The Annual Baltimore Waterkeeper Trash bash is this Saturday at Nick’s Cafe in Baltimore. Last year it was a blast and they are cranking it up this year even more. Should be quite the party! Come join us!
More info at: http://www.baltimorewaterkeeper.org/events/upcoming-events/
Unbelievable accident in Shanghai illustrates the value of having a geotech on the design and construction team.
Link to full story with more photos: Entire New 13-Story Building Tips Over
Our vac crew got a little artsy in DC yesterday…
After visiting the Scottsdale area recently, we were struck by the incredible development and population in an area that has very little water. Irrigated golf courses everywhere? Really? While we’re sure it has been considered a marvel of engineering and mankind’s triumph over nature to be able to support such infrastructure in the middle of the desert, in the terms of this millennium’s trends (ie sustainablilty), it seems quite bizarre. That we are from the wet east coast no doubt plays into this observation.
Nonetheless, the following article points out the challenges of over-development in arid areas and the folly in some water politics. That rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse is illegal in some areas illustrates the crazy misguided politics. Seems to be pretty much the opposite of sustainability at the most basic level.
Lake Mead Is Drying Up | GOOD.
Arid dwellers, do comment to share your perspective.
Plastic Bags Suck.
When we maintain stormwater management systems one of the most common things we find are plastic shopping bags. The amount of bags that are in stormwater systems, and therefore streams and the natural environment is amazing.
Our friends at the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper pose the question – why not ban them? Especially if they can ban them in Mexico City. Read Eliza’s post : Mexico City bans plastic bags… why can’t Baltimore? | Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper.
Further surfing finds quite a few others pondering the question. Here is something from Portland… and there are many more out there….
Maybe a federal move makes sense. Hello? President Obama? How’s that new EPA shaping up?
Shopping Bags in an Underground SWM Facility
We suspect it is only the beginning to the outrage taking place…
The dam failure of 2008 is evolving into an environmental debacle. TVA seems to be showing its true colors – which appear to be the opposite of green. We have to wonder where the EPA is as TVA permits continuing pollution to occur. Grey blood in the river….
Appalachian Voices and the Waterkeeper Alliance have paddled up to the site – check the video:
Stormwater Mag has a new article on SWM Maintenance. Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs | stormh2o.com. Much to be said on this topic…. It is amazing that millions (billions???) of dollars of infrastructure goes in the ground and a small portion of it is maintained. … which results in increased pollution. It is the hidden pollution source of stormwater. Of course, we are a bit jaded, ’cause SWMaintenance is one of the things we do.
Our Stormwater Maintenance inspection crew happened upon this slope erosion in a stormwater management retention facility in Northern Virginia last month:
Nothing spectacular…. just another gully… with some neat autumn foliage….
Until the zoom into the material that was eroding. That’s about the coolest soil profile I’ve seen in awhile. Amazing what nature has hidden for us out there….
An impressive series of video from Vice TV on the garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific.
It is all about PLASTICS. We pull a lot of it from stormwater facilities we maintain. Too bad the majority in the world is missed.
Twelve parts to this series, so it is a time committment. Start the story here.
Short on time? Skip to their arrival at the patch in part 9 here.
Shanghai
