Recently in Pollution Solutions Category
Rain Gardens and Bioretention Basins To
Improve Water Quality and Save 30% More Rainwater
California's water supply is more fragile and seasonal than in most of the country because we are in "the West". Seasonal rains in our desert areas can be severe, and water retention for the rest of the year is dependent on snowpack, water tables and manmade lakes.
When rains come, we need to capture that fresh water for use by the flora and fauna in our communities. Capturing it also prevents runoff from roofs, streets, parking lots and lawns from washing pollutants into streams, rivers, lakes and eventually the ocean. Runoff pollutants can include fertilizers, pesticides, car waste such as oil and fluids, pet waste and its bacteria, eroded soil, road salt, grass clippings and litter. Rain gardens will not remove ALL these pollutants, but they do remove some of them as the water seeps into the ground, which serves as a natural filter.
A beautiful, useful way to capture rainwater runoff is with a
"raingarden" that is well designed, well placed and serves as a cache
basin that filters and helps the water find its way to the roots of
plants...and our watertable.
Supply Management
As the core of the inbound supply chain, supply management plays a vital role in finding green opportunities. However, putting them in context can be difficult.PLUS Sustainability
A good reference point for any organization is to first understand what elements fall under the sustainability umbrella. Here are some of the greatest opportunities with which supply management can help their companies:- Switching from toxic to nontoxic substances
- Water reuse in manufacturing of supplied products
- Air emission and hazardous waste reductions
- Supplier energy efficiency
Lean + Pollution Prevention + Environmental Initiatives
The Green Supply Network (GSN)-a joint effort of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program-took the proven principles of lean and merged them with pollution prevention and the EPA’s environmental initiatives.GSN’s marriage of clean initiatives to the principles of lean provided the following lessons learned:
- Optimizing material use for less scrap yields reduced solid waste.
- Reducing inventory for less chemical spoilage equates to reduced hazardous waste.
- Reducing overproduction means less run time and an energy savings.
- Less transportation means a reduction in fuel consumption, which reduces air emissions.
Congratulations to Melissa Mansfield, the new host of "Keep It Green"!
I met Melissa when she was working on a Los Angeles green living blog, and am delighted to see that she is moving into her dream of sharing green and sustainable strategies with the community. Go, girl!
FIRST EPISODE: "So, it was exciting that my first interview as Keep It Green's new host was with Lou Cafiero of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries. Our oceans are home to a vast array of diverse species, all playing vital roles in our environment. Marine sanctuaries play a large part in protecting that abundance of life.
And there's a lot of work to do. Until I talked with Lou, I had no idea that whales face some very unique dangers - one of which is getting hit by huge shipping vessels. These ships move extremely fast, and if a whale is busy feeding or otherwise distracted, it can get hit and seriously injured or killed."
http://blog.equatorhd.com/conflicting demands on Central Coast growers
Growers of fresh produce on the Central Coast of California currently face conflicting demands regarding measures to protect food safety and those to protect environmental quality. To explore the extent of conflicting pressures and identify the range of possible impacts on the environment, California Agriculture conducted a survey of Central Coast irrigated-row-crop growers during spring 2007.
The results indicate that growers are experiencing a clear conflict, and some are incurring economic hardships because their practices to protect the environment have resulted in the rejection of crops by buyers.
In addition, some growers are being encouraged to or are actively removing conservation practices
for water quality, and most growers are taking action to
discourage or eliminate wildlife from and adjacent to croplands.
These actions could affect large areas of land on the Central Coast and, as indicated by growers, they are likely to increase over time.
The Central Coast contains some of the greatest biodiversity of any temperate region in the world. At its heart is the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest marine sanctuary in the United States, and the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
While the Central Coast houses many natural resources, according to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB), it also has some of the most polluted waters in California. The Pajaro River and Elkhorn Slough are listed as impaired for sediment and nutrients under California’s 2002 Section 303(d) of the 1972 Clean Water Act. The Salinas River is 303(d)-listed as impaired for sediment, nutrients, pesticides and pathogens.
In response, the CCRWQCB
adopted a Conditional Waiver Program
in 2005, which requires growers to
enroll in the program, attend water quality
training sessions, adopt farm
water-quality management plans, complete
management practice checklists
and participate in water quality monitoring
(Cal EPA 2007).
An important aspect of these efforts
is the adoption of conservation practices,
which aim to improve and protect water
quality, prevent soil erosion, reduce the
use of agricultural chemicals and protect
wildlife. Vegetation on and around
farmland is a key component, including
vegetated field borders, grassed waterways,
riparian buffers and constructed
wetlands.
For the past decade, the Central Coast farming community has been proactively working with resource agencies to develop and implement voluntary conservation practices to improve water quality and reduce water consumption through the adoption and implementation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s Agricultural and Rural Lands Plan (MBNMS 1999). Adoption of these practices has now become a key component for compliance with the CCRWQCB’s Conditional Waiver Program.
Despite an intensive investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) have not been able to conclusively determine the specific causes of the spinach outbreak (CDHS/ FDA 2007).
In early 2007, with oversight by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), produce industry representatives developed the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (see www.caleafygreens.ca.gov). More than 100 handlers (companies that move fresh produce products from growers to retail and food-service buyers) are signatories. Representing more than 99% of the leafy greens production in California, they are obligated to handle leafy green produce only from growers who adhere to the best management practices detailed in the Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens, known as the “Metrics” (see www.caleafygreens.ca.gov). The Metrics were developed and continue to be updated through a process involving the produce industry, government agencies, natural resource organizations and scientists.
In addition to the Metrics, many companies
and retailers who handle or sell
leafy greens have developed their own
company-specific food safety requirements,
which also affect farm management
practices. Because growers often
sell their crops to multiple buyers, most
now must meet at least one if not several
different sets of requirements. In addition,
field interpretations of the Metrics
and company-specific guidelines vary.
Specific measures stated or implied in the Metrics and company-specific requirements may potentially conflict with efforts to improve and protect water quality and support wildlife habitat.
Eight percent (8.0%) of growers reported that their crops had been rejected based on the presence of practices to improve water quality or wildlife habitat on the farm. Some of the explanations shared by respondents included:- Lost $17,500 worth of crop due to deer tracks.
- 1 acre of romaine lettuce rejected due to proximity to horse pen.
- 23 acres of head lettuce and 2 acres of mixed lettuce rejected due to contact with Salinas River floodwater.
- Crop rejected due to potential frog habitat.
- Portions of fields rejected by processor if frogs, tadpoles, snails, mice or other small animals were found.
- Harvest stopped due to the presence of frogs and tadpoles in creek.
- Crop rejected due to deer intrusion.
- Crops planted for processor near trees needed a buffer of 100 to 150 feet.
Some 88.9% of the survey respondents indicated that they had adopted at least one measure to actively discourage or eliminate wildlife from cropped areas
Wildlife exclusion. Some 88.9% of the survey respondents indicated that they had adopted at least one measure to actively discourage or eliminate wildlife from cropped areas
Conservation practice abandonment. Approximately 15% of all growers surveyed indicated that they had removed or discontinued the use of previously adopted conservation practices in response to suggestions made by auditors or buyers due to food safety concerns.
The survey results illustrate that
growers are in the middle of a clear
conflict between current food safety
standards and continued efforts to address
water quality and environmental
concerns on the Central Coast.
The process and standards for protecting
food safety in leafy greens on
the Central Coast of California set a
precedent that will certainly be modeled
for other crops and growing regions
nationwide.
M. Beretti is Program Director, Resource Conservation District of Monterey County, Salinas; and D. Stuart is Doctoral Candidate, Department of Environmental Studies, UC Santa Cruz.
READ the Rest of the Story, SOURCE: California Agriculture
Statewide, 54% of the counties and 10% of the cities responded to a survey which revealed an annual cost of $34 million for litter and illegal dumping abatement costs.
Representatives from the federal government, which owns over 50% of the land in California, estimate their illegal dumping and abatement costs match that of local governments.
Caltrans’ annual costs are over $62 million, not including enforcement costs, nor does that take into account the volunteer efforts by Adopt-A-Highway Volunteers, which are estimated at a value of approximately $15 million.
A conservative estimate of the cost of litter and illegal dumping to Californians would be $200 million.
This legislation would allow the continued involvement of volunteers supporting local efforts, saving both state and local government valuable resources.
Why is this important?
Senate Bill 1345 will permanently remove the requirement that volunteers on public works projects, such as river cleanups, be paid prevailing wages!
In 2004, the Governor signed legislation to remove this constraint, but without further legislative action this year, this legislation will expire. The Governor is committed to empowering the state's robust volunteer force and will continue to call on the legislature to take action.
SOURCE: April, 2008, Keep California Beautiful
Did you know that this pollution is cleaned by washing those traffic sources of oil, antifreeze, lubricants, rubber and even lead? And that the traditional method has been to wash that dirty, polluted water down the stormdrains? Ouch! Treating that liquid-propelled pollution like pure rainwater that falls from the sky is a huge problem for communities -- and for our fresh water supply.
There are solutions. One is to remove the pollution in a controlled area, clean the pollutants out of the water and dispose of these toxic materials in a safe way. And then the water can be returned to the natural water systems for recycling.
Tightening regulations about our fresh water supplies and waste management need practical solutions. One solution is a pressure washing and recycling system that's mobile. A leader in the development of this solution is Parker West, who has developed a mobile system that significantly reduces the cost and liability to store, haul, manifest and dispose of hazardous wastewater or solid waste.
Mobile Pressure Washing and Pollution Control Systems
The Parker West Mobile Systems™ and services are specifically designed to conduct environmentally sensitive pressure washing and water jetting activities in a safe, fast and affordable manner.
Unique Benefits – Mobile Wastewater Processing
- Automatic containment and collection of the wastewater - No storm drain runoff.
- Fast, One step wastewater treatment – 500-1,000 gallons per hour or more
- Removes & permanently fixates oil, grease, metals, paints, pcbs, Non hazardous solid.
- Recycle and reuse the wastewater or legally discharge to the on site sewer.
- Inexpensive treatment, averaging 5-10 cents a gallon
- MOBILE, COMPACT, SELF CONTAINED – Complete Systems, including the pressure washing equipment and industrial vacuum systems fit in 16’ 18’ and 20’ trucks or trailers
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Multi Level Parking Structures/Open Lots |
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Flight Decks of Aircraft Carriers, Engines, Bilge Areas |
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Shipping Ports/Ships/Marinas/Shipping Containers and Heavy Equipment |
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Auto Repair/Oil Change Shops/Gas Stations/Truck Stops |
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Transit Stations/Railroad cars |
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Manufacturing Facilities/Commercial Kitchens |
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Buildings and Equipment painted with lead base paints |
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Emergency Spill Cleanups |
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Construction Sites and Heavy Equipment |
Water pollution is growing and regulations are increasing
San Francisco Feb 2002 -—Victims of contaminated water can sue utilities regulated by the state for violation safe drinking water standards, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously. The decision clears the way for victims of ground-water pollution across the state to seek financial compensation from private companies and public agencies that provide contaminated water.CONTACT INFO:
Mary Hulett, who argued before the court on behalf of regulated utilities, said her clients will fight the litigation because of the potential consequences.
Parker West International, LLC
4520 Montecito Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
http://www.parkerwest.com
