Mourning Again

 

by Sarah Song in February 2023

It was two years ago. I had written a piece titled Obituary for a Whale upon seeing a picture of a 30-ton humpback whale lying dead on the beach. Tears flowed as I looked at the sight of the lifeless whale, lying on the sandy shores of Assateague Island in Maryland, where my family used to go every summer. It was a 15-year-old female humpback whale named Pivot. Considering that humpback whales typically live around 90 years, its death at such a young age felt like dying in the prime of human life. The humpback whale had also made appearances in "Strange Lawyer Woo Young-Woo," a Korean drama that gained popularity last year. Despite their imposing size that might seem threatening, they are often called the "Guardian Angel of the Sea" and known to save seals and humans from being chased by other whales and sharks. Occasionally, such stories find their way into news articles.

Once again this January, news emerged of dead humpback whales on the shores of Assateague Island, and not just one but two, just a few days apart. The second humpback whale was smaller than Pivot and appeared to be even younger, and the first was estimated to be about Pivot's age. On February 5th, NPR reported on “an unusually high number of whales washing up on U.S. beaches.” Since 2016, a total of 180 humpback whales have been found dead on the East Coast from Florida to Maine. In just a month in 2023, at least seven deaths have been reported, and in New Jersey alone, four deaths were reported, the same number as in the entire year of 2022.

Republican Congressman Andy Harris argued,  "These incidents have been happening since wind turbines were installed on the beaches. We need to stop wind turbines immediately!" In response, scientists counter, "Traditional seismic airguns used for oil and gas exploration have much higher energy and noise levels that can penetrate several kilometers underwater, whereas the acoustic energy used to prepare offshore wind farms is much lower." The Republican's argument reminds me of an old Korean saying that when a crow flies, the pear falls. It seems to take time to clarify the cause-and-effect relationship. Some deaths have been attributed to collisions with large vessels. However, in many cases, including the cause of Pivot's death, the exact reasons remain unclear.

One of the possible reasons is water pollution and seawater temperature rise. Despite the enormity of the problem, I tried to find what I could do, considering the world's population of eight billion each needs to find their own responsibilities to live together. After learning that nitrogen in urine, even after undergoing cleaning processes with chemicals, increases the growth of algae and aquatic plants, depleting the necessary oxygen supply in the water as these plants decompose and killing aquatic animals, I decided to build a house with a biogas septic system. The biogas septic system decomposes sewage and food waste by anaerobic microorganisms and converts them into energy sources such as biogas and methane. And the liquid produced in this process can be used as environmentally friendly fertilizer for crop cultivation. 

To introduce this, I inquired about implementing this in the county of Virginia where I had bought land for retirement. I also contacted the state of Maryland. “We are also suffering with worsening water pollution due to excessive nitrogen, but new methods and materials that are not currently permitted by the state government can only be introduced after obtaining permission from the state government with proper documentation of proven cases and technology.” Their answers were consistent. 

If it's for the citizens and the environment, shouldn't the government come forward to find good solutions, provide incentives, and encourage the adoption instead of burdening individuals with all these responsibilities? Two years ago when I was searching for this solution, I couldn't travel to China that holds the patent of this system due to the COVID pandemic. Eventually, I gave up after bumping into this regulatory wall.

When I visited Korea last fall, I suggested this biogas septic system to Seoul in the citizens' idea corner after reading news articles about its plan of the modernization of toilets in public schools in Seoul. I added the idea to create a space for cultivating crops in schools, which allows students to participate in the cultivation process, learning about chemistry and other subjects through hands-on experience. I'm not sure if someone has reviewed it. 

The lifeless bodies of innocent young humpback whales, washed up on the gray winter sea, weigh heavily on my heart.

Note> Biogas Septic Tank System

https://inspectapedia.com/heat/Household-biogas-septic-tank-system-design-EU.pdf