Winter is just around the corner! What does this mean? We will find ourselves at the local car wash because our once black car has turned white because of the recent pouring of salt on the asphalt pavement. In the summer a typical chore was going outside and washing our car with a bucket and hose. Well washing our cars in the driveway in one of the most environmentally un-friendly household chores that we can do. The water that we use enter a sewer system and is then discharged into the environment. “That water is loaded with a witch’s brew of gasoline, oil and residues from exhaust fumes — as well as the harsh detergents being used for the washing itself.” It eventually lands up in a great body of water where it kills aquatic life and wreaks other ecosystem havoc.

Before Car Wash

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On the other hand, commercial car washes are required by federal law to drain their water into a sewer system. This required drainage causes the water to get treated before it’s discharged back into the environment. They also use “computer controlled systems and high-pressure nozzles and pumps that minimize water usage.” Many commercial car washed also recycle and re-use the rinse water. For commercial car washes helping the environment benefits both them and the planet.

An industry group representing commercial car wash companies called the Internation Carwash Association reports that automatic car washes use less than half the water used by a homeowner washing their car on the driveway. “Washing a car at home typically uses between 80 and 140 gallons of water, while a commercial car wash averages less than 45 gallons per car.”

After Car Wash

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Here are some tips if you have to wash your car at home:

• Choose a biodegradable soap specifically formulated for automotive parts.
• Wash your car on your lawn or over dirt so that the toxic waste water can be absorbed and neutralized in soil instead of flowing directly into storm drains or open water bodies.
• Try to sop up or disperse those sudsy puddles that remain after you’re done.

In this upcoming summer when your thinking about washing your car outside in your driveway please don’t. By spending an extra few dollars on a commercial car wash you are helping the environment. If you wash your car in the driveway you are contaminating bodies of water and poisoning fish. Please keep local waterways clean!

http://environment.about.com/od/greenlivingdesign/a/car_wash.htm

These facts are courtesy of SEACing Environmental Solutions – Student Environment Advisory Council

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours — or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline.
• To produce each week’s Sunday newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down.
• Every month, we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper. All of these jars are recyclable!
• The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle can run a 100-watt light bulb for four hours. It also causes 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution than when a new bottle is made from raw materials.
• A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water.
• You can walk 1 mile along an average highway in the United States and see about 1,457 pieces of litter.

These simple fun facts allows a person realize how such small things, that people don’t even care about, can make an incredible impact on the environment. It puts in perspective how a little thing can go a long way.

http://www.seac.150m.com/fun_facts.html

Lately in the APES classroom we have been talking about how the seafood supply might be coming to an end. Not only have we been talking about it, Mr. McKinley wrote four installments on the topic. If you haven’t already, check them out. In Monterey, California a marine expert at the Monterey Bay Aquarium by the name of Mike Sutton is pointing out what areas of California will soon be off limits to fishing. The state is doing this in order to protect marine life and prevent overfishing.

Although many Californian fishermen oppose this ban, the state is determined to protect marine life. “The first chain of refuges, covering some 200 square miles (512 square kilometers) and stretching from Santa Barbara to Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, is due to take effect early next year.” California also plans to impose no fishing zones on the southern and northern coasts of the state. Other states should follow this example and create such networks in order for their coasts to avoid overgrazing.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Salmon_for_sale.JPG

Some of these newly restricted areas in California is where some of the most productive fishing grounds are. Some Californian fishermen believe that the state is just duplicating the already existing state and federal regulations. “Fishermen say the no-fishing zones will put more pressure on areas outside the reserves and could lead to increased seafood imports from countries with fewer marine protections.”

Although these new regulations may cause fish markets to crumble, scientists agree that more must to done to protect the marine life. In Abby’s post about “Life Without Seafood” she says that “populations of fished species could collapse by 2048 if current fishing and pollution trends continue”. In order to protect our oceans we must set aside areas where fish can grow and the food web can thrive.

“In June, President George W. Bush created the world’s biggest protected marine area in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, covering 140,000 square miles (358,400 square kilometers) of largely uninhabited islands, atolls and coral reefs where commercial fishing will be phased out over the next five years.” For the past 40 years, the government has been creating marine sanctuaries with various levels of restriction. In California, these restricted areas along the coasts will harbor species that stay in one area, rather than migratory fish. Marine mammals are expected to benefit from the increased food supply.

It’s great that at least one state realized how important crispy crunchy cod is. I’m pleased that they are showing their concern for the environment and are instituting new rules and regulations in order for us to still have seafood in 2048. this push in the right direction will cause other states to follow, hopefully saving our seafood population.

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11690

We better get up out of our seats and get a move on the climate crisis. It has been recently reported by a U.S. climate scientist that we have less that a decade to fight the battle and win against global warming. If we don’t what will happen. Will we melt? No, the planet will turn into a catastrophic disaster. We can’t wait and see what the consequences will be because after that there is no turning back.

This post relates to Mr. McKinley’s recent post about how the temperature at the First Thanksgiving dinner was penetrating. He said in his post that, “During a period of time from the mid 1500s to the mid 1800s, the Northern Hemisphere’s average yearly temperatures were at an unusual low.” Over these past decades the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans has increased.

This graph visually shows how the global temperature has increased:

Image Credit: Global Warming Art
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f4/Instrumental_Temperature_Record.png

Because the United States is one of the leading polluters, we have to take control and fight global warming. The use of fossil fuels (coal) has to be stopped in order to stop the planet from drought. “Scientists say that unless action is taken to stop emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels for power and transport, global temperatures will rise by between two and six degrees Celsius by the end of the century. ” We need to start changing the way we do things now and not in a decade or so when we have no other choice.

Because the Democratic party has taken control over both the House and parliament and President Bush having only two more years in office, some kind of change in the current way we take the environment for granted might be made. “The great danger is that they will take some minimal steps that give the appearance of doing good but in fact do very little or even some damage because they fool people into relaxing,” Hansen said. “Cosmetic acts are no solution.”

This picture shows the global warming predictions for the years 2700 to 2100.

Image Credit: Global Warming Act

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/images/a/ae/Global_Warming_Predictions_Map.jp

If we don’t take action we will have to face serious consequences in a decade. We don’t want our future generations to experience droughts and famines.

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11700

Ouch! It must stink to live in one of the 10 most polluted places on Earth. Many of the people living in these areas are at serious risk for cancer, respiratory diseases, and premature death.

The top ten most polluted places on Earth are:

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine
2. Dzerzhinsk, Russia
3. Haina, Dominican Republic
4. Kabwe, Zambia
5. La Oroya, Peru
6. Linfen, China
7. Maiuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan
8. Norilsk, Russia
9. Ranipet, India
10. Rudnaya Pristan/Dalnegorsk, Russia

Chernobyl Reactor 4 After the Nuclear Disaster

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Chernobyl_Disaster.jpg

Chernobyl in Ukraine, is the site of the worst nuclear accident to date. Other than Chernobyl the other cities on this list are unknown to most people. These cities are located far from major cities, yet 10 million people are or will be effected with problems ranging from lead contamination to radiation.

“Living in a town with serious pollution is like living under a death sentence,” the report says.

“If the damage does not come from immediate poisoning, then cancers, lung infections, mental retardation, are likely outcomes.”

“There are some towns where life expectancy approaches medieval rates, where birth defects are the norm not the exception,” the report continues. “In other places children’s asthma rates are measured above 90 percent, or mental retardation is endemic. In these places, life expectancy may be half that of the richest nations. The great suffering of these communities compounds the tragedy of so few years on earth.”

Russia has 3 out of the 10 most polluted places on Earth. Haina, Dominican Republic has severe lead contamination. Linfen, China is choking on industrial air pollution. And Ranipet, India has serious groundwater pollution by heavy metals.

“The most important thing is to achieve some practical progress in dealing with these polluted places,” says Dave Hanrahan, chief of global operations for the Blacksmith Institute. “There is a lot of good work being done in understanding the problems and in identifying possible approaches. Our goal is to instill a sense of urgency about tackling these priority sites.”

Hopefully within the years to come, with up and coming technology, these polluted cities will be able to achieve cleaner air and water. By achieving cleaner air and water they will be able to save the lives of millions of people living in and around these polluted places, which is the most important.

http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/top_10_polluted.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant

    When it comes to vote for president or Congress, American don’t vote in favor of the environment. U.S. voters in national elections tend to cast their ballots based not on environmental policy, but based on the economy, health care, and where the candidate stands on the Iraq war. In Europe, the Green Party is a political force and global climate change is part of the public dialogue.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Usgreenpartylogo.PNG

    In the recent polls only about 3 percent of American voters considered the environment as the most important issue to them. Abortion had between 9 and 13 percent of U.S. voters. The environment has lost its potency as a national issue. Although losing its potency, it still mobilizes Americans in state and local races.

    California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, has pushed for special state vehicle pollution standards. These pollution standards are to assure safe water and beaches, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I find it funny because if Arnold Schwarzenegger cares about the environment so much maybe he should start by getting rid of his humongous Hummer.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Filling Up His Hummer

http://www.massivechangeinaction.virtualmuseum.ca/images/Stuart_Images/stuart_users_w1.jpg

    About 24 out of 62 Green Party candidates have won their elections around the country. There about 400 Green Party candidates on the 2006 U.S. ballots. Americans publicly support environmental issues and do consider the environment important.

    Americans need to stop putting the environment on the back-burner as an important issue because soon it will be too late to stop global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. We need to take stand and show the U.S. how important it is for the environment to remain clean instead of them focusing on health care, the economy, and the war going on in Iraq.

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11550

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_party

A Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner by the name of Wangari Maathai calls on people all around the world to plant 1 billion trees by next year. This is way for ordinary citizens to help in the fight of global warming.

Wangari Maathai

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Wangari_Maathai_potrait_by_Martin_Rowe.jpg

Wangai Maathai, who became the first black African woman to win a Nobel in any category, urges participants to ensure the trees thrive long after they are planted. Maathai who founded Kenya’s Green Party in 1987 encourages participants to make sure the trees survive because it is one thing to plant a tree, and it’s another to make it survive. She is planting trees in order to address the wood fuel crisis.

Tree

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The purpose of her campaign is to inspire ordinary citizen to help the environment. Her campaign has drawn delegates from more than 100 countries to Kenya. Destroying trees through burning contributes to global warming. Planting trees can offset climate change in part because they absorb carbon dioxide.

Also Wednesday, some of the climate conference participants said that the result of Tuesday’s midterm election in the United States were a good sign for environmental issues. By having the Democrats in charge of the House means climate and energy issues will be prominent in the 2008 presidential campaign.

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11611

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangari_Maathai

As we turned on the T.V. every night this week to see the news we heard every channel talk about the outcome of the recent elections. Many changes have occurred, a greater amount of Democratic candidates have been elected on the local, state and national levels. Democrats have also taken over both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. This increase will counterbalance President Bush on many important topics. How do these changes affect future environmental decisions?

1.) Strategies to Reduce Global Warming

• New control will not change President Bush’s opposition to binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming.
• May cause environmental policy changes that would help reduce global warming and production of greenhouse gases.

2.) Lower Gas Prices and Energy Independence

• Because President Bush has done almost nothing to cut down on America’s addiction to oil, Democrats in Congress will probably be looking at legislation to protect consumers at the gas pump by prohibiting price gouging, and by keeping a close eye on oil and gas companies and how they do business.

3.) More Renewable Energy

• Democrats will invest more money in renewable energy research and production.

4.) Better Alternative Fuels

• America has to develop alternative fuels for automobiles and other forms of transportation.
• Democrats could create new incentives for lightweight, efficient materials and for cars that can use alternative fuels and end the huge tax breaks for the big oil companies.

5.) Cleaner Air

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrators and his employees all work for President Bush.
• Democratic Congress is expected to hold the EPA accountable for tougher regulations in order to ensure cleaner air and water.
• The Bush administration has relaxed air quality standard causing thousands of unnecessary deaths.

6.) Cleaner Water

• More than half of the streams in America are polluted and public water supplies in 42 states are contaminated.
• Cleaner water will be a priority during their terms of service.

7.) Greater Biodiversity

• House and Senate Democrats have managed to beat back legislative efforts to lessen protection for threatened and endangered species, because over the past couple years certain industries have persuaded Congress to weaken the Endangered Species Act.
• With Democrats in Congress, the Endangered Species Act are expected to lose force.
• The Humpback Whale is one of the many animals affected by the Endangered Species Act.

Humpback Whale: Endangered Species

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Humpback_Whale_underwater_shot.jpg

8.) Arctic National Wildfire Refuge

• Many Republican have pushed to open ANWR to oil exploration, saying that the petroleum buried there to help end America’s dependence on foreign oil.
• Democrats have fought to preserve ANWR as possibly America’s last pristine wilderness area, arguing that the amount of oil could only supply the U.S. for a few months.
• With Democrats as the majority in Congress the threat to ANWR will be reduced.

9.) Greener Businesses

• By having environmental friendly leading will encourage businesses to start buying green technology.

10.) Greener Judges

• Judges need to learn to balance environmental issues with business priorities.
• Because judges on the federal level have to be approved by the U.S. Senate, Democrats will have a better chance of getting judges with balanced perspectives.

Overall, by having the Democrats as a majority will benefit the envionment and possibly solve one or more of the environmental issues.

http://environment.about.com/od/environmentallawpolicy/a/2006_election.htm