Author: jackpo

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We are drinking California Dry

Lurie, Julia. (2014 August 11). Bottled Water Comes From the Most Drought-Ridden Places in the Country. Environment: Mother Jones.

Retrieved August 15, 2014 from

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/08/bottled-water-california-drought

 

Majority of bottled water comes from California. California is currently experiencing a devastating drought. Arrowhead, Aquafina, Crystal Geyser, and Dasani are getting their water straight from California. The author raises the question of why are these major companies getting their water from a state going through its third driest year on record. One reason is that California is where the companies are located and work out off. Another reason is that California does not have groundwater use. However, the author states that we are practically drinking California dry.

 

This article immediately reminded me of the Lorax story. Major businesses are impacting an environment in a negative way. However, are they the ones really at fault or is it us citizens. We are the ones contributing to the companies’ profits and encouraging their growth. This article inspired me to do everything I can to not contribute to our drought and to do research on companies about their environmental approach before buying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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High Fluoride amount found in drinking water in Maine

Prigg, Mark. (2014 August 26). Is Your Tap Water Lowering Your IQ? Fears Over High Fluoride Levels Found in Water in Maine.

Retrieved August 29, 2014 from

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2734951/Is-YOUR-tap-water-lowering-IQ-Fears-high-fluoride-levels-water-Maine.html

 

Reports have concluded that high fluoride has been found in some tap water in Maine. A recent study states that 10 communities in Maine have water wells that have “dangerously high levels of fluoride.” A Harvard article analyzing recent studies concludes that contact with fluoride can decrease children’s IQ’s of about 7 points.

 

This article shows how environmental issues can affect future generations. A similar thread between all of these articles is that communities are not taking the proper care of their water sources. This is not only an environmental issue, but a humanities one as well. We should strive for clean and drinkable water everywhere for everyone. Many of the previous articles talk about going to the EPA for solutions but it seems that they have a lot on their hands. Citizens should step up and take action to ensure safety in their water. One possible solution is to move away from the use of water wells, as this could be one of the reasons for the high fluoride levels.

 

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West Virginia struggling to keep drinking water clean

McFeeley, Matthew. (2014, August 14). EPA Must Step In After WV’s Repeated Failure to Protect Drinking Water From Oil and Gas Waste.

Retrieved August 20, 2014 from

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mmcfeeley/epa_must_step_in_after_wvs_rep.html

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been called on to step in and take action in West Virginia. West Virginia has been reported to having loose control on “oil and gas and frackiing wastewater disposal wells.” This is putting clean and safe drinking water at risk of contamination. West Virginia has had a previous oil spill in a creek that left over 300,000 civilians without clean tap water. West Virginians do not want to go threw another shortage again. However, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is apparently more interested in appeasing the fossil fuel industry than ensuring clean and safe water for the entire state.

 

This article also states that this problem could also lead to man made earthquakes. This is an environmental issue because the oil and gas industries make more than 2 gallons of wastewater per day. If there were a protection breach or somehow this wastewater contaminated the clean, safe drinking water; it would be disastrous. This article not only encourages safe water for West Virginia but for everybody; stating that “it’s time for the EPA to step in and ensure that drinking water nationwide is protected from toxic oil and gas waste.” This article encouraged me to demand for the knowledge and security of clean and safe water as well. It is possible that this article has a similar connection to the “Home” video using a fear tactic to get readers inspired to make a change; but I think it is worthy when the cause is in dire need of attention.

 

 

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Lake Conroe being converted to drinking source

Harden, John D. (2014, August 23). By Next Summer, Lake Conroe Will be a Drinking Water Source.  The Woodlands: Houston Chronicle.

Retrieved August 30, 2014 from

 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/woodlands/news/article/By-next-summer-Lake-Conroe-will-be-a-drinking-5708556.php

 

Rainfall has recently overflowed Lake Conroe with water in Montgomery County, Texas. This rainfall has compensated for the drought that struck the country in 2011. County officials report that they are nearly finished with a project that will help with the county’s rising water demands. Montgomery County is already “exceeding its groundwater supply” and is expecting a steady and strong population growth. The plan is to convert Lake Conroe into a clean drinking water source by June of 2015. If successful, this will ease the pressure on the Gulf Coast Aquifer, which is the county’s main water source that is “running low” due to rapid population growth.

 

This is a prime example of how population growth is affecting the environment. Montgomery Country is predicted to add 500,000 residents by 2040. Due to the already expanding population and the growth scheduled to take place, the county has to dig into its main recreational lake for a solution. This individual county could serve as a warning for the entire planet. This article made me wonder that if out Earth has a steady incline of population, how long can we sustain human life? In this certain case, the county has to give up the recreational lake and use it only as a water source. I wonder if similar stories like this will pop up with so many places around the world going threw population spikes.

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States having issues keeping drinking water clean

Seewer, J. (2014, September 7). States Struggle to Keep Drinking Water Clean; Many Look for Help From EPA. Politics: The Washington Post.

Retrieved September 7, 2014 from

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/states-struggle-to-keep-drinking-water-clean-many-look-for-help-from-epa/2014/09/07/fb26abc8-36c5-11e4-8601-97ba88884ffd_story.html

 

A few states are having trouble providing safe and lean drinking water for their residents. Lake Erie has been exposed to algae, which ruined the drinking water for about 400,000 people in the Toledo area. Engineers are struggling to find solutions, as there are no federal standards on algae infected water nor are there instructions for fixing the problem. Engineers admit to searching Google for answers. This incident left people in the Great Lakes area without clean water for two days in August 2014. An outcry has arisen, as people are demanding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide a national standard for safe amounts of microcystin (the toxin that contaminated the Toledo water). Environmental representatives from Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan met with EPA officials this past month.

 

This article made me realize how something so small can have such a big impact. Algae contaminating water forced people to line up for water. That reminded me of people having to go to the local well for water back before we had tap water. It was also a bit concerning that the water quality engineers were “Googling for answers” and spending “nights on the Internet trying to find how other places manage it.”