- Explain how the individual project contributes to the group project
-My individual project looks at policies and implementation of the clean water act which is an important component of the Delaware Water Basin. - Explain what is unique about the individual project as compared with the group project
-Looking at how the clean water act was implemented and the effects on surrounding areas makes my individual project unique. Not In My Back Yard, environmental injustices, and loop holes in the law are the keystones of my project dealing with causes and effects of pollution in the Delaware Water Basin - Discuss your strategy for balancing between group and individual activities
-Up date my twitter and blog when i feel the urge. Update group facebook and twitter whenever one of us has something we want the world to know about. - Discuss your plans for the further development of your individual social media project
-Environmental injustices have always urged me to write about the unfairness of this world and I most likely will continue. However, I have grown quite found of my Green Gertrude character and may progress my greengertrude.blogspot.com more and tie it into my twitter account, which tweets about green news in philadelphia and whatever else catches my eye.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Presentation
The day before earth day is my capstone presentation where I will show the big M all the progress made over the semester, this is going to be so much fun! On our class blog, managed by the big M, is a list of questions we should answer while giving our presentation.
What are you doing on Earth Day?
Philadelphia has been celebrating earth day ever since Saturday from what I have gathered. And in fact events will be held throughout the city all week long! woo hoo!
On April 22, 2009 I'll be twittering about earth day events in Philadelphia, along with pictures and videos of all I see. If you want to join in from 5:30-7:30pm I'll be twittering from the green roof of Philadelphia's free public library!
But get ready for the Tweetup between 8pm to midnight! What you'll need to do is gather some interesting facts, pictures, news, or just your green self and use #greenphily as much as you can!
Our goal to to trend sometime during the day, and if that's achieved hopefully our professor gives everyone in the class an A! :)
On April 22, 2009 I'll be twittering about earth day events in Philadelphia, along with pictures and videos of all I see. If you want to join in from 5:30-7:30pm I'll be twittering from the green roof of Philadelphia's free public library!
But get ready for the Tweetup between 8pm to midnight! What you'll need to do is gather some interesting facts, pictures, news, or just your green self and use #greenphily as much as you can!
Our goal to to trend sometime during the day, and if that's achieved hopefully our professor gives everyone in the class an A! :)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Pollution economics
Pollution in the Delaware River results largely from the dense population that resides along its banks. Below is some brief information to to help us understand why pollution is an economic problem, especially pollution in the Delaware.
Most environmental problems are the result of economic activity and are economic problems. Environmental problems can be solved if economic activity is channeled in ways that are environmentally safe. Otherwise, any attempt to resolve environmental problems is pointless.
Environmental resources have 4 valuable functions with positive economic value, if they could be purchased and sold in the market place.
1. supplies natural resources that are used as inputs in the production of economic goods and services
2. serves as a potential receptor of wastes generated by production and consumption activities. However, the environment has a limited capacity for these wastes.
3. contributes fresh water and food necessary to sustain life and provides other life-support functions suitable for life.
4. provides direct amenities that enhance human enjoyment, education, and spiritual well-being
Most environmental problems are the result of economic activity and are economic problems. Environmental problems can be solved if economic activity is channeled in ways that are environmentally safe. Otherwise, any attempt to resolve environmental problems is pointless.
Environmental resources have 4 valuable functions with positive economic value, if they could be purchased and sold in the market place.
1. supplies natural resources that are used as inputs in the production of economic goods and services
2. serves as a potential receptor of wastes generated by production and consumption activities. However, the environment has a limited capacity for these wastes.
3. contributes fresh water and food necessary to sustain life and provides other life-support functions suitable for life.
4. provides direct amenities that enhance human enjoyment, education, and spiritual well-being
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Blog Name
Many of you may wonder why my blog has such a poetic title. Honestly, it seemed natural and I did not even think about Samuel Coleridge while choosing such a titled. However, the catchy phrase fits the delAWARE theme perfectly.
Fresh water is becoming an increasingly difficult to access and even reason for war in many places around the world. United States is not exempt from such devistation, just outside Philadelphia in Chester and Camden many wonder if their water is killing them. Below is a quote about water scarcity in an editorial sharing the same title as this blog.
Fresh water is becoming an increasingly difficult to access and even reason for war in many places around the world. United States is not exempt from such devistation, just outside Philadelphia in Chester and Camden many wonder if their water is killing them. Below is a quote about water scarcity in an editorial sharing the same title as this blog.
“The International Conference on Water” held in Singapore in 2001, concluded that billions of people throughout the world are facing the problem of freshwater shortage, while “The International Freshwater Conference” held in Bonn, Germany, in December 2001, stressed that one fifth of the world’s population do not have access to sufficient clean drinking water. This is because wastewater from 2.5 billion people cannot be disposed of hygienically, making polluted drinking water the number one cause of disease around the world, ultimately leading to poverty and gender inequality.
What? Who? When? Where?: Chester's Story
Located in Delaware County, about 15 miles southeast of Philadelphia, this city of 43,000 people has the highest poverty and unemployment rates in the state. Once an industrial boomtown, Chester hosted numerous large-scale shipbuilding facilities, oil refineries, and automobile plants. In the 1940s and 1950s, many people, including African-Americans from the south and immigrants from Eastern Europe, flocked to Chester to find well-paying jobs. However, between 1950 and 1980, 32% of the jobs in Chester disappeared and the economy collapsed. Most of the upwardly mobile residents left the city, leaving behind a largely poor and minority population.
New industries moved in, but not the kind many of the residents planned for or wanted. Chester now houses four large hazardous and municipal waste-treatment facilities. Daily, trucks from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and as far away as Virginia roll through Chester’s West End, delivering thousands of tons of waste. Claiming that the waste facilities are disrupting their lives and polluting the air that they breathe, the residents formed the Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL).
Nearly all of Delaware County’s municipal solid waste and sewage is treated at the Chester
facilities. In addition, 90% of all monitored air pollutants released in the county are from
Chester-area sources. The city’s autoclave facility is the largest in the country and receives
medical waste from Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey. In March 1998, George magazine dubbed Chester “Toxic Town U.S.A.”
The poverty rate in Chester is about 25%, which is three times the national average. About 65% of Chester residents are African-American, many of whom suffer from chronic respiratory problems, high blood-lead levels, and other illnesses. Chester has a mortality and lung cancer rate that is 60% higher than the rest of Delaware County. It also has the highest percentages of low birth rate and infant mortality in the entire state.
prepared by TerrificScience
New industries moved in, but not the kind many of the residents planned for or wanted. Chester now houses four large hazardous and municipal waste-treatment facilities. Daily, trucks from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and as far away as Virginia roll through Chester’s West End, delivering thousands of tons of waste. Claiming that the waste facilities are disrupting their lives and polluting the air that they breathe, the residents formed the Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL).
Nearly all of Delaware County’s municipal solid waste and sewage is treated at the Chester
facilities. In addition, 90% of all monitored air pollutants released in the county are from
Chester-area sources. The city’s autoclave facility is the largest in the country and receives
medical waste from Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey. In March 1998, George magazine dubbed Chester “Toxic Town U.S.A.”
The poverty rate in Chester is about 25%, which is three times the national average. About 65% of Chester residents are African-American, many of whom suffer from chronic respiratory problems, high blood-lead levels, and other illnesses. Chester has a mortality and lung cancer rate that is 60% higher than the rest of Delaware County. It also has the highest percentages of low birth rate and infant mortality in the entire state.
prepared by TerrificScience
Local Environmental Injustices
Where does the stuff go that you don't want? out of sight, out of mind, right? Well just outside of Philadelphia two other cities deal with all the garbage large cities from surrounding areas. Chester, PA and Camden, NJ are two very polluted areas dealing with racial environmental injustices effecting the health of individuals. Is the right to an adequate environment a genuine human right? Should these people be forced to suffer so millions can live healthy lifestyles?
What goes on in these two cities is a tragedy and a different kind of environmental concern, that is perhaps even harder to fix than some others.
Ursula K. Le Guin wrote an allegory titled "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". It's a story of a beautiful thriving city with happy and healthy residents. However, everyone's happiness rests on one person's suffering. Residents that visit the suffering soul, often go back to their normal lives forgetting what they saw others leave Omelas not knowing where to, but that such injustices are inhumane.
Environmental injustices occur around the world and are of a similar nature, those suffering are doing so at the benefit of others living a healthier and safer life. Chester, Pa and Camden, NJ are two places where fighting large corporations from a grassroots level has been difficult and little gains made to help protect the city's residents. Below or two clips from YouTube about the injustices. A film was made in the 1990s called "Laid to Waste" about the environmental injustices in Chester, because it is one of the worst places and largest environmental justice case in the United States. Camden's issues were something I learned about while researching Chester. Both are interesting a deserve attention.
CHESTER
CAMDEN
What goes on in these two cities is a tragedy and a different kind of environmental concern, that is perhaps even harder to fix than some others.
Ursula K. Le Guin wrote an allegory titled "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". It's a story of a beautiful thriving city with happy and healthy residents. However, everyone's happiness rests on one person's suffering. Residents that visit the suffering soul, often go back to their normal lives forgetting what they saw others leave Omelas not knowing where to, but that such injustices are inhumane.
Environmental injustices occur around the world and are of a similar nature, those suffering are doing so at the benefit of others living a healthier and safer life. Chester, Pa and Camden, NJ are two places where fighting large corporations from a grassroots level has been difficult and little gains made to help protect the city's residents. Below or two clips from YouTube about the injustices. A film was made in the 1990s called "Laid to Waste" about the environmental injustices in Chester, because it is one of the worst places and largest environmental justice case in the United States. Camden's issues were something I learned about while researching Chester. Both are interesting a deserve attention.
CHESTER
CAMDEN
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