Gas Land Part II: An American government working for his people?

We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand. Thomas Paine, February 14, 1776. A Pennsylvanian land after a "fraking" installation plant to generate "American natural gas"

The documentary GasLand II, producer by Josh Fox,  aims to expose the money and political power driving the rush to gas companies in the United States; moreover,  the power that the United  States as a country has worldwide by selling the idea of “Natural Gas” as the best way to be friendly with the environment. Although it does also feature pictures of a homeowner in Texas lighting his garden hose on fire. If what we are seeing all across America are people able to light their water on fire. Why hasn't our government done anything about it? Why have our regulatory agencies failed to protect us? These are bigger questions, without answers in a short term. First, I’d like to share Mr. Thomas Paine quote, because our funding father were looking to provide a new nation, but they have emphasized too much in “Freedom” that they have forgotten the basin human rights principles, as the third universal human right: “The right to live”. We all have the right to live, and to live in freedom and in a “safe environment” Even though, it seems like everybody knows that things are going wrong with the big oil companies here, while the government don’t do anything about it. The documentary presents our idea of natural gas as a clean and nice environment as a great myth, a big lie that the media industry has fixed in society minds nowadays. During the movie, a person can appreciate many politicians’ speeches, for example, during his environmental speech; President Obama continued to promote natural gas as a "bridge" fuel from coal. Another example is Mrs. Hillary Clinton promoting natural gas worldwide, as the best way to manage our natural resources. Since this country was founded aiming capitalism as the best way to manage our economy; the “natural gas” idea of making business is try to exploit as many natural resources we have right now, in order to get as much “natural gas” to sell it to industrialized nations. For example, the prices of natural gas at Thursday, April 24, 2014: NYMEX Natural Gas Futures for May delivery closed down $0.025 at $4.705 per MMBtu. Henry Hub Natural Gas. Natural Gas Futures: 10,000 million British thermal units (MMBtu) (Source: www.wtrg.com/daily/gasprice.html).

Today, China can buy American “natural gas" for about $5.40 per MMBtu; or it can be sell to Europe for $9.50. Good business!

The crude reality of a "fracking" process while extracting natural gas. 

Moreover, the movie presents state agencies, local agencies, even the EPA be controlled by politics, and when it becomes a matter of politics, the science just magically disappears," Fox said. "Investigations get rolled back and buried.” Also, Fox presents the controversial French word “Fracking” But, what it really means this word? It means: Hydraulic Fracturing technology that the energy industry hopes to use to expand natural gas production in the United States. Fox presents this process as one of the most dangerous to ecosystems. First, it has been proven that “fracking” accelerates the global warming, in addition, our ecosystem becomes vulnerable, and we as population would get more frequent earthquakes, climate change, floods, some among.  To conclude with my comments regarding this movie, I’d say that I really feel impotence to see many people suffering due to environmental changes for oil exploitation. Also, the power that media has over us, especially while advertising the big oil companies.

The "fracking" process includes toxic chemicals while extracting the "natural gas"

 For example, after watching the documentary, try to watch this ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILFp-OgcHj4

I did it, and I have fallen more impotence due to the criticism of renewable energy, while affirming that it is “expensive, inefficient, and impractical”. Contrary, they claim that “natural gas” is harmless and can go safely to pipelines? Yea, anybody who hasn't watch the documentary, or read about this issue would believe it.  Finally, I’m very thankful for the opportunity that I had while watching this movie, otherwise, I wouldn't realize what is happening with this famous “natural gas” issue. Even the stories of poisoned water and flaring water hoses are being forced underground. Fox concludes that over the past few years, gas companies have bought out the properties of home owners whose water was contaminated by fraking fluids. The oil companies have pay a good amount of dollars for the properties, in return for non-disclosure agreements.  Lastly, I finishing writing about this issue saying that  Mr. Tomas Paine quote written at the beginning of my blog is only this, a nice quote of good wishes but only this: "just words, just wishes". 

A Pennsylvanian  resident showing the quality of drinking water that her county has provided to the residents. 

A visit to RCRCD (Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District)

As a Riverside resident, I didn’t know that we have a local government agency that helps to conserve the natural resources (soil, water, plants, and wildlife) of Riverside and San Bernardino county areas. On April 9, 2014 I have visited the RCRCD to attend a workshop by Doctor David Morgan, a scientist from the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, who is working in a project to eradicate the Asian Citrus Psyllid, a plague that have been damaging the citrus orange trees in our entire nation. The plague (Asian Citrus Psyllid) is a dangerous small insect that feeds under citrus leaves. It also can transmit fatal diseases to the tree; for example transmit the bacteria that kill the citrus tree. This bacteria is known as HLB (citrus greening disease). 

According to Dr. Morgan, the Asian citrus psyllid has been intercepted coming into California on plants shipped from other states or countries. Nowadays, the plague has speeded out in all California counties. 

Dr. Morgan also presented the solution to this pest, as a biological control project by introducing a small predator fly known as Tamarixia radiata. This nice predator has three main characteristics:

o   Is a natural predator of the Asian citrus psyllid elsewhere in the world

o   Is harmless to humans, animals and other insects

o   Can help save your citrus trees

Tamarixia radiata a biological control predator. 

The main goals for this project are:

§   To teach the Californian residents who have citrus trees at their  backyards, about this form of biological control

§   Lowering populations of the Asian citrus psyllid, although it’s not a solution on its own. Learn about other actions that help protect against the Asian citrus psyllid

The major overcome that the project has, according to Dr. Morgan, is the fear of many Californian neighbors don’t allow access to people involve in the project to care their backyard trees. 

Indeed, the best help that we as good Riverside residents can do is to talk with our family members, friends, and neighbors about this project, specially, if they have the citrus tree planted at their back yards. While doing it we will  support Dr. Morgan's project. Moreover, the project is safe, is not harmful to environment, to people, or pets. Please, speak loud about it! 

The Pros and Cons of Tap vs. Bottled Water

On the Long Night of Arts & Innovation, last October 10, 2013, here at Riverside, I have attended a workshop " How Safe is Safe Enough" by Dr. Marylynn V Yates, Dean & professor of UCR; in which I have learned about of tap water (Riverside County) and also about our tap water in the entire state. Dr. Yates has explained very detailed about my questions regarding this topic, for example, she has mentioned that drinking tape water is safe rather than bottled water. First, she has explained about the regulations on tap water by EPA, and the lack of regulation on tap water by FDA. Since those days, I have decided to stop buying bottled water, ( I was a good customer of bottled water in the past). 

This spring brake, after watching the documentary "Tapped the Movie" I have confirmed my decision of  drinking tap water, also it has helped me  to answer a couple of questions regarding this contradictory topic, for example:
1. Where does my home’s tap water come from? I have discovered that my tap water comes from the Santa Ana region, that provides water to Orange, Riverside, and San Bernadino counties. My tap water is regulated by EPA. Moreover, there are many environmental programs working together in order to get a safe drinking water,  as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES); this  program permits for discharges from municipal storm sewers. California has been authorized by EPA to implement the NPDES storm water permit program in all areas of the state except tribal lands. In southern California, the Regional Water Quality Control Boards issue Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits to cover municipalities in urban areas. Each of these permits requires the municipalities to establish storm water control programs to control pollution from industrial and commercial facilities, construction sites, new development, municipal activities, and to provide public education on storm water pollution prevention (http://www.epa.gov/SoCal/water/)
Another programs, as Keeping Trash Out of Waterways, are using the TMLD (total maximum daily load) and  EPA helps and tribes conduct intensive monitoring, assessment, and watershed planning activities to track water quality, identify polluted waters, and develop pollution control plans called "total maximum daily loads," or TMDLs. The Clean Water Act requires states and territories to issue water quality status reports every two years. These reports identify water quality trends, prioritize polluted waters, and target waters for TMDL development. TMDLs identify the pollutant load reductions that are necessary from point and nonpoint sources and guide implementation work by federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local water quality protection programs. Then, drinking tap from my county is safe. Let's drink it! 

Corona Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion on Tap. (Riverside County Potable Water) 

2. What federal agency is in charge of tap water? Also, what are the federal standard of bottled water?  The documentary "Tapped the movie" has showed that tap water is regulated by EPA (Environmental Protect Agency) under much stricter standards regulates tap water. Contrary, bottled water, depending upon the brand, may actually be less clean and safe than tap water. The EPA mandates that local water treatment plants provide city residents with a detailed account of tap water’s source and the results of any testing, including contaminant level violations. Bottled water companies are under no such directives. In the documentary, Senator John Kerry pointed against and FDA regulator agent who couldn't answer to many questions, as "Are you really aware of the American people wellness by providing them safe water? The FDA representative didn't answer it. During those days, Mr. Kerry was a senator, now, he is the United States Secretary of State, so, my question now is? Why he doesn't address this issue again? Since I don't like politics, I will understand that he might be having other "important issues" on his agenda, and now, there might be "another senator" in charge of this topic :-)

Water Quality Control Plant, Riverside, CA. 

3. In the USA, we hear about how bottled water is supposedly more convenient. But what are some of the concerns and drawbacks of bottled water? Regarding this question, I will say that the media has always a big impact in our everyday lives. First, this impact can be negative or positive. It would depend of how moral/ethic is the person or the media agency while advertising. This might be another topic for later on, now, lets address the impact of the media regarding bottled water. Tapped  presented that people started choosing bottled water since 1970 when the media focused on "Perrier" as the best drinking safe and fine water for people.  After that, in 1989 the market started to introduce bottled water into a cheap plastic bottles made of PET. Actually, the main plant that produces the cheap plastic bottles is located in Corpus Christi, Texas, where many people has complained of respiratory issues due to carbon emission pollution because of the overproduction of plastic bottles.  Another concern of bottled water is economic issue. Bottled water is the second largest commercial beverage in the United States. According to the BMA (Beverage Marketing Association), in  2012, the total volume of bottled water consumed in the US was 9.7 billion gallons. A 6.2% increase from 2011. That translates into an average of 30.8 gallons per person ( http://www.bottledwater.org/economics/bottled-water-market)
The three main companies that compete for this market are Nestle, Coca Cola & Pepsi. 

Plastic material that has been founded in death marine species bodies. 

Dr. Lincoln, Scientist & Chemistry Professor at U C San Diego is showing the plastic particles founded in many marine species death bodies.

Tapped also has reported on the scandal that is bottled water: Companies suck up millions of gallons of public water, then they sell it back to us at a huge markup in plastic bottles that cause serious environmental problems. The last drawback that I would mention is the harmful environmental impact of all these empty bottled water. For example, Tapped shows that only 11 states are aware of improving in recycling programs to protect our environment regarding the empty bottles. In the other hand, people in other states is not recycling this trash and finally, the empty bottles appear in the Pacific ocean. One third of the eighty million of plastic bottles that Americans drink per day end at the ocean, rivers, lakes, etc.   Tapped presents Dr. Lincoln,  a former U C San Diego scientist and Chemistry professor who has started an investigation in 2006 about ocean contamination, he has been taking water samples  from Australia to Central California  in order to identify the damage to the environment regarding these empty bottles. He has founded that the ocean contamination has increase 60% more since he started his investigation, also he says that the 95% of the ocean contamination is due to plastic slices. It has been killing many marine species as other species. To conclude with his investigations, he said that the North Pacific Gyre is the most vulnerable area in which tons of plastic contamination end.

North Pacific Gyre:  where the majority of the empty plastic bottles ends. 

Dead albatross founded  in San Diego Coast with lots of plastic inside him :-(

Indeed, we must stop consuming bottled water for many reasons:

1. It is passively regulated by FDA

2. Big companies as Nestle, Pepsi, and Coca Cola have been taking advantage of our natural resources of water in order to make business regarding population's health & well being.  

3. The low recycling programs in the United States & worldwide are damaging our ecosystem

Snapping turtle by a rounded plastic piece. 

and the most important, drinking tap water is safe and cheap, also by doing it you are contributing to care our environment. 

California Coastal Commission: The Algalita Marine Research Foundation’s investigation of plastic in the North Pacific Central Gyre of the Pacific Ocean showed that the mass of plastic pieces was six times greater than zooplankton floating on the water’s surface. This study is one of many that demonstrate that our oceans have become the virtual garbage can for the developed and developing world.

Land-based discharges of human-made debris comprise the largest source of marine debris 

in oceans world-wide (nearly 80%).

Please be kind: Stop supporting bottled water!

Plastic trash on the banks of the Tijuana River in San Diego, CA

Everything we use in our lives comes from the Earth somehow!

Last Saturday morning, I have decided to do an experiment: to value our planet, because almost everything we use in our everyday lives comes from our Biosphere; then I decided to list all "earth resources" that  I need or want during a single day. First, I have started making a list of what I need/want, then I have grouped them as:

1. Food: My day started with a nice & homemade breakfast, I wanted to eat milk, eggs, bread, dried fruits. Also, I need to drink soy milk, since I'm vegetarian. Of course, during the day I have eaten vegetables, fruits, cereals, cheese, drinking water, tea, coffee, yogurt, cookies, ice cream, sugar, flour, tortillas, dressings, hummus, lentils, dark chocolate, pita bread, salt, sugar, vanilla flavor, grape juice, etc.

For example, I have cooked this pie, however, without many "earth resources" as: electricity, butter, flour, sugar, milk, cream cheese, fresh fruit, red wine ( for the pears) etc. I couldn't be able to make it! 

2. Housing: My second segment was housing. Since we as human beings need a house to live, I have checked cautiously all the "earth resources" needed, as wood, clay, glass, paper, rugs, curtains, cement, petroleum, electricity, chairs, electronics, cell phone, lamps, refrigerator, stove, crystals, utensils, plates, place mats, cups, cooking dinnerware, frames, light bulbs, blanket, bed,  bed linen,  pillows, microwave, blender, plastic, paper toilet, paper towels, Kleenex, sofas, table, iron, hammer, some among. All these items were used for me during my Saturday's experiment :-)

A good example to show is our kitchen, where we can find many"earth resources" as wood cabinets, cotton placemats, wax candles, drinking water, paper toilet, salt, plants, vegetables, fruits, ceramics, soap, some among. 

3. Car/Transportation: This is a very important topic, also it is hard to have the necessity to transport or be on time in our daily routine issues, as going to school, going to shopping, picking kids at school, traveling, etc. Since Tires, gasoline, A/C while driving, car's engine machine in good condition (car's battery for example) is needed in order to get anywhere; contrary, we have to be conscious about the harm that we are doing to the environment (pollution, gasses, tires, car's battery).

4. Clothing:  I'm learning how to live with the basics. So, I have to wear a T-shirt, shorts, shoes, underwear, a purse, a wallet, belt, jacket, socks, sunglasses, cap, jewelry, tennis shoes, also, during the afternoon, I have to wear a pair of jeans.

5. School supplies: Paper, textbooks, computer, pencil, pen, ruler, bag pack,
6. Personal care: Being a woman is complicated, especially, because there are too many nice products for personal care & hygiene. This Saturday, I have used lotion, body mist, water, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, cosmetics, razors, drier, iron drier, towels, soap, shampoo, conditioning, shower gel, waxing cream.

7. Leisure activities: Radio, music, TV, music Cd's, movies, Time magazine, books, gardening tools, pots, dog's leash,

8. Other: Pet's supplies, plants, candles, trash bags, garden trash can, some among.

Finally, after a long day counting my "earth resources" needed/wanted in a single day, I have decided to do research about beds because I believe everybody deserves a comfortable sleeping; thus, my bed is one of the most important items needed in my everyday life.

According to Britannica Encyclopedia, on bed's history, states "If you were born in the medieval era and were of reasonable wealth ( a farmer for instance) the most expensive piece of furniture you owned would be your bed", contrary, if you were born in poverty, you might sleep in the floor. Also, the book says "The earliest beds were shallow chests in which the bedding was placed. The first attempt at a soft basis consisted of ropes stretched across a wooden framework." For instance, can you imagine being tired and wanting to go to sleep without a bed? I cannot imagine my life those days. Moreover, for the wealthy people, the first beds were usually constructed from wood and had matters stuffed with straw, animal hair, or feathers. Curtains would have been hung around the bed offering privacy and protection from the cold- it was from other family members and servants to sleep in the same room. Servants would sleep on a straw mattress (palliasse) that would be stored under the master's bed during the day. This type of bed is still known as "truckle".  
(http://www.britannica.com/bps/)

Also, the history of beds and Mattress Making tells us that "A typical bed of 1600 in its simplest form was a timber frame with rope or leather supports. The mattress was a 'bag' of soft filling which was most commonly straw and sometimes wool that was covered in plain, cheap fabric.
To conclude with my experiment, we have to be blessed to have many commodities needed /wanted in our daily basins. Also, we have to be kind to "earth" because it provides everything that we need. However, industrialization has brought a real change in our lives, for example, the commodities of a comfortable bed, since I have been born poor I don't have to sleep on the floor, as many people did it a long time ago! Indeed, a bed is important to have a good sleep and promote a healthy life without stress :-)