Our Planet, Our Home

May 18, 2016

A Summit to Remember

nitrogen, Nutrient pollution, Nutrient Recycling Challenge, water 4 Comments

By Dr. Ellen Gilinsky

Put together innovation and incentive, mix with brain power and competitive drive, and you get creative solutions to a major water quality challenge while creating economic benefits at the same time.

I’ve spent much of my career tackling nutrient pollution. During that time, the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus entering our waterways has increased dramatically, making nutrient pollution one of the most urgent and costly environmental problems facing the U.S. today. Technological innovation has the potential to play a major role in mitigating nutrient pollution while also creating economic benefits for livestock producers.

In November 2015, EPA partnered with pork and dairy producers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and environmental and scientific experts to launch the Nutrient Recycling Challenge—a competition to find affordable technologies that can help farmers manage nutrients, create valuable products, and protect the environment. EPA received 75 concept papers from around the world, and selected 34 submissions to proceed to Phase II of the challenge.

The entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well at a March 30th summit held at the White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building to honor innovators selected to move to Phase II, and provide a forum for them to network with each other. At this summit, I had the pleasure of recognizing 10 cash prize winners in the challenge. Many of the industries potentially interested in using the technologies that emerge in the Nutrient Recycling Challenge were also present. There was much chatter between innovators and end users, looking to capitalize on synergies and develop even better prototypes that could work for real-world producers. Innovators walked away from the summit with fresh ideas to refine their concepts and new allies who can help bring their ideas to fruition, and ultimately to the market.

As exciting as the innovators and their ideas were, I was also struck by the excitement and energy of the EPA professional staff who organized this competition. This group of talented, young EPA engineers, scientists, and environmental specialists are the future of our Agency, as well as the environmental movement in general. They are using new and modern tools that harness the power of rapid, global communication with computer modeling and forecasting to come up with new solutions for age old environmental challenges. Our young EPA professionals have been the driving force behind this exciting initiative. Their drive and dedication, coupled with the talent of innovators, is a surefire recipe for success.

About the author: Dr. Ellen Gilinsky is the Senior Policy Advisor in EPA’s Office of Water. Dr. Gilinsky addresses policy and technical issues related to all EPA Water programs, with an emphasis on science, water quality and state programs.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

May 5, 2016

How’s Rock Creek?

pollution, Rock Creek Park, water, water cleanup, Water Quality, Waterway 4 Comments

By Mary Schollhamer

A hidden gem in Washington, DC is Rock Creek Park. Less than a mile from my home, Rock Creek Park is a 1,754-acre oasis, whose meadows and forest are home to coyotes, deer, foxes, raccoons, beavers, hawks, and – our newest residents – bald eagles.

Rock Creek Park is also home to the Rock Creek waterway, a tributary of the Potomac River. This is my dog’s favorite part of DC, as we rarely miss a weekend to play fetch in the creek. With the amount of time spent in the water, I often wonder: How safe is Rock Creek?

EPA’s tool, “How’s My Waterway?,” answers my question in just a few clicks, but the answer appears to be more cause for concern. Rock Creek was assessed in 2012 and failed water quality standards. It has flow issues, populated with bacteria and other microbes, degraded aquatic life, excess sediment, mercury, metals, PCBs, and toxic organic chemicals. For each of these pollution categories, “How’s My Waterway?”, offers links to technical reports – as well as plain language – and information about what I can do to help.

While Rock Creek’s current prognosis isn’t very good, EPA is taking steps to change that. You can use the How’s My Waterway? tool to find out many of the activities EPA takes to improve water quality in Rock Creek, like cleanup plans for mercury, metals, and bacteria and other microbes. Polluted runoff control projects, fish habitat partnerships, and community grants are also listed. The tool also gives a who/what/where/when for discharged pollutants, along with information on how to contact your state water quality program. Through transparent information about pollution and water quality, every citizen is empowered to get involved in the health of their waterway.

So, how’s Rock Creek? Not great, but it’s getting better. How’s your waterway?

About the author: Mary Schollhamer is the Acting Deputy Director of Communications in the Office of Water. She holds a Master’s Degree in English with a focus on ecofeminism from Stony Brook University and loves dogs.

May 4, 2016

Fighting Bed Bugs, Mosquitos and other Pests

beg bugs, insects, mosquitoes, pests, repellents, rodent infestations 0 Comments

By Lina Younes

As the temperature warms up, we enjoy watching the revival of nature. Flowering trees, shrubs and wildlife come to life. While we welcome the return of butterflies and bees to our gardens, we definitely don’t rejoice with the arrival of other bugs, such as ants and mosquitos.

What can you do to prevent pests from taking over your living space? Well, make your home and yard as unwelcoming to pests as possible. How? Start by removing sources of food, water and shelter. Don’t let those food crumbs and spills become pest magnets! Reduce clutter around your home and fix leaky faucets. Set up barriers so pests can’t invade your home through cracks and holes.

If in spite of your best efforts you still find these unwanted critters, you may need to take additional actions. EPA has tips for many of the most common pests.

Do you have a problem with bed bugs? Check out our do-it-yourself guide to controlling bed bugs. We’ve got tips to help you address this problem safely to protect your family and the environment.
Does it seem that you have a problem with mice at home even if you haven’t actually seen them? Learn more on how to prevent rodent infestations.
If you need to use a pesticide, use a product for your specific pest and read the label to ensure that you follow the directions and safety precautions.

With warmer temperatures, we’re starting to see mosquitoes earlier every year. An important way to control mosquitos around your home is by eliminating their habitat. Mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to lay their eggs. So get rid of things in your yard like old tires, buckets and other containers where standing water will accumulate. Prevent mosquitos from entering your home with screens on your windows and doors. Also, use EPA-registered insect repellents safely to protect yourself against diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.

Being aware of potential pest problems and taking action to control these pests safely will help you and your family enjoy your environment at home and the great outdoors during the warmer months and year round.

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and currently serves the Multilingual Communications Liaison in EPA’s Office of Web Communications. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several federal and state government agencies over the years.

Apr 29, 2016

This Spring, Show How You Care About the Air

Air Awareness Week, air quality, Air Quality Awareness Week, Air Quality Index, AirNow 0 Comments

By Jenny Noonan

What do our kids need to know about air quality? How can we teach them about the links between health and air pollution? With a pre-kindergartener and a 3^rd grader at home, my husband and I are always looking for ways to engage them about the fragility and resilience of the natural world. My job at EPA helps me do that and Asthma Awareness Month and Air Quality Awareness Week (May 2-6, 2016) give me a focus each spring.

This year’s Air Quality Awareness Week theme, Show How You Care About the Air, is a great opportunity to take to social media to share the importance of clean air to my family and yours.

For 10 years, we have sought out state and local partnerships to raise awareness about the connections between air quality and health. We’re highlighting events sponsored by our partners on our website. Show How You Care About the Air is a coordinated theme with a special focus each day of the week, including:

Monday, May 2 Highlighting State and Local Events

Tuesday, May 3 Asthma and Air Quality (World Asthma Day)

Wednesday, May 4 Air Quality Around the World

Thursday, May 5 Air Quality Trends

Friday, May 6 Citizen Science

As part of Asthma Awareness Month, we will be sponsoring two Twitter chats to increase awareness. The first will discuss topics such as the environmental triggers of asthma – both indoors and out – and how you can develop a personal asthma plan to help manage these triggers. You can follow along or participate in this chat, co-sponsored with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on May 3, from 2-3 pm by following #AsthmaChat, or leave a question below.

We will also be hosting a Twitter chat with CDC on air quality issues on May 5, from 1-2 pm. This chat will talk about topics like the impacts of air pollution on human health, and how you can use air quality tools to reduce your exposure to pollution. Join the conversation at #AirQualityChat, or leave a question below.

Finally, everyone has an opportunity to take a selfie or other photo showing how you care about the air during Air Quality Awareness Week 2016 and share it on the AirNow Facebook page.

Apr 19, 2016

Camping & Lyme Disease: 90’s and Today

9 Comments

By Brittany Whited

A sunny spring weekend is upon us and it’s time to get outside! I’ll be spending my weekend around a campfire in the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains. Where are you going?

I have always loved camping trips. Well, maybe not always– there were a few teenage years where being crammed into a vehicle with my family on our way to a place without cell phone service was arguably the worst thing to happen to anyone ever.

A young girl sits on a rock in front of a lake with a fishing pole.

Me, fishing in Wyoming summer of 1996

But all those times packing up our wood-paneled minivan to see the great outdoors definitely gave me a love and appreciation for the outdoors- I now gleefully plan camping voyages every opportune weekend. After each trip I feel accomplished (albeit a bit sore) from my long hikes, triumphant from starting a campfire in the rain, and restored from filling my lungs with the quiet mountain air.

Two women point in different directions while looking at a map.

Me and a classmate at the foggy summit of Old Rag, Shenandoah National park, 2014.

In all the years I’ve spent in the woods of New England, Wisconsin, and other parts of the US, I never once had a deer tick bite me until last summer. Fortunately, I saw the little bugger within hours of arriving at the campsite and removed it. Deer ticks can carry Lyme disease, a sometimes debilitating illness for which there is no vaccine. While I didn’t get Lyme (quickly removing ticks reduce the risk of infection), the number of cases and the geographic distribution of Lyme is increasing each year (see map). In fact, the number of reported cases of Lyme disease each year in the US has doubled since 1991 (see our Climate Change Indicators in the US).

Data Source: CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/index.html

So… what’s going on?

There are many factors at play in the number and distribution of cases of Lyme. Temperature, precipitation, and humidity are factors that influence tick survival and the seasonal timing of tick activity. Across the entire country, these climate-related factors often play a significant role in determining the occurrence of ticks and Lyme disease in the US.

Climate-related factors—temperature, precipitation, and humidity—are all influenced by climate change, and climate change is likely responsible for at least some of the observed change in Lyme disease cases. A scientific assessment detailing the impacts of climate change on health in the US (released on April 4th) states that increasing temperatures and changes in seasonal patterns from climate change will result in both earlier seasonal tick activity and an expansion in tick habitat range. Earlier tick activity and a greater habitat range will increase the risk of human exposure to ticks, and thus, Lyme disease.

In addition to Lyme disease, climate change can affect our health in many other ways. On my camping trips in the future I will need to be more aware of harmful algae blooms while I fish and canoe, extreme heat during my long treks, and distant wildfires affecting the quality of the quiet mountain air.

It is important to remember that the impacts of climate change are not limited to our natural environment – in fact, we interact with our environment every day- whether it’s at the top of a mountain, on a city sidewalk, or in a school, and each interaction influences our health. Learning about how climate change impacts all of these environments can help us be better prepared to protect our health.

Learn more about how climate change affects health here.

Learn how to protect yourself from tick bites and Lyme disease here.

About the Author: Brittany Whited is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) participant hosted by the Climate Science and Impacts Branch in the EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Programs. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Public Health from George Washington University and is wicked excited to spend less time studying and more time outside.

Apr 18, 2016

Make Wasted Food a Thing of the Past

4 Comments

By Liz Sundin

We all have those days – you’re cleaning out the refrigerator and you find long-lost produce that is definitely no longer edible. While lamenting the wasted money you just threw into your garbage can, you promise yourself that you will pay attention next time and not forget about the fresh food in your fridge. But, if you’re anything like me, that’s a promise that’s easier said than done.

That is why our Food: Too Good to Waste Toolkit is so awesome. It gives simple tips about how to reduce your wasted food in five different ways through Getting Smart, Smart Shopping, Smart Storage, Smart Prep and Smart Saving.

Check out how some of our staff members reduced their wasted food through awareness and simple strategies:

Get Smart: I didn’t realize how many peppers, bananas, herbs and crackers I let go bad or stale until I started measuring the food I waste.
Smart Shopping: I plan my meals for the week before I go to the grocery store. That way, I can make a list beforehand, and only buy what’s on the list. This saves me money, since having a list means I’m less likely to grab random items. And it makes sure that the food I buy is food I have every intention to use.
Past their prime apples destined for sauce, baked goods or shredded with potatoes for latkes or pancakes.
Smart Storage: I try to store my food where it will stay fresh the longest, so apples in the fridge and potatoes in a cool, dark place. Plus, I buy in bulk and then freeze items like chicken or bread until I’m ready to use them, which saves me money and keeps me from wasting food.
Smart Prep: I’ve found it’s so much easier to prep my meals for the week right after I get home from the grocery store (wash, chop, sort and properly store). Then I can relax after work and enjoy a pre-made, delicious, healthy meal and I’ve noticed much less goes to waste.
Smart Saving: I don’t go shopping for new food until I’ve used what I already bought. It really helps me plan my meals beforehand so I’m not wasting produce that I forget about.

Add some of these tips into your daily life and next time you’re cleaning out your fridge, you may be less likely to have any wilted or fuzzy produce to throw away!

Liz Sundin is a Public Affairs Specialist in EPA’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.

Apr 15, 2016

DWMAPs: Showing the Way to Cleaner Water

drinking water, DWMAP, Mapping, pollutant, surface water, TMDL, Tool 0 Comments

By Mary Schollhamer

Growing up, I have always been a big fan of outdoor activities and enjoyed spending time at the beach with my family. The ocean was a big part of our lives, whether we were fishing, swimming, or on my grandfather’s boat. Now that I have a family of my own, we pack the car and the dog and head to the Outer Banks on the coast of North Carolina.

This summer, as my family was playing in the shallow tide and my dog was chasing crabs, I asked myself, “Is my family safe?”

Last month, EPA released a new tool to answer my question: the Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS). DWMAPs is an online mapping tool to help you find information about drinking water and surface water in your community. I zoomed the map into the beach near Kitty Hawk, NC and added a layer of data to tell me if there were any existing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for these waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that can occur in a water body and serves as a potential starting point for restoration and maintaining water quality standards. The map provided links to location-specific reports, one of which told me the only problem I should be concerned about is the high-level of mercury in the fish caught in this area. The DWMAPS tool is very informative and great for helping to protect your family and pets from harmful substances.

While DWMAPs is an easy way to find out about sources of pollution near your drinking water or how to get involved in protecting sources of drinking water in my community, it’s also a great tool for drinking water professionals. DWMAPs can be used to identify potential sources of contamination in specific locations, find data to support source water assessments, and help implement plans to manage potential sources of contamination. The new tool can also evaluate accidental spills and releases, identifying where emergency response resources for accidental releases must be readily available, and promote integration of drinking water protection activities with other environmental programs at the EPA, state, and local levels.

For information about what you can do to help, visit DWMAPs and click “What Can I Do About It?”

Apr 13, 2016

Citizen Science, Environmental Outreach and Water Quality

analysis, aquatic, dissolved oxygen, macroinvertebrates, nitrates, pH, phosphates, salinity, temperature, turbidity, water monitoring, Watersheds 4 Comments

By Ibrahim Goodwin

Spring is here, the eaglets in the Anacostia River Basin have hatched and so has another opportunity to make a visible difference in our nation’s watersheds.

Here in DC’s Anacostia watershed, EPA and the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC) are working together as part of the Anacostia Watershed Outreach and Education Initiative. We’re encouraging citizen science field research with ECC members, students and others. We test for water quality parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, phosphates, nitrates, salinity, and we’re analyzing samples for aquatic macroinvertebrates (water bugs you can see with the naked eye that are important indicators of water quality).

At the ECC Pumphouse, EPA is helping to make this urban river a classroom. We recently sponsored “Protecting the Anacostia Watershed – A Workshop on Water Quality Standards.” This activity, held on World Water Monitoring Day, also highlighted the Urban Waters Federal Partnership between EPA, ECC, the U.S. Forest Service, National Geographic and DC Water.

The interactive water quality workshop and hands-on water sample collection and analysis program offered over 75 students and citizen scientists an intimate look at how everyday pollution affects our local environment. We also discussed simple solutions to curbing complicated pollution problems. The young citizen scientists from St. Augustine Catholic School in Northwest Washington, DC were captivated by activities like the owl encounter, water quality monitoring, macroinvertebrate identification and National Geographic’s FieldScope GIS and data system.

This workshop can be modified to fit any watershed. Our workshop, ‘’Watersheds and Water Monitoring,” is being held on the largest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States. The river is home to all sorts of wildlife, including over 300 species of birds.

Working with young citizen scientists in a hands-on setting reminds me how important my daily work at the EPA is in protecting the environment and educating the next generation of environmental stewards.

About the Author: Bryan “Ibrahim” Goodwin has worked in the Office of Water as an Environmental Scientist since 1987. Mr. Goodwin has helped to train thousands of environmental professionals in the Water Quality Standards Academy and is currently working on initiatives to engage citizen scientists. He received a B. S. in Geology from Howard University and is an avid gardener.

Apr 4, 2016

My Toddler is Why I Look for the Safer Choice Label

children, choice, ingredients, kids, label, products, Safer, shop 2 Comments

by Jessica Orquina

Protecting the planet has always been important to me, but since I became a mom two years ago assuring that our environment is clean for generations to come is of even greater concern. My son is an energetic, curious toddler who always gets into anything he can and is constantly investigating his environment. So, keeping the house clean and safe is essential.

Our Safer Choice program is a great resource for moms like me who want the products we use every day to be safer for our families. The EPA scientists who work on this program make sure every ingredient in the cleaning products meets stringent health, environmental and performance criteria. Only products that meet the Safer Choice Standard get to carry the Safer Choice label. So, if a cleaning product has the label I know it’s made with ingredients that are safer for people and our planet.

In my job in EPA’s Office of Public Affairs, I get to work with programs across the agency. Last year, I was excited when we came out with the new Safer Choice label because it’s a program that helps parents like me. More recently, I was happy to see products with the Safer Choice label start to show up on the shelves of my local grocery store here in Washington, DC.

I encourage you to look for the Safer Choice label when you shop for cleaning products to protect your family and our environment.

About the author: Jessica Orquina works in the Office of Public Affairs as the social media lead for the agency. Prior to joining EPA, she served as a military and commercial airline pilot. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and son.

Mar 22, 2016

Leadville, Colorado: Some great environmental happenings

Colorado, compostting, emissions, Fishing, grants, Leadville, mines, sustainability 2 Comments

by Wendy Dew

I’ve spent a lot of time in Leadville, Colorado. Also known as the Two-Mile-High City, Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States. In the late 19th century, Leadville was the second most populous city in Colorado, after Denver.

But what I know most about Leadville is EPA’s work on cleaning up the California Gulch Superfund site and a local conservation group’s efforts to educate citizens on energy and environmental issues.

The California Gulch site covers 18 square miles in Lake County, including Leadville and a section of the Arkansas River. Former mining operations contributed to metals contamination in surface water, groundwater, soil and sediment. Over the years, EPA has worked with the state, the local community and the site’s potentially responsible parties to clean up the site, coordinate ecological restoration work and redevelop specific portions of the site.

While there are still portions of the site that are being cleaned up, 11 miles of the Upper Arkansas River have been restored and the area was added to the Gold Medal Trout Waters in Colorado. These fishing areas are noted by Colorado Wildlife Commission as places where trout are plentiful and larger. The designation has been 20 years in the making, and although anglers have enjoyed the improved conditions for years, it is an official acknowledgement of the myriad efforts by state and federal agencies, local governments and stakeholders to turn an impaired river into one of the most popular fishing destinations in Colorado.

Gold medal waters are not the only great environmental happenings in Leadville. The Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) was awarded two EPA grants for environmental justice work and environmental education work. I got the chance to visit C4 and see firsthand how they are making a difference in the community.

The environmental justice project focused on helping low-income and minority residents in Lake County reduce energy use and address under-insulated and leaky housing. It focused specifically on residents who have limited access to information due to language barriers, immigration status and other hurdles facing this EJ population. C4 conducted workshops using EPA grant funds to educate the community about conservation and efficiency measures they could implement in their homes to save energy and money. Thirty home energy audits and follow up support services provided participants the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of their homes while becoming more knowledgeable about energy conservation.

Vent that is corroding due to corrosive combustion gases coming from the boiler

As a result of this initiative, the community enjoys lower greenhouse gas emissions and more comfortable homes. Additionally, the impact of global climate change is addressed through local solutions, thereby empowering the community to make a difference on the sustainability of our environment.

The environmental education project, awarded in 2015, seeks to make Lake County youth the environmental leaders of the community, ultimately expanding Lake County’s capacity for environmental stewardship. Approximately 1,100 Lake County K-12 students will increase their environmental understanding through daily composting and hands on education.

This will increase capacity in each Lake County School to reduce waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a valuable environmental product, establishing a model program for the community as a whole. The compost will be used in a future greenhouse project for the local schools. The kids who are involved in managing the compost bins are incredible proud of the positive local environmental impact they are having at their school.

The transformation from mines to parks, gold medal trout waters, environmental justice initiatives and future environmental leaders is impressive. Visiting grantees is one of my favorite things to do in my job. It gives me a chance to see for myself all the great work EPA grant funds make possible. Talking to kids who are excited about the environmental changes they are making is amazing. It motivates me and makes me feel like I am part of a very large movement to restore, protect and improve our environment. C4 is continuing to work with the Leadville community to address environmental and public health issues.

About the author:

Wendy Dew is the Outreach and Education Coordinator for EPA Region 8.

< 1 2 3 4 5 >»