Category Archives: environment

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Mississippi River saltwater intrusion threatens Louisiana drinking water – The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/29/saltwater-intrusion-louisiana-drinking-water/

“Pipes carrying sediment crisscross the Mississippi River where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is building an underwater sill with mud that should slow the flow of salt water up the river. (Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate/AP)

For weeks now, a mass of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico has infiltrated the drought-stricken Mississippi River. The situation is threatening drinking water supplies, causing angst among farmers who rely on the river for irrigation and posing risks to infrastructure.”

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Researchers make disturbing discovery while analyzing samples taken from the Great Lakes: ‘We know we are being exposed’

https://news.yahoo.com/researchers-disturbing-discovery-while-analyzing-180000157.html The highest levels are found in tributaries leading to the lakes or around major cities like Chicago and Toronto.

“The Guardian reported that a recent peer-reviewed paper from the University of Toronto found that nearly 90% of water samples taken from the Great Lakes over the last 10 years contain levels of microplastics unsafe for wildlife.

What’s happening? 

Our planet is riddled with plastic pollution. Plastics take ages to break down, and as they do, they create microplastics — tiny particles less than five millimeters (about 0.2 inches) in length.

Of the samples taken and analyzed from the Great Lakes, about 20% are at the highest level of risk.” Keep reading…

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NYTimes: Judge Rules in Favor of Montana Youths in Landmark Climate Case

Judge Rules in Favor of Montana Youths in Landmark Climate Case https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/montana-youth-climate-ruling.html?smid=nytcore-android-share

“The court found in a landmark case that the state’s failure to consider climate change when evaluating new projects was causing harm.”

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Cold rain and snow

What is your favorite type of weather?

Love the winters here in NY. I am a weather junkie. Always have been. Growing up in Memphis on the Mississippi River, weather was always happening. Mostly remember the hot wet summers but we would also get ice in the winter or spring. Maybe even a snow! Here in NY, the Catskill Mountains, on top of Old Clump, winter, fall, spring and summer are magical. Seems like it snows every day in the winter. This year. January was whether dry but END OF January and March have made up for it. We have a micro environment here. We get the end of the “Lake effect” snow and more. More rain and ice this year. Climate change is noticeable. Can’t deny it. Will see what spring and summer brings.

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Victory for spotted owl as Trump-era plan to reduce habitat is struck down

Revisiting the spotted owl.. started it all… good news but not enough

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/09/biden-trump-plan-northern-spotted-owl-habitat?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

“We’re glad the Biden administration repealed the ridiculous and politically driven decision to strip 3m acres from the spotted owl’s critical habitat” said Noah Greenwald, the endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It needs all the habitat it can get if it’s going to make it.” But, he called the exclusions that remain, “disappointing”.

“The Biden administration is condoning the cutting of old growth forests on BLM land,” he said. “It is definitely not what the owl needs and it’s not what our climate needs.”