All the different beaches have a unique sidewalk mosaic...this is the Ipanema pattern
8.11.2006
6.10.2006
Update from Brasil
Bom Dia (pronounced bong-gia – in the Rio slang) – Good Day.
For those of you who didn’t know, I’m writing from lovely Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! I’m down here for a study abroad program (4 weeks long) and I’m officially half way through. I am taking two courses while I am here and just finished the first one (Comparative Environmental Law: Urban Issues) and starting the second one tomorrow (Environmental Health Law and Policy). Each course is worth 3 credits; therefore, life has been busy packing in lots of class, homework, and of course being a tourist.
To share some of my experiences with you all, I thought I give you an idea of how my typical day unfolds:
I start the day by stepping out onto the balcony of our apartment, which happens to have an amazing view—I scored one of the best apartments in the program J -- to see what the weather will be for the day. Its winter here in Rio (imagine winter in Miami) and despite this being the dry season, it’s been an unusually wet season. So if it makes any of you less jealous, we have had several rainy days. Then, if I don’t make my own breakfast I head over to one of the many juice bars right around the corner. I have come to like one of the local, popular fruits called Acai. I don’t know all that much about it, but it’s pretty sweet and comes from the Amazon (I think), and is really thick and hearty. It’s supposed to have a high amount of calories per serving and many vitamins and minerals. The locals (cairocas) love their bread pastries filled with cheese and meat (usually). I haven’t warmed up to that heavy start to my day, but choose toast and jam instead. The unique feature of the juice bars (besides the fact that many are open 24 hours/day) is that they feature a bar that everyone stands at and drinks/eats their food. At first, my US tendency was to think, “why isn’t this line moving along”. Now I kind of like the idea of standing there enjoying my drink, rather than just taking it on the go. It’s a hybrid of getting sitting down to enjoy your coffee and ordering to-go.
From the juice bar, I have to play frogger across the streets as people drive crazy around here and traffic lights and lanes and pedestrian signals seem to be mere suggestions rather than rules. I jump in a metro bus and quickly learn why Brazil has produced several formula one champions—the bus drivers literally weave in and out of traffic like a sports car. The bus takes us right to our school: PUC (pronounced: Puki), which is a private Jesuit school (like Seattle U). The campus is tucked right up against the largest urban tropical rainforest in the world and needless to say is very beautiful. In fact there are two huge groves of bamboo forming an arch, right at the entrance.
We have three, consecutive 70 minute sessions of class (unless we are on a field trip – at least one a week). Class is usually pretty interesting as we have had many guest lecturers and good discussions involving several Brazilian law students who have attended many of our courses. Hearing their viewpoints on issues we all care about have been one of the highlights of my trip. Maybe the most interesting moments was when our professor said that last year during the program the popular newspaper printed a headline that read: 70% of Brazilians Think That the United States Will Someday Invade the Amazon. Many of the US students laughed like it might have been an Enquirer headline, while the Brazilian students all shook their heads in agreement.
Even though class has been engaging, at the first break, I usually head for the food court to get a cafezinho, the caffeine drink of choice here—it’s like a shot glass of really strong coffee…close to an espresso shot, but a slightly different type of coffee (Robusta versus Arabica). Many of the locals put in this weird “zero-cal” liquid sweetener, but I think it’s pretty nasty and completely overpowers the flavor of the coffee. If I need more caffeine at the 2nd break, I go for a Guarana Juice….it is a fruit, but has twice as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
After class is over, we all usually head back to Ipanema (where we are staying). By this time I am usually starving. The city is very dense; therefore, there is an abundance of choices within a block or two. The newest discovery is a wood-fired pizza café in the back of the main grocery store. They have lunch specials with good toppings. The pizzas here are very thin crusted and usually don’t have a marinara sauce. And the toppings range from the traditional to Tuna or Hearts of Palm. Meat and Cheese are very popular staples here to the diet. After the first couple days, finding vegetables became the challenge for even the people who like to eat meat regularly.
If it’s a clear day, its off to the beach! We live one block off of Ipanema beach….yeah, it ain’t so bad. And the famous Copacabana Beach is only a short walk away. For being located in one of the more dense and populated cities of the world, the beaches here are quite clean and nice….living up to Brazil’s reputation for their beaches. Once lunch settles, I try to go for a surf. I was really excited to live on the beach for over a month and bought a surfboard as soon as I got down here. But as of lately there is a huge swell that I have not had the courage to paddle out into. While I would rather be out in the water, it was fun and impressive to watch some of the locals ripping it up. I saw a guy surf the biggest wave I have ever seen in person today….I am guessing it was at least 20-25 feet tall. As I said, its winter here, and Ipanema faces south (remember is the southern hemisphere) so the sun goes down quickly. By six, its completely dark.
The night time seems to be different on any given night. But the Brazilians do not go to bed early. 9pm is a common dinner time, and Kilo restaurants are very popular for both lunch and dinner. They are huge (and actually high quality) buffets where they weigh your food. After dinner, nighttime activities have ranged from Movie Nights to a soccer game (at the world’s largest stadium) to samba dancing to Portuguese classes (two nights a week … and might I add this language is difficult, especially with the Rio dialect) to just hanging out and yes studying—like I said, its an intensive program so there is plenty of reading and writing assignments.
Well, by now I have probably bored many of you with my routine in Rio. I’ll try to send off another email in a week or so about some of the field trips and special events that have occurred on the trip. I will be in this program for another two weeks, then traveling around other parts of Brazil for an additional 10 days. Then back home to Jen and Rado. I hope this finds you all well.
Also, I want to say congratulations to Topher and Emily who tied the knot this past weekend … Wishing you two the best, sorry I wasn’t able to join in the celebration!
Tchau,
Shane
For those of you who didn’t know, I’m writing from lovely Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! I’m down here for a study abroad program (4 weeks long) and I’m officially half way through. I am taking two courses while I am here and just finished the first one (Comparative Environmental Law: Urban Issues) and starting the second one tomorrow (Environmental Health Law and Policy). Each course is worth 3 credits; therefore, life has been busy packing in lots of class, homework, and of course being a tourist.
To share some of my experiences with you all, I thought I give you an idea of how my typical day unfolds:
I start the day by stepping out onto the balcony of our apartment, which happens to have an amazing view—I scored one of the best apartments in the program J -- to see what the weather will be for the day. Its winter here in Rio (imagine winter in Miami) and despite this being the dry season, it’s been an unusually wet season. So if it makes any of you less jealous, we have had several rainy days. Then, if I don’t make my own breakfast I head over to one of the many juice bars right around the corner. I have come to like one of the local, popular fruits called Acai. I don’t know all that much about it, but it’s pretty sweet and comes from the Amazon (I think), and is really thick and hearty. It’s supposed to have a high amount of calories per serving and many vitamins and minerals. The locals (cairocas) love their bread pastries filled with cheese and meat (usually). I haven’t warmed up to that heavy start to my day, but choose toast and jam instead. The unique feature of the juice bars (besides the fact that many are open 24 hours/day) is that they feature a bar that everyone stands at and drinks/eats their food. At first, my US tendency was to think, “why isn’t this line moving along”. Now I kind of like the idea of standing there enjoying my drink, rather than just taking it on the go. It’s a hybrid of getting sitting down to enjoy your coffee and ordering to-go.
From the juice bar, I have to play frogger across the streets as people drive crazy around here and traffic lights and lanes and pedestrian signals seem to be mere suggestions rather than rules. I jump in a metro bus and quickly learn why Brazil has produced several formula one champions—the bus drivers literally weave in and out of traffic like a sports car. The bus takes us right to our school: PUC (pronounced: Puki), which is a private Jesuit school (like Seattle U). The campus is tucked right up against the largest urban tropical rainforest in the world and needless to say is very beautiful. In fact there are two huge groves of bamboo forming an arch, right at the entrance.
We have three, consecutive 70 minute sessions of class (unless we are on a field trip – at least one a week). Class is usually pretty interesting as we have had many guest lecturers and good discussions involving several Brazilian law students who have attended many of our courses. Hearing their viewpoints on issues we all care about have been one of the highlights of my trip. Maybe the most interesting moments was when our professor said that last year during the program the popular newspaper printed a headline that read: 70% of Brazilians Think That the United States Will Someday Invade the Amazon. Many of the US students laughed like it might have been an Enquirer headline, while the Brazilian students all shook their heads in agreement.
Even though class has been engaging, at the first break, I usually head for the food court to get a cafezinho, the caffeine drink of choice here—it’s like a shot glass of really strong coffee…close to an espresso shot, but a slightly different type of coffee (Robusta versus Arabica). Many of the locals put in this weird “zero-cal” liquid sweetener, but I think it’s pretty nasty and completely overpowers the flavor of the coffee. If I need more caffeine at the 2nd break, I go for a Guarana Juice….it is a fruit, but has twice as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
After class is over, we all usually head back to Ipanema (where we are staying). By this time I am usually starving. The city is very dense; therefore, there is an abundance of choices within a block or two. The newest discovery is a wood-fired pizza café in the back of the main grocery store. They have lunch specials with good toppings. The pizzas here are very thin crusted and usually don’t have a marinara sauce. And the toppings range from the traditional to Tuna or Hearts of Palm. Meat and Cheese are very popular staples here to the diet. After the first couple days, finding vegetables became the challenge for even the people who like to eat meat regularly.
If it’s a clear day, its off to the beach! We live one block off of Ipanema beach….yeah, it ain’t so bad. And the famous Copacabana Beach is only a short walk away. For being located in one of the more dense and populated cities of the world, the beaches here are quite clean and nice….living up to Brazil’s reputation for their beaches. Once lunch settles, I try to go for a surf. I was really excited to live on the beach for over a month and bought a surfboard as soon as I got down here. But as of lately there is a huge swell that I have not had the courage to paddle out into. While I would rather be out in the water, it was fun and impressive to watch some of the locals ripping it up. I saw a guy surf the biggest wave I have ever seen in person today….I am guessing it was at least 20-25 feet tall. As I said, its winter here, and Ipanema faces south (remember is the southern hemisphere) so the sun goes down quickly. By six, its completely dark.
The night time seems to be different on any given night. But the Brazilians do not go to bed early. 9pm is a common dinner time, and Kilo restaurants are very popular for both lunch and dinner. They are huge (and actually high quality) buffets where they weigh your food. After dinner, nighttime activities have ranged from Movie Nights to a soccer game (at the world’s largest stadium) to samba dancing to Portuguese classes (two nights a week … and might I add this language is difficult, especially with the Rio dialect) to just hanging out and yes studying—like I said, its an intensive program so there is plenty of reading and writing assignments.
Well, by now I have probably bored many of you with my routine in Rio. I’ll try to send off another email in a week or so about some of the field trips and special events that have occurred on the trip. I will be in this program for another two weeks, then traveling around other parts of Brazil for an additional 10 days. Then back home to Jen and Rado. I hope this finds you all well.
Also, I want to say congratulations to Topher and Emily who tied the knot this past weekend … Wishing you two the best, sorry I wasn’t able to join in the celebration!
Tchau,
Shane
4.04.2006
Interesting Patent Law Issue
For those of you who are wondering where I might end up post-law school, this is an area of the law that I have found quite interesting. More to come on this topic.
"eBay is the latest outfit to face a major patent lawsuit that threatens its business. Is the system, meant to promote innovation, doing its job?"
Click Here
"eBay is the latest outfit to face a major patent lawsuit that threatens its business. Is the system, meant to promote innovation, doing its job?"
Click Here
Another Victory for Big Businesses :(
Just got this piece of news:
"After an intense lobbying campaign, senators voted 27-13 for a bill eliminating what's known as "joint and several" liability. The doctrine, which businesses have wanted to abolish for years, says that a defendant in a lawsuit can be forced to pay most or all of the damages awarded to a victim, even if it is only partially to blame for the injury. "
Just remember, someone has to pay.
"After an intense lobbying campaign, senators voted 27-13 for a bill eliminating what's known as "joint and several" liability. The doctrine, which businesses have wanted to abolish for years, says that a defendant in a lawsuit can be forced to pay most or all of the damages awarded to a victim, even if it is only partially to blame for the injury. "
Just remember, someone has to pay.
3.19.2006
2.08.2006
Bachelor Party - SLC style
Check out a few pics below from a recent trip to the Wasatch Mountains for Topher Smith's Bachelor Party.
A fun time was had by all . . .
A fun time was had by all . . .
2.07.2006
1.05.2006
Happy New Year!!!
In traditional holiday form (at least for my family, I am going to give a little recap of 2005. Its been quite a monumentous year around these parts with a puppy and law school marking the beginnings of new adventures in our lives.
So without further adieu: (be sure to scroll down for some pictures)
January 05: Brought our good friend and former co-worker at Squaw Valley Ski Patrol, Dave Gregory, out for a little taste of NW powder. Before heading for the Cascades we gave Dave a quick tour of Seattle as it was his first visit to the capital of the NW. Dave is a Landscape Architect student, so there were many places on the list of sites to show him. 2005 was a terrible year for snow in the NW, but Dave may have caught one of the best three day cycles of the season. And no better place than Mt. Baker.
February: Maybe it was no snow since Dave visited in early January that caused this crazy decision, but we decided to get a puppy. Actually it wasn't crazy and has turned out to be one of the best additions to our lives. Rado Falls (short for Silverado, our favorite place to ski at Squaw Valley, where we met) is a Bernese Mountain Dog. He is a super dog that is very chill and goofy.
March: Rado was pretty much the focus of our lives after getting him. And you can read even more about him if you scroll way down on this blog or look in the archives. Spring Break came for Jen and she left us two boys alone. Then it started to snow (finally) and we headed for the hills.
April: Since my Mom and Dad don't have any grandchildren, a puppy is big news, so they headed out to visit their new Grand-puppy. Rado was very spoiled for the week with many games of tug-a-war and his first Bone. Dusty and Ashley joined my parents for the trip.
May: April showers, bring May Kayaking. With spring rain and spring snowmelt, May is one of the better months in the NW for kayaking. I also had a trip planned to meet some friends in Cody, Wyoming for a challenging expedition. I started another blog with a couple friends as a creative outlet for my kayak adventures. You can read all about this wyoming trip and all the other kayaking trips I have taken since at www.therangelife.blogspot.com. One of my friends is a great photographer, so go check out all the cool pictures on the site.
June: As Jennie finished up with her finals we packed up the truck and hit the road. Our friends, Tim and Kristi Holmberg, got married in Mazama, WA, which is on the east side of the N. Cascades. The wedding was a beautiful ceremony on a ranch, and Jennie loved the east cascades as the weather is must warmer and sunnier over there. From here we drove up to British Columbia to see some friends and do a little kayaking. I love the Squamish/Whistler area and my friends up there, so needless to say, it was a fun stop. From there it was back to Seattle so Jennie could start packing for her big trip.
July: Jennie took off for East Timor right after July 4th, and as soon as she left, Rado and I packed the truck up and headed for Colorado. Jen went to East Timor for over two months to volunteer at a medical clinic in East Timor (formerly Indonesia). With law school starting in just over a month, Rado and I hit the road for a pre-school holiday. We headed for Colorado to see friends, family, and of course the rivers. After some plans fell through, I decided to head back early and spend the remainder of my holiday in British Columbia. I was also able to talk Todd Gillman into joining me, and even moving out to the NW later in the year.
Aug: With two weeks left before school, I focused my energy on the house trying to get as much done as possible. Knowing that I wouldn't have much time to work on the house once I was in school. This was a very productive time for the kitchen remodel. And then Law School began. This has been a moment I have been looking forward to for quite awhile now. It would be hard to summarize everything, but this was an exciting new step in my future.
Sept: Jennie returned from East Timor to a boyfriend that studied all the time, a dog that had almost doubled in size, and a kitchen that was transformed, but still very messy.
Oct: Jen is back in school, and law school is in full swing.
Nov: Lots of school. Jen's mom, Susan, and her aunt, Janet, came for Thanksgiving. We knew that we wouldn't have time to travel anywhere with our studies, so it was nice to have family in town.
Dec. - I survived my first Semester, and now its time to ski. Well actually, time to build a fence, because Rado has been experiencing a little separation anxiety. In other words he likes to chew on law books, mail, or any other paper if we leave him locked up for too long. My friend, Bryan Smith, was just down from BC helping us work on the house. This worked well, because the snow conditions haven't been very good for the past couple weeks. But with temperatures falling in the forcast Jennie and I are getting excited to hit the slopes. We plan to go spend New Year's eve in Whistler.
2006: More skiing, kayaking, and time with Rado. And of course school and remodeling. Check back often as one of my new year resolutions is to keep this blog a little more updated.
If you are not yet sick of hearing about my life, feel free to scroll on down and check out my other blogs (Kayaking: www.therangelife.blogspot.com or House Stuff: www.2814eastolive.blogspot.com). If that doesn't satisfy you, its time to come visit. Hope you are all reading this in good health and peace, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Happy New Year! Love Shane.
So without further adieu: (be sure to scroll down for some pictures)
January 05: Brought our good friend and former co-worker at Squaw Valley Ski Patrol, Dave Gregory, out for a little taste of NW powder. Before heading for the Cascades we gave Dave a quick tour of Seattle as it was his first visit to the capital of the NW. Dave is a Landscape Architect student, so there were many places on the list of sites to show him. 2005 was a terrible year for snow in the NW, but Dave may have caught one of the best three day cycles of the season. And no better place than Mt. Baker.
February: Maybe it was no snow since Dave visited in early January that caused this crazy decision, but we decided to get a puppy. Actually it wasn't crazy and has turned out to be one of the best additions to our lives. Rado Falls (short for Silverado, our favorite place to ski at Squaw Valley, where we met) is a Bernese Mountain Dog. He is a super dog that is very chill and goofy.
March: Rado was pretty much the focus of our lives after getting him. And you can read even more about him if you scroll way down on this blog or look in the archives. Spring Break came for Jen and she left us two boys alone. Then it started to snow (finally) and we headed for the hills.
April: Since my Mom and Dad don't have any grandchildren, a puppy is big news, so they headed out to visit their new Grand-puppy. Rado was very spoiled for the week with many games of tug-a-war and his first Bone. Dusty and Ashley joined my parents for the trip.
May: April showers, bring May Kayaking. With spring rain and spring snowmelt, May is one of the better months in the NW for kayaking. I also had a trip planned to meet some friends in Cody, Wyoming for a challenging expedition. I started another blog with a couple friends as a creative outlet for my kayak adventures. You can read all about this wyoming trip and all the other kayaking trips I have taken since at www.therangelife.blogspot.com. One of my friends is a great photographer, so go check out all the cool pictures on the site.
June: As Jennie finished up with her finals we packed up the truck and hit the road. Our friends, Tim and Kristi Holmberg, got married in Mazama, WA, which is on the east side of the N. Cascades. The wedding was a beautiful ceremony on a ranch, and Jennie loved the east cascades as the weather is must warmer and sunnier over there. From here we drove up to British Columbia to see some friends and do a little kayaking. I love the Squamish/Whistler area and my friends up there, so needless to say, it was a fun stop. From there it was back to Seattle so Jennie could start packing for her big trip.
July: Jennie took off for East Timor right after July 4th, and as soon as she left, Rado and I packed the truck up and headed for Colorado. Jen went to East Timor for over two months to volunteer at a medical clinic in East Timor (formerly Indonesia). With law school starting in just over a month, Rado and I hit the road for a pre-school holiday. We headed for Colorado to see friends, family, and of course the rivers. After some plans fell through, I decided to head back early and spend the remainder of my holiday in British Columbia. I was also able to talk Todd Gillman into joining me, and even moving out to the NW later in the year.
Aug: With two weeks left before school, I focused my energy on the house trying to get as much done as possible. Knowing that I wouldn't have much time to work on the house once I was in school. This was a very productive time for the kitchen remodel. And then Law School began. This has been a moment I have been looking forward to for quite awhile now. It would be hard to summarize everything, but this was an exciting new step in my future.
Sept: Jennie returned from East Timor to a boyfriend that studied all the time, a dog that had almost doubled in size, and a kitchen that was transformed, but still very messy.
Oct: Jen is back in school, and law school is in full swing.
Nov: Lots of school. Jen's mom, Susan, and her aunt, Janet, came for Thanksgiving. We knew that we wouldn't have time to travel anywhere with our studies, so it was nice to have family in town.
Dec. - I survived my first Semester, and now its time to ski. Well actually, time to build a fence, because Rado has been experiencing a little separation anxiety. In other words he likes to chew on law books, mail, or any other paper if we leave him locked up for too long. My friend, Bryan Smith, was just down from BC helping us work on the house. This worked well, because the snow conditions haven't been very good for the past couple weeks. But with temperatures falling in the forcast Jennie and I are getting excited to hit the slopes. We plan to go spend New Year's eve in Whistler.
2006: More skiing, kayaking, and time with Rado. And of course school and remodeling. Check back often as one of my new year resolutions is to keep this blog a little more updated.
If you are not yet sick of hearing about my life, feel free to scroll on down and check out my other blogs (Kayaking: www.therangelife.blogspot.com or House Stuff: www.2814eastolive.blogspot.com). If that doesn't satisfy you, its time to come visit. Hope you are all reading this in good health and peace, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Happy New Year! Love Shane.
April
My family comes to help on the kitchen. Ashley's first trip to Seattle and Mom's first chance to see her Grand-puppy.
May
A kayaking expedition to Cody, Wyoming. Check out www.therangelife.blogspot.com for more kayaking exploits
June
We traveled to Eastern Washinton and the North Cascades for our friend's (Tim & Kristy) wedding. Beautiful all the way around!
September
All good things must come to an end. Jen has to leave the tropics and return to the crazy, remodel house.
6.07.2005
Tim's Bachelor Party....NW style
The plan started as an attempt to climb Mt. Rainier. But as weather forcasts looked less appealing, we decided to try for Mt. Baker by starting the climb friday night and hoping to be off the mountain by late sat. morning, and beating the weather. After getting all eight of us (Tim, Brock, Nick, John, Doug, Justin, Steve and myself) out of seattle, gased up, last minute supplies, and a hearty dinner we found ourselves at the trail around 11 pm with clear skies. We were headed uphill into the darkness before midnight. We charged up the trail and found ourselves at snow in no time at all, and geared up with boots, skis and skins. As we enjoyed skinning under the stars we could see the storm approaching...rather quickly. Eventually we found ourselves at the bottom of the glacier with clouds about to swallow us, so we threw all our clothes on, hunkered down in a rocky shelter and had a little discussion. We came to the conclusion to kick around for a bit, watch the sunset, and ski back down avoiding white-out conditions on the glacier. While the conditions were far from good, it still felt good to be making some turns and the snow ran out all to soon (except maybe for nick :) As we made it back to the trailhead our decision making skills were put to the test again to come up with plan C. So we ate and slept on the matter. Eventually a peak in the N. Cascades was choosen and while a few headed home, the rest rallied over to camp and go for that "hike" on Sunday. Several more pitstops, food, camp, sleep, and we wake to what else....rain. It would be no hiking or climbing and back to city it was. A few headed for the rock gym determined to climb something while everyone else would head for their respective homes. All said is was a good send off for Timmy. See ya all in a couple weeks.
See all my trip photos here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1&Uc=8taz4t1r.33scjo0j&Uy=o6knek&Ux=1
See all my trip photos here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1&Uc=8taz4t1r.33scjo0j&Uy=o6knek&Ux=1
6.06.2005
6.01.2005
Kayaking Exploits
Its been awhile since I have posted here because I have been busy on numerous projects including a new kayak specific blog to keep track of all the river-related adventures. You can view this blog at www.therangelife.blogspot.com
It is being run by two other friends as well, so that should provide plenty of content to check out. I just returned from a trip in week long kayaking trip in Wyoming that you can read about there....hope you enjoy.
It is being run by two other friends as well, so that should provide plenty of content to check out. I just returned from a trip in week long kayaking trip in Wyoming that you can read about there....hope you enjoy.
4.15.2005
What Kind of English Do You Speak
Your Linguistic Profile: |
| 80% General American English |
| 10% Dixie |
| 5% Upper Midwestern |
| 5% Yankee |
| 0% Midwestern |
What Kind of American English Do You Speak?
American Rivers' 10 Most Endangered Rivers
I thought about just listing a couple rivers, then I thought....Topher always told me of the Susquehanna River and my new Sister-in-law, Ashley, is from New Mexico, and I love the Toulomne River and I decided the whole list had relevance.
1. Susquehanna River - New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland Threat:
Inadequate sewer systems and dam constructionConservation Partners: Chesapeake Bay Foundation, river activist Don WilliamsEach year, millions of gallons of raw or poorly treated sewage are discharged into the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay due to aging and inadequate sewer systems. A new inflatable dam proposed to stretch across the Susquehanna would make this situation even worse by creating a stagnant pool of this sewage next to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, further threatening fish, wildlife and human health. If elected officials are not willing to invest the resources necessary to clean up the Susquehanna River and restore the Bay, an irreplaceable piece of America’s natural and cultural heritage will be lost. Urge your Congressmen to act in the interest of clean water and public health. Click here to take action to save the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay today!
2. McCrystal Creek - New Mexico Threat:
Impending Coal Bed Methane DrillingConservation Partners: Amigos Bravos, Coalition for the Valle VidalThe Valle Vidal of northern New Mexico, and the health of one of its signature streams, McCrystal Creek, faces the prospect of intense and intrusive coal bed methane drilling. A proposal has been submitted to drill 500 wells on 40,000 acres, accompanied by hundreds of miles of roads, pipelines, and compressors. This development threatens the health of New Mexico’s largest elk herd, native Rio Grande cutthroat trout, and the remarkable recreational opportunities of the area.
3. Fraser River - ColoradoThreat:
Water Withdrawals and Transbasin DiversionConservation Partners: Colorado Trout Unlimited, East Grand Water Quality Board, Town of Fraser TrusteeCurrently, 65 percent of the Fraser River’s water is siphoned off and piped across the mountains to fuel rapid development along Colorado’s Front Range. Now, there are plans to take almost all of the rest, leaving little to no water in the Fraser. Unless the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refuses to issue a federal permit and puts an immediate stop to the water board’s plans, the remaining water will be replaced by discharges from local sewage plants, posing great risks to human health. Click here to save the Fraser River today!
4. Skykomish River - WashingtonThreat:
Rapid development and Population Demands Conservation partners: Pilchuck Audubon Society, Wild Steelhead Coalition Snohomish County is at a turning point. As population continues to rise, the county can grow in one of two ways -- haphazardly, in a way that leads to polluted water, more flooding, family farms paved over, and increasingly dangerous, congested traffic or thoughtfully and responsibly, in a way that encourages prosperity, protects clean water, and safeguards the values and lifestyles of residents. The Skykomish and its tributaries will become more polluted without a strong blueprint to manage growth and population demands. You can help by urging the Snohomish County Council to act decisively to safeguard the Skykomish River and protect the river valley residents. " Click here to save the Skykomish River today!
5. Roan Creek - TennesseeThreat:
Aging and Inadequate Sewer Systems Conservation Partners: Johnson County Citizens\' Committee for Clean Air and Water, Tennessee Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility The sewage treatment plant in Mountain City, Tennessee, is so outdated and inadequate that plant operators have been caught spreading sewage sludge on frozen ground within Roan Creek’s watershed. The United States is entering the 21st century with a 19th century sewage treatment system. The effects of outdated infrastructure, growing population, and poorly planned development are coming together to send about 850 billion gallons of raw sewage into rivers, streams, and lakes nationwide each year. Mountain City and other small towns throughout America need federal and state assistance to acquire state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants that will protect the rivers at the heart of their communities. Click here to to save Roan Creek today!
6. Santee River - South Carolina Threat:
Harmful Hydropower ProjectConservation Partners: South Carolina Coastal Conservation LeagueThe Santee Cooper hydropower project has choked most of the flow from the once mighty Santee River by diverting 97% of the river’s water into other water bodies. This massive diversion threatens the extensive floodplain forests that are dependent on the river’s natural flows and eliminates any chance of public recreation. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) can restore and protect the Santee by issuing a certification requiring the hydropower utility, Santee Cooper, to put enough water back into the river for fish, wildlife, and public recreation. "
7. Little Miami River - OhioThreat:
Sewage DumpingConservation Partners: Little Miami Incorporated, Rivers Unlimited, Sierra ClubProposed wastewater plant expansions are poised to pollute Ohio’s Little Miami River with more sewage. Unless the state insists on modern sewage treatment, the crown jewel of Cincinnati’s and southwestern Ohio’s outdoor recreation will be spoiled beyond recovery. Write the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency today and tell them that sewage dumping must not be allowed in the Little Miami. Click here to save the Little Miami today!
8. Tuolumne River - CaliforniaThreat:
Rising Population Demands and River DiversionsConservation Partners: Clean Water Action, Environmental Defense, Tuolumne River TrustThe San Francisco Public Utilities Commission must upgrade the system that currently supplies water to more than 2.4 million customers in order to make it more reliable and safe from the risk of earthquakes. However, the Commission has burdened its critical seismic retrofit program with additional expansion projects including new pipelines and reservoirs that could divert 400 million gallons of water a day. Less water in the Tuolumne not only reduces the river’s ability to dilute agricultural and urban wastes and runoff, but also depletes salmon populations.
9. Price River - Utah Threat:
Imminent Dam and Reservoir Construction Conservation Partners: Utah Rivers CouncilNear the remote headwaters of the Price River in central Utah, the federal Bureau of Reclamation is under pressure to build a dam and reservoir to take away one community’s water and pipe it over the mountains to another. Unless the Bureau abandons this project, the Price River and the communities and wildlife populations it supports will suffer great harm. Click here to save the Price today!
10. Santa Clara River - California River Threat:
Runaway Development Conservation Partners: Friends of the Santa Clara River, Santa Clara River Alliance, Heal the Bay, Center for Biological Diversity, Lawyers for Clean Water, and Ventura CoastkeeperPermits for new housing projects are currently pending throughout the Santa Clara River watershed. The five-village Newhall Ranch will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. It is one of the largest developments ever proposed in Los Angeles County. If the developer secures the required permits for Newhall Ranch, it will unleash its bulldozers on 19 square miles of natural areas straddling the upper Santa Clara River, including 141 acres located in the river’s floodplain. 95 percent of habitat in tributaries to the Santa Clara River will be lost if development is permitted. Click here to save the Santa Clara today!"
If any of the links are not working or you want to learn/do more please go to www.americanrivers.org
1. Susquehanna River - New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland Threat:
Inadequate sewer systems and dam constructionConservation Partners: Chesapeake Bay Foundation, river activist Don WilliamsEach year, millions of gallons of raw or poorly treated sewage are discharged into the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay due to aging and inadequate sewer systems. A new inflatable dam proposed to stretch across the Susquehanna would make this situation even worse by creating a stagnant pool of this sewage next to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, further threatening fish, wildlife and human health. If elected officials are not willing to invest the resources necessary to clean up the Susquehanna River and restore the Bay, an irreplaceable piece of America’s natural and cultural heritage will be lost. Urge your Congressmen to act in the interest of clean water and public health. Click here to take action to save the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay today!
2. McCrystal Creek - New Mexico Threat:
Impending Coal Bed Methane DrillingConservation Partners: Amigos Bravos, Coalition for the Valle VidalThe Valle Vidal of northern New Mexico, and the health of one of its signature streams, McCrystal Creek, faces the prospect of intense and intrusive coal bed methane drilling. A proposal has been submitted to drill 500 wells on 40,000 acres, accompanied by hundreds of miles of roads, pipelines, and compressors. This development threatens the health of New Mexico’s largest elk herd, native Rio Grande cutthroat trout, and the remarkable recreational opportunities of the area.
3. Fraser River - ColoradoThreat:
Water Withdrawals and Transbasin DiversionConservation Partners: Colorado Trout Unlimited, East Grand Water Quality Board, Town of Fraser TrusteeCurrently, 65 percent of the Fraser River’s water is siphoned off and piped across the mountains to fuel rapid development along Colorado’s Front Range. Now, there are plans to take almost all of the rest, leaving little to no water in the Fraser. Unless the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refuses to issue a federal permit and puts an immediate stop to the water board’s plans, the remaining water will be replaced by discharges from local sewage plants, posing great risks to human health. Click here to save the Fraser River today!
4. Skykomish River - WashingtonThreat:
Rapid development and Population Demands Conservation partners: Pilchuck Audubon Society, Wild Steelhead Coalition Snohomish County is at a turning point. As population continues to rise, the county can grow in one of two ways -- haphazardly, in a way that leads to polluted water, more flooding, family farms paved over, and increasingly dangerous, congested traffic or thoughtfully and responsibly, in a way that encourages prosperity, protects clean water, and safeguards the values and lifestyles of residents. The Skykomish and its tributaries will become more polluted without a strong blueprint to manage growth and population demands. You can help by urging the Snohomish County Council to act decisively to safeguard the Skykomish River and protect the river valley residents. " Click here to save the Skykomish River today!
5. Roan Creek - TennesseeThreat:
Aging and Inadequate Sewer Systems Conservation Partners: Johnson County Citizens\' Committee for Clean Air and Water, Tennessee Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility The sewage treatment plant in Mountain City, Tennessee, is so outdated and inadequate that plant operators have been caught spreading sewage sludge on frozen ground within Roan Creek’s watershed. The United States is entering the 21st century with a 19th century sewage treatment system. The effects of outdated infrastructure, growing population, and poorly planned development are coming together to send about 850 billion gallons of raw sewage into rivers, streams, and lakes nationwide each year. Mountain City and other small towns throughout America need federal and state assistance to acquire state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants that will protect the rivers at the heart of their communities. Click here to to save Roan Creek today!
6. Santee River - South Carolina Threat:
Harmful Hydropower ProjectConservation Partners: South Carolina Coastal Conservation LeagueThe Santee Cooper hydropower project has choked most of the flow from the once mighty Santee River by diverting 97% of the river’s water into other water bodies. This massive diversion threatens the extensive floodplain forests that are dependent on the river’s natural flows and eliminates any chance of public recreation. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) can restore and protect the Santee by issuing a certification requiring the hydropower utility, Santee Cooper, to put enough water back into the river for fish, wildlife, and public recreation. "
7. Little Miami River - OhioThreat:
Sewage DumpingConservation Partners: Little Miami Incorporated, Rivers Unlimited, Sierra ClubProposed wastewater plant expansions are poised to pollute Ohio’s Little Miami River with more sewage. Unless the state insists on modern sewage treatment, the crown jewel of Cincinnati’s and southwestern Ohio’s outdoor recreation will be spoiled beyond recovery. Write the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency today and tell them that sewage dumping must not be allowed in the Little Miami. Click here to save the Little Miami today!
8. Tuolumne River - CaliforniaThreat:
Rising Population Demands and River DiversionsConservation Partners: Clean Water Action, Environmental Defense, Tuolumne River TrustThe San Francisco Public Utilities Commission must upgrade the system that currently supplies water to more than 2.4 million customers in order to make it more reliable and safe from the risk of earthquakes. However, the Commission has burdened its critical seismic retrofit program with additional expansion projects including new pipelines and reservoirs that could divert 400 million gallons of water a day. Less water in the Tuolumne not only reduces the river’s ability to dilute agricultural and urban wastes and runoff, but also depletes salmon populations.
9. Price River - Utah Threat:
Imminent Dam and Reservoir Construction Conservation Partners: Utah Rivers CouncilNear the remote headwaters of the Price River in central Utah, the federal Bureau of Reclamation is under pressure to build a dam and reservoir to take away one community’s water and pipe it over the mountains to another. Unless the Bureau abandons this project, the Price River and the communities and wildlife populations it supports will suffer great harm. Click here to save the Price today!
10. Santa Clara River - California River Threat:
Runaway Development Conservation Partners: Friends of the Santa Clara River, Santa Clara River Alliance, Heal the Bay, Center for Biological Diversity, Lawyers for Clean Water, and Ventura CoastkeeperPermits for new housing projects are currently pending throughout the Santa Clara River watershed. The five-village Newhall Ranch will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. It is one of the largest developments ever proposed in Los Angeles County. If the developer secures the required permits for Newhall Ranch, it will unleash its bulldozers on 19 square miles of natural areas straddling the upper Santa Clara River, including 141 acres located in the river’s floodplain. 95 percent of habitat in tributaries to the Santa Clara River will be lost if development is permitted. Click here to save the Santa Clara today!"
If any of the links are not working or you want to learn/do more please go to www.americanrivers.org
4.09.2005
4.03.2005
Out like a Lion
As March came in like a lamb, it appeared that we would be headed for a very severe drought for spring and summer. As of the middle of March, it hadn't really rained to speak of for two months. But then the pattern shifted and we have been getting front after front pushing through, and bringing Baker over 100" of new snow in the last week. Ryan Goedhart and myself rallied up there last week for the reopening day to 30 new inches. And as it kept snowing, Erik Schertzl and I made plans to get back up there. We timed it perfectly, on a clearing day in the middle of the storm, with 10" of new on top of 40+ Well the pictures speak for themselves and it truely made all of those dry days seem to disappear.
3.31.2005
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