envjournal

Gideon F. For-mukwai

Envjournal Writer

Stanley White, a local water blogger in Reno makes a strong case for drinking water from the Truckee Meadow Water Authority(TMWA)  over bottled water. In his blog about Reno, he says water from public system saves money, conserves energy and reduces the waste sent to the landfills. 

As a follow Mr. White ’s blog, I decided to dig deeper to see what TMWA says about the quality of the water in our homes. I found an interesting page with lots of questions and answers. I will strongly suggest you check it out and possibly leave a question there as I have done this morning at this link.

By Michelle Horton

Envjournal Writer

Starting June 1st, 2009 Lake Tahoe boaters will pay a fee to help fund invasive species inspections. Approved by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the inspections prevent aquatic invasives, such as the zebra and quagga mussel from entering Lake Tahoe waters. Fees will range from $10 to $60 depending on vessel size.

We want to know how you feel about this issue. Do you have questions for the TRPA? Do you think there’s another way to protect the lake from invasives? Email us at envjournal@gmail.com or post comments below and let us know what your concerns are and what questions you would like us to ask TRPA officials.

Boating rules information, inspection requirements, and launch facility details can be found online or by phone at 1-888-TAHO-ANS.

By Gideon F. For-mukwai

Envjournal Writer

There are three areas in which water can be conserved in homes today. From the kitchen, to the bathroom and to the lawn, water usage can be reduced, depending on simple choices combined with new water-saving green devices.

Kitchen

According to Niagra Conservation, a turnkey conservation outfit based in New Jersey, there are many ways by which to reduce water wastage in homes. For instance, Niagara states that by taking shower instead of a bath, up to 40% of water can be saved. By increasing awareness, a lot of water and money be saved from multiple areas both indoor and outdoor.

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And they’re off! Eleven endangered leatherback sea turtles, tagged with satellite tracking devices, are taking part in the Great Turtle Race. Starting from their foraging grounds in Canada the turtles are tracked as they make their yearly 3,700-mile migration to the sunny Caribbean. 

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By Michelle Horton

Envjournal Writer

There are numerous organizations working toward protecting Lake Tahoe’s ecosystem. Below I have highlighted three of the organizations doing an exemplary job.

Tahoe Environmental Research Center

The Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is an organization developed within the UC Davis John Muir Institute of the Environment. UC Davis research of Lake Tahoe began in 1959, with Dr. Charles Goldman. TERC is dedicated to research, education and public outreach surrounding lake ecosystems. The Center is focused on providing scientific information to inform decision-making regarding restoration and sustainable use of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Research performed by TERC involves invasive species, water quality, atmospheric quality, terrestrial ecology, and fresh water aquatics.

For more information refer to: TERC Website

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By Gideon F. For-mukwai
When I was browsing around looking for water-related blogs, little did I expect to find a water blog specializing on water issues. To my pleasant surprise, I found a fine blog by Schroeder’s Law Offices covering states like Nevada, Oregon, Idaho and international issues.
The blog covers amongst other topics legislation, water law and case law.
For more about Water blog, check out: water-law.com/wordpress/?cat=9

By Gideon F. For-mukwai
Envjournal Writer
I was reading around to understand what other bloggers are doing out here in the West. In the course of my research, I stumbled upon the blog of Portland Water Bureau. It is a very comprehensive blog with lots of information.
What I like most about this blog is the fact that they are using new media extensively to get the word out about their projects. The blog is into facebook, youtube, flickr and twitter. Their flickr really got my attention especially the pictures of events. The pictures were very compelling and for a moment, I thought, instead of reading, I could just check out the photos.
If you want to learn more about Portland Water Bureau Blog: http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=39678