Endangered Species Act: one more shot at weakening it

From time to time, I bring up political issues that are affecting the environment but I always do so reluctantly. I have this naive need to mobilize the general populace, hoping that our leadership will respond to the will of the people. But sometimes the machinations of the political machine must be pointed out. The Endangered Species Act is one of the foundations of our national environmental policy but it is under attack from the outgoing administration. One of the key provisions of the act is the requirement that any federal agency wishing to take action that may impact a protected species must first consult with federal wildlife scientists to ensure their actions will not have any negative effects. In essence, this independent review prevents the foxes from guarding the hen house.

The current administration has proposed changing this requirement, allowing federal agencies to consult with themselves and not with the independent scientific reviewers. In 2003, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management tried this approach and the end result, according to the departments of Interior and Commerce, was that they made the wrong call 62% of the time.

The current administration has made several attempts to undermine various environmental policies and procedures (see previous postings on July 9th and July 14th). And in this case, the executive branch can make the change without congressional approval. But . . . congress controls the purse strings to implement the changes. If you are one who is proactive enough to write or email your congressional leaders, be sure to make them aware of this potential change in the Endangered Species Act and urge them to not appropriate the funds for its implementation.

Biodegradable Trash: fact or fiction?

There are many issues that need to be addressed when it comes to conservation. Not sure where to start? Well, try starting with the basics: trash. As a diver, I've had the opportunity to dive in some marvelous locales, but even in the most remote of them, I can come across man's needless neglect of trash. Ocean currents can carry trash thousands of miles away - and even so-called biodegradable trash can leave its imprint over vast distances.

Here are some lifespan figures for several biodegradable items, according to the Bureau of Land Management:

• Paper: 2-4 Weeks
• Banana Peel: 3-5 Weeks
• Wool Cap: 1 Year
• Cigarette Butt: 2-5 Years
• Disposable Diaper: 10-20 Years
• Hard Plastic Container: 20-30 Years
• Rubber Boot Sole: 50-80 Years
• Tin Can: 80-100 Years
• Aluminum Can: 200-400 Years
• Plastic 6-pack Holder: 450 Years
• Glass Bottles: Lots and Lots of Years.

But there's a catch to this: biodegradability depends on how the item is stored. In a compost heap, the trash is exposed to microorganisms, bacteria and heat which aid in the process of breaking the material down. But in many landfills, the trash is not exposed to these elements (read Slate article) and can last much, much longer.

It gets even worse at sea, whether floating on the surface or submerged. It has been estimated that there are as much as 45,000 pieces of plastic for every square mile of ocean. There are places at sea where ocean currents cause floating trash to condense into huge, floating mats.

So, step one: put trash where it belongs, in the trash can or proper recycling bin. Don't throw it into the streets (where it ends up in the storm drains which lead straight to the sea) or leave it on the beach.

Already knew this? Good. Now tell your friends. That trash is coming from somewhere.