Eco Alley - Connie Pumphrey http://www.baltimorestyle.com/index.php en connie.pumphrey@clarkus.com Copyright 2011 2011-02-11T21:33:25+00:00 It didn’t happen yesterday… http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/it_didnt_happen_yesterday/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/it_didnt_happen_yesterday/#When:20:33:25Z Every time there is a push to clean up the environment, corporations begin their rant that jobs will suffer and the economy will collapse if they are required to follow the rules….yes, the rules.  There are enough environmental laws on the books to wallpaper the CIA.  I think what corporations mean is that they just don’t want to change.  The United States seriously began protecting the environment during the Nixon administration.  In 1970, Nixon signed into law the Environmental Protection Agency and later the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.  Jimmy Carter signed into law the Dept. of Energy, the Soil & Water Conservation Acts the Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Acts among others.  George H. W. Bush signed the Clean Air Act of 1990 – aimed at reducing smog & air pollution.  Other presidents have added additional laws.  And, guess what?  The economy didn’t collapse after those changes were made.  The cost of doing business in America is very high and remaining competitive is tough but not that tough.  The Wall Street Journal reported in December 2010 that during the 3rd quarter of 2010, American businesses earned profits at an annual rate of $1.659 trillion, the highest recorded since keeping began 60 years ago!  Times aren’t nearly as hard as they would lead us to believe. I think there is a way to bridge the gap between environmentalists and big corporations.  An acquaintance who owns car washes told me recently that he actually SAVED money after changing his facilities to meet environmental standards.  He quickly recovered his initial investment and uses less water and substantially less cleaning solvents.  We’re just not thinking this through! Every time there is a push to clean up the environment, corporations begin their rant that jobs will suffer and the economy will collapse if they are required to follow the rules….yes, the rules.  There are enough environmental laws on the books to wallpaper the CIA.  I think what corporations mean is that they just don’t want to change. 
The United States seriously began protecting the environment during the Nixon administration.  In 1970, Nixon signed into law the Environmental Protection Agency and later the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.  Jimmy Carter signed into law the Dept. of Energy, the Soil & Water Conservation Acts the Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Acts among others.  George H. W. Bush signed the Clean Air Act of 1990 – aimed at reducing smog & air pollution.  Other presidents have added additional laws.  And, guess what?  The economy didn’t collapse after those changes were made. 
The cost of doing business in America is very high and remaining competitive is tough but not that tough.  The Wall Street Journal reported in December 2010 that during the 3rd quarter of 2010, American businesses earned profits at an annual rate of $1.659 trillion, the highest recorded since keeping began 60 years ago!  Times aren’t nearly as hard as they would lead us to believe.
I think there is a way to bridge the gap between environmentalists and big corporations.  An acquaintance who owns car washes told me recently that he actually SAVED money after changing his facilities to meet environmental standards.  He quickly recovered his initial investment and uses less water and substantially less cleaning solvents.  We’re just not thinking this through!

]]> 2011-02-11T20:33:25+00:00 Moving the Masses http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/moving_the_masses/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/moving_the_masses/#When:12:18:49Z The most important component of reducing my carbon footprint is driving less – not an easy habit to break.  I’ve been taking public transportation when I can and it involves riding the MARC train from Odenton to Union Station and then Metro’s Red Line to Bethesda.  On a perfect day, it takes 45 minutes.  It isn’t bad unless it’s raining or snowing as trains will be packed and seats filled.  Metro is sometimes delayed for one reason or another.  In December, the escalator at Bethesda Metro station was broken so I walked up 160 steps (at a 45 degree angle).  This week, the metro was unloaded mid-trip because the doors malfunctioned so we all stuffed ourselves into trains that followed.  I am not whining, however, because it took me less than two hours to get home while some drivers were on the road for several hours.  Hundreds of thousands of people – workers, students, tourists, the elderly, people with canes or even without sight – use MARC/Metro for school, work, entertainment, etc.  Many young urban dwellers do not own cars in favor of it.  In fact, Metrorail boasts ridership of 343.4 million passenger trips a year and is the second busiest in the country – second only to New York City. New York City & Washington DC Metro Area transit systems are massive.  NYC provides billions of passenger trips annually and DC provides hundreds of millions.  What is the environmental savings in all this?  On a national scale, public transit saves 3.4 billion gallons of oil each year, prevents 541 million hours of traffic delay and reduces global warming pollution by 26 million tons.  For those who think investing in public transportation doesn’t help, let it shut down for a week and see what happens on the roads. The most important component of reducing my carbon footprint is driving less – not an easy habit to break.  I’ve been taking public transportation when I can and it involves riding the MARC train from Odenton to Union Station and then Metro’s Red Line to Bethesda.  On a perfect day, it takes 45 minutes.  It isn’t bad unless it’s raining or snowing as trains will be packed and seats filled.  Metro is sometimes delayed for one reason or another.  In December, the escalator at Bethesda Metro station was broken so I walked up 160 steps (at a 45 degree angle).  This week, the metro was unloaded mid-trip because the doors malfunctioned so we all stuffed ourselves into trains that followed.  I am not whining, however, because it took me less than two hours to get home while some drivers were on the road for several hours. 
Hundreds of thousands of people – workers, students, tourists, the elderly, people with canes or even without sight – use MARC/Metro for school, work, entertainment, etc.  Many young urban dwellers do not own cars in favor of it.  In fact, Metrorail boasts ridership of 343.4 million passenger trips a year and is the second busiest in the country – second only to New York City.

New York City & Washington DC Metro Area transit systems are massive.  NYC provides billions of passenger trips annually and DC provides hundreds of millions.  What is the environmental savings in all this?  On a national scale, public transit saves 3.4 billion gallons of oil each year, prevents 541 million hours of traffic delay and reduces global warming pollution by 26 million tons.  For those who think investing in public transportation doesn’t help, let it shut down for a week and see what happens on the roads.

]]> 2011-01-30T12:18:49+00:00 Food - Is it really? http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/food_-_is_it_really/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/food_-_is_it_really/#When:00:57:46Z I read constantly - so much so that an old boyfriend told me that I lived my life through books rather than in the real world.  Last night’s book club selection were works by Michael Pollan (Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, Botany of Desire).  The discussion was about food sources and EVERYONE was knowledgeable about the subject.  I was taken to task for my (not so) “organic” lettuce purchases, learned of a source for ordering local farm food (made easy to pick up), discussed culturing yogurt, was surprised to discover that if I was on a desert island and could choose only one item besides water, hot dogs would be a smarter choice than alfalfa sprouts, spinach, chocolate, etc., because we are carnivores and need the protein, oil and fat to sustain us.  I love smart women! The central theme of Pollan’s “Dilemma” is corn and how the crop has ruined farmland and made us fat.  Corn is sugar/carbs with almost no nutritional value.  Pollan had the content of a typical fast food meal measured and was told it is about 65% corn.  Commercial “farmers” feed corn to cattle, chicken and pigs to fatten them for market but the animals’ systems were designed for grain and slow grazing.  Cows can literally explode inside from the gases that corn create so commercial farmers inject them with steroids and antibiotics to keep them alive for 18 months so they can go to market for slaughter.  It isn’t a pretty picture but it is the reality of our food sources these days and something we should consider a top priority to correct. My former boyfriend died four years ago after crashing his Harley on his way to Bike Week.  He would not have wanted to go any other way.  Maybe we are OK going down with our junk food choices but, if we want to live a little longer and healthier (with our conscience clean), we should make better food choices.  I read constantly - so much so that an old boyfriend told me that I lived my life through books rather than in the real world.  Last night’s book club selection were works by Michael Pollan (Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, Botany of Desire).  The discussion was about food sources and EVERYONE was knowledgeable about the subject.  I was taken to task for my (not so) “organic” lettuce purchases, learned of a source for ordering local farm food (made easy to pick up), discussed culturing yogurt, was surprised to discover that if I was on a desert island and could choose only one item besides water, hot dogs would be a smarter choice than alfalfa sprouts, spinach, chocolate, etc., because we are carnivores and need the protein, oil and fat to sustain us.  I love smart women!
The central theme of Pollan’s “Dilemma” is corn and how the crop has ruined farmland and made us fat.  Corn is sugar/carbs with almost no nutritional value.  Pollan had the content of a typical fast food meal measured and was told it is about 65% corn.  Commercial “farmers” feed corn to cattle, chicken and pigs to fatten them for market but the animals’ systems were designed for grain and slow grazing.  Cows can literally explode inside from the gases that corn create so commercial farmers inject them with steroids and antibiotics to keep them alive for 18 months so they can go to market for slaughter.  It isn’t a pretty picture but it is the reality of our food sources these days and something we should consider a top priority to correct.
My former boyfriend died four years ago after crashing his Harley on his way to Bike Week.  He would not have wanted to go any other way.  Maybe we are OK going down with our junk food choices but, if we want to live a little longer and healthier (with our conscience clean), we should make better food choices. 

]]> 2011-01-21T00:57:46+00:00 Cheap Isn’t Easy (on the environment) http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/cheap_and_easy_like_his_old_girlfriends/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/cheap_and_easy_like_his_old_girlfriends/#When:00:39:42Z Recently while admiring a certain product at a store that sold high-end small appliances (as well as regular models), the shopper next to me said something like “Why would I pay that much for this item when I can buy 5 new ones for the same price.”  The more expensive brand of this product was superior in quality and would last longer but the shopper wasn’t looking for quality, she was looking for cheap.  Cheap is not always good!  I have bought cheap products in my life because I had no choice but they didn’t work well, last very long and usually can’t be repaired.  A quality product might last 10 years but a cheap version might last 2 years (if we’re lucky), so we end up wasting money and time dealing with cheap.  This philosophy can be applied to just about every product we need to buy or replace today. There is a difference between frugal and cheap.  My husband defines frugal as making the best buying decisions with the dollars we have to spend and cheap is spending the least amount possible for what we buy….regardless of the quality. Landfills are FILLED with cheap, and disposable, products.  I prefer to spend my hard-earned dollars on quality products that last a long time, never fail to perform, fit well and prove their worth to me every day!  Recently while admiring a certain product at a store that sold high-end small appliances (as well as regular models), the shopper next to me said something like “Why would I pay that much for this item when I can buy 5 new ones for the same price.”  The more expensive brand of this product was superior in quality and would last longer but the shopper wasn’t looking for quality, she was looking for cheap. 
Cheap is not always good!  I have bought cheap products in my life because I had no choice but they didn’t work well, last very long and usually can’t be repaired.  A quality product might last 10 years but a cheap version might last 2 years (if we’re lucky), so we end up wasting money and time dealing with cheap.  This philosophy can be applied to just about every product we need to buy or replace today.
There is a difference between frugal and cheap.  My husband defines frugal as making the best buying decisions with the dollars we have to spend and cheap is spending the least amount possible for what we buy….regardless of the quality.
Landfills are FILLED with cheap, and disposable, products.  I prefer to spend my hard-earned dollars on quality products that last a long time, never fail to perform, fit well and prove their worth to me every day! 

]]> 2011-01-14T00:39:42+00:00 Cheers! http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/cheers/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/cheers/#When:00:33:27Z Anyone who knows me well knows I enjoy good wine and I believe that life is too short to drink the cheap stuff - cheap being just below whatever I can afford.  I admit that, until recently, I haven’t raised a fuss about organic wines (or organic alcohol in general) because not many are offered in restaurants.  It is time to start asking why they aren’t offered on most menus.  Organic wine grapes are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.  Flavors are not manipulated with additives nor is excessive filtration or reverse osmosis involved (I am not sure what reverse osmosis is but I respect it).  The United States is the fourth largest producer of wine grapes in the world with more than 1,100,000 acres “under vine” so we need to let American producers know that we want, and will buy, organic brands.  We also know that any time a chemical is used to produce a crop, it pollutes our water, air, and soil.  Birds and fish die from the chemicals…researchers estimate that at least 67 million birds die each year from pesticides sprayed on US fields and fish killed is conservatively estimated at 6 to 14 million; yet we still eat and drink products that have been made toxic by chemicals. Chemical-free organic drinks of any kind taste better so there is more benefit to it than just doing the right thing.  Also, if we purchase from locally based vintners and brewers, we support small, family-owned businesses and support the local economy by keeping profits circulating in our area (this applies to almost every product we consume). As always, less (chemicals) means more (flavor) so challenge yourselves in 2011 to ask for organic beverages.  Cheers and Happy New Year!  Anyone who knows me well knows I enjoy good wine and I believe that life is too short to drink the cheap stuff - cheap being just below whatever I can afford.  I admit that, until recently, I haven’t raised a fuss about organic wines (or organic alcohol in general) because not many are offered in restaurants.  It is time to start asking why they aren’t offered on most menus. 
Organic wine grapes are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.  Flavors are not manipulated with additives nor is excessive filtration or reverse osmosis involved (I am not sure what reverse osmosis is but I respect it).  The United States is the fourth largest producer of wine grapes in the world with more than 1,100,000 acres “under vine” so we need to let American producers know that we want, and will buy, organic brands. 
We also know that any time a chemical is used to produce a crop, it pollutes our water, air, and soil.  Birds and fish die from the chemicals…researchers estimate that at least 67 million birds die each year from pesticides sprayed on US fields and fish killed is conservatively estimated at 6 to 14 million; yet we still eat and drink products that have been made toxic by chemicals.
Chemical-free organic drinks of any kind taste better so there is more benefit to it than just doing the right thing.  Also, if we purchase from locally based vintners and brewers, we support small, family-owned businesses and support the local economy by keeping profits circulating in our area (this applies to almost every product we consume).
As always, less (chemicals) means more (flavor) so challenge yourselves in 2011 to ask for organic beverages.  Cheers and Happy New Year! 

]]> 2011-01-07T00:33:27+00:00 The New Year & CO2 http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/the_new_year_co2/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/the_new_year_co2/#When:12:35:06Z My employer maintains that if you make yourself do something regularly for a year, it will become a pattern in your life forever.  I agree and, for that reason, think New Year’s resolutions are a good thing.  My year of buying nothing new was a life changing event for me because I looked below the surface of consumerism to why we fill every square inch of our houses with stuff, then rent offsite storage facilities when the house can’t fit another item.  Less stuff made sense to me and it feels really good to know what I own and be able to locate it within 5 minutes.  The year 2010 was not an epiphany but more “tidying up.”  We are passionate recyclers, try to complete the cycle by buying recycled products and containers, read labels on products and avoid harmful chemicals, and buy as much organic, locally grown food as we can (we’re at about 50-60%).  We’ve reduced power consumption, installed a “cool” roof and are very careful about water usage.  Still, we calculated our carbon footprint and it isn’t as good as it could be.  The annual output of greenhouse gas emissions for a two person household is 27 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) - mine is 29 and my husband’s is 21.  Mine tanks because of the number of miles I drive to work each day.  (The Nature Conservancy has an easy-to-use site if you want to calculate your CO2 output.) My goal/resolution for 2011 is to reduce my own carbon footprint by 7 tons to 22 tons.  If I take public transportation a couple of days a week, reduce the amount of red meat in my diet, and a few other things, it should be easy.  The other option would be to make my husband walk to work to offset my output - hmmm.  I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. My employer maintains that if you make yourself do something regularly for a year, it will become a pattern in your life forever.  I agree and, for that reason, think New Year’s resolutions are a good thing.  My year of buying nothing new was a life changing event for me because I looked below the surface of consumerism to why we fill every square inch of our houses with stuff, then rent offsite storage facilities when the house can’t fit another item.  Less stuff made sense to me and it feels really good to know what I own and be able to locate it within 5 minutes. 
The year 2010 was not an epiphany but more “tidying up.”  We are passionate recyclers, try to complete the cycle by buying recycled products and containers, read labels on products and avoid harmful chemicals, and buy as much organic, locally grown food as we can (we’re at about 50-60%).  We’ve reduced power consumption, installed a “cool” roof and are very careful about water usage.  Still, we calculated our carbon footprint and it isn’t as good as it could be.  The annual output of greenhouse gas emissions for a two person household is 27 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) - mine is 29 and my husband’s is 21.  Mine tanks because of the number of miles I drive to work each day.  (The Nature Conservancy has an easy-to-use site if you want to calculate your CO2 output.)
My goal/resolution for 2011 is to reduce my own carbon footprint by 7 tons to 22 tons.  If I take public transportation a couple of days a week, reduce the amount of red meat in my diet, and a few other things, it should be easy.  The other option would be to make my husband walk to work to offset my output - hmmm.  I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.

]]> 2010-12-26T12:35:06+00:00 Wisteria & New Year’s Resolutions http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/wisteria_new_years_resolutions/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/wisteria_new_years_resolutions/#When:20:36:57Z Next week I want to discuss New Year’s resolutions.  Many people don’t bother but I need the challenge of public declaration to keep my focus.  For now, however, let’s trash wisteria.  For three week-ends in November, my husband and I worked very hard to eradicate the wisteria that has been consuming our property and taking on nightmare proportions.  Our wisteria isn’t cute, winding itself around the mailbox post -  it is 8-10 inches in diameter and has grown 120’ into trees, bringing down and killing many of them.  We had to use a chain saw to cut it!  There are also hundreds of vines growing horizontally about 2” underground with large shoots running in every direction - and that is what worries me most…what we do not see.  We didn’t plant the wisteria but were left to deal with it and the damage is tragic to the native trees, plants and shrubs over two acres of land.  This photo is of just one of many vines we cut to keep it from killing the tree. There isn’t much advice out there on killing wisteria in an environmentally sound manner.  Most experts recommend cutting it away from the trees to which it attaches itself, leaving about one foot of the stump above ground.  Rough up the bark of the stump; then, very carefully, spray or paint vine killing poison onto the stump.  The vine will pull the liquid in and spread it far into its roots, slowing or stopping the spreading.  This will ONLY WORK DURING THE LATE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS when the vine is pulling in nutrients.  If you repeat this process during the winter months for many years, you might eventually get ahead of the problem.  Your best strategy is to NEVER plant the stuff and spend some time researching all plants before putting them into the ground.  It could save you headaches and lost value on your home down the road!  Plant beautiful bulbs to enjoy in the spring - this is the time of year to do it!  Happy Holidays! Next week I want to discuss New Year’s resolutions.  Many people don’t bother but I need the challenge of public declaration to keep my focus.  For now, however, let’s trash wisteria. 
For three week-ends in November, my husband and I worked very hard to eradicate the wisteria that has been consuming our property and taking on nightmare proportions.  Our wisteria isn’t cute, winding itself around the mailbox post -  it is 8-10 inches in diameter and has grown 120’ into trees, bringing down and killing many of them.  We had to use a chain saw to cut it!  There are also hundreds of vines growing horizontally about 2” underground with large shoots running in every direction - and that is what worries me most…what we do not see.  We didn’t plant the wisteria but were left to deal with it and the damage is tragic to the native trees, plants and shrubs over two acres of land.  This photo is of just one of many vines we cut to keep it from killing the tree.
There isn’t much advice out there on killing wisteria in an environmentally sound manner.  Most experts recommend cutting it away from the trees to which it attaches itself, leaving about one foot of the stump above ground.  Rough up the bark of the stump; then, very carefully, spray or paint vine killing poison onto the stump.  The vine will pull the liquid in and spread it far into its roots, slowing or stopping the spreading.  This will ONLY WORK DURING THE LATE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS when the vine is pulling in nutrients. 
If you repeat this process during the winter months for many years, you might eventually get ahead of the problem.  Your best strategy is to NEVER plant the stuff and spend some time researching all plants before putting them into the ground.  It could save you headaches and lost value on your home down the road!  Plant beautiful bulbs to enjoy in the spring - this is the time of year to do it!  Happy Holidays!

]]> 2010-12-15T20:36:57+00:00 I Hate Wisteria and Pondering New Year’s Resolutions http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/i_hate_wisteria_and_pondering_new_years_resolutions/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/i_hate_wisteria_and_pondering_new_years_resolutions/#When:23:30:48Z My brothers and I make New Year’s resolutions every year.  We think it’s healthy to evaluate ourselves annually and attempt positive changes - even modest ones can make a difference. I’ll discuss it next week in detail when I am prepared to declare which of my many environmental flaws I need to tweak.  In the meantime, let’s trash wisteria. For three week-ends in November, my husband and I worked very hard to eradicate the wisteria that has been consuming our property and taking on nightmare proportions.  Our wisteria isn’t that cute little stuff that winds around the mailbox post;  it is 8-10 inches in diameter and has grown 120’ into trees, bringing down and killing many of them.  We had to use a chain saw to cut it!  There are also hundreds of vines growing horizontally about 2” underground with large shoots running in every direction - and that is what worries me most…what we do not see.  We didn’t plant the wisteria but were left to deal with it and the damage is tragic to the native trees, plants and shrubs over two acres of land.  This photo is of just one of many vines we cut to keep it from killing the tree. There isn’t much advice out there on killing wisteria in an environmentally sound manner.  Most experts recommend cutting it away from the trees to which it attaches itself, leaving about one foot of the stump above ground.  Rough up the bark of the stump; then, very carefully, spray vine killing poison onto the stump.  The vine will pull the liquid in and spread it far into its roots, slowing or stopping the spreading.  This will ONLY WORK DURING THE LATE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS when the vine is pulling in nutrients.  If you repeat this process during the winter months for many years, you might eventually get ahead of the problem.  Your best strategy, however, is to NEVER plant the stuff.  Spend some time researching all plants before putting them into your hallowed ground.  It could save you headaches and lost value on your home down the road!  Plant beautiful bulbs to enjoy in the spring - this is the time of year to do it! My brothers and I make New Year’s resolutions every year.  We think it’s healthy to evaluate ourselves annually and attempt positive changes - even modest ones can make a difference. I’ll discuss it next week in detail when I am prepared to declare which of my many environmental flaws I need to tweak.  In the meantime, let’s trash wisteria.
For three week-ends in November, my husband and I worked very hard to eradicate the wisteria that has been consuming our property and taking on nightmare proportions.  Our wisteria isn’t that cute little stuff that winds around the mailbox post;  it is 8-10 inches in diameter and has grown 120’ into trees, bringing down and killing many of them.  We had to use a chain saw to cut it!  There are also hundreds of vines growing horizontally about 2” underground with large shoots running in every direction - and that is what worries me most…what we do not see.  We didn’t plant the wisteria but were left to deal with it and the damage is tragic to the native trees, plants and shrubs over two acres of land.  This photo is of just one of many vines we cut to keep it from killing the tree.
There isn’t much advice out there on killing wisteria in an environmentally sound manner.  Most experts recommend cutting it away from the trees to which it attaches itself, leaving about one foot of the stump above ground.  Rough up the bark of the stump; then, very carefully, spray vine killing poison onto the stump.  The vine will pull the liquid in and spread it far into its roots, slowing or stopping the spreading.  This will ONLY WORK DURING THE LATE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS when the vine is pulling in nutrients. 
If you repeat this process during the winter months for many years, you might eventually get ahead of the problem.  Your best strategy, however, is to NEVER plant the stuff.  Spend some time researching all plants before putting them into your hallowed ground.  It could save you headaches and lost value on your home down the road!  Plant beautiful bulbs to enjoy in the spring - this is the time of year to do it!

]]> 2010-12-14T23:30:48+00:00 Census for the birds… http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/census_for_the_birds/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/census_for_the_birds/#When:23:56:54Z This is the 111th year of the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count and, from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, many volunteers take part in the effort and post their results with the Audubon Society.  I decided to do it because our small property is filled with a variety of bird species because it offers two basic necessities - food and shelter.  Bird identification is not easy for the novice so I went to BassPro Outdoor World and bought a laminated card that identifies birds in the mid-Atlantic region.  Color photos and basic habitat info are included on the card and it, along with a pair of binoculars, help with the effort.  (It doesn’t hurt to have long-suffering husband with pencil and paper writing down your observations.)  What’s the point of counting birds?  Native bird species have been traveling to and from our area forever and are the “canary in the coal mine” when identifying environmental and habitat issues.  Identification also helps when habitat invasion from a rogue species threatens our native birds. As an example, Pennsylvania was surprised to find that “Baltimore” Orioles have been nesting in larger numbers in their state recently, suggesting that our state bird has moved north because it’s too warm for them in Maryland these days.  Also, local trends in bird populations can indicate habitat fragmentation or warn us of an immediate environmental threat, such as groundwater contamination or poisoning from use of pesticides - birds figure these things out fairly quickly. Why don’t you and your family take the challenge this year and count your birds?  Visit audubonsociety.org for more information. This is the 111th year of the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count and, from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, many volunteers take part in the effort and post their results with the Audubon Society.  I decided to do it because our small property is filled with a variety of bird species because it offers two basic necessities - food and shelter. 
Bird identification is not easy for the novice so I went to BassPro Outdoor World and bought a laminated card that identifies birds in the mid-Atlantic region.  Color photos and basic habitat info are included on the card and it, along with a pair of binoculars, help with the effort.  (It doesn’t hurt to have long-suffering husband with pencil and paper writing down your observations.) 
What’s the point of counting birds?  Native bird species have been traveling to and from our area forever and are the “canary in the coal mine” when identifying environmental and habitat issues.  Identification also helps when habitat invasion from a rogue species threatens our native birds. As an example, Pennsylvania was surprised to find that “Baltimore” Orioles have been nesting in larger numbers in their state recently, suggesting that our state bird has moved north because it’s too warm for them in Maryland these days.  Also, local trends in bird populations can indicate habitat fragmentation or warn us of an immediate environmental threat, such as groundwater contamination or poisoning from use of pesticides - birds figure these things out fairly quickly.
Why don’t you and your family take the challenge this year and count your birds?  Visit audubonsociety.org for more information.

]]> 2010-12-06T23:56:54+00:00 It’s Getting Crowded… http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/eco_alley/its_getting_crowded/ http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/its_getting_crowded/#When:00:53:01Z The world population is currently about 6.9 billion people - 60% live in Asia, 15% in Africa, 11% in Europe, 9% in Latin America/the Caribbean, 5% in North America, and about 1% live in Oceania.  In the early 1800s, upwards of 95% of Earth’s inhabitants lived in rural/farming areas and fed themselves but, by 2007, more than half the world’s population lived in urban areas.  By 2030, the population is estimated to be 8.5 billion, 60% of whom will be urban dwellers.  At current rates, Earth’s population will increase by 1.5 million people per week.  Maryland and Anne Arundel County’s population increases are dramatically increasing.  We’re a desirable place to live and draw people because of our many amenities.  My concern is that our infrastructure and resources will not be able to support that kind of population expansion.  Forget highways,schools and housing…will electricity and water/sewer capacity hold up under the pressure?  Expansion, development and growth are key words in every politician’s speech these day but can our resources support the demand?  Growth on this scale needs to be combined with consideration of our resources so we don’t crash under the weight of population overload. The world population is currently about 6.9 billion people - 60% live in Asia, 15% in Africa, 11% in Europe, 9% in Latin America/the Caribbean, 5% in North America, and about 1% live in Oceania.  In the early 1800s, upwards of 95% of Earth’s inhabitants lived in rural/farming areas and fed themselves but, by 2007, more than half the world’s population lived in urban areas.  By 2030, the population is estimated to be 8.5 billion, 60% of whom will be urban dwellers. 
At current rates, Earth’s population will increase by 1.5 million people per week.  Maryland and Anne Arundel County’s population increases are dramatically increasing.  We’re a desirable place to live and draw people because of our many amenities.  My concern is that our infrastructure and resources will not be able to support that kind of population expansion.  Forget highways,schools and housing…will electricity and water/sewer capacity hold up under the pressure? 
Expansion, development and growth are key words in every politician’s speech these day but can our resources support the demand?  Growth on this scale needs to be combined with consideration of our resources so we don’t crash under the weight of population overload.

]]> 2010-12-02T00:53:01+00:00