Okay, so it doesn’t rhyme, but you get the point, eh?
Everything we use ends up in the water
So if we want to keep our heads above water
Before we are all in hot water
and we don’t want to end up like fish out of water
Then it’s time to test the waters and
Protect our watering holes
because water contamination is not water under the bridge,
and water conservation and preservation are imperative:
a watershed for the health, welfare, and economy of our collective.
Happy Earth Day, folks. I hope this trip around the sun leaves us more peaceful, more compassionate, and more environmentally aware — just like our Mother wants.
Consumer Notice has produced A Consumer’s Guide to Reducing Pollution, a comprehensive, yet easy-to-follow handbook for reducing consumer waste. According to Consumer Notice, We The People account for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions, an enormous and pretty frightening number, but one we can probably make a dent in if we all try a little bit harder to reduce our individual carbon footprints.
The car you drive, the household products you use, the amount of energy it takes to heat and cool your home, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and all the other nasty chemicals that contribute to water pollution, the waste you create, including food waste, all create a problem for the planet that has only been on the rise since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Before that, we all lived in balance with the earth and the earth reciprocated by not sending us snowstorms in April, 100-year storm events every 5 or 10 years, and untenable living conditions in the hottest/wettest climates, something we are beginning to experience with regularity.
That is not to say that it’s all our fault. Who doesn’t want to own the newest and best appliance, automobile, iPhone, etc. We all do — at least that’s what advertisers tell us — but do we need to? My husband still uses a 50-year old John Deere tractor for grass cutting and snow plowing, a simple machine that he can fix himself. My neighbor’s $2,000 dryer broke after one year because the electronic components crapped out. The technician told him it wasn’t fixable. So is it better to have the newest model with bells and whistles that you don’t understand or an old reliable that you can work on yourself? Until you do the math on the waste stream of creation and the carbon footprint of usage for each of item, it’s hard to tell.
Yet as consumers, we should not bear the brunt of the work, but rather be equal partners with government and industry. I’ve been waiting for years for a marketable and widespread alternative to plastic, but unless someone in manufacturing makes one for us consumers to buy, we’re stuck with the fledgling alternatives that can never seem to get traction because no one is forcing corporations to take the highest road. We sure could use more environmentally correct options, but to do that, we need the government to regulate and industry to innovate by providing us with the best available environmental alternatives at all times, whether we are looking to replace big ticket items like automobiles or just trying to buy lunch. Rather than always pointing the consumer in the direction of the lowest hanging fruit — I’m looking at you, recycling — government and industry should be presenting us with the gold standard of what is environmentally achievable in the 21st century.
Take fossil fuels, so 20th century, yet we continue to rely upon them as if they are the Rosetta Stone of energy independence. If government did for nascent technologies such as wind, solar, and remediation of chemical waste in water like it does for the fossil fuel industry we could be out of the climate change conundrum and on to greener pastures, as they say. I mean, does Exxon really need another tax break when they’ve had one after another record-breaking profits in the billions in the years since Covid? Instead we have an Appointment in Samarra and no way to circumvent the climactic changes that are already barreling toward us. (If you haven’t read this classic by John O’Hara, it means a date with Death and it is a fantastic read.) Perhaps you don’t know this, but if we don’t start making some big changes pronto we are going to be facing a myriad of climate-related changes for which we have no template. Translation: things could get pretty dicey over the next couple hundred years — mass starvation, migration, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, you know, Armaggedon kind of stuff.
I urge you to take a few minutes to review Consumer Notice’s suggestions. Small changes can add up to big changes, meaning even small changes over time multiplied by 8 billion participants can and will have a drastic impact on the overall health of the planet.
In approximately 1811-1812, Philadelphia laid its first collection system pipes and they were made of wood! As the City grew, the Philadelphia Water Department must have realized that wood wasn’t going to cut it, i.e., it wouldn’t be too long-lasting, and so it began the installation of cast iron pipes. Two centuries later, it’s unclear how many of these 200-year-old cast iron pipes remain beneath the City of Brotherly Love — Philadelphia replaces worn out collection system pipes all the time to reduce incidences of inflow and infiltration or I/I — but what is clear is that Philadelphia’s combined sewer system plus climate changes makes for a scary and sometimes dangerous rain experience for many Philadelphians.
When it rains, stormwater joins wastewater in those same cast iron pipes before heading over to the wastewater treatment plant. Problematically, when the rain is heavy or it’s been raining for a long period of time, the collection system becomes overwhelmed so the City opens the valves, bypassing the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and sends the water directly into the Schuylkill River untreated. On a normal day, the bacteria assists in cleaning up the wastewater, among other treatment techniques employed at the WWTP, and the remaining effluent is discharged to the river. When the city experiences a combined sewer overflow, or CSO event, the city bypasses the WWTP so as not to drown the bacteria the plant relies upon to break down the waste.
Philly underwater in September 2022 from Hurricane Ida
When Hurricane Ida flooded Center City Philadelphia in 2022, the City was unable to do much until the floodwaters receded given that the electrical pumps were about 18 feet below the Vine Street Expressway. Philadelphia has always had a flooding issue. Like most port cities, a lot of the area, especially between the Delaware and Schuykill Rivers was once wetlands. During the 19th century, Philadelphia made use of this network of streams by piping them to create an early wastewater treatment collection system thereby removing the waste stream that led to unsanitary conditions causing diseases such as typhoid. Today, that 200-year-old decision comes back to haunt Philly residents, especially those whose homes lie in floodplains where water used to go before streams became pipes.
Over the last 15 years or so, I’ve reviewed many dozens of environmental justice grants for EPA’s Grant Funding for Environmental Justice, assigning a ranking score to each one so it could be compared to all the grant applications received, and awarding grants to those with the highest scores. In 2022, I took on the role of Project Officer for a small grant that had been awarded to GreenTreks, a video production company that did a lot of water work with various partners including the City of Philadelphia Water Department. Philadelphia is currently in the middle of a 25-year program to install green infrastructure in its most vulnerable areas, thereby hoping to reduce flooding caused by the City’s CSOs in those areas.
Greentreks is a “non-profit multimedia & educational organization highlighting environmental solutions that inspire community action.” GreenTreks received an EJSG or Environmental Justice Small Grant of $75,000 under EPA’s program which was designed to find solutions to environmental problems in environmental justice or EJ areas in furtherance of EPA’s goal of protection of human health and the environment.
The GreenTreks grant focused on flooding in the Germantown area of Philadelphia which experiences high incidences of flash flooding sometimes even during minor rainstorms, and what residents could do to protect themselves from the worst of it.
Video courtesy GreenTreks
The videos have been disseminated in the Germantown community but are really relevant for any place experiencing high incidences of flooding which, when paired with climate change, could be all of us at one time or other.
video courtesy of GreenTreks
Directed by Maria Erades, these videos are informative, inspirational, and quite beautiful. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to enjoy them and gather some important tips on avoiding catastrophe in challenging storm-related times.
Photo by Arianna Rich
Then instead of rueing a rainy day, we can all get back to admiring nature through a watery lens.
For years, I’ve wanted to know the answer to this question. What would I do with all my free time once I no longer had deadlines and commitments? Would I go “totally ’round the bend” as my Australian friend, Bernice, used to say. Would I diligently take up one of the many causes I am drawn to and make it my life’s work? Would I start a business, write another novel, or just flake out and start sleeping 12 to 14 hours a day? Possibly all of the above?
Celestial — Spirit House
On 2/29/24 I leapt into my future, joining the ranks of the recently retired. I can’t say I’ve fully embraced my newfound freedom yet. I still retain a lot of the ticks and knee-jerk reactions resulting from full-time employment — y’all who are still hitting the snooze button every morning know what I mean — but I’m a list-maker, perhaps my single greatest strength, and if I put it on the list there’s an extremely high likelihood it’s going to happen. So off I go to make a series of lists, today, next month, next year, next decade — my “Where to?” lists — because the act of writing it down is the only way I can assure myself that my Act 3 will be worth writing home about.
I’m starting here on my blog — oh, honey, you’ve been too long in the shadows! — where I can flex and stretch my writing muscles. After that, who knows?
If you want to read more about the band Celestial, you can do so here. I love the combination of East meets West that seems present in all their music. Perfect for daydreaming. Give it a listen and let me know your answer to “Where to?”
Happy Saturday! I am going to get back on a more consistent schedule of posting here shortly, but for now, just wanted to let you know that my friend, Joel Burcat has a new book out, Reap the Wind, now available on Amazon. Joel loves an environmental thriller and in this one, he tackles the issue of climate change. Give it a go.
Here’s the synopsis:
“Josh Goldberg is a young lawyer from a prestigious Philadelphia law firm. His girlfriend Kiesha is unconscious and in the hospital. She’s eight months pregnant and may be giving birth to their baby. He’s in Houston and she’s in Cincinnati, one-thousand miles away. The worst climate change-induced hurricane of the century separates them and there are no flights for days. He manages to rent an old Lincoln Continental limo from his friend, the limo driver. His travel companions are his alcohol and drug-addicted best friend and his boss who connives to derail his arrangements so she can get to Philadelphia for a business meeting. Also, she has lascivious plans for Josh.
Josh is torn between taking a perilous road-trip to be with the woman he loves or riding out the hurricane in his five-star hotel room. Then he finds out the former love of Kiesha’s life is her new doctor. Finally, all of his doubts are cast aside and he decides to make the insane drive to be with her. The problem is the odyssey may be a suicide trip.”
Wetlands are a vital ecosystem that provide us with much more than recreation— they protect endangered flora and fauna, filter pollutants out of the water, absorb carbon, and act as buffers during flood events. Despite this, wetlands are disappearing at alarming rates, and one-fifth of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1700. Today is World Wetlands Day and many recognize the value of wetlands but do not know of last year’s Supreme Court decision that put more than half of the wetlands in the United States at risk.
In May of 2023, the Supreme Court case Sackett v. EPA ruled to change the definition of “Waters of the U.S.”, or WOTUS, under the Clean Water Act. The CWA, which was created in 1972 to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters”, previously protected wetlands that had a “significant nexus” to federally protected waters. This included wetlands that were connected via groundwater or perennial (year-round) or ephemeral (seasonal) connections, but the new definition means only wetlands with a continuous surface water connection to federally protected waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. Not only is this definition not scientifically sound, it opens the way for the development and pollution of more than half of U.S. wetlands and could have ramifications on wetland governance around the world. Wetlands that will especially be at risk include numerous freshwater wetlands, bogs, peatlands, brackish and interdunal wetlands, floodplain wetlands cut off from rivers by levees and berms, desert arroyos, and intermittent streams.
What are some of the benefits wetlands provide?
Biodiversity. Flora and fauna depend on wetlands for habitat- 40% of all plant and animal species live or breed in wetlands, with approximately half of all federally listed threatened and endangered species in the United States being wetland dependent.
Improved water quality. Wetlands also help filter pollutants out of water by acting as a natural wastewater treatment plant. The East Kolkata Wetlands in Kolkata, India save adjacent communities members money on their water and sewer bills by treating their wastewater for them.
Carbon sequestration. Wetlands act as a carbon sink, storing carbon that will be emitted into our atmosphere if we keep destroying wetlands.
Unfortunately, the WOTUS decision could lessen all of these benefits. Now, wetland protection is up to the states, and many states have weakened their wetlands protection laws in the wake of Sackett v. EPA. It is important to remember that water is transboundary— it does not adhere to state borders. Therefore, even if a state has a strong wetlands policy, it is impacted by development by states upstream. For example, the Chesapeake Bay runs through seven different states and comprises 1.5 million acres of wetlands, many of which are ephemeral. New York and Virginia have strict laws, but Delaware and West Virginia do not, meaning those states that are downstream of Delaware and West Virginia will be impacted.
What can you do? First, spread the word about the importance of wetlands. Join community groups and environmental organizations that help protect and restore wetlands. Organize — contact your state representatives and tell them you want wetlands to be protected in the wake of the Sackett v. EPA decision. And of course, enjoy the beauty and recreation of wetlands responsibly: plant native species, stay in designated visitor areas while recreating, use non-toxic products for household cleaning and lawn and garden care, and avoid developing on them. While this Supreme Court case dealt a blow to wetlands protections, we can spend today and every day working to protect and restore this precious ecosystem before it is too late.
With this in mind, the Global Water Alliance looks toward its 17th Annual Conference later this year — Nature-based Solutions for WaSH, Resilience for Humans and Nature. Details on the conference to follow.
Okay, it’s been a hot minute or a few thousand since I last posted something on my blog or even lifted my head up to see what all y’all have been up to, and for that I apologize, but I have a good reason — I’ve been ghostwriting!
Since last August, I’ve been working on a book for Deacon Michael Oles, the founder of Off The Streets, and I’m quite proud of the outcome. As of today, Finally Home – The Prophetic Witness of Off The Streets is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions.
Here’s the synopsis where you can read all about it:
Be someone’s hero today. We’ve all read the headlines. The homelessness crisis in America gets worse each day — but what if I showed you how to help someone transition from homelessness into permanent housing in a few steps? Would it seem impossible to you? Too big a lift? A problem for others to fix? Well, not only is it possible, it’s relatively easy and it’s happening in communities across the country right now with this simple model developed by Off The Streets. All it takes is a spark and a small group of committed individuals working together in your community. Since 2009, nine Off The Streets chapters have transitioned approximately 7,000 people, mostly women and children, into permanent housing with the payment of a security deposit and a couple truckloads of furniture. Off The Streets has done the work and learned the lessons, and we are eager to share our knowledge with you. All you need is an open heart and a few hours a month of your donated time. In exchange, we will provide your organization with a template for transitioning the homeless into permanent housing. Will you join us in becoming an important piece of solving the homelessness puzzle by spreading our message to communities across the country? Why not start a chapter today? Together we can make homelessness a thing of the past. Become the hero you were born to be.
Joe Simons, Chairman of the Board, Off The Streets, Inc., President, Danbury, CT chapter, and Founding Member of Off The Streets
Off The Streets is a wonderful organization and seeing Deacon Mike’s commitment to getting the homeless into housing has been a humbling experience. With just a security deposit and a few rooms of furniture, Off The Streets has transitioned over 7,000 homeless persons into affordable housing in nine chapters across the country.
Ask any one of the OTS volunteers and you will see a common theme running through this organization — everyone believes they get more out of this work than they put in. It’s not just the clients who are grateful, it’s also the volunteers who work so diligently to help get persons experiencing homelessness into permanent housing. But don’t take my word for it.
With climate change and its impacts becoming more pronounced with each passing day, it is crucial for us to consider eco-friendly options to reduce our carbon footprint. Building or remodeling a home to be eco-friendly is one of the most significant ways we can reduce our impact on the environment. In this article from Joe Rees at https://catastrophes.info/ we will discuss some essential steps to build or remodel an existing home to be an eco-friendly smart home.
Proper Insulation
Proper insulation can help you conserve energy and save money in the long run. Installing insulating materials like fiberglass, cellulose, and spray foam in your walls, floors, and attics can make your home more energy-efficient. It can help maintain a comfortable temperature inside the house, reducing the need for heating and cooling systems. This not only conserves energy but can also save you money on your energy bills.
Energy-Efficient Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are some of the most vital aspects of your home. Purchasing energy-efficient windows and doors can reduce your heating and cooling bills, which can save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your home. Look for windows and doors with ENERGY STAR certification as they meet the highest energy-efficient standards.
Home Maintenance and Repair App
Using a home maintenance and repair app is a great way to get in touch with local contractors that specialize in eco-friendly home improvements. For example, the Frontdoor home management app is user-friendly and can simplify the process of finding contractors that can perform eco-friendly work. It can also help you book appointments, compare quotes, and read reviews from previous customers.
Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat can help you save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. It allows you to adjust the heating and cooling temperatures in your home remotely, which reduces your energy consumption when you are not at home. Some smart thermostats can learn your behavior and adjust settings based on your preferences. This can potentially save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bill over the year.
Low-Energy Lighting
Using low-energy lighting such as LED or CFL bulbs is an easy way to conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint. LED and CFL bulbs can use up to 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Investing in these types of bulbs can lead to significant energy savings, reducing your electricity bills in the long run.
Recycled Materials
Using recycled materials in your home renovation and construction can help reduce landfill waste, save on energy, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Recycled materials such as reclaimed lumber, countertops made of recycled glass, and recycled insulation can reduce the carbon footprint of your home.
Smart Sprinkler Installation
Installing a smart sprinkler system can help conserve water, which is a valuable but finite resource. A smart sprinkler system can detect local weather patterns and adjust the watering schedule of your garden or lawn automatically. This can help save water and reduce the amount of wastewater that goes down the drain.
Solar-Powered Devices
Solar-powered devices are increasingly popular among homeowners. Devices such as solar panels, outdoor lighting, and even window shades can help you conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Solar panels generate clean energy, which can significantly reduce the amount of electricity you consume from the grid. Outdoor solar lighting is perfect for those looking to reduce their energy consumption without sacrificing their home’s security or beauty.
Keeping Solar Panels Clean
If you choose to invest in solar panels, it’s essential to keep them clean. Dirty solar panels can reduce their efficiency by up to 30%, making them less effective in generating clean energy. Regular cleaning can help keep your solar panels at peak performance, which translates to more energy savings in the long run.
Building or remodeling a home to be eco-friendly can be an overwhelming task. However, by following these essential steps, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint while living comfortably. Remember to use proper insulation, install energy-efficient windows and doors, use a home maintenance and repair app, install a smart thermostat, use low-energy lighting, use recycled materials where possible, install a smart sprinkler, install solar-powered devices and keep solar panels clean. Together, we can build a sustainable future for generations to come.
Do you know what the term, grist for the mill means? Originally denoted as the corn brought to the mill to be ground into flour, the meaning of grist evolved over time, first into the end product of whatever type of produce was available to be ground: wheat, oats, buckwheat, maize, etc., and even becoming the southern version of grits through a possible spelling error. Given that flour is now mostly made in factories and very rarely made by actually grinding it under stone, the colloquial meaning has morphed in our current vernacular. Products in general and other items that are available to be sold and turn a profit have evolved into grist for the mill which ultimately is the same as show me the money!
On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the Board of the Newlan Grist Mill hopes you will do just that and participate in this festive and important fundraiser for the upkeep of their historic mill. Built near Concordville, PA in 1704 by Nathaniel and Mary Newlin on the west branch of Chester Creek, the commercial operation of the mill lasted over 230 years, finally ceasing operation in 1941!
photo courtesy Newlan Grist Mill
The Race for the Watershed is an environmental community outreach event sponsored by Newlin Grist Mill and Concord Township. The family fun day will include a 5K Trail Run and Duck Races. All proceeds for the Trail Run and Duck Races will go towards water quality protection measures for the West Branch of Chester Creek., including the purchase of a water quality monitoring network. In this age of extreme wet weather events and highly polluted stormwater runoff, water quality monitoring has become more important than ever.
photo courtesy Newlan Grist Mill
The event promotes watershed protection and wildlife conservation and several environmental and resource agencies are participating: Delaware County Conservation District, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Tristate Bird Rescue, Stroud Water Research Center, Penn State Extension, Masters of Watershed Stewardship, Wild Birds Unlimited, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and Ridley Creek State Park. The event provides an opportunity to educate the public about natural resources as well as feature ways to protect those natural resources.
Race for the Watershed will have something for everyone. In addition to the Trail Run, Duck Races and environmental education outreach, we will have music, fun for the kids, and food trucks!
Come on out and make a day of it all the while improving water quality in your area! Hope to see you there.
Thanks to Joe Reese of Catastrophes.Info for the following:
The Steps to Starting a Successful Green Building Business
Starting a green building business is an exciting way to serve the community and make a significant difference in sustainability. Going green not only reduces environmental impact but also helps businesses save money in the long run. But how do you go about starting this kind of venture? catastrophes.info presents a step-by-step guide on how to start and grow your own green building business.
Creating a Proper Business Plan
Creating an effective business plan is the first step to getting started. This document should include everything from your company’s mission statement, objectives, and goals, to financial forecasts and strategies for growth. Your business plan will act as your roadmap for success, so you must put considerable time into creating one that accurately reflects your vision.
Connecting With the Right People
Having access to the right resources can be invaluable when starting your own green building business. This means connecting with like-minded individuals who have experience in this industry and can provide valuable advice or guidance. Local organizations such as Chambers of Commerce can help you find local contacts that may be able to provide support or simply point you in the right direction.
Marketing Efficiently
Once you have established yourself as a legitimate business entity, it’s time to start marketing your services. To maximize exposure, focus on spreading the word through organic methods such as email campaigns, social media postings, blog posts, and even traditional print advertising. Additionally, consider investing in targeted digital ads on platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. These methods will help ensure that customers are aware of what you are offering so they can take advantage of it whenever possible.
Hiring the Right Team Members
The success of any business depends largely on its team members—and this is especially true for green building companies where knowledge and expertise are key components for providing quality service. Assemble a team of experienced professionals who share your dedication toward sustainability and customer satisfaction. Make sure each team member has the necessary qualifications and certifications before hiring them so you know they are capable of providing quality workmanship at all times.
Registering Your Business With the State
If you’re planning to launch your own business, it is important to register with the relevant state in order for everything to run smoothly and stay on the legal side of things. To make sure you’re good to go, research any type of license or permit that may be required for registration depending on where you’re located. You can find this information online or by reaching out to local government officials who specialize in small business registration requirements. Additionally, consider which structure best suits your company’s goals and needs so that it can thrive in the future.
Investing in Software and Applications That Can Get You Started on the Right Foot
Creating an efficient system for managing finances is essential when launching any kind of new venture—especially if it involves multiple clients or complex operations such as project management software which allows users to track progress on various projects easily and quickly while still being cost-effective.
As a green builder, you can also start implementing takeoff software. This automated software allows you to make accurate measurements and estimates so you can easily bid on projects. You’ll even be able to add photos for your clients.
Investing in these kinds of tools can help streamline processes from day one—saving both time and money while helping keep operations running smoothly from start to finish over time!
Starting a green building business doesn’t have to be difficult if done correctly—it just requires some planning ahead! By following these steps – creating an effective plan; connecting with the right people; marketing efficiently; hiring qualified team members; registering with the state; investing in appropriate software – you’ll be well-equipped for success now and down the road!
Green Life Blue Water 