Posts Tagged Politics
2010 the hottest year ever?!? Even with snow?!? You Betcha!
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on January 14, 2011
Attention everyone who reads this blog, in the event that you yourself believe the following or that you are unfortunate enough to hear someone utter the following lunacy, please be advised that a rather important chart follows that you need to read or see yourself.
The lunacy goes as follows (many variants exist):
“There is snow on the ground. Global Warming is not real.”
Nope. Wrong. Climate Change (formerly Global Warming and changed in the hopes of stopping people from saying things like I have in bold) is real and its getting worse. Yep, it’s getting worse folks. From a rapid rise in the presence of ecosystem destroying fungi or the sudden prevalence of beetles and other parasites normally curbed by climate, the entire biosphere is changing and is likely never going back. (Unless of course some magical sea change of ecological consciousness sweeps the globe)
Here is a the recent end of the century temperature trend with 2010 being the hottest year on record:
About that snow…
Climate change affects the overall patterns of climate not weather. A single heat wave does not mean the world is warming nor does the presence of snow. What climate change will do is cause such normally occurring events to peak at rather high and incredibly unusual extremes at an alarming frequency. I’ll let the President of the United States explain it:
In Arizona, our country got a little darker.
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on January 9, 2011
Yesterday, about mid-afternoon, this country got a bit darker. A young man opened fire on a crowd gathered to meet and talk to their local Representative. The Representative, Gabrielle Giffords was shot through her head and as of writing this, has been left in critical condition. John M. Roll, 63, a federal district court judge was shot and killed as were Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, Giffords’ director of community outreach, Dorwin Stoddard, 76, a pastor at Mountain Ave. Church of Christ, Christina Greene, 9, student at Mesa Verde Elementary, Dorthy Murray, 76 and Phyllis Scheck, 79.
This is a genuine tragedy; there is no other way to describe it. We can however, choose how we react to it. Our actions, as citizens of the United States should be to brighten the world around us – not to darken it. Politicians who of late have made their careers by spewing a dialogue of hate speech and divisiveness need to change their tones – immediately. Our Representatives need to be working for us, not against us and certainly not to divide us.
We must actively work to better our communities. We must say hello to our neighbors, have neighborhood pot lucks – know one another rather than fear one another. Folks have got to get out there and set a proper example of community stewardship and action. In my most frustrated moments as a very small time community organizer, it is to that value that my frustration finds itself evaporated into.
As my events are announced, please come out. Please help me make Allentown a little brighter! Spread good and you do not have to live in fear. Representative Giffords was doing that yesterday when her life was changed forever by a sick individual. The 6 people who lost their lives were standing up in their community and trying to make it brighter. What they have now died for, should be exclaimed and celebrated and you know what – in the face of this hate – they are American heroes.
We need to keep making it brighter. This darkness must pass.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand” – Lincoln
God help those people left shattered tonight in Arizona.
Like this:
The Environment is the victim of the Midterm Election
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on November 7, 2010
It appears that 50% of the newly elected senators and representatives don’t believe that climate change is real. They have been convinced by the narrative of conservative pundits, politicians and right-wing activists that there is no link between human activity and global warming. That’s right readers these folks have taken a verbal dump on decades of scientific research in favor of believing the conjecture of people who wouldn’t know a Mountain Pine Beetle blight (warming caused) in Colorado from an ice sheet the size of Manhattan falling into the Atlantic. They wouldn’t know what the positive feedback cycle of ice melt means for the future of glaciers, ice-sheets and polar ice caps moving forward. While I could continue for pages – I’ll say simply: They don’t know and in turn, we’re boned.
The President is preparing a new strategy to keep climate change legislation alive which includes more natural gas exploration. Nope. Bad. Wrong. The President needs to keep moving forward on climate change legislation – not back.
Overall it appears as if the United States is poised to become the dumbest superpower in the world where the environment is concerned at a time when that old American innovation and world leading capability could come in handy – especially where China and India are concerned.
Obama shifting strategy after GOP gains: Washington Post
Obama to face New Foes in Global Warming Fight: New York Times
At Sestak Headquarters: The Admiral on The Environment
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on October 21, 2010
Pat Toomey is absolutely 100% correct about one thing this campaign season. His accusations that Admiral Joe Sestak is an unabashed progressive. (he uses the term liberal which the right-wing has manged to turn into some sort of epithet, so I opt not to use it.) If elected, Admiral Sestak promises to blaze a legislative agenda regarding the environment that is not only forward thinking, but necessary, intelligent and logical.
At Sestak headquarters it took less than ten minutes for the campaign manager (who incidentally is grinding out 18-20 hour days and could use help!) to print out four pages worth of voting history and official statements made by the Admiral on the Environment. Now, Joe isn’t completely perfect regarding environmental issues –he isn’t John Muir but as far as senate candidates go, he is damn close.
There are so many no brainers (like a new Public works program, you know like the one from the first depression that established city and national parks and national infrastructure we still use everyday and public transportation and well, read on) on this list it seems as if this should have been the policy of this country for the last 40 years.
Alas, moderate democrats and neo-conservative republicans have all but damned the true cause of preservation and conservation to the guilt bin of a corporate society and I for one am mad as Hell and not in the mood to take it anymore. Pat Toomey would effectively ride into office as the corporate horseman of the ecological apocalypse leaving in his wake as political record the continuation of the sixth mass extinction event – the first man made- and deny it until the bitter end.
Admiral Joe Sestak has established for himself a record that is not only pro-environment but pro-humanity not pro-corporation. I fully support Admiral Sestak, I endorse him and I encourage everyone to volunteer for him to win if you have any care or concern for the environment. Below, you can view his record for yourself.
(Joe fights the poo water situations, btw -fyi.)
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Our global environment is at a tipping point; we must reduce greenhouse emissions, stop global warming now, end our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, and our often careless disregard for precious natural resources. Joe believes that America needs a comprehensive strategy with innovative solutions to our energy and environmental crisis that protects our air, water and land.
JOE SESTAK’S EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT
A CONSISTENT RECORD
100% from PennEnvironment, a citizen-based advocacy organization.
97% from League of Conservation Voters, one of the largest environmental organizations.
ENDORSED BY CLEAN WATER ACTION
One of only six House or Senate representatives in the state to have been endorsed by the national organization working for clean, safe and affordable water.
RENEWABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
VOTED FOR AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT (ACES)
Makes possible a greener, more sustainable economy, addresses the moral imperative to reduce the human
impact on climate change, and restores this nation to a position of global leadership in effort to reduce worldwide emissions and effects of global warming.
Invests a new $90 billion in renewables and energy efficiency by 2025
URGED HIGHER STANDARDS IN ACES
Writes letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging improvements to the American Clean Energy and
Security Act (ACES) by requiring a stronger Renewable Electricity Standard of at least 20% by 2020
CO-SPONSORED THE AMERICAN RENEWABLE ENERGY ACT
Requires 25% of energy generated be from renewable sources.
SUPPORTED ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION TO:
Raise the CAFE standards for the first time in 32 years.
Extend and expand tax credits supporting alternative energy, including solar and wind.
End unnecessary subsidies to big oil companies and instead provide tax incentives to invest in clean,
renewable energy.
SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THORIUM AMENDMENTS
Thorium has the potential to provide more nuclear power with less than 1% of the waste with a significantly shorter half-life, and without the weapons proliferation concerns.
SECURED $500,000 FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC BUSES
Improves air quality in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
HOSTED THREE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY ROUNDTABLES
Brought together District and Washington clean energy small business for a dialogue about prices, reducing dependency on oil, and expanding use of alternative energy.
SUPPORTS:
Extend the tax credits for renewable energy sources
Provides a predictable tax climate to encourage private investment and innovation.
Increase the national renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020.
Funding for research and development of renewable energy sources
Investment in advance battery technology
Enact national interconnection standards
Adopt national net metering
Ensure an educated and trained green energy workforce
GLOBAL WARMING AND CLEAN AIR
CO-SPONSORED SAFE CLIMATE ACT
Decreases emissions each year from 2010-2050 by 2% and provides regulations requiring reductions to meet such targets. Accelerates the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by establishing a market driven system of greenhouse gas tradable allowances.
CLEAN WATER
CO-SPONSORED BILLS TO PROTECT OUR WATER
Prevents exclusion of certain bodies of water from environmental protections.
Expands definition of pollutants to anything that replaces portions of waters with dry land or changes the bottom elevation of a water body, and anything discharged into water primarily to dispose of waste.
SECURED $400,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CLEAN WATER IN DISTRICT
To separate combined sewer system so raw sewage is not released during heavy rain.
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
SECURED $250,000 FOR REGIONAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT
To enhance watershed infrastructure, including work on culverts and sewers, as well as provide environmental restoration of Pennsylvania creeks.
First step of a comprehensive solution to extensive flooding and pollution, not only from companies that dump contaminants, but also from indirect runoff of pollutants.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT SUMMIT
Brought together federal, state, and local officials to address the serious threat of flooding in the region due to improper watershed management.
CONSERVING NATURAL RESOURCES BY
Establishing an annual park fund of $100 million, through co-sponsored National Parks Centennial Fund Act.
Protecting nearly two million acres of wilderness in eight states.
Protecting 58.5 million acres of this country’s last remaining wild national forests from new road-building and other commodity activities.
Imposing royalties on hardrock mining and mandating environmental protections.
Designating lands within Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as wilderness and components of National Wilderness Preservation System, through co-sponsored bill.
Making permanent the enhanced tax deduction for conservation easement donations.
SUMMARY OF FUTURE INITIATIVES
Joe has and will continue to fight for clean air, clean water and responsible land use to support a secure environment. Joe supports creating a strong national renewable energy standard, extending renewable tax credits, and integrating renewable energy into the energy market. He strongly supports passage of climate change legislation that will move our economy forward, make us more efficient and globally competitive, and mitigate the severe future negative effects of climate change. Joe is working to reauthorize and improve brownfield legislation to restore the 10,000 brownfield sites in Pennsylvania; increase tax credits for land preservation; and improve how we address watershed flooding and pollution. Specifically, Joe believes we need to:
REVITALIZE AMERICA’S INFRASTRUCTURE: CREATING A 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT
Support an Intermodal Transportation System: We must create more livable communities by better integrating transportation and development planning.
Invest in Broadband Technology: Continue to invest in the installation of broadband infrastructure so that all communities, regardless of wealth or geographical location, will have access to state of the art broadband communications. We cannot afford to have whole sections of our country, whole communities, and economic groups without access to the channels of commerce and learning of the 21st Century.
SECURING AFFORDABLE AND DOMESTIC ENERGY THAT CREATES JOBS IN NEW CLEAN ENERGY INDUSTRIES
Renewable Power:
Establish a cap and trade program for carbon emissions: Cap carbon to create an incentive for companies to burn less oil and other fossil fuels and to encourage more carbon-free alternatives such as solar power.
Extend the tax credits for renewable energy sources: Long-term (8 year) extension of renewable energy tax credits.
Increase the national renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020 in conjunction with a strong Renewable Electricity Standard: A Renewable Electricity Standard requiring at least 20% from renewables by 2020 (with the flexibility to meet up to 3% with efficiency) together with a strong Efficiency Resource Standard.
Funding for research and development of renewable energy sources: $150 billion investment over 10 years on renewable energy and energy efficiency and support increased funding to train researchers— securing our competitiveness in the coming years.
Natural Resources:
Coal: Put in place a cap and trade system for carbon emissions; continue investment in clean coal; continue investment and require carbon capture and sequestration.
Nuclear Power: Continuation of the government/industry partnership to help validate the Nuclear Regualtory Commission’s new power plant licensing process, and to resolve technical and/or regulatory issues associated with new nuclear plant designs; Create a commission like BRAC to select long-term storage option(s) and up and down vote from Congress; Continued funding research into developing future reactor technology and design; Promote the use of Thorium following the findings from the Defense and Energy Departments.
Natural Gas:
Give local communities the added protection of the Safe Drinking Water Act, in addition to current State protections.
Encourage the development of natural gas infrastructure and use as a vehicle fuel source.
Increase investment in water infrastructure development.
At Toomey HeadQuarters: In search of a Stance
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on October 20, 2010
Having just left the campaign offices of Admiral Joe Sestak, (more on that tomorrow), I pulled into the parking lot of what I would come to discover is called “Toomey Town” very interested to see what the folks in “Toomey Town”had to tell me about Pat’s stance on the environment.
As it would turn out, they didn’t have much to say.
The first person I interacted with was a young man, a shave or two removed from his 18th or 19th birthday. I asked him for whatever literature or print out was available that detailed Mr. Toomey’s stance on the environment. I also identified myself as a blogger writing a story about the Senate candidates views on environmental issues. At that, the young man stood from his chair and told me to wait in order for him to see if such a thing existed.
Upon his return he told me that the press office reps were not around and it would not be possible to get an official statement regarding Toomey’s stance on the environment. I explained to the young man that I had just left Admiral Sestak’s field office and I showed him the four page document that the Lehigh Valley campaign manager gave me. The kid gestured and asked his superior what to do. The superior, the “Toomey Town” manager told me no such thing existed and that there was no official statement on Mr.Toomey’s environmental positions. He handed me two copies of editorials published by Toomey (likely by his campaign) in 2009 and 2010, told me to “check the website” and walked away.
I left “Toomey Town” with less information than I could acquire using Google.
The two editorials, one decrying Admiral Sestak’s support of a nascent Cap and Trade Bill and one advocating for the drilling of the Marcellus Shale while claiming advocacy of conservation are strikingly similar and actually contain copied paragraphs. I take these to be the Toomey campaign line and consider them Pat’s stance on the environment:
1.”Pennsylvania is home to the Marcellus Shale, one of the largest unconventional gas reserves in the world. It has the potential to turn our state into a major of producer of clean energy and create thousands of jobs. But a new energy tax could doom this budding industry before it has a chance to develop.”
–Mr Toomey: Are you serious? Do you think us simpletons? Do you actually believe this stuff you are spewing? The tax exists as a way to stop this drilling because it will cause an ecological holocaust that could potentially take human lives and well, I suppose if there are less people then there are more jobs?
2. “A focus on renewable energy, conservation, low-carbon energy such as natural gas, nuclear energy and cleaner-coal technology are all part of the solution”
–Mr. Toomey: What are you talking about!? Renewable energy? Conservation? You have no policy stances on these issues. You have no implementation plans, no tax-based incentives, you offer no vision of creation for these issues. What you advocate is one of the most destructive activities we could possibly engage in to derive a non-renewable resource.
It is clear from the funding of his campaign to his denial of climate change to these policy stances that Pat Toomey is a legitimate monster as far as ecological protection is concerned.
Tomorrow, I will be taking a look at Admiral Joe Sestak.
Pat Toomey on Climate Change (Wow-this is Palin-bad folks)
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on October 19, 2010
It is incredible to consider that we live in an era where an entire political party has for one of its major policy platforms, a complete and thorough denial and ignorance of basic, clear-cut science. In America today the entire Republican party not only denies climate change science but attributes such theory to liberal conspiracy. The cackle of Sarah Palin following her oft repeated line of immense stupidity “Drill Baby Drill” resonates as dogma to the toes of every Republican running or already holding office. So then, what about our republicans? What about Pat Toomey?
I think we can get a pretty firm grasp on where Pat Toomey stands on all of these issues by examining the following:
1. Consider the following from Pat:
““There is much debate in the scientific community as to the precise sources of global warming,” Toomey claimed in June, even though the National Academies of Science have explained that the “compelling case that climate change is occurring and is caused in large part by human activities is based on a strong, credible body of evidence.” (From ThinkProgress.org)
So, Mr. Toomey is firmly in the climate change, common sense, science defying camp of denial. Fair enough Pat, but why Pat? Why in the holy hell can you deny something so simple and empirically able to observed on a global scale?
“Trolling Opensecrets.org, HuffPost found Toomey’s top contributors include oil and coal giants Koch Industries ($15,000) and Murray Energy ($16,655). Those are the top two contributors of climate change skeptic Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) who received $45,500 and $30,600 from those companies respectively”
(Huffington Post – Republican Global Warming Deniers funded by Energy Industry)
Fair enough Toomey. Alright, let’s give you another chance.
2. From an interview with Greg Sargent on WTIF radio, Toomey says it again:
QUESTIONER: I have a question about global warming and what Toomey’s position is on that and what he believes is going on there.
TOOMEY: My view is, I think the data is pretty clear. There has been an increase in the surface temperature of the planet over the course of the last 100 years or so. I think it’s clear that that has happened. The extent to which that has been caused by human activity I think is not as clear. I think that is still very much disputed and has been debated. If we go down the road of legislation like this cap and trade bill…
Great, and now Pat is making up bills that don’t exist. The cap and trade bill he is referencing that was sponsored by the right and left and spearheaded by John Kerry fell apart months ago.
What gives Pat? Are they really paying you enough that you are willing to throw the stability of the entire biosphere under the bus to say these ignorant things and purposefully advocate for policies that will see an increasing amount of life destroyed? How is that ok Mr. Toomey? How is it that you sleep at night? Unless of course, you actually are silly enough to believe the things you are speaking in which case I can imagine the snoring sounds as loud as fracking liquid smashing into rock deep below the ground.
O, one other note:
“Once again, a joint statement (pdf) by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Chemical Society, American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Biological Sciences, American Meteorological Society, American Society of Agronomy, American Society of Plant Biologists, American Statistical Association, Association of Ecosystem Research Centers, Botanical Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Ecological Society of America, Natural Science Collections Alliance, Organization of Biological Field Stations, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Society of Systematic Biologists, Soil Science Society of America, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research:
Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver. These conclusions are based on multiple independent lines of evidence, and contrary assertions are inconsistent with an objective assessment of the vast body of peer-reviewed science. Moreover, there is strong evidence that ongoing climate change will have broad impacts on society, including the global economy and on the environment. “
More tomorrow.
North Whitehall Approves Ecologic and Economic Abomination
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on October 7, 2010
(Don’t you love how the bloodsuckers use red, white and blue to drive home how “American” they are?)
In an article written by Devon Lash, the Morning Call is reporting today that North Whitehall Township supervisors, in a 2-1 vote, have approved the final land plans for the construction of the Lehigh Valley’s latest big box abomination. The 2 yes votes came from North Whitehall Supervisors Ronald Stahley and Ronald Heintzelman, two individuals who are apparently blind to the history of abuse and destruction that the big box monster has committed and who are also apparently unaware of the significance of this location, both economically and ecologically.
If any of you have ever driven down Route 309 up in Schnecksville, you are aware of great diversity of locally owned mom and pop stores which are the exact kind of places that the big box abomination seeks to destroy with their calculated “low prices” and seeming great deals. An individual from the big box abomination will likely visit all of those stores, do enough research to figure out which products are the most popular and make sure that when the latest unholy incarnation opens that all those products will be sold for much cheaper than in the local stores and these prices will be heavily advertised.
In other words, this bloodsucking move will force consumers to decide between price and loyalty and in the current economic climate, the consumer is faced with a decision that while being tantamount to selling their soul to Satan, might be the decision that makes the best sense for their families. The big box abominations CEOs are hateful creatures for that very fact.
Ecologically, the location of the new abomination is on the doorstep of State Game Lands in an area that has been laid waste by suburban expansion and McMansion developments. The open space that will be destroyed by the abomination is in short supply these days in the Lehigh Valley and the erection of this latest Cathedral of Late Capitalism will see much more of it destroyed.
Ronald Stahley and Ronald Heintzelman made a terrible terrible call voting yes for this land plan.
The North Whitehall Sustainable Development committee has 30 days to appeal the terrible decision and I suggest that all of us, regardless of where we live, do what we can to help them fight their noble and worthy cause.
Save the land folks. Stop the Abomination.
And sickeningly, one of the hold ups for construction of the abomination is LCA sewer lines. That’s right readers, the same group that stands idly by as straight up poo pours into our streams is in effect holding the keys to the kingdom for the abomination. Wonderful. One can imagine that the nearby game-lands will soon be inundated with poo to make way for the abomination.
Marcellus Shale Mania
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on September 27, 2010
‘”It’s a pretty overwhelming situation for those of us in the environmental community,”” said Jeff Schmidt of the Sierra Club. (Darragh, 2010)
Across the state of Pennsylvania a rush to drill wells into the soil of the state in order to extract natural gas is heightening in intensity and frequency of development. The greatest amount of gas is estimated to be found in areas of the Devion-era black shale in Northeastern Pennsylvania. (Geology, 2005-2010) That estimation means that a great majority of the gas drilling that occurs in Pennsylvania as part of this rush is likely to occur near the formative waters of the Lehigh River. (Darragh, 2010)
There are many economic pros and environmental cons that are associated with gas drilling of this nature. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, the environmental impacts are likely to be so severe that any economic benefits will be eclipsed by the devastation of drilling. Before considering the chemical component of the gas drilling operation, there are major impacts created in the process of erecting a gas rig that will cause major environmental problems before a glass jar of natural gas is produced.
The first thing to consider is the immediate impact of the construction in the environment and on the forest where it is constructed. After at least 3 similar fossil fuel exploration explosions over the history of Pennsylvania, this latest development would again render large swaths of a newly developed and reconstituted forest bare. Animal habitats will be lessened, fragmented and put in danger of point-source pollution. The very foundation of the local ecosystem’s food web will be shaken and threatened by the invasive procedures that construction projects require.
The second thing to consider is what will be required of the ecosystem in which these rigs are erected in order for them to run profitably. The largest necessary resource will be water. An estimated amount of “Millions of gallons for each well drilled.” (Darragh, 2010) With that amount of water required for a single well to function and water from the Lehigh River being a major supplier of the needed fluid, the environmental effect of that prolonged withdraw will dramatically alter the future health of Lehigh River. Permanently depressed water levels will lead to an increased water temperature and a more rapid development of algae on account of the temperature increase, regardless of any other contaminant. Warmer water also means less favorable habitat conditions for native fish like Trout that require colder water for proper bio- functionality.
Now, we must consider the wells themselves. In order to create a permanent rig to withdraw natural gas a significant amount of soil must be removed. Into the created hole, as an environmental safety measure, must go steel and concrete. This entire process will wreak havoc on the delicate nature of the naturally occurring soil ecosystem. It is at this point of consideration that the most ecologically threatening factor of this kind of natural gas exploration must be considered.
The natural gas that is the goal of this machination of harvest is located deep in the rocks of the Marcellus Shale itself. In order to retrieve the desired gas, once the well has been created and the water procured; a mix of chemicals is added to the water and the solution is shot down the well at an incredibly high pressure to fracture the rock and release the gas.
So what? The chemicals used have to be approved by the EPA right? This process is regulated and observed because of the Clean Water Act of 1972 right? Here, things begin to get troublesome. On September 22nd, EPA director Lisa Jackson made a formal statement that the EPA was seeking a complete list of the chemicals used in the process of rock fracking in order to complete an investigation regarding the supposed environmental safety of these projects. (Modany, 2010) That means that, even as thousands of wells have already been installed and thousands more have been approved for construction (Darragh, 2010), the EPA doesn’t fully know what is being pumped into the ground to retrieve this natural gas.
In addition to the possible groundwater contamination that can occur from pumping the chemical stew into the ground; the fracking process can release “Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material” from the rock and in turn, create radioactive pollution. Specifically, the EPA has released the following statement regarding this issue: “Radioactive wastes from oil and gas drilling take the form of produced water, drilling mud, sludge, slimes, or evaporation ponds and pits. It can also concentrate in the mineral scales that form in pipes (pipe scale), storage tanks, or other extraction equipment. Radionuclides in these wastes are primarily radium-226, radium-228, and radon gas. The radon is released to the atmosphere, while the produced water and mud containing radium are placed in ponds or pits for evaporation, re-use, or recovery.” (EPA, 2009)
When considering the overall impact of the construction of the wells, the use of the chemical stew to break rock and the resulting leftover contaminant, the sum total of environmental damage from all the wells in use at the same time is astronomical. The recurring theme in Tim Darragh’s Morning Call fracking article is exactly that. When reading that article, and considering that the Pennsylvania legislature has cut funding to Conservation and Preservation organizations in the last two state budgets; the environmental future of the state of Pennsylvania appears grim. The Lehigh River seems destined for a serious blow of contamination that it will be hard pressed to bounce back from. It will be beyond difficult for the entire state to bounce back, to be fair.
Works Cited
Darragh, T. (2010, September 11). The Morning Call. Retrieved September 26, 2010, from The Morning Call Website: www.mcall.com
EPA. (2009). EPA. Retrieved September 26th, 2010, from EPA web site : http://www.epa.gov/radtown/drilling-waste.html
Geology. (2005-2010). Geology. Retrieved September 26, 2010, from Geology: www.geology.com
Modany, A. (2010, September 22). Reuters. Retrieved September 26, 2010, from Reuters Web Site: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS35182689720100922
And in world Climate News: DOOM!
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on September 22, 2010
Remember grade school Social Studies? Remember the explorer section? Consider how many generations of human beings sought the fabled Northwest Passage to find an easier route to the spice hub of southeast Asia and India. Hudson died doing it, and he wasn’t alone.
In 2010 we have finally found the Northwest Passage. That’s right folks, it is possible to navigate the Arctic Ocean right now as there is no longer any ice obstructing the waterway.
Think of the opportunity!
An entire industry built on the abuse of fossil fuels has now created for itself an excellent new business venture by spending over a hundred years increasing atmospheric levels of CO2 to observable levels not seen since the agreed upon beginning of our Holocene! God Bless these thrifty Capitalists! For profit, for gain, to expand the wallets of the wealthiest 1% of people living on planet Earth, these folks have likely pushed us past the point of no return as far as Climate Change is concerned.
That’s right readers, Climate Change. It’s real. It’s happening and the effects of it are being noticed in terrifying ecological developments worldwide. Sorry Republicans, it wasn’t a Liberal conspiracy. It’s the real deal folks and the consequences are only going to worsen.
Here in Allentown, Why does it matter to you? Why do you care about sea ice in the arctic? We need jobs even if it means pumping more fossil fuels into the sky. We need thriving business to sustain a nascent economic recovery. I live in Allentown, a rust-belt depressed town that needs help. Who gives a hoot about the backyard of some polar bears!? Also, Drill Baby Drill.
O, it matters and the manner in which you choose to live your daily life can have a direct impact on the entire future of the planet. Consider the following two items,
1. Like those who say voting does not matter, the Climate Change denial camp believes that the Earth is merely involved in a normal temperature fluctuation. (WRONG for the record but anyways…) Therefore, unregulated pollution will never affect the processes of the Earth in a such a great degree to cause a global change of any kind. Well, that is dumb as Hell and it leads to the idea that no matter what I do, everything will be just fine!
By taking proactive steps to lead a less fossil fuel dependent lifestyle you set an example – you demonstrate a precedent. Didn’t that Jesus guy say something about the importance of living by example? By setting the precedent, you can hope people follow and set precedents of their own. The manner in which we live is an active vote for the kind of future that will be built around us. Consider voting.
2. Always check your backyard
Consider the sorry ecological state of the parks in Allentown. The revered mowed lawns of acres of soil compaction, point and non point source pollution, soil erosion, water pollution, and the litany goes on…
Consider what that means for the psychology of the average person living here in regards to the planet on a whole.
Koyaanisqatsi – Life Out of Balance Folks.
We are in deep deep trouble. These are the issues that we need to be concerned with come November. Candidates like Pat Toomey who advocate fossil fuel dependent economies – MUST NOT BE ELECTED.
Here is Stan Rogers singing an incredible song about the Northwest Passage:
The Rally to Restore Sanity: HEY LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL- TURN FOX NEWS OFF
Posted by Andrew Kleiner in Read this on September 17, 2010
I sat in Lehigh Valley Hospital yesterday while my friend was seeing the doctor and you know what I had to watch? (Since we modern Americans can go nowhere without a TV) I had to watch Fox News. I ended up yelling at Neil Cavuto in the room and the nurses sort of looked at me like I was crazy.
HEY LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL – TURN FOX OFF! YOU ARE A HEALTHCARE NETWORK NOT A POLITICAL PROPAGANDA MACHINE. TURN IT OFF! (I’d feel the same way if it were MSNBC)
THE RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY.
I will see you there!!!!
