Buffer Zones, Great for Us and Wildlife

Plant Blue Flag Iris and native grasses to filter water run off.

“Our water belongs to all of us!” Governor Mark Dayton of Minnesota

To improve water quality in our yards and along lakes and streams we need to slow water down and keep it on our property. This helps to keep chemicals and sediment on our properties instead of washing away. Native plants and buffer strips would be a great start to improve water run-off.

This is a post about the need to improve farm water run-off.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has proposed vigorous legislation that has farm groups upset. Unfortunately, when the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, agriculture was not included, and feel any regulation of their water run off is an unfair burden. Somehow farm groups miss the point that all our communities are required to spend millions of dollars to keep our drinking water, rivers and lakes clean. Farm run-off has a pass.

I have written on these pages before of my disappointment of Minnesota to enforce their buffer zones laws. Minnesota’s Governor Dayton has proposed stiffer enforcement to get land owners to comply and install buffers. This is a win-win for the people of Minnesota, the Mississippi River, Minnesota’s over 10,000 lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. It could create fabulous habitat for Minnesota’s butterflies, birds, bees, and all wildlife.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/299464721.html Buffer strips are a call for clean water

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/buffers/index.html

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/11/buffer-strips

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/288891021.html Tougher standards needed to protect our waters.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/288941071.html by Dennis Anderson

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/289518611.html Buffer strips protect water and habitat

Fishing Opener a BIG Deal

Double Crested Cormorant — Double-Crested Cormorant

Saturday, May 9, is Minnesota’s fishing opener, and is an exciting time for sportsmen. Minnesota, the state of over 10,000 lakes, works draws people from all over the country for this big day. The state even kills the sleek black cormorants to protect the ability to fish walleye. See the story below:

walleye

The irony to me is we shoot beautiful birds for individuals to fish, but are unable to regulate harmful farm run off. Chemicals that are harmful to people, fish and other wildlife! Half the lakes and rivers in southern Minnesota are too polluted much of the time for safe swimming and fishing. Story below: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/301702651.html

Farmers under the Clean Water Act are not regulated like every other community and industry. Farmers should have to meet the same water pollution standards as everyone else. The taxpayers in Des Moines, Iowa and communities in Minnesota need to spend millions to make their water safe to drink because of nitrates from farm run off in their drinking water: http://www.npr.org/2015/04/07/398123397/iowa-water-lawsuit-calls-some-farming-practices-into-question Iowa’s largest water utility is suing county boards for polluting rivers the city uses for drinking water. At the heart of the fight is whether or not farmers should be forced to comply with federal water quality standards. What do you think?

Is farm run off harming this beautiful lake?

Please Keep Leaves Out of the Street

Please Keep our Water Healthy

It has been a marvelous fall for both colors and weather, and now the clean up of falling leaves begins. Please DO NOT put your leaves in the street. It is hard work bagging up leaves, but leaves washing down the into the storm drains pollute the lakes and streams. Help keep the water we have as clean as we can. Many would give a lot to have our colorful leaves, lakes, and clean water! Also, leaves and trash can plug the drainage systems so the water will not drain from our streets.

Below is the City of Minneapolis Code on leaves:

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, Title 17:

427.270. – Leaves, grass on streets.

No person shall leave, or cause to be placed, any leaves, grass clippings or other organic debris on or along any public street or alley. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 583.380; Ord. of 6-14-74, § 1)

https://www.municode.com/library/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT17STSI_CH427INGE_427.270LEGRST

China Exports Pollution

Earlier this year as I read about China’s pollution problems I thought, “They are polluted because they make products for the United States!” We have exported our jobs, manufacturing and pollution, and some of that pollution is finding its way back across the Pacific Ocean.

There is evidence that China is exporting pollution from their manufacturing back to the United States. China has lax manufacturing standards in every area and now their extreme carbon pollution is crossing the Pacific Ocean to pollute California, Oregon and Washington State.

What about products made in India? Experts have long known that India’s air is among the worst in the world. A recent analysis by Yale researchers found that seven of the 10 countries with the worst air pollution exposures are in South Asia.

Carbon Pollution is a global issue. There are many things you can do and shopping for American made products is one of those things. Buying USA made is green and creates needed jobs here in our own country. I have been trying to do this for over 20 years and it is tough, but I feel better about my purchases. Yes, sometimes it is impossible, but consumer demand can bring some of those jobs and products home.

Below is a post from Todd Lipscomb from www.madeinusaforever.com

“According to a recent study, up to 25% of air pollution on the West Coast is floating over from China. Sadly, we’re directly responsible for much of that pollution. The study tied a significant amount of Chinese pollution to the production of goods for export to the United States and other countries.

Of course, the pollution we now know is drifting to our coast comes on top of the pollutants actually in the products themselves and the huge amount of pollution cargo container ships create. According to other studies, the largest 15 cargo container ships create more pollution than all the cars in the world combined, due to the nearly unrefined fuel they burn.

I saw firsthand in China that environmental laws are much less stringent and often ignored completely. Walking outside, the air was so thick it was like I was smoking cigarettes 24/7. In spite of the occasional PR push by Chinese government authorities, the pollution situation just continues to get worse there.

However, “there” is not as far away as it may seem. Sure they are seeing the worst of it, but there is no doubt that pollution is affecting us here the USA as well. In fact, experts already estimate that Los Angeles experiences at least one extra day per year of smog exceeding safe ozone levels because of pollution from China.”

www.madeinusaforever.com

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/21/china-pollution-pacific-us-smog

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/world/asia/beijings-air-would-be-step-up-for-smoggy-delhi.html?_r=0

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/study-pollution-from-chinese-factories-is-harming-air-quality-on-us-west-coast/2014/01/21/225e9b1e-8281-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9_story.html

Other American product sites:

http://bgreenapparel.com/

http://www.earthcreations.net/

http://tesoromio.org/

http://www.doitgreen.org/

http://www.mygreenhome.co/

http://www.mossenvy.com/

http://footvote.com/