I attended a symposium the other day at the Environmental Law Society Energy Conference put on by Cornell Law School where six panelists spoke about their perspectives on hydrofracking and answered questions from the audience.  Lou Alstadt, former vice president of Mobil Oil, believes that the activities of many oil companies is woefully unregulated. Walter Hang, President of Ithaca-based company Toxics Targeting, also believed that there were not adequate regulations in place to mitigate the impacts of fracking on the environment and public health.  Michael Joy, a lawyer from Biltekoff and Joy lawfirm, and Dennis Holbrook, Vice President of Norse Energy, voiced support for the oil and gas industry and stated that they believe there is a lot of misinformation about the negative impacts of fracking and hypocrisy on the part of environmental groups.  Mary Oswald, a researcher at Cornell, and Helen Slashay, a local attorney, said that gas leases are carefully drafted, but that the natural gas industry is exempted from many federal environmental statutes, and so it is important for local governments to draft best management plans and try to protect people and the environment from hydrofrackign harms.

One issue they addressed was if agricultural practices and hydrofracking can co-exist.  Lou Alstadt stated that in Pennsylvania, 25% of farmers gave up farming to collect royalties from oil companies drilling in their fields.  Unfortunately, this can fragment land and decrease soil fertility, making it less commercially viable for people to farm in the future.  He emphasized that there is a need for companies to meet with farmers or landowners one on one to decide on a plan that could be right for them.

Another question posed was what the actual effects of hydrofracking on humans and the environment are.  Michael Joy and Dennis Holbrook stated their beliefs that a lot of the information about negative impacts of hydrofracking was overstated or incorrect.  The other speakers, however, emphasized that these impacts were very real and had already been encountered in Pennsylvania, where hydrofracking has been conducted on a larger scale.  Due to the high volume of water needed for fracking, it produces massive quantities of wastewater with dissolved chemicals, toxic and volatile compounds, and even radioactive isotopes, which are a physical component of shale.  These compounds are difficult to treat in most standard public wastewater treatment systems and can create huge problems when people use the water or it runs off into rivers.  Mary Oswald also discussed the results of her study on the impacts of fracking on animal health.  She said that in Pennsylvania there have been huge problems with wastewater from surface fracking leaking into pastures and groundwater sources.  She said some of this wastewater has been spread on roads, causing dogs, cows, and other animals to die or lose their reproductive capabilities within several days.  Some of these animals that are slaughtered end up as food and we ingest some of these toxins when we eat them.

One person asked how hydrofracking techniques could be improved to minimize environmental hazards or spills.  Lou Alstadt stated that a lot of the problems with fracking occur when wells are under pressure, and there is a need to concentrate impacts in one place by the well to have fewer roads and pipelines so it is easier to manage impacts.  He also believes there needs to be increased financial accountability for gas companies when problems occur.   Walter Hang also voiced concern that state safety standards need to be improved to prevent these hazards from occurring.

A final question asked how companies that wish to conduct hydrofracking have been exempted from legislation.  Michael Joy and Dennis Holbrook emphasized the fact that oil companies have to obtain permits to drill each well from various government agencies.  However, Helen Slashay stated that there is not a good permit system in place for hydrofracking, and that we need to adopt a site-specific permitting system based on the geology of an area rather than have statewide regulations, in case an area has particularly high levels of toxic compounds in the shale.  She also discussed how natural gas drilling was exempted from underground injection regulations in the Safe Drinking Water Act as part of the “Halliburton loophole” that was passed under the 2005 Energy Policy Act.  The Halliburton Loophole is so-called because Dick Cheney was the former CEO of Halliburton, a company that does a lot of hydrofracking.

Based on the panel and what I have learned about the topic, I think hydrofracking sounds like a pretty bad idea in general.  There is wide public dissent against fracking in New York State, and the Governor issued an Executive Order banning hydrofracking until July 1^st, 2011.  Based on the impacts of hydrofracking, I’m hoping that the public’s voice will be heard, and hydrofracking will continue to be banned in the future.

Make sure your tires all fully inflated!  50-80% of tires are under-inflated and under-inflated tires waste up to 5% of a car’s fuel.

Think about how much you could save just by checking your tire pressure!

When you can, choose glass bottles over aluminum cans. Order beer on tap when dining out.

Drink local! That’s really easy with a great variety brewed by the Ithaca Beer Co. !

For more tips on “green” beer, visit http://www.earthshare.org/2011/03/green-beer-tips.html

You can save 4 cents a day which adds up to $14.60 a year!

A lot more green is around the corner as we wait impatiently for the snow to melt for good. “Green” fashion is already out there. An environmentally conscious wardrobe is easy to compile. When it comes to saving resources, nothing can compete with second-hand clothing. From high-end vintage stores to the Salvation Army, used clothing is available in ranges of styles, qualities, and conditions. The Commons is home to a Salvation Army store as well as a vintage shop called Petrune. On 125 State Street, Petrune hosts a great selection of styles at a reasonable range of prices.  Ebay and Etsy are also great places to find used clothing online. Many vintage stores have items for sale on Etsy.

If used clothing is a little too uncertain for you, there are lots of environmentally friendly fabrics and clothing manufacturers to choose from. Eco Fashion World.com provides a directory of environmentally friendly designers and online retailers. Lots of designers make clothing and accessories out of recycled materials, ranging from tires to tablecloths. Even shoes can be eco friendly.

Prior to our departure for spring break in Jamaica, my friend’s mom offered this advice, “Don’t leave the resort” and “Have a drink with an umbrella for me.” Simple enough, no?

But while that cool fruity drink with its umbrella and pineapple garnish can really add to any beach going experience, it can have some serious unsuspected negative effects.  No, I’m not talking about all that rum. The real culprit?  The plastic straw.

Our all inclusive resort provided us with plastic cup after plastic cup of delicious island beverages.  And what did you do after you were finished? Left the cup in the sand by your lounge chair and got another.  The resort had staff walking around collecting the cups, but it could be hours and a sweeping high tide before that happened which meant, if not your cup, then definitely your straw got washed away.

Any part of that drink can become damaging marine debris: the straw, umbrella, pineapple rind garnish, even the coconut shell cup.

Last year Ocean Conservancy hosted the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup, where volunteers around the world removed debris from their local beaches and waterways.  Recreational shoreline activities contribute all sorts of marine debris.  During only one day of worldwide cleanup, 101,830 toys were collected, more than 40,000 six pack holders, and over 75,000 balloons.  Plastic straws rang in at 433,376.

In the 25 years of the International Coastal Cleanup, plastic straws ranked number 9 in the top 10 items, totaling 6,263,453 plastic straws.

Along with all other plastic items, straws face photodegradation in the ocean.  Sunlight breaks down the plastic into smaller and more toxic particles, making it easier for animals to ingest and harder for us to clean up.

So next time you enjoy a tropical beverage, try a reusable cup and hold the straw and inedible garnish. I promise, it will still taste good.

Bring your own reusable shopping bag. Always forget? Leave them in your car.

Every year more than 30 million plastic bags make their way from streets to sewers to rivers and oceans!

Paper bags take twice as much energy to make and create more waste than plastic bags!

Many places offer a discount for having your own bags so bringing your own can save you money while you help the environment.

After doing a bit of research on the Internet, I found out that we actually get higher snowfall in warmer years.  According to a study by the American Meteorological Society that looked at temperature and precipitation data from 1901-2000, 61-80% of snowstorms occurred in years that were warmer than average.   The reason is warmer air temperatures lead to higher evaporation rates, and hot air also holds more moisture.  So when temperatures do drop enough for it to snow, there is more moisture to fall as precipitation, and rain and snowstorm events are more erratic and intense.  But there’s still bad news for Ithaca and the Finger Lakes Region: areas near lakes are also expected to receive more snow because of decreased winter ice coverage that has resulted in more moisture in the atmosphere.  As with anything related to climate change, there is uncertainty in these forecasts, and the Virginia GOP has used the recent snowstorms in ads that criticized Congressmen Rick Boucher and Tom Periello for supporting a carbon cap-and-trade bill.  However, scientists have predicted increases in extreme weather events due to climate change for a long time, and it is likely that storms will get even worse later on.  Despite all the evidence, however, we all know never to expect the weather in Ithaca to stick to a schedule.

For more information, visit:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1962294,00.html

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Hydrologic_cycle

http://climateprogress.org/2010/10/01/hansen-extreme-events-2010-2012-record-high-global-temperature/

http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2010/20101001_SummerTemperatures.pdf

Let’s rewind a few years to 1998. I’m on a family vacation in Tampa at Busch Gardens and am very excited for none other than…the dolphin show. Now my older brothers and I wanted to sit in the splash zone, who wouldn’t? Well, our parents of course. So alone we sit waiting for the show to start when along comes someone very official looking and he asks,”How old are you?” My brothers and I look at each other as I timidly tell the man that I am 9.  We all silently think to ourselves that this was a mistake, and he was surely going to kick me out of the splash zone because I was too young to be there without a parent.

I held my breath for his response, “Do you want to be in the show?” My jaw dropped and my brothers looked jealously on as I immediately said yes and ran backstage.  In front of a crowd of over FOUR THOUSAND people (Ok, I have no idea how many, but I was 9 and it looked like a lot) I got to pet a dolphin, feed it a fish, and shake its flipper. For the rest of the day as we explored the amusement park, people recognized me as “the girl from the dolphin show.” I was famous, a natural born marine biologist. It was a glorious day to be 9.

Fast forward to 2006. It’s my senior year of high school and the secret slacker in me has decided to take Marine Biology instead of AP Bio. I hadn’t really thought much of marine biology since that fateful day in Tampa, but what little girl doesn’t dream of being a dolphin trainer at one point in her life? But before I knew it, the lost lamb that I was, applying to college with absolutely no direction (a lawyer today, an engineer tomorrow), was back on track to being a marine biologist. Whether it was a trip to a grimy beach on the Long Island Sound to catch fish and clams for our class aquarium, or learning about artificial reefs growing on old ship wrecks, I was hooked.  I was born allergic to fish, but that only made me more curious. Studying marine biology would give me more ammo in my fight to save the oceans besides, “I don’t eat fish, you shouldn’t either.”

Fall 2007 I arrive at Cornell, sights set high. Biology and Society, aspiring to be a marine veterinarian. But like many a Cornellian, by second semester I had had enough of the pre-med/pre-vet nonsense and confidently decided I could save the ocean without spending 4 years trying to get into Vet school and 4 more years slaving away to become a vet. That was the beginning of my fall off the wagon so to speak.

So sophomore year I signed up for Biology of Fishes, my first relevant class on my track to becoming a marine biologist, and what would become my favorite class at Cornell (also the source of much of the information I’ll eventually be sharing on this blog). So that summer I applied to be an intern at the Maritime Aquarium in Connecticut. I was well on my way to my childhood dream.

The first day of my internship was incredible.  The work was grueling, but I was surrounded by everything I loved.  Before heading home for the day I prepared an afternoon snack for the penguins, herring, their favorite.  Out of no where my arms swelled up with welts and hives.  This could not be happening. When they asked my on my interview if I had an allergies, I had asserted that my fish allergy would not be a problem as long as they didn’t try to make me eat anything. But what did I know, I had never actually touched fish before. Why would I if I couldn’t eat it?

Let the mocking begin. My mom sent me in the next day with giant purple rubber gloves.  Embarassing as it was, I was not going to give up. Who cared if I had to wear gloves.  But the aquarists, could not get enough of it.  They might as well have rolled on the floor laughing. You are allergic to fish and you want to be a  marine biologist? For some reason this was hilarious.  But when the rubber gloves did not prevent my next allergic reaction I began to see my dreams slipping away.  Have you ever tried training a river otter with purple gloves on (see photo above)? They don’t like it very much; it’s quite distracting.

So two years later, I sit with graduation a mere 3 months away, and a job lined up that is environmentally, but not at all marine, related.  I still love marine biology, but that dream is temporarily on hold.  So here I am, sharing it all with you: the cool, the scary, the tragic, the things that you didn’t know affect your daily life. Humor me. Dive in and come along for the ride (or swim.)

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/03/ivory-wars/fay-text

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081211-zakouma-elephants-missions.html

For more information on African Elephants and how to help them, go to:

http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/elephant.php

Larson described each day on the trip as “stamping out a cookie”: following the same patterns and routines each day, as you gradually get closer to your goal.  Group members were constantly in danger of losing too much energy, developing frostbite, or succumbing to other hazards, so being efficient and having a set of systems to get through the day was extremely important.  However, Larson emphasized that no amount of planning could prepare someone for certain unforeseen obstacles along the way, so improvisation and creativity are equally important in achieving your goals.  He also mentioned the importance of balancing realism with optimism, and keeping a look out for small obstacles but not losing sight of the larger goal.  For example, if you focus on the horizon you might miss better paths around small obstacles thus reducing efficiency in navigating.

In the end, Larson stressed that teams can accomplish far more together than individuals can alone, and collaboration and communication among group members is crucial to success in any situation.  This message also applies to combating climate change- it will take efforts on the part of many people in working together to follow more sustainable lifestyles and reduce our carbon footprint.

http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2011/02/company-releases-sustainability-report.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/1725743/coca-cola-falls-short-on-sustainability-goal?partner

I think this idea is really cool on paper but to be honest, sometimes “eco-friendly” products aren’t all that visually appealing.  I received a bag that was made out of recycled Mexican chip bags; it was a cute idea, but it’s just not the kind of thing most people want to bring around with them everywhere.  If these products are to become more popular they should make them more similar to mainstream products because most people will not choose a recycled or environmentally friendly product over another if it doesn’t look as nice.  It’s also crucial to get the support of mainstream companies to phase out older methods of production that do not consider reusing a product.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/business/energy-environment/04iht-rbogup.html?pagewanted=1&ref=environment

As part of this new initiative, M.I.T. hosted the International Development Design Summit this summer, a workshop where participants were tasked with developing products to help needy people that lack basic utilities such as clean water or electricity.  They came up with ideas such as a handcrafted plastic backpack to carry water long distances and a bucket that can generate electricity by combining charcoal and cow manure.  Their creations were also supposed to be constructed with local materials that would be affordable to most, as well as easy to repair and adaptable to different lifestyles.

M.I.T. is only one of many other organizations and businesses that are shifting their focus to helping disadvantaged people.  For example, as an alternative to bricks, which are produced by burning down trees, a construction firm based in Nairobi called COMAC has developed more environmentally-friendly stabilized soil blocks, which are cheap, durable, and already being used in many construction projects all over.  The design revolution represents a way to integrate sustainable design with meeting the needs of impoverished people, and will hopefully continue to gain even more momentum in the future.  For a list of more organizations that are promoting sustainable developments for poorer people, look at http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/resources.