislate the hydrogen law. In 2019, the South Korean government announced its hydrogen economy roadmap, and after two years of developing the legislation, the “hydrogen law” is finally being imposed. Then, what is hydrogen economy that South Korea and many other states are aiming to achieve, and what role will it play in the environment?

First of all, the term “hydrogen economy” is an economy that relies on hydrogen as a commercial energy source in order to reduce carbon emissions.

For example, if a state strives to obtain a hydrogen economy, legislation or the government may encourage citizens to replace gasoline with hydrogen and recommend using low-carbon energy sources. A number of professionals and environmentalists long argued that hydrogen can enable an energy revolution by providing much more flexibility in renewable energy systems. This is the reason why a majority of developed states such as the United States, China, and Europe are also seeking to build a hydrogen economy.

In developing an ecosystem for a hydrogen economy, South Korea focused on increasing the production and consumption of hydrogen vehicles and also developing renewable technologies which can make efficient use of hydrogen. As a result of the government’s effort, hydrogen-related industries in South Korea have grown immensely for the last two years. Compared to 2018 when there were only 893 hydrogen-fueled vehicles in South Korea, the number of vehicles skyrocketed to 10,900 in 2020. Not to mention, the number of hydrogen filling stations increased from 14 to 70 along with a double in fuel cell power generation.

Furthermore, utilizing its well-developed automobile industry, South Korean automakers accounted for 73.8% of the global hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle market in 2020 according to SNE Research. Global companies such as Hyundai Motor group, Hanwha group, SK group all contributed significantly to the world’s hydrogen-electric vehicle market. In addition, these companies are working on research and development (R&D) to produce hydrogen-powered vessels.

However, few obstacles still exist. Although hydrogen may seem as an unlimited energy source, extracting hydrogen costs a lot both economically and environmentally. Since hydrogen is not found in its pure form, it is extracted from other compounds such as natural gas, biomass, alcohols, or water.

Therefore, the high cost to extract hydrogen is a burden to the majority of companies as they cannot afford renewable energy.

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Also, hydrogen technology is not yet prevalent globally, so firms who spend a lot of money to invent hydrogen vehicles earn relatively small profit than what they have invested. Therefore, the only solution is other companies and states around the world to cooperatively work with the common interest of reducing carbon emissions and saving the environment for future generations.

The hydrogen economy will ensure the sustainability of energy sources and will also contribute hugely to alleviating concerns about environmental pollution and climate change.

Global cooperation and more R&D regarding hydrogen technology are necessary and should be encouraged worldwide.

Bibliography

SOCIAL MEDIA Saving Jeju Ocean Instagram @savejejubada This organization called ‘Save Jeju Bada’ is a nonprofit environmental volunteer organization.

They mainly do three activities: beach cleaning, ocean pollution education lecture, and campaigning using Tumbler instead of plastic cups. This organization works for the Jeju environment as Jeju is one of the eco-friendly islands in Korea. As lots of tourists are coming to Jeju, many tourism sites such as beaches are getting polluted, which should be overcame.

Follow @savejejubada and find out their how they are trying to save Jeju Island! This is their official website: https://linktr.ee/savejejubada.

world.kbs.co.kr. (n.d.). World’s First Hydrogen Law Comes into Effect in Korea. [online] Available at: http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.ht m?lang=e&board_seq=398317 [Accessed 21 Feb. 2021].

Clark, D. (2018). What’s the “hydrogen economy”? [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/201 2/oct/11/hydrogen-economy-climate-change.

BRINK – News and Insights on Global Risk. (n.d.).

Can the EU Successfully Build a Hydrogen Economy? [online] Available at: https://www.brinknews.com/can-the-eusuccessfully-build-a-hydrogen-economy/ [Accessed 21 Feb. 2021].

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ARTISTS BEING INFLUENTIAL THROUGH “JUNK ART” ALISON SONG During the 20th century, modern artists stood against the traditional materials artists used in fine art, such as stone, metal, and clay to make sculptures, or brushes, paints, or arty materials to paint on the canvas. However, these traditional materials were so cliche for the artists, therefore, they thought that “art” can be made out of anything random, widening the range of objects and materials used for artwork. Some artists created their artworks with cloth rags, scrap metal, broken-up machinery, timber, waste paper, etc.

This artwork was all created with the materials that humans dumped in the garbage, which are referred to as “junks.”

These actions were actually done to eliminate the idea of waste. Artists considered waste to be a resource for artwork and think that everything people throw away every day can have a second life. The beginnings of the use of waste in art were from “Ready-made” & Dada, which emerged in France in the early 20th century. A few years later, Pablo Picasso used manufactured objects in his work, such as a bicycle seat and handlebars, to create the sculpture. These “junk art” continuously followed the trend. Thus, the use of waste in art reflected the evolution of society and art. Artists began to find their inspiration from more trivial sources such as waste and discarded objects, free from the obligation to represent noble subjects: portrait, religion, mythology, and landscape.

Figure 1 is an example from the sixties, when the expansion of the society of consumption inspired the famous American artist called Arman. He accumulated trash in airtight glass boxes and named this artwork [Accumulations].

By including discarded items in his work, the artist highlights a society in which everything is disposable after a single-use.

Fig. 1. Accumulations These prosocial actions shown by art are very unique and are continuing until now. “We” nowadays may not notice that we are harming the environment in daily life; collecting some junks and creating artwork for ourselves would be a good way to express both creativity and care for the environment.

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PLASTICS: THE GLOBAL CONUNDRUM ANNIE JIAHUI WANG

Current situation of plastic waste worldwide In the modern era, plastic waste is reckoned as one of the most dramatic factors that are affecting the environment. Plastics and plastic waste are produced massively worldwide every year. For instance, s statistics published recently demonstrated that 583.3 billion polyethylene terephthalate bottles (widely used plastic, primarily for bottles and packaging of foods) are produced by 2021. Back in 2004, 300 billion polyethylene terephthalate bottles were produced. The gap between the years is still being increasing. The scale of the waste problem is almost too tremendous to comprehend.

Related reports indicate that people in more economically developed countries (MEDCs) generate more waste than people in less economically developed countries (LEDCs).

A huge number of people believes and assumes that China is the top country that generates the most plastic waste due to its massive population.

Surprisingly, while China is the prominent producer of plastics in the global market, Chinese people use relatively small amount of plastic of 15kg per person on average. Instead, the U.S. and the U.K. have been ranked as the top two countries that generate the most plastic waste, as can be seen in figure 1. Researches illustrate that Americans and British generate plastics of 105kg and 99kg on average per annum, respectively.

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Plastics that have not been recycled end up in landfills where it may take more than 500 years to decompose. This accumulation can be fatal to nature. As the plastics are buried deep in landfills, it can leach detrimental chemicals that penetrate soil and spread into groundwater. As a result, the health of wildlife and humans will be significantly infected, causing diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Fig. 1. Plastic waste produced per person, per nation Solutions: how do we solve this global issue?

Scientists and scholars state that plastic waste are inevitable since the plastic manufacturing process is a bargain and saves companies costs of transportation. Despite the majority of the public thinking that recycling plastics is a potential solution to environmental harm plastic brings, the amount of plastics being recycled is insufficient. Studies reveal that only 9% of the wasted plastics has been recycled. An immense amount, 79% of the plastic trash is accumulated in landfills or littered in the natural environment, threatening the lives of millions of animals. Yet, the issue people need to pay more attention to is the sheer volume of plastic being produced. Moreover, it is vital to focus more on degradable and ecologicallyfriendly materials that can replace plastics, such as liquid wood, algae insulation and polymer substitutes made from fermented plants, for a sustainable future.

Further consequences of excessive plastic use Plastics decompose into minuscule fragments that will never biodegrade completely. Reports hypothesize that 111 million metric tons of plastics will end up in landfills and oceans by 2030. This has severe impacts on the environment and the ecosystems.

Additionally, plastics have made the current extinction rate of species to reach its maximum.

There are currently 5.25 trillion macro and microplastics in the oceans and 88% of the sea's surface is polluted by plastic waste. The plastic waste floating on the surface of the ocean serve as tiny transportation devices for invasive species that disrupt habitats. Most importantly, maritime animals might ingest the plastic debris that is laced with chemicals, which can injure or kill wildlife. Humans can also absorb the chemicals that are included in plastics, which could lead to harming their bodies.

Bibliography Bernhard, A. (2019). The natural products that could replace plastic. [online] Bbc.com.

Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190125the-natural-products-that-could-replace-plastic.

EHN. (2020). Plastic manufactured in the first 10 years of this century eclipses the total produced in the entire last century. [online] Available at: https://www.ehn.org/plasticenvironmental-impact-2501923191/plasticmanufactured-in-the-first-10-years-of-thiscentury-eclipses-the-total-produced-in-theentire-last-century.

News, S. (2018). Dirty Business: what really happens to your recycling. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=oRQLilXLAIU. 10

CONTAMINATED ISLAND: HOW TO PROTECT IT MINSEO KANG Groundwater contamination occurs when products such as gasoline, oil, road salts and chemicals from the land's surface move through the soil and end up in groundwater. This causes groundwater to become unsafe for human use.

Among various types of groundwater contamination, nitrate has been a major threat in deteriorating groundwater resources in many countries. The potential vulnerability of aquifers to nitrate pollution can intensify as human activities increase.

On Jeju Island where groundwater is the sole water resource, severe nitrate contamination of groundwater is a major concern these days. The island is characterized by complex hydrogeological systems and various anthropogenic (humanrelated) activities. Therefore, a systematic assessment that characterizes that complex nitrate dynamics of the island is necessary prior to formulating a water quality protection plan in Jeju.

To explain further, Drinking water is supplied to almost all Jeju houses and offices: 99.9 percent of Jeju people drink water coming from the water plants. However, wastewater treatment plants treat only 65 percent of all wastewater currently.

This low rate of wastewater treatment can affect groundwater contamination. Protection of groundwater quality is actually a “lifeline” for the Island people. So all preventive measures are taken by monitoring the water quality for its protection.

Since 1990, a series of the Jeju Development Special Law has stipulated the protection of groundwater quality and quantity. In 2006, the public nature of groundwater under the Jeju International Free City Special Law enhanced the nature of public water.

Fig. 1. Contaminated groundwater Seawater is invading the coastal area's groundwater. As a result, nitrogen in the groundwater below 200 meters sea level has been found excessive. Nitrogen is attributed to fertilizer use and animal waste, wastewater plant operation, and exploration of groundwater. The water quality in the Jeju Rivers and streams is evaluated as the first class by the biological oxygen demand standard. But the Changro Stream in Jeju Island is evaluated as the second class. Therefore, it is essential to protect water quality levels by establishing proper management plans to control the nitrate dynamics in subsurface aquifer systems.

Then how can people contribute in reducing the groundwater contamination? First, people can use native plants in their landscape as they don't need much water or fertilizer. Choosing grass varieties for lawn that are adapted for the region's climate may also help.

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That is because it reduces the need for extensive watering or chemical applications. Second, reduce the use of chemical. Use fewer chemicals both at home and yard, and make sure to dispose of them properly. Third, it is important to manage wastes.

People should properly dispose of potentially toxic substances like unused chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paint, and motor oil. Ultimately, it is most essential to reduce the number of materials that are used and reuse most of them. Recycling paper, plastic, cardboard, glass, aluminium and other materials can help alleviate the issue.

Bibliography April 26, Posted on, and 2015. Corporate Greenwashing on Earth Day in New York. Ian Angus, 26 Apr. 2015, climateandcapitalism.com/2015/04/26/corporategreenwashing-on-earth-day-in-new-york/.

“Jeju Ground Water: Topics by Science.gov.”

Www.science.gov, www.science.gov/topicpages/j/jeju+ground+water Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

Koh, Eun-Hee, et al.

“Impacts of Land Use Change and Groundwater Management on Long-Term Nitrate-Nitrogen and Chloride Trends in Groundwater of Jeju Island, Korea.” Environmental Earth Sciences, vol. 76, no.

4, Feb. 2017, 10.1007/s12665-017-6466-3.

Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.

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INTERVIEW

BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MINSEO CHA <Law of the Jungle> is a reality-documentary show that airs on SBS, one of the three main broadcasting stations in South Korea. I had a chance to meet its program director, Junsoo Kim, to interview about the program and its contributions to the environment.

When was the show premiered and what is the purpose of the show? <Law of the Jungle> released its first episode on 21st October 2011. Each episode features celebrities who are sent to remote locations around the world and explore Mother Nature while being self-sufficient. As the title of the program implies, celebrities follow the law of wildlife and tribes living in nature.

Could you explain about <Law of the Jungle – Pioneers> that is being newly broadcasted on 20th February?

Fig. 1. <Law of the Jungle - Pioneers> Official Poster

Our program has been exploring South Korea since last August and has been to various locations. This time, celebrities tried to survive on an abandoned island in Goheung, Jeollanam-do for 72 hours. The episodes were shoot amid the freezing December weather.

What makes this series special?

Fig. 2. Interview with Junsoo Kim, the program director of <Law of the Jungle>

<Law of the Jungle – Pioneers> features the chief Byung-man Kim; Hyuk Jang, who has finally responded to our call after 10 years; Daniel Kang; Min-ho from Shinee who was discharged upon completing his military service recently; Park Gun, a rising star these days; Jiman Choi, a Major League Baseball Player; Chef Hoon Song; Yonji Ham; Sungmin Choi; Seung-Hwan Shin.

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<Law of the Jungle> has been visiting domestic places such as Jeju island, Ulleungdo Island, and Dokdo Island since last year due to COVID-19 pandemic. What are the things you mainly consider when finding a place to shoot in South Korea?

We turned our eyes to domestic locations as trips abroad became extremely difficult due to COVID-19. While sceneries and foods are restricted, we have been trying to deliver a fresh view here in South Korea, by visiting isolated locations and setting different concepts for each series. For example, <Law of the Jungle – Pioneers> has celebrities survive by utilising items found in a shut-down school and houses, while <Law of the Jungle – Stove League> in Jeju and Ulleungdo had a theme of field training.

Environmental pollution continues to be a global issue. What have you felt or realised after shooting both in South Korea and abroad, in terms of the environment?

Lastly, what are some of your future plans?

Our plan is to continue shooting in Korea until the pandemic is over. In terms of the environment, we are preparing for episodes focusing on eradicating harmful species or meeting protected animals. We are also planning for new, better concepts and casts for the program.

It was great meeting you today. Thank you for your time!

Thank you, too.

This interview was also released through SBS News on 20th February and was displayed on Naver main page: http://naver.me/FeOJQPcQ

The way we shoot the program is the same for any site. We get a legal permission to shoot in a particular region. After the shooting is over, we clean up any waste that has been generated in that area. Filming in Korea made us even more conscious about the environment and we try our best to restore the site as it was before shooting by cleaning up.

Are remote areas as clean and free from environmental pollution as many people imagine?

Actually, it is easy to find waste floating or piled up near the locations. We have seen refrigerators in uninhabited islands, and a huge amount of garbage on islands in the North Pacific Ocean. We try to protect the environment as much as we can by collecting garbage before and after the shooting.

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TAKE ACTION! You can make real changes to save the environment. And they don't have to be huge.

They can be fun, easy, and done in daily life! Recycle magazines you no longer need by making a DIY Jewelry - paper bead bracelet!

Materials needed: Magazines Scissors White school glue Straw Pipe cleaner Steps: 1. Start rolling a magazine strip or paper strip firmly (but not tightly) around the straw.

Once it goes around one full time, put a few lines of glue down the inside length of the strip.

1. Begin rolling the magazine strip around the straw. (*Don’t worry if glue squeezes out, this is actually beneficial for the finished product.*) Once the strip is completely wrapped, rub excess glue around it to firmly secure the end.

2. Carefully slide it off of the straw by pushing the end of the bead that is farthest up the straw. If there is glue residue on the straw, wipe it off or just cut off that piece and move up to the next section, otherwise, the magazine strip will stick to it and not come off cleanly.

3. Place beads on a nonporous surface to drive. Once the glue has dried, you can create your own bracelet.

Inspiration: Crayon Freckles by Andie Jaye 15

A LOOK AT NATURE "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." - Henry David Thoreau

BONNIE HYUN

MINSEO CHA

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CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Minseo Cha WRITERS Bonnie Hyun Janice Yoo Alison Song Annie Wang Minseo Kang Minseo Cha DESIGNER Minseo Cha CONTACTS If you would like your environment-themed article/artwork/photograph to be shared via Sustainability, please contact the chairs: Minseo Cha mscha22@pupils.nlcsjeju.kr Janice Seungmin Yoo smyoo22@pupils.nlcsjeju.kr