December 16, 2009
10 Famous Quotes by Thomas A. Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park" by a newspaper reporter, he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large teamwork to the process of invention, and therefore is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory. [source: wikipedia]
10 Famous Quotes by Thomas A. Edison
- Being busy does NOT always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and HONEST PURPOSE, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is NOT doing.
- I have NOT failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
- If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally ASTOUND ourselves.
- WASTE is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless.
- What you ARE will show in WHAT you do.
- I never did a day's work in my life. It was ALL fun.
- Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
- Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the GOAL of ALL evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, WE ARE STILL savages.
- The BEST thinking has been done in solitude. The WORST has been done in turmoil.
- It is astonishing what AN EFFORT it seems to be for MANY people to put their brains definitely and systematically to work.
BONUS
Your worth consists in what YOU ARE and NOT in what you have.
BONUS BONUS
Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.
December 15, 2009
Are You Remarkable?
Children are remarkable for their intelligence and ardor, for their curiosity, their intolerance of shams, the clarity and ruthlessness of their vision. ~ Aldous Huxley (English Novelist and Critic, 1894-1963)The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. ~ Charles R. Swindoll (American Writer and Clergyman, b.1934)
Every man is more than just himself; he also represents the unique, the very special and always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again. ~ Hermann Hesse quotes (German born Swiss Novelist and Poet. Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946, 1877-1962)
December 14, 2009
Black Liberation Movement vs. Black Individualism
I would like to share a well-written opinion editorial that was sent to me. I applaude his honesty. He hit the nail on the head.
BRAVO Harry BRAVO!!!
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Harry, Retired Professor wrote the following:
The left hates an independent black person - a man like Clarence Thomas - probably as much or more than they hate the most inveterate white racist. A special place of contempt is reserved for a black person with the temerity to break the chains and leave the Democratic plantation to march off on his own, expressing views at variance with officially sanctioned African-American positions.
If you are a black person, there is ONLY ONE acceptable political view, and if you don't happen to share it, you are seen as a treacherous ingrate, one to be scorned with disgust and disdain for your shocking lack of appreciation for the generous largess bestowed to you by altruistic liberals, programs that you MUST acknowledge - through the forfeiture of your right to think for yourself - as having made your success possible.
This racial arrogance was in full display recently when California senator Barbara Boxer embarrassed herself by expressing absolute incredulity about how the climate-bill views of black Chamber of Commerce leader Harry Alford could possibly be in conflict with the official views of the NAACP.
Why were views of the NAACP relevant on a climate bill, of all things? Because Alford was a black man, and everyone knows that the views of all black men surely fall completely in line with the views of the NAACP - on everything, not just race. Everybody should understand that these are the rules, least of all a black man.
Dripping with condescension, the patronizing Boxer could not contain her disbelief that Alford could actually have views that conflicted with the designated black position as determined by the black establishment and by Democratic handlers. And for Alford, a black man, to challenge this beneficent liberal as he did, expressing his resentment and outrage - well, a slave refusing to clean the cotton gin could not have brought on more consternation.
Like Harry Alford, Clarence Thomas insisted on being treated as a liberated black man, a man free to break loose from the constraints imposed on him by patronizing liberalism. And the liberal establishment has never forgotten, nor forgiven.
Dare To Be Different...
I felt the need to lighten up the mood after all the information I posted last week. This is one of my favorite short films from Pixar. It's only 3 1/2 minutes long. But it's a hoot!
The blue bird represents all of us who are happy and content with who we are and what we have to contribute to this world. We were created to be UNIQUE individuals and I thank God for that. Because if that were not true, then we would ALL be clones! Therefore, dare to be different, dare to question those who attempt to impose their beliefs upon you, dare to look at the world through your eyes and not someone else's, dare to think for yourself, dare to say NO that's not true or NO that's not right, dare to follow your own path this lifetime.
The moral of the story: It doesn't pay to be a sheeple! Don't be a willing CLONE! Don't let anybody DEFINE YOU. Everybody around you will always have their own impression of you. They may even share those opinions of you with others. But don't let that "group think" mindset cause you to comply. Because if you do, you are allowing them to wittle away your self-esteem and then suddenly you will be at their mercy. Don't give anybody that kind of power over you. That's NOT RESPECT, that's manipulation and control. It's not their life, it's yours. They don't pay your bills, you do. You can't control how anybody feel's about you. The ONLY thing you have absolute control over is YOU and how you respond. Nobody can hurt you without your permission. The sooner you realize this fact, the closer you are to liberating yourself. Get to know yourself and learn to love and respect yourself. Once you have achieved this, you will feel confidence in yourself and your abilities. Then you will start blazing new trails these people could never have imagine in their lifetime. You will be surprised to discover that it was never about you, it was about their own insecurities and their own low self-esteem. Be true to yourself.
Reverend Jesse Jackson is a good example of somebody trying to manipulate and control by using "group think". The Rev. Jesse Jackson criticized Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) this past November for voting against the Democrats’ signature healthcare bill. The Rev. Jesse Jackson said, “We even have blacks voting against the healthcare bill from Alabama. You can’t vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man.” This has to be the most absurd statement I've heard to date. So let me get this straight, the 'Reverend' is going to wave his magic wand and change the pigmentation of Rep. Davis' skin? or the 'Reverend' is going to BANISH Rep. Davis from his black kingdom? Now I'm neither white nor black. But if somebody told me that I was going to lose my ethnic heritage if I didn't comply, I would LAUGH in their face. What a joke! Since when did he become God? If the 'Reverend' influenced everybody to shun me because I refused to COMPLY, that would be alright with me. Because I wouldn't want to be hanging around people who WOULD NOT ACCEPT independent thoughts and independent actions. That sounds like being part of a GANG to me. No thank you 'Reverend'. I utterly agree with the late George Carlin when he said that the Reverend Jesse Jackson Jr. has always been part of the problem and never part of the solution. Oh and by the way 'Reverend', Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a FREE MINDED TRAIL BLAZING registered REPUBLICAN.
Oh and how about Rush Limbaugh's ardent fans? Well let's just say that things may be different today had he not encouraged his supporters to follow through with "Operation Chaos". You see Rush Limbaugh asked his Republican listeners to vote for Senator Barack Obama early on in the primaries. Then in March Rush Limbaugh changed his strategy and asked his listeners to vote for Senator Hillary Clinton. Your little game that you and your listeners were having so much fun playing BACKFIRED and NOT only on you, but the rest of us. You see sir that's what happens when you play mischievous games. We are ALL reaping what YOU sowed: Chaos! I honestly wish you had the decency to allow the election process to unfold naturally. It was bad enough to have the Obama campaigners responsible for election mischief. Why did you have to stoop to their level? Now I hear you bitching, moaning and groaning about the current state of affairs. Well sir I have you and your undue influence to thank for that.
The moral of this story should apply to every area of your life... To always be a leader and not a follower. I'd like to share a quote I live by; "Leader's are like eagles, they don't flock, you find them one at a time". WE are the LEADERS that WILL make the necessary changes around the WORLD, NOT the politicians, NOT those in positions of power and most certainly NOT the nutcases attempting to take away our FREE WILL!
Independent, Rational, Objective THINKERS of the WORLD unite!
Defending Your LIFE Movie p. 1 to 4 of 13
"Defending You Life" is one of my favorite movies. I have posted the first 40 minutes of the movie for your viewing pleasure and to give you a taste. Each segment is under 10 minutes with part 1 at the top and part 4 at the bottom. This movie really get's you thinking about your life here on earth and the afterlife. Plus it makes you laugh! It will also feel like a timewarp back to 1991 the first 5 minutes.
This is why I have made every effort to overcome my fears and find out through getting to know God what His Purpose and Plan is for me while I'm here on this Earth. I intend to fullfill my Divine Destiny. I am so ready to graduate and move on. I don't want to have to come back here! Nevertheless, I must say that while I am here on this planet I will do what God asks me to do. Believe me, I would love to be in Fiji right now living with nature away from it All. However, God keeps telling me otherwise. The following is a brief synopsis of the movie.
Defending Your Life is a 1991 romantic comedy/fantasy movie about a man who must justify his life-long lack of assertiveness after he dies and arrives in the afterlife. The film was written, directed by, and stars Albert Brooks. It also stars Meryl Streep, Rip Torn and Lee Grant. Shirley MacLaine has a cameo appearance as herself, acting as the holographic host of the "Past Lives Pavilion", a reference to her publicly known belief in reincarnation. The movie was filmed entirely in and around Los Angeles, California. Despite its comedic overtones, Defending Your Life contains elements of drama and allegory.
Daniel Miller (Brooks) dies in a car accident and is sent to the afterlife. He arrives in Judgment City, a purgatory-like waiting area populated by the recently deceased of the western half of the United States, where he is put "on trial for being afraid."
As it is explained to Daniel, people from Earth use so little of their brains (3-5%), that they spend most of their lives dealing with their fears. "When you use more than 5% of your brain, you don't want to be on Earth anymore," explains Bob Diamond (Rip Torn), Daniel's defense attorney. (This is NOT referring to our interpretation of intelligence. It is referring to elevated consciousness and intuition.) If the court determines he has conquered his fears, he will be sent on to the next phase of existence, where he will be able to use more of his brain, and thus be able to experience more of what the universe has to offer. Otherwise, his soul will be reincarnated on Earth to live another life in another attempt at moving past fear and in the process advance up the universe's proverbial food chain.
December 13, 2009
God’s Everlasting Love
31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32. He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33. Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written:
“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39. nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39. nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
From Suffering to Glory
18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21. because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25. But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
21. because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25. But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
December 12, 2009
Felix The Cat Cartoon ~ Star Trash
I grew up watching Felix the Cat and this has to be one of their best episodes! I love how the writers show us how would we like it if the tables were turned. The story shows aliens dumping their trash on planet earth, in the same way we dump ALL of our waste into the OCEANS! Starring Felix the Cat, Poindexter and the crew from Star Trek.
Scientists Uncover New Ocean Threat From Plastics!!! Many Of These Chemicals Are Believed To Be TOXIC To Humans And Animals! RE-POST From 08/20/09
The Independent UKScientists uncover new ocean threat from plastics
written by By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Scientists have identified a new source of chemical pollution released by the huge amounts of plastic rubbish found floating in the oceans of the world. A study has found that as plastics break down in the sea they release potentially toxic substances not found in nature and which could affect the growth and development of marine organisms.
Until now it was thought that plastic rubbish is relatively stable chemically and, apart from being unsightly, its principle threat to living creatures came from its ability to choke or strangle any animals that either got caught in it or ingested it thinking it was food.
But the latest research suggests that plastic is also a source of dissolved substances that can easily become widely dispersed in the marine environment. Many of these chemicals are believed to be toxic to humans and animals, the scientists said.
The scale of plastic pollution in the sea has only been widely recognised in recent years when sailing yachts reported vast areas of ocean, such as an area estimated to be twice the size of Texas in the North Pacific, that seem to be permanently covered in a layer of floating marine litter caught up in swirling ocean currents or gyres.
Some of the items were found to be many decades old, suggesting that the plastic took a long time to degrade. However, a study by Katsuhiko Saido at Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, has found that plastics degrade relatively quickly in the conditions and temperatures that were designed to simulate the environment of the open ocean.
“Plastics in daily use are generally assumed to be quite stable. We found that plastic in the ocean actually decomposes as it is exposed to the rain and sun and other environmental conditions, giving rise to yet another source of global contamination that will continue into the future,” Dr Saido said.
“To date, no studies have been conducted on plastic decomposition at low temperature in the environment owing to the mistaken conception that plastic does not decompose. The present study was conducted to clarify that drift plastic does indeed decompose to give rise to hazardous chemicals in the ocean,” he said.
The scientists found that when plastics decompose in the ocean they release a range of chemicals, such as bisphenol A and substances known as polystyrene-based (PS) oligomers, which are not found naturally. Bisphenol A has been implicated in disrupting the hormonal system of animals.
A common form of plastic rubbish is styrofoam, which soon gets crushed into small pieces in the sea. However, it also releases substantial quantities of a toxic substances called styrene monomer, which is known to cause cancer, as well as styrene dimers and trimer, which are suspected of being carcinogenic. The trimer also breaks down into the toxic monomer form.
Findings from the study were released yesterday at the American Chemical Society meeting in Washington. Dr Saido said that samples of seawater collected from the Pacific Ocean were found to be contaminated with up to 150 parts per million of some of these components of plastic decomposition.
“This study clearly shows new micro-pollution by compounds generated by plastic decomposition to be taking place out of sight in the ocean. Thus, marine debris plastics in the ocean will certainly give rise to new sources of global contamination that will persist long into the future,” he said.
It is estimated that there could be hundreds of millions of tons of plastic rubbish floating in the world’s oceans. In Japan alone, it is calculated that 150,000 tons of plastic is washed up on its shores each year.
Rubbish Dump Found Floating In Pacific Ocean Is Twice The Size Of America!! This Is NO Joke!!! ~~~ RE-POST From 02/07/08
I can NOT believe this news I'm reading today!!! This is simply DISGUSTING! I swear the human race does not understand or does not care about the consequences of their actions!! This enormous garbage dump has been found floating in the pacific ocean. This is mainly CAUSED by large cruise lines, oil platforms and ships!!! It has infected our eco-system and will eventually infect us!
This news was reported two years ago and NOTHING has been done about it! Not one country has stepped up to the plate to offer to clean up this mess! Of course I do not expect the IRRESPONSIBLE FOOLS who created this enormous toxic mess to offer to pay... they wouldn't admit to this CRIME of EPIC PROPORTIONS! Now ask yourself, don't you think the leaders of the WORLD at Copenhagen would be ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE?! Don't you think the 100's of BILLIONS of dollars being offered by the wealthiest nations at Copenhagen could be better used for cleaning up this TOXIC WASTE?! The is the most obvious, in our face proof and those in positions of power CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT! That's a BIG WHY for me!?
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The Independent UK
written By Kathy Marks, Asia-Pacific Correspondent, and Daniel Howden,
The world's rubbish dump: a tip that stretches from Hawaii to Japan
Tuesday, 5 February 2008.
written By Kathy Marks, Asia-Pacific Correspondent, and Daniel Howden,
The world's rubbish dump: a tip that stretches from Hawaii to Japan
Tuesday, 5 February 2008.
A "plastic soup" of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.
The vast expanse of debris – in effect the world's largest rubbish dump – is held in place by swirling underwater currents. This drifting "soup" stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan.
Charles Moore, an American oceanographer who discovered the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" or "trash vortex", believes that about 100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region.
He warned that the rubbish could double in size over the next decade if consumers do not cut back on their use of plastics. More than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die every year as a result of plastic rubbish. Syringes, cigarette lighters and toothbrushes have all been found inside the stomachs of dead seabirds.
The rubbish can also be dangerous for humans, because tiny plastic pellets in the sea can attract man-made chemicals which then enter the food chain!!! "What goes into the ocean goes into these animals and onto your dinner plate. It's that simple," said Dr Eriksen.
Curtis Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer and leading authority on flotsam, has tracked the build-up of plastics in the seas for more than 15 years and compares the trash vortex to a living entity: "It moves around like a big animal without a leash." When that animal comes close to land, as it does at the Hawaiian archipelago, the results are dramatic. "The garbage patch barfs, and you get a beach covered with this confetti of plastic," he added.
The "soup" is actually two linked areas, either side of the islands of Hawaii, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches. About one-fifth of the junk – which includes everything from footballs and kayaks to Lego blocks and carrier bags – is thrown off ships or oil platforms. The rest comes from land. SHAME ON THEM!!!
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The following are comments posted in response to another article in the Daily Mail regarding this subject:
- It would be very easy for ships fitted with large surface netting equipment to scoop up this garbage and bring it to shore for disposal. Why isn't it happening? Because, as always, no one wants to be the one paying for it.- Max Hess, Folkestone UK
- I worked on the cruise liners in the 80s and we threw all the ships rubbish in to the sea at night via a chute inside the ship. 1000s of black sacks over the months I worked there. No one thought about the problems it would cause in those days.- Brian, Grays
- This is a disgrace and goes on to fortify my belief that the human race is just a form of lice on planet Earth!- Diana, UK
Special World Alert! Disease Threatens Mass Extinction Of Frogs...This is NO joke!!! ~~ RE-POST From 01/09/08
An article in the Telegraph.Co.UK written yesterday by Paul Eccleston indicates the following special alert for us all! This is serious stuff folks!
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An international campaign has been launched to help save the world’s amphibians from extinction.
Scientists fear the largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs because of a deadly disease which is sweeping through populations of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians across the globe.
Amphibians have thrived for hundreds of millions of years but as many as half of all species could perish unless a solution is found. The spread of the parasitic fungus amphibian chytrid, which has proved deadly for hundreds of amphibian species, may have been made worse by the effects of global warming. The disease has so far proved unstoppable in the wild and can kill 80 per cent of native amphibians within months once it has taken hold.
Amphibians are important as an 'indicator species’ - similar to canaries in a coal mine - who serve as a warning when there is something wrong with the environment. Now 2008 has been designated Year of the Frog by conservationists to raise awareness of the plight of amphibians and to raise the funds needed for a concerted worldwide effort to save them.
“In addition to their intrinsic value, they offer many benefits and are a critical part of a healthy world. They play an important role in the food web as both predator and prey, eating insects which benefits agriculture and minimizes disease spread. Their skin also has substances that protect them from some microbes and viruses, offering promising medical cures for a variety of human diseases.
Scientists fear the largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs because of a deadly disease which is sweeping through populations of frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians across the globe.
Amphibians have thrived for hundreds of millions of years but as many as half of all species could perish unless a solution is found. The spread of the parasitic fungus amphibian chytrid, which has proved deadly for hundreds of amphibian species, may have been made worse by the effects of global warming. The disease has so far proved unstoppable in the wild and can kill 80 per cent of native amphibians within months once it has taken hold.
Amphibians are important as an 'indicator species’ - similar to canaries in a coal mine - who serve as a warning when there is something wrong with the environment. Now 2008 has been designated Year of the Frog by conservationists to raise awareness of the plight of amphibians and to raise the funds needed for a concerted worldwide effort to save them.
“In addition to their intrinsic value, they offer many benefits and are a critical part of a healthy world. They play an important role in the food web as both predator and prey, eating insects which benefits agriculture and minimizes disease spread. Their skin also has substances that protect them from some microbes and viruses, offering promising medical cures for a variety of human diseases.
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Here is another article written by Kevin Zippel, who is the the program officer for the Amphibian Ark.
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has joined with the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) and ASG to form the Amphibian Ark, or AArk for short. The AArk vision is the world’s amphibians safe in nature. Its mission is to work with partners to ensure the global survival of amphibians, focusing on those that cannot be safeguarded in nature.
December 11, 2009
WOAH! The Federal Department of Energy Is Shipping Trainloads Of Nuclear Radioactive Waste To Utah!!! RED FLAGS Are Waving All Over This News...
The Salt Lake Tribune
DOE: Trainloads of nuke waste on way to Utah
written by Judy Fahys
Friday December 11, 2009 06:11:44 AM MST
Trainloads of depleted uranium will soon be on the move, rolling over the objections of critics on their way to a Utah burial site.
A Department of Energy official on Thursday informed U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, that 11,000 tons of the low-level radioactive waste -- packed in 14,800 drums -- is ready to be shipped from the Savannah River cleanup in South Carolina.
Rubbish from bomb-making and enrichment, the Savannah River waste will be buried at EnergySolutions Inc.'s specialized landfill in Tooele County. Both state and federal regulators are looking at what measures are needed to make sure shallow disposal sites like EnergySolutions' can safely contain large amounts of DU, as depleted uranium is often called.
"We are now ready to initiate the first of the three planned rail shipments," said DOE spokeswoman Lauren Milone.
The news dismayed Utahns who have been urging the Energy Department to wait until site-safety is settled.
"I am very disappointed that this material is headed to Utah, despite my concerns," said Matheson, who asked Energy Secretary Steven Chu for a delay.
"I will continue to press the NRC for an appropriate review of necessary safety standards for this waste, which essentially remains hazardous forever," Matheson added.
Questions about DU safety began in earnest last spring, after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) noted that it had never examined the potential risks of disposing of large quantities of DU in landfills, other than deep, underground sites. DU is unusual, the NRC noted, because it actually grows increasingly hazardous for a million years.
Nonetheless, the NRC opted to retain DU's classification as "Class A" low-level radioactive waste and set out on a several-year study about what requirements need to be met to ensure large quantities are safe at specific sites. Other Class A waste, by definition, should be safe enough to build a house on after 100 years. [WTF?! 100 YEARS? They don't think for one moment that this is NOT going to have devastating environmental effects or how about devastating HEALTH EFFECTS?!]
DOE: Trainloads of nuke waste on way to Utah
written by Judy Fahys
Friday December 11, 2009 06:11:44 AM MST
Trainloads of depleted uranium will soon be on the move, rolling over the objections of critics on their way to a Utah burial site.
A Department of Energy official on Thursday informed U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, that 11,000 tons of the low-level radioactive waste -- packed in 14,800 drums -- is ready to be shipped from the Savannah River cleanup in South Carolina.
Rubbish from bomb-making and enrichment, the Savannah River waste will be buried at EnergySolutions Inc.'s specialized landfill in Tooele County. Both state and federal regulators are looking at what measures are needed to make sure shallow disposal sites like EnergySolutions' can safely contain large amounts of DU, as depleted uranium is often called.
"We are now ready to initiate the first of the three planned rail shipments," said DOE spokeswoman Lauren Milone.
The news dismayed Utahns who have been urging the Energy Department to wait until site-safety is settled.
"I am very disappointed that this material is headed to Utah, despite my concerns," said Matheson, who asked Energy Secretary Steven Chu for a delay.
"I will continue to press the NRC for an appropriate review of necessary safety standards for this waste, which essentially remains hazardous forever," Matheson added.
Questions about DU safety began in earnest last spring, after the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) noted that it had never examined the potential risks of disposing of large quantities of DU in landfills, other than deep, underground sites. DU is unusual, the NRC noted, because it actually grows increasingly hazardous for a million years.
Nonetheless, the NRC opted to retain DU's classification as "Class A" low-level radioactive waste and set out on a several-year study about what requirements need to be met to ensure large quantities are safe at specific sites. Other Class A waste, by definition, should be safe enough to build a house on after 100 years. [WTF?! 100 YEARS? They don't think for one moment that this is NOT going to have devastating environmental effects or how about devastating HEALTH EFFECTS?!]
With about 1.4 million tons of DU in government stockpiles and expected from commercial enrichment plants coming online soon, EnergySolutions remains the NATION'S ONLY DISPOSAL OPTION for virtually ALL of that WASTE. [So let me get this straight, there is NO other choice? They have cornered this market, basically monopolized it and our government ACCEPTS this? That's a BIG WHY for me? A monopoly means they are the ONLY company in a given industry; therefore they can set ANY PRICE because there is NO COMPETITION.]
The Salt Lake City company already has 49,000 tons of DU, which would exceed the state's hazard standards in about 35,000 years.
In its decision Thursday, DOE cited a Dec. 1 letter by Utah Director of Environmental Quality Amanda Smith, who noted that EnergySolutions is licensed to accept DU even as the state updates its site-safety requirements for DU over the next few months. Smith said she had not seen the letter informing Matheson about the imminent shipments.
"We'll be looking at the letter," she said, declining further comment.
Peter Jenkins, chairman of the Radiation Control Board, said he was surprised how quickly DOE made its decision about the Savannah River waste. He added that he was pleased about a pending state license condition that requires EnergySolutions to pay for digging up the DU if the site review does not DEMONSTRATE that the LANDFILL can CONTAIN the WASTE SAFELY for AT LEAST 10,000 YEARS. [OMG! So all our government cares about is this company guarantee's to pay for digging up the DU if it FAILS to do the job? 10,000 fricken years is the time-table? They might as well have chosen 1 MILLION YEARS. Who the heck is going to be around in 10,000 YEARS to make sure this company COMPLIED?! UGH!]
"The state has positioned itself to take the proper recourse," he said.
Over the past six months, as the board has considered its options for dealing with DU, there has been a concern that the state might not be able to act swiftly enough to stall additional DU. In July, EnergySolutions told board members it had a standing contract with the Energy Department but no active orders.
Vanessa Pierce, director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, pointed out that her group has been pressing Gov. Gary Herbert to request a delay from DOE. She likened the current situation to the federal government's message during atomic testing in the West.
"Utahns are again being put at risk," she said, even though the federal government is aware of health and environmental risks. She also noted that DOE had opted against sending the DU to a government-owned disposal site in Nevada because it would have taken a year to complete an in-depth environmental impact assessment that was promised to that state.
"Governor Herbert has not stood up to demand the same protections the Nevadans and the rest of the country has been offered," Pierce said. "His silence is nothing but tacit approval of plans to send this waste here."
BINGO! I Found Myself A Winner: Waste-to-Energy: Less Trash in Landfills, More Heat and Electricity! Must Read, Learn And Adopt This Recycling Method!
Clean Techies
Waste-to-Energy: Less Trash in Landfills, More Heat and Electricity
written by Levent Bas
Tuesday December 1, 2009
We are living in a world where high consumption has been relentlessly praised, suggesting that we should buy, consume and dispose more stuff than our grandparents used to do. With some nations consuming more than others, the quality and quantity of waste varies across borders. And so does the way it is managed.
A conventional method for waste management is to dump the waste into designated landfill areas where it is left for years without being monitored. Landfill activity remains the most commonly used organized waste disposal method in the world. It is also the easiest and the cheapest. However, brimful landfill sites, hazardous waste and uncontrolled greenhouse gases cause greater environmental and economical impacts. As a simple example, part of the carbon content of the waste when it is dumped into a landfill site, is emitted into the atmosphere in the form of methane, which has a greenhouse effect 20 times greater than that of CO2.
The European Landfill Directive, which was issued in 1999, aims to prevent and reduce the negative effects of landfills on the environment and human health while regulating waste disposal activities in the member states. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium have already banned disposal of untreated waste in landfills. Alternatively, these countries together with a bunch of other countries, have begun to implement Waste-to-Energy systems.
Waste-to-Energy is the process of extracting heat or electricity from waste sources. The energy extraction can be done through thermal processes (incineration, gasification, pyrolysis or carbonization), biological processes (unaerobic digestion, fermentation) or mechanical biological treatments.
The content and the calorific values of the waste vary in different countries. Plastic bags, food packages and high density plastic materials have higher calorific value per weight thus being more useful for incineration. On the other hand, more organic content or papers are more suitable for biological processes.
I would like to focus on waste incineration as it is currently the most commonly used Waste-to-Energy method. Austria, where I live, has already adopted waste incineration by building 9 plants. About a quarter of the residents in Vienna are supplied by the heat produced from the incineration of municipality waste at 3 different plants. Spittelau Fernwärme in Vienna is probably the most photographed Waste-to-Energy plant in the world because of its famous design by the famous architect Hundertwasser. The 40-year-old building can convert 880,000 tons of waste into heat that supplies 290,000 Viennese apartments through a total pipeline length of 1,000 km. Another incineration plant, Pffaffenau, burns 250,000 tons of waste each year, while supplying district heating to 50,000 households and additionally supplying electricity to 25,000 subscribers.
Denmark ranks first in incinerated waste per capita, as can be observed from the graph. On average, the Danes rank among the nations with the highest consumption rate; nevertheless they are doing good in recycling and reusing waste energy. There are 30 Waste-to-Energy facilities in Denmark. Eurostat datas show that 55 % of Danish municipal waste per capita is incinerated.
According to the Danish Energy Agency, the calorific value of 4 tons waste would equal to 1 tons of oil or 1.6 tons of coal. The incineration of 1 ton of waste produces approximately 2,000 kWh of heat and 670 kWh of electricity. Considering the fact that waste is a local resource and partially consists of biomass, waste incineration appears to be a better and cleaner option.
The potential saving of conventional resources would result in a decrease of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission from a waste incineration plant is less than half that of a coal-powered plant and it is slightly less than that of a gas powered plant. The content of the exhaust air complies strictly with environmental standards whereas most of the district heating incineration plants are located in the heart of the cities. The hazardous waste (eg. mercury containing wastes, solvents, acids etc.) is treated in a way that the environmental impact is eliminated. At the end of the incineration process, everything, except the metals which are later to-be-recycled, are transformed into ash which can be used in the construction sector.
Waste incineration is a waste treatment method which helps us reduce the environmental impacts of landfill sites, yet it generates heat and electricity as a side-benefit. I recommend reducing our waste generation rather than treating waste as a resource. Initiating a wider plan for municipal waste treatment methods through sharing, lobbying or creating resources is a valuable contribution. Nevertheless, reducing, reusing and recycling are the most important initial steps in order to create a sustainable economy.
Waste-to-Energy: Less Trash in Landfills, More Heat and Electricity
written by Levent Bas
Tuesday December 1, 2009
We are living in a world where high consumption has been relentlessly praised, suggesting that we should buy, consume and dispose more stuff than our grandparents used to do. With some nations consuming more than others, the quality and quantity of waste varies across borders. And so does the way it is managed.
A conventional method for waste management is to dump the waste into designated landfill areas where it is left for years without being monitored. Landfill activity remains the most commonly used organized waste disposal method in the world. It is also the easiest and the cheapest. However, brimful landfill sites, hazardous waste and uncontrolled greenhouse gases cause greater environmental and economical impacts. As a simple example, part of the carbon content of the waste when it is dumped into a landfill site, is emitted into the atmosphere in the form of methane, which has a greenhouse effect 20 times greater than that of CO2.
The European Landfill Directive, which was issued in 1999, aims to prevent and reduce the negative effects of landfills on the environment and human health while regulating waste disposal activities in the member states. Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium have already banned disposal of untreated waste in landfills. Alternatively, these countries together with a bunch of other countries, have begun to implement Waste-to-Energy systems.
Waste-to-Energy is the process of extracting heat or electricity from waste sources. The energy extraction can be done through thermal processes (incineration, gasification, pyrolysis or carbonization), biological processes (unaerobic digestion, fermentation) or mechanical biological treatments.
The content and the calorific values of the waste vary in different countries. Plastic bags, food packages and high density plastic materials have higher calorific value per weight thus being more useful for incineration. On the other hand, more organic content or papers are more suitable for biological processes.
I would like to focus on waste incineration as it is currently the most commonly used Waste-to-Energy method. Austria, where I live, has already adopted waste incineration by building 9 plants. About a quarter of the residents in Vienna are supplied by the heat produced from the incineration of municipality waste at 3 different plants. Spittelau Fernwärme in Vienna is probably the most photographed Waste-to-Energy plant in the world because of its famous design by the famous architect Hundertwasser. The 40-year-old building can convert 880,000 tons of waste into heat that supplies 290,000 Viennese apartments through a total pipeline length of 1,000 km. Another incineration plant, Pffaffenau, burns 250,000 tons of waste each year, while supplying district heating to 50,000 households and additionally supplying electricity to 25,000 subscribers.
Denmark ranks first in incinerated waste per capita, as can be observed from the graph. On average, the Danes rank among the nations with the highest consumption rate; nevertheless they are doing good in recycling and reusing waste energy. There are 30 Waste-to-Energy facilities in Denmark. Eurostat datas show that 55 % of Danish municipal waste per capita is incinerated.
According to the Danish Energy Agency, the calorific value of 4 tons waste would equal to 1 tons of oil or 1.6 tons of coal. The incineration of 1 ton of waste produces approximately 2,000 kWh of heat and 670 kWh of electricity. Considering the fact that waste is a local resource and partially consists of biomass, waste incineration appears to be a better and cleaner option.
The potential saving of conventional resources would result in a decrease of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission from a waste incineration plant is less than half that of a coal-powered plant and it is slightly less than that of a gas powered plant. The content of the exhaust air complies strictly with environmental standards whereas most of the district heating incineration plants are located in the heart of the cities. The hazardous waste (eg. mercury containing wastes, solvents, acids etc.) is treated in a way that the environmental impact is eliminated. At the end of the incineration process, everything, except the metals which are later to-be-recycled, are transformed into ash which can be used in the construction sector.
Waste incineration is a waste treatment method which helps us reduce the environmental impacts of landfill sites, yet it generates heat and electricity as a side-benefit. I recommend reducing our waste generation rather than treating waste as a resource. Initiating a wider plan for municipal waste treatment methods through sharing, lobbying or creating resources is a valuable contribution. Nevertheless, reducing, reusing and recycling are the most important initial steps in order to create a sustainable economy.
Massachusetts Plans To Continue Trash Incinerator Moratorium! These Environmental Groups Are NOT Open To Clean Efficient Recyclable Waste Disposal...
The Boston Globe
Mass. to continue trash incinerator moratorium
written by David Abel, Globe Staff
Friday December 11, 2009 02:35 PM
After a year-long review as part the state's effort to revise its solid waste master plan and reduce the 1.5 million tons a year of trash exported from Massachusetts, environmental officials announced today that they will continue a 15-year-old moratorium on expanding or building new incinerators.
State officials had sparked a storm of controversy this year as they held public meetings around the state to consider revising regulations that have banned the expansion of existing plants since 1994. New incinerators have been banned since 1990.
"Focusing on incineration and landfills is the wrong end of the waste equation," Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said in a statement. "While Massachusetts is ahead of the national average in recycling and some communities like Nantucket are leading the way, there is a lot more we can do to increase recycling and reduce disposal of useful materials."
The decision to extend the moratorium was hailed by environmental groups.
"This is great news for the environment, and for public health," said James McCaffrey, director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club. "We applaud the administration for outlining a comprehensive agenda to promote green energy and combat waste that doesn't include burning trash."
Over the years, to the chagrin of environmental groups, waste management companies have lobbied aggressively to lift the moratorium, arguing that new technology significantly reduces emissions and that it's better to burn the trash and collect the resulting energy than dump it in the state's rapidly filling landfills or ship it out of state, sometimes as far as South Carolina.
But environmental officials had decried the efforts to end the moratorium, arguing that new incinerators, however improved technologically, would contribute more pollution and hamper more environmentally sound plans to reduce the state's waste. They said allowing new plants would encourage more incineration of waste and stifle incentives to recycle.
They also noted that the state already incinerates about one-quarter of the 12 million tons of waste it produces a year -- significantly above the average 7 percent of trash burned nationwide.
In a news release, Bowles said the plan would strengthen the moratorium by reducing the amount of recyclable material going into the waste stream. It will also develop new standards for existing waste-to-energy facilities that require higher recycling rates in waste collection areas, lower emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and higher efficiency in storing energy.
State officials said they expect to issue a new draft of the solid waste master plan in early 2010.
Mass. to continue trash incinerator moratorium
written by David Abel, Globe Staff
Friday December 11, 2009 02:35 PM
After a year-long review as part the state's effort to revise its solid waste master plan and reduce the 1.5 million tons a year of trash exported from Massachusetts, environmental officials announced today that they will continue a 15-year-old moratorium on expanding or building new incinerators.
State officials had sparked a storm of controversy this year as they held public meetings around the state to consider revising regulations that have banned the expansion of existing plants since 1994. New incinerators have been banned since 1990.
"Focusing on incineration and landfills is the wrong end of the waste equation," Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said in a statement. "While Massachusetts is ahead of the national average in recycling and some communities like Nantucket are leading the way, there is a lot more we can do to increase recycling and reduce disposal of useful materials."
The decision to extend the moratorium was hailed by environmental groups.
"This is great news for the environment, and for public health," said James McCaffrey, director of the Massachusetts Sierra Club. "We applaud the administration for outlining a comprehensive agenda to promote green energy and combat waste that doesn't include burning trash."
Over the years, to the chagrin of environmental groups, waste management companies have lobbied aggressively to lift the moratorium, arguing that new technology significantly reduces emissions and that it's better to burn the trash and collect the resulting energy than dump it in the state's rapidly filling landfills or ship it out of state, sometimes as far as South Carolina.
But environmental officials had decried the efforts to end the moratorium, arguing that new incinerators, however improved technologically, would contribute more pollution and hamper more environmentally sound plans to reduce the state's waste. They said allowing new plants would encourage more incineration of waste and stifle incentives to recycle.
They also noted that the state already incinerates about one-quarter of the 12 million tons of waste it produces a year -- significantly above the average 7 percent of trash burned nationwide.
In a news release, Bowles said the plan would strengthen the moratorium by reducing the amount of recyclable material going into the waste stream. It will also develop new standards for existing waste-to-energy facilities that require higher recycling rates in waste collection areas, lower emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and higher efficiency in storing energy.
State officials said they expect to issue a new draft of the solid waste master plan in early 2010.
Chrysler Automaker Seeks To Dump Sludge (TOXIC WASTE) From Closed North Plant Into A Hazardous Waste Landfill!
South County Times
Chrysler Seeks To Dump Sludge From Closed North Plant
written by Don Corrigan, editor-in-chief
Friday December 11, 2009
Thousands of trucks and mini-vans once came off the line and out of the plants at Chrysler Fenton. Now it seems the only thing left to come out of the auto plant is a manufacturing byproduct: waste sludge.
Chrysler is seeking approval from Missouri officials to dump sludge from its now-shuttered north plant, where Dodge Ram pickup trucks were assembled. Chrysler is petitioning to put the sludge in a hazardous waste landfill.
A public hearing on the Chrysler request is slated for 10 a.m., Dec. 17, at the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in the Elm Street Office Complex in Jefferson City. The struggling car company is seeking a variance for an exemption to Missouri regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste.
"We don't have a hazardous waste landfill in Fenton, so this is not exactly a Fenton issue," said Dennis Hancock, the mayor of Fenton. "I do think the city will try to have someone there at the hearing. The nearest landfill that is used for hazardous waste, that I know of, is in Valley Park."
The waste itself was generated by a process used for coating the pickup trucks before painting. Wastewater and other contaminants were a result of the process, and were subsequently treated on-site and reduced to sludge and put into storage.
In a media release issued Dec. 1, the state DNR indicated that it was working toward approving the request by Chrysler.
"The Code of Federal Regulations was changed to exclude this wastewater treatment sludge from regulation as hazardous waste on July 7, 2008," noted DNR. "Missouri has begun the process to amend the state hazardous waste regulations to exclude this waste from the hazardous waste listing.
"Until the state regulations are amended, a variance from the hazardous waste listing is necessary," added DNR. "If Missouri's hazardous waste regulations are amended to include the federal amendment of the listing, Chrysler will no longer need the variance."
Click HERE to continue reading this article...
Chrysler Seeks To Dump Sludge From Closed North Plant
written by Don Corrigan, editor-in-chief
Friday December 11, 2009
Thousands of trucks and mini-vans once came off the line and out of the plants at Chrysler Fenton. Now it seems the only thing left to come out of the auto plant is a manufacturing byproduct: waste sludge.
Chrysler is seeking approval from Missouri officials to dump sludge from its now-shuttered north plant, where Dodge Ram pickup trucks were assembled. Chrysler is petitioning to put the sludge in a hazardous waste landfill.
A public hearing on the Chrysler request is slated for 10 a.m., Dec. 17, at the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in the Elm Street Office Complex in Jefferson City. The struggling car company is seeking a variance for an exemption to Missouri regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste.
"We don't have a hazardous waste landfill in Fenton, so this is not exactly a Fenton issue," said Dennis Hancock, the mayor of Fenton. "I do think the city will try to have someone there at the hearing. The nearest landfill that is used for hazardous waste, that I know of, is in Valley Park."
The waste itself was generated by a process used for coating the pickup trucks before painting. Wastewater and other contaminants were a result of the process, and were subsequently treated on-site and reduced to sludge and put into storage.
In a media release issued Dec. 1, the state DNR indicated that it was working toward approving the request by Chrysler.
"The Code of Federal Regulations was changed to exclude this wastewater treatment sludge from regulation as hazardous waste on July 7, 2008," noted DNR. "Missouri has begun the process to amend the state hazardous waste regulations to exclude this waste from the hazardous waste listing.
"Until the state regulations are amended, a variance from the hazardous waste listing is necessary," added DNR. "If Missouri's hazardous waste regulations are amended to include the federal amendment of the listing, Chrysler will no longer need the variance."
Click HERE to continue reading this article...
Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board Moves To Enforce Ban On Trash In L.A. River! Now That's What I'm Talking About! Buy Why By 2016 and NOT 2010?
The Los Angeles Times
Board moves to enforce ban on trash in L.A. River
written by Bettina Boxall
Friday December 11, 2009
Cities along the watershed are required by 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains. Those that don't comply will now be in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
Regional water quality officials on Thursday put some teeth into their long campaign to cleanse the Los Angeles River system of the tons of trash that turn it into a movable landfill after major storms.
Standards previously adopted by the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board give cities along the watershed until 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains.
On Thursday, the board incorporated those limits into storm water permits, putting municipalities that don't meet the requirements in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. Until now there had been no penalty for noncompliance.
"It's taken two decades to get to this point," board vice-chair Madelyn Glickfeld said after the 5-0 vote. "If we hadn't done this today, it would have been a signal" to cities "to relax, guys."
During storms, tons of trash and plastic debris wash up in municipal drains that empty into the Los Angeles River and its tributaries. The trash floating at the river's mouth in Long Beach can be so thick that it is hard to see any water. In the unusually wet winter of 2005, Long Beach hauled more than 12,000 TONS of GARBAGE out of the river.
Much of the trash winds up in the Pacific Ocean, contributing to huge floating garbage patches. Pieces of plastic can wrap around wildlife and kill birds and fish.
Trash was formally identified as a pollution problem in the river in 1996. Five years later, the regional water board adopted standards. But 22 cities sued to overturn the trash limits, saying they would be expensive and difficult to meet.
The courts found the board had not performed an adequate environmental impact analysis of the new rules, but otherwise upheld them.
After conducting an environmental review, the board readopted the trash standards in 2007.
In the meantime, some cities in the watershed, including Los Angeles, started installing screens and collection systems to keep street debris from washing into sewers. Sixteen cities in the watershed recently received $10 million in federal stimulus money to outfit their catch basins.
Local officials pointed to progress Thursday. "We have taken trash reduction seriously," said Signal Hill Councilman Larry Forester.
Another official showed the board photographs he took after Monday's storm. Parts of the river that have been coated with trash in the past were largely clean.
Local representatives argued that it wasn't necessary to write a target of zero trash discharges into the storm permits, and that doing so would set a burdensome precedent for other pollutants. [How can these representatives say that it is not necessary? The MASSIVE TRASH dumping is proof in itself. Since they won't prevent trash dumping on their own accord because it is the RIGHT THING to do, they must be told and even penalized.]
Board moves to enforce ban on trash in L.A. River
written by Bettina Boxall
Friday December 11, 2009
Cities along the watershed are required by 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains. Those that don't comply will now be in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
Regional water quality officials on Thursday put some teeth into their long campaign to cleanse the Los Angeles River system of the tons of trash that turn it into a movable landfill after major storms.
Standards previously adopted by the Los Angeles Water Quality Control Board give cities along the watershed until 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains.
On Thursday, the board incorporated those limits into storm water permits, putting municipalities that don't meet the requirements in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. Until now there had been no penalty for noncompliance.
"It's taken two decades to get to this point," board vice-chair Madelyn Glickfeld said after the 5-0 vote. "If we hadn't done this today, it would have been a signal" to cities "to relax, guys."
During storms, tons of trash and plastic debris wash up in municipal drains that empty into the Los Angeles River and its tributaries. The trash floating at the river's mouth in Long Beach can be so thick that it is hard to see any water. In the unusually wet winter of 2005, Long Beach hauled more than 12,000 TONS of GARBAGE out of the river.
Much of the trash winds up in the Pacific Ocean, contributing to huge floating garbage patches. Pieces of plastic can wrap around wildlife and kill birds and fish.
Trash was formally identified as a pollution problem in the river in 1996. Five years later, the regional water board adopted standards. But 22 cities sued to overturn the trash limits, saying they would be expensive and difficult to meet.
The courts found the board had not performed an adequate environmental impact analysis of the new rules, but otherwise upheld them.
After conducting an environmental review, the board readopted the trash standards in 2007.
In the meantime, some cities in the watershed, including Los Angeles, started installing screens and collection systems to keep street debris from washing into sewers. Sixteen cities in the watershed recently received $10 million in federal stimulus money to outfit their catch basins.
Local officials pointed to progress Thursday. "We have taken trash reduction seriously," said Signal Hill Councilman Larry Forester.
Another official showed the board photographs he took after Monday's storm. Parts of the river that have been coated with trash in the past were largely clean.
Local representatives argued that it wasn't necessary to write a target of zero trash discharges into the storm permits, and that doing so would set a burdensome precedent for other pollutants. [How can these representatives say that it is not necessary? The MASSIVE TRASH dumping is proof in itself. Since they won't prevent trash dumping on their own accord because it is the RIGHT THING to do, they must be told and even penalized.]
What Exactly Is CO2? It's Good To Know About What It Is 'They' Are Trying To Scare Us With...
People in postions of power and influence would have us all believe that we need to reduce CO2 levels. In fact, all talk has been based on reducing CO2 emissions. But what exactly is CO2?
"Carbon dioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis to make sugars, which may either be consumed in respiration or used as the raw material to produce other organic compounds needed for plant growth and development. It is produced during respiration by plants, and by all animals, fungi and microorganisms that depend either directly or indirectly on plants for food. It is thus a major component of the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide is generated as a by-product of the combustion of fossil fuels or the burning of vegetable matter, among other chemical processes. Small amounts of carbon dioxide are emitted from volcanoes and other geothermal processes such as hot springs and geysers and by the dissolution of carbonates in crustal rocks.
There is about fifty times as much carbon dissolved in the oceans in the form of CO2 and carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate ions as exists in the atmosphere. The oceans act as an enormous carbon sink, and have taken up about a third of CO2 emitted by human activity. Gas solubility decreases as the temperature of water increases and therefore the rate of uptake from the atmosphere decreases as ocean temperatures rise.
Furthermore, plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, also called carbon assimilation, which uses light energy to produce organic compounds (cellulose, lipids, and various proteins) by combining carbon dioxide and water. Plants also emit CO2 during respiration, and so the majority of plants and algae, which use C3 photosynthesis, are only net absorbers during the day. Mature forests are valuable carbon sinks, helping maintain balance in the Earth's atmosphere. Additionally, and crucially to life on earth, photosynthesis by phytoplankton consumes dissolved CO2 in the upper ocean and thereby promotes the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere."
Food For Thought: Are Global Warming and Climate Change A Threat To Humanity? Let Us Analyze This Together...
Please watch this video that was shown to all the world leaders at the onset of the Copenhagen Climate Conference 2009. I do want to point out that I too was deeply moved by Al Gore's movie, "The Inconvenient Truth" until I stop to think for a moment long before the email's surfaced that debunked all of his scientific data.
There has been lot's of talk from both sides leading up to this Copenhagen conference. This is an opportune time to emphasize and encourage independent thought. Both sides, meaning for and against a cause are going to share their passionate perspective. It's healthy to DEBATE both sides of an issue. Nevertheless, we must for our sake learn to think for ourselves, analyze and research every issue brought before us from a clean slate. Once you start doing this, you will be able to clearly identify who is lying and who is telling the truth. Human beings can be easily swayed emotionally and sometimes they'll use images like subliminal messages to make their point. Any salesperson (politician and media) knows once this emotional connection is achieved, you can be easily manipulated. Those in positions of power understand this fact. This video proves my point.
Now before we begin our analysis, I want you and I to erase everything we've heard from both sides. Let's start now: erase - erase - erase - erase - erase - erase - erase .........
Okay I'm there are you? Now let us start this global warming and/or climate change analysis from scratch, with a blank slate. This is the ojective critical thinking process where you use logic and reason to make a conclusion. Objective thinking means you are analyzing a subject based on facts vs. Subjective thinking which means you are responding to a subject based on emotions, feelings, belief system and influence.
Let us first examine the terms "global warming" and "climate change". Has the earth been warming? Has the earth's climate been changing? Well there are many influencial people who would have us believe that it is. But let's say for the sake of argument that they are right. How silly, no I mean to say, how ARROGANT for ANY HUMAN to believe they have the power to stop a catastrophic natural event(s) from occuring. Since when did we become SUPERNATURAL human beings? When did human beings become SUPERIOR to NATURE? Think about that for a moment. Do humans have the power to prevent a tsunami? Do humans have the power to prevent an earthquake? Do humans have the power to prevent a typhoon? Do humans have the power to prevent a hurricane or tornado? Do humans have the power to prevent volcanic eruptions? Do humans have the power to control the ocean tides or even the ocean levels? Do humans have the power to control a drought or torrential rains? Do humans have the power to control snow storms or melting polar ice caps? The answer is a RESOUNDING NO. Absolutely not!
Now back to the word SILLY. It's silly for humanity to want to save the earth. It's not the earth that needs saving. Planet earth has been rotating in this solar system for 100's of millions maybe even billions of years and will continue to do so. Therefore, planet earth does not face extinction... humans do. Planet earth and her atmosphere can dust us off like ants if she wanted to or we could get wiped out by a massive flood or even another ice age like the dinasours.
The only power that is within our human control is how we PREPARE and how we RESPOND to such catastropic NATURAL events. The aftermath of natural disasters reflect the TRUTH about us, Humanity. They reveal how we treat each other in times of crisis. Natural disasters reveal the TRUTH about our government (local, state and federal) and every other government from every nation preparedness to handle such a crisis. Just reflect on how Hurrican Katrina of 2005 was handled in the U.S. that killed at least 1,836 people and the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 that killed nearly 230,000 people in eleven countries. If humanity was better prepared for natural catastrophic events, we would be better equipped to respond quickly MINIMIZING the loss of life. A few examples are improving the earthquake and tsunami alert system, how about using materials for homes and commercial buildings that could withstand earthquakes, fortify the levies in Louisianna and areas BELOW SEA LEVEL, raise buildings in flood prone areas as well as build and maintain FUNCTIONING drainage systems, build underground shelters where hurricane and tornado's are prominent. Do you get my point? Now isn't this LOGICAL to you? Doesn't this make absolute SENSE?
Now that we got that out of the way, let us examine what is the real threat that humanity faces? and why are 'they' not wanting to draw attention to it? Industrial plants have been secretly dumping chemical waste in the waterways AROUND THE WORLD. This waste is TOXIC! This waste is POISONING the water system, the earth, the oceans and subsequently our health, our crops, our livestock, sea food and birds. Now think about this for a moment. Can anything on planet earth exist without water? ABSOLUTELY NOT! ALL living things need clean water to survive. I don't think I need to mention the water cycle. Try to imagine this for yourself. Water is a life giving and sustaining force and we should protect and preserve it. Therefore, don't you think this should be our #1 priority. Seriously think about that.
Why aren't government leaders focusing their attention on the illegal dumping of TOXIC WASTE on land and in our waterways, plus the illegal dumping of garbage in the ocean? Cruiseliners and Ocean Freight Carriers have been DUMPING tons of garbage in the ocean for decades and NOBODY has done anything to stop this. That's a BIG WHY for me! Are these global diplomats being paid off by these criminal corporations to turn the other way and DO NOTHING? Why don't they TAX ALL OF THESE CRIMINAL CORPORATIONS that have been caught red-handed ILLEGALLY DUMPING their toxic waste!? They deserve a nice HEFTY STIFF FINE! They should be penalized and every government should have strict rules concering the disposal of waste! It is EXTEMELY SELFISH of these corporations and politicians NOT to give a damn about the devastating consequences of their actions over the long term. They know damn well what they are doing is WRONG. Like any criminal, they will continue to illegally dump toxic waste as long as they can GET AWAY WITH IT.
Have you ever wondered why more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer even though they have no family history of this disease? The amphibian is a good example of the effects of POISONING the waterways. The amphibian species is on the brink of extinction. Scientists have found frogs deformed and with two heads. This illegal dumping of toxic waste on land and sea is the real threat to humanity, wildlife, sea life and the natural order of things. This is caused by man and we have the POWER to stop this crime from being committed on humanity! Whereas, natural events we do not ie; ice age, climate change and global warming. So let us focus on the things we have control over and change it. I wish all the world leaders in Copenhagen were meeting with scientist and corporate leaders to work out a solution for the PROPER DISPOSAL of TOXIC CHEMICAL WASTE and TRASH. I wish an entrepreneur would come up with an affordable INNOVATIVE, SAFE and EFFICIENT way to dispose of all kinds of waste that would NOT be harmful to humanity and every other living creature.
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