Feds: Pay attention to drilling in Pa., elsewhere (No Author Found) Date Displayed : December 7th, 2011

Link of article : http://online.wsj.com/article/APc48cb888a1a5458ba824533a7bd3b6f7.html



The picture shown here to right is a map of the Marcellus Shale, which has shifted over the years and is now beneath Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. Pennsylvania is the center of Fracking for Natural Gas within these states.







Summary :
This article talks about how Fracking is a huge problem. Environmentalists believe that fracking can poision the water supply, but the natural gas industries have told them other wise that "it's been used safely for several decades." This report was issued Nov 18 and since then nothing has been done about it. It stated that over the summer there had been several meetings discussing the impacts of fracking and that the environmental concerns are not getting enough attention for this problem. Also, it stated that there has been some improvement in areas, but barely any. The summary had also stated that there is a big risk of environmental consequences that could delay or stop the fracking for natural gas. Eventually they believe if we keep this ongoing that the shale gas production will be expanded across the United States and there could be as many as 100,000 wells within the next decade.

Opinion :
I believe that we should cut down on the amounts of Fracking done in Pennsylvania. Here in this state it's a big problem. If this problem gets any bigger than what it is, it could eventually become a problem across the whole country instead of just one area. Personally, I don't want our drinking water to be poisioned and I'm sure others in this state and states around us don't want that either. There is already enough we don't know about our drinking water that has the potentially to kill us, and fracking could just be another factor to add onto it.


Questions :
Have they come up with any other alternative ways for fracking? If so what?

Besides areas on the east coast, are there any other regions within the United States that have a huge Fracking problem or is only here?

How long has the problem been ongoing for and if it's been for long periods of time, why hasn't someone come up with some insightful solution?

Do they expect the Marcellus Shale to shift again? Could if have a negative or positive impact on our region if it does?

Crematorium to Generate Energy from Burned Corpses

Crematorium to Generate Energy from Burned Corpses
by Brian Merchant
December 1, 2011
http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/crematorium-generate-clean-energy.html




Picture: This relates to the story because the story is about cremating dead bodies in order to have a renewable source  of energy.

Summary: In the U.K. a crematorium decided to come up with a unique energy source. With all the thermal energy given off while cremating a body, they are turning it into usable energy. They are installing three burners. Two will provide enough energy to power 1,500 televisions. One of the burners will be for to provide heat for the chapel and offices. What inspired them to "go green" was the U.K. efficiency standards.

Reflection: In my opinion, this is a good way to use less of our non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels. It is an unconventional type of alternative energy. Obviously people die all the time, 1.8 people die every second according to yahoo answers, so there's always going to be more corpses to burn and it will always be renewable. I don't think anyone would really like to hear that when they die if they are cremated they are a source of energy, however, you won't really be able to tell if you're dead.

Questions:
1.) Is there a way for the U.S. to do this?
2.) Is there a way to get more energy out of it?
3.) If U.K. is starting to force everyone to go green and having efficiency standards for industries, does that mean the rest of the world will soon start doing the same?
4.) How can other people use what they do for a living into a good way to help the environment?


P.S. Sorry if this is offensive to anyones religious beliefs, it was the first article I found that didn't bore me =/

Water Pollution

sewer water emptying into our lakes and streams polluting the water.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/w/water_pollution.htm

Major changes in water quality can be caused by volcanoes, storms, earthquakes, etc. they are not responsible for polluting our water. Sewage and farm waste from people are huge problems to why our lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans are so polluted. Industry discharge is also a huge contributer to the pollutants in wastewater such as heavy metals, organic toxins, oils, nutrients, and solids. Also when working on constructions sites runoff can be a major part of why are waters are polluted. We cannot blame nature for pollution. We can only blame ourselves yet again.

Our waters are bad enough as it is and they're still on a decline in sanitary cleanness. Like we've been talking about in school this can easily be preventable just by not throwing a piece of trash on the ground or in the sewer which will eventually end up in the rivers, lakes, and oceans. Dumping oil is also a horrible thing for our environment that's why more auto store need to recycle oil like pep boys does to save money and to save our environment. Pollution is becoming more and more a global problem and we need to help preserve our earth and stay "green" which means just clean up after yourselves, find a trash can, and recycle.

1. Why haven't more stores looked into recycling oil?

2. Why aren't they making the sewers smaller to prevent trash being thrown in them?

3. What are some ideas that communities have come up with to help prevent polluting in their community?

http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/water-canary-pinpoints-water-problems-using-gps-and-crowd-sourcing.html?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
"Water Canary" Pinpoints Water Problems Using GPS and Crowd-Sourcing written by Jaymi Heimbuch from Clean Technology. July 14, 2011.

Summary: The "Water Canary" is a device used to identify clean, or dirty, water. This is a low budget device designed for people to know the quality of water they're drinking. Also, the Water Canary has a GPS which tracks the source of the water. Although it will help communities not drink contaminated water, it is mostly designed to get an accurate reading on which water sources need help the most. It says the device takes little to no training and no education to understand and use. This device could easily help many lives and rivers if used properly in the next few years.

Opinion/Reflection: I think the "Water Canary" was a great invention and it will help so many people. When communities with a lack of clean water are able to test their sources and realize their water isnt clean, it will help them so much. Also, this device will help locate dirty/contaminated water sources so they can be cleaned in the near future. This low-cost invention is such a helpful way to protect the water in the environment, and people's health.

Questions:
1. Once a reading is done and the water source proves contaminated what will be done to clean the water?
2. How will these devices be distributed?
3. How are the results shown? (Does it list contaminents or say how contaminated the water is?)

SF Ocean Beach preservation plan to be shored up

This article was published on Friday March 4th, 2011 by Kelly Zito.

This picture shown to the right is an Erosion of Seaview Beach in New York. The repeated crashing of waves, throughout the year has caused erosion of the shoreline.

Summary:

Basically the article I read was about the erosion of beaches in San Francisco. The erosion of the beaches have caused roads by them to close down and are now being forced to try and preserve the beaches. The problem with this is that the East Coast doesn't have as much machinery to nourish or taking sand dredge from the Golden Gate shipping channel and then to dump it on the beaches. The erosion of these beaches is also forcing San Francisco to move their water utility inward because it pumps water and waste water plants at the beaches and drains and treats 150 million of gallons of water from the city's neighborhoods on a wet day. To move this, it would cost billions!

Opinion :

In my opinion, I feel as though as humans would could have saw the erosion of beaches happening years ago. If we saw this coming, then how come we didn't do anything to prevent it. I mean I understand where San Francisco is coming from with the East Coast having more knowledge and machinery to fix the beaches, but why haven't we come up with a plan to save the beaches. If we don't then eventually, they're all going to erode away and destroy cities and towns and roadways nearby.

Questions :

1. Why has it taken us so long to finally realize how the weather effects us now, rather than to take a jump start on the problem and find better solutions to fix it or work around it?

2. Are they also fixing beaches that most people don't use? What is the point of trying to improve something that no one has any interest in visiting to, it's just a waste of money in my opinion.

3. Where do the people who work for the companies that fix the beaches and the water in San Francisco get all this money from the fix them? To move their water utility inward is a lot of money and on top of that the machinery to fix the beaches must be a boat load to. Is there something these people are not telling us?

Site of Article : http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/04/MNGM1I1O92.DTL

Solar Still Makes Water Purification Easy

Pictured: The Eliodomestico, a simple invention for purifying water

Solar Still Makes Water Purification Easy, Works Like an Upside-down Coffee Maker
by, Alex Davies, treehugger.com, written on 10/26/11
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/eliodomestico-solar-house-still.php?campaign=th_rss

Summary of Article:
Availability and purity of water is an important issue all around the world. In third-world countries, finding clean water for drinking is a daily struggle. According to the article, half of humanity will be threatened by water shortage by 2030. Fortunately, people like Gabriele Diamanti are coming up with creative solutions. Diamanti invented a portable, inexpensive water purifier that doesn't require electricity. It's called the Eliodomestico and it works by using a special top that attracts maximum sunlight all day, purifying up to 5 liters of water a day. Gabriele also put his invention under a Creative Commons license allowing anyone to create and share one freely and legally.

Opinion/Reflection:
I think this purifier is an incredible invention. It seems to have no downsides; it's cheap, portable, effective, and available for anybody. I can relate to this article because of what we have been learning in class about water availability. While there is much water in the water, only a tiny portion is freshwater, and only a tiny portion of that is drinkable. Water availability in Africa and other poor areas of the world is a big issue, and I think this invention can do a lot to help.

Questions:
1. How can this invention be distributed in mass to Third World Countries?
2. What else can be done to help the water availability crisis?
3. What are some downsides to this invention?
4. Why isn't water availability a more discussed issue?

Celebrating River Conservation with Gorgeous Photos
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California on 10.21.11
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/national-geographic-boundless-rivers-highlights-conservation-efforts-brothers-john-and-frank-craighead.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader



Picture: This picture shows the Allagash River. It is protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

Summary:
You hear about pollution all the time, yet you never really hear about how it is being solved. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act preserves certain rivers with outsanding natural and recreational values. It was signed into law in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson. The act protects over 200 rivers. The rivers are in 39 states and in Puerto Rico. The act does allow for new rivers to be added. Even though 200 rivers seem like a lot of rivers to be protected, that is only 0.35% of all the US rivers.

Opinion/ Reflection:
There is not a big river in Hatboro that is protected. However, there is a creek in Hatboro that is used as a dumping ground. I believe that if the main rivers are anywhere near as bad as this it is an amazing thing to have a conservation act to protect rivers. We've seen how the watere cycle effects life and how much water we need to survive so I believe we should protect as much water as we can.

Questions:
1.) What else can we do to preserve rivers?
2.) What would be the effect on the environment if all the rivers were protected?
3.) If we do protect all the rivers, could it endanger any wildlife?
4.) If there is a way to protect more rivers, would it involve volunteers being forced to spend their time there or everyone to pay more money?