Current Presidential Administration Says it Promises to Facilitate Access to Clean Water for All Americans-

In what seems like a last ditch effort to gain popularity for the upcoming election, President Obama and his administration have released a national clean water plan which promises to stringently protect America’s water supplies. The plan highlights the importance of partnerships and coordination with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public to protect health and water quality, as well as to promote the nation’s energy and economic security. ”The steps we’re outlining today will be instrumental to protecting the waters of the United States, and ensuring that the vital natural resources our communities depend on for their health and their economy are safeguarded for generations to come,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “After four decades of progress on clean water, there is still work to be done to address unfinished business and tackle new threats to our waters. American families and businesses are counting on us to maintain and improve the rivers, lakes, streams and other waters that support thousands of communities and millions of jobs across the country.” It should be noted that oil and gas exploration companies are exempt from adhering to the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and without regulations for those major polluters there is really no guarantee that American’s will have permanent access to safe drinking water. Thanks to natural gas fracking companies, many people in the state of Pennsylvania (and elsewhere) have had to deal with groundwater so toxic that they cannot even shower in it. According to its press release, the White House is working to protect America’s waters by:

Promoting Innovative Partnerships- Federal agencies are partnering with states, tribes, local governments and diverse stakeholders on innovative approaches to restore urban waters, promote sustainable water supplies, and develop new incentives for farmers to protect clean water.

Supporting Science to Solve Water Problems- The administration is using the latest science and research to improve water policies and programs and identify and address emerging pollution challenges.

More information and to read the Obama administration’s clean water framework by visiting WhiteHouse.gov.

Dangerous Levels of Methylmercury Found in Every Fish Examined from 291 U.S. Freshwater Streams-


According to recent U.S. scientific research covering 291 freshwater streams throughout the country, analysts discovered mercury contamination in every fish out of hundreds, with more than a quarter of these fish containing concentrations of mercury levels exceeding standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the protection of individuals who eat average quantities of fish. Additionally, more than two-thirds exceeded the EPA-set level of concern for fish eating mammals. “This study shows just how widespread mercury pollution has become in our air, watersheds, and many of our fish in freshwater streams,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement. The toxic substance enters the atmosphere due to air pollution caused by industrial emissions, and falls back into the surface through rainfall and coarse matter carried over long stretches. The primary source of atmospheric mercury has found to be coal-fired power plants, accordant with EPA research.

In the latest study, some of the highest levels of the contaminant were found in the coastal “blackwater” streams of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana; somewhat primitive regions surrounded by rich forests and wetlands. A hydrologist from the U.S. Geological Survey, Barbara Scudder, stresses that the characteristics of the area, by some means, develops the adaptation of mercury from its inorganic form in the environment to a more toxic, organic form – methylmercury – accounting for roughly 95 percent of the mercury found in fish. “Just as there are members of the human population, such as children and developing babies, that are sensitive to the mercury that they get, there are some ecosystems that are also more susceptible to producing methylmercury,” she said. She went on to mention that high concentrations were uncovered in some streams in the West fed by areas where mining was prevalent, also divulging that researchers generally sampled about five fish per studied stream, focusing on larger species like largemouth bass since they are more toward the top of the in-stream food chain. She proposes consuming the smaller pan variety more often, such as perch, crappie or bluegill to avoid any issues with contamination. The EPA has also said this year that it plans to develop new regulations under the Clean Air Act to manage air emissions of mercury from coal-fired plants.

Green Shipping Partners with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to Certify Shipments as Carbon Neutral-


The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) has partnered with Green Shipping to offer an exceptional web service which enables both individuals and businesses to offset carbon emissions that are naturally discharged from utilizing their current shipping services. These days, shipping is certainly not green from any standpoint because of wasted paper, CO2 production from machinery, commercial trucks and other forms of transport – and, not to mention, much valued energy is consumed throughout the process. Greenshipping.com offers a simple solution to help mitigate global warming issues; by acquiring customer shipment tracking numbers that are given by FedEx, UPS and USPS, and analyzing the weight of the parcel, mode of transport and route of travel, they may accurately determine the greenhouse gas pollutants that are discharged because of each shipment. After the calculation, customers purchase carbon offset credits – which fund green energy projects and developments, as well as certify their packages as carbon neutral. Shippers that use the service regularly can set their user account to offset all shipments automatically, and participating businesses have the treat of carrying the GreenShipper logo on their websites, packages and invoices. There is also an iTrack module available to place on your website for easy customer tracking, enabling businesses to achieve more traffic and sales. Greenshipping.com is particularly unique in that it contributes customer payments toward renewable energy generation, methane capture and combustion, energy efficiency and reforestation development efforts.

Renewable energy generation efforts include development and utilization of wind energy, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass energy; vital for our nation’s future sustainability. Methane capture and combustion is also extremely crucial, as the global warming potential is 23 times that of carbon dioxide – so to burn and trap this potentially dangerous gas not only generates energy but also decreases greenhouse gas emissions by 96 percent. Energy efficiency, being one of the most cost effective methods to reduce carbon production, helps to broaden the use of emerging efficient technologies such as CFLs and LEDs, which aids Green Shipping to utilize less energy throughout the day. Reforestation efforts are unquestionably needed for offsetting carbon pollution and providing a sustainable future for the world, especially seeing that tropical deforestation accounts for a staggering 20 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Planting more trees helps to restore the earth’s natural balance, as trees and other plants absorb carbon during their photosynthesis process. The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, well-known for their efforts in developing and marketing emergent renewable technologies, has taken part in this extraordinary enterprise to offer its renewable energy certificates (RECs) and certified carbon offsets for the company to pass on to its customers. In addition to the assistance provided to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and development of new renewable energy facilities, the BEF also donates its proceeds to long-term watershed restoration and renewable energy education for students and communities throughout the country. With sustainable and renewable energy developments budding at such a swift rate, it is particularly inspirational to see these innovative and savvy concepts make their way to the mainstream.