Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Energy and Natural Resources
Think about the amount of energy and/or natural resources you use everyday. We challenge you to see what you use and make a tally sheet of your energy consumption. You can do it on your own or use a tool like the one on MSN.com Green page. Can you make changes to what you do everyday to decrease the amount of energy or natural resources? I bet you can. Everyone can make a difference whether it is recycling, using more energy efficient appliances or just turning off a light switch. These are just a couple. Give use some feed back and make any suggestions to how someone else might make a difference. We would like to hear it. We are also going to add some links where you might get more information on recycling and energy reductions.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Conservation District Pole
Where was the First Conservation District in the U.S.?
The first Conservation District in the U.S was the Brown Creek Soil Conservation District in North Carolina. It was established August 4, 1937. Within Ten years all state plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands had legislation for the ability to establish legislation.
A conservation district is a locally organized and locally operated unit of government functioning under Pennsylvania law with the assistance of the State Conservation Commission (SCC). Conservation Districts function in accordance with Act 217, the Conservation District Law. The Conservation District Law was enacted on May 15, 1945. The law defines a conservation district as a “public body, corporate and politic, exercising public powers”, meaning that members of the community who have different ideas and feelings but form a unified body to develop conservation programs for their county. The Conservation District Law states that each conservation district board of directors shall consist of one member of the county governing board, not more that four or less than two farmers, and not less than two or more than four public members. The farmer-public director ratio is determined by the county governing body and the SCC. Pennsylvania has sixty-six (66) conservation districts managed by over 475 directors who volunteer their time and talent to their communities’ conservation efforts.
History of Lawrence County's Conservation District
The Lawrence Conservation District was organized at the request of individual citizens and groups interested in various aspects of soil and water conservation. The county was initially declared a soil conservation district on November 28, 1961 by the County Commissioners George Bolinger, Joseph Gilmore, and Ray Bailey in accordance with provisions of the “Soil Conservation Law” of 1945, Act 217, of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. It began operations on April 18, 1962.
Thanks to all who answered the question and I will try to put up a new question periodically.
Reference: William G. Camp, Roy L. Donahue, "Environmental Science for Agricultural and Life Sciences", Pg 75, 1994.
The first Conservation District in the U.S was the Brown Creek Soil Conservation District in North Carolina. It was established August 4, 1937. Within Ten years all state plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands had legislation for the ability to establish legislation.
A conservation district is a locally organized and locally operated unit of government functioning under Pennsylvania law with the assistance of the State Conservation Commission (SCC). Conservation Districts function in accordance with Act 217, the Conservation District Law. The Conservation District Law was enacted on May 15, 1945. The law defines a conservation district as a “public body, corporate and politic, exercising public powers”, meaning that members of the community who have different ideas and feelings but form a unified body to develop conservation programs for their county. The Conservation District Law states that each conservation district board of directors shall consist of one member of the county governing board, not more that four or less than two farmers, and not less than two or more than four public members. The farmer-public director ratio is determined by the county governing body and the SCC. Pennsylvania has sixty-six (66) conservation districts managed by over 475 directors who volunteer their time and talent to their communities’ conservation efforts.
History of Lawrence County's Conservation District
The Lawrence Conservation District was organized at the request of individual citizens and groups interested in various aspects of soil and water conservation. The county was initially declared a soil conservation district on November 28, 1961 by the County Commissioners George Bolinger, Joseph Gilmore, and Ray Bailey in accordance with provisions of the “Soil Conservation Law” of 1945, Act 217, of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. It began operations on April 18, 1962.
Thanks to all who answered the question and I will try to put up a new question periodically.
Reference: William G. Camp, Roy L. Donahue, "Environmental Science for Agricultural and Life Sciences", Pg 75, 1994.
Monday, November 12, 2007
One of the most valuable resources in the world!
This resource is something we do not think about very often when we think about our daily lives but as my colleague's and I have been teaching four graders for the past 7 years it is one of the most important resources. What resource can clean our water, give use food and shelter and provide for many of the things we need to survive? I maybe a little biased in this because my degree is in the conservation of this resource but dirt, we use the term "soil", is that resource. Yes, my degree is in the dirt and dirt management.
Soil is the one resource that can filter water and is a necessity to plants in the natural world. More specifically topsoil. Yes, of course, man can grow plants without soil and filter water clean but can we do it as well as mother nature does it with soil. Not on the scale that she handles everyday.
One day a year we teach four graders the importance of soil, we ask them to categorize items that are in their homes or use everyday. We ask them to put the items into four categories plant, animal, soil and other. Of course, they like to put them into every category but soil. At the end, we tell them that the items in the plant and animal categories should be in the soil. This makes them really think and they do not agree at first but after using where does milk come from, a cow of course, and what does a cow eat, hay of course, and where does the grass grow, soil of course. They catch on really quickly. These items are not all food items. Maybe they are clothes or furniture. Try this; take any item and figure out what makes up that item. Take plastic for instance. Man made yes, but soybeans are used to make plastics. It is very hard to find an item that does not have some ingredient in the process that does not need soil.
So next time you have a chance take some time and think about were your food or household items comes from and don't forget that soil is probably one of the main ingredients that goes into the equation of producing that product. This is not always true but I bet you will be surprised how many fit into that soil category.
Soil is a valuable resource and as far a I am concerned it is as valuable as water for the benefit of the environment and us who live in it. Soil is not a renewable resource. We only have so much and just like our fossil fuels there could be a day when it is not usable due to lack of conservation to ensure it usable for future generations.
Did you know?
1. It takes 1000 years to make one inch of topsoil.
2. Only 1/32 of the land can be used for the production of food and fiber.
3. "Sediment", or it could be termed the "bad soil",from soil erosion is the leading source of pollution in our stream and rivers and the nutrients and other contaminants that can be attached to the soil particles are a leading source of pollution to our lakes.
Soil is the one resource that can filter water and is a necessity to plants in the natural world. More specifically topsoil. Yes, of course, man can grow plants without soil and filter water clean but can we do it as well as mother nature does it with soil. Not on the scale that she handles everyday.
One day a year we teach four graders the importance of soil, we ask them to categorize items that are in their homes or use everyday. We ask them to put the items into four categories plant, animal, soil and other. Of course, they like to put them into every category but soil. At the end, we tell them that the items in the plant and animal categories should be in the soil. This makes them really think and they do not agree at first but after using where does milk come from, a cow of course, and what does a cow eat, hay of course, and where does the grass grow, soil of course. They catch on really quickly. These items are not all food items. Maybe they are clothes or furniture. Try this; take any item and figure out what makes up that item. Take plastic for instance. Man made yes, but soybeans are used to make plastics. It is very hard to find an item that does not have some ingredient in the process that does not need soil.
So next time you have a chance take some time and think about were your food or household items comes from and don't forget that soil is probably one of the main ingredients that goes into the equation of producing that product. This is not always true but I bet you will be surprised how many fit into that soil category.
Soil is a valuable resource and as far a I am concerned it is as valuable as water for the benefit of the environment and us who live in it. Soil is not a renewable resource. We only have so much and just like our fossil fuels there could be a day when it is not usable due to lack of conservation to ensure it usable for future generations.
Did you know?
1. It takes 1000 years to make one inch of topsoil.
2. Only 1/32 of the land can be used for the production of food and fiber.
3. "Sediment", or it could be termed the "bad soil",from soil erosion is the leading source of pollution in our stream and rivers and the nutrients and other contaminants that can be attached to the soil particles are a leading source of pollution to our lakes.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Welcome to the Station team
I have sent out invites to a few people and they are now part of the Station Team. Please feel free to bring up topics of discussion or thougts and ideas. I will do my best to make some up myself. If you are reading this and not a team member but would like to comment you must get a google account to do so. I will be inviting new members either at request or when I think they might want to participate. Have a great weekend. First topic I think is a good one alternative energy. $3.09 a gallon is hitting home really hard. I want to move to the country to grow enough switch grass and willow trees to heat my house and grow a bunch of soybeans to make some bio-diesel. Grow farmers grow! Get us off this darn petroleum and fossil fuel based economy.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
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