A Look Back at the Counter Culture that Sparked Earth Day
Founded in 1970, Earth Day has become a passionate and momentous date around the country. Although hard to imagine now, prior to 1970, factories and refineries were legally allowed to discharge thousands of tons of toxic wastewater into the nearest natural waterway. In fact, this was not only encouraged, it was considered a good business practice. According to the Earth Day Network, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the architect behind Earth Day became inspired to challenge this norm after witnessing the devastating effects of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Recognizing the powerful anti-war movement, especially strong throughout the […]
Researchers Discover Effective Wastewater Treatment Technique Using Fruit Peels
More than 3.8 million tons of citrus peels go to waste each year. Besides being used to make a refreshing Sangria or grated into a zest and delicately placed into a flavorful key lime pie, citrus peels are primarily looked at it with annoyance. Until now. Earlier this month, a group of Spanish researchers developed a process to treat wastewater containing heavy metals and organic compounds, using a new absorbent material made from the peels of fruits such as oranges and grapefruits. According to a report by WaterOnline, the researchers used a technique known as “controlled pressure drop treatment” to […]
Daytona Beach Capped on Water Supply, Turns to DPR
According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the city is promoting the concept of reuse through a collaborative “demonstration project to explore what it would take and how much it would cost to treat a portion of the city’s wastewater stream to the higher standard drinking water, instead of discharging it to the Halifax River.”[1] In an interview with the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Hardy Smith, Daytona’s government relations administrator reminded readers why the City is looking at reuse. “Daytona Beach is about capped out on the amount of water it’s allowed to withdraw from city wells under the permit from the […]
CA Drought Officially Over: Gov. Brown Calls for Water Conservation as ‘Way of Life’
On April 7, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown declared the drought officially over, rescinding the emergency order he signed in 2014. As the worst drought to ever hit the region in 1,200 years has come and gone, Brown reminded Californians that the next drought could be around the corner and that ‘conservation must remain a way of life’.[1] Just as other catastrophic events lead to policy and regulatory changes, the brutal conditions between 2012 and 2016 are already leaving a legacy, changing the way Californians use, think, and prioritize water for generations to come. “There’s no question that we’ll be better […]
Climate Change Threatens Maine’s Native Trout Population
Wildlife biologists in Maine say it could take up to four years or more for the state’s wild brook trout population to fully recover from last year’s drought. Although more than 7 feet of snow this winter officially ended Maine’s dry spell, anglers and businesses worry that climate change and drought recurrence could jeopardize one of the state’s most valuable fish. Speaking with the Portland Press, Steve Heinz, a director with the conservation group Trout Unlimited commented on future drought impacts to the state’s fishery. “My larger concern is that climate change is making our climate less stable with more […]