tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324034062024-03-13T02:10:38.651-04:00Water MattersJMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.comBlogger543125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-2314973943394540552019-03-23T11:25:00.000-04:002019-03-23T12:03:30.819-04:00Another World Water Day GoneWe see another World Water Day pass us by. The theme, Water For All, signifies that though some progress has been made we are woefully behind where we need to be to see that fulfilled. Throughout the years I have had this blog I have tried to write about this crisis on a consistent basis. The reason for that is simple...water is our life. If you ever stop to think about how much of your life you could not live without it you might be more inclined to agree with me.<br><br>
I find it appalling that in the 21st Century there are still people around the world who do not know what it is like to turn a faucet and see water come out. In the U.S. where I am, water is taken for granted by most. Of course, that is not true in Flint, Michigan, Newark, Nj, and in other inner cities where the people there are expendable to govt and their cronies and private companies not in it for quality but profit. Turning on your faucet and getting nothing but poison is in essence getting nothing.<br><br>
The question is, why is it still so hard to do something that is really not hard? How many waterborne deaths could be prevented by just being human? If you look around this world today, pollution, overuse, destruction of our oceans, is all being done by us. The effects of climate destruction as well being felt globally from Nebraska to Mozambique. Why is it there is always money and instant deployments to war, but not to bring aid and peace?<br><br>
I think next year the theme of World Water Day should be a Day of Humanity. Because let's face it, without that the goals laid out to bring water to all will never be realized.<br><br>
On a side note, my cancer returned last summer. I am again in chemotherapy and doing my best to fight this. In doing so, it becomes even clearer how important life and what sustains it is. If you are still following this blog, thank you. Even though I may not be here as much as I would like to be I will never waver in my passion for this Earth and what is truly important for our survival not just on World Water Day, but everyday.<br><br>
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Water For All<br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-85416583285018075882018-07-02T13:11:00.003-04:002018-07-07T13:11:28.782-04:00Humanitarian Disaster in the Sahara<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuwEb19quTwRsv_vdgq9Q1qx9Qy9fNczVqGzCIvxY55bgftEGtLSZdB6gPVBCTIhQyMCCpwM612ApKJ-fMh7komkBtzUuDO3TNzt00g_4xmCFTTmEUfUpW5G53Ht8e3Fm-y6V/s1600/sahara-desert.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuwEb19quTwRsv_vdgq9Q1qx9Qy9fNczVqGzCIvxY55bgftEGtLSZdB6gPVBCTIhQyMCCpwM612ApKJ-fMh7komkBtzUuDO3TNzt00g_4xmCFTTmEUfUpW5G53Ht8e3Fm-y6V/s400/sahara-desert.jpg" width="400" height="240" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="960" /></a><br><br>
Algeria has stranded 13,000 migrants in the Sahara forcing them to walk across it in response to EU directive to North Africa to lessen migration across the Mediterranean. These migrants come from regions torn by war, violence, poverty and climate change. In searching for solutions this is definitely not a solution, nor it is anything but a human rights violation. These migrants are sent out without water or food and many do not make it.<br><br>
The podcast here <a href="https://podcast.weather.com/migrants-abandoned-in-searing-sahara/#t=13:13.235">Migrants Abandoned In Searing Sahara</a> explains this crisis and sheds light on the reasons behind it. Much thanks to Arianne Kirtley, founder and director of <a href="https://ammanimman.org">Amman Imman/Water Is Life</a> for bringing this to my attention. This is not being covered in the media as it should be.<br><br>
We are seeing such inhumane treatment on a scale across our globe that must lead us to questioning why in this age of progress can we not provide the basest yet most important needs to humans. Why it is that cruelty and apathy are always seen as the way to handle a crisis. Those refusing these migrants and others around the world legitimately seeking asylum are not part of the solution, but the problem.They leave them victim to starvation, dehydration, slave traders and those seeking to radicalize them. <br><br>
Please listen to the podcast and share it with as many as you can. We cannot sit in silence as our fellow human beings rightfully in need seeking safety are left to die in the scorching sands of the Sahara.<br><br>
Update:<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhLNXgTthWbvl3uT4hFg5RnJi7OLGHEvWlK3MZwC_itYNglc3SlbXD-bWGvUKAGkenwF7Mq-k-gfR9ll7zNC-zwus6ylE4xs4GQctzD_vbalxPuRdVvKJcrcMkiAuXvbv-Mii/s1600/imrs.jpeg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhLNXgTthWbvl3uT4hFg5RnJi7OLGHEvWlK3MZwC_itYNglc3SlbXD-bWGvUKAGkenwF7Mq-k-gfR9ll7zNC-zwus6ylE4xs4GQctzD_vbalxPuRdVvKJcrcMkiAuXvbv-Mii/s400/imrs.jpeg" width="400" height="227" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="341" /></a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/07/06/africa-may-have-witnessed-its-all-time-hottest-temperature-thursday-124-degrees-in-algeria/?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.3d177d2748d5&__twitter_impression=true<<">Africa may have witnessed its all-time hottest temperature Thursday: 124 degrees in Algeria</a><br><br>
Now imagine having to walk across the Sahara with no water or food. Still have not seen anything about this in MSM.<br><br>
Water Is Life.<br><br>
<a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4295029/algeria-migrants-sahara-desert/">Algeria abandons thousands of migrants in Sahara desert without food or water</a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/sahara-desert-climate-change-2554771645.html">World's Largest Desert Growing Even Larger, Partly Due to Climate Change</a><br><br>
<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/06/28/algeria-inhumane-treatment-migrants">Algeria: Inhumane Treatment of Migrants</a><br><br>
<a href="https://youtu.be/hzmqVadttdM">Migrants in Sahara</a><br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-15052202869716705822018-07-01T13:00:00.001-04:002018-07-01T14:05:11.737-04:00We Are The Cure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Aqyv84vBNpn1S5ZbIvxlR6sjwHpGHpHbpsTwPGG7n6WhKg9GINt5TxFa7peYz8gdKM_gLiQkpV2OsrPE8SHyOzW3tDeT_-fzqHXBfuf3GiiST1YGXGAWL0jUbBeM5NRE1jrL/s1600/CXfbbdZWwAAktRI.jpeg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Aqyv84vBNpn1S5ZbIvxlR6sjwHpGHpHbpsTwPGG7n6WhKg9GINt5TxFa7peYz8gdKM_gLiQkpV2OsrPE8SHyOzW3tDeT_-fzqHXBfuf3GiiST1YGXGAWL0jUbBeM5NRE1jrL/s320/CXfbbdZWwAAktRI.jpeg" width="320" height="213" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667" /></a><br><br>
I hit a milestone this week as it has been a year since my surgery for stage four ovarian cancer. One year that has been filled with healing, hardship and trying to adapt to a life that has been filled as well with reflection and also sadness. I have had this blog for over a decade and have brought forth a myriad of issues and information that spans the globe. So much time spent sending out an SOS about the crisis of humanity centering on water, our source of life.<br><br>
As we look out into the world today we see more pollution, more corporatization, more war and a climate crisis now truly illustrating that consequences not considered can reap a deadly future. News of corals in the Great Barrier reef dying, to continued pollution of our oceans from spills, plastic, fracking, overfishing and extreme warming (and Arctic Amplification) souping up storms, the most devastating Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria, which also laid bare not just the effects of extreme climate, but the persistent political corruption, racism and economic bias that exists at the highest levels of government.<br><br>
The juxtaposition of these tragedies to my time of healing has in all honesty left me sad and angry. All those days of pain, discomfort, fear and also hope pushed me to defeating the cancer (hopefully for good) because I knew life was precious and worth living. To me, it is the same regarding water. We know that clean water leads to health, prosperity and a balance with the Earth that works in tandem with our bodies and souls to bring peace.<br><br>
Yet, we still infect the oceans with plastic, toxins, nuclear waste, agricultural toxins in amounts becoming more unsustainable for marinelife and ourselves. We continue infecting the air with greenhouse gases we know have now catapulted humanity into unprecedented territory. We know what we need to do to heal our affliction, yet we continue poisoning the Earth and wasting and destroying its resources.<br><br>
Any cancer patient who knows what they need to do to fight the disease does it even though it requires a sacrifice. I wish that mentality could be applied to the other crises we face as humans. The moral of the story...when you see a challenge before you, to not do all in your power to do the right thing to fix it, to heal it, is endemically immoral.<br><br>
My cancer was not something I caused, at least not directly. However, the damage we are doing to water resources and the Earth in general is being done directly. We would never turn our backs on someone we love who is suffering from cancer or any other disease. Therefore, for the world we love, the water essential to our lives and those for whom there is no one to speak for them we can do no less. We must do no less.<br>
Peace and health to you all.<br><br>
Water Is Life. JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-78121203798012221932018-01-25T11:33:00.001-05:002018-07-02T13:00:40.387-04:00The Future Is Now the Present<a href="https://goo.gl/Cw3Mym">Climate Bellwether? With Cape Town Almost Out of Water, "Day Zero" Looms</a><br><br>
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Is this a foretaste of the future in the present? Don't say we weren't warned. Water is the one thing taken most for granted and the one thing we can't live without. We will see this scenario playing out in other places globally and we are not prepared on a global scale to face it.<br><br>
I have been on hiatus the last year due to my Stage IV cancer. My journey is not over although my last CT scan showed no sign of disease after six cycles of chemotherapy and major surgery last summer. I still have scans,tests and appointnents more than likely for the rest of my life with the fear of recurrence. However, I remain positive. The road has been long and a test of my inner strength. It has also reinforced just how precious life is and how truly blessed we are to be alive. Water is essential to that life which is why I have always tried to advocate as best I can for preservation, conservation and water justice.<br><br>
As we look on the state of our world today we see the force of anthropogenic climate change being exerted on resources to a breaking point. War, displacement, pollution and a general lack of concern by governments for preserving this life resource as well must bring us to speaking out for our Earth and those unable to speak.<br><br>
I as an American can say I am proud of those marching and speaking out against intolerance and injustice. Especially in the wake of our government being infiltrated by intolerant xenophobes in league with the very interests intent on destroying our oceans and water sources for profit. Social injustice is an injustice to all and to our climate, water, land and the web of life.<br><br>
What is now happening in Cape Town is not a warning of the future, it is the reality of our present. Like the cancer that wracked my body, a cancer is taking hold of our Earth in large part due to the cancer of the soul. Healing that cancer of the soul is imperative in healing the cancer of our planet.<br><br> JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-45584472826213066552017-05-07T07:13:00.002-04:002017-05-07T07:16:45.376-04:00A Thank you<a href="http://issuu.com/downinedinmagazine/docs/downinedinissuenine?e=13324609%2F48061370">Down In Edin Magazine</a><br><br>
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My entry, We Must Reclaim Our Humanity To Save Our Water has been included in Issue Nine of Down In Edin Magazine on page 70.<br><br>
I want to thank Caroline, the beautiful soul and Editor for including my writing. It is gratifying to know that what I write and care about can reach other hearts.<br><br>
Thank you. JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-29261476571987552042017-05-06T08:21:00.001-04:002017-05-06T09:45:25.057-04:00Making Rivers Come Alive...My Struggle To Live<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/as-waste-goes-out-a-dying-river-returns-to-life/article17595928.ece">As Waste Goes Out, a Dying River Returns to Life</a><br><br>
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I had to post this because it is so inspirational. A river deemed dead brought back to life by the people who saw its sacredness and its ability to bring life back to them.<br><br>
<blockquote> "Kerala’s Kuttamperoor is once again ready to defend communities against floods, aid fishermen<br><br>
It’s a rebirth for the Kuttamperoor river, a tributary of Pampa and Achencoil rivers. The river, a natural inter-connecting reverine system, is getting a new lease of life thanks to a drive for removing the accumulated waste.<br><br>
A stretch of about 5 km of the river, flowing along the Budhanoor panchayat in Alappuzha district, has been cleaned up. Thick layers of water weeds and waste dumped into the river for more than a decade were removed. A scheme for cleaning up of the river, about 12-km long, had been drawn up several years ago, but could not be taken up due to lack of proper funding.<br><br>
The project was implemented under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. About 200 workers were engaged for the work during a two-month period, generating 30,000 man days. An amount of Rs.72 lakh was spent on the project,” P. Viswambhara Panicker, Budhanoor panchayat president, told The Hind.<br><br>
Waste materials such as plastic bottles and containers and food refuse dumped by unscrupulous catering units had turned the river into a watery grave for flora and fauna. Once the natural flow was obstructed, the polluted water infiltrated into drinking water resources, including wells along the river, rendering the water non-potable. Wells had dried up in many adjoining areas,” Mr. Panicker said."</blockquote><br><br>
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<a href="http://www.thebetterindia.com/98667/kuttemperoor-river-resuscitation">In Kerala 700 People Worked 70 Days To Revive a River Considered Dead For Over a Decade</a><br><br>
<blockquote>"Kuttemperoor river, after being subjected to years of severe pollution and illegal sand mining, had almost vanished into obscurity until last year, when an initiative vehemently led by the Budhanoor gram panchayat in Alappuzha district did the unimaginable!<br><br>
The river, which is a tributary for both Pamba and Achankovil rivers, was once known to be close to 12km in length and almost 100m in width, and had been the source of drinking water for the residents of Budhanoor. Apart from providing irrigation for acres of paddy fields, the river had also been a route that was used by local traders for transporting their goods.<br><br>
Interestingly, the river has donned the savior role many times during the monsoons when Pamba and Achankovil rivers overflowed, by taking in the excess water and thus thwarting floods at different places.<br><br>
The extent of joy we felt when a boat took people for tour after the revival of the river is something we can’t explain. A river that didn’t even have enough water to be called by the name, it was an impossible dream transformed into reality,” Reshmi says."</blockquote><br><br>
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The extent of joy they felt in seeing this river alive again is the joy we should all feel in seeing all our waterways revived. These people proved it can be done and I am joyful for them. I hope you will pass this story on to others to share the hope and joy we can all feel in working and fighting to save our water, land and ourselves in the process.<br><br>
This story also gives me hope as I now fight Stage IV ovarian cancer. I was diagnosed almost two months ago and have been in chemo treatments since. The prognosis was once a death sentence. However, there are now ways to fight where I can prolong my life for five to ten years.<br><br>
It is why I have not been here for a while, but I still try on good days to keep up with what is going on in the world where positive stories are rare. However, just as the people of Kerala decided they would not allow their life to die, I too feel the same about beating this cancer.<br><br>
It is not easy and I still have a long way to go. We don't know what the future holds, but I do believe we can have a hand in crafting it by seeing through obstacles and persevering through love.<br><br>
I don't know when I will be able to post here again, but wanted readers to know I appreciate your support and will always care about this Earth and those who need this life blood- water to sustain their lives just as I now fight for mine.<br><br>
The story of this river and the people determined to save it is one of hope for that which was once dead to live again. As we all can. As our Earth can.<br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-31583509593726299852016-07-05T11:14:00.002-04:002018-01-25T11:35:34.440-05:00Planning For An Island's Demise<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/world/asia/climate-change-kiribati.html?_r=1">Planning For An Island's Demise</a><br><br>
(The picture at this link is not the future, it is now.)
After reading this article it is hard to trust anything any organization is telling us in regards to their false hope. Question is, once these islands are swallowed by the rising seas just how outraged will we as a species be as a whole? <i>Measure the reaction in tandem with the action to prevent it and you see the main reason besides rising greenhouse gasses for their demise</i>.<br><br>
As glaciers continue to melt and extreme weather continues to rage across the globe we see starkly what our future and present are. FRESHWATER SOURCES ARE IN DANGER GLOBALLY and that includes the US. We have been warned countless times that to continue to have a response that is not equal to the urgency of the crisis would be like putting a band aid on a broken leg.<br><br>
We pushed the moral imperative to the backburner. We made politics more important than doing what is right and necessary. We forgot that this crisis goes beyond anything our egos place in front of it as a wall.<br><br>
Will you mourn for the people of Kirabati? The answer to that question is the crux of this crisis.<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LQQbqrDbGvZQIhcqYzj7bXVxP3bb-o4JiuZuiG9DZ9LW33TTyytDDGAguzQYv_QRXkXTKF-CELaST5YlvowXYu1Tz5LuGTAmYW25T7gPs-WoP2rDDORqQMQIRcnYiOAdHaX9/s1600/kirabati.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LQQbqrDbGvZQIhcqYzj7bXVxP3bb-o4JiuZuiG9DZ9LW33TTyytDDGAguzQYv_QRXkXTKF-CELaST5YlvowXYu1Tz5LuGTAmYW25T7gPs-WoP2rDDORqQMQIRcnYiOAdHaX9/s640/kirabati.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a><br><br> JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-62975881113187102372016-06-08T12:00:00.000-04:002016-07-05T11:19:47.705-04:00Keep Talking...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWuqPSyLFuwfvReRs4crfsYce4i6dt_qyUeSlhVNlTLeMDipOA9UMKizqfD2Vt7cyKtxLwzvpOP5-cY_a6jkQ5SJvQS1qorX67TZ1md0skYr_pO09Q0oVgQLTJ4Rw4FK2tRf7/s1600/flood.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWuqPSyLFuwfvReRs4crfsYce4i6dt_qyUeSlhVNlTLeMDipOA9UMKizqfD2Vt7cyKtxLwzvpOP5-cY_a6jkQ5SJvQS1qorX67TZ1md0skYr_pO09Q0oVgQLTJ4Rw4FK2tRf7/s640/flood.jpg" /></a><br><br>
We humans are so good at talking aren't we? For years we have been talking about how urgent we need action on climate destruction. Yet, for all the talk, all the ego, all the PR campaigns, the movies, all the politics, all the empty meetings we need to face this fact: we are closer than ever to destroying the very ecosystems that give us life. Air, water, oceans, forests, species, all under dire threat from human intervention.<br><br>
So tell me, just how long do we wait for this great epiphany that is to come? What exact percentage of our world's forests have to be destroyed? How many people have to die from lack of water? How toxic does the Earth have to get? How many more have to die in extreme climate events? We humans as a whole are still in mass denial. <br><br>
Take for instance Brazil. I see media ads for the Olympics that depict Brazil as a golden land. Truth is, it is rife with poverty, drought, political instability and now Zika virus which may be made worse by extreme climate as well as genetic God playing. The GREED that breeds this denial and disconnection continues unabated. For all of the lambasting of the political side in denial of climate destruction the truth really is that many on all political sides are in denial.<br><br>
They all continue to prop up their political Gods while continuing to pontificate without telling the real ugly truth that we have brought our only home to a place where it is starting to break down... and for all the talk, we just cannot pull ourselves away from that which is destroying her.<br><br>
I haven't posted here in several months (you can peruse the countless posts here on water and climate destruction) mainly because I am observing all this and while doing what I can on my own realizing the ugly truth: we are done.<br><br>
The time for false hope is over. The time for talk is over. It is time to prepare for what is here and what is to come. May the fates be with us... but then again, do we really deserve that?<br><br>
<a href="https://www.co2.earth/weekly-co2">CO2 Earth Weekly</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/15/rate-of-environmental-degradation-puts-life-on-earth-at-risk">Rate of Environmental Degradation Puts Life on Earth At Risk</a><br><br>
My heart is BREAKING.<br><br> JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-11847751052710576922016-02-03T11:53:00.001-05:002016-02-03T11:53:36.669-05:00NASA/Water In Space<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bKk_7NIKY3Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
"Once again, astronauts on the International Space Station dissolved an effervescent tablet in a floating ball of water, and captured images using a camera capable of recording four times the resolution of normal high-definition cameras. The higher resolution images and higher frame rate videos can reveal more information when used on science investigations, giving researchers a valuable new tool aboard the space station. This footage is one of the first of its kind. The cameras are being evaluated for capturing science data and vehicle operations by engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama."<br><br>
I think this is amazing. Water is alive.<br><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-80448767674463968272016-02-02T11:54:00.002-05:002016-02-02T12:20:48.261-05:00Climate Change Drying Up One of World's Largest Lakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9bdYxJ8IdQ86SY_DKtsalhnViuoSXYEO2r4j0pBjeXwMw985JsO-vKnY5x0MRg2a76Aswu0ltSi6OxIh3tN_-xvtPHlocmrYH1BC3zPP2rCYkgvQUWhtsxI9UZ_BJNCAyo2b/s1600/turkana-lead.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9bdYxJ8IdQ86SY_DKtsalhnViuoSXYEO2r4j0pBjeXwMw985JsO-vKnY5x0MRg2a76Aswu0ltSi6OxIh3tN_-xvtPHlocmrYH1BC3zPP2rCYkgvQUWhtsxI9UZ_BJNCAyo2b/s640/turkana-lead.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<a href="http://mashable.com/2016/02/01/lake-turkana-climate-change/#BduC6I4imkq6"> Climate Change Is Drying Up One of The World's Largest Lakes</a><br><br>
By Emily Johnson<br><br>
<blockquote>
“When I started fishing I only used a raft,” says John Mame. That was 12 years ago. Now he serves as chairman for the Impressa Beach Management Unit, which regulates the fish markets.<br><br>
“Then from there I got a boat, some many nets, I got my crew members. Then from there, I was able to put my children in school. But now, problem. No water, few water, yeah? No fish. You go to the lake, no fish. I don’t know where they are.”<br><br>
He laughs, looking downward. “Maybe there are thieves, what what, I don’t know.”<br><br>
An 180-mile shining ribbon that cuts neatly across northwestern Kenya, Lake Turkana is a vital source of life for more than 1.2 million people. It occupies an arid region bordering Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia that is famously known as the “cradle of mankind,” because the oldest known fossils of early humans were unearthed there.<br><br>
But the lake—once so vast that some still know it as the Jade Sea—is disappearing. A combination of global warming and water resources projects have caused the inland sea to shrink. And according to paleoanthropologist and conservationist Richard Leakey, it's already too late to save it."<br><br></blockquote><br><br>
snip<br><br>
<blockquote>“It’s going the way of the Aral Sea,” Leakey said at a press conference in Nairobi in November, referring to the dried-up lake that straddled Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before the rivers that fed it were siphoned for agriculture. The current head of the Kenya Wildlife Service and the leader of the team that discovered the “Turkana Boy” skeleton in 1984, Leakey knows the Turkana region well and has been warning of this for years.<br><br>
“It’s too late to be talking of this now,” he said. “The dam is built. It’s done.”<br><br>
According to a Human Rights Watch report released in October, Lake Turkana is suffering under a deadly two-pronged assault. Climate change is driving up temperatures, which increases evaporation, and changing precipitation patterns even as development projects across the border in Ethiopia are diverting water from the Omo River, which supplies 90% of the lake’s water."</blockquote><br><br>
End of Excerpt<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
"Already too late to save it." Will that be our epitaph?<br><br>
This article shows the essence of what climate change is doing to our world. For me, it shows the moral and ethical price we are all also paying. Just how upset would you be to see this entire culture borne in what is known as the cradle of civilization go extinct? In the end, it is our respect for Earth and these cultures that will decide our answers to that question. Our choices show our character. To allow these cultures to die out shows a dark side of humanity that truthfully tears at my soul.<br><br>
I can't express how important it is for you to read this article and look at the pictures... and not just read it, but put yourself in the place of these desperate people who are doing all they can to preserve their lives and culture against an insidious enemy that so many of us in the West still take for granted.<br><br>
The need for education regarding climate change is crucial in Africa and related to that is accountability for water diverted away from people who need it. Dams only cause problems related to water flow and environmental/agricultural damage and in essence create the very gases we need to reign in to mitigate the droughts being experienced in almost 40% of this world. The people of this region need alternate ways to create electricity such as solar power. It is imperative in order to maintain equality in water distribution and to help ensure that levels do not go any lower.<br><br>
How much more of this will have to be reported on before we get it? This is a global catastrophe in the making unless we act now in order to provide developing countries with alternate energy sources to lift pressure off of water resources! Also, overpopulation and education that seeks to address this crisis at the roots needs to be discussed seriously. When is the world going to tackle this on a level that truly addresses the underlying causes as a whole instead of just putting band aids on it- and that includes the UN. <i>We are making our planet unsustainable for human life.</i><br><br>
Shouldn't that be enough to know to move us along a bit faster?<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiOoE5YRVG9yWU7w7NEbPDO-DAEy3trfbH8GEIMRXuhMiGtrl4eAp9t2dke9TsJpX2tXfaKOk5WoPM68Aac5bhz30ztkw_YmxiMGqIy0Rny_YpwRzpreq4IfhxwVu4VcECIzn/s1600/Turkana03.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoiOoE5YRVG9yWU7w7NEbPDO-DAEy3trfbH8GEIMRXuhMiGtrl4eAp9t2dke9TsJpX2tXfaKOk5WoPM68Aac5bhz30ztkw_YmxiMGqIy0Rny_YpwRzpreq4IfhxwVu4VcECIzn/s640/Turkana03.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2008/08/central-africas-lake-chad-is.html">Lake Chad Is Dying</a><br><br>
My entry from eight years ago.<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2007/07/african-mapping-highlights-drought-and.html">African Mapping Highlights Risk Of Drought and Flooding</a><br><br>
My entry from nine years ago.<br><br>
It isn't as if we didn't know about this.JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-45824021604983119072016-01-19T12:39:00.003-05:002016-01-29T12:14:51.441-05:00Flint Michigan Water Crisis Epitome of Government IncompetenceUpdate 1/27/16:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/flint-water-crisis/nobody-cares-flint-family-says-lead-pipes-must-go-n504736">"Nobody Cares":Flint Family Says Lead Pipes Must Go</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2986954/flint_drinks_leadladen_water_republicans_attack_clean_water_act.html">Flint Drinks Lead Laden Water: Republicans Attack Clean Water Act</a><br><br>
"To poison all the children in an historic American city is no small feat. Even international terrorist organizations haven't figured out yet how to do something on a magnitude like this. But you did."<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjORD_Kw8FlXvyXpDaBkj1oZFcuthK8jcaVLvabg1Oq7XKdKEKQkaOxdebKBDEfctoD6ucESIzwWwN6IKhpYZ7klLzVkoc7E3lFEJV4-1tUge9QRQTN_CxhZsyzrpuW45UwTl/s1600/56834116-lead-poisoning.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjORD_Kw8FlXvyXpDaBkj1oZFcuthK8jcaVLvabg1Oq7XKdKEKQkaOxdebKBDEfctoD6ucESIzwWwN6IKhpYZ7klLzVkoc7E3lFEJV4-1tUge9QRQTN_CxhZsyzrpuW45UwTl/s640/56834116-lead-poisoning.jpg" /></a><br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
Update: 1-26-16:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lead-poisoning-strikes-another-us-town/ar-BBoG9jO?ocid=spartanntp">Lead Poisoning Strikes Another US Town</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcm8Eh2V30fMablS16HPVo_FgpKxvn7CZhNqObzIf56lY3usRxpTSNPFGL6axF1_-dTyX7oTff44u10c-jXnuUCPRp3seVpzF2T8hz5ol9x0OLMvq3ASxd97zaiFxyFpNa9YjN/s1600/BBoGehs.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcm8Eh2V30fMablS16HPVo_FgpKxvn7CZhNqObzIf56lY3usRxpTSNPFGL6axF1_-dTyX7oTff44u10c-jXnuUCPRp3seVpzF2T8hz5ol9x0OLMvq3ASxd97zaiFxyFpNa9YjN/s400/BBoGehs.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>A lead poisoning scandal has struck a second US town, with schools closed in Sebring, Ohio Monday and the water treatment plant operator accused of falsifying reports.<br><br>
Initial tests found elevated lead levels in 28 homes and one school in the midwestern village of about 4,400 people, Ohio's environmental protection agency said. It is not clear how long lead has been leaking from the town's pipes.<br><br>
The agency said in a statement it has "reason to suspect that the operator falsified reports" and has asked the federal Environmental Protection Agency's criminal division for help with the investigation.<br><br>
The Ohio agency did not specify what kind of reports it was referring to. A spokesperson for it was not immediately available for comment.<br><br>
The Ohio case comes as a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate how the city of Flint, Michigan exposed 100,000 residents to lead poisoning after cutting water treatment costs.<br><br>
Officials are accused of ignoring months of health warnings about foul-smelling water, even as residents complained that it was making them sick.<br><br>
End of excerpt<br><br></blockquote><br><br>
The answer to the question how many other towns is this happening in seems to be coming to light. This is beyond criminal!<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
Update: 1-21-16:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-help-flint-water-crisis_us_569e8e78e4b0cd99679b9541">How You can Help Flint Michigan Residents</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/0120/Michigan-Gov.-Snyder-apologizes-for-Flint-water-crisis">Governor Snyder Apologizes For Flint Water Crisis</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3oh68DtB__u8n2RjJxBK1BO9mgXn-1b8TCRUxQewqpqrJCBlTdUU7YtjJTAQMuz10sBLW9mPNbf6346pIWwajvNE1PHe942YQZy_vZgn_0NuojBGDzgiDI8kus52dbSDVTy_/s1600/flint.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3oh68DtB__u8n2RjJxBK1BO9mgXn-1b8TCRUxQewqpqrJCBlTdUU7YtjJTAQMuz10sBLW9mPNbf6346pIWwajvNE1PHe942YQZy_vZgn_0NuojBGDzgiDI8kus52dbSDVTy_/s400/flint.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>Lansing, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said he has failed Flint residents but pledged to take new steps to fix the city's drinking water crisis, starting with committing millions in state funding and deploying more National Guard members.<br><br>
The second-term Republican, who devoted most of his annual State of the State speech Tuesday night to the emergency in Flint, also pledged greater transparency. He said he would release on Wednesday his own emails regarding Flint's water, which became contaminated with too much lead when the city switched its water source in 2014 as a cost-cutting measure.<br><br>
"I'm sorry most of all that I let you down," Snyder, whose administration is engulfed in criticism, said in the 49-minute address, as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the Capitol. "You deserve better. You deserve accountability. You deserve to know that the buck stops here with me. Most of all, you deserve to know the truth, and I have a responsibility to tell the truth."<br><br>
End of excerpt<br><br></blockquote>
~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
So he apologizes and says he is sending more bottled water and National Guard? That is supposed to appease those who have lost loved ones and who have been dealing with this toxic disaster for two years? Politicians are the problem and the true toxin in our society. Particularly on the whole Republicans (of course Democrats have their fair share as well) who seem to think apologizing for a crime is enough after they have done all in their power to precipitate the situation! Snyder needs to resign today along with a few others. How many more disasters do we the people have to be subjected to because of incompetence and greed while those guilty get away with it with just an apology? I also have some advice for the people of Michigan... Pay more attention and stop voting these criminals into office!<br><br>
<a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-water-problems-grew-officials-belittled-complaints-from-flint/ar-BBov8NU?ocid=spartanntp">As Water Problems Grew Officials Belittled Complaints From Flint</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2016/0120/Flint-water-crisis-reveals-limits-of-running-a-state-as-a-business-video">Flint Water Crisis Reveals Limits of Running a Government As a Business</a><br><br>
This article explains in more detail how the politics of this led to this water tragedy.<br><br>
<blockquote>Also for those who think this article wasn't politically polarizing enough who then belittle citizens like myself who do this from our hearts and because we care about the state of our global water resources a reminder: I don't get any money or remuneration doing this. I don't get paid to post on Twitter. I don't do this for notoriety. I do this because water is the most important resource in our lives that gives us life and people of <i>all</i> politics and backgrounds <i>are</i> taking that for granted. <br><br></blockquote><br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
<a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/flint_water_crisis_what_you_ne.html">Flint Michigan Water Crisis</a><br><br>
By Brad Devereaux | bdeverea@mlive.com
<blockquote>FLINT, MI — The plight of Flint residents who depend on the city water system has been a scary and uncertain one: water with high lead levels, among other problems, that went unchecked while residents drank and bathed.<br><br>
As news of the dangerous situation came to light, officials took corrective steps and Gov. Rick Snyder apologized for the state's role in allowing the crisis to happen.<br><br>
However, critics complain the response that includes a plan to switch to a safe system and door-to-door bottled water deliveries by the Michigan National Guard and others, was too little and too late.<br><br>
How Michigan failed its residents:<br><br>
While under the authority of a state-appointed emergency manager, the decision is made in 2013 for the city of Flint to stop buying water from the city of Detroit in favor of a new pipeline project from Lake Huron. On the day Flint joined the new pipeline effort, Detroit notified the city it would stop selling it water as of April 2014, forcing Flint to find a new water source.<br><br>
The choice was made in mid-March of 2014 to get water from the Flint River and the switch to the new source was made on April 25, 2014. Complaints about the water smelling and tasting bad poured into City Hall.<br><br>
About four months later, bacteria was found in the water, prompting a boil notice. The city notified residents that trihalomethanes in the water led to a violation of the Safe Water Drinking Act.<br><br>
City officials called for Flint to stop using the river as its water source and Emergency Manager Darnell Earley said in January 2015 he was hiring a consultant to try to improve water quality.<br><br>
Flint in January 2015 turned down Detroit's offer to provide water again. City officials said they were working with the state to address the problem.<br><br>
Environmentalist Erin Brockovich gave her opinion in January 2015, calling for accountability for local, state and federal officials.<br><br>
A city-hired consultant reported in February 2015 that Flint's water was safe to drink despite sediment and discoloration. The city announced it was meeting guidelines for trihalomethanes.<br><br>
Despite proposed investments meant to help Flint's water system, the council voted in March to reconnect to Detroit water. However, the city remains under the authority of a state-appointed emergency manager and the switch back to Detroit water does not happen.<br><br>
A Virginia Tech professor announced claims on Sept. 2, 2015, that the corrosive water was causing lead to leach into the water.<br><br>
Testing data obtained Sept. 19 shows 10 percent of homes tested in the city saw an increase in lead after the switch to the Flint River. Infants and children in Flint are testing with higher levels of lead in their blood since the switch, a Hurley Medical Center doctor's study shows.<br><br>
Genesee County officials declared a public health emergency Oct. 1, 2015, urging residents not to drink water straight from the tap.<br><br></blockquote>
End of excerpt. See more at link.<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jJLpSoGo51W0DdvI8qgG80sjdD8QOoDCQAwUuULkwB21VNN83zLc-7lHF7V8xvJEVDb385w8_DpsMg1ick19LDhDJgE3eEIV6qd4onALa9-0wtaaN_OPO9bAr1LmpGTUSz5C/s1600/-522ffe395c0e4aff.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jJLpSoGo51W0DdvI8qgG80sjdD8QOoDCQAwUuULkwB21VNN83zLc-7lHF7V8xvJEVDb385w8_DpsMg1ick19LDhDJgE3eEIV6qd4onALa9-0wtaaN_OPO9bAr1LmpGTUSz5C/s400/-522ffe395c0e4aff.jpg" /></a><br><br>
The timeline here spans over two years that the citizens of Flint have been drinking and bathing in toxic water while government agencies and politicians continue to play with their lives. This is the epitome of ignorance and criminality. Water is still looked upon as expendable as a topic of political importance and I dare say, human importance.<br><br>
How many children have already been poisoned by lead intake? How many already made ill by it? How much did these officials know, when did they know it and why didn't they move faster considering the plethora of complaints from people who were already experiencing illness from the tainted water? I also cannot help but wonder were this happening in a more upscale city if this would have been handled differently. It is no secret that water justice and justice in general is exclusive to certain people in this country.<br><br>
What many fail to understand is that this is a crime. Yet, I can believe not one official will have to deal with any consequences from deliberately poisoning people. We see too many examples of poor and people of color who have to continually be subject to this type of response. It needs to stop and people in positions of power need to go to jail for betraying the trust they swore to uphold and for willingly allowing constituents to suffer all for the almighty dollar. Bottled water alone is not going to solve this problem. The SOURCE of the pollution both in this water and in our politics on the whole must be investigated as well and remedied. We need accountability now.<br><br>
<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cMfN5PkQ60Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
How many more cities is this happening in unbeknownst to us?<br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-19444367469803326332015-12-29T12:17:00.002-05:002015-12-30T12:23:20.960-05:00Melting/Changes Transforming Arctic
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzfXafkLmMiIO_4avS9GCSDUr-dn1XEyj5PMobxqUTEo2lwK3-FSZgeHK1py81hAx90KX56xqSWVOViRwdnjzBH-GhA3UO_uR1ZMtXaTkHCe4D6bq0h4QzHe4bGNkApozqNB1/s1600/arctic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzfXafkLmMiIO_4avS9GCSDUr-dn1XEyj5PMobxqUTEo2lwK3-FSZgeHK1py81hAx90KX56xqSWVOViRwdnjzBH-GhA3UO_uR1ZMtXaTkHCe4D6bq0h4QzHe4bGNkApozqNB1/s400/arctic2.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.arcticdeeply.org/articles/2015/12/8156/climate-records-transforming-arctic-noaa/">New Climate Records Transforming Arctic</a><br><br>
The latest report on the Arctic by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds dwindling sea ice and temperatures as much as 3C (5.4F) above average are disrupting walrus and fish populations and having major impacts on the ecosystem.<br><br>
snip<br><br>
SAN FRANCISCO – After decades of rising temperatures, Arctic conditions have reached new heights again this year, the latest assessments show, signaling dramatic changes for the Arctic and its inhabitants under relentless global warming. Walrus populations in the Pacific Arctic have plunged as dwindling sea ice forces them to haul out onto land in crushing crowds, and the Arctic’s small native fish may stand little chance against large competitors moving northward as polar waters warm up.<br><br>
These and other threats to Arctic biodiversity and resources were detailed in the 2015 Arctic Report Card, released Tuesday at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in San Francisco. The report is a peer-reviewed, multinational research collaboration involving 72 researchers from 11 countries that has been produced by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) annually since 2006.<br><br>
“The impacts of the persistent warming trend over 30 years are clearly evident,” said Kit Kovacs, a biodiversity researcher at the Norwegian Polar Institute.<br><br>
A number of new climate records were set this year. Winter air temperatures over Arctic lands were the warmest since measurements began in 1900. Between October 2014 and September 2015, temperatures were 1.3C (2.3F) above average, amounting to a 3C (5.4F) gain since the beginning of the 20th century, primarily due to human-driven climate change.<br><br>
End of excerpt<br><br>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.techtimes.com/articles/119546/20151227/russia-warming-2-5-times-faster-than-world-average.htm">Russia Warming 2.5 Times Faster Than Rest Of World</a><br><br>
<a href="http://robertscribbler.com/2015/12/27/warm-arctic-storm-to-hurl-hurricane-force-winds-at-uk-and-iceland-push-temps-to-72-degrees-f-above-normal-at-north-pole/">Warm Arctic Storm To Hurl Hurricane Force Winds at UK And Iceland</a><br><br>
<a href="http://robertscribbler.com/2015/12/11/more-signs-of-gulf-stream-slowdown-as-floods-devastate-cumbria-england/">More Signs Of Gulf Stream Slowdown As Floods Devastate Cumbria England</a><br><br>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e68G1DdrJNg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
Worldwide Extreme Floods Sep-Dec 2015 (And this doesn't even cover all of it.)
Happy New Year. (?)<br><br>
_____________________<br><br>
So while people are standing in Times Square in NYC and the world over once again this New Year's Eve with their lighted balls and fireworks in a vain attempt to escape and deny reality, that reality of the world we have all made continues to make itself known and will continue to do so in 2016. I really hope that 2016 gives us some hope, but I am not as hopeful as I once was.<br><br>
COP 21 was called "historic" by politicos even though it once again was <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/12/the-fossil-fuel-industry-is-helping-bankroll-the-paris-climate-talks/">sponsored by fossil fuel companies</a> and once again kicks the can down the road to 2020 touting "working towards" a 2 degree C limit <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/global-warming-passing-the-tipping-point-466187.html">that has already been surpassed when taking into account amplification and cumulative effects</a>. The only voices being heard at these conferences are the elitists who have once again <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2015-12-12/agreed-climate-deal-offers-frayed-life-line-worlds-poorest-people?utm_source=oxf.am&utm_medium=ZeXi&utm_content=redirect">ignored the poorest who are suffering most from the effects of this crisis</a> as well as voices like mine who have been writing and warning of this for years.<br><br>
Indigenous rights were written out of the final charter and there was really no adequate plan regarding our oceans, water scarcity, agriculture, refugees, nor any sort of true climate justice and intense global effort to decarbonize at a pace consistent with the abrupt changes we have put into motion. Carbon trading and REDD are simply mechanisms to once again allow polluters to pollute while holding indigenous peoples hostage.<br><br>
Therefore, for 2016 the grassroots that were out there in mass outside that fake conference hall are the ones who will now save this world and us. Politicians have already clearly shown what side they are on and it isn't ours. The Arctic is proof of that as they now also work <a href="https://www.rt.com/news/arctic-reclamation-resources-race-524/">to control its resources at the expense of our ecosystems</a>.<br><br>
Make no mistake, Syria and the Middle East are a huge part of this as well. Climate change and geopolitical policy are tied together in this but of course that was conveniently ignored in Paris as well.<br><br>
I therefore hope above all that this coming year is one of <a href="http://critical-angle.net/2015/12/11/the-road-to-two-degrees-part-two-are-the-experts-being-candid-about-our-chances/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=">TRUTH</a>. The lack of it is bringing the human race to a crossroads we could have avoided otherwise and making a world our children do not deserve.<br><br>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2012/09/arctic-melting-tipping-point-that.html">Arctic Melting-_Tipping Point That Should Matter To All Of Us</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/03/major-loss-in-arctic-sea-ice-volume-it.html">Major Loss In Arctic Sea Ice Volume- It Does Affect You</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-arctic-humanitys-barometer.html">The Arctic-Humanity's Barometer</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/05/ocean-acidification-poised-to-radically.html">Ocean Acidification Poised To Radically Affect Arctic</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/05/obamas-arctic-strategy-sets-off-climate.html">Arctic Strategy Sets Off Climate Time Bomb</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/07/as-of-this-writing-arctic-ice-continue.html">Arctic Ice, Oceans, Climate and the Human Condition</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/12/arctic-ocean-leaking-methane-at.html">Arctic Ocean Leaking Methane At Alarming Rate</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2015/02/effects-of-arctic-amplification-being.html">Effects Of Arctic Amplification Being Ignored</a><br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-3864900964711414482015-10-06T12:51:00.001-04:002015-12-29T11:41:00.683-05:00Suffering for the Salmon: Native Woman's Five-Day Fast Opposes Nestlé Water Grab <a href="http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/10/01/suffering-salmon-native-womans-five-day-fast-opposes-nestle-water-grab-161936">Suffering for the Salmon: Native Woman's Five-Day Fast Opposes Nestlé Water Grab</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5r2JDmxbUvN6VJlFlXdyLyi1pKGQDf2lDt2W_iiVf6dYCduHruel6aE0ZqzNffz0aqyj84zvB-tsqKg-2nsHnHVtEdfDkkC5W9Ou1mOzY1AL7M5Pk5EKoJT6f4ny8oCHKlFnF/s1600/water-privatisation.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5r2JDmxbUvN6VJlFlXdyLyi1pKGQDf2lDt2W_iiVf6dYCduHruel6aE0ZqzNffz0aqyj84zvB-tsqKg-2nsHnHVtEdfDkkC5W9Ou1mOzY1AL7M5Pk5EKoJT6f4ny8oCHKlFnF/s640/water-privatisation.png" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>Temperatures climbed into the mid-90s the week Anna Mae Leonard held a five-day hunger strike across the street from City Hall in Cascade Locks, Oregon. From August 17 to 21 she allowed herself just a ceremonial sip of water taken from the spring she was fighting to save, one in the morning and one in the evening. Displaying a sign reading, "Honor Treaty 1855," she stared at the administration building across WaNaPa Street, hoping a city council member would see her.<br><br>
"I want them to look at me suffer and think about how the fish will suffer without that cold spring water," Leonard said, according to The Oregonian.<br><br>
Nestlé S.A., the world's largest multinational food conglomerate, based in Switzerland, wants to build a bottled-water plant in Cascade Locks, a former timber town on the Columbia River about 43 miles east of Portland. The plant would take 100 million gallons per year of pristine mountain water from the nearby Oxbow Springs and bottle it under the Arrowhead brand name.<br><br>
Bark and Food, Water Watch and other environmental protection groups note that Oxbow Springs flows into the Columbia River. The cold mountain water holds more oxygen than the warmer river water and provides a thermal refuge that is necessary for spawning salmon to survive.<br><br>
Since the beginning of the 20th century, 14 hydroelectric dams have been built on the Columbia, each one damaging the river by creating reservoirs that warm the surface temperature. Additionally, a hotter-than-normal summer this year combined with a lower-than-normal snow pack have heated the river to deadly levels, killing more than half this year's run of sockeye salmon, the The Oregonian reported.<br><br>
Despite current drought conditions, Nestlé plans to take the cool Oxbow Springs water, load it into tanker trucks, transport it to the proposed bottling plant in Cascade Locks, put it into plastic single-use bottles, and ship it in still more trucks to cities like Portland, Seattle and Spokane. There, customers will pay what amounts to between $2.50 and $5 per gallon for water that cost Nestlé just over two-tenths of a cent per gallon.<br><br></blockquote>
End of excerpt. Read more at link<br><br>
I find this to be unconscionable. What Nestle is doing is the height of greed and disrespect. I have been writing about this for so long I find myself at times dumbstruck in reading how these water grabs continue without any repercussions to the companies doing it. There is absolutely no need for Nestle to be doing this. They would be willing to destroy a river, a population of salmon and to disrespect the sacred places of a culture during a drought no less to make a few extra dollars.<br><br>
This is exactly what I was referring to in my entry yesterday on Divestiture and Abstention. It makes little sense in the end to pull your money if you continue to consume the product. Nestle wouldn't be one of the richest multi-national companies if people didn't consume the water they stole. <i>Water is not a commodity</i>. It is not a "product" Nestle created. They are stealing from nature in order to profit from it at the expense of it and other species.<br><br>
How can that not enrage anyone who cares about this Earth and our water? Are we simply not to care about other species? Or the effect of this theft on the water source itself? I am now wary of humans <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mars-h2o-scientists-discovered-salty-water-red-planet-130000433.html">finding water on Mars</a> or anywhere else. All we will do is try to find a way to steal and waste it.<br><br>
At a time when we as humans must be conserving and regaining our connection with the Earth why do we continue on the path to our own destruction? Is money really that important? Not to a salmon. Not to someone who knows the intrinsic worth of a clean flowing river undammed and free. <i>Not to someone who knows that for all of the importance placed on money, you cannot drink it.</i><br><br>
My respect to Anna Mae Leonard and all those who stand up to those who are blinded by the luster of a false God. It is time for their idol to fall.<br><br>
Also see;<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/06/nestle-strikes-deal-to-pump.html">Nestle' Strikes Deal To Pump Unrestricted Amounts Of Water From Ontario Aquifer During Drought Conditions</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/10/how-corporations-took-over-basic-human.html">How Corporations Took Over a Basic Human Right</a><br><br>
<iframe width="800" height="636" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jgIP9vbrqlw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
They are doing it in California too.<br><br>
And here is the asshole himself. The people who run these companies <i>are</i> psychopaths. They do not operate anywhere near the level of the majority of us and yet, we keep supporting them with our $$$$$$. That is true insanity!<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBrZUzHe6r8ka169bQf_ZswHuBmKNNyrd5ZcreeziZ9xckNNvtoca-Til4LqBBbKE5XBFh1thsZ0nxhPbYAS6a-Pp3zSB_HX1C0zR4wNTDgAtlGG-HoTBFhT3Frh_UildfjmJ/s1600/nestleass.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBrZUzHe6r8ka169bQf_ZswHuBmKNNyrd5ZcreeziZ9xckNNvtoca-Til4LqBBbKE5XBFh1thsZ0nxhPbYAS6a-Pp3zSB_HX1C0zR4wNTDgAtlGG-HoTBFhT3Frh_UildfjmJ/s640/nestleass.jpg" /></a><br><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-2917530141164325362015-10-05T12:20:00.001-04:002015-10-08T13:25:00.639-04:00Divesting Is Easy, Abstention Is ImperativeUpdate 10/8: <a href="http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2985696/brazil_to_auction_amazon_fracking_licences.html">Brazil To Auction Amazon Fracking Licences</a><br><br>
And yes, Shell, the company people are thanking for pulling out of the Arctic (for their own business reasons) is one of the companies vying for blocks to now kill the lungs of the Earth. How do we stop this assault on our planet and our water if we are going to continue consuming the product they are destroying our resources to get at? It is the same as supporting Nestle while they steal water off indigenous tribal land. We and our wallets are the real problem. We can divest all well and good. However, unless they start to see a real shift in their profits we are running out of time.<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFgiQj5NpRTYj4jQucvBLG81GEKc1hC5lbkUldSZfb6Nn-LbXwmRoRAGWqWYOF1zT6zNjvRU7BPasyf-HDU9wfYcXTFARbxZBFMNS-cNx_1IDmzmTetHHRu2Ckh7utNVWlFtx/s1600/arctic-browse.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFgiQj5NpRTYj4jQucvBLG81GEKc1hC5lbkUldSZfb6Nn-LbXwmRoRAGWqWYOF1zT6zNjvRU7BPasyf-HDU9wfYcXTFARbxZBFMNS-cNx_1IDmzmTetHHRu2Ckh7utNVWlFtx/s400/arctic-browse.jpg" /></a><br><br>
Anyone following the so called climate movement recently knows that the word divest is a big one. Certain groups have been pushing for universities, institutions, etc. to divest their holdings in fossil fuels. They claim this will be the silver bullet in keeping us from the climate point of no return. Now, on the surface this does sound like a good way to move money out of fossil fuels. However, it is no silver bullet and in fact may just be a cleverly devised smokescreen to lull us into a false sense of security regarding "solutions" because we still have fossil fuel subsidies and pipelines going up all over this globe.<br><br>
Of course, I am not one to totally dismiss anything that <i>sincerely </i>seeks to address the destruction we humans continue to wreck upon this Earth and its resources. However, in reading about the divestment movement I get the feeling it is one big PR campaign for the rich and when you dig deeper you have to wonder: are all those calling for divesting (including yacht loving celebrities like Leonardo Di Caprio) really accomplishing anything?<br><br>
How many who are involved in this have also pledged abstention regarding using and consuming petroleum products? There are two halves to this equation, although we never quite hear anyone announcing they will abstain from consumption of fossil fuels. They still fly, consume fossil fuel energy and again mention nothing about the damage fossil fuel consumption does to our waterways. It seems that for the most part, the climate movement has turned into one big investment soft sell. Divesting is one thing, abstention is really the sticky part of it. Until we can actually abstain and seek the moral will to live a life free of the trappings of fossil fuels, is just divesting some holdings really going to do much at this point?<br><br>
I ask because as I survey the climate landscape especially in regards to water it isn't good. We have already passed into a phase that suggests abrupt climate change is at our door step. Just this past week we saw <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/10/03/carolinas_and_charleston_flooded_with_rain_from_hurricane_joaquin.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top">over twenty inches of rain dumped on South Carolina due to Hurricane Joaquin</a> which was hundreds of miles off shore. Anyone following the maps would also have noticed the mangled jet stream that eerily resembled the path Superstorm Sandy took as it came up from the Caribbean. <a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2015/02/effects-of-arctic-amplification-being.html">Arctic Amplification</a>, which I have posted about before has been part of this. Yet, we still do not hear these words in media or even from many climate groups. Why is that?<br><br>
My point being is that at the point we see this Earth at divesting seems to just be a bandaid meant to placate donors to climate organizations and lull followers into thinking we are really saving the world from ourselves. That's all well and good for a rich university or celebrity, but what about the poor? As long as the fossil fuel industry is continually allowed to build pipelines, destroy waterways, frack the Earth and use greenwashing as a way to escape culpability while producing a product still in demand, there is far to go and not much time to get there. I think at this point, <i>divesting has to lead to abstention.</i> If not, the product continues to flow regardless of where those holdings go and that is in antithesis to what scientists now state must be the action: <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/if-we-burn-all-the-worlds-fossil-fuels-wed-melt-antarctica-flood-the-earth">keeping it in the ground</a> to begin with. As I stated above, if this is indeed sincere it is at least something. However, it is no silver bullet without that other half. As long as that other half remains true solutions are elusive.<br><br>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-arctic-humanitys-barometer.html">The Arctic, Humanity's Barometer</a><br><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-9016151245128558082015-09-24T12:20:00.001-04:002015-09-24T20:06:37.067-04:00Water and the Spirit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYBB7Oh4J0LeegbCioj_u9Wyv9-fCM8XjwvLnDeZZHO3U836YIQYVE3MoNYIwf1H_OPLPXiip8FchcguNx37u9kG9oifBJMWqau-54UfScDQ8pFIXyhFVtbkbOFr-hYx4ls6W/s1600/water_spirit_by_aster_phire-d483fml.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYBB7Oh4J0LeegbCioj_u9Wyv9-fCM8XjwvLnDeZZHO3U836YIQYVE3MoNYIwf1H_OPLPXiip8FchcguNx37u9kG9oifBJMWqau-54UfScDQ8pFIXyhFVtbkbOFr-hYx4ls6W/s640/water_spirit_by_aster_phire-d483fml.jpg" /></a><br><br>
From birth to death water is the source of all life. It is the lifeblood that flows within us and the world. Without it all life on Earth would perish. Water is sacred to Native Americans who see it as the blood of the Mother. It is used in rituals of life and rites of passage in many cultures. The Ganges is sacred to the thousands who come each year to pray in its waters. It is who we are.<br><br>
For me water is our soul. It is the outward reflection of the kindness and love we have within ourselves. It also matters not what you believe or do not believe beyond this realm of existence. We are all part of the spirit of water. It is that which binds us- all species together. It is in that spirit that I am writing this because Pope Francis has come to America. He is talking about the moral crisis we face regarding climate change - and a huge part of that relates to water.<br><br>
Yet so many still have not connected the dots between water, climate and our survival on Earth. The main emphasis now is on renewable energy investment with both water and agriculture being left on the back-burner- and along with them the power that we possess through our relationship with water. <i>We seek solutions that remain on the same level of consciousness- which is why we are failing</i>. We need to begin looking beyond ourselves in order to see the answers to the crises which we have made ourselves through our human failings. We must look in our own eyes. <br><br>
<b>Our continued disrespect for this Earth in large part is destroying the water we and many other species need to survive.</b> Oceans cover over 70% of this planet yet we continue to pollute them with oil, poisons, radiation and garbage. 50% of all global marine-life has disappeared over the last 45 years. We continue to overfish the oceans and use them as drilling wells. We cannot sustain this activity and expect that the lifeblood of our planet will survive our abuse. <b><i>I find it a blatant betrayal of our humanity to treat that which gives us life so inhumanely.</i> </b><br><br>
As Pope Francis travels up the East Coast, the sea level is rising faster on the East Coast than anywhere else in the US. Die off events have been happening more frequently. Accelerated ice melt in the Arctic is already affecting ocean currents and ocean temperatures. Many of the rivers remain polluted from human wastefulness and apathy. Those who work tirelessly to watch over them are the true heroes - not the politicians in DC who only use him either as a campaign prop or a target for their own agendas. He spoke in DC about the environment and climate change there and will continue on to New York and Philadelphia to engage throngs of people looking to get a selfie with him. However, will his message ring true with them as they continue in their daily lives once he is gone?<br><br>
How do we truly bring our species on the whole to the revelation that we have destroyed so much of our only home that time is limited regarding getting any of it back if that is even possible? Beyond all the caravans, handshakes and endless media coverage what will be the result? Has the connection between climate, water and its connection to our very souls been relayed? No, it has not, and until we on the whole understand that connection I fear time will overtake us.<br><br>
Jesus stated that you will thirst again drinking only physical water. However, water of the spirit will satisfy your thirst forever. <i>We need to seek out that river of knowledge so we may never be thirsty again.</i> I wish Pope Francis well and thank him for his message of environmental awareness. I pray we receive it in time.
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-11195320135884247782015-09-08T12:10:00.003-04:002015-09-08T13:42:37.681-04:00We Must Reclaim Our Humanity to Save Our Water<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBOKAIHEaqW-XxjFK-tjyNzPfmXJ0j68Kl7PBG4kU9BuafUwaqgMzEmsIYr67RFjQWsHd2rNSDvTbUl-NrQD2tbjSjnbyvFRyQ__EykSrQUzwf2x5x6bOXv0nNjkA50sfJW_p/s1600/gnosis.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBOKAIHEaqW-XxjFK-tjyNzPfmXJ0j68Kl7PBG4kU9BuafUwaqgMzEmsIYr67RFjQWsHd2rNSDvTbUl-NrQD2tbjSjnbyvFRyQ__EykSrQUzwf2x5x6bOXv0nNjkA50sfJW_p/s640/gnosis.jpg" /></a><br><br>
The state of water in our world currently is endangered. Pollution, privatization, waste, climate change effects and lack of attention to this most crucial life crisis is bringing us to the brink as a species and we have no one to blame but ourselves. In trying to assess in my own mind why something so basic and necessary to our lives is given such little attention it is frustrating to say the least. Especially in this age of technology when we see through our modems and other devices so much more information than ever before being shared on this and so many other global crises. <br><br>
When you look at the world as a whole and realize that 3/4 of it live in poverty and that the majority of those areas also do not have access to potable water/sanitation, the correlation is obvious. Yet, we as a species even in the 21st century are failing at even providing the basic necessities of life to ourselves and others. Why? Why is water so unimportant to so many even though they know they cannot live without it? Is it ignorance? Arrogance? Or is it because there are those who have been made to believe that we will always have what we need because money can buy you anything even at the expense of taking it from others. <br><br>
Just look at the levels of pollution in our global waterways. Industry and nitrogen fertilizer rich agriculture alone have managed to kill some of the major river systems of the world and made dead zones devoid of the oxygen marine life needs to survive. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and other destructive land uses (fracking, tarsands extraction, strip mining, mountain top removal) are culminating to push our atmosphere and water to the tipping point. We are now seeing more extreme events (storms, floods, droughts) around the world which are the results of human forcing on the natural cycles of the planet to the point where we have actually affected the hydrologic cycle which is now being touted as the "new normal." <br><br>
This has already resulted in billions of dollars of lost agriculture to the world, most recently in Thailand where much of their rice crop has been destroyed from unprecedented floods that are also happening globally simultaneously, as well as extreme droughts on both sides of the world. This then has a domino effect regarding food prices and the ability to live with predictions of these events (extreme floods and droughts) becoming more severe with rainfall patterns changing challenging the entire way the world grows food. As a result more fall into poverty, illness, war and hopelessness as those with more green paper think it buys them rights to the resources of Earth that belong to all mankind.<br><br>
So for me there can only be one main reason why this has happened. We have strayed from our humanity. We have allowed materialistic man-made forces to infiltrate our consciousness and perceptions of life on this Earth and those skewed perceptions are now killing us and in the process destroying this Earth for future generations. <br><br>
It is the hope of changing those perceptions and bringing a paradigm shift in thinking that is now bringing people out into the streets worldwide calling for justice and equality. Calling for accountability for those who have stripped this Earth of all that was once good in exchange for a world of their making that can sustain no one, not even themselves. The false illusion of money's worth in comparison to the limitless value of this Earth coupled with delusions of grandeur built on sand in failing to understand the true meaning of humanity and its true purpose must now be challenged. That right now is the hope we have as a species... awareness, awakening, gnosis.<br><br>
The innate instinct that tells us as humans that we are one with this planet and that to destroy her destroys us is the lesson we must learn. This is the perception we must impart to others. We are at the brink but we don't have to go over. There are ways to heal her and ourselves. We can join globally with like-minded individuals who know the stakes and make this shift happen with our thoughts and our actions. We can reclaim our humanity and in the process save ourselves. It won't be easy. However, the alternative is simply not an option.<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/09/humanity-is-key.html">Humanity Is The Key</a><br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-3664973526235242282015-08-27T12:25:00.000-04:002015-09-06T14:39:33.859-04:00Why Is Palestine's Drought Not As Important As California's?<a href="http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2949431/think_californias_drought_is_bad_try_palestines.html">Think California's drought is bad? Try Palestine's</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGZHOZJ92dnPASz1ZXf9wGPdlpmA87uXdiyPQeLxSehvIuPNwdfdUoxxe6J3oK_F4pHNkZXcqY5c6d0qRoQd7PglIGEfb0wqXRpWjPCxb8s5976n2AQoPiQF4o0Y9dSJqOpi7/s1600/palestine396378.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGZHOZJ92dnPASz1ZXf9wGPdlpmA87uXdiyPQeLxSehvIuPNwdfdUoxxe6J3oK_F4pHNkZXcqY5c6d0qRoQd7PglIGEfb0wqXRpWjPCxb8s5976n2AQoPiQF4o0Y9dSJqOpi7/s640/palestine396378.jpg" /></a><br>
Holed Palestinian water tanks, destroyed by armed settlers in the old city of Hebron. Photo: ISM Palestine via Flickr (CC BY-SA).<br><br>
<blockquote>As World Water Week kicks off in Stockholm today with a theme of 'Water for Development', the drought being deliberately inflicted on Palestinians is firmly off the agenda, writes Laith Shakir. While Israelis water their lawns, irrigate crops and swim in Olympic-sized pools, Palestinian communities a few kilometers away are literally dying of thirst.<br><br>
This crisis has become the norm for Palestinians for decades now, though its severity continues to increase as water becomes more scarce. The UN estimates that the Gaza Strip will be uninhabitable by 2020.<br><br>
California is in the midst of one of the worst droughts in the state's history, prompting Governor Jerry Brown to declare a water "state of emergency."<br><br>
Ordinary Californians are bearing the brunt of this disaster. While the governor has imposed restrictions to reduce residential water consumption, businesses in the fields of agriculture and hydraulic fracturing have been largely exempt.<br><br>
Brown's unwillingness to take on these gargantuan corporate water-wasters lends a sharp political element to an otherwise natural disaster.<br><br>
There's another region in the world, however, where access to water isn't just decided on the whims of politicians dealing with natural disasters. In fact, the very existence of water crises is official state policy for one country: Israel.<br><br>
Dying of thirst<br><br>
Despite its location in a region thought to be perennially dry, the Holy Land actually has ample natural freshwater resources - namely in the form of underwater aquifers and the Jordan River. Palestinians in the West Bank and Israeli settlers live in roughly equal proximity to these resources, which theoretically would allow for equal consumption.<br><br>
Israeli water policy, however, has made this prospect virtually impossible. In fact, there's a shocking disparity.<br><br>
A report from the United Nations found that the average <b>Israeli settler consumes 300 liters of water per day</b> - a figure surpassing even the average Californian's 290. But thanks to Israeli military action and legal restrictions on access, <b>the average Palestinian in the occupied West Bank only gets about 70</b>.<br><br>
And for the tens of thousands of Palestinians who live off the water grid altogether, daily consumption hovers at around 30. That's just 10% of the Israeli figure.<br><br>
Both figures are well below the minimum 100 liters per day recommended by the World Health Organization. While Israelis are watering their lawns and swimming in Olympic-sized pools, Palestinian communities a few kilometers away are literally dying of thirst.<br><br>
Weaponizing water<br><br>
This inequality has deep roots - and it's no accident.<br><br>
Almost immediately after the creation of Israel in 1948, the fledgling country took comprehensive action to secure control of the region's water. These policies were ramped up again following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, when Israel first assumed control of the Palestinian territories.<br><br>
That year, the Israeli armed forces issued Military Order 92 - an initiative that put Palestinian water resources under Israel's military jurisdiction. This was shortly followed by Military Order 158, which required Palestinians to obtain permits from the military in order to build new water infrastructure.<br><br>
If they built new wells, springs, or even rain-collecting containers without Israeli permission, soldiers would confiscate or destroy them, often without prior notification.<br><br>
These orders, among others, remain on the books to this day. They form the basis for the administration of water access for nearly 4.4 million Palestinians. Although control of water resources is now officially the domain of Mekorot, Israel's national water company, Israeli forces routinely perform operations with the explicit intent of destroying Palestinian water infrastructure.</blockquote><br><br>
End of excerpt<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
This is nothing less than a crime against humanity. So please do not try to justify this based on history or religion. Also again, notice no mention of this in our American media. All we see are the same platitudes from the US calling for unflinching loyalty to the Israeli government, even if it supersedes the best interests of Americans and especially those poor people of Palestine.<br><br>
This should not be about politics. This is about humanity. Water used as a weapon by any government is the height of evil and cowardice.<br><br>
According to these reports the Gaza strip will be unliveable within FIVE YEARS. Where will the people go? Are we to simply sit and watch another genocide? How can you claim to stand for peace while denying water?<br><br>
And really? World Water Week in Stockholm is a joke. I stopped supporting it years ago after reading that water sucking NESTLE was one of its sponsors. The corruption runs deep. Much deeper than the water available to those who have a right to it.<br><br>
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Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/07/repost-with-additions-water-crisis-will.html">REPOST (With additions) : Water Crisis Will Make Gaza Strip "Unliveable" -Water Used As A Weapon</a><br>
From 2014<br>
See what this war has really been about.<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-post.html">Water Crisis Will Make Gaza Strip "Unliveable"</a><br>
From 2012<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2009/01/case-of-gaza-water-scarcity-and.html">The case of Gaza: water scarcity and conflict</a><br>
From 2009<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2006/08/is-israelilebanon-war-over-water.html">Is The Israeli/Lebanon War Over Water?</a><br>
From 2009<br>
In my research of this area, I discovered that there has been a threat of war for years over waters being diverted from the Wazzani River in Lebanon, and Israel's alleged attempts at taking water from the Jordan and the Litani Rivers. So, is taking out Lebanon's pumps and gaining control of the Litani and Wazzani Rivers now also part of the plan of these current attacks? The Israeli government is denying water and subsistence to innocent people, and that is a human rights abuse. Per this article from 12 years ago (which shows how long this dispute has been going on): (bolding my emphasis)<br><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-28808161402232809712015-08-21T15:49:00.001-04:002015-08-21T16:03:48.939-04:00The Drinkable Book Could Save Lives<a href="http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Eliminating_water_borne_bacteria_with_pages_from_The_Drinkable_Book_could_save_lives_999.html">Eliminating water-borne bacteria with pages from The Drinkable Book could save lives</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_xgJE9oUlR6Qr1HNqmC5rkLBjDfgWbTi75LIYetRHsK9NL7ISXNUJpWx8AadWzp4i1HBf9D3RoPlCBlarwWyMuHZyy2xy853Hhmzw5NKw_IXRvRhilZMX0PkVv5mjYaSn3EJ/s1600/drinking-water-bangladesh-lg+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_xgJE9oUlR6Qr1HNqmC5rkLBjDfgWbTi75LIYetRHsK9NL7ISXNUJpWx8AadWzp4i1HBf9D3RoPlCBlarwWyMuHZyy2xy853Hhmzw5NKw_IXRvRhilZMX0PkVv5mjYaSn3EJ/s400/drinking-water-bangladesh-lg+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>
Human consumption of bacterially contaminated water causes millions of deaths each year throughout the world--primarily among children. While studying the material properties of paper as a graduate student, Theresa Dankovich, Ph.D., discovered and developed an inexpensive, simple and easily transportable nanotechnology-based method to purify drinking water. She calls it The Drinkable BookTM, and each page is impregnated with bacteria-killing metal nanoparticles.<br><br>
Dankovich will explain her technology and reveal new results of recent field tests conducted in Africa and Bangladesh at the 250th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS is the world's largest scientific society. The national meeting takes place here through Thursday.<br><br>
Although silver and similar metals have been known for centuries to have the ability to kill bacteria, no one had put them into paper to purify drinking water, Dankovich notes. While earning her doctorate at McGill University, she found that sheets of thick filter paper embedded with silver nanoparticles could do just that, eliminating a wide variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and some viruses.<br><br>
She continued her research at the University of Virginia's Center for Global Health, expanding the repertoire of embedded nanoparticles to include ones made of inexpensive copper. Dankovich also began field investigations of water purification applications in Limpopo, South Africa, as well as northern Ghana, Haiti and Kenya.<br><br>
"In Africa, we wanted to see if the filters would work on 'real water,' not water purposely contaminated in the lab," she says. "One day, while we were filtering lightly contaminated water from an irrigation canal, nearby workers directed us to a ditch next to an elementary school, where raw sewage had been dumped. We found millions of bacteria; it was a challenging sample.<br><br>
"But even with highly contaminated water sources like that one, we can achieve 99.9 percent purity with our silver- and copper-nanoparticle paper, bringing bacteria levels comparable to those of U.S. drinking water," Dankovich adds.<br><br>
"Some silver and copper will leach from the nanoparticle-coated paper, but the amount lost into the water is within minimal values and well below Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization drinking water limits for metals."<br><br>
Last year, she formed a nonprofit company, pAge Drinking Paper. In collaboration with the nonprofit WATERisLIFE organization and Brian Gartside, a designer formerly with DDB New York and now with Deutsch, her company developed a unique product that is essentially a book comprised of pages embedded with silver nanoparticles.<br><br>
Printed on each page is information on water safety both in English and the language spoken by those living where the filter is to be used. Each page can be removed from the book and slid into a special holding device in which water is poured through and filtered. A page can clean up to 26 gallons (100 liters) of drinking water; a book can filter one person's water needs for four years.<br><br></blockquote>
More on the drinkable book:<br><br>
<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qYTif9F188E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
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We need so much more in the way of water sanitation, but this is a start. I am suspicious about nanotechnology and its effects on humans and other species, but this looks to be somewhat safer and something that is truly intended to be useful rather than just a gimmick. Bottomline however is that bandaids are just that. We should care enough to invest in the same infrastructure for underdeveloped nations to bring them sanitation systems and faucets in their homes as we have in the industrialized world. Doing that instead of spending it on military budgets may not only see the end of much disease and poverty but also terrorism and war.JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-8294978834263217582015-08-11T12:37:00.002-04:002015-08-23T14:15:22.490-04:00Water Rationing In Puerto Rico Hits The Poor, Leaves Resorts Untouched<a href="http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/data/jpg/20150804/20150804_PR_trd.jpg">Drought Monitor/Puerto Rico</a><br><br>
<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/10/3689223/as-puerto-rico-runs-out-of-cash-it-is-also-running-out-of-water/">Water Rationing In Puerto Rico Hits The Poor, Leaves Resorts Untouched</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikukhFBwo8QwQhp7h3RTddBGYamg6FhcGBNDz3zqFqkZ8RajgyMu5NNqCWAZsqTc7-PiKhko6ALgY_-8c8w3Gb31aaSpDFNf7t5WRUay4LgysmYqA0wZggevgy1pDpFWWojW4/s1600/martes-816x612.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikukhFBwo8QwQhp7h3RTddBGYamg6FhcGBNDz3zqFqkZ8RajgyMu5NNqCWAZsqTc7-PiKhko6ALgY_-8c8w3Gb31aaSpDFNf7t5WRUay4LgysmYqA0wZggevgy1pDpFWWojW4/s1600/martes-816x612.jpg" /></a><br>
Fernandez’ dog Martes paces the cracked, dry land on his farm.<br>
CREDIT: Alice Ollstein<br><br>
<blockquote>by Alice Ollstein Aug 10, 2015 2:19pm<br><br>
CREDIT: Alice Ollstein<br><br>
GUAYANILLA, PUERTO RICO — Pacing across the cracked earth of his family’s land as hot, dry winds shook the surrounding trees, 33-year-old Roberto Fernandez described how two years of severe drought has devastated the island.<br><br>
“Last year, the pastures weren’t getting rain and weren’t able to regrow, and my livestock started getting hungry and sick,” he said. “When the animals don’t have enough food, it takes a toll on their defense system, and the tics took hold and started spreading disease. There were carcasses of adult cows everywhere. That’s when I understood the pretty shocking reality of the drought.”<br><br>
Other farmers who bring produce to the organic market Fernandez set up in the nearby city of Ponce are also suffering. “Production has dwindled drastically,” he said. “We’re really deep into the problem now.”<br><br>
Since the usual tropical rains fizzled out in February, the USDA has declared more than a quarter of Puerto Rico a disaster area. In July, usually one of the wettest months, the island got just 4 centimeters of rain. Now, 2.8 million residents live in a part of the country suffering either an “extreme” or “severe” drought, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.<br><br>
As the commonwealth’s reservoirs drop to their lowest levels in decades, the government has declared a state of emergency, and implemented strict rationing. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans now have had tap water only every third day, and that tightened this past weekend, giving families water only two days a week.<br><br>
“It’s been water for one day, then no water for two days,” explained Fernandez. “In the one day you have water, you fill your buckets.”<br><br>
Government officials are telling residents that now is “not the time” to wash their cars, fill private swimming pools, or hose down their sidewalks and patios. Luis F. Cruz Batista, Director of Puerto Rico’s Office of Management and Budget, told local press: “The rationing affects the rich, the middle class and the poor; it affects children, adults and seniors.”<br><br>
But the rationing has not hit everyone equally. As poor islanders fill up buckets and bathtubs on the few days they have water, the pools, fountains, and showers of the coastline’s hotels and resorts remain untouched.<br><br>
“The most affected residents have been those with the fewest resources,” San Juan academic and activist Jose Rivera told ThinkProgress. “But in the hotels and the majority of condominiums, like the one I live in, the rationing either isn’t being done at all, or they’re only partially implementing it. So far, the population has remained calm, but I expect this inequality of sacrifices to eventually provoke protests.” <br><br>
Rivera added that when public schools reconvene this month, the water rationing will disrupt class schedules and the school breakfast and lunch programs. This will especially harm more than half of Puerto Rican children living in poverty.<br><br>
For Fernandez, the water rationing policy is a symbol of deeper problem. “I see it as such as parallel of government policy in general,” he said. “The government puts more value into those from abroad than they are concerned about the local situation and the well-being of the public.” <br><br>
</blockquote>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
This is the endemic problem we face with securing water justice and climate justice. There is a fundamental mental dysfunction that occurs in humans who have more money than others. It leads them to believe that because they carry more green paper or plastic in their pocket that they are therefore more entitled to that which is a PUBLIC COMMON and a right for all species. As if water were a commodity only available to those who can afford to pay for it. This mental and moral dysfunction combined with the greed of governments and businesses leads to injustice and death.<br><br>
We see it every day in this world- the poor suffering to secure the selfish pursuits of those who can see only material realities because they have lost all ability to think beyond their own comforts. Water is not something that can be relegated only to the pleasure and use of those who can afford it. It is a pubic trust, a resource not created by man. However, I see this pattern leading us to the dystopian world we have only read about in science fiction novels.<br><br>
A world where lush resorts overflowing with water and all Earthly comforts are only for the rich overseeing a world of drought, hunger and the poor dying of thirst in the streets- punished for being born that way. A truly harsh world predicated on a false belief that has managed to see the human race sacrifice all of its good and honor...and it frightens me.<br><br>
Now granted, it can be said that not all people in the world who are rich are this way. However, will we see these resorts and hotels in Puerto Rico inviting the poor in to stay? Do we see that now in California? The same is happening there as residents of rich areas like Rancho Santa Fe think they are entitled to be able to have green lawns even as people thirst and farmers dig deeper than ever to find water.<br><br>
It begs the question... Just where will we be by 2095 when 2/3 of this world is in water crisis? How will we ever come together to bring climate and water justice to those who need it when the very politicians and organizations that claim to want that also go arm and arm with the rich preventing it? <b>How will we ever escape the trappings of this material world that have now corroded our hearts and minds?</b> When we as a species judge the worth of a life by the amount of paper they own we know for sure we have sunk to the deepest depths.<br><br>
<a href="http://newsok.com/article/feed/871948">Puerto Rico Drought</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis25HFZv65LmWrKM48dq0HU0W4Nu3wVNI3FT86Cg6fX4dOld4EvVpdHbtxBddXvT0p-HvmyyhGTw1eS7xA2Nkjb8cZZw8J6Qr6kqPXGp9RIi8g5h2tpK8LYid72P92NjI0SfE3/s1600/puertorico.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis25HFZv65LmWrKM48dq0HU0W4Nu3wVNI3FT86Cg6fX4dOld4EvVpdHbtxBddXvT0p-HvmyyhGTw1eS7xA2Nkjb8cZZw8J6Qr6kqPXGp9RIi8g5h2tpK8LYid72P92NjI0SfE3/s640/puertorico.jpg" /></a><br><br>
This is our world on climate change. We and other species won't be able to adapt to it unless we change.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw8GlNBUfZ4VKi7cepaAdIo5ZnvYljVUKBYYUFEoYNnPbjKiuU_GwudyLOfQbI4efWecgzpOpgOi0MKIRZt2tJaK_4xXBvVlM7O-rrQ-tSuZ8xoK3BcdQTUPllnLKPGynrcxZ/s1600/drought759.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw8GlNBUfZ4VKi7cepaAdIo5ZnvYljVUKBYYUFEoYNnPbjKiuU_GwudyLOfQbI4efWecgzpOpgOi0MKIRZt2tJaK_4xXBvVlM7O-rrQ-tSuZ8xoK3BcdQTUPllnLKPGynrcxZ/s400/drought759.jpg" /></a><br><br>
Also See:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/03/bolivia-and-britain-tale-of-two-floods.html">Bolivia and Britain-A Tale Of Two Floods</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2006/10/drought-will-double-to-hit-half-world.html">Drought Will Double To Hit Half The World By 2100</a><br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-3433513447941899262015-08-08T17:56:00.000-04:002015-10-07T12:40:32.888-04:00UPDATE 10/7 : Animas River Mine Waste Spill /EPA No Longer Stands For Protection/What is in those EPA water tanks?/Playing Politics Solves Nothing<b>10/7</b> <a href="http://www.abqjournal.com/646720/news/heavy-metals-found-along-animas-river.html">Heavy Metals Found Along Animas River</a><br><br>
<blockquote>By Dan Elliott / The Associated Press<br><br>
DENVER – Researchers say they found scattered accumulations of heavy metals along a 60-mile stretch of riverbank in Colorado and New Mexico a month after the Gold King Mine wastewater spill and say that any potential threat to crops and livestock should be studied further.<br><br>
David Weindorf of Texas Tech University and Kevin Lombard of New Mexico State University said they found patches of discolored sludge containing elevated levels of iron, copper, zinc, arsenic and lead along the Animas River from around Farmington, to just north of Durango, Colo.<br><br>
The concentrations of those metals were higher than at other sites they tested on the riverbank and on nearby irrigated and non-irrigated land, Weindorf said.<br><br>
The high readings weren’t found in ditches carrying irrigation water to crops, Weindorf said. Irrigation systems along the Animas were closed before the tainted wastewater drifted downstream after the Aug. 5 blowout.<br><br>
About 3 million gallons of wastewater rushed out of the mine after a cleanup crew supervised by the Environmental Protection Agency inadvertently breached a debris dam at a mine entrance.<br><br>
The water tainted rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. The EPA has been sharply criticized for causing the blowout and for being slow to notify downstream users, including the Southern Ute Tribe and the Navajo Nation.<br><br>
The EPA has said its tests of water and sediment show concentrations of metals have returned to pre-spill levels, but it’s unclear whether the agency tested the same areas as Weindorf and Lombard.<br><br>
EPA spokeswoman Laura Allen said the agency will review the researchers’ findings and that the EPA plans a long-term monitoring project and has asked the affected states and tribes for input.<br><br>
Weindorf described his and Lombard’s work as a pilot study and said he believes soils need to be tested over the long term. Over time, the metals they found along the riverbank could be washed into the river, get into irrigation ditches and gradually build up in the soils of land used to grow food and to graze livestock.<br><br>
“There’s a risk those metals could work their way into our food chain or the food chain for animals,” he said.</blockquote><br><br>
End of excerpt<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
Bureaucracy and politics pervades so much when tragedies like this occur that I don't trust the EPA nor the Congress. On one side you have the EPA defending their own to save face for political reasons. On the other, a Republican Congress shilling for their corporate donors and Earth destroyers now excoriating the EPA as if they really care about the water, or the species, or the farmers. Both sides hypocritical. On Capitol Hill there is nothing but acrimony and in the process the true reason for caring is lost at the expense of the water, the species, the farmers, and the beauty of our rivers. The Animas like so many will not be the same again. For years it and so many of our waterways have been under attack by corporate polluters looking for ways to dispose of their filth without responsibility- and given a pass by Washington DC pimps and EPA enablers. They cannot see that it isn't about any of them in the end- but the water. Shame on them all.<br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
<b>9/6:</b> <a href="http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/fema-denies-navajo-nation-request-for-aid-in-mine-spill-recovery/">FEMA Denies Navajo Nation Request For Aid In Mine Spill Recovery</a><br><br>
Published September 5, 2015<br><br>
<blockquote>
WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA—Three days after Navajo Nation President requested aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for recovery funds from the August 5 mine spill that released three million gallons of toxic waste in Colorado, the federal agency denied the request on Friday.<br><br>
Related: Environment Activist Erin Brockovich to Help Raise Awareness Of Devastation Caused By Mine Spill<br><br>
August spill was caused by a subcontractor working for the EPA that accidentally released the toxic waste into the Animus River from the Gold King Mine, near Durango, Colorado. The toxic waste made its way into the San Juan River that flows into the Navajo Indian Reservation.<br><br>
FEMA denied the request because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already been assisting in the recovery, according to FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate.<br><br>
To make matters worse, the EPA informed the Navajo Nation on Friday it would begin to remove water tanks that have been providing fresh water to the livestock. The Navajo Nation must now rely on the Bureau of Indian Affairs that has committed to fill two water tanks until the end of September.<br><br>
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye released the following statement later Friday, September 4, 2015:<br><br>
<i>“We are extremely frustrated with the news that both FEMA and the U.S. EPA have declined our urgent requests to continue assistance to the Navajo Nation.<br><br>
The U.S. EPA caused this entire disaster, they have harmed the people, the water and the land. I appreciated the fact U.S. EPA took responsibility and I was hoping for the U.S. EPA to prove to the Navajo Nation they are willing to hold themselves accountable. This action clearly shows otherwise.<br><br>
FOR YEARS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN AT THE RECEIVING END OF TOXIC SPILLS AND CONTAMINATION WITH NO ADEQUATE RELIEF AS THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE COMPANIES BECAME WEALTHY OFF OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE NAVAJO NATION.<br><br>
This is not the end but the beginning as I will continue to fight for my people.”</i><br><br></blockquote>
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This is an absolute disgrace and a sign of the systemic racism that has existed towards Native Americans on the part of this government since they first stole their land. Yet, you don't see this on your nightly news. But you will see it here.<br><br>
<b>8/23: </b><a href="http://www.indianz.com/News/2015/018640.asp">Navajo Nation remains cautious after spill impacts water system</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy1AfGEehgxZUYl6SvtfIVV0FLKfXTKjdjDnCyoBaT5vrcGVd6-iLxghGlKInjv6x25JDXAfzarKArC44dh7-JmubhCAeCzDlKLC03tjc6ytikHmklvNKpofKRXPsdyfSDkbx/s1600/russellbegayeepawatertank2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy1AfGEehgxZUYl6SvtfIVV0FLKfXTKjdjDnCyoBaT5vrcGVd6-iLxghGlKInjv6x25JDXAfzarKArC44dh7-JmubhCAeCzDlKLC03tjc6ytikHmklvNKpofKRXPsdyfSDkbx/s400/russellbegayeepawatertank2.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>Members and leaders of the Navajo Nation remain cautious about water quality levels on the reservation, more than two weeks after an environmental catastrophe sent three states and two tribes into disaster mode.<br><br>
An accidental spill at the abandoned Gold King Mine released about three million gallons of contaminated waste into the Animas River. Tests showed extremely high levels of arsenic, lead, mercury in the water after the August 5 incident but results have since returned to normal in Colorado.<br><br>
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, similar results are being seen along the San Juan River on the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation. Tribal leaders, however, are still warning their citizens not to use the water for their crops or their livestock.<br><br>
They also were extremely upset with the EPA for sending what they said were contaminated water tanks to farmers and ranchers in the Shiprock Chapter House area. President Russell Begaye inspected the tanks himself and found what appeared to be remnants of prior uses -- one tank was even labeled "Filterd Oil."<br><br>
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye finds residue in a water tank delivered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Photo from Facebook<br><br>
The incident has prompted renewed attention to environmental conditions on the reservation. Tribal leaders are seizing on the connection and are referring to the spill and the response as Operation Yellow Water, invoking a term used in connection with the toxic legacy of uranium mining.<br><br>
“It might seem like a simple term but it’s a strategic title to raise awareness in addressing broader issues of contamination on the Navajo Nation, including of our over 500 abandoned uranium mines,” Begaye said on Thursday.<br><br></blockquote>
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I would not use the river water yet either. Remember, sedimentation lasts for years. Such a sad situation here. Of course as well, it is now not in any media and out of the consciousness of the people. Once that happens it allows TPTB to do whatever they can to do as little as they can.<br><br>
I also came across this letter which states that the spill was done purposefully to secure Superfund money:<br><br>
<a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-08-12/did-epa-intentionally-poison-animas-river-secure-superfund-money">Did the EPA Intentionally Poison the Animas River to Secure Superfund Money?</a><br><br>
All I will say on that is, I find nothing impossible.<br><br>
<iframe width="487" height="274" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xlkEraYbUko" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br>
And as far as John McCain and his feigned concern for his own personal reasons goes, the Navajo Nation knows the truth about him as well. STAY OFF THEIR LAND.<br><br>
<a href="http://www.navajotimes.com/news/2012/0312/032912water.php#.VdoNUvZVhBc">Kyl-McCain water bill drawing fire</a><br><br>
<blockquote>Kyl's bill, SB 2109, includes three water projects that would bring drinking water to the Navajo and Hopi reservations in exchange for the tribes waiving their water claims to the Little Colorado River.<br><br>
The three water projects authorized in the bill are the Leupp-Dilkon Regional Groundwater Project, the Ganado Regional Groundwater Project, and the Hopi Groundwater Project.<br><br>
Talking money<br><br>
Kyl's bill also calls for the Navajo Nation to drop additional claims against the federal government regarding management of the Lower Colorado River, which "specifically affect water policy and water management in Arizona, California, and Nevada."<br><br>
The bill would allow 6,411 acre-feet of water from the Central Arizona Project to be withdrawn upstream, from the San Juan River, and used for the Navajo-Gallup water pipeline.<br><br>
This would help get around a legal restriction on San Juan River water, and allow it to be used by Gallup and the Window Rock area.<br><br>
Under Kyl's bill, the water projects could not go forward unless federal and tribal authorities approve leases allowing the Navajo Generating Station and the Kayenta Coal Mine to continue operating.<br><br>
The provision represents a gift to the Salt River Project, operator of NGS, which Kyl represented as a lawyer in private practice.<br><br>
"The reauthorization will occur if and when the tribes agree to extend the leases and other agreements associated with the Navajo Generating Station," Kyl stated in his release.<br><br>
The bill also calls for any water rights agreement with the tribes to be modified to match the bill, <b>and includes a sweeping waiver of rights to the Little Colorado by both tribes</b>.<br><br></blockquote><br><br>
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There is more to this than meets the eye.<br><br>
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<a href="http://www.bulletinleader.com/epa-s-mccarthy-contaminated-water-from-colorado-mine-will-spread/39478/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socmed&utm_campaign=social">EPA’s McCarthy: "Contaminated water from Colorado mine will spread"</a><br><br>
<blockquote>Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman said Wednesday that a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency is “on the table” after a massive wastewater spill caused by the agency fouled the Animas River last week. The mine waste contains arsenic, lead and other heavy metals.<br><br>
Since not everyone trusts what the EPA is telling them, KOB has decided to get the water tested ourselves, hiring an independent lab to analyze water we’ve collected from the Animas. By doing so, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper made $500,000 of the state’s Disaster Emergency Fund available for response, the Denver Post reported Monday.</blockquote>
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But remember, according to the EPA it's safe because according to them there are no "reported" illnesses.<br><br>
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<b>8/17</b><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28651849/navajo-nation-angry-at-epa?source=rss">Animas River spill: Navajo Nation angry at EPA</a><br><br>
<blockquote>CUDEI, N.M. — Outside the tribal chapter here near the San Juan River, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye pointed to a stack of hay delivered by the Environmental Protection Agency and expressed disappointment.<br><br>
"This was supposed to be here seven days ago," he said Friday, about 30 miles south of the Colorado border. "This should have been here last week."<br><br>
If there was ever doubt this tribe of roughly 300,000 people is mistrustful of the federal government, such uncertainty is gone. The EPA-caused 3 million-gallon mine wastewater spill in southwest Colorado on Aug. 5 sent resentment cascading into American Indian land along with a plume of heavy-metal contaminants.<br><br>
Members of the tribe, which spans 27,600 square miles across three states, anxiously waited and watched as yellow-orange sludge streamed into their sacred San Juan River four days after the spill. Navajo Nation leadership has even coined a Navajo phrase for their response — and frustration — to the disaster, calling it Tó Łitso — Operation Yellow Water.<br><br>
The calamity has sent a wide swath of the tribe, already suffering from serious economic depression, into further disarray. In Navajo country, where the land has long sought to quench its drought, people fear the Gold King Mine disaster near Silverton will have impacts for decades.<br><br>
"They endangered our people," Begaye said of the EPA.<br><br>
The San Juan River remains closed in the Navajo Nation, and officials have warned farmers and ranchers against using its waters for crops or livestock. Irrigation wells are bone dry, and much of the tribal yield is either dying off or already dead.<br><br>
Roy Etcitty stood Saturday before his ruined crops in Shiprock, N.M., and explained how the disaster is another example of why "us Indians don't trust the government." He hasn't watered his fields since officials closed the San Juan, and his horses have been blocked from drinking its waters.<br><br>
He said the calamity is just another in a long line of American Indian oppression.<br><br>
"The U.S. government isn't going to come through," Etcitty said. "They never come through."<br><br>
In the days since the spill, Begaye has been among the most vocal in a growing chorus of politicians across the Southwest who have chastised the EPA for causing the disaster and its subsequent response.<br>,br>
He drove nearly 225 miles from his office in Window Rock, Ariz., to see the Gold King Mine first-hand and then posted a video on Facebook explaining in both Navajo and English what was happening at the site.<br><br>
Begaye said he wants the EPA to remove all contaminated sediment from the San Juan River and expects the agency to pay for his tribe's hardships and expansive emergency response. He met last week with EPA leader Gina McCarthy when she visited Durango and Farmington, N.M., to talk with responders and survey the damage.<br><br>
"We wanted some solid commitments," Begaye said of the meeting, "but we didn't get that."<br><br>
The San Juan River flows for 215 miles through Navajo land, making it, by mileage, the most impacted of any contiguous community. Members of the tribe say the spill has left them facing financial ruin, spiritually broken and, through and through, angry.<br><br>
Officials in the Navajo Nation have told members not to agree to any settlement claims from the EPA, which in the days after the spill released a form streamlining payouts to those impacted.<br><br>
The tribe's attorney general, Ethel Branch, said last week she feels the language is misleading and could bar future damage reimbursements in the years to come.<br><br>
Branch has solicited an opinion from U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Department of Justice on the claim form's legality and language. The EPA has repeatedly said it is not trying to bar future payouts.<br><br>
Branch said she plans to sue the EPA, explaining how legal action has been "the solid message from the Navajo Nation." An emergency has been declared, and tribal officials are petitioning for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.<br><br>
"The long-term effects, we just don't know right now," Jonathan Nez, the tribe's vice president, said Friday as he traveled in a motorcade during a tour of impacted areas.<br><br>
Nez says the EPA's spill has reminded the Navajo people of previous contention with the federal government, particularly the cleanup of uranium pollution on their land.<br><br>
"Over the years, we have never really received straight answers," he said.<br><br></blockquote><br><br>
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So let me get this straight. The EPA is the guilty party here and yet NO ONE has had to lose their job over this. Even though that is true they are now trying to pay off the Navajo to absolve themselves without even being explicit as to what the Navajo would be signing on to. It is no wonder the Native Americans of this country distrust these agencies. I distrust them as well. This entire situation is a disgrace and the more I read on it I too am beginning to believe this may well have been done purposefully. The waste was released, the news covered it for one day and now nothing. Recreation has returned because tourist $$$$ are more important than safety as toxic sediment sinks and heavy metals still exist. The EPA is now running in the shadows to pay off people to wipe away the crime-and perhaps to even eventually gain the rights to the land and water. It is no secret that this areas has been a target for takeover for quite some time. There is an all out assault by mining companies in collusion with federal agencies to secure land in this part of the country. Oak Flat is just one current example. Yet, this is not being reported because well, the people are Native Americans and to the US government ever since their takeover Native Americans are treated as non citizens. I say as well to the Navajo, do not sign anything. Never let them take your water.<br><br>
<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/concern-over-sediment-in-animas-river/">Concern Over Sediment In Animas River</a><br><br>
Will be keeping up with news on testing.<br><br>
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<b>8/12: </b><a href="http://www.daily-times.com/ci_28623373">Ranchers, Farmers Look For Alternative Water Sources After Gold King Mine Spill"</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhev0bWdbS6cGLUNg9OyOztpXfpqwQ-FRysDMgo-k6UOuD3ZLyQppZrzvDp6DQKWmAGdAnFS_HqUN7uykegPGeO5mVlLJlmYtp9XgwkyB9nP0E50v8KdWjmMXaFbC4oEOwtIxT_/s1600/sanjuanrive20150811__TDT-L-FARMRANCH-0812%257Ep1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhev0bWdbS6cGLUNg9OyOztpXfpqwQ-FRysDMgo-k6UOuD3ZLyQppZrzvDp6DQKWmAGdAnFS_HqUN7uykegPGeO5mVlLJlmYtp9XgwkyB9nP0E50v8KdWjmMXaFbC4oEOwtIxT_/s400/sanjuanrive20150811__TDT-L-FARMRANCH-0812%257Ep1_500.jpg" /></a><br>
From left, Richard Root and Melvin Jones, both equipment operators for the Shiprock Chapter, fill troughs and barrels of water on Tuesday for Sarah Frank, a Shiprock resident who relied on the San Juan River for her water. The Gold King Mine spill has forced her to seek alternative sources of water for her livestock. (Alexa Rogals — The Daily Times)<br><br>
<blockquote>SHIPROCK — With the Animas and San Juan rivers still off limits, local ranchers and farmers are looking for alternative ways to get water for their livestock and crops.<br><br>
Restrictions on the rivers were put into effect after toxic metals flowed from a mine north of Silverton, Colo., into the Animas River and then into the San Juan River.<br><br>
In response to the situation, officials with the Shiprock Chapter started hauling water to residents who need it for their livestock.<br><br>
Melvin Jones, an equipment operator at the chapter house, delivered water Monday and Tuesday to residents in Shiprock.<br><br>
"There are quite a few people on the list right now, so we'll probably be hauling water all week and into next week," he said.<br><br>
snip<br>br>
Meanwhile, in Upper Fruitland, the corn at Jimmy and Lucy Lujan's 24-acre farm had already started to wither on Tuesday from lack of water, and the couple fears they have lost a crop of newly planted alfalfa. Lucy Lujan said she had hoped to sell the corn to pay for her grandson's tuition at San Juan College.<br><br>
"You don't realize how much you rely on irrigation water," she said.<br><br>
Since the plume of contaminated water flooded the San Juan River, the Lujans have been using tap water for their small herd of sheep and to irrigate their crops. The couple said they have always had plenty of water, but now they are afraid they will lose all of their crops this season.<br><br></blockquote>
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This is having repercussions beyond just turning the river yellow. Still wondering why we have seen no firings because of this. Also reading from some people who live there that the EPA has been trying to get land and water rights in this area for a while.(?) Begs the question then: was this really an "accident?" EPA head Gina McCarthy stated that it "pains" her to see this happening. I truly doubt that. The EPA told us the air was safe to breathe after 9/11. They told us the Corexit poison BP was spraying on the Gulf of Mexico was safe. Now they will do the testing of the water of the Animas /San Juan Rivers after 3 million gallons of arsenic, cadmium and lead laced mine waste pollutes it and tell us it is safe. Seems they care more for their own than those farmers.<br><br>
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<b>8/11:</b> <a href="http://denver.cbslocal.com/video/category/spoken-word-kcnctv/3279475-epa-can-make-no-decisions-on-animas-river-health-until-august-17/">EPA Can Make No Decisions On Animas River Health Until August 17</a><br><br>
<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/10/us/animas-river-toxic-spill-colorado/index.html">Health Impact of Animas River Toxic Spill: This Is A Real Mess</a><br><br>
<blockquote>While the mustard-yellow hue of the Animas River is fading, leading toxicologists say there could be health effects for many years to come from heavy metals such as lead and mercury that spilled into the water.<br><br>
"This is a real mess," said Max Costa, chair of the department of environmental medicine at New York University School of Medicine. "These levels are shocking."<br><br>
Exposure to high levels of these metals can cause an array of health problems from cancer to kidney disease to developmental problems in children.<br><br>
"Oh my God! Look at the lead!" said Joseph Landolph, a toxicologist at the University of Southern California, pointing to a lead level in the Animas River nearly 12,000 times higher than the acceptable level set by the Environmental Protection Agency.<br><br>
According to sampling done by the EPA on various points along the Animas River Wednesday and Thursday last week, levels of lead, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium and mercury were extremely high compared with acceptable levels set by the agency, which are technically called "maximum contaminant levels" or "action levels for treatment."<br><br>
One of the samples of mercury was nearly 10 times higher than the EPA acceptable levels. Samples of beryllium and cadmium were 33 times higher, and one of the arsenic levels was more than 800 times higher.<br><br></blockquote>
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But have no fear. It will all magically disappear so that TPTB can make up for all the tourist dollars they are losing. Remember, in our society money and profit trump everything else. Of course, any birth defects or other effects of this will also be downplayed.<br><br>
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<b>8/10:</b> <a href="https://video-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpf1/v/t42.1790-2/11795724_516785091806993_697280649_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjYxOSwicmxhIjo2NjYsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoicmVzXzQyNl9jcmZfMjNfbWFpbl8zLjBfc2QifQ%3D%3D&rl=619&vabr=344&oh=9eec19f0933c3bdbeff5eb66d7a40353&oe=55C90136">Russell Begaye Navajo Nation President 2014</a><br><br>
Today, President Begaye and Vice-President Nez conducted an on-site inspection of the Gold King Mine in Silverton, CO and finds reports to the Navajo Nation by U.S. EPA are inconsistent.<br><br>
Be vigilant Navajo Nation.<br><br>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/11/us/durango-colorado-mine-spill-environmental-protection-agency.html?ref=us&_r=2">Anger Rises as E.P.A. Increases Estimate of Toxic Water Spill at Colorado Mine</a><br><br>
<blockquote>DURANGO, Colo. — <b>Anger over a spill of toxic water from a mine that turned this community’s river into a yellow-orange ribbon rose on Sunday when the Environmental Protection Agency announced that the spill was three times larger than previously stated — and that the agency was still unsure if the polluted water posed a health threat to humans or animals.</b><br><br>
The agency, typically charged with responding to toxic disasters, has claimed responsibility for the spill, which unleashed a chemical brew that caused levels of arsenic, lead and other metals to spike in the Animas River, a tributary that plays a vital role in the culture and economy in this patch of southwestern Colorado.<br><br>
Agency officials said on Sunday that the size of the spill was larger than originally estimated: more than three million gallons rather than one million.<br><br>
La Plata County and the City of Durango have declared states of emergency, and the county estimates that about 1,000 residential water wells could be contaminated. The river is closed indefinitely, and the La Plata sheriff has hastily recast his campaign signs into posters warning river visitors to stay out of the water.<br><br>
The yellow plume has traveled down to New Mexico, where it is being tracked, but it is starting to dissipate, officials said.<br><br>
On Sunday night, residents packed a school auditorium in Durango for a meeting with the agency’s regional director, Shaun McGrath. During a public comment session that lasted more than two hours, residents flouted a sign on the wall that instructed the auditorium’s typical patrons — middle schoolers — to refrain from calling out, jumping up or insulting others during assemblies.<br><br>
Shouts rang out. A few people cried. One resident questioned whether the agency had refashioned itself into the “Environmental Pollution Agency.” Others demanded to know what would happen to wildlife, livestock, water wells, sediment and river-based jobs.<br><br></blockquote>
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THREE TIMES larger. Why am I not surprised that the EPA lied? And for the lemmings who are not saying anything because they like their Republican counterparts base their outrage on political party, THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST NATURE. Where is the company that owns that mine in this? What of the employees of the EPA responsible for the spill? What were they really doing to cause a disaster of this magnitude? How heartbreaking to see this beautiful place ruined by negligence. <b>We are running out of potable water on this planet. We cannot afford "ACCIDENTS."</b>" And why is it that people are ignored when they are angered about water issues? We have so many movements regarding what matters now. Well I am here to say that #WATERMATTERS. So since the EPA lied about the extent of this "accident" we can be almost sure they will lie about the toxicity and effects. Hey Gina McCarthy- does the buck ever stop with you?<br><br>
<a href="https://youtu.be/zO7j7HgvMno">Contamination Of Animas River Becomes Declaration Of Emergency/Video</a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3872346.shtml#.VcZ2yBFRFjr">Animas River Closed to Public After EPA Dumps 1M Gallons of Waste</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaDQX6s5mkbSwrU92cZx-SZNsEvMpv6yn_X97GghyRJ-1u0xYnR0l2rDC-9PR9cud6_WeIrla0dGoVBQUgE6fVjwp-3C_Am5DU8nVOl0uETJHbMkvtBsdn6rde-IJu6HQrB_8/s1600/animasriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaDQX6s5mkbSwrU92cZx-SZNsEvMpv6yn_X97GghyRJ-1u0xYnR0l2rDC-9PR9cud6_WeIrla0dGoVBQUgE6fVjwp-3C_Am5DU8nVOl0uETJHbMkvtBsdn6rde-IJu6HQrB_8/s640/animasriver.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote><br><br>
SILVERTON, Colo. - A mine waste spill has spewed about a million gallons of orange-colored discharge into a tributary of the Animas River.<br><br>
The Environmental Protection Agency said it triggered the release while using heavy machinery to investigate pollutants at the Gold King Mine north of Silverton.
<br><br>
The La Plata County Sheriff's Office has closed the river to the public.<br><br>
“This decision was made in the interest of public health after consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, San Juan Basin Health Department and representatives of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe,” advised Sheriff Sean Smith. “This Order shall remain in effect until it is determined that the river is safe. EPA test results of the Animas River are expected within 24-48 hours, and the Order will be re-evaluated at that time.”<br><br>
Environmental authorities are scrambling to assess damage from the leak, caused when a plug blew at the Gold King Mine near Silverton. Earlier today, officials say that drinking water is not affected and that the spill is not harmful to humans. The primary pollutants are iron and zinc.<br><br>
The EPA says that about 1 million gallons of mine waste spewed into Cement Creek, which feeds the Animas.<br><br>
The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment says that there are no fish populations in the Cement Creek watershed because of longstanding water quality impairment.<br><br></blockquote>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11H1L2VUhtxuqORuxIRiHPG1Oqf1DJFmw6V3dUcbr5ynFdmh_ztGNpn8kqjtlZwIx4UOohiUYDqglXRDGM0DA4V5vAJVghZ2Vd9QdsLxekexYWmm8JIMoI9qeWdFTZrpOdksc/s1600/mine150806_APTOPIX_Mine_Waste_Leak___1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11H1L2VUhtxuqORuxIRiHPG1Oqf1DJFmw6V3dUcbr5ynFdmh_ztGNpn8kqjtlZwIx4UOohiUYDqglXRDGM0DA4V5vAJVghZ2Vd9QdsLxekexYWmm8JIMoI9qeWdFTZrpOdksc/s640/mine150806_APTOPIX_Mine_Waste_Leak___1.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Wastewater-from-Colorado-mine-reaches-New-Mexico-321139111.html">Wastewater From Colorado Mine Reaches New Mexico </a><br><br>
<blockquote>FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - A yellow sludge spilling from a shuttered gold mine into a southwestern Colorado river has reached northern New Mexico, a state official said Saturday.<br><br>
The plume arrived in the city of Aztec on Friday night and Farmington on Saturday morning, San Juan County Emergency Management Director Don Cooper said.<br><br>
Officials in both cities shut down the river's access to water treatment plants and say the communities have a 90-day supply of water and other water sources to draw from.<br><br>
"There's not a lot we can do. We can keep people away (from the river) and keep testing," Cooper said. "We still don't know how bad it is."<br><br>
About 1 million gallons of wastewater from Colorado's Gold King Mine began spilling into the Animas River on Wednesday when a cleanup crew supervised by the Environmental Protection Agency accidentally breached a debris dam that had formed inside the mine.<br><br>
The mine has been inactive since 1923.<br><br>
No health hazard has been detected, but tests were being analyzed.Federal officials say the spill contains heavy metals including lead and arsenic.</blockquote><br><br>
<a href="http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/08/07/more-water-released-into-animas-river/">EPA:Wastewater Spill In Animas River Contains Heavy Metals</a><br><br>
<blockquote>All the waste is pouring into the river and flowing downriver. The EPA said the waste also contains cadmium, aluminum, copper and calcium. The EPA didn’t discuss health risks but arsenic at high levels can cause blindness, paralysis and cancer. Muscle and vision problems can be caused by lead poisoning for adults and harm in development in fetuses, and lead to kidney disease, developmental problems and sometimes death in children, according to the EPA.<br><br>
The Bureau of Reclamation has increased its water releases from Navajo Dam, from 650 to 1,300 cubic feet per second in response to the mine spill. The increased releases may help dilute mine contaminates in the river. The releases will remain at that increased level throughout the weekend and will be reevaluated on Monday.<br><br>
Durango has shut down water intakes from the river until the contaminated water has passed, but the spill is not affecting drinking water. The EPA has said people should stay out of the river. Water utilities have closed intake valves to protect their systems.<br><br>
Officials in New Mexico are blasting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for not informing them soon enough about a plume of mustard-colored muck floating downstream from a Colorado mine.</blockquote><br><br>
<a href="http://navajotimes.com/reznews/contaminated-water-on-its-way-to-navajo/#.VcakmBFRFjo">Contaminated Water On Its Way To Navajo</a><br><br>
<blockquote>Culturally, Navajos revere water for it bringing life, a critical element in tribal ceremonies. Some Navajo medicine healers conduct offerings to the San Juan River, considered a male body of water in Navajo culture.<br><br>
As a result of the spill, Navajo Nation President Russell, Navajo Nation Vice President Jonathan Nez, and Speaker LoRenzo Bates have issue statements regarding their concerns of the waste spill.<br><br>
Begaye, according to a news release from his office, demands the U.S. EPA to release information on the contaminants, referring to the spill an environmental catastrophe.<br><br>
“We are demanding from the U.S. EPA an immediate release of detailed information on the type of contaminants that is flowing into the river from the Gold King Mine,” Begaye said.
According to a U.S. EPA press release, the contaminants include lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum and copper.<br><br>
He went on to say that the spill is another familiar story of the U.S. government’s lax oversight responsibility.<br><br>
“It is unfortunate that we have to once again tell our people to stay away from the river, due to the release of dangerous chemicals into our water,” Begaye said.<br><br>
Begaye has put several tribal programs, including Navajo Nation EPA, Department of Health and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program, on standby.<br><br>
Nez added that he’s concerned with the farmers along the San Juan River.<br><br>
“The contamination will probably hit Lake Powell soon,” he said, adding that the community of Mexican Hat, which pumps drinking water from the river, proceeds with caution.<br><br>
“We need to monitor the water to ensure it is potable,” Nez said.<br><br>
Meanwhile, Bates has been in contact with several Navajo chapters along the San Juan River. He said, according to U.S. EPA, that the contamination does not pose detrimental threats.<br><br>
“I strongly urge nearby chapters and our people who reside near the San Juan River to refrain from using the water for any purposes until a thorough evaluation is completed,” Bates said.</blockquote><br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
Considering there are already <b>521</b> uranium mines in Navajo Nation that have contaminated the wind and water, I doubt that the EPA will truly care about the effects of this spill. I find it astounding that people can be so cavalier about such tragedies and their effect on the lives and culture of others.<br><br>
In my previous post about the Hudson River I asked where the caring for clean water had gone. Then I read about this disaster in which the EPA admits to "accidentally" leaking 1 million gallons of mine waste into the Animas River in Colorado.<br><br>
Their response to it? It was an "accident" and they are sorry. Also using the excuse that it was polluted anyway...oh and of course, the standard it is still safe for humans lie.<br><br>
This is toxic waste. This is the killing of a river. It not only affects humans but the wildlife and agriculture in this area. However, that's it. Shouldn't people entrusted with protecting our environment/water be a bit more concerned?<br><br>
Will be following regarding results of testing of the water. You can be sure no EPA employees will lose their jobs over this either.JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-40289113868987710162015-08-07T11:48:00.002-04:002015-08-07T15:37:09.792-04:00Clean Water Is Our Legacy<a href="https://youtu.be/fyp-sLs6a9Q">Clean Water Baby Wants To Swim</a><br><br>
My father learned how to swim in the Hudson River when he was a boy. That was over 70 years ago when the water was so clean you could see to the bottom and fish were plenty. The river was a place for families to gather along its entire expanse to enjoy its beauty. Not a place for industrial waste and to be used as a sewer. What has happened to us that the importance of having clean water has escaped our care?<br><br>
Shouldn't our children and theirs continue to be able to have a place to bring their families where they do not have to be terrified of going into the water?<br><br>
I appreciate all those who work everyday to tirelessly keep our waterways clean. It is a huge task and not one readily acknowledged or appreciated. However, it is one of the most important things we do as humans. Without clean water we all die and the world we give our children dies with it. Think of that as you watch this beautiful baby and what you can do to contribute to a better world with clean water.<br><br>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2011/07/comment-clean-water-act-legacy-worth.html">The Clean Water Act: A Legacy Worth Saving</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHBh3QspTD_vX9Eg330w00BIc2fGkn1RKeTtZ8ax9kxj0d1EDjT4zGkUd-X0QRhadDPViI91Fx9oFUPq34dWJArcVNAtk45Q65susDmje0eY0rwMOtsKVrIiq-z4F6Z9YrIET/s1600/hudson+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHBh3QspTD_vX9Eg330w00BIc2fGkn1RKeTtZ8ax9kxj0d1EDjT4zGkUd-X0QRhadDPViI91Fx9oFUPq34dWJArcVNAtk45Q65susDmje0eY0rwMOtsKVrIiq-z4F6Z9YrIET/s400/hudson+river.jpg" /></a><br>
The above print, "View from West Point" is from a steel engraving by W. H. Bartlett, c. 1850
(from the author's collection.)<br><br>
Every river tells a story about the lives of those living near it. What will your story be?<br><br>
<a href="http://hudsonriverhistory.com/">Hudson River History</a><br><br>
JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-62997094648141522662015-07-31T12:59:00.000-04:002015-07-31T14:10:37.838-04:00Pentagon Admits Drought Cause Of Syrian Civil War<a href="http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150730/1025197768.html">Pentagon Report Admits Disastrous Drought, Not Assad Caused Syrian Crisis</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKDIuO-l9153gEeKAx_4_V99DDUN3j9QGFjKxGSj5E-0-dXbMxvrKSN4HX1W7_52GDngxQN3_7Afu9HzMHoX8qTJlp4J_TTcFFNxG9L87xtTct9S-Hqs2kzvxW6ZB4XVDp3ps/s1600/th+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKDIuO-l9153gEeKAx_4_V99DDUN3j9QGFjKxGSj5E-0-dXbMxvrKSN4HX1W7_52GDngxQN3_7Afu9HzMHoX8qTJlp4J_TTcFFNxG9L87xtTct9S-Hqs2kzvxW6ZB4XVDp3ps/s640/th+%25289%2529.jpg" /></a><br><br>
A US Department of Defense report says that a six-year drought in Syria caused vast suffering and social dislocation before the 2011 Arab spring protests and the start of the civil war there.<br><br>
30 July, 2015<br><br>
<blockquote>
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A six-year drought in Syria caused vast suffering and social dislocation before the 2011 Arab spring protests and the start of the civil war there, a US Department of Defense report on global climate change said.<br><br>
“[F]rom 2006-2011, a severe multi-year drought affected Syria and contributed to massive agriculture failures and population displacements,” the report, which was released on Wednesday, said.<br><br>
Large movements of rural dwellers to city centers coincided with the presence of large numbers of Iraqi refugees fleeing the conflict and miserable economic conditions in that country, and gathered in Syrian cities, the report acknowledged.<br><br>
These mass migrations effectively overwhelmed the “institutional capacity” of the Syrian state to deal with them, the document noted.<br><br>
The study named “Report on National Security Implications of Climate-Related Risks and a Changing Climate” was ordered by the US Senate Committee on Appropriations to accompany the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the fiscal year ending in September 30, 2015.<br><br>
<b>The report cited the 2006-2011 drought crisis in Syria as a classic case where environmental disasters caused by global warming triggered the collapse of civil society and ruinous internal conflicts.</b><br><br>
“Persistently recurring conditions such as flooding, drought and higher temperatures increase the strain on fragile states and vulnerable populations by dampening economic activity,” the report warned.<br><br>
Other disastrous effects include loss of agriculture and electricity production, changes in known infectious disease patterns and the rise of new ones, and increases in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, it added.<br><br>
Such prolonged environmental crises, the report observed, could increasingly lead the US armed forces to be involved in humanitarian disaster relief efforts abroad.<br><br>
“These kinds of impacts in regions around the world could necessitate greater [Department of Defense] involvement in the provision of humanitarian assistance and other aid,” the report stated.<br><br>
The report’s analysis of the environmental causes of the crisis in Syria were in contradiction of the political narrative of the Obama administration and of almost all political leaders in both major US political parties who have consistently blamed the civil war entirely on the policies of President Bashar Assad.<br><br></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVB09r5Ld4aSAxofp83vJdKxXUTFFzWS3Z0Dj3lSWIq2Oki8TVjIl9vEo83laMzZqbRJ2fatNONvfvZ6J2AlKigasrY94Le1CmFb2vBEwpTTUhCW7Ns_GE16dHWz0vuyjRM0i/s1600/drought-syria-apr2014.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVB09r5Ld4aSAxofp83vJdKxXUTFFzWS3Z0Dj3lSWIq2Oki8TVjIl9vEo83laMzZqbRJ2fatNONvfvZ6J2AlKigasrY94Le1CmFb2vBEwpTTUhCW7Ns_GE16dHWz0vuyjRM0i/s640/drought-syria-apr2014.png" /></a><br><br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>
Also see:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2015/03/study-climate-change-helped-spark.html">Study: Climate Change Helped Spark Syrian Civil War</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-root-causes-of-violence-in-syria.html">The Root Causes Of Violence In Syria: Climate Change and Water: But Let's Bomb The Hell Out Of Them Anyway</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/05/without-water-revolution.html">Without Water, Revolution</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2009/06/160-syrian-villages-villages-deserted.html">160 Syrian Villages Deserted Due To Climate Change</a><br><br>
I wrote about this five years ago. Nice to see the Pentagon finally admitting it. And make no mistake: Syria is not the only place where we are seeing and will see this and the spawning of groups like ISIS in retaliation. Climate is THE central issue in this region particularly in regards to <b>water </b>and gas. To now see millions of refugees in detention centers in Syria forgotten is deplorable. Is this truly the world you want? Dying at the hands of those who know the truth but will still continue on the wrong path for their own benefit?JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-87601759190446441812015-07-23T12:14:00.000-04:002015-07-23T12:39:02.322-04:00Fukushima Radiation IS Important (We are killing our own biosphere!)<a href="http://www.neonnettle.com/sphere/366-dead-dolphins-in-fukushima-stranding-found-with-white-radiated-lungs#.VbEEOu71qc0.facebook">Dead Dolphins In Fukushima Stranding Found With White Radiated Lungs</a> <br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZX814TtJ79qqLwrtz2uFhM4jFboLDJr15vpnNdmkczTP8nGe9B4aBg68h5sUKWc-byj2nr-qTMXzo-rMVwvJQykujKMVCO5e9MxxNaaaydcvASWmEbr-zv6ZeivHeZwPeoYoQ/s1600/fukushimadolphins.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZX814TtJ79qqLwrtz2uFhM4jFboLDJr15vpnNdmkczTP8nGe9B4aBg68h5sUKWc-byj2nr-qTMXzo-rMVwvJQykujKMVCO5e9MxxNaaaydcvASWmEbr-zv6ZeivHeZwPeoYoQ/s640/fukushimadolphins.jpg" /></a><br><br>
<blockquote>Japanese scientists are dumbfounded by the new discovery after conducting an autopsy on a large group of dolphins that where discovered washed up on a beach close to the Fukushima disaster site.<br><br>
Each dolphins lungs were white, which is according to scientists, an indication of loss of blood to the organs - a symptom of radiation poisoning.<br><br>
The translated article comes from EneNews:<br><br>
Apr 11, 2015 (emphasis added):<br><br>
Google Translate: Ibaraki Prefecture… for a large amount of dolphin which was launched on the shore… the National Science Museum… investigated… researchers rushed from national museums and university laboratory, about 30 people were the anatomy of the 17 animals in the field. [According to Yuko Tajima] who led the investigation.
“the lungs of most of the 17… was pure white ischemic state, visceral signs of overall clean and disease and infections were observed”… Lungs white state, that has never seen before.<br><br>
Systran: The National Science Museum investigated circumstance and cause etc concerning the mass dolphin which is launched to the seashore of Ibaraki prefecture… the researchers ran from the museum and the university laboratory… approximately 30 people dissected 17… [Yuko Tajima] of the National Science Museum which directed investigation research worker [said] “the most lung 17 was state with true white, but as for the internal organs being clean”… The lung true white as for state, says… have not seen.<br><br>
Fukushima Diary, Apr 12, 2015: According to National Science Museum, most of the inspected 17 dolphins had their lungs in ischaemia state… The chief of the researching team stated “Most of the lungs looked entirely white”… internal organs were generally clean without any symptoms of disease or infection, but most of the lungs were in ischaemia state. She said “I have never seen such a state”.</blockquote><br><br>
This is what has been happening while the US is being distracted with media hype of Caitlyn Jenner and Donald Trump. Do you not understand now?<br><br>
They have aided in the destruction of this planet for their own benefit and YOU are not to know about the true devastating consequences. Anyone who thinks a meltdown like Fukushima can happen with no residual effects to the planet and the species that inhabit it in all honesty is just plain ignorant.<br><br>
There is a lot of $$$$$$ riding on you being kept in the dark successfully. We humans are surely for the most part an insidious creation. WHAT ARE WE DOING?<br><br>
More:<br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/08/pacific-ocean-now-dead-from-fukushima.html">Pacific Ocean Now Dead From Fukushima Radiation</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2014/05/fukushima-fallout-we-need-to-be.html">Fukushima Fallout: We Need To Be Concerned</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/12/tepco-plans-to-dump-all-fukushima.html">TEPCO Plans To Dump All Fukushima Radiation In Ocean</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/09/september-2013-fukushima-getting-worse.html">Fukushima Getting Worse</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/08/fukushima-leak-is-much-worse-than-we.html">Fukushima Leak Is Much Worse Than We Were Led To Believe</a><br><br>
<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2013/07/fukushima-radiation-spiking-suddenly.html">Fukushima Radiation Spiking Suddenly-Media Blackout</a><br><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-50408755681799118392015-06-30T13:27:00.001-04:002015-08-07T12:26:31.254-04:00You're Making This Island Disappear<a href="http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2015/06/opinions/sutter-two-degrees-marshall-islands/?iid=ob_homepage_deskrecommended_pool&iref=obinsite">You're Making This Island Disappear</a><br><br>
<a href="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/interactive/2015/06/opinions/sutter-two-degrees-marshall-islands/media/snapchats/noaa.mp4">I try to stay afloat</a><br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazObPJe18gSQt-AYsb3Kq3d9kWDBhzgBLJZJJi-nfSfEshymzQSEEipgRqflGZHtpi0zZ9Lvi7MEKD1hlGHt-RC1V-jEi9PQ_jsoLAG0-Mw-WEKKply7kwykrvZ0ShvbBeUuH/s1600/marshall150622111810-20-0602-two-degrees-super-916.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazObPJe18gSQt-AYsb3Kq3d9kWDBhzgBLJZJJi-nfSfEshymzQSEEipgRqflGZHtpi0zZ9Lvi7MEKD1hlGHt-RC1V-jEi9PQ_jsoLAG0-Mw-WEKKply7kwykrvZ0ShvbBeUuH/s640/marshall150622111810-20-0602-two-degrees-super-916.jpg" /></a><br><br>
You must click on this link and read this account of what climate change/sea level rise is doing to the Marshall Islands and where some climate refugees are settling in the US. You must meet the beautiful people who inhabit these islands and call them their home. They are no different than you. They are people who love their homes and families and cherish the Earth. They are people who have beautiful spirits and who live off the water that now threatens to take all they have because people in developed/industrialised countries for the most part do not understand or refuse to understand or care about what their consumerism and waste is doing to the rest of the world.<br><br>
The only way to deal with climate destruction in any way that is to be construed as adequate in preserving civilization beyond this century is to look inside ourselves, understand and admit our own participation in what is happening and pledge to live a life that treats our Earth with respect and love as we ourselves wish to be treated and as our Earth treats us. This is why political (UN) conferences sponsored by the very entities responsible for this crisis will not ever do what is necessary to save us from the catastrophe that has already been put into motion.<br><br>
The inhabitants of these islands have been wronged by the US and other countries in more ways than one. Not only is climate destruction now flooding their homes and cultures and threatening to overtake them- the effects of nuclear fallout from testing as far back as the 1940s (Bikini Atoll)- have also poisoned the water, ruined livelihoods and made it uninhabitable.<br><br>
There will be no substantial progress in addressing climate destruction until we can all look beyond our front porches in the US and other industrialised countries to see the real and true effects of our actions and ask these questions: Just how much does our comfort at any cost supersede the continued existence of mankind? Also, what is our responsibility to the inhabitants of these islands in response to seeing their homes submerged?<br><br>
<a href="http://www.bikiniatoll.com/">Welcome To Bikini Atoll</a><br>
How do we as Americans and humans not see the human rights abuses we have committed against the native people? And now we will abandon them as the waves submerge their lives? Climate destruction is not just about charts and graphs- <b>it is about flesh and blood</b>.<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oEhYw_JPsOZHbmBwlob7w1ntze64lK6y7pOhbRPki3I5RaPbgq6M6IT2AoYiK7dsYtixf8K-eLPhUyW4I_N05rHy-XJjc-uTHKFDTqx6oTDBy6m8ziXDZHikiIhLzweBBcS_/s1600/commemorationphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oEhYw_JPsOZHbmBwlob7w1ntze64lK6y7pOhbRPki3I5RaPbgq6M6IT2AoYiK7dsYtixf8K-eLPhUyW4I_N05rHy-XJjc-uTHKFDTqx6oTDBy6m8ziXDZHikiIhLzweBBcS_/s640/commemorationphoto.jpg" /></a><br>JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32403406.post-40290357033110364342015-06-22T12:36:00.002-04:002015-06-22T12:53:25.525-04:00Almost A Decade<a href="http://water-is-life.blogspot.com/2006/08/water-wars-are-here-we-were-warned.html">Water Wars Are Here-We Were Warned</a><br><br>
This August will mark nine years that this blog has been in existence. Nine years on Blogger, 45 years of my life. The link above is the first post written on Blogger in 2006. Neither the passion nor the dedication has waned in all of those years. There has been an increase in readership and my hope is that the information shared here has been shared with others and that it has imparted people with information they did not have before and perhaps even inspired action. <br><br>
Water is shared by all humans and all species throughout our world. It is the one thing we all have in common- the one thread that binds all of our lives together.<br><br>
To see that thread now being severed by our own hand is beyond tragic.<br><br>
The day will come for the world as a whole when the true importance of water to all of our lives will be seen. I truly hope it is not too late.<br><br>
Thanks to those who have sincerely supported my writing here and who have shared the information. Hopefully, the blog will see ten years.
<iframe width="854" height="510" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PYs5zyM9zk8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><bgr><br>
As a treat I am posting this classic video of the Havasupai waterfall in the Grand Canyon. If we can but remember just how beautiful water is and how much it is a part of us we may learn to respect it. That is the first step to preserving it for generations to come.JMoorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12747173002704507245noreply@blogger.com0