TAS environmental services. (2023, October 18). Liquid Gold: Navigating the Waters of Environmental Cleanup and Prevention. Retrieved January 28, 2024 from https://www.taslp.com/category/environmental-remediation/

As humans we rely on water for many different purposes including drinking, agriculture, and healthy ecosystems. Due to many pollutants and contamination, our water sources are not always purified. The TAS environmental service organization strives to remediate contaminated water. Clean water will result in better human health and can be used for irrigation, livestock, and processing crops. In order to obtain these things, the TAS environmental service organization uses advanced technology to purify the water. These techniques include pump-and-treat, chemical treatment, and bioremedies. This organization also regulates wastewater to ensure that it is clean before it is released back into the environment. 

The TAS environmental service organization is very committed to sustainability and restoring our water sources. Thanks to their work, more clean water can be used for farming and drinking purposes. Even if people cannot directly join the organization, they suggest many other ways to help. These ways include fixing leaks at home, using low-flow appliances, and practicing water-saving habits. Also, they highly suggest advocating for policies that promote clean water. The organization’s strategy of removing the pollutants has proven to be very successful and beneficial. 

Earth day. (2023, December 15). CV SAN Earth day. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from 

https://www.cvsan.org/zero_waste/community_and_education/earth_day.php

For many years Castro Valley has hosted April Earth Day cleanups for local residents to participate in. Each year, this event brings together up to 1,000 volunteers to help with projects all over Castro Valley. These volunteers often include students and teachers from local schools. Last year’s cleanup happened on April 22nd and had over 400 volunteers helping out. These volunteers planted new trees, pulled weeds, picked up litter, and participated in many other environmentally beneficial activities. They also worked at schools to make the campuses and nearby parks cleaner. Earth Day cleanups in Castro Valley have been happening for over 20 years and have been a huge success. 

The April Earth Day clean up in Castro Valley has resulted in much cleaner neighborhoods and is a wonderful way to bring the community together. Much of environmental science is studying how to improve the local environment and this program shows how a community can come together to clean up their neighborhood. I hope that this initiative inspires other communities to organize similar activities and yearly events. 

Sierra Nevada Alliance. (2024, January 17). Great Sierra River Cleanup. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://sierranevadaalliance.org/great-sierra-river-cleanup/

On September 21st, 2023, the California Coastal Cleanup organization hosted a watershed cleanup of the Great Sierra River. This event, called the Great Sierra River Cleanup happens once a year. Last year, 249 volunteers came and removed over 5 thousand pieces of trash from the Sierra Nevada waterways. The goal of the event is to remove as much litter and plastic pollution as possible. The idea for this event came from an Oregan resident named Judy Neilson who organized the “Plague of Plastics” which was an event that called for a statewide cleanup. California was inspired by O’regan’s effort and created the California Coastal Cleanup day. 

Calling for a whole state-wide cleanup is a wonderful way to remove trash and pollutants from our waterways and oceans. The Great Sierra River Cleanup is just one of the many events hosted by the California Coastal Cleanup organization that helps restore our environment. This company deserves so much applause for their efforts and success stories. Hopefully more people will find out about the events and go and volunteer themselves, I would definitely be interested in next year’s one myself. 

AP NEWS. (2023, November 24). EPA offers $2B to clean up pollution, develop clean energy in poor and minority communities. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://apnews.com/article/environmental-justice-grants-biden-epa-clean-energy-657a43f21b8ca7800757a72e83f3bc7c

Recently, the Biden Administration made the largest investment ever in environmental justice; $2 billion. This grant will be overseen by the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, led by the administrator Micheal Regan. The goal of this money is to develop cleaner energy systems and clean up air pollution in disadvantaged areas. Specifically, the grants will be given to locally-based groups to monitor air pollution, mitigate urban heat islands, reduce indoor toxins, and boost electric transportation. Each community involved is expected to receive $10-$20 million to fund their projects. Communities apply for the grant, and if they don’t receive one right away they can apply again later on. The program will run for a year, hoping to help many communities in the United States. 

Minority communities are oftentimes overlooked so this program dedicated to helping them restore their environments is very important and beneficial. Biden’s decision to fund $2 billion to disadvantaged communities will result in much better transportation & a huge reduction of air pollution. Regan, the leader of the EPA, clearly has made environmental justice his top priority which is going to benefit us all in the long run. A huge part of environmental science is bettering the environment around us and this article gives a great example of the US president and the EPA trying to do so. 

Mongabay. (2023, December 13). Philippines oil spill may reverberate long after cleanup declared complete. Retrieved from https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/philippines-oil-spill-may-reverberate-long-after-cleanup-declared-complete/

There was an oil spill that was almost completely cleaned in the Philippines but later on they found out there might be longer lasting effects. This area was heavily reliant on their marine life but if the oil spill contamination is going to have long-term effects all of it could go wrong. The marine life could all die which could cause problems for everyone living in that area with them needing to rely on a new way of getting their food and other necessities.

I think that problems that we don’t see as often like this are going to harm a lot of people. When they were all believed to have cleared out their waters only to later have them be found to be still dirty and possibly harmful to their marine life. I think what the article talks about in that the government needs to step in and take control of this area is needed as they may be the only ones who have the necessary resources to save the marine life and life around it.

Motter, S. (2023, October 31). Nearly 1 year after Mill Creek Oil Spill, water once again flows naturally. Retrieved from, https://www.wibw.com/2023/10/31/nearly-1-year-after-mill-creek-oil-spill-water-once-again-flows-naturally/

On October 13th, 2023, an oil removal project was completed and water had begun to run normally through the river. 14,000 barrels of oil were spilled into the creek and caused a rupture in a keystone pipeline. Luckily, people from all over came to help and over 6,000 hours of work were done to the creek to help allow it to flow again. More than 650,000 gallons of oil was recovered so we were able to save the creek and not just waste all the oil that was originally spilled. 

It is a great sign to see that even after such a large spill of oil people can come in from different places and help respond to such a large problem. From the pipeline not working and water being unable to flow to 650,000 gallons of oil being saved and removed it shows the amount of help that we can do. We allowed the water to begin flowing in the creek again and that is a big help for the ecosystems that relied on this water source. With saving this creek it shows the effectiveness that people can have on these environments and how we can still help save the bigger problems too.

Orange County Coastkeeper. (2023, October 5). Coastal Cleanup day 2023 Results. Retrieved from, https://www.coastkeeper.org/coastal-cleanup-day-2023-results/

On September 23, 2023, coastal clean-up day, people from all over the US came to Orange County to help clean up areas close to the ocean. This clean-up gained a lot of attention and allowed for 5,375 volunteers to come out and help clean up parks, beaches, and the streets. The 35 different groups were spread out and were able to remove 21,350 pounds of trash. This kept 10 tons of debris from reaching the ocean.

The amount of trash and debris these people saved from getting into the ocean was amazing. This amount of trash being stopped from entering our oceans will end up playing a crucial role in keeping our marine ecosystems safe. It will also have a big impact on pollution as we are saving all the debris from entering into the ocean. This clean-up will also show future organizations that it is possible to have such a large impact on the environment and that it is possible to help protect our ocean from trash.

Surfrider Foundation. (2024). Retrieved from, https://cleanups.surfrider.org/results/

The Surfrider foundation has already had 319 volunteers help clean up oceans and beaches across the United States. There has been a combined total of 1,629 pounds of trash cleaned and removed by this foundation. They are finding mostly cigarette butts and several different types of plastics like water bottles and bags to clean.

I think that this foundation is great and what they have already been able to do this year is amazing. They are moving so quickly with cleaning the ocean which is great to see because we can know that the ocean is always being cleaned if this many people have already started going this year. In the year 2023, they were also able to clean 239,000 pounds of trash which shows the future that is ahead for the rest of this year.

World Cleanup Day. (2023, November 14). World Cleanup Day 2023 – celebrating successes. Retrieved from https://www.worldcleanupday.org/post/world-cleanup-day-2023-celebrating-successes#:~:text=During%20the%20six%20World%20Cleanup,1.1%25%20of%20the%20global%20population.

World Cleanup Day has increased in size by 9 new countries and territories. The total is now up to 206 countries and territories and it is still growing. It gained 19.1 million volunteers this year. This event became the second-largest volunteer event ever and has gained government involvement to help increase help. 

I like this because it is bringing everyone together and to still have this giant organization expanding just means that there is more good to look forward to. Also, the inclusion of the government allows for this to become an even larger event and I believe they could also provide more money for more materials to make this event clean the environment even more.

Ludt, B. (2024, January 18). How solar + storage technologies are aiding Hawaii wildfire relief. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from Solar Power World website: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2024/01/how-solar-storage-technologies-are-aiding-hawaii-wildfire-relief/

After the fire in Lahaina, Hawaii in August, the nonprofit organization partnered with Hawaii Off Grid to help the displaced families. They built villages of portable houses for temporary housing. And those houses are completely carbon-neutral because they are powered by solar and storage techniques. Solar panels sit on top of the houses, and due to the houses being relatively small units, they can be completely off the grid, self-sufficient, and renewable. 

Not only is this a great thing for the environment, but it is also great for the environment. Since there were 8,000 people displaced in the fire, there are 8,000 less large carbon footprints in the world. And after their houses are rebuilt, which will likely also be carbon-neutral, people living in run-down old buildings that emit a lot of greenhouse gases could potentially move into the renewable units. Even if that doesn’t happen, this project by Hawaii Off Grid at least proves that a completely renewable energy-powered house is possible and cost-effective.