Re-Gain

September 11 anniversary gives us much to see in hind sight. The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon killing 2,977 marked an extremely tragic and reactive time in American history. A decade of financial collapse, a horrific decade of warfare, the breakdown of the American political process and increased environmental devastation in all are areas of our planet in this last ten years. Also these acts of terror have created enormous psychic toll. The cost of retaliation to these terrorist has been enormous. First the longest and costliest two wars we ever have fought. The second has been an erosion of American democratic process and third how the strongest nation was brought to its knees by terrorism. Greater responsibility and less reactivity are the tenor of the times. Yes, this mass murder of innocent American civilians was terrible; however, our inglorious reaction to these events is more daunting. Months ago on 3/11 the Japanese lost 15,780 citizens and 4,122 are

Where do we Americans see climate change? In the past it has ranked near the bottom by past voters of being of great concern. Despite the growing scientific reports have increasingly documented the impacts of increased temperature, weather extremes, carbon dioxide emissions and other human caused environmental impacts. Republicans have been quick to see this problem as job killing, tax increasing and regulatory over reach. Back in 2009 House Democrats passed a “cap and trade,” measure, however, such a tax was passed in the Senate since it was not attractive and am efficient pollution control. Most scientist think climate change is cause by humans and threatens future human health. However there is considerable amount of Americans who either do not see or deny climate change as a problem. Conservative Republicans question global warming science. Also many new members of Congress dispute that humans have anything to do with climate change. However, we have been burning reco

Thank you Mrs. Carter's 11 Grade Summer Class! Your exploration of ways to "go green" and have fun by conserving are inspiring. Below are their findings of the various ways of helping improve our world. Much appreciation for your research and all wonderful benefits we all share from such conservation! Dear Mr. Arner, Greetings from Mrs. Carter's 11th grade science summer class! We came across this page http://www.robarner.com/bottlewater.html while working on our studies about finding ways we can help the environment be it a fun eco-friendly project or something we can do with our families at home to "go green." We found some resources on your page to be a useful contribution for our on-going project. Thank you for providing those sources! As a class we wanted to offer resources that we found that we have voted as a class that would make a great addition to your page. We all will receive extra credit towards our project grade if

The proposed plan for hydraulic fracturing and vertical drilling in the George Washington National Forest poses a serious threat to our drinking water and water supplies. The Forest Service has prepared a 15 year plan which involves drilling for natural gas in 900,000 acres of the 1.l million acres of the forest. Although at first glance the forest service claims to ban the controversial drilling method called fracking there is a loophole in their plan that keeps the door open for fracking if they should need to do it. We have every reason to be concerned about fracking. First, hydraulic fracturing is exempt from most environmental laws and controls and there is no liability on the part of gas companies if something goes wrong..... and things are going wrong in the extraction of natural gas across the country. There are also an alarming number of reports of water, land and air contamination, illness in people and wildlife in and around fracking wells across the country. Also hydrau

Shenandoah Valley residents have every reason to be alarmed about their drinking water. A Texas Gas Company owned by Carrizo Marcellus LLC wants to frack his first well in Bergton in the Marcellus Shale region located at the Headwaters of the Shenandoah River. Already 13,000 acres of land have been leased to gas companies to drill for natural gas. Due to the alarming pattern of water contamination in and around these wells across the county we need to thoroughly examine the evidence and risks before we allow this controversial drilling practice to take place or at all. When a well is fracked they use a horizontal drilling technique that goes a mile or more down into the earth pumping a fluid at high pressures that cause the rock to crack, sometimes even causing mini earthquakes that release the trapped gas for extraction. The pumping fluid is a mixture of sand, 596 undisclosed chemicals, and several million gallons of water. Currently gas companies refused to disclose those chemic

America can no longer afford not to fully look at the real meaning of national security. Our prosperity is directly tied to how we maintain world sustainability. Can we as a people have the courage to truly see that were a greater source of terror may hide? Two years ago two special Assistants to the Chairman for Strategy to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Captain Wayne Porter, US Navy, and Colonel Mark “Puck” Mykleby, US Marine Corps wrote A NATIONAL STRATEGIC NARRATIVE By Mr. Y below is a short summary of their perspective (http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/04/26/pentagon-security) This Strategic Narrative is intended to frame our National policy decisions regarding investment, security, economic development, the environment, and engagement well into this century. It is built upon the premise that we must sustain our enduring national interests – prosperity and security – within a “strategic ecosystem,” at home and abroad; that in complexity and uncertainty, there are opportunities and ho

When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. —Aldo Leopold 41 years ago we celebrated our first Earth Day. Ten years later I was a national and DC Earth Day organizer. In 1970, the first Earth Day's message was heard and in the few years that followed, sweeping environmental legislation and a powerful time of reawakening. Today there is a growing realization of our impact on the natural world is a critical circumstance. This Earth Day we need to reflect seriously on the fact that time may really be running out for our planet's life support systems - and for us. Yes Earth Day is a day of clean-ups, educational activities, tree plantings, speeches, conversations and other green events. However a greater global solidarity is essential so we can best cleanup of our Earth, our seas, and our skies. It is a day to teach simplification, to lessen our consumptive lifestyle, and to highlight the importance of establishing a deep a

Isn’t this the greatest country? Where else in the world could you get dressed up as a fool and bomb (non violently) on the U.S. Capitol steps with bad jokes? 25 years ago, on April Fool’s Day, I visited my Congresswoman, Connie Morella, dressed up in a court jester costume. As Ray Cycle, I stood on the Capitol steps and proclaimed, "You’re not dealing with a full deck when you throw out the joker out ! Recycle Our Nation’s Capital." American you are still so fuelish, Why not lessen our gas guzzling ways and proclaim energy efficiency? For over 30 years, I have coped with working for the environment in a bureaucratic environment through random and deliberate small acts of humor. When I get too serious, I prefer to laugh rather than cry. I see the difference between a comedy and a tragedy as subtle, but significant-- we can learn from comedy rather than perpetuating a tragic fate. This is why I take refuge in our refuse. Three decades ago while working at the D.C. Energ

Our lack of coherent energy policy reflects both the price and cost jeopardizing both our national security and future prosperity. Unfortunately energy efficiency has failed to be realized as a national priority. Presently energy inefficiency has a huge hidden price and cost. How we can better generated and consume energy must be adequately addressed. U.S. energy demand consists of 85% fossil fuels or about 50 million barrels of oil consumed each day in America. As we past $100 per barrel for crude and this price shortly could easily double. Energy imports of oil account for 20% of our total U.S. energy requirements. However the cost for this is a huge burden not just on our balance of payments and on our environment. Approximately, 61%of energy produced is lost due to factors such as poor insulation, inefficient gas guzzling vehicles and other reasons according to a 2007 National Petroleum Council report to the Department of Energy. This translates to an overall efficiency of 1

Why is it that insurance companies and major corporations know about climate change while many Congressional leaders and Tea Party members think this is a myth? I bet you that anyone who has serious money or manages it is starting to add up the impacts. This January a leading world insurance company, Munich Re, released a report on the natural disasters of 2010 and concluded that the high number of weather-related natural catastrophes and record temperatures provide further indication that climate change is advancing. According to the report, 2010 had the second highest amount of weather-related catastrophes since 1980, and caused about $130 billion in damages--$37 billion of which was insured. While some of the 950 natural disasters that occurred last year were earthquakes, and not attributable to climate change, nine-tenths of them were weather-related. Finally, I ask if any person is in doubt look on your own. Yes it is very cold now but last year was one of the hottest on records