Superfund Sites

Both superfund and brownfield sites are efforts that seek productive uses for environmentally impaired properties. Although they both intend to find alternative uses for destroyed or harmed land, each program addresses a different kind of site and use different methods to accomplish their goals. Superfund is the federal government’s program to clean up the nation’s uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, while Brownfields are properties that are abandoned or underutilized because of actual or perceived contamination to the environment. There are over fifteen superfund sites in Georgia. Examples of Georgian Superfund sites include:

Robins Air Force Base:

Robins Air Force Base is located less than twenty miles south of Macon. In the 1960s and 1970s one of the landfills became the disposal site for several solid and hazardous wastes, including industrial sludge, solvents, and oils. This site posed threats to the environment and to residents on the base because the groundwater and soil became contaminated with harmful chemicals. The toxic portion of the landfill was decommissioned in 1978. Cleanup of the waste pit began in 1991 and was completed by 1998.

Brunswick Wood Preserving:

The Brunswick Wood Preserving is located in Glynn County. Poor waste management, accidental spills, and open dumping resulted in extensive groundwater and soil contamination at the site in 1996. The EPA attempted to clean the site by a method known as “capping” in which they covered the affected soil with layers of gravel, clay and even more soil to keep rainwater from leaching harmful chemicals into the surrounding groundwater. Despite their efforts, surrounding shallow groundwater and soil, as well as a nearby creek, remain contaminated.

Diamond Shamrock Corporation:

The Diamond Shamrock Corporation’s landfill is located in Polk County. The site contained about 900 drums of hazardous products. In 1980 the company reported its hazardous waste to the EPD. Potential contaminants from the site included manganese and several volatile organic compounds. Cleanup of the site concluded in 1990; however, the EPA conducts reviews at the site every five years to make sure that it is no longer a threat.

Firestone Tire and Rubber Company:

The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is located in Dougherty County, GA. Until 1980, drums of waste cement were stored on the ground in an area of less than 1 acre. In another area, waste was buried in a pit during fire-training exercises. An estimated 400 people obtain drinking water from private wells within 3 miles of the site, and 1,000 acres of cropland are irrigated with well water. A consultant to the company detected Benzene, 1, 1-Dichloroethylene, Toluene, 1,1-Dichloroethenane, 1,1,1-Trichlorothenane, and zinc in on-site wells. Fortunately drinking water wells are not potentially threatened.

The Khian Sea really isn't a Sea?

The Khian Sea incident resulted from the laziness and neglect of the American Nation. The United States incinerates most of its waste, so as a result we are left with an abundance of toxic ash, which contains heavy metals and dioxins. One solution to dispose of all this waste is to export it to developing countries. Unfortunately this practice has lead to devastating incidents, with detrimental ecological, economic, and political consequences. In 1986, a cargo ship named the Khian Sea laden with over 14,000 tons of incinerator ash from Philadelphia, PA, began its destructive journey as it swept across numerous continents in search of a place to dump it volatile load. The ship initially dumped between two and three thousand tons of ash near the beach of Gonaives, Haiti, before they were ordered to leave by officials. The ship then spent the next two years attempting to unload its municipal cargo on numerous continents, before later dumping the waste in the Indian Ocean. The toxic waste ended up on a Haitian beach for more than a decade before finally being returned to Philadelphia. This incident is a testament to the neglect and overall unethical behavior that has been at the precipice of America’s position on environmental safety. It is recorded that the Khian Sea actually changed its name and country of origin numerous times to deceive other countries. How can an American cargo ship be so deceitful in a task which is only a problem because of our negligence and ignorance? There needs to be tighter legislation and better environmental planning to prevent our need to seek refuge for our trash on other countries. The planet is becoming sick, and at the moment America is the disease that is plaguing Earth. If we continue to attack other countries by spreading our disease through vessels such as the Khian Sea how much longer can Earth survive?

No more love left in the canal

The ironic Love Canal incident is one of the most tragic, but well-known instances of environmental injustice in United States history. Love Canal was an abandoned canal that the Hooker Chemical Company used to dump their hazardous toxins. From the beginning the circumstances surrounding the disaster don’t demand a need to uncover the various deceptions regarding the true liability of where the tragedy lies. For one, the Hooker Chemical Company sold the land to the city of Niagara Falls for only one dollar! After the city took advantage of what can literally be perceived as the deal of a lifetime, many of the new residents who resided in the new one hundred homes and school began to complain about chronic burning of the eyes and face. Oblivious to the chemicals which festered right beneath their feet, the people of the Niagara Falls community had settled on toxic land. Eventually the chemicals rotted entirely through their containers and leached into backyards and basements, but if we look beyond the fault of the Hooker Chemical Company we notice the facilitator that actually looms above. The government is truly at fault for allowing the legal disposal of toxins and not monitoring the sites afterwards for possible problems. Although the Hooker Chemical Company dumped the waste legally, they knowingly sold the toxic land in the Love Canal neighborhood in New York. The government should be the one at blame for allowing the legalization of toxic disposal, because if it were not allowed the Love Canal incident would have been prevented. This incident is just another reminder of our need for more stringent environmental planning and legislation. We are now left with a monument symbolic of our neglect, but also a reminder of a possible future.

Family Waste Calculation

a. (4)(3)(365)= 4380lbs

b. (4380)(.200= 876lbs

Recycle City

        Recycle City Internet Activity

     A) The Widgets made at the Widget Manufacturing Company are made from recycled metals that are recovered from the Recycle City Materials Recovery Facility, and Joe’s Auto Wreckers.

     B) Vinegar can be utilized as a versatile cleaner. One half-cup of vinegar followed by a handful of baking soda can be used as a drain cleaner. Vinegar and water can also be used to clean wall, floors and glass.

     C)  Old tires can be shredded or melted down and used to make other materials such as asphalt, or playground surfaces. Old tires have been used in Recycle City to create a safe obstacle course. Even the play area surrounding the playground is made from old recycled tires.

     D) The plastic benches outside city hall are made from recycled polyethylene plastic which originally held milk.

     E)  An electric car can be found outside Shaq’s Garage.

     F)  Coffee grounds can be used in compost bins as fertilizer for plants and produce. The local school in Recycle City utilizes the coffee grounds from the coffee shop for their compost which grows lettuce.

Recycle City is a sustainable metropolis inhabited by environmentally conscious people who have abandoned their wasteful habits in favor of a more idyllic and efficient lifestyle. Originally known as Dumptown, the people of Recycle City soon realized that their superfluous lifestyles began to cultivate an uninhabitable environment filled with dangerous waste and toxins. They quickly learned to reduce, reuse, and recycle, by paying attention to what they threw away and even where it went. After a brief period of time known as the Recycle Revolution, an era characterized by frequent deaths and extraneous labor, Recycle City was born.(P.S. I made the last part up)

Wooden Boards can be made into:

1. Birdhouses
2. Mailboxes
3. Compost bins

Plastic Bags:

1. Plastic bags can be saved for future shopping trips
2. They can also be used to clean up around the house.
3. Plastic bags can also be used for arts and crafts

Comic #1! "A Bug's Strife"

 

I changed the concept for thefinal time. This is the first offical comic of "A Bug's Strife".

"The Problematic Four"

Buriganga River- Dhaka, Bangladesh This river is plagued by the chemical waste of mills and factories, home waste, medical waste, sewage, dead animals, plastics, and oil. The city of Dhaka discharges about 4,500 tons of solid waste every day and most of it is released into the Buriganga. Environmentalists have identified nine industrial areas in and around the capital city as the primary sources of the river’s pollution: Tongi, Tejgaon, Hazaribagh, Tarabo, Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur, Dhaka Export Processing Zone and Ghorashal. Most of the industrial units of these areas have no sewage treatment plants of their own.

Ganges River- Allahabad, India The Ganges River Pollution is now at such a high level that the amount of toxins, chemicals and other dangerous bacteria found in the river are now almost 3000 times over the limit suggested by the WHO as safe. Approximately 1 billion litres of raw, untreated sewage are dumped in the river on a daily basis. The amount has more than doubled in the last 20 years.

Yellow River- Lanzhou, China By the time the Yellow River reaches the city of Lanzhou in northwest Gansu Province, it has a muddy brown color, having picked up soil, silt and industrial waste.  The Yellow River receives pollution from smelters and factories in the city of Baiyin. It has recently gained more attention due to it dramatic color change, from a yellowy tint to a magenta red.

Jordan River- Israel Usually used for baptisms, the Jordan River had recently become the site of mass pollution. Baptisms in the Jordan River are no longer recommended due to the diversion of 98 percent of its fresh water to Israel, Syria and Jordan, as well as the discharge of untreated sewage and agricultural run-off. People of Israel are working diligently to preserve the religious integrity of the river.

 
Silent Spring is a book by Rachel Carson which elaborates on the impending danger of pesticides. The book was released in 1962, and is called Silent Spring because of the effects pesticides had on birds. Spring time is a season that coerces birds from their nests, and encourages them to sing their natural melodies. The title Silent Spring reflects the result of pesticide abuse on the bird population.

Southern Water War

Although I was more than relieved and ecstatic when I saw how long the article was, after reading the editorial piece my initial enthusiasm had completely diminished. Dubbed as the “Southern Water War”, the dispute between Georgia and Tennessee over the precious natural commodity can be seen as a conflict which originally began nearly 200 years ago. Although the border was initially drawn in 1818, there is now a commonly disputed debate over its inaccurate position. The governor of Tennessee, Ron Littlefield even recognizes its inexact position, but refuses to compromise on moving the contiguous line just one mile north to the 35^th parallel. I actually agree with the people of Tennessee. Moving the line to the 35^th parallel will infringe on their sense of pride in their land. America’s sense of patriotism resonates with a familiar tone that extends into every state. Taking that sense of pride away from a sector of Tennesseans will seem selfish and greedy. Georgia, especially Atlanta needs better planning. Instead of trying to dip our dry withered hands into the water of a neighboring state such as Tennessee or Alabama, we need to work on conserving the water we have.  As a Georgian, we just need to discipline our water consumption and we need to keep our thirsty mouths away from Tennessee water. Tennessee should not have to pry their own water from our hot, dry, and sweaty hands.

Coral Scenarios

Coral Bleaching: Coral bleaching occurs when coral becomes stressed and the algae that it depends on for food and color dies out, leaving a white and bleached skeleton of calcium carbonate. Coral bleaching can be caused by increased water temperature or runoff of silt from the land, which covers the coral and prevents photosynthesis. Aesthetically coral bleaching can cause a lack of tourist, because coral reefs which do not have an abundance of color will not attract visitors. Economically, coral bleaching can cause damage to homes and property by lessening the buffer zone through the degradation of its structural integrity, by allowing higher tides to cause erosion. Finally, ecologically, coral bleaching disrupts the familiar food chain of aquatic ecosystems through the loss of homes for various little fish such as fairy basslets, blue tangs, shrimp, and angelfish which are food sources for larger consumers such as Coney and Morey eels. Through the loss of coral, little fish begin to die, and as a result secondary and higher-level consumers die due to a lack of food. Coral bleaching can be treated by adding large amounts of hydrogen peroxide into the surrounding waters and allowing for the tide to bring it in. 

Fishing with dynamite: Blast fishing destroys the calcium carbonate coral skeletons and is one of the continual disruptions of coral reefs, and as a result, weakened rubble fields of coral are formed and fish habitats are reduced. Aesthetically, it has the same result of coral bleaching, but the consequences are much more severe, as the coral will never be able to return to its previous form.  The damaged coral reefs from blast fishing lead to instant declines in fish species wealth and quantity.  Explosives used in blast fishing not only kill fish but also destroy coral skeletons, creating an unbalanced food web within the aquatic ecosystem. Lingering pollution produced from the blast is also a large issue. Economically it creates problems for fisherman who use legitimate fishing methods. Although blast fishing is illegal, it is not a complete solution to prevent fisherman from using the method. Stronger legislation and larger fines should be implemented to prevent this inhumane form of capturing fish.

Coastal development:  Coastal development degrades the natural resources and services that make coastal areas filled with coral so enjoyable and ecologically and economically valuable. Coastal development can cause economic damage, as it encourages erosion due to rising sea levels. At least 30% of coral reefs are damaged from coastal development and 40-60% of coral reefs are threatened. Construction projects, such as piers, dikes, channels, and airstrips kill corals directly. Habitat degradation causes a decrease in fish populations, as fish have fewer places to live and breed. This has a domino effect which harms other species as well such as tertiary consumers such as Gray reef sharks and even producers such as algae, phytoplankton and zooplankton. 

"Scales"

I have gotten Mr. Swann's approval to put my comic on the school website, but unfortunately I have been very busy lately and have not gotten the chance. But, I think my comic will be about three lizards!

1. Green Anole
2. Western Fence Lizard
3. Blue Tailed Skink

-A continuation of Mr. Drusky's horrid joke on the e-mail.

"Conventional-Type" HW

A.

Chernobyl: On April 26, 1986 a series of explosions in one of the reactors in a nuclear power plant in a remote area in Ukraine literally blew the roof off a reactor building. The reactor partially melted down and its graphite moderator caught fire and burned for 10 days. The explosion and the graphite fires released large radioactive clouds that spread all over Ukraine and Belarus. Around 35,000 people had to leave their homes because of the radioactive fallout, and it is estimated that the death toll may be more than 90,000. In some parts of the Ukraine people still cannot eat or drink some of the local water or locally produced or grown food.

Three Mile Island: On March 28, 1979 reactor 2 at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania suffered a partial meltdown. A gradual loss of cooling water to the reactor's heat-producing core led to partial melting of the fuel rod cladding and the uranium fuel, and the release into the environment of a small amount of radioactive material. The Three Mile Island accident caused no injuries or deaths. In addition, experts concluded that the amount of radiation released into the atmosphere was too small to result in direct health effects.

Fukushima: On March 11, 2011 a large earthquake and tsunami struck Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station and knocked out backup power systems that were needed to cool the reactors at the plant, causing three of them to undergo fuel melting, hydrogen explosions, and radioactive releases. Radioactive contamination from the Fukushima plant forced the evacuation of communities up to 25 miles away and affected up to 100,000 residents, although it did not cause any immediate deaths.

B.  General Motors began systematically buying streetcar lines and then shutting them down, leaving millions of Americans without practical public transportation options. General Motor’s motive was to ensure a market for its innovative personal transportation technology. Rather than walk, the idea was, people would hopefully buy Buicks.

C.

Resource	Advantages	Disadvantages
Petroleum	Petroleum is inexpensive It can also be easily transported	Easily disrupts habitats Oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez in 1989 and the BP oil spill in 2010.
Natural Gas	Natural gas can be easily extracted and processed. Yields high net energy Causes less pollution than other fossil fuels	Sulfur dioxide can be released during processing Can contaminate wastewater, brine and land CH4 is more harmful than greenhouse gases
Coal	Large natural supply of coal High net yield of energy Subsidies help create lower prices Stable and nonexplosive	Excavation is dangerous Produces ash, over burden, mercury, sulfur Expensive to produce and transport Expensive to dispose of
Nuclear	Large fuel supply Low environmental impacts( without accidents) Emits 1/6 as much CO2 as coal Moderate land disruption and water pollution( without accidents)	Costs are high Radioactive wastes must be stored safely for thousands of years Low net energy yield Catastrophic accidents can happen Subject to terrorist attacks

D. 

I can make it bigger, if it is too small

E.  In 1985, the DOE announced plans to build a repository for under-ground storage of high-level radioactive wastes from commercial nuclear reactors on federal land in the Yucca mountain desert region. In 2002 congress approved Yucca Mountain as the official site for storing the country’s commercial wastes. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama promised to "lead federal efforts to look for a safe, long-term disposal solution based on objective, scientific analysis. In the meantime, Obama will develop requirements to ensure that the waste stored at current reactor sites is contained using the most advanced dry-cask storage technology available. Barack Obama believes that Yucca Mountain is not an option because it is too expensive, already costing the government over $12 billion and harmful to the people of Nevada.

F. Passive Solar Heating System is a system that captures sunlight directly within a structure and converts it into low temperature heat for space heating or for water for domestic use without the use of mechanical devices.

     

1. Direct Gain
2. Greenhouse, Sunspace, or Attached Solarium
3. Earth Sheltered

"Home Energy Saver"

CO2 Calculations

I drove 108 miles last week, and my car gets 19 miles to the gallon, so I used around 5.7 gallons of gas.

•      5.7 * 20= 114, so I released 114 pounds of CO₂ into the atmosphere
•          5.7 * 21= 119.7, so I also removed 119.7 pounds of oxygen into the atmosphere.

The True Cost of Oil

After reading and watching the article and Tedtalk video, I became much more aware of oil’s impact on the environment. Building a long oil pipeline from Canada to Texas is a very bad idea. Is America in that great of a need for resources that we must transcend boundaries which are both physical, and ethical? Both resources gave a very different perspective of the same issue. In the Tedtak video, speaker Garth Lenz focused more on the environmental aspect of the oil pipeline, while the article centered on the political side of the oil pipeline installation. The Tedtalk video was also more personal, as it featured small anecdotes of Mr. Lenz’s journey through Canada and how the oil affected families. But, the big question I gained from both the article and video, is how is America going to change, as the climate does as well? The big problem with the gigantic oil pipeline is how it can eventually alter the environment. America’s infrastructures are at great risk to the effects of climate change. I believe that in the future, there will be shifts in infrastructural investments. If we continue to harm the environment with the implementation of oil pipelines like the one today, then there will no longer be a need to go “green”, our attention will need to shift to more efficient buildings that address inevitable climate change, but only if our blatant neglect of our resources such as oil continues.

No to Nuclear

No, it is not worth risking an accident like the one at Chernobyl in order to separate from traditional, fossil-fuel based energy. The event which occurred at Chernobyl permanently affected the environment. If we continue to test nuclear energy, we can permanently affect all aspects of our daily lives. The people who lived in Belarus continue to suffer from the lingering radiation that perpetually plagues their home.  A baby boy born in rural Belarus today can only expect to live 59 years. Forty-five to 47 percent of those graduating from high school have physical disorders like gastro-intestinal anomalies, weakened hearts, and cataracts; 40 percent of them have chronic “blood disorders” and malfunctioning thyroids. These are just a few of the side-effects that afflict the people who live in Belarus, but even their surrounding environment is tainted with persistent chemicals which have their own detrimental effect on Belarusan soil. Celsium-137 is one of the numerous lasting results of the Chernobyl event. This isotope is easily absorbed and accumulated by grains and legumes, which means that Belarus soil has been rendered barren because of one of the various radioactive isotopes. Strontium-90 also affects bone marrow, irradiating the stem cells responsible for our blood and immune systems, and iodine-131 can even cause thyroid cancer. Nuclear energy can eventually foster a more sustainable future, but at the moment its ambiguous nature and possible consequences prove to be too dangerous for modern society.  

An Electric Pest

Scientific Name: Wasmannia auropunctata

Common Name: Electric Ant

Geographic area of origin & current distribution:

The electric ant is native to Central and South America. These ants have a significant invasive history, having been introduced to Africa, North America and six Pacific Island groups including the Galapagos, Hawaii, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands.

Basic physical description and physical characteristics:

Electric ants:

• are tiny, about 1.5 mm long
• are light to golden brown in color all over
• are usually slow moving 
• are social - they like to be with each other, often in heaps
• Electric ants do not have nests. They establish colonies anywhere and have been found under stones, in garden waste, leaf mould, soil, trees, swimming pools and water courses, and may be in wall cavities, clothing, bedding or camping gear
• can be found in wet or dry conditions
•  Electric ants also like water - they may ´jump´ into swimming pools and form a 'raft'.

Describe the organism’s fundamental ecological niche:

Electric ants are primarily pests, which feed on a variety of plants, and animals. 

List and describe, in detail, some of the damage the “pest” species you chose has caused, whether ecologic, economic, health, etc., or any combination of damage types:

•  Electric ants compete with other ant species within the affected area.
•  Electric ants make up 90% of ant populations in invaded catchments in New Caledonia. They are believed to have caused a decrease in reptile populations in New Caledonia and in the Galapagos.
• The ants may sting and even blind domestic pets. Their sting is very painful at first, and can last causing itching for up to 3 days.
• In agricultural and residential areas, the electric ant may be a great pest to humans by reaching high densities and stinging people working in fields as well as in and around their homes.

Research and describe some of the control the techniques that have been employed to try to combat or eradicate or limit the population growth of your identified “pest” species:

 Biosecurity Queensland manages the National Electric Ant Eradication Program. The program is based on three fundamental activities: surveillance to find the ants, treatment to kill the ants, containment to stop them spreading. The local community and businesses play an essential role in stopping the spread of electric ants.

Techniques to prevent electric ant infestation:

•     peanut butter lures
•         peanut butter-lured pit-fall traps
•          hotdog sausage lures
•          gutter traps
•          in-house traps
•          Canopy traps.

Design and outline your own Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy that you would use to control the “pest” population of the organism you identified.  Include the resources, methods, and sequence of steps you would carry out:

I would implement natural predators into the Electric Ant’s natural environment, and also utilize pathogens, natural oils, and environmentally safe insecticides such as pyriproxyfen.

List the bibliographic resources you used for your research and include and URL’s from web sites you used: 

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/ElectricAnts-DeclaredPest.pdf

http://www.daff.qld.gov.au/4790_6453.htm

http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=58&fr=1&sts=sss

"Super-Sized" Schools

In this insightful and passionate Ted Talk video, speaker and Chef Ann Cooper stresses the importance of healthy cafeteria lunches and the growing dietary problems within our nation’s schools. America is a nation which is underfed and undernourished. We have become acclimated to the processed and imitation foods which have actually become staples of the American diet. As a student who attends Westlake High School I can completely agree with Ms. Cooper’s sentiment to improve school lunches. Most mornings I leave home without breakfast, and after trudging through the thunderous halls of Westlake for about 4 hours, I am ready and deserve a meal which will give me energy. But unfortunately after consuming the usual salty and processed foods served in one of the various lines with fancy but false signs looming over the giant doors, I leave the cafeteria lethargically and somewhat content. The facts Ms. Cooper gave were also very startling; 1 out of 3 Caucasian kids will get diabetes, and 1 out of 2 minority children will too. Having these foods not only fills children with salt and sugar, but with bad habits and values as well. Serving processed foods in school cafeterias makes children more accustom to “engineered foods” and teaches them that these foods are normal. Promoting better foods in school will foster better eating habits at home, and vice versa. Every day I attend school, I am inundated with food choices, but unfortunately none of them are healthy ones. I believe we need more food activist like Ms. Cooper, because even small menu adjustments like implementing a salad bar can drastically change how students perceive food and their health.

"Mesa"

 “The Black Mesa Syndrome” opened my eyes to the true greediness of large mining companies. At the first sight of an untouched pristine mining site, the company willingly made promises to the native Navajo and Hopis of riches, but as the article proved, their promises were never fulfilled. Much how the title says, the greed for coal may be nothing more than an insatiable syndrome or sickness. The “black mesa syndrome like most sicknesses or diseases if not treated well will almost always end in demise. The large mining company’s greed is a sickness that is not confined within the realm of coal. Their dangerous and destructive mining habits forged from greed affect almost all aspects of the environment. The article showed that the “syndrome” affects not only the environment but the people who inhabit it as well. I believe it is up to us to treat this syndrome with strong legislation that will prevent the wrongful eviction of native people from their land or damaging extraction that would possibly completely destroy it

Mountain Top-less

Coal mining is a dangerous industry and profession that provides food for families everywhere, but recently large companies have disrupted the financial stability coal has offered. As the black dust settles, after explosions shatter the rugged peaks of hilly mountains our eyes are treated with the real truth, the injustice of various large coal mining businesses such as the Elk Run Coal Company. Through “When Mountains Move” I was able to see how major coal mining companies actually affect the lives of real people. The article offered a personal point of view through the eyes of Judy Bonds. Judy Bonds is a woman who comes from a long lineage of coal miners and was actually raised in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. The article depicted her varied actions against major coal companies and in doing so revealed the damage done by the corporations. Mountain-topping is a coal extraction method that has completely decimated the summits of mountains dispersed across America. The method not only destroys mountains, but its aftermath has been known to cause brain tumors and silicosis. I believe that the method should be eradicated. Although mining is an unavoidable aspect of our economy, there are better ways we can extract the precious minerals that are integral towards the manufacturing of common products in our everyday lives. 

Plan Commission members say land use plan is needed

Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Greene County Advisory Plan Commission has been working on a draft of a land-use planning and zoning ordinance since 2010. A draft document was completed in August 2012, however, it's still not ready to be viewed by the public because it hasn't gone through a legal review. That's what Greene County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Joan Bethell said at Wednesday afternoon's meeting of the Greene County Plan Commission. The document has been disseminated to Plan Commission members and two new Greene County Commissioners, Ed Michael and Nathan Abrams. Both commissioners said they would hold off judgment on the document and comment until they've had a chance to read through it.

http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/1934612.html

Comb-Overs and Collapses

How can a generation recover from the deep and grave mistakes made by its forbearers  In this Ted Talk video the speaker Jared Diamond elaborates on the five factors that contribute to the collapse of societies. For each factor, he gives an example from the Greenland Norse, a Viking society whose negligence led to their inevitable demise.  The five factors consisted of: human impacts on the environment, climate change, friendly neighbors leaving, hostile neighbors coming, and dysfunctional political and cultural practices.  Although most of the seminar was very boring, I did agree with his idea that we have to focus on more than just one issue. Societal collapse occurs because of a culmination of events, so we cannot afford to ignore the various other environmental issues that are currently tormenting our world. Mr. Diamond believes that if these issues aren’t resolved soon, then in the next few decades we will be faced not by a pleasant end, but by an end riddled with disease, war, and famine. I completely agree with Mr. Diamond’s description of our environment on non-sustainable course. If we continue to neglect our environment and fall prey to the same errors and mistakes made by our predecessors then we will essentially be making a “checklist” out of the five factors that foster collapse among societies. We need to maintain our society by focusing on the issues as a whole and not just one whole issue.

Part  2

    · Total Plant and Floral Services- 751 James P Brawley Dr, Atlanta

    · South Fulton Landscape Nursery- 3415 Enon Rd, College Park

    · Georgia Wholesale Nursery- 5600 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Chamblee

    1. If a tree farm is planted and not thinned, then there will not be enough growth room for other plants. Overcrowded trees are under stress from other neighboring trees. Thinning may be done to increase the resistance toward droughts, insect infestation or extreme temperature. Thinning is also a common practice in forestry that is utilized to improve the growth rate or the health of the remaining trees.

    2.The Fernbank Forest reserve in Decatur is an example of an old-growth forest in Atlanta. Toilet paper is an example of a product we use from old-growth forest

       Part 3

    1.The dead organic assortment burned the best because the dry material served as a catalyst for the fire and fueled the flames.

    2.Yes, these assortments do occur naturally. The dead assortment exist on the forest floor, the assortment of green foliage occurs on the trees, and the damp dead assortment exist on the forest floor near a body of water or after rain.

    3. Forest Rangers have to periodically use controlled burns to clear dead material, so that in case of a fire it will not become uncontrollable. 

Finally Part 3

            1. What are the intended goals and objectives of the United States National Park Service?

The intended goal of the United States National Park Service is to conserve and preserve forest, so that they will not have to import trees from other countries and can save money.

            2.  In general, do the U.S. National Parks achieve their stated objectives?

I honestly do believe National Parks achieve their stated objectives, by implementing and utilizing various campaigns to ensure that their parks are protected from dangers such as forest fires.

           3. Provide a few examples of successes achieved by the Park Service AND examples of failures.

Positive- Park service’s help prevent forest fires, provide fun recreational activities, and most importantly conserve trees and preserve the biodiversity in the area

Negative- Park services also allow ATVs which destroy the terrain. They also evict native people from their land, to help “conserve trees and wild diversity”

Camp "Refoogee"

I dont think refugee camps are funny. I am just trying to make fun of how conservation organizations think they are doing best by evicting the indigenous people.

Settled in their isolated villages, the indigenous people continue with their daily routines, but in the distance the thunderous roar of hummers resonate through the forest. These men and women come and offer demeaning reparations to evict the indigenous people from their land. No, the native villagers are not being removed due to ecological occurrences such as droughts, disease, or flooding, they are being “softly evicted.” “Who are these odd people”, the native people ask? “Who are these men and women who remove us from our land with false promises of ample and fair compensation?” These men and women make false claims against us, stating that we are the true enemies of conservation. “Who are these people?” These people are the nonetheless conservationalist. Yes the conversationalist. This article was very eye opening, as it changed my perception of conservation and conservationalist.  Until this point I believed that conservationalist were the true heroes of environmental preservation, but I now realize they are almost no different from the average person. They too are also ignorant and their methods are very reminiscent of the American way. America believes that their way is best and anyone perceived as less intelligent should merely follow their lead.  The indigenous people such as the Batwa were efficiently and effectively conserving their environment, and needed no outside help. Like Martin Saningo said, his people are the “original conservationalists.”  But now as we continue to intervene and promote our methods of conservation the native’s traditions will begin to diminish. Most if not all of their heritage is passed down orally, so with no records of their existence how will these people retain their hold on their livelihoods. From this article I learned that we should leave the indigenous people alone because, they are already doing a much better job than we ever could.

"Come Away With the Wild!"

Ridged mountains and rugged trails lead to a watery ledge

Rustling leaves startle wild creatures just over a lush green hedge

Paths still untraveled run through dense bushes and shrubs

Animals awake from their slumber, snakes, bears, and even wolf cubs

 

Wind blows through the trees moaning with gloom

Frost begins to melt, leaving flowers in bloom

The sun rises then graces the land with color and light

Rising over the horizon relieving us from the dark of night

 

Days pass and seasons come and go

The secrets of the wilderness are still unknown

The wild remains pristine with untamed majesty

So can we as people just leave nature be