blog

July 2021

My Experiment

Video about my project

Nova Action Summer Retreat (August 2021)

Next week is the final Nova Action retreat, and I thought I'd write a brief summary of the one in August. It was held at the Liscombe Lodge, and though it rained most of the time, it was a very fun few days! I had a great time and got to meet most of the other cohort members for the first time in-person! It was a wonderful time and I gave my first presentation.

Upcoming presentations (November 14, 2021)

I am excited for the rest of November! This week I will be giving my first fully in-person presentation at the Living Earth Council monthly meeting on Tuesday. I am looking forward to telling them about my project and meeting other environmentally-minded people in my area. I am also giving my presentation alongside my fellow cohort members on Sunday, November 21 at the Discovery Centre! I am happy to be able to present again in-person and can't wait to share the findings of my experiment with more people!

Nova Action Fall Retreat Summary (January 7, 2022)

While we are currently in the midst of a lockdown, I thought I would write about the Nova Action fall retreat that happened during a more "normal" time. The retreat happened in Halifax, Nova Scotia from November 19-21, 2021. It was a great time, and I got to meet with most of the other cohort members for the second time and got to meet one cohort member for the first time. It was a busy weekend and we spent a lot of time exploring Halifax and working on our presentations which were given at the Discovery Centre on Sunday, November 21. We also had the experience of meeting with one of the local MLAs and discussing how youth can instigate political action.

As much as we did a lot of work, we also had a lot of fun. We ate at a couple of local restaurants and visited the Farmer's Market and public library. On Saturday night we went on a ghost tour of Halifax where we learned about the local history of ghost stories and their connections to historical events in the city.

The weather was cold, but it was a very good time and I received a lot of encouragement to further pursue my project. I did not get many pictures, so the ones at the top of this post are just ones of things that I saw in Halifax.

How can changes be made?

Those who have seen my presentation or those who are interested in the issue of Copper (II) sulfate's environmental impact may be left wondering, "How can this be changed?". I must admit that I find this to be a very complicated question to answer. I firmly believe that education is a good first step, but it is not the be all and end all of this issue.

In environmentalism, we can often get so caught up with banning things outright or ostracizing companies and individuals who use environmentally unfriendly products from our movements. The reality is, though, that many are unaware of how bad what they are doing actually is, or that there is no viable, effective solution to replace the one that is bad for the environment. While ignorance and negligence are poor excuses, it is vital that we remember that change takes time, and that outright stopping practices without providing replacements can be harmful to industries that rely on them. I think my project is a very strong example of this. Copper (II) sulfate is of great significance to the sheep, cattle, and crop farming industries. For the livestock industries it is key in animal hoof health, and therefore important to animal wellbeing. The ethical connotations of a ban on copper sulfate would be devastating as hoof disease would become a major issue in many barns.

If we can't fully ban it, then what can we do? My perspective is that this issue can be solved by making safe chemical disposal more broadly available. Purification of used CuSO4 solution is one option. Another key is to determine if there is a chemical solution that could do a similar job but with a lower environmental impact. This is difficult with copper sulfate as it is its toxicity that makes it able to do its job.

The conclusion that can really be made is that there is no simple solution, but that more research is needed. Through more research we can determine what the next reasonable step is to take. Through research we can lead the way into a greener future of agricultural practice.

What Does Copper (II) sulfate actually do to plants?

I have explained before what I did with my experiment, but I did not yet explain why copper (II) sulfate is lethal to plants in high concentrations. Basically, Copper (II) sulfate kills the roots of plants.

The long answer is that the dissociation of the copper ion results in reactions with the material of the root cell wall, altering the shape of the cells and impeding the function of the roots. With the shape and function of the roots altered, the plant is made very unhealthy. Roots are very important because they are how plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil. With an inability to absorb water and nutrients from the soil, the plant dies from dehydration and lack of nutrients. Some copper is necessary to carry out the functions of life in plants, but only trace amounts. Copper toxicity is far more common than copper deficiency in plants. This means that in rare occasions, copper may need to be added to the soil, but in most cases it does more harm than good. Copper sulfate is often used as an industrial root killer because of its efficiency in killing plant roots.