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Entry bubble Save the Fish, Save the World!

By: Ginger | October 03, 2008 | Category: General

Marine lifeSome of the most exhilarating moments in my life have been in our world’s oceans. While snorkeling off Honduras, I watched a huge whale shark swimming in the distance below. As it began to surface directly towards me, I thought of the times I’d practiced speaking whale (like Dory in “Finding Nemo”) in the shower. I said, “Goooo baaaack whaaaale, don’t huuurt meeee”. I must be pretty fluent, because the whale shark gently avoided me. While scuba diving in Turks and Caicos, eight eagle rays swam by us in formation, turning in unison like a squadron of jets at an air show. Diving from a safety cage off the coast of Australia, I watched 20-25 sharks in an incredible feeding frenzy.

These experiences have given me an appreciation for our oceans and the diverse life they sustain. Global warming and the impacts of pollution on our oceans worry me, but it gives me hope to know that there are organizations studying and trying to protect our oceans.

Recently, two EPA staff members joined environmental scientists and the crew of EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Bold to document science and research in action. Read their blog posts to get an in-depth look at what’s involved in protecting our waters.

The Ocean Observing System, is a network of people and technology from various federal, regional, and state organizations that work together to generate and distribute data on the nation's coastal waters, Great Lakes and oceans.

The NOAA is not only responsible for daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring, but they are also responsible for fisheries management, coastal monitoring and supporting aquaculture.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a Coastal Program that provides incentives for voluntary protection of threatened, endangered and other species on private and public lands alike.

How can you help? Check out Fish Watch when buying fish to find out which fish populations are listed as sustainable. You can also follow these suggestions to help protect coral reefs. If you are considering a conservation career, check out Careers: Conserving the Nature of America.

So, do you think we are doing enough to keep our oceans viable and to prevent environmental disaster?

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: conservation   environment   ginger   marine   oceans   resources  

 

Entry bubble Shopping at Local Farmers Markets

By: Nicole | May 30, 2008 | Category: General

Yesterday, when I stepped outside to walk my oversized puppy, I discovered a lovely sunny evening. As we wandered down the path, I was greeted by the distinct smell of fresh cut grass and the sweet scent of honeysuckle. Summer is definitely just around the corner. Sure, that means blistering hot days and relentless humidity, but it also means extra hours of sunlight and the occasional perfect evening.

I have another reason to be excited about summer: it’s the season for fresh produce. Farmers markets should be regrouping across the country, offering fresh local fruits and veggies, as well as dairy and meat products. The USDA farmers market search can help you find nearby markets and their hours of operation. Many of these markets begin in April or May and continue though November. Some places are lucky enough to have year-round markets.

Produce Stand

Gov Gab bloggers have written before about the benefits of organic gardening and cooking with locally grown foods, but many folks (like me) can’t grow a garden. For us, there are farmers markets.

Rest assured, there are lots of rewards for buying local produce in this time-honored fashion. You can support local farmers, especially those who practice organic, humane, and sustainable farming techniques. You won’t have to worry about a middle-man taking most of the profit, and you can make more informed decisions about what you buy. In addition, you’ll be helping the environment. Conventional stores often transport food from distant regions, which is expensive and requires additional fuel, especially if the food needs refrigeration.

Last but certainly not least, you’ll get to experience the wonderful flavor of fresh-picked fruits and veggies. One of my seasonal favorites is fresh asparagus (with a hint of butter). What’s yours?

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: environment   farmer   fruits   local   market   organic   produce   shop   vegetables  

 

Entry bubble Earth Day…Is Every Day

By: Joanne | April 29, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

clouds, sky and horses

Earth Day was last week—remember? You know Earth Day is more than just a day to feel guilty and obligated to plant a tree, don’t you? The first Earth Day was organized to make people think about ecology, encourage respect for life on earth, and to heighten awareness of soil, air and water pollution.

Earth Day is a reminder that environmental responsibility is every one's responsibility, and the choices you make every day can protect or pollute the environment. Start at home by making sure that your home is as energy-efficient as it can be. Not only will it save energy, but it’s going to save you money, and I think we can all agree that we’d like to pay less to heat and cool our homes.

The Environmental Protection Agency has lots of ideas for reducing air pollution and conserving energy, using water wisely, and making environmentally friendly choices.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: day   earth   environment   joanne  

 

Entry bubble Make Every Day Earth Day

By: Editor | April 22, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

In honor of Earth Day, we welcome guest blogger Jeffrey Levy, who has worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since 1993. He started out protecting the ozone layer and is now EPA's Web Content Manager.

Jeffrey and a friend sitting on a mountaintop

"Environmental protection."  To me, that phrase often raises images of massive cleanups, scientists taking water samples, and courtrooms. But it's also about individual choices that add up to big differences.  For instance, even my kids know to turn out the lights and toss cans in the recycling.  And Earth Day is all about learning what you can do.

But as fun as Earth Day can be, it's not enough to pay attention to the environment one day a year.  So as corny as my title is, how can you make it a reality?

To start, check out our Earth Day site, where you can:

  • Get daily environmental tip emails or use our widget to put them on your own site
  • Listen to podcasts
  • Read how to help protect the environment at home, at school, etc.

Staying on EPA's site, talk to us in our brand-new blog, Greenversations.  I get to talk to EPA employees all over the country who will be writing, and they've got some great stories.  For example, did you know EPA has a professional team of SCUBA divers?

If those links aren't enough to keep you busy, check out USA.gov's info about the environment from other agencies.

Reading's interesting, but get out there!  For me, anyway, sitting on a mountaintop reminds me why environmental protection matters.  Take a hike, find a federal camping spot on recreation.gov, or take advantage of your state parks.

Okay, I've gone on long enough.  Now it's your turn: share what you're doing for Earth Day and how you can make it every day!

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: environment   recycling  

 

Entry bubble Proper Prescription Drug Disposal

By: Sommer | April 04, 2008 | Category: Health

A recent study announced that pharmaceuticals like sex hormones, mood stabilizers, and acetaminophen were found in the U.S. drinkingblue pills spilling out of a pill bottle water supply. YIKES! When I read the article, it didn’t really strike close to home, until…

A couple weeks ago when my nesting instinct took me on a trip to the top shelf of my linen closet to a basket full of expired medications and first aid supplies.

So, this was my dilemma; do I contribute further to the problem by just cavalierly tossing the stuff in the trash like I had originally planned? Not if I can help it! But, what do I do? I’ve heard of some prescription drug take back programs but in my search I couldn’t find one in my local area. (I wish I lived in the Great Lakes Region – they’re collecting old pharmaceuticals to commemorate Earth Day – how cool!)

While there's lots of advice on taking meds, from what I could find, there's a lack of clear info about what to do if you no longer need the medicine and have to dispose of it. And, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m a little confused by the guidance on proper disposal – I’ve read, “Crush Don’t Flush” from the SmaRxt Disposal campaign but the ONDCP says that flushing is appropriate in certain circumstances.

I don’t feel fully comfortable that the instructions I found will completely protect the environment, but I guess it’s better than doing nothing. Here’s how I’ll dispose of my pills:

  1. Remove them from their original containers
  2. Crush the pills and put them in a sealable container – probably a plastic zipper bag
  3. I’ll add coffee grounds to the bag (they recommend mixing the crushed pills with an “undesirable substance”)
  4. Then I’ll throw the bag in the trash.

I’ll also be sure to remove any identifying information from prescription drug containers before I recycle them (if they’re recyclable, of course).

Here are some other resources I found:

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: disposal   drug   environment   medication   medicine   prescription   sommer   waste  

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