Oregon landowners ordered to restore stream bank on Rogue River

Robert and Marilyn Malloy must remove unauthorized fill material they placed along the bank of the Rogue River at their property in Eagle Point, Ore., according to a compliance order issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Rogue River is an important salmon-bearing river that supports a significant recreational fishing industry.

“The onus is on property owners to do their research and read the regulations,” said Tony Barber, EPA’s Oregon Operations Office Director. “The consequence of not doing so is too great: Our valuable water resources and wildlife are put at risk.”

The Malloys placed riprap, a material used to armor shorelines from waves and water erosion, along a 345 foot section of stream bank. The alleged activity was conducted in the spring of 2006 on their 63 acres of property without required Clean Water Act permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Rogue River is designated as critical habitat for threatened salmon species under the Endangered Species Act.

To read the rest of this story, click here.

Seattle steps up efforts to reduce sewer overflows to Puget Sound

The City of Seattle and King County have agreed to increase their efforts to protect Puget Sound from wastewater overflows during severe rainstorms, according to compliance orders issued today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA issued the orders to address violations of the two governments’ federal Clean Water Act wastewater discharge permits.

“We know that sewer overflows regularly deliver harmful pollution to Puget Sound,” said Michelle Pirzadeh, EPA’s Acting Regional Administrator in Seattle. “What we are requiring of the city and county is clear: They must take steps to reduce the volume and frequency of overflows. We must make sure our treatment plants are doing their best to reduce the amount of untreated wastewater entering Puget Sound waters.”

Seattle and King County have combined sewer systems, which carry wastewater and storm water to a sewage treatment plant before being discharged into a nearby water body. During heavy rainstorms, these systems can exceed their capacity and overflow. The extra water gets piped or pumped, with little or no treatment, directly into Puget Sound-area waters.

To read the rest of this story from the EPA, click here.

Young adults waste the most energy and water

A study of 2,000 people in the United Kingdom has concluded that young adults—ages 18 to 24—are the worst offenders when it comes to wasting energy and water.

This goes against conventional wisdom that suggests young people are the most interested age group in environmental activism and the best potential market for green businesses.

Fifty-six percent of young adult respondents admitted to leaving the tap running while brushing their teeth, and 40 percent said they turn the shower on a few minutes before getting in. These numbers are higher than the percentages of all respondents, but I wonder if it could be in part because younger people are more likely to answer the survey more factually than older respondents (just a guess)?

One of the conclusions of the study was that businesses would be wise to not assume that younger people will be automatically engaged in green business movements. This is similar to the idea that young people are "engaged" in politics, but often do not turn out to vote on election days, making it risky for politicians to rely on young voters to get elected.

Bottled water is bad for the environment and your body as well

The amount of bottled water people are consuming has more than doubled in the last 10 years. Producers of the products claim that the water is cleaner, more pure, and better for you. Well, in many cases, they are flat out misleading consumers.

The fact of the matter is that bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has much weaker restrictions and regulations on water than the EPA. The EPA regulates all tap water in the U.S. and has very strict rules in place to keep the water contaminant-free. Basically, the FDA doesn't have the funding, the authority, or the staffing necessary to regulate the water as much as they should. In fact, bottled water providers are not even required to test for contaminants in their products, and if they do test and find that their water violates drinking water standards, they don't even have to report this to the FDA.

In addition to the health concerns with bottled water, the environmental impact of the bottles is substantial. Most bottles are made out of petroleum and require a substantial amount of energy to produce, store, and transport. And, after they are consumed, only 20 percent of the bottles end up being recycled.

So, the next time you think about buying bottled water, buy yourself a stainless steel water bottle (because it won't leech chemicals like a plastic one will), and drink water from the tap. It'll keep both your body and the environment safer. Not to mention that it will save you a good chunk of change.

If you'd like more info on the health and environmental concerns involved with bottled water, check out this story from The Daily Green.

Global warming promotes weed growth

An interesting note for those of you who garden or pay particular attention to your lawns: As the earth gets warmer, the climate becomes better for those pesky weeds that try to take over your gardens and lawns.

Researchers at UC-Irvine tested this by planting test lawns in varying temperatures. The researchers found that weeds, such as crabgrass and Bermuda grass, grow much better in warmer conditions because they grow more quickly than other plans, meaning they get to the resources first. Obviously, this takes nutrients away from the plants that you want to grow well in your gardens or lawns.

For more info on this, check out this story from The San Francisco Chronicle.

U.S. agriculture secretary calls for more forest conservation

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the country needs to spend more resources managing and protecting its forests in remarks he gave in a speech today in Seattle.

Vilsack said that protecting the forest has a number of environmental and economic benefits, including creating jobs, combating climate change, and conserving water. Climate change has largely been cited as a reason for the increase of in the number of catastrophic wild fires seen in the western half of the U.S. And, as more forests are destroyed, climate change only gets worse in a seemingly endless cycle.

Vilsack's plan calls for the government to create green jobs that restore forests, so the forests can be used as "carbon sinks" to lessen the impact emissions have on global warming.

For more info on what Vilsack had to say, check out this story from The Boston Globe.

Nike and Coke pledge to improve sustainability of supply chains

Shoe manufacturer Nike and soft drink giant Coca Cola have often been criticized for the environmental impact of their supply chains. However, it seems like both companies are turning over a new leaf in the interest of becoming more eco-friendly.

Similar to other shoe manufacturers, Nike's supply chain has been shown to do significant damage to Amazon rain forest. By July 1, 2010, the company plans to make all Brazilian hide suppliers (the leather used to make their shoes) certify that their cattle are raised on land that is not cleared rain forest.

Meanwhile, Coke has pledged to be more "water neutral" than it has been in the past. The company has been accused by many environmental groups of creating water shortages in developing countries around the world. However, the company has pledged to return as much water as it uses to the water supply in these countries.

For more info on the supply chain changes at Nike and Coke, check out this story from Business Green.