World Village » Current Events

Facts And Figures Point To The Demise Of The World’s Clean Water

Kristie Brown — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:05:33 +0000

Even if you've heard a lot about the water pollution crisis that's facing the world, there are probably a lot of facts you don't know that would help you realize just how dire the situation is. Only 3% of the water on the globe is fresh water, even though water covers about 70% of the Earth's surface, and every year people worldwide dump the largest part of 400 billion tons of waste products into what we do have. If something isn't done about this problem, our planet is headed for sure disaster in the not-too-distant future.

As you might expect, Asia has the most polluted rivers due to the fact that they have the bulk of the world's population. People create waste wherever they are, and human waste and the bacteria it generates makes their rivers 3 times more polluted than the average for the other six continents. In the country of Bangladesh, about 85% of the groundwater is polluted with arsenic. Because of this and the high-density population, more than 1.2 million people in the country are exposed to arsenic poisoning every day of their lives.

No continent is blameless in adding to the water pollution problems. In Europe, about 30% of Ireland's water resources are contaminated with fertilizers and sewage. In Australia, it has been estimated that more than 1 million sea birds, 100,000 marine animals, and numerous other creatures have been killed by acidic water in the King River. Oil spills in the oceans account for another destructive force for marine plants and animals, and in industrialized countries worldwide, construction materials are poured into the water where they are more destructive than the biological wastes which dilute much more easily. At least 40% of the water resources in the United States are too polluted for human or animal use.

The list of this type of negative information goes on and on, but you only need a few facts in order to get the picture. Eventually this pollution is going to be in everyone's water and will be absorbed by both animals and agricultural crops. This means that everything you eat or drink will be tainted, and your body systems are going to have to get used to it, even if it's lethal.

We can't just sit back and see this happen, especially since there are things we can be doing about it now. Certain major contaminants, such as chemical fertilizers, need to be eliminated, even if it means that farmers work harder and have lower yields. Of course, no one wants the solution to the problem to affect them, so where does that leave us?
For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Coping With California’s Proposed Budget Cuts Regarding Water Quality

Kristie Brown — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:32:22 +0000

California's Governor Brown recently made public a decision to merge three of the state's water quality control boards, a decision that has met with a great deal of opposition. The three boards are regional agencies that enforce set standards of water quality and regulate pollution. The combination would take two separate and distinct water basins and turn them into one region of about 23,900 square miles for regulation. The move would require alternating locations for board meetings in four separate counties which would mean a lot of inconvenience for board members and the public.

Officials stated that their main complaint regarding the proposed changes was the fact that it would become difficult for people interested in presenting their concerns to get to the meetings. They say that rather than hinder the public from attending, every effort should be made to support their attendance. With no public transportation to the meetings, many people would be prohibited from voicing their questions and suggestions. 

One of the larger regional boards in the designated area is the one that focuses on the needs of the coastal towns near San Diego. Their duties include cleaning up San Diego Bay, tightening storm water regulations in relation to pollution which is seeping into the ocean, and the treatment of sewage. On the other hand, The Colorado River's regional board has been working for rural desert communities in order to regulate farm runoff and replace defective septic tanks. By combining the districts, it would mean far less concentrated attention given to these targeted areas of need. In addition, the governor's proposal includes the reduction of 2 members from the regional water board.

Environmental groups also have complaints about the new legislation. They say it is contrary to environmental justice guidelines of the state. By consolidating the regional boards into one, it will limit their participation in important issues that go before the board and severely lessen their achievements in the area of clean-up efforts in the San Diego Bay and other vital projects. Members cite the fact that some participants have drives of 3 hours each way just to be able to attend meetings.

This is only one of the tough decisions being made due to recent budget cuts and shortfalls. Everyone is looking for ways to cut corners, and some of these measures include reducing necessary services. Just as there are reasons for all proposed cuts, there are also reasons why the cuts should not be made. Something has to give, and it looks like whatever it is will be a detriment to our society.

For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Water Pollution: The Buck Stops With You

Kristie Brown — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:25:03 +0000

Maybe you've heard the popular adage which says if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem. No where is that pearl of wisdom truer than when we talk about the pollution of the world's water resources. We have used and abused the water we have for so many decades now that the problem is finally catching up with us, clean, fresh water is disappearing, and we've no one to blame but ourselves. Ecologists have been telling us of the impending water shortage crisis, but we haven't been listening. We made the mess, so it seems only fair that we clean it up.

It may be that you've gotten so used to doing things a certain way that you don't even realize that you are contributing to the contamination in our water systems. Tips for doing your part to clean up the water include:

* Make it a habit to use less water. Take showers instead of tub baths, wear clothing more than once before tossing it into the laundry, or forget about watering your lawn. Make sure that there are no dripping faucets or toilets running in your home to cut down on water waste. The less water you use, the smaller the quantity that you are sending into our reclamation systems.

* We all need to be very careful with our use of chemicals. Everything from the cleaners you use in your home to the fertilizer you put on your lawn can infiltrate the water systems. Any time you pour a bucket of caustic materials down the storm sewer near your home, you're just as guilty of pollution as big industry. Such things as soaps and shampoos that contain phosphates are also big culprits when it comes to water contamination. Read the ingredients a product contains before you buy.

* There are simple tasks we can all do that will help clean up the environment and, thereby, keep harmful materials out of our water. Cleaning up waste after your pet can keep it from washing into the waterways as can properly depositing your cigarette butts instead of throwing them on the ground. Many people think it's okay to flush almost anything down their toilets, and so they dump in chemicals, unwanted drugs, and dirty water they'd rather not put down their sinks. Next time you start thinking about doing this, think about where that stuff is going to end up.

* You may have heard that recently 240,000 fish were discovered along a Tennessee riverbank in Alabama. The cause of their demise? Nothing but water pollution. Freshwater fish are those most often affected by our contamination of their habitat.

Our water is a precious commodity which all living things need to sustain life. It isn't the plentiful and sustainable resource that many people seem to think it is, and people who aren't working to save it are adding to the problem. It's easy to make a difference, so you should think about how you can make yours.

For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Our Global Water Crisis Is Here And Now

Kristie Brown — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:53:53 +0000

For too many years people have been exploiting the environment, and now that it's time to take steps to correct all the problems we have created, people are turning a deaf ear. It's like when the government talks about cuts and everyone says, “That's a good idea, but don't cut anything that affects me!” Every year we pour millions of gallons of waste products into our existing fresh water resources and, if we think about it at all, we consider it the “other guy's” problem. No one seems to comprehend how serious the situation is to everything that is living on this planet. We all need to do what we can to change, and we need to do it now.

The amount of waste that is infiltrating our water is growing proportionately with the increasing population. The Water World Assessment Program estimates that people worldwide dump 2 million tons of waste into our water each day. At least 70% of industrial wastes are drained into the water in developing nations where they don't yet have anti-pollution precautions and laws in place. Here in the United States, we have a major problem in that agricultural waste products, from such things as fertilizer run-offs and hog confinements, and the wastes we pump into our water are being carried into the lakes, rivers, and oceans. In the 1970s, the United States banned the use of DDT, yet 40 years later, traces of the substance are still being found in our oceans.

We live in a country filled with plenty, and there are those who believe that our water can never run out; however, 20% of the people in the world have no access to clean, safe drinking water. When you hear 20%, do you know how many people are being affected by water shortages? That's a whopping 1,200 million. The problem is so drastic in some areas that it has become the major cause of death for children under the age of five in some areas of the world, and scientists are saying that within the next few decades this same thing could happen to us unless we initiate measures as soon as possible.

Obviously, we don't want this to happen to us. Imagine watching your child wither and die of dehydration because they can't get adequate water to drink, and there's nothing at all you can do about it. Don't depend on laws passed by the government to take care of the problem, because that alone can't begin to conquer the crisis. If we all do our part, together we can make a difference.

For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Changing Water Collection Methods To Decrease Water Contamination

Kristie Brown — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:50:12 +0000

How are we going to survive as a society faced with increasing pollution problems and a lack of fresh drinking water? Unless measures are taken now, this could be a real situation for our descendents. In some areas of the United States, aggressive measures are already being taken to stop the contamination at its point of origin and deliver water to the people which is both safe and healthy to drink. With everything from road salts to chemical wastes to over-the-counter medications being pumped into our sewer systems, it seems to be a monumental task, but for the continued well-being of the world's population, someone needs to tackle it.

A conference organized by the Hudson River Environmental Society was held at Vassar College to discuss the contamination problems. During this seminar, various speakers emphasized the complexities of the causes and effects of our water crisis as well as ideas for ways we can solve them. Participants were taught to recognize what pollution actually is, how it's getting into our water systems, ways in which it is effecting the ecosystems, and strategies for correcting the different situations.

Most of us give no thought to how water pollution affects anyone but humans. Examples were provided to conference attendees based on extensive research done by such research facilities as the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. A study was done there that involved ways that Tagament, a antihistamine that controls stomach acid, affects invertebrates. The study found that invertebrates use histamines as neurotransmitters, utilizing them for such things as olfactory and photo reception. If lobsters ingest the drug, their neurological pathways are disrupted and fail to perform properly.

Combined sewer overflows are the major culprits in this scenario. Although they are responsible for only 10% of all of our treated or untreated wastewater discharge, they contain around 90% of the discharged compounds. These overflows introduce the built-up contamination into a variety of ecosystems. To combat the problem, cities are instituting measures, such as grey and green infrastructure. Gray infrastructure includes such additions as holding tanks which keep excessive stormwater under control until it can be processed. Although steps like this are effective, they are also very expensive. New York City, for example, paid $400 million for a 50 million gallon tank.

Green infrastructure is done in smaller steps, such as encouraging landowners to collect and divert stormwater before it can run into the sewers. An renovation on Vassar's own campus was given as an example. It involved the redesign of a parking area near one of the college's townhouse complexes. The project involved bioengineering depressions, known as swales, to catch runoff and direct it to specially-created holding areas. In those areas, plants and special soil mixtures break down pollutants such as gas, salt, and oil, before the water can mingle with with that in the storm sewers.
For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Solving Water Contamination Problems At Venice Beach

Kristie Brown — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:53:51 +0000

When the beaches of Venice started experiencing excessive contamination, local officials suspected a common source: human feces. However, that wasn't the case. After studying six DNA samples, they also ruled out dog and bird wastes as the cause of the problem. The next step was to make an educated guess as to what was causing the pollution, and by process of elimination, tests pointed a finger at rat and raccoon feces. Case solved? Hardly! Whereas they could have repaired compromised sewer lines, how can you tell a wild creature where to do his duty?

Anyone might conclude that the Department of Health was overjoyed to finally know the reason behind the higher-than-acceptable levels of fecal coliform and enterococcus bacteria. The fact that there had been no rain yet the worst of the pollution had been concentrated near two pipes which were used to drain storm water into the gulf had them stymied. Then they discovered that the water flow into the area was caused by homeowners watering their lawns since there was no rain. This clean water was particularly appealing to thirsty wildlife who congregated at the mouth of these pipes in order to drink during dry periods of time.

The good news here was the fact that human swimmers are less likely to contract diseases from animal feces. However, the problem in general wasn't good, and engineers had to come up with ways to cut down on the contamination. A common misconception is that screens can be used to stop wildlife getting into pipes such as these. True, it's a solution that could work except for the fact that screens clog with debris which, during heavy rainfall, could cause the sewers to back up.

The solution that seems to be working best so far is keeping watch of the amounts of contamination in these areas. If a problem build-up of bacteria is found, city workers can be assigned the task of cleaning out the pipes. Unfortunately, operating this aggressive maintenance procedure has escalated costs to unacceptable levels. A permanent fix would be far less costly, that is provided a viable one can be found.

Starting in August, the city plans to try revamping the way the sewer system runs in order to stop the accumulation of bacteria. By rerouting two of the worst water runs so as to detour them through a shallow swale, the water will percolate into the sand, the the ultraviolet rays of the sun will help to break down the colonies of bacteria. Two other water systems will be connected to vaults where the water will be filtered and UV treated before being pumped offshore.
For more info visit http://separmaticsystems.com.

Who Is Responbsible For Our Water Pollution Woes?

Kristie Brown — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:40:10 +0000

Life on our earth consists of a delicate balance. If something gets thrown out of whack, then many possibly unexpected changes incur. Like, for instance, our freshwater ecosystems. When humans allow chemicals, pesticides, waste products, and the like to get into the water, many negative things happen. Plants and water animals can be killed, food supplies may be exhausted, and shortages of clean water could occur. You've probably heard a lot about water pollution, but do you really know what it is and what it can do?

For starters, there are two basic types of water pollution:
* point source pollution which means that pollutants are coming from a specific
location
* non-point source pollution when the overall source is something less specific,
such as agricultural run-off or highway dirt
Both types of pollution are responsible for environmental and health problems; however, non-point source pollution is much harder to control than that which can be traced back to a single source.

Industrial, livestock, and chemical wastes that are allowed to flow into rivers and streams are a major source of pollution. The waters that receive them become poisonous, oxygen levels decrease, and the creatures that live in the water die. Such industries as refineries, automotive plants, paper mills, and power plants are known to dispose of waste materials by pumping them into rivers. For example, when heated water is released from power plants, it reduces the amount of oxygen in the water resulting in the death of aquatic plants and animals.

In addition, organic wastes are produced by slaughterhouses, meat processing plants, and other types of animal manufacturing enterprises. Microorganisms decompose the organic waste materials which uses up the oxygen in the water. Many times this is what has happened when a body of water begins to have an offensive smell. Inorganic wastes are toxic substances that, if exposed to in sufficient quantities, can impair the natural processes of the body. These wastes include heavy metals, acids, mercury, and other materials that are by-products of industry.

You may be starting to think that all of the blame for water pollution can be laid at the door of industry and farming, but these things are only the tip of the iceberg. Actually, we as individuals are responsible for the largest percent of the pollution. There are approximately 7 billion people living in the world today, and if each one of them tossed or flushed one pollutant into our water resources today, that would mean 7 billion contaminants unrelated to manufacturing and agriculture.

If, for example, you threw a plastic water bottle into a lake or river today, you could be responsible for the deaths of countless aquatic creatures. Fish and other animals can become entangled in plastic mesh, strings, and pop can holders, or they may eat tiny pieces of the plastic which may kill them. It's estimated that it takes 450 to 1000 years for that one plastic bottle to decompose. Imagine how many animals it could damage in that length of time, then multiply it times 7 billion.

Other ways that people contribute to the pollution problem include the disposal of household wastes and sewage and the plethora of cleaning products and toiletries we all use every day. Every one of these products which we've grown to depend upon can contribute to your share of the pollution problem.
For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Proper Handling Of Industrial Waste Water Is Beneficial To All

Kristie Brown — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:48 +0000

Everyone is glad that we have so many prosperous industries in our country. They provide jobs as well as the goods and services that we need to live our modern lifestyles. They also use billions of gallons of water each year, gallons that when run through the manufacturing process come out dirty and polluted. All of this waste water has to go somewhere, and there have been problems in the past with companies dumping their wastes into nearby waterways. Even though there are government regulations requiring the proper treatment of all liquid wastes, thousands of gallons still make their way into our lakes and rivers.

Many manufacturers now use in-house water treatment systems to take care of this problem. Not only do these systems restore the water back to its original clean condition, but many factories are actually finding uses for the recycled materials that are removed from the water. By being able to clean up the water, these companies can recycle it and use it again without having to pay for it a second time. The initial installation of this type of equipment can be costly, but it will ultimately end up saving the company a lot of money. Still, the in-house cleansing is only as good as the employees who operate the process.

More traditionally, some industrial facilities still resort to shipping their waste water to outside concerns who dispose of it. This is a process that has long been used by companies that can't afford to install their own water treatment systems. In the beginning, the process was inexpensive. Now, however, it has become extremely expensive due to the fact that places to dump the water are dwindling.

A newer method of dealing with huge amounts of contaminated water has been evolving in recent years, and it makes a whole lot of sense. Instead of dumping the water, new facilities are filtering it and making it ready for reintroduction into the water systems. The majority of these entities treat the water on-site. Reclaiming the water for other uses is a much better, greener option. Companies such as these operate within specific guidelines which ensure that the water they reintroduce into the environment is clean and pure.

The manufacturing sector is an important one for the American economy, and it's good for all of us that these businesses are now taking steps to stop the flow of polluted water into our water resources. It's only by all sectors of the country working together that we're going to be able to ensure adequate amounts of drinking water for future generations.
For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

Water Conservation Now Is A Must For Our Planet’s Future

Kristie Brown — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 12:25:24 +0000

In the United States, we've always had an endless flow of clean, safe water. We've never had to drink from polluted rivers or wonder where the water is going to come from. We've become not only spoiled with our H2O riches, but also complacent. After all, water resources are replenished every time it rains, so the supply will never run out. At least, that's what most people think if they think about it at all. Unfortunately, the thought isn't a true one. Water resources can run out, and if we don't take steps now to conserve this valuable commodity, we could find ourselves dealing with water shortages.

Water conservation becomes a necessity when viewing how a shortage would affect every person, including you. In more positive terms, using less water will have the immediate effects of saving you money. You can also check and make sure that you have no water leaks from any of your faucets. Just a small drip can end up costing you hundreds of dollars if it's allowed to keep on dripping. Adjust the output of your toilet so that it is operating on the smallest amount of H2O possible. It's cheaper to fix these items in your home than it is to pay water bills which increase all the time. In addition, in most cities, you pay higher sewer rates based on the amount of water you use.

Failure to conserve the water we have is going to end up costing our children and grandchildren a lot of tax money. Less water will also mean higher prices at the grocery store, because of the cost of irrigation to farmers, and grocery prices are already higher than they've ever been. Add all of these expenses together, and start conserving water, and you'll be saving yourself and your progeny a significant amount of money which you'll be able to spend on other things.

Many parts of our country have been dealing with significant droughts, and farmers everywhere are having to irrigate their crops in order for them to grow. Once again, salt water cannot be used, even though the majority of water in the world is salt water. If you think about the Great Salt Lake or the Dead Sea, you can see the effect that salt has on plants and wildlife. The only way salt water can be used in farming or drunk by humans is to desalinate it, and building facilities to handle this process is an expensive proposition. The water we conserve now can make a big difference in the future of our world.
For more info visit http://www.separmaticsystems.com.

The Media: Biased Or Clueless?

JoeKoford — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:20:09 +0000

Do you think the Media is biased? I sometimes do, but I have noted something else about the media that is perhaps more troubling: the media often gets facts wrong. Usually these are small and insignificant things that (usually) have little effect on the story. But do you really know?

Here is a simple test. We’ve all seen obituaries for people we have know. Have you ever seen an obituary that was totally 100 percent correct? I haven’t. Usually its an insignificant error, something is misspelled, they graduated from the wrong college, they worked for a different company. True this information usually comes from the family, but the information was probably correct when it when to the paper. Somewhere in the process of getting printed the errors crept in. Of course the main purpose of an obituary to announce the death of an individual and even the error don’t change that basic fact.

I saw a story today about a fishing boat washed out to sea by the tsunami in Japan a year ago. Two stories actually, both from the Associated Press. The two stories were almost identical. One reported a “large fishing vessel” “50-foot-long (15-meter-long)” the other reported a “A 54-meter-long fishing vessel.” The picture with the “50-foot-long” vessel looked more lake 150 feet. There was no picture of the “54-meter-long” vessel. The 50 foot boat was “160 miles (260 kilometers) west of Haida Gwaii,’ the 54 meter long boat was “140 nautical miles west of the southern tip of Haida Gwaii”

I’m temped to assume is actually the same boat. It could be that the first article was for American newspapers and then edited for a more international market. So in the American version a 50-foot-long vessel is reported by “Victoria’s Joint rescue coordination center” while in the international version its the (more european?) “Co-ordination Centre.”

Or maybe there were actually two boats spotted. More than one Japaness fishing vessel was washed out to sea by the tsunami. Maybe after writing the first article, a second vessal was seen and reported. Rather than writing a whole new article, the writer edits the original article using the updated statistics to report the second boat spotted.

When reading a news story on line or in the newspaper or watching the news on teevision I always wonder: “what did they get wrong?”

AT least that’s my thought, what do you think?’