Growing Population and Pollution

a few weeks ago scientists and policymakers gathered in long beach to discuss the growing crisis in the oceans over fishing invasive species power plants that kill fish larvae and bacteria and nutrients and trash that washed off streets the list was long and it all traced back to human activity ucla ecologist rich ambrose studies southern california's rocky intertidal habitat he worries more people will mean more damage to tide pools and what we find in southern california is that the people are loving them rather titled attack basically there are so many people already with the population we have coming to visit the inner title just walking through their titled turning over rocks to see the animals underneath their home as souvenirs it's affecting things like starfish sea slugs cinema these crabs it would affect abalone we have any ability left peter douglas of the california coastal commission told the audience the environmental impact of future growth will depend largely on the type of development that occurs i think in terms of the coast that really

turns on the question of whether that we will continue to have the strength in terms of our laws and programs to require the concentration of development in the areas that have the infrastructure to be able to accommodate it i think the notion of a detached single family home out where alliance has got to be moved into our past and not be part of our future it's a bit of a counter intuitive argument most of coastal southern california is already developed and future growth is projected mostly for less developed areas in inland counties ucla environmental economist linwood pendleton says that's part of the watershed for la county in southern california go all the way up people are moving image may be far from the beach but the impacts of the things they do the way they treat the land things a drop on the ground all effect because the beaches in the water and if people continue to commute long distances that could create more pollution that washes off of roads into storm drains or creeks

including heavy metals from brake pads and rubber from tires long commutes would also unleash additional carbon dioxide the greenhouse gas that's warming the oceans and turning them more acidic than wood pendleton it's a crab cake dinner a king's fish house in long beach he slumps down an appetizer an oyster center and it includes oysters from canada and even bought california that doesn't include any oysters from california water quality and most of california's just not supporting mr mendelsohn says people who live near natural area and to hear more about protecting so the concern is that more people are moving farther from the coast but still in the water sher there becomes a disconnect between their behavior in the amount water quality officials have passed a fleet of regulations aimed at cleaning up the clothes some cities especially in cities far the regulations and we're going to have to convince those people that they

have to clean up the water because it affects these standards better measure sometimes a hundred miles away linwood pendleton says that won't be easy officials will have to educate more people about how their behavior affects the ocean in long beach those who set sail at nine point three kpcc