Posts tagged Delaware river
Forum to Address Threats to Water Supplies
Mar 3rd
Believe it or not, more than 15 million people rely upon the Delaware River as the source for their drinking water, and millions more count on this diverse waterway for inspiration, recreation–and jobs.
On March 10, 2011, a free one-day forum will take a look at the Delaware River Basin, with a goal on preserving the quality and quantity of the Basin’s drinking water.
What: First-ever Delaware River Basin Forum
When: March 10, 2011
Where: Eight linked locations and via live webcast
Who: Municipal, community, and business leaders, and water professionals.
The forum is sponsored by the Source Water Collaborative and the Forum Planning Team (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Delaware Department of Health and Human Services, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware River Basin Commission, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Health and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protectio
Download a flyer here >>
Get more information and Register >>
While you’re at it, why not learn more about the underappreciated Delaware? 
Check out our PBS documentary, Life on the Delaware. It’ll turn your preconceived notions about the Delaware on upside down and give you a new appreciation for this amazing waterway’s place in the world. Rather than pitting environment versus economy, this lyrical film is a personal travelogue that sheds light on the many roles the Delaware plays in so many lives.
A perfect mind-opener to the Forum, Life on the Delaware recognizes that the river is at once a living ecosystem and an industrial waterway. Do we have the vision and determination to enable the Delaware to continue to be both.
Salt on the Roads: Good for Safety, bad for the environment…
Jan 12th
As we dig out from another winter storm here in the Northeast–and road crews work to stay on top of the snow–we’re all focused on getting around safely. Whether we’re driving, cycling (yup, people still do, despite windchills and slippery ground), or navigating on foot, clearing roads and sidewalks quickly and effectively is a primary concern.
And that means we’re using all kinds of salt. Nothing does the job as well or as economically–but we’ve been going overboard without thinking about where the salt goes. We’re after the plusses, but aren’t tuned in to the negative effects.
Remember last winter’s massive storms and those images of front loaders dumping snow into the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers? That snow is loaded with the salt and sand that gives us traction on the roads. What about the snowmelt that washes into the storm drains? You guessed it: this runoff is also loaded with salt–and it may be heading straight into local creeks, rivers, and streams. Studies are showing that sodium levels in waterways all across the country have been rising–and that’s not a good thing. Plants and fish are being adversely affected; in fact, the entire aquatic ecosystem is being thrown out of whack.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sandy Bauers wrote a good piece about the problem over the holidays. In case you missed it, you can find the article here >>
She draws from a study by the US Geological Survey that says salt deicing can turn waterways toxic to aquatic life. Check it out here >>
Thought provoking stuff. We want everyone to be safe out there, but let’s use our salt wisely. Like it or not, all of our actions have some unintended effect…
New Years in Philly: Mummers Tackle “Fracking” for Gas
Jan 5th
It’s pretty obvious that Mummers have no fear of controversy, but who knew one troupe would make a passion play out of the debate over drilling for natural gas? Check it out:
Not sure where you line up on the debate on drilling for Natural Gas? Hear Philly Water Department’s take…
Dec 8th
There’s so much polarizing debate going on around the issue of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation that it’s hard to know what lies ahead. On one side, there are those who see the “gasrush” as nothing less than economic salvation; on the other, those who believe environmental disaster is imminent and drilling must be prevented no what the opportunity cost. There are a ton of far smarter minds than ours weighing in, yet we tend to believe that somewhere along the line we must reach a middle ground and PROCEED SLOWLY, AND WITH EXTREME CAUTION, because it’s pretty clear we’re not getting to a 100% renewable energy future anytime soon…
Kelly Anderson and Paula Conolly of the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) will present an overview of PWD’s approach to source water protection and what steps are being taken to address the challenges presented by natural gas drilling in the Schuylkill and Delaware River basins–the source of Philadelphia’s water supply.
Please RSVP by December 13. For reservations or more information, please call 215-685-0723. More Information at FWWIC website >>
As a prelude to the program, you might want to Remember The River by tuning in to a video we created for our tireless friends at the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. It’s mainly derived from a pair of our beautiful documentaries, Life on the Delaware and PA: A River Sojourn. Both are available now on DVD. Go to the Shop >>
Remember the River from GreenTreks Network on Vimeo.
Be Moved to Action: Stories that Change the World on DVD just in time for the Holidays
Dec 3rd
We’ve got our online Shop up and running just in time for the Holiday season, so you can now watch entire programs on your big screen television or give them as gifts to family and friends!
If you haven’t been following us for several years, you may not even know about some of the great programs we’ve put out! The fact is, we’ve been so focused on building our EcoExpress portal and helping bring municipalities and engineers up to speed on the state of stormwater management that we haven’t been promoting award-winning programs like Farming on the Edge and From the Bay to PA; beautiful documentaries such as Life on the Delaware and Raycing the Sun; and quirky thought-provokers such as Environmental Classroom and Enviro-Art. Many of the programs from our GreenWorks series continue to air on cable and public television stations in various parts of the country, but you can own them now on DVD.
We’ll be highlighting one of the programs right here, every week, but you can check ‘em out now (literally–Purchase ‘em and Check ‘em Out!) with a safe secure purchase, right from our shop. Go Stock up >>
