April 22, 2013
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Report # 994
Hey everyone, I hope that you’ve all had an awesome weekend and are enjoying the start to another week. I ran with Parker and Molly each on Saturday afternoon, and those were my last runs before the Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday morning. I was up a little too late that night, not going to bed until around 1:15 am. I woke up at 6:15 am on Sunday morning and my dad and I drove down to the Cloverdale Rec Center, where the bus came and took us downtown for the race.
We got there by around 7:45 am, and with the race not starting until 9:00 am, there was a lot of time to kill. It was a wet and cool morning, though by the time we got downtown, the rain had stopped completely. This year I made sure I got to the front of the starting gate, and just waited around and kind of stretched a bit, waiting to start the race. Like the previous years there were bands playing music at the start, though this year was a bit different as there was also a minute of silence for the events of the Boston Marathon last Monday.
The Vancouver Sun Run and the people there did a great job showing support for the city of Boston and the victims of the marathon bombings, as many people wore blue and yellow clothes, or ribbons, the colours of the Boston Marathon, and many other people wore Boston Bruins or Boston Redsox gear as well. It was great to see the show of support and not see such honorific acts of terrorism bring fear into people’s lives and ruin people from getting exercise and taking part in a wonderful event.
A few of the people who did the Boston Marathon also were competing in the Vancouver Sun Run, so there was really a first hand experience for some of the runners here. After the ready, set, go announcement at 9:00 am, we all slowly started walking out for a minute before people got more space and were able to start running. I felt better this year as I wasn’t carrying my wallet or cell phone or camera, and for the first time out of the three years I did this run, I didn’t have to stop and pull myself over to tie my shoelaces !
The sun came out halfway during the race, and it didn’t up just being wonderful weather for the run. As usual there were supporters lined up all the way through the race cheering people, holding up signs, and just being very supportive. There was also some radio stations blasting music, and some groups as well, so it is really a fun event. I have to say, despite all of the running that I’ve done in the last six months, the race wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.
Maybe it’s because I’m not used to running with so many people pushing themselves around me, or running up some steep hills at times, but I was definitely beat by the time I finished. I was able to push myself a little, but not as much as I probably could have. Originally I thought I finished the race in 45 minutes and 55 seconds, so I was very disappointed as I wanted under 45 minutes. Luckily I found out that wasn’t my official time and I really had finished the race in 44 minutes and 15 seconds, better than my 49 minute and 8 second finish last year, and my 53 minute and 31 second finish in 2011.
So I am super happy I achieved my goal, though I have to admit to continue to lower my time I would really have to push myself a lot harder. I would have to run 10 kilometers every single day and really push myself to try and get a lower time. However for this year I’m happy and I’ll have to see what happens in the future. Remembering how challenging the 10 km race really is, really gets me super impressed by marathon runners.
A marathon is 42.2 kilometers, and to be able to complete that in the desired time of just over three hours, I would have to almost keep the pace of what I did in a 10 kilometer race, for a race over four times as long. I could see myself pushing myself towards a half marathon if I really wanted to do that, but I don’t know if I would even enjoy trying to force myself to run for so many hours to do the full marathon ! I am definitely a bit sore today, but nothing too serious, really my arms more than my legs.
After the race I headed over to a Tim Hortons and just had something to eat. I picked up a nutritional pamphlet there and found out the food that I normally order from there has 70 grams of fat ! So clearly another thing I could do to improve on my time in the future and feel better would be to eat healthier. Afterwards I walked back to BC Place stadium and found my dad with some other of the runners, and we just waited for the bus to come. My dad bought me a hot dog and soon after we were off.
As soon as we left downtown Vancouver and got back on the freeway it started absolutely pouring again, and was raining all of the way as we got back home. It was cloudy and wet for the next few hours, and then the sun came out in the late afternoon; what a crazy day for weather ! From what the forecast shows this week though, it will be very nice and sunny all week until Saturday, so it will be great weather for running the dogs.
I am hoping today or tomorrow I receive a call from one of the two jobs that I interviewed for last week. Preferably the job which is in my city not too far from here, but I would accept the other one too as it would be an interesting job. If I unfortunately don’t hear from any of those two places I can call back about the super boring job that pays minimum wage and see if they still need someone. Even if I think I could find something better and closer, if I just did that job for a month even it would be ok I suppose.
I’ve already ran to Tim Hortons this morning, and I will run with the dogs a bit later. It’s super sunny Monday morning here and a great day for people to head outside and enjoy Earth Day. I just remember from elementary school that Earth Day is on April 22, though I really didn’t read anything about Earth Day this year. A month ago I read about Earth Hour, which was an Hour where everyone was encouraged not to use any electricity. I didn’t do anything for that occasion, but seeing as some cities had a drop in the amount of electricity used, obviously a number of people did, which was great news to hear.
I think people, companies, and governments in general have done a lot more in terms of protecting the environment than they had done in previous years, but there is no question that we can always be doing more. Wherever I am out running or walking, no matter what city I’m in, there is always litter on the road. Clearly there are still too many disgusting losers walking the streets or driving by who can’t find themselves a garbage can.
It’s too bad the police can’t catch these people a little easier. I am guessing if someone gets a heavy fine for littering they probably wouldn’t do it a second time ! A lot of time I’m running or walking by someone, people leave their outside lights on, and they are on all day. This is a tremendous waste of energy, and people really have to watch this ! Some companies continue to break the laws and dispose of certain things in an unsafe and an extremely hazardous and environmentally dangerous way… this has to stop.
Once again I think heavy fines against the perpetrators would make any company think twice of continuing the same practice if they’ve already been caught. And clearly Earth Day needs to be a bigger deal. I am betting that a lot of people have no idea that today is Earth Day, many of them probably not even knowing there is an Earth Day. This sort of ignorance has got to change. Some years the media does a very good job of publishing articles and really going in depth about Earth Day and protecting the planet, but for whatever reason this year there has been little or no news that I’ve stumbled upon.
So I have to say, that at least locally, the media really missed the boat this year, and failed to promote what should have been a much more important day. I think this constitutes as a failure as the newspapers in general, and the handful of reporters missed out on stories that really could have been beneficial and helpful to the cause of Earth Day. Now obviously most people aren’t going to be huge environmental advocates, and that’s ok, but it’s certainly not too hard to expect people not to litter, not to leave lights on all day, so if the most ignorant and careless people start caring at least somewhat, this world would be a lot better off.
And while the world won’t necessarily end if there was no Earth Day and if no one cared, there is no question that our planet would be a lot dirtier of a place to live in, with worse air quality, way more pollution, streets covered in trash, and just not a pleasant place to live at all. So the fact that there is an Earth Day, and that there are people who truly care enough to make a difference, and are encouraging others, whether they are private citizens, politicians or corporations, shows that the day is of great importance. It’s only one day, but the meaning of what Earth Day is all about, is something that carries on for the whole year.
As much as I would like to believe that people will change, I don’t see it happening, as there will always be slobs among us who have no problems throwing their trash all over the streets and in the parks. There will always be some corporations that continue to pollute and do absolutely nothing to be better corporate citizens, and there will always be some politicians who really don’t give a damn and rather work with lobbyists instead of those who want to truly protect this planet.
All of those horrible realities show the importance of Earth Day and caring for this planet is greater than ever. In spite of all of the people who seem to make the planet’s problems worse, the efforts of those truly wanting to make a positive difference will not go unnoticed, and the planet will be a better place because of such people. Anyways, for the next question:
Were you aware that today (April 22) is Earth Day ? Is this important to you, why or why not ?
I will leave you all with a picture taken of me after I had finished the 2013 Vancouver Sun Run. Take care and I’ll talk to you all on Thursday, bye for now.
Comments (7)
Great job on your race time! I was aware that today is Earth Day. In my circle of friends and colleagues, recycling and doing stuff green-er is a constant topic so today isn’t drastically different for me. As a Christian, I feel like the earth is a something entrusted to humans to take care of, so I feel responsible to do what I can to be a good citizen of the planet. I really want to get solar panels on the house- but that is not cheap. I’m hoping that by the time we do our renovations, they’ll be a little more affordable and we can include them in the plan.
Results of Earth Day 1970
The first Earth Day family had participants and celebrants in two thousand colleges and universities, roughly ten thousand primary and secondary schools, and hundreds of communities across the United States. More importantly, it “brought 20 million Americans out into the spring sunshine for peaceful demonstrations in favor of environmental reform.” It now is observed in 192 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network, chaired by the first Earth Day 1970 organizer Denis Hayes, according to whom Earth Day is now “the largest secular holiday in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people every year.” Environmental groups have sought to make Earth Day into a day of action which changes human behavior and provokes policy changes
Ozone :is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope (O2), breaking down in the lower atmosphere to normal dioxygen. Ozone is formed from dioxygen by the action of ultraviolet light and also atmospheric electrical discharges, and is present in low concentrations throughout the Earth’s atmosphere. In total, ozone makes up only 0.6 parts per million of the atmosphere.
Ozone air pollution
Red Alder leaf, showing discolouration caused by ozone pollution[28]
Signboard in Gulfton, Houston indicating an ozone watch
Ozone precursors are a group of pollutants, predominantly those emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels. Ground-level ozone pollution (tropospheric ozone) is created near the Earth’s surface by the action of daylight UV rays on these precursors. The ozone at ground level is primarily from fossil fuel precursors, but methane is a natural precursor, and the very low natural background level of ozone at ground level is considered safe. This section examines health impacts of fossil fuels burning, which raises ground level ozone far above background levels.
There is a great deal of evidence to show that ground level ozone can harm lung function and irritate the respiratory system.[19][29] Exposure to ozone and the pollutants that produce it is linked to premature death, asthma, bronchitis, heart attack, and other cardiopulmonary problems.[30]
Long-term exposure to ozone has been shown to increase risk of death from respiratory illness. A study of 450,000 people living in United States cities showed a significant correlation between ozone levels and respiratory illness over the 18-year follow-up period. The study revealed that people living in cities with high ozone levels such as Houston or Los Angeles had an over 30% increased risk of dying from lung disease.[31][32]
Air quality guidelines such as those from the World Health Organization, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Union are based on detailed studies designed to identify the levels that can cause measurable ill health effects.
According to scientists with the US EPA, susceptible people can be adversely affected by ozone levels as low as 40 nmol/mol.[30][33][34] In the EU, the current target value for ozone concentrations is 120 µg/m³ which is about 60 nmol/mol. This target applies to all member states in accordance with Directive 2008/50/EC.[35] Ozone concentration is measured as a maximum daily mean of 8 hour averages and the target should not be exceeded on more than 25 calendar days per year, starting from January 2010. Whilst the directive requires in the future a strict compliance with 120 µg/m³ limit (i.e. mean ozone concentration not to be exceeded on any day of the year), there is no date set for this requirement and this is treated as a long-term objective. [36]
In the USA, the Clean Air Act directs the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for several pollutants, including ground-level ozone, and counties out of compliance with these standards are required to take steps to reduce their levels. In May 2008, under a court order, the EPA lowered its ozone standard from 80 nmol/mol to 75 nmol/mol. The move proved controversial, since the Agency’s own scientists and advisory board had recommended lowering the standard to 60 nmol/mol.[30] Many public health and environmental groups also supported the 60 nmol/mol standard,[37] and the World Health Organization recommends 51 nmol/mol.
On January 7, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant ozone, the principal component of smog:
… EPA proposes that the level of the 8-hour primary standard, which was set at 0.075 μmol/mol in the 2008 final rule, should instead be set at a lower level within the range of 0.060 to 0.070 μmol/mol, to provide increased protection for children and other ‘‘at risk’’ populations against an array of O3- related adverse health effects that range from decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms to serious indicators of respiratory morbidity including emergency department visits and hospital admissions for respiratory causes, and possibly cardiovascular-related morbidity as well as total non- accidental and cardiopulmonary mortality….[38]
The EPA has developed an Air Quality Index (AQI) to help explain air pollution levels to the general public. Under the current standards, eight-hour average ozone mole fractions of 85 to 104 nmol/mol are described as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 105 nmol/mol to 124 nmol/mol as “unhealthy,” and 125 nmol/mol to 404 nmol/mol as “very unhealthy.”[39]
Ozone can also be present in indoor air pollution, partly as a result of electronic equipment such as photocopiers. A connection has also been known to exist between the increased pollen, fungal spores, and ozone caused by thunderstorms and hospital admissions of asthma sufferers.[40]
In the Victorian era, one British folk myth held that the smell of the sea was caused by ozone. In fact, the characteristic “smell of the sea” is caused by dimethyl sulfide a chemical generated by phytoplankton. Victorian British folk considered the resulting smell “bracing,” but in high concentrations, dimethyl sulfide is actually toxic.[41]
Scientists think ozone is being destroyed, and they think people are responsible. For many years humans have been polluting the atmosphere with man-made chemicals. It turns out that some of these chemicals are very good at destroying ozone. The worst of these chemicals are called CFC’s, and were used in the past in things like spray cans and cooling devices.
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that’s a very serious problem!! human are destroying their mother earth,earth in the future will be hell!!!! human nowadays are just fighting about silly things and following sick people who make wars and sick terrorists and they forgot that big problem.
Wow, congrats on the time! Better and better every year. Almost 10 minutes faster than the first run you did. That’s awesome! And awesome how much support was shown for Boston. With the people, good weather, and music the race must have been more enjoyable.
I was aware it was Earth Day, only because a friend of mine posted a status update about it on facebook. I knew of the day, but had no idea when it was.
Earth Day is not that big of a deal here. most people are not even aware of it, which says plenty on the lack of urgency they feel on saving the planet.