US Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, announced on May 8, 2008, a final farm bill conference agreement with principal negotiators. A formal conference report will be prepared, and the bill will then be brought to the full Senate and House for approval.
The conference committee version of the bill has bipartisan support. However, the White House has threatened to veto the bill, to which Harkin comments, “Inexplicably, the White House seems intent on destroying the harvest just as the seeds are being planted.”
On conservation measures in the committee passed version of the bill, Harkin notes, “To meet soaring worldwide demand for food and energy crops, millions of new acres of land are being brought into production, including environmentally fragile land. To address this challenge, we authorize nearly $4.4 billion in additional funds for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program over the next 10 years. With this support, the Conservation Stewardship Program will enroll nearly 13 million acres each year.”
Friday, May 9, 2008
Role for Soils in Addressing Food Crisis
In a recent Associated Press article, Seth Borenstein writes that "Scientists say if they can get the world out of the economically triggered global food crisis, better dirt will be at the root of the solution."
Go here for the full story:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5je-IIw2AUKvMQyeu6XF1i6r88XDwD90HJ8QG0
Go here for the full story:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5je-IIw2AUKvMQyeu6XF1i6r88XDwD90HJ8QG0
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Environmental Award Given for High School Water Quality Work
The stream team of Reeds Spring High School in Missouri received the President's Youth Environmental Award for the second time. Four stream team members traveled to the White House to receive the award. This is the first time that any school has earned the award twice.
Each of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 10 regional offices annually selects a student between kindergarten through 12th grade to represent the region at the national awards ceremony in Washington, DC. To earn this privilege, the child must complete a project that helps protect the environment and teach others about conservation.
The stream team earned the award by researching and designing a project to analyze water quality. They collected samples and tested for fecal coliforms, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, benthic macroinvertebrates, and clarity. Students prepared maps, graphs, and spreadsheets to demonstrate their results during presentations to help the community learn about protecting its streams. The results of the water testing were also sent to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Each of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 10 regional offices annually selects a student between kindergarten through 12th grade to represent the region at the national awards ceremony in Washington, DC. To earn this privilege, the child must complete a project that helps protect the environment and teach others about conservation.
The stream team earned the award by researching and designing a project to analyze water quality. They collected samples and tested for fecal coliforms, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, benthic macroinvertebrates, and clarity. Students prepared maps, graphs, and spreadsheets to demonstrate their results during presentations to help the community learn about protecting its streams. The results of the water testing were also sent to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Rain Garden Construction to Filter Water at Monmouth University
A rain garden will be built on the West Long Branch campus of Monmouth University to help filter pollutants and sediment from the water. Besides purification of the water, this garden will also help keep the athletic field clean.
A rain garden is “"is a simple garden that is dug deep into the earth in order to filter out pollutants from the water and soil," Monmouth University student Jamie Kinard explained. Plants selected for the garden will be native vegetation that normally grows near waterways.
The rain garden is being funded by grants and donations. It will be created by CommunityWaterWatch members and student volunteers.
"Not many schools have them," Kinard said. "Our garden is meant as a demonstrative rain garden to show people how easy it is to help the environment."
A rain garden is “"is a simple garden that is dug deep into the earth in order to filter out pollutants from the water and soil," Monmouth University student Jamie Kinard explained. Plants selected for the garden will be native vegetation that normally grows near waterways.
The rain garden is being funded by grants and donations. It will be created by CommunityWaterWatch members and student volunteers.
"Not many schools have them," Kinard said. "Our garden is meant as a demonstrative rain garden to show people how easy it is to help the environment."
Upcoming SWCS Chapter Activities
GEORGIA: June 4 – 6
The annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is being planned jointly with the Georgia Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The meeting will be in Athens from 4-6 June 2008 under the theme “Meeting Together to Provide Solutions”. The meeting will comprise lecture sessions with optional poster sessions if there is an
overflow of lecture submissions. For more information contact: Gary Hawkins at Tel: 229-386-3914 or by Email: ghawkins@uga.edu OR Jim Kastner
Tel: 706-583-0155 or jkastner@engr.uga.edu
NEBRASKA: June 5-7, 2008
The Nebraska and Northeast Nebraska Chapters of the Soil & Water Conservation Society will be holding their annual state meeting in Holdrege, June 5-7, 2008. The meeting will focus on issues affecting central Nebraska, including water quantity, water conservation, and invasive species.
The first afternoon, presentations on invasive species will be held at the Nebraska Prairie Museum. Following dinner, a presentation on a nearby WWII POW camp will be made by museum staff, with plenty of time to view the museum exhibits. The second day will be at the Upper Room Restaurant, and will consist of water conservation topics, followed by a tour of invasive plant and water conservation projects. The annual SWCS banquet will be held that evening, followed by a chapter business meeting on Saturday. The registration deadline is May 22. The full agenda and registration form can be found at http://incolor.inetnebr.com/dougg/swcs/.
If you'd like to add an activity to this list, please post it in the comments section.
Additionally, there is an events calender at http://swcsnetwork.ning.com/
The annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is being planned jointly with the Georgia Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The meeting will be in Athens from 4-6 June 2008 under the theme “Meeting Together to Provide Solutions”. The meeting will comprise lecture sessions with optional poster sessions if there is an
overflow of lecture submissions. For more information contact: Gary Hawkins at Tel: 229-386-3914 or by Email: ghawkins@uga.edu OR Jim Kastner
Tel: 706-583-0155 or jkastner@engr.uga.edu
NEBRASKA: June 5-7, 2008
The Nebraska and Northeast Nebraska Chapters of the Soil & Water Conservation Society will be holding their annual state meeting in Holdrege, June 5-7, 2008. The meeting will focus on issues affecting central Nebraska, including water quantity, water conservation, and invasive species.
The first afternoon, presentations on invasive species will be held at the Nebraska Prairie Museum. Following dinner, a presentation on a nearby WWII POW camp will be made by museum staff, with plenty of time to view the museum exhibits. The second day will be at the Upper Room Restaurant, and will consist of water conservation topics, followed by a tour of invasive plant and water conservation projects. The annual SWCS banquet will be held that evening, followed by a chapter business meeting on Saturday. The registration deadline is May 22. The full agenda and registration form can be found at http://incolor.inetnebr.com/dougg/swcs/.
If you'd like to add an activity to this list, please post it in the comments section.
Additionally, there is an events calender at http://swcsnetwork.ning.com/
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Texas A&M University Makes Conservation a Priority
Despite steady growth, Texas A&M University has reduced its water and energy consumption. Since 1992, the university has decreased its total annual water consumption by 53%. Annual energy consumption has been reduced by 20% since 2003.
“Over the past decade, we have completely changed our way of thinking about water and energy efficiency,” says Jim Riley, Texas A&M director for utilities Jim. “Water and energy are precious resources, and even if they are available, we don’t want to use more than we have to.”
The energy and water reductions were achieved through both operational changes and improvements in the university’s facilities.
The reduction in energy use alone has reduced the university’s carbon footprint by 338 million pounds and saved the university approximately $50 million in energy costs.
To reduce water requirements, Texas A&M replaced plumbing fixtures with low-flow options, improved management of campus irrigation systems, and improved campus plumbing to minimize leaks and make them easier to fix.
Riley says, “With the new operational improvements, we do a much better job of preventing leaks, and when they do occur, we can isolate and repair them more promptly.”
The university also invites students to participate in its quest. The Office of Energy Management at Texas A&M includes an energy-saving tip in each day’s university e-mail news service. They also list energy tips on their Web site: http://energy.tamu.edu/.
Students also help reduce energy consumption by competing in the “Residence Hall Energy Challenge” between campus residence halls to find out which hall could produce the largest utilities reductions.
Despite success, Texas A&M is not done with energy and water conservation. Officials hope to further improve water efficiency by reusing water from its wastewater treatment plant. Reusing this water for non-potable systems would decrease the amount of water that must be pumped from the ground.
“Over the past decade, we have completely changed our way of thinking about water and energy efficiency,” says Jim Riley, Texas A&M director for utilities Jim. “Water and energy are precious resources, and even if they are available, we don’t want to use more than we have to.”
The energy and water reductions were achieved through both operational changes and improvements in the university’s facilities.
The reduction in energy use alone has reduced the university’s carbon footprint by 338 million pounds and saved the university approximately $50 million in energy costs.
To reduce water requirements, Texas A&M replaced plumbing fixtures with low-flow options, improved management of campus irrigation systems, and improved campus plumbing to minimize leaks and make them easier to fix.
Riley says, “With the new operational improvements, we do a much better job of preventing leaks, and when they do occur, we can isolate and repair them more promptly.”
The university also invites students to participate in its quest. The Office of Energy Management at Texas A&M includes an energy-saving tip in each day’s university e-mail news service. They also list energy tips on their Web site: http://energy.tamu.edu/.
Students also help reduce energy consumption by competing in the “Residence Hall Energy Challenge” between campus residence halls to find out which hall could produce the largest utilities reductions.
Despite success, Texas A&M is not done with energy and water conservation. Officials hope to further improve water efficiency by reusing water from its wastewater treatment plant. Reusing this water for non-potable systems would decrease the amount of water that must be pumped from the ground.
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