Litter is a big problem for all earthlings. Fortunately, there is hopeful proposed legislation described by the hard-working American Bird Conservancy HERE 👀
Please consider the message and share if you can 💙 Thank you 🙏
Showing posts with label pollution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pollution. Show all posts
Mar 6, 2023
Global: 🐟🐃🌎🏥🆘️ Circular chain of destruction & unsustainable profit explained in13-minute podcast
This podcast provides an excellent synopsis or overview of the circular chain of violence, destruction and profit which results from exploiting nonhumans for consumption and thereby making humans sick and profitable. This all will factor in to our universal extinction unless there is immediate massive change. Resources are listed on the podcast's page for further information. Please share.
Oct 10, 2022
Everywhere: Using Rodenticide is Bonkers
I first became aware of the hazards of rodenticide in the 90s. It is a nationwide problem serving only to make money for exterminators. Poison may be touched by children and vandals, transported by rat or other victims to countless spots far from the bait box, and cruelly impact more than one creature or one species. I hope readers can examine the issue and share their findings with others in their networks.
Bald eagles (such as the ones who built the vacant nest in the photo) feed mostly on fish, but will prey on a wide variety of other lives as well - marine life, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and other birds. I have witnessed an eagle capture a squirrel and another time a duck. They are known to eat rats too. I have seen a rat enter a pile of metal rails (can be seen in the photograph) below the eagles nest near where I live and another time I saw one who was traveling through rocks at Shell Beach on Bellingham Bay. Both times the rat eyed me too as they passed by, and I must confess, each brought to mind Walt Disney's beloved characters Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Maybe what I saw were big chubby mice, but it doesn't matter which species is being targeted - it is counterproductive and nasty.Have you heard of the organization Raptors are the Solution? It is a very active educational charity spreading the message about the frightening ramifications of rodenticides. Their material can be freely downloaded and shared with schools, governmental agencies, service clubs, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and so on.Rats, like all elements in ecosystems, provide vital functions in the environment. Besides cleaning up natural matter, they are food for owls, hawks, eagles, raccoons and other critters. Turkey vultures provide cleanups of deceased rats and other carrion. There is a family of Turkey vultures in the natural "rain garden" next door.When a rat consumes rat bait he or she will die a slow and painful death. As the rodenticide in a bait box gets depleted the contract with an exterminator covers refills. We have all been duped by slick salesmen but in these cases property managers are becoming accomplices in animal cruelty. And the rat population size will stay about the same until humans deal with the messes they make. Health hazards to human populations are created by humans' foul messes.Meanwhile raptors, owls and others who ingested a dead or dying rat will decline in health and may gradually succumb to the poison they ingested from one or more affected rats. I was told there are bobcats in the critical areas too; they are also vulnerable to the lethal effects of dead or dying poisoned rodents. Any organism in the food web is affected. Dying of rodenticide is a far-reaching, human-made, unnecessary tragedy. It is simply mean, self-defeating and unfair to poison wildlife.Not only are bait boxes a scam and ineffective in solving what the buyer wants to solve, they are likely to be incorrectly placed and not monitored at all.
Depending on the locale, citizens' attitudes, and enforcement of garbage regulations, it can be glaringly obvious when humans are providing attractants to rats in the form of illegal dumping and litter. When humans fail to keep their premises tidy, they are likely to be providing places for rats to take shelter, i.e., harborage.
Sealing leaks or installing wire mesh screens and grates are a few ways to block access by rats who are interested foraging and/or sheltering in human hangouts. It is entirely effective to allow the natural landscape to serve the purpose of rat shelter as it is meant to. Keeping food scraps and other debris picked up and properly disposed of is important in discouraging rodents from entering office buildings, shops, warehouses, factories and human housing.
Birders, kids, and other naturally caring individuals do not want wildlife treated viciously. It is important to cause no harm, raise awareness, expose the scam, and spread the word about preserving nature's abundance and self-cleaning processes.
The hateful approach to rats in the environment that has been going on for years is ubiquitous. Quite like the nonsense that crime can be prevented by pulling out landscaping. Since nature renders vital life support for all of us we should be accommodating to all facets of nature as nature is to us. It would be fantastic if people spoke up and caused rodenticide hazards to be eliminated ASAP.
Aug 27, 2022
Bellingham WA: Update re Shoreline Management
August 27, 2022
Status quo. Still a mess. There are litter and dumping violations all over town and the City has started using the SeeClickFix app for citizens to report problems. The handling of reports has not always been logical. Sometimes the citizen is told to contact a department instead of the staff contacting that department. Sometimes the response to a report is that when littering and dumping occurs on private property it is the responsibility of the property owner to remove the drug paraphernalia, human feces, bloody clothes, food waste, paint, graffiti or whatever from the site. This the private property owner must do so even when the property parcel in question is an adjacent City-owned right-of-way! There are many more One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest type of ironies in the current management of violations in Bellingham. I appreciated an anonymous commenter's 8/26/22 remark on a now-closed SeeClickReport which pertained to the brigade of daily dumpers around Maple Street - they made the point that if the private owners of businesses there were responsible for cleaning up after squatters then we can suppose that the Port of Bellingham would clean up after the sidewalks of Cornwall Avenue at sea level.
May 6, 2022
Although there has been some clean-up progress in a year's time, the area is still polluted. It also seems that people are residing in their vehicles, i.e. parking longer than eight hours. The changes and charges that are happening in other parts of town need to happen here. There is also a No Parking at Any Time roadway at the very end of Cornwall Avenue (overlooking the beach) that seems to be occasionally filled with overnighters. Here are a few views from May 6th in a Google photos movie less than a minute long:
I hope all right-intentioned #Bellinghamsters will keep working diligently to #protectwhatyoulove 💔
January 5, 2022 POST:
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| Dec 17, 2021 |
Cornwall Avenue at sea level has been a messy road for a long time. People park vehicles in the stretch from the beach to West Laurel Street and live in them. I am in favor of authorized motor camps for homeless people (don't know if any exist), but I doubt this street is such a place.
Some years back I spoke with a couple there who was apparently residing in their RV; they told me they've observed mean people commonly feed #gulls and then run over them on purpose. One time the couple had called the wildlife division of the city shelter about a gull who had been struck by a motorist and were pleased that the rescuers promptly drove from Everson to tend to it. Another unfortunate common occurence on this road is nuisance hot rodders without mufflers speeding and joy riding all hours of the day but primarily in the middle of the night or very early morning. Speed bumps would be a nice addition.
This is an important road for various business interests so you'd think the City of Bellingham and other dynamic entities would take better care of it. I emailed City Council early summer asking them why not clean it up. I was elated to learn there would be a cleanup June 10, 2021. There was indeed some action June 10th, but the street remained occupied and polluted. December 6th, upon my repeat inquiry to the appropriate official, I was told there was another cleanup December 3rd (and future cleanup activity was implied). Great, I thought! I read a community comment on social media that there had been a stabbing there recently, implying that it probably caused a little police cleanup. One could go through the online police log to try to locate the stabbing incident.On December 26th during the Arctic cold and snow, a Youtuber streamed a live video of road conditions in Bellingham that included a drive by of this part of Cornwall Avenue. I counted approximately 20 junk rigs. I believe the earlier police actions included having the people cease living in junk vehicles, therefore not an issue of people freezing to death, thank goodness. But if snow plowers wanted to manage that stretch they certainly couldn't do it easily or efficiently. The timeline for cleanups of this perpetually degraded, unsafe area is offensively slow vis-a-vis businesses and other community members.
The mayor of #Bellingham has said he wants the city to be a model of environmentalism, an example for other cities. This is less than synchronized with the city's management priorities and practises. Several government and lobbying groups tout #tourism and build things to support their touristy aims, so why do they condone litter and other contaminants, dangerous conditions, and eyesores?
The mayor of #Bellingham has said he wants the city to be a model of environmentalism, an example for other cities. This is less than synchronized with the city's management priorities and practises. Several government and lobbying groups tout #tourism and build things to support their touristy aims, so why do they condone litter and other contaminants, dangerous conditions, and eyesores?
Oct 14, 2020
Planet: Emergency in the Heavens 🛰📡🛰
The following link goes to a message from Arthur Firstenberg, scientist and author of The Invisible Rainbow, regarding actual and potential serious environmental and public health harm from cell phone electromagnetic frequency radiation and plastic. Mr. Firstenberg is one of the first people to have sounded the alarm. Read more at the website for The Cellular Phone Task Force (www.cellphonetaskforce.org).
Those in power should worry about how many life forms will be killed and species wiped out when it is all over. The people who govern the city where I live have been advised; regardless, the big tech companies and federal/state government agencies still seem to have we the people in a dark grip. We can stop using cell phones and also sue, but systemic change is vital to life on the planet. Please follow the experts, share info with legislators, sign appeals, donate if you wish to promote in that way, and choose life.
🐳🐦🐛🍁
Jan 22, 2018
#Bellingham #WA: Update. 2/15 Public Hearing. Comments accepted thru 2/22 RE: Engineering Design for proposed $9 million project
Good news. A public hearing will be held. Please click on one of the links below that go to the Cornwall Ave Landfill site at Washington State Department of Ecology and view the details. Please attend the 2/15 meeting which will be in the evening in Bellingham at the Ecology office. Comments may still be submitted online or via other means through 2/22. Thanks to all who are participating in trying to prevent harm to nature.
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1/19 POST
I imagine there are many similar projects nationwide, such as former landfills and former logging transportation sites. It would be interesting to compare how other towns, counties and states have addressed such waste sites, are considering the problem, or are ignoring it.
A public comment notice was published and mailed by the Washington State Department of Ecology in December 2017 saying at least 10 comments from Bellingham area citizens calling for a public hearing would result in one being held. This is in regard to preliminary designs for a portion of contaminated coastal land and bay being cleaned up. Did you happen to see it?
I imagine comments by any number of citizens beyond ten would be constructive. Comments may be submitted by individuals or organizations. In the past, extensive comments have been submitted for work being done at this site, but it seems to me that louder input by more people/associations would help a lot.
Please review the Cornwall Avenue Landfill Cleanup Site (which includes links to the Engineering Design Report and addresses of locations where you can review hard copies). Please submit a comment, whether one sentence or a scientific study. You can attach files too. Include your specific request for a public hearing if you agree this so warrants. In my comment, I asked that more than one opportunity be created for citizens to contribute their input.
Please note that Ecology is upgrading its website and I got some 404 errors when I was hopping around. Please make note of how the Department has set up the specific page URL for the moment: https://Bit.ly/CornwallAveLandfill
The page to submit comments is https://Bit.ly/Cornwall-EDR-Comments deadline to request a public hearing is January 31.
Thank you!
P.S. I recommend the very informative background provided by North Sound Baykeeper in these two articles:
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| 1963 photo of Cornwall Ave Landfill (by Phil Robbins) |
A public comment notice was published and mailed by the Washington State Department of Ecology in December 2017 saying at least 10 comments from Bellingham area citizens calling for a public hearing would result in one being held. This is in regard to preliminary designs for a portion of contaminated coastal land and bay being cleaned up. Did you happen to see it?
 |
| December 2017 mailing from WA State Dept. of Ecology |
Please review the Cornwall Avenue Landfill Cleanup Site (which includes links to the Engineering Design Report and addresses of locations where you can review hard copies). Please submit a comment, whether one sentence or a scientific study. You can attach files too. Include your specific request for a public hearing if you agree this so warrants. In my comment, I asked that more than one opportunity be created for citizens to contribute their input.
Please note that Ecology is upgrading its website and I got some 404 errors when I was hopping around. Please make note of how the Department has set up the specific page URL for the moment: https://Bit.ly/CornwallAveLandfill
The page to submit comments is https://Bit.ly/Cornwall-EDR-Comments deadline to request a public hearing is January 31.
Thank you!
P.S. I recommend the very informative background provided by North Sound Baykeeper in these two articles:
http://northsoundbaykeeper.blogspot.com/2011/12/bellinghams-cornwall-landfill-in-1960.html
http://northsoundbaykeeper.blogspot.com/2013/04/rds-road-to-mrf.html
Feb 2, 2017
Bellingham WA: Dismayed at the Exporting of Logs
A couple of Geese and a Gull at Bellingham Bay 1-31-17
I was dismayed recently to read of the Port of Bellingham’s new harbor lease signed with a private company to export logs and other material to worldwide destinations from the Bellingham Shipping Terminal (BST). As I understand it, the aim is to send logs and other material to China, South Korea and Japan and other markets at the discretion of the Lessee Grand Camp International LLC. The lease was signed by the three elected Port of Bellingham Commissioners and may be viewed on the Port of Bellingham website.
For many years, Bellingham along with state and federal agencies have been cleaning up pollution left behind by 100 years of industrial use in and around Bellingham Bay. More background is available at the Washington Department of Ecology site. It seems odd to me to replace dirty industry with dirty industry. The deal was signed the first week of January 2017 and is already in motion. I only read about it (thanks to Students for The Salish Sea and NoisyWaters NW groups on Facebook) after it happened.
Dec 8, 2016
World: "United States Is Turning Into a Factory Farm for China, With Devastating Environmental Consequences"
I recommend everybody take a good long look at the following article posted by Dr. Mercola at Mercola.com. I started studying Mandarin in 1969 because I anticipated that there would be normalized relations between the USA and China, including trade, which I thought would go friendlier if some of us learned each other's language. Since China was closed (President Nixon visited China in 1972 which was a spark for opening up), everybody I knew pooh-poohed my notion. I didn't foresee the catastrophic developments that have developed from USA legislators and agencies going so overboard with normalized relations! They have been allowing devastation to rural America, the people and land/air/water, plus cruelty to so many non-human animals. In addition there is the increased cargo going over the Pacific ocean (the ocean's sustainability needs less traffic not more). I still believe in international trade and cooperation but there is no good reason for people to eat pork (cows, birds, etc.) or for Big Ag worldwide to be enabled in ruining the planet. I also don't know why the USA Treasury Department would keep the documents about the purchase of Smithfield secret. It is good there is at least one Senator awake to this problem - Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) at http://www.stabenow.senate.gov. I hope you can study Dr. Mercola's article and view the brief videos:
Aug 16, 2016
Dec 15, 2012
USA & beyond: Fracking. Why Are Cows' Tails Dropping Off?
This important article originally appeared in The Nation, and is linked here from Truthout. We are poisoning ourselves, the planet, and the other animals by allowing the proliferation of pollutants, contaminants, and poisons by people in the gas business doing fracking.
Why Are Cows Tails Dropping Off?
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Why Are Cows Tails Dropping Off?
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| Ranch cow that has lost tail, one of many ailments found in cattle following hydrofracturing of the Bakken Shale in North Dakota (photo source: Jacki Schilke, Ranch owner who also suffers ailments) |
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Dec 9, 2012
USA & beyond: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
A single quart of motor oil can contaminate up to 2 million gallons of drinking water.
Balloons, warfare, people overpopulating themselves, sewage, noise, sonar, airplane contrails are all examples of pollution and contamination.
One of the many, many species that is suffering greatly is the Manatee. Join the PEER campaign to help protect the Manatees! PEER stands for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility http://www.peer.org/campaigns/wildlife/manatees/index.php
Aug 30, 2012
World: Fireworks - Cheap Thrills with Toxic Consequences
The following link is to a page at BackCountryAttitude - Outdoor Recreation Resources for Hikers a fantastic educational site provided by Chris Conway. There is no reason for modern society to continue with fireworks traditions when the hazards are so well known and substitutes such as laser shows are available.
Fireworks - Cheap Thrills with Toxic Consequences
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Fireworks - Cheap Thrills with Toxic Consequences
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| credit: backcountryattitude.com |
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Nov 5, 2011
Plastic
Capt. Charles Moore is author of the book Plastic Ocean published October 27, 2011. Please share what he has to say. The video is from TED.com.
"Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch -- an endless floating waste of plastic trash. Now he's drawing attention to the growing, choking problem of plastic debris in our seas."
Link to article:
Capt. Charles Moore on the seas of plastic | Video on TED.com
Click to buy the book:
Jun 14, 2011
Belugas
Please donate or help in other ways if you can to preserve the dwindling beluga population of Cook Inlet.From: NRDC - Frances Beinecke <biogemsdefenders@savebiogems.org>
Date: Tue, Jun 14, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Subject: The last 340 belugas are counting on us.
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We appreciate the opportunity to communicate with you and other NRDC BioGems Defenders. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will never sell, exchange or rent your email address. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jun 5, 2011
Oceans
World Oceans Day is June 8th.
Wearing blue is the symbol to show your interest in conservation and protection of oceans worldwide. See:
http://worldoceansday.org/
Here is an article from The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article2073770.ece
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| Photo: Paul Noronha. What kind of a world are we leaving behind? |
May 20, 2011
Eaglet
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| David Hancock, Wildlife Biologist |
Please share the website for the Hancock Wildlife Foundation which is: http://hancockwildlife.org/.
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| http://animals.m-y-d-s.com/ |
Thank goodness for David Hancock, the Hancock Wildlife Center, and all people interested and active in saving five-week-old Flyer the Eaglet who was entangled in fishing line. All litterbugs should be prosecuted and penalized! There is no excuse to leave fishing line or any other debris on the land, in streams, or in oceans. Go vegan!
Click for stories re the good news for Flyer:
Aug 31, 2010
Cleanup
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=19841.0&dlv_id=21441
Aug 24, 2010
Chernobyl
Radioactive boar exist twenty years after Chernobyl. Bluefin tuna breeding areas have been impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster (see post by Carl Safina). Twenty years from now, tuna will show signs of damage from the oil disaster. Effects will be long-term and dire for many species.
Radioactive Boar on the rise in Germany
Germany is struggling to manage a rapidly growing population of wild boar that contains many animals exhibiting high levels of radioactive contamination left over from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Wild boar, eaten widely across Germany, have a fondness for mushrooms and truffles -- both of which are particularly adept at absorbing radioactive particles. The German government has been paying hunters compensation for meat unfit for consumption. Der Spiegel (Germany) (English online version) (7/30) Read more...
Radioactive Boar on the rise in Germany
Germany is struggling to manage a rapidly growing population of wild boar that contains many animals exhibiting high levels of radioactive contamination left over from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Wild boar, eaten widely across Germany, have a fondness for mushrooms and truffles -- both of which are particularly adept at absorbing radioactive particles. The German government has been paying hunters compensation for meat unfit for consumption. Der Spiegel (Germany) (English online version) (7/30) Read more...
Aug 23, 2010
BP
Some people try to hide the facts, and some people try to hide from the facts.
- Researchers find underwater oil plume in Gulf Researchers say the presence of a mile-wide underwater oil plume in the Gulf of Mexico proves environmental dangers from the BP well leak remain, according to a study published in the journal Science. Scientists do not yet know the levels of toxicity present in the plume, but say degradation of the oil is occurring at one-tenth the rate it would if the oil was on the surface. National Public Radio (text and audio) (8/20)
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