State: Arsenic in Charlo wells natural

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services believes that high levels of arsenic recently detected in several Charlo-area wells were naturally occurring.
Arsenic occurs naturally in the earth’s crust and has been linked to several health problems, including cancer.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a safe exposure limit of 10 parts per billion in water.
After a Charlo family’s well tested above that level in December, the Departments of Environmental Quality and Public Health and Human Services notified 89 homeowners within a three-mile radius to offer free testing.
Provided to the Missoulian by Diana Luke, program director of Lake County Environmental Health, it stated that “we believe that the arsenic is most likely natural and comes from geologic sources.
The water in this aquifer is naturally low in oxygen, and this chemical environment tends to liberate and mobilize certain natural elements.
For example, many residents have iron treatment on their water systems.” Earlier this month Ken Crisp, the owner of a Missoula water-technology firm involved with this issue, had also surmised that it was naturally leaching from deep sediments.
Out of 38 samples analyzed as of Feb. 8, the state found that 84 percent had arsenic levels above the state limit.
It did say, however, that the area’s public water supply remained safe to drink.
It advised area residents to test their drinking water source for this substance, and said that free testing would be available until March 15.

UNDP supports finding nature based solutions to treat drinking water to support farmers in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone

Mar 29, Colombo: Nine companies showcased nature-based solutions to address water quality issues at a Trade Fair on Advanced and Appropriate Water Treatment Systems in Colombo recently in commemoration of the World Water Day.
This seven-year project (2017-2024) is aimed at strengthening the resilience of Smallholder Farmers in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone to climate variability and extreme events.
To support water purification under this program, a Trade Fair on Advanced and Appropriate Water Treatment Systems to treat water in locations with serious water quality issues was held at the Red Verandah, BMICH in commemoration of World Water Day 2018, where nine companies showcased nature-based solutions, in parallel with alternative approaches, in water treatment technologies and practices.
This was initiated by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) supported Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP) together with the World Bank assisted Water Supply & Sanitation Improvement Project.
The above two Projects aim to improve access to potable water by enhancing community-managed rural water supply infrastructure including advanced filtration and treatment systems with appropriate disinfection processes.
According to the UNDP, globally, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services.
Furthermore, over 80 percent of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the environment without being treated or reused.
Speaking about UNDP’s support, Ms. Lovita Ramguttee, Deputy Country Director, UNDP Sri Lanka stated, "Nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of our water challenges.
Sumanasekara, General Manager of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board stated, "The rural communities in Sri Lanka need potable water for which new and advanced treatment technologies have to be showcased and promoted.
This trade fair explored the best solutions to address drinking water concerns at a community level in the Dry zone of Sri Lanka.

Going back to nature to address water crises: World Water Development Report 2018

Several countries have already benefited greatly from using these approaches for water management.
ALSO READ: 70 more water towers listed, to be protected As this year’s World Water Development Report makes clear, nature-based solutions offer answers to our most pressing water-related challenges and are also directly aligned with both the principles and aims of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
An estimated 3.6 billion people (51 per cent of the global population) now live in areas that could face water scarcity for at least one month per year, and that number could increase to 4.8–5.7 billion by 2050.
The effects of environmental pollution on African rivers from the Nile to the Mhlathuze in South Africa are poorly understood.
Global economic losses from floods and droughts have now surpassed US$40 billion per year across all economic sectors.
Projected losses due to floods, droughts and storms are estimated to increase to US$200–400 billion by 2030.
They address overall water scarcity through “supply-side management,” and are recognised as the main solution for achieving sustainable water for agriculture.
Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment can also be a cost-effective nature-based solution that provides effluent of adequate quality for several non-potable uses, including irrigation, as well as offering additional benefits including energy production.
Nature-based solutions are crucial to achieving our Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG6 (Water), SDG13 (Climate Change), SDG14 (Oceans), SDG2 (Zero hunger) and SDG15 (Ecosystems).
Adopting them will, of course, not only improve water management and achieve water security, it will deliver on the tremendous promise of the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Discussion on book showing Indira’s passion for Nature

Discussion on book showing Indira’s passion for Nature.
Discussion on book showing Indira’s passion for Nature GUWAHATI, Aug 30 – Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has been viewed as an iron lady with a dynamic political legacy.
Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, author of the book Indira Gandhi: Life in Nature, has unveiled one of the nation’s greatest leader’s journey as an environmentalist and conservationist.
Ramesh revealed details, chapters and insights from the book through the eyes of Indira Gandhi and said that the leader saw herself as “a child of Nature, who grew up in Nature, who lived with Nature and became a Prime Minister of Nature”.
He called her compelling, charismatic and controversial but an environmentalist at heart, who found her inner peace in the company of birds, plants and stones, staring at the universe of constellations, living in the hills and protecting the forests and wildlife of India.
Many breakthrough ecological reforms and environmental laws shaped up during her regime as the first and only woman Prime Minister of India.
A “wildlife saviour”, she is the reason India’s wild tigers and forests have a lease of life.
The Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Water Pollution Control Act, 1974 Air Pollution Control Act, 1981, and the Ministry of Environment were all instituted and enforced by her.
Citing examples of her commitment towards nature, even as she was busy with the Seventh Non-Aligned Summit in Delhi, she took time out to write to the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan on protecting the Siberian cranes.
She declared a ban on the felling of green trees in the Himalayas and encouraged introduction of environmental education and awareness.

NDA has put fear of God in social movements: Jairam Ramesh

NDA has put fear of God in social movements: Jairam Ramesh.
In ‘Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature’, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh has attempted to cast Indira Gandhi in a new light, as an environmentalist who was content in the midst of nature.
When I was environment minister, I was informed about Indira Gandhi’s contribution to preserving the environment.
There have been many biographies chronicling the life of Indira Gandhi, but nobody has focused on her as an individual.
She depended on a few selected friends — Salim Ali, Billy Arjan Singh, Duleep Matthai, and her officials.
If there is one figure who influenced her the most, it was Salim Ali.
During Mrs Gandhi’s tenure, she halted projects that threatened the environment.
Indira Gandhi was the first and last prime minister whose head and heart was committed to the environment, I have no hesitation in saying this.
All social movements have been suspect in the last three years, the fear of God has been put into them.
Today the voice of civil society has been completely muted.

Indira Gandhi was able to convert her love for nature into policy decisions: Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh

FORMER ENVIRONMENT Minister Jairam Ramesh has come up with ‘Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature’, a new “unconventional” biography of the former Prime Minister, in which he explores her personality only as a nature lover.
You call her a nature lover in your book, not really an environmentalist.
She loved nature, wildlife, forests, mountains.
Yes, PMs do often get credit for things that happen through the system, but in her case, there is overwhelming evidence to show that she actively pushed for these initiatives.
Her own chief ministers, Shyama Charan Shukla, Arjun Singh, Barkatullah Khan, Hari Deo Joshi, V P Naik could openly defy her.
She wanted the central government to take over Bharatpur and Sariska national parks but both Hari Deo Joshi and Barkatullah Khan (chief ministers of Rajasthan at different times), who were her appointees, basically told her to go take a walk.
There were jobs at stake, local level demands, sometimes strategic interests to be taken care of.
Did you come across any evidence that would indicate which side she herself was leaning?
Ripley had directly written to Gandhi about this.
Bowles told him that Haksar had suggested that the complexities of the cow be best left to the Indian government.

World Environment Day 2017: WED Theme and Slogans

World Environment Day 2017: WED Theme and Slogans.
Every human being living on the Earth has the responsibility to protect the “Environment.” Our earth is the place of jewels and minerals, and we can’t describe the beauty of our nature.
World Environment Day observes on June 5th Every year.
World Environment Day 2017 Theme is “Connecting People to Nature– in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator”.
The host nation is Canada.
Slap those actions which lead to damaging the environment.
Even government is giving license to those companies illegally.
Some vehicles release air pollution in an environment which leads to global warming.
Need for Global Partnership -1991 Only One Earth, Care and Share -1992 Connect with the World Wide Web of Life -2001 Water – Two Billion People are Dying for It!
-2008 Your Planet Needs You – Unite to Combat Climate Change -2009 Many Species.

Going wild: Madison County 4-H hosts nature field day

Going wild: Madison County 4-H hosts nature field day.
“It is a field day, but it is all educational, hands-on activities and experimental learning to gain an interest and/or review.” Students rotated amongst various stations to listen to small classes on soil, owl pellets, wildlife, wood magic, water cycles, entomology and nature adaptations.
Many of the classes allowed children to get up close and personal with their subjects.
Darst explained students studying soil would discuss the various colors of dirt and nutrients present.
As they learned about the water cycle, some students were surprised to hear that they drink the same water that was on the earth when dinosaurs roamed.
“Why read it in a book when you can experience it,” Darst said, explaining the significance of the field day for young learners.
Dawn Thornbury, Waco Elementary fourth-grade teacher, agreed, noting that interactive learning is significant because it keeps students engaged while keeping their minds and bodies active.
4-H Goes Wild has been a popular event for 4-H for nearly nine years, according to Darst.
Approximately 400 fourth-grade students from Glenn Marshall Elementary, Waco Elementary, Kirksville Elementary and Daniel Boone Elementary attended Tuesday’s field day; nearly 400 more students are expected on Wednesday.
Ultimately, Darst said 4-H is hoping to sneak in how fun nature, environment and natural resources can be and get students more interested in the outdoors where they can explore.