Environmentalists insist on declaring the Gulf of Mexico "dead zone".

The oil industry is not the only culprit of slow destruction of the ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. According to environmental organizations in its latest statement, the area of ​​the Gulf of Mexico the size of Massachusetts to declare a "dead zone". The reason is the severe pollution of the Mississippi River. As environmentalists say, the level of oxygen in the water in the area just sufficient to maintain the normal life of marine animals and plants.

Therefore, recently a number of environmental organizations, including the Council for the Protection of Natural Resources, has been sued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to tighten the regulation of wastewater and the conformity of the river water quality standards. In particular, the defenders called on EPA to test the water in the Gulf of Mexico to the level of nitrogen and phosphorus that stimulate excessive growth of algae that consume precious oxygen in the water. According to the Gulf Restoration Network Organization (GRN), in the Mississippi River reaches 41 percent of sewage from all American businesses, and with them - a huge amount of fertilizers and other chemicals from farms and cities across the country. Every summer, as soon as the water warms up in the Gulf, the volume of these microscopic organisms increases, thereby suppressing the development of the marine ecosystem.


At the same time, environmentalists say, and about poor water quality upstream. Thus, in the season, and Raccoon rivers in Des Moines found extremely high levels of nitrates. In order to keep the water of these rivers was suitable for drinking, requires special handling.
Matthew Roth, Director of Water Policy in the GRN, said that the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico for decades been the "national collectors," but now they need to be cleaned.The time has come when the EPA should take appropriate action.
It is worth noting that in 2008, environmentalists have appealed to the Office for Environmental Protection, calling for greater involvement in the control of pollution of the Mississippi River. However, if their application was dismissed with the statement that international water quality standards "are not an effective solution of significant water issues facing the American nation."

Ways of solving environmental problems.

There are three main areas in which we break the ecosystem of the planet. Burning petroleum products while working a large number of internal combustion engines and power stations, we throw in an atmosphere of combustion gases, primarily carbon dioxide. Huge piles of unprocessed waste, which itself does not decompose, take a lot of space, pollute soil and water, some of it gets into the seas and oceans. Finally, in the mining open pit, quarry, we give a lifeless state of the vast territory.These major problems, respectively, and identified those areas in which is a struggle for the preservation of the environment. First of all, hope to solve the problems associated with the development of energy efficient technologies and bringing up the level of industrial capacity environmentally friendly sources of energy. Development of electric vehicles, expansion of public electric will gradually clear the air of cities. For its part, car companies are working to reduce fuel consumption. We are actively developing electronic systems to control movement, which can minimize the waste of fuel. Solar panels and wind turbines should be reduced, and eventually even reduced to zero, the burning of fuel in thermal power plants that now produce the lion's share of Energy in the world. Moreover, these energy sources are good because they can - in theory - be used everywhere, so with time to drop out the need to build power transmission lines and trunk pipelines. Using these sources in the industry until the question of the future, but it is the first development of residential complexes with a fully self-contained, environmentally sound manner.Any attempt to re-use waste or waste-free processing it is very valuable. Especially considering the fact that much of the garbage, these things are quite useful, discarded simply because they are replaced by new ones. All that can be recycled, recycled to do - this is now the main slogan. First, we further reduce consumption of resources, and secondly, rid the planet of junk. Therefore, there is a whole design direction for the creation of interior items, household items - a light bulb, teapots, furniture, and even entire houses. The aim - to bring to people's minds the idea: do not rush to throw the old thing, showing the share of imagination, you can give it a second life.Of course, the trash is only a small part of the problem. To give more waste industry.Waste treatment plants in special garbage collector can be obtained from an analogue of natural gas, which can be used instead of fuel.All of these areas, despite notable successes in recent years, solve only part of the problem. There is still an unresolved issue remains pereabotka plastic and rubber. A huge number of whole tires creates garbage mountains around the major European capitals. A proportion of legikh plastics packages, bottles and packaging by weight up to 30% of all waste. Great hopes are pinned on biotechnology, which would like to believe they will either recycle the debris, or somehow integrate them into the environment.

Environment and Energy.

In today's world people to achieve the necessary degree of comfort to him, spends more and more energy. We can not imagine my life without refrigerators, electric heaters (kettles, microwave ovens), dishwashers and washing machines, computers, and in the summer - without air conditioning. Now, instead of Power is a seasonal peak energy consumption, as it did 20 years ago - two: winter and summer. And, in conversations at the state level on the transition to energy-saving technologies in the home there is little change. None of us are not ready to abandon the now familiar things, which really must be confessed, make our lives easier, safer and more comfortable.However, due to the fact that technology is constantly evolving, manufacturers of energy-consuming products offer new and enhanced instruments, the number of people enjoying the benefits of civilization, has been steadily growing. As energy consumption increases and, above all, energy.Recent developments in Japan's nuclear power has once again made the world think about the safest ways to generate electricity. Thus, in Bavaria, where about 60% of the electricity produced at nuclear power plants, it was decided to gradually phase-out of electricity produced at nuclear power plants, so that by 2020 fully switch to alternative sources.Therefore, energy, especially engineers and designers say something like this: We do our best to ensure that our plants were the most environmentally friendly. We do so in accordance with the current development of science and technology in this field. But the needs of humanity's energy is growing faster than the development of environmentally sound technologies generate electricity.It is clear that the production of energy through the power of wind, sunlight and heat the earth more environmentally friendly than the energy produced from thermal and nuclear power plants. However, it is more expensive, but at the same time, the less stable. If we consider the same Bavaria, there is hard to find places with a strong constant winds, such as in Holland, sunny days a year, far less than in Cyprus, and on the surface does not leave any geothermal sources. Thus, in parallel with the transition to alternative energy, humanity must find ways to meet their needs through energy efficiency. Thus, simple replacement of fluorescent lighting to LED saves 50 to 90% of the electricity consumed for lighting. Plus go full cost of disposal of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. But high-quality LED lighting is now so expensive that at the current price for electricity the payback period in Russia amounts to about two years.Of course, replacing a light bulb, ordinary citizens do not save much. But the competent government policy, including in the formation of economic incentive for implementing energy-saving technologies at home and at work will reduce the demand for electricity in our society and, therefore, move at least a step towards a cleaner environment.

Ecology - a comprehensive science!

Ecology - a complex science. Speaking in a nutshell, it examines the relationship between the animate and inanimate nature. Wildlife - are living organisms (plants, animals, fungi, viruses) and their community. Inanimate nature - it is the habitat in which all living things (including people) there. Two Greek word "oikos" (house) and "logos" (the science) are the name of science "ecology" - means the science of the house. For a man - a residential building, for animals - forest, field, mountain, for the fish - sea, lakes and rivers. For all together - a whole planet. Shared accommodation is sometimes like a fight for survival in space and time in natural and artificially modified human conditions. Ecology is designed to explore all the intricacies of the process of co-existence of individual residents of our great "utility" of the apartment and the impact on each other.Life on Earth is in full swing everywhere. Flora and fauna exists not for itself, it depends on its environment (climate, soil, water and air temperatures). In the long process of historical development of plants and animals have learned to adapt to existing environmental conditions.Many people mistakenly believe that ecology studies the issues related only to the environment. This occurred because of an incorrect interpretation of the implications of thoughtless human influence on the environment.In fact, the environment affects a much larger range of issues. So what matters is studying ecology?A. By nature environment in which organisms live. Highlights - is the climate and natural resources. Natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, the collapse) often lead to a breach of customary life, turning everything around.Two. Mutual existence of living organisms and their communities in the world among themselves. Violation of the settled nature of the equilibrium between the different living organisms (plants and herbivores feeding on them, herbivores and predators).Three. Man's relation to nature is also the subject of study. Occurring in the nature of the changes due to human intervention (deforestation, construction of dams, construction of industrial plants ...). This violates the nature of nature, pollute the surrounding world, which has a negative effect on all life, including in humans.The main target of scientific research ecologists - nature itself. Environmentalists are watching what is happening not only in the field, leaving the expedition, but also in the stationary (laboratory) conditions. Long-term observations are accompanied by conducting laboratory experiments, followed by the extension of scientific theories to explain the phenomena occurring.Only by studying all the issues in the complex, you can get a full picture of what is happening, to be able to predict the course of further development.Only in recent time, mankind has been thinking about the importance of environmental issues. Due to the results produced by research, you can try to anticipate and learn how to prevent a devastating impact of negative factors. Environmental literacy is relevant to modern people.

Urban environmental problems.

Today's mega-cities - a center of trade and industry. Increasingly, citizens criticized large companies for polluting the environment, but in fact they harm - this is only part of the chain of the environmental problems that have long been settled in large cities.Initially, large industrial enterprises were built on the periphery of cities, but the expansion of residential areas has led to what people have to live side by side with the often injurious productions. Emissions of chemicals in the urban sky citizens make life unbearable. At best, people feel an unpleasant smell, and at worst - feel unwell due to poisoning of the body. Even if the company is not located in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, it's still poison the environment for several kilometers around. Emissions from the huge pipes of factories picked up by wind and rain cover in the form of the next areas. Wastewater, which often have a poisonous yellow, rushing small streams to large rivers, into the soil.Another environmental problem in cities are the exhaust gases of millions of cars that are daily in the many kilometers of traffic jams. Environmentally friendly cars who travel on an environmentally friendly fuel - now rather distant prospect, despite the high level of science in modern society. Change to bicycles and public transport cities residents do not want, and, hence, this problem does not lose its relevance for a long time. Exhaust gases in the degree of harmful impact on the environment ahead of the mills and factories. Harmful volatile substances in their composition have an adverse impact not only on the human body, but also to plants and animals, the city band. Affects the respiratory tract, reduced the required level of oxygen in the blood. Hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas can cause headaches, which have become familiar to urban dwellers.Considerable damage to the cities causing landfills. Tons of waste instead of processed, are delivered to the overcrowded landfills, or people have to breathe the smell of garbage piles, from the comfort of their own households. A terrible smell and crowds of rats - it's not the most terrible consequences uncollected garbage. Quite often, discarded wastes which contain toxic substances and therefore require special disposal.Build refineries are too expensive, easier to allocate new space for landfills and "enjoy" the new garbage mountain peaks that grow in the short term. The trees are cut down, giving way to high-rise buildings and large shopping centers, reducing the flow of air into the lungs of citizens.The modern city is being blackened lungs with patients with a dense cap of smog over the heads of its inhabitants. Key environmental issues are added washing machines in urban ponds, picnics in the parks, which make the already sparse green areas in the smaller versions of urban landfills.Mindless consumerism and the environment leads to a slow self-destruction of urban residents, which will last you as long as people do not realize the importance of solving existing environmental problems.

Spring show who, where garbage !

That's the first rays of the sun delight citizens, is becoming warmer, the snow begins to melt, but at the same time opening up unflattering pictures, such as piles of garbageaccumulating all winter.
The snow hid incivility of some townspeople hid discarded cigarette butts and packs of cigarettes, could not see thousands of empty bottles of beer, almost could not see and the motley pack, the fact that the sale of plastic bags by itself may not ill, but that thatmost of these packages is happening in the future, how much extra waste is produced, I've written previously about possible solutions in this area, I think, is once again raise the subject.
Need packaging, which can be easily processed by Mother Nature

The use of fertilizers has led to mass deaths of flamingos!

Active use of fertilizers in agriculture on the banks of lakes in Tanzania has led to the fact that the water began to multiply rapidly cyanobacteria. Poisonous substance, which they emit, caused a massive loss of even a flamingo.
Hezron Nong Emmanuel (Hezron Emmanuel Nonga) from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Research decided to find out the cause of mass deaths of flamingos dwarf (Phoeniconaias minor Geoffroy), which takes place the last few years in the lakes of Tanzania, the agency says Kazakh-Grain. Researchers conducted a study of Lake Victoria in the north-west of the country and several small lakes in the north, including Lake Manyara. They found an excessive amount of water in the cyanobacteria that produce Microcystin - a toxic substance, deleterious effect on fish and other inhabitants of the lake. Researchers concluded that the abundance of cyanobacteria caused by runoff into the lake a large number of nitrogen fertilizers - on the shores of these lakes are settlements and agricultural land. Moreover, according to Nong, the economic activity in these areas no one was watching, and the amount of fertilizer that is used in the fields, not limited.
To find out why flamingos are dying, the researchers conducted an analysis of their organs and tissues. They found elevated levels of microcystin (a substance that is isolated cyanobacteria in the course of their life) in the liver of these birds. According to Nong probably the food chain Microcystin ingested flamingos, causing their death.Microcystin in large quantities is toxic to many animals, including fish. This substance causes liver necrosis, which leads to death, the IA-Kazakh grain.

Russia was buried under the waste !

Of the four billion rubles received by the federal budget in 2010 in fines for environmental damage, the elimination of harm in the country spent 35 million However, even today, the MEP can not precisely delineate the extent of the disaster.
Only it is estimated (no piles of inventory, of course, did not hold), in Russia, 90 billion tons of stored waste - domestic and industrial. And these 90 billion - only a small part of an inheritance that we leave each year and leave thousands of factories. Many have long disappeared from the directories of existing enterprises, and now exist solely as an environmentally hazardous pockets on the map. These centers, in an uncertain estimate of profile ministries, thousands of them. 194-m objects in the Ministry of Natural Resources (again, in the eyes) was given the status of "hot spots". Owners can not (they were lost during the privatization of leapfrog) willing to pay for someone else's mismanagement - even more so.
Deputy head of state regulation in the field of waste treatment and elimination of the accumulated damage to the department of public policy and regulation in the field of environmental protection and ecological security of the Russian Federation Ministry of Natural Resources Burkanov Olga offers to distribute responsibility for the abandoned territory between the executive authorities. If the land on which is piled a dangerous object that is included in the federal jurisdiction - the money spends the Russian budget, if it is in the ownership of the subject - the subject, and if the municipality - local governments.
This model is described at a meeting of an official in the Public Chamber and present it together with the draft federal law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation (in terms of regulation of compensation (eliminate) harm to the environment, including those associated with past economic activity)." In addition to the separation of powers document (in the near future it is planned to submit to the Government Code) requires maintenance of the state registry of such areas, the creation of public-private partnerships and tax incentives for businesses, which (who knows how to do) with his flock billion in a project to improve the does not belong to them woods and ponds.
Alas, neither the report nor after, responding to criticism, Burkanov not explain how the "poor" would get the money for municipal landfills and eliminating their restoration, not told what to do if part of the natural complex will be subordinated to the Federal Executive, and the other - subject. Do not mention Burkanov and that the same registry, which it presents as a guide innovation, in fact, is there since 2002, but over the years replenished only once. This reminded ekokontrolya head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (Rosprirodnadzor), Natalia Sokolova, who, in spite of departmental affiliation, took a surprisingly aggressive stance.
"We have to take us to the law. We must rid the country of waste. Necessary. A clear way - she specified. - Where are we going to export them and how to neutralize or recycle? The country has 389 companies on the disposal. Of these, more than half - complexessort. processing complexes Really no more than 60 (including 40 combustion plants). "
According to Sokolova, Russia processed a maximum of 3.5% of municipal solid waste (MSW), while, for example, in the U.S. - about 30%, while in Europe - more than 25%.But in 1399 the country runs a legal placement of solid waste facilities and seven thousand "authorized" landfills - permitted by local authorities, but in fact uncontrolled.The main flow of garbage buried in landfills unauthorized, of which only statistics Rosprirodnadzor, we have about 22.5 thousand It is about 50 thousand hectares, entirely covered with waste. And they are not talking about is not found dumps, do absolutely nowhere.
"Without solving the problem of infrastructure, we will not solve any problem of the elimination of accumulated environmental harm, or minimizing the problem of newly generated waste, nor the problem of runoff treatment facilities," - said Sokolov, he immediately turned his attention to another bill that has already been adopted in first reading in the DG. It is "On the economic revitalization of waste management."
"Without incentives and guarantees no infrastructure investment will not, - said speaking. - Contracts are for one year on the basis of competitions held by the investor and do not give any guarantee that this object is constructed, the year he wins the competition for its operation. Also benefits Tax on profits and property are no more benefits there - no land tax or lease payment. As there are no guarantees on tariffs, which are reviewed each year. "
The bill in its original version of their thought. He also suggested the creation (or rather, the restoration of the abolished) established environmental funds and a ban on the disposal of certain wastes in 2030 as a potentially recycled. However, according to Sokolova, "all these rules were rejected by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and the Ministry of Regional Development - ten pages left almost bare text. Only thing left there, - the introduction of financial responsibility of the manufacturer (importer) for the disposal of products."
The idea is that since January 1, 2010 the first waste is not prohibited to place only at the sites included in the special register of the MEP. But the Ministry of Natural Resources simply do not maintain this registry. Therefore, 96.5% of waste in the Russian Federation are located, and nobody knows where. Rosprirodnadzor has recently initiated the formation of an interactive map of unauthorized dumps - worked on the basis of environmental hot line calls, which operate for four years, inspectors raid the territorial services and signals from the volunteers. This card may appear in the free Internet access in the next year.
"Why Rosprirodnadzor is in part of waste management is currently implementing such works is because the waste - this is still a minimum, to get you started, and that at least can be fixed - explained Sokolov. - Unfortunately, the water bodies is almost unknown, and on Air Basin, in principle, we can not track violations - only if we take the technical documentation and a purely mathematical way to calculate how much hazardous substances were released into the air. "
Just waste Rosprirodnadzor also distinguished by the degree of importance. And engaged in basic, everyday. "Because the waste industry, we have more or less reliable statistics on domestic and no accountability, no payments - Sokolov recognized. - Here's the play we are now trying to fill."
"But we have to understand - she added - that even on legal sites for placement of solid waste in compliance with applicable regulations and operating rules, can be placed and industrial waste is the third, fourth and fifth classes of risk, and construction waste, and in February of this year - and even medical waste, Class B (ie, an extremely dangerous - "Rosbalt"). "
It is assumed that such waste should be disposed of at special facilities, but according to Sokolova, these facilities in the country - one. In the end, until the Ministry of Natural Resources are developing legislation to eliminate the "lessons of environmental harm," across the country grow new centers ekoopasnosti. And all of these centers together the federal budget is spending 35 million rubles per year (regions, which receive 80% of the paid fines, costs not much more). Although trials with companies violators losses are estimated in the billions.
Sergei Simak, Judge OP RF, described as "flawed" the very structure of the Ministry of nature protection legislation, "from which it will continue to grow handicap law enforcement." "Solving the problem just yesterday, we program a situation where the problems of today are tomorrow's problems" - he warned, and, alternatively, advised to think about the creation of the institute of environmental liability insurance industrialists."Only a small number of objects is now subject to compulsory insurance - have Simak. - Must be conceptually raise the question of expanding the range of objects." However, Olga Burkanov, representing the House Natural Resources, snapped back that you should start small.
If only all started.

Environmentalists and members of Fisheries strengthen control !

After the abnormal cold weather, which held down the region, there was a threat of mass death of fish. Because of the thick layer of ice at the mouths of the Volga River has decreased dramatically the oxygen content. Situation is aggravated by poachers who are not averse to any, even the most barbaric ways of poaching.Rod, stuck in the snow - it's a landmark. Below, a half-meter layer of ice - network.Poaching. Catch in these areas such tackle - is prohibited by law. But the "dragnet thrown", it seems, is not afraid of punishment.To catch a poacher in the act is difficult. Most often, the inspector simply pulls the network. To catch them you can only for professionals - in the presence of licenses.Since January, the entire water area of ​​the Saratov Volga is divided into sections, which are distributed among fishers. Many of them are now ready to help the department of Fisheries in the fight against poachers."If I have poachers appeared on my site, I'll clean them myself from this reservoir. They are dark, like a spider climbs - weave a web, as well, and they" - said the fisherman, hunter Yuri Rossoshanskij.Those who are caught "for themselves," law-abiding anglers, tired to leave your spoon in the poaching network. Most often, they are - the main informants inspectors."As for the fans, to date, no limits, nor on the number of fish, or in places not. That is, any citizen can go, put the rods 10, as it should, and catch", - said Head of Fisheries at inter-district of the Saratov region, Alexander Butov.A network - just not supposed to. Inspectors were very interested in the tackle. This so-called "fine-meshed grid" that is prohibited on the Volga, but allowed in the stores.Moreover, the people behind the counter know what they sell.Big fish in such a network will not get - is too narrow. Actually, poachers, and it is not necessary. For them, it is important to the quality and quantity. Small fish, which caught the gills, it is not going anywhere, more at times. It was she interested in poaching. The account runs into tens of kilograms. The network pays the cost of 300 rubles, almost instantly.In the early spring on the Volga, in the snowy wilderness. However, beneath the ice in this region, experts say, the fish every year more and more. But now it is changing species composition, and poaching is, though not major, but a significant factor."Less valuable species of fish such as roach, crucian carp, in large numbers, but more valuable species - bream, perch, pike - there are fewer" - Julius says euro Chizhov.Of course, to make reports on all offenders - is unrealistic. Therefore, each "neutralized" a network with more live fish for inspectors - already a success.