California Marine Plastic Pollution Policy Tangled Up in Committee

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California Marine Plastic Pollution Policy Tangled Up in Committee

By Leila Monroe

Last Friday, members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee stopped Assembly Bill 521—a groundbreaking proposal to create a statewide marine plastic pollution producer responsibility program—from moving forward in the legislature. This is a missed opportunity to better protect our oceans, marine life, economy and communities from costly and harmful marine plastic pollution, but we are undeterred in our support for the solutions presented in this bill. We will continue to work to advance this program, and we are grateful for the strong leadership of authors Assembly Member Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) and Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego).

According to an Associated Press story carried by the Washington Post and other outlets, Assembly Member Stone described the value of the marine plastic pollution producer responsibility program:

Cities and counties spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year cleaning up plastic trash that is on its way into the ocean. Isn’t an increased cost tied to making a new product that is causing a problem better than a taxpayer paying for it after it becomes a problem?

This program would have encouraged industry to reduce the amount of plastic it produces (especially single-use packaging) and share the costs of cleaning up what remains. By doing so, it would protect California’s ocean, beaches and communities from plastic pollution and reduce costly waste management, litter cleanup and recycling. In its 2008 report, CalRecycle estimated that Californians dump 3.8 million tons of plastic into state landfills every year—plastic that could be recycled or avoided all together.

California’s ocean and coastal tourism and leisure industries generated $92 million in GDP for the state in 2010 and supported 1.9 million jobs. By reducing plastic pollution, birds, turtles, whales and other sea creatures are also better protected from the waste that often kills or harms marine life when they swallow or become tangled in plastics found in our oceans that may kill them. This economic activity is dependent on a healthy and thriving ocean and marine life in order to succeed.

Read more at: http://ecowatch.com/2013/california-plastic-pollution-policy-tangled-up-committee/

Responsible Gold Mining & Sustainable Development

Responsible gold mining & how can it aid sustainable development? – podcast

Sue George, The Guardian UK

Three key figures from the gold industry discuss the role of the Conflict-Free Gold Standard in ensuring responsible mining and explore whether it is achieving what it set out to do.  

 

Copyright Adriane Ohanesian/Reuters

 This Sustainable Business podcast on responsible mining looks at the implications of the Conflict-Free Gold Standard. Among the other issues it considers are the contribution of gold to development; the role of small-scale, or artisanal, miners; the role of legislation in ensuring gold is mined responsibly; the complementary roles of companies and governments; and the contributions of consumers, shareholders and investors.

On the podcast discussing the Standard and its role in responsible gold mining are Terry Heymann, director, Responsible Gold, at the World Gold Council; Ruth Crowell, deputy chief executive at the London Bullion Market Association and Sophia Pickles, campaigner at NGO Global Witness.

Gold is one of the world's most valuable and desirable commodities. Despite the recent slump in gold prices – after a long period of growth – it remains one of the most significant sources of revenue for many countries. Gold is also used in a wide range of applications from technology to health to currency; 60% of gold is turned into jewellery.


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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/responsible-gold-mining-sustainable-development-podcast

Sick Turtle Treated After Eating Plastic

Source: http://m.guardiannews.com/world/video/2013/may/25/turtle-released-florida-keys-video

 
Comment:

Mining for gold takes a toll on the environment in many ways. While clean up efforts at abandoned mines remain a problem, the effects of gold mining on air, water and soil at active mine sites need to be monitored closely.

Air pollution is created in several ways. One is from the road traffic near the mines where heavy trucks carrying waste and ore generate large amounts of dust. Daily traffic is enough to cause severe air pollution in mining areas. The smelting process used to refine the ore releases lead into the air creating even more problems.

Water is polluted through a process called leaching where ore is removed from the waste using cyanide. Although the cyanide is supposed to be collected in contained reservoirs it is not difficult to imagine that unless strict controls are in place, the run-off finds its way into water systems in the mining area. To make matters worse, some mine owners intentionally dispose of waste into nearby water systems.

Gold mining leaves many toxins in the soil that create health hazards for humans and animals for years to come. Heavy metals and other toxins remain in the soil for many decades making soil pollution a major issue in mining areas.

While it is good news that authorities in Chile have fined Barrick Gold for environmental offences at the Pascua-Lama mine, the long-term damage is yet to be known.

Chile fines Barrick Gold $16m for Pascua-Lama mine

Chilean authorities have fined the world's largest gold mining company, Barrick Gold Corp, more than $16m for environmental offences.   

Construction at the Pascua-Lama mine, on the border with Argentina, has been suspended until a system to contain contaminated water is put in place. 

The news led to share trading in the Canadian-owned company being halted in New York and Toronto after a sell-off. But activists complained that the fine was only 0.1% of the total operation.

"The resolution is convenient to the offender, a derisive fine for a company such as Barrick Gold," Greenpeace said on a statement.

Despite criticism, the government said the fine was the highest possible under Chilean law.

'No environmental damage' 

The environmental authorities said the mining company committed four "serious" and one "very serious" offences. The latter was a commitment made by Barrick Gold to put in place water treatment systems to contain contaminated waste water and to prevent rainwater contamination.

The company itself reported its shortcomings to the environmental authorities, which led to an investigation. Barrick Gold Corp acknowledged the failures and promised to work on solutions.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22663432 

Ocean Plastic? The Solution Starts on Land

The goods news about the possibility of collecting the tons of plastic polluting the world's waters with the Ocean Cleanup Array was welcomed by many.

Not so fast, says Stiv Wilson of 5 Gyres.

"There are no great estimates (at least scientific) on how much plastic is in the ocean, but I can say from firsthand knowledge (after sailing to four of the world’s five gyres) that it’s so pervasive it confounds the senses. Gyre cleanup has often been floated as a solution in the past, and recentlyBoyan Slat’s proposed Ocean Cleanup Array went viral in a big way. The nineteen-year-old claims that the system can clean a gyre in five years with “unprecedented efficiency” and then recycle the trash collected. The problem is that the barriers to gyre cleanup are so massive that the vast majority of the scientific and advocacy community believe it’s a fool’s errand—the ocean is big, the plastic harvested is near worthless and sea life would be harmed. The solutions starts on land."

Photo: Stiv Wilson 5 Gyres

Read more at EcoWatch: http://ecowatch.com/2013/fallacy-cleaning-gyres-of-plastic-with-ocean-cleanup-array/

Connect with 5 Gyres: http://5gyres.org/

If a Monkey Can, Why Can't We?

Click the video to see what the monkey does. Amazing!

The Ghost Below - Art Exhibit

Dive deep into the issues of ocean trash with a tale 

from the belly of a whale!

Artists Richard and Judith Lang have created an art experience from one unsuspecting whale’s deathly meals! This hulking and thought-provoking sculpture, made from a portion of the 450lbs of "ghost nets" and trash found in the belly of a dead sperm whale necropsied by The Marine Mammal Center, is just one heartbreaking tale of what can happen to marine life when humans set their garbage adrift. You’ll see, touch, learn and be inspired to make the ocean a healthier place for all.

The Ghost Below

Art Installation by Judith & Richard Lang

At The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, CA

Netting collected from the Pacific Gyre by members of Project Kaisei 

© The Marine Mammal Center

The word “ghost” in the exhibit title was inspired by the ghost nets which are lost or discarded at sea by the fishing industry and left to float aimlessly in the oceans for a lifetime. Birds, fish, crabs and marine mammals get caught in this silent floating debris and are lost in what is called “ghost fishing.” It is estimated that ghost nets account for approximately 10% of all marine debris.

Read more: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/Get-Involved/events/ghost-below.html

A Message From Greenpeace

Look what's happening in India...

Source: Greenpeace International

China Finds Dead Ducks in Sichuan River

In more bad news out of China today we have learned through a Bloomberg report that more than 1000 dead ducks have been discovered in the Nanhe River in Sichuan.  

This news, along with the recent discovery of over 16,000 dead pigs in a Shanghai river, have drawn attention to China's food supply industry and brought about concerns for the country's drinking water supply system.

At last count there were more than 16,000 dead pigs found in a river near Shanghai, China. According to Business Insider, we may finally know the story behind the dead pigs:

While pig breeders in China are legally barred from sending pigs that die from disease or natural causes to butchers, estimates suggest that dead pigs being sold on the black market might make up to 10 percent of China's pork supply, the South China Morning Post reports.

In an interview with China's CCTV this week, Pan Huimin, a resident of the region where the pigs were first found, told the crew there was a “100 per cent” correlation between the pigs in the river and his own arrest for dealing in dead pigs.

Pan explained that his business was well-known in the region. “I managed [to get rid of the dead pigs] for them while they benefited financially too," he explained.

What appears to have happened is that farmers, perhaps accustomed to keeping pigs that died naturally to sell later, may have panicked upon hearing of Pan's arrest and dumped the pigs. At least one farmer has come forward to admit to dumping the pigs so far.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-dead-pig-trade-2013-3#ixzz2OgBWhpSZ


Source: Business Insider - Dead Pigs in China

Source: Latest Environmental Scare in China

The Last Ocean

Via EcoWatch: 

Have you ever heard of the Ross Sea? No? Well, not many people have and that’s a good thing. The Ross Sea is located about 2,500 miles south of New Zealand on the shores of Antarctica and is considered to be the most pristine marine ecosystem on the planet, teeming with life and untouched by humankind. One of the coldest spots in the world, the mesmerizing Ross Sea provides a unique opportunity for marine biologists and scientists to study an intact thriving ecosystem. However, the secret is getting out and THE LAST OCEAN is a documentary chronicling a team of dedicated scientists as they fight to protect the sea from international fishing fleets searching for the elusive and tasty toothfish. The stakes are high as we’re losing the toothfish rapidly, and that could have a lasting effect on not just the Ross Sea ecosystem, but also the entire planet. Educational and exquisite, THE LAST OCEAN puts the audience right next to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to fighting governments, industry, and public awareness, all to save the living laboratory that is Earth’s last ocean.

This film is showing at the CIFF at Tower City Cinemas, 230 W Huron Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44113 on: 

Saturday, April 6 at 8:50 p.m.
Sunday, April 7 at 1:55 p.m.

Movie trailer: The Last Ocean

Source: EcoWatch

A Message From Greenpeace

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GreenpeaceInternational/posts

Article: Low water levels bedevil Great Lakes harbors

This article appeared in USA Today, March 17, 2013:

By Judy Keen

Communities and businesses all along the coasts of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are wishing for rain as record-low water levels threaten the region's economic stability.

NEW BUFFALO, Mich. — This town has 1,884 residents and almost 1,000 boat slips filled by summer visitors, so low water levels in Lake Michigan threaten its economic stability and its identity as "the heart of harbor country."

No wonder Jim Oselka, who runs Oselka Marina, a family business founded here in 1957,says, "Every time I see it raining, I'm like 'Yes!' "

The water lapping against the marina's 150 boat slips is 15 inches lower than it was a year ago, forcing Oselka to consider dredging for the first time since the 1960s. He has to have enough clearance to accommodate sailboats with 5-foot keels.

"I'm anticipating a good season. And I'm hoping and praying that water levels have hit their low, and they're going to go back the other way," Oselka says.That wish is shared by communities and businesses all along the coasts of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, which set record lows in January and are expected to stay 2 feet below long-term averages at least through August. Blame the extended drought and hot weather that speeds evaporation, says Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of watershed hydrology for the Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit district.

The mean water level in January was 576.02 feet above sea level, he says, breaking the previous record of 576.05 in March 1964. The corps started keeping records in 1918.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/17/great-lakes-harbors-low-water/1992719/

Water Environment Federation

I couldn't bear to leave the story about the dead pigs in the river near Shanghai on the top of my blog, so I'm posting something else instead.

Just discovered this website for Water Environment Federation at http://www.wef.org/

The site features areas for a campaign called Water's Worth It, a WaterBlog, as well as a Work For Water section, and more.

Visit the site today...lots of great articles, info, and discussion forums can be found.

6000 Dead Pigs Found in Shanghai River

Officials in Shanghai, China have confirmed that 6000 dead pigs have been recovered from the river that runs through the center of the city and that they expect to find more carcasses according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.  

Following the discovery of the dead pigs the Shanghai Daily newspaper reported that no pollution had been found in the city’s drinking water, however later reports indicated that a water sample was found to contain a porcine circovirus. According to the World Health Organization, the circovirus does not pose a threat to human health.

Chinese officials believe the pigs were dumped in the river by “pig farms in Zhejiang's Jiaxing City.” Forty-six people from the area have been imprisoned for selling the meat from diseased pigs.  

The government has assured residents that their drinking water is safe, but not everyone accepts that declaration. Residents took to China’s microblog service, Sina Weibo to express their disbelief.

Blogger @_Nina_Burbage posted this comment: “Since apparently, the water has not been contaminated, big leaders, please go ahead and have the first drink.”

Source: http://qz.com/61280/2800-dead-pigs-just-another-example-of-the-waste-that-pollutes-chinas-waterways/