I am a fisherman, too. There is no doubt that the fertilizers in the run-off are affecting the growth of algae in our coastal waters. That is likely a factor in this fish kill. We do need better farm practices and the idiots what be in charge at TCEQ just need to be hung & shot.
My biggest concern is what we do not test for: industrial discharges having compounds that mimic hormones when fish (or humans) are exposed to them. It could be a much bigger problem than anyone realizes. There's irony in that most Republicans think that they (industrial polluters) could not do something like that, the government would not let them (Dems being more su ious). The fact is that there are no required testing for these compounds and, as a result, no laws outlawing the discharge of chemicals like that in the manufacturing process. Even if there were, the unspoken rule at TCEQ is that you can doing anything you like after dark when a lot of illegal dumping takes place and, if your discharges are so onerous that people start complaining (&this, by itself, is not anything that would be noticed), TCEQ will not just show up at the door with a test kit-they will call and make an appointment.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es0630137
http://207.114.134.6/coal/tx/pr/pr2010-07-22b.aspx
I hope that fellow fishermen will not be apologists for those who profit by degrading our waters.
Last edited by byrontx; 09-11-2010 at 08:59 AM.
Water is ed
Air is ed
Land is ed
as is its nutrient-deprived, genetically modified, *-icide-laden, pathogenic produce
Food(-like substances from corps) is ed.
Economy is ed
Americans' health is ed.
And they're all getting worse with no remediation in sight.
But TV-watchin, dumbed-down, sleep-walkin, know-nothing Great American People think they are God's Chosen Country and that Corporate-Americans are to be worshipped and unregulated.
Jeez dude, just kill yourself already.
And here I thought I was the last Dr. Demento fan left alive.
So, since you have all these complaints, do you have any remedies to go along with them?
eg:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-ttf091010.php
Soil not treated with triclosan contains triclosan.
Soil fertilized with human poop contains up to many times more
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triclosan
There are something like 100K synthetic chemicals that the American chemical industry lobbyists have gotten exempted from testing.
Kill myself? nah, I've made my peace with the hopeless situation on its downward trajectory. I do what I can not to be ed up by corporate activity, and am clearly way ahead of the avg American obese, drugged, wage-slave dumb , but it's damn near impossible to be immune.
You should consider founding a commune/militia. Hippies with guns. I say this in all seriousness, not jest. As soon as I can convince the old man to leave his government job, we'll join it
Humanity as a whole does not impress me.
Environmental assessments can be done that provide some type of forecast as to the cost of remedial efforts to off-set the damage caused by the chemical and that charge broken down to a cost per gallon, lb. and so forth. Then charge that at time of purchase on that chemical. This is actually a market-based solution since you are free to determine if the benefits of applying that chemical justify the combined costs. Most likely farmers and other users would be more judicial in their use of the chemical.
Re-define corporate structure as being something other than a legal "person" for purposes of business. Create the legal power to criminally prosecute corporate leaders who knowingly violate the law (ie. knowingly dumping chemicals that re brain stem development if fetuses can result in attempted murder charges). Restrict campaign donations to individuals only.
A VAT tax on processed foods. One hour mandatory martial arts training for students (kinda like Newt's idea). Define making your children obese as a form of child abuse since it ends up harming society as a whole an s up their lives. Create incentives for kids to be good-3.2 or better grade average gets admission int o drivers ed at 15, 2.0 or below including dropping out-no drivers license until 18.
Just tossing ideas out. The situation is not hopeless but hopefully we can progress from being a society of consumer sheep to being well-rounded, thinking people (like the founding fathers, who thought about things other than themselves).
They aren't complaints. They are statements of irrefutable fact.
There aren't any remedies.
The corps control DC and legislation, so serious regulations won't get passed. Any regulations that do get passed will simply enrich the corps while being ineffective, unenforced, unstaffed, unfunded (which is, eg, the Repugs' plan for gutting health care reform).
Which is it?
I agree with you in particular about what to do with children. My kids take Tae Kwon Do and lose all video game privileges if grades in any subject fall below a B. Surprising that we agree on such a big issue
I would think "realizing I plan on vacationing in the Gulf" would be enough to force a change of venue.
I got my 6 year-old (4 at the time) into Tang Soo Do and then I joined (I am a late bloomer. I am 56, my wife is 41). Now my wife has joined as well. I really feel that in many ways I am conservative but neo-cons disgust me(I consider them right-wing liberals) and I am vary wary of corporate power so I am more old-style populist in my views. Self-employed, entreprenuer and all that.Which is it?
I agree with you in particular about what to do with children. My kids take Tae Kwon Do and lose all video game privileges if grades in any subject fall below a B. Surprising that we agree on such a big issue
I want my 6 yr old to breathe clean air and drink uncontaminated water. He is already a dedicated fisherman and outdoors type of guy. We spend a lot of time in the woods and on the coast. I want him to have that when he gets older, for HIS kids and all that.
I glad you have that with your kids-they'll be the better for it.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
