HUNBlog

.....21st century Dust Bowl.....?

    Is the beginning of a 21^st century Dust Bowl? Its looks that way to me; Well, not quite. For those of you who don’t know about the Dust Bowl (1930-1936 it was a series of dust storms caused by a severe drought, in which one million acres of land was affected by the drought and storms. In recent weeks ravages of wildfires have been occurring all over Texas, including the Houston area, destroying thousands of acres of land. The state of Texas is currently facing a drought. The Houston Chronicle reports that in last 6 ½ months Texas has been experiencing its driest weather since the 1950’s and almost suppresses the severe drought during the Dust Bowl. Accordingly some counties are put on burn bans and, the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, released nearly all of Harris County in at least a severe drought. While the rest of Texas in at least a moderate drought. The dry weather is said to be caused by La Nina, or cooler than normal water along the equator in the Pacific Ocean. Other contributions to the drought are climate change and the lack of rainfall.

    Well what’s the meaning of all this? Basically if it doesn’t rain soon we may e headed for big trouble. Sure it’s too early to tell if this will be the start of a 21^st century Dust Bowl but you will sure the feel the heat when the government starts putting up water restrictions and the gas prices continue to sky rocket.

 

 

Resource:

 Drought continues to worsen in Houston region http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7522750.html

After hurricanes come floodings

 
 

Like they say after rain comes sunshine, you know that after a hurricane major flooding is expected. We must be prepared for the issues that come along floods. How do we get through floods? What can floods contaminate? These are some flood related issues.

First of all, we must avoid driving in moving water; this is suggested even if you have a huge truck or what not. If you do decide to try and move across moving water the driver may unknowingly steer into a canal or pond. Another possible damage that can occur while driving through moving water is that you can be struck by a deadly shock, this shock comes from the electricity from streetlights and power poles may be active though standing water.

When an individual comes in contact with flood waters you must wash off with boiled/disinfected water that is cooled. It is important that we do not drink or eat anything that has been contaminated. Always wash your hands after everything you do, just to prevent getting sick or contaminated.

So what can floods contaminate?

Anything that flood waters came in contact with is contaminated; do not assume it is not or that the water is safe to drink. Undamaged, commercially canned foods can be saved if you remove the labels
thoroughly, wash the cans, and then disinfect them with a solution consisting of 1/4 cup of unscented household bleach per gallon of water for clean surfaces. Re-label your cans, including the expiration date, with a marker. Food containers with screw-caps, snap lids and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come in contact with floodwaters because they cannot be disinfected. Other items around the household that can become contaminated include:  pacifiers, baby bottle nipples, wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, and brushes. You must wash all items with boiled water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.

To make sure your water is drinkable you can get it tested by your local health department.

Don’t just think that once the water goes down you are safe. Floods contribute too many infectious diseases. Make sure to check everything you consume, from the water you drink and the food you intake. Unfortunately hurricanes or large rainfalls cause floods. It is important we know what to do when this occurs. Make sure to be stocked up with water bottles and canned goods and also contact your local health department for any concerns.

 

"Pollution On Earth"

  

    Since the beginning of time and throughout the years people have increased the pollution on Earth. Without any questions or doubt human have really notice that the pollution has been affecting the Earth extremely dreadful. Animals, plants, air, water, and land has been impacted the most because we human don’t stop the production of manufactures. Every second we want more of something that contain usage of plastic, paper, glass, oil, metal, cotton, medicine, food, and etc. As we increase our needs of these things we are making the factories, harvest trackers, boats, science experiments, 18wheelers, airplanes, and more to work every day burning gas, chemical, plowing, capturing of animals to happen.

    If we continue polluting the Earth we are going to be living on our trash because there is going to be so many junk yards around that eventually the whole landscape of Earth is going to be cover with the trash and we are not going to have a chose to build homes over it. If we don’t start watching how much we use of things, recycle, and burn gas we are end up to die because we are going to be killing everything as we are starting this process. As the water moves along the river, ocean, lake, and creek died sea animals start to rise and float because of the chemical in the water.  With the slowing start of that we start to kill our food, then since the water is effected with chemical we have to work double hard in making sure the drinking water is safe to use. Also with the watch of trying to stop pollution we can save all plants and endanger species that could be used for varies things, like save human lives. A lot of medicine comes from plants and sometime very unique plants can save one’s life. And if the pollution kills those plants because they are not getting the photosynthesis, carbon dioxide, and clean water they won’t grow at all.

    We humans need to change the increase of pollution because we are just killing ourselves and the future species and generation that will really be affect it today’s society don’t start the change. Today action really does affect tomorrow’s action.

Houston- Preparing for Hurricane Season

Those who have lived in Houston for more than five years know that the weather here is crazy. One day we can wake up to a bright sunny day and go to sleep in a stormy night, all in the period of a few hours. Unfortunately that’s not the only factor in our weather that gives Houstonian’s a headache. We also have to deal with hurricanes, floods, and high winds. 

The month of June is the beginning of hurricane season in Houston.  Luckily our technology is advance enough to warn us if a hurricane is approaching. What would happen if we did not have TV, radio, or internet? How would we know if a hurricane is coming?

The following are hurricane signs that all Houstonians should know specially if you live near Galveston:

Ocean waves increase in size, while the period between waves decreases.

Every Houstonian should have a barometer in their household. Barometers measure air pressure. As hurricanes approach air pressure begins to fall.

A wind increase is a good warning that a hurricane is less than 24 hours from landfall.

Hours before the hurricane hits there will be a series of rain fall called rain bands.

Source: http://www.aolnews.com/2010/07/23/backgrounder-early-warning-signs-of-a-hurricane/

Once you know a hurricane is coming what can you do to prepare for it?

Have a family plan- Locate the safest room in the house. Sometimes the safest place is not your home but another location in your community like a school gym.

Determine exit routes from your home and place to meet. They should be in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.

Avoid streets that flood.

If you have pets, plan what you are going to do with them if you need to evacuate.

Stock emergency supplies as well as a disaster kit- the following link lets you know the supplies needed to build a disaster kit (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/prepare/supply_kit.shtml).

Use a NOAA radio- (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/)

Have a list of emergency phone numbers.  Remind your kids to dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

If you are a Houston resident or plan to live here more than five years don’t let the hurricane season come to you as a surprise. Find out if a hurricane is near, and be well prepared.

Flood Prevention

    When you think about rain in Houston, you think about floods. It does not take long for the streets of Houston to get flooded. This can be a major issue for Houstonians especially for our cars, homes, and our safety. There other environmental and biological dangers in the water such as oil, gasoline, sewage, and even animals. If our city does not construct a plan soon, our city could be in danger. Electricity and gas are also a concern during floods and can be fatal. There are many suggestions and checklists for preparing for floods but no one can really prepare for a flood. Harris County Flood Control District was created in 1937 by the Texas legislature after community leaders petitioned due to the occurrence of floods in 1929 and 1935. The original responsibility of the this flood control district was to oversee rivers, streams, tributaries and flood waters in the Harris County district. Later the district was responsible for reclainmation and drainage of the overflow land of Harris County, the conservation of forests, and regulating storm waters to keep navigable waters navigable. The boundaries of the this district include a community of 3.7 million which includes the City of Houston and 22 primary watersheds.

    One solution for our issues with floods would be to increase the amount of storm water detention basins which are places to store damaging flood waters temporarily until channels can safely carry the waters away. By increasing these storm water detention water basins, we can help eliminate the amount of damage to our homes, vehicles, and our lives. Harris County also adopted the CIP or Capital Improvement Program which is a listing and schedule of current and future flood damage reduction activities. These activities include planning, engineering design, and construction projects. If the rest of the remaining Houston areas were to adopt the same plans for their cities, we could eventually save all of Texas from floods.

    Floods can be very scary and very unpredictable at times. If Harris County is working towards saving most of Houston from floods, then we should encourage others to join in. The link below is a list of Family Flood Preparedness that helps you prepare for future floods and more information about the Harris County Flood Control District. 

http://www.hcfcd.org/tropicalweather/downloads/FamilyFloodPreparePlan2007.pdf

http://hcfcd.org/faqs.html

 



 

Fragmentation of Houston's Wetlands

   

 

    Wetlands hold a diverse population of species in it's ecosystem.  From shellfish to furry rodents.  They also ease flooding and can help in erosion control of the coasts.  Unfortunately there has been a decline in Houston's wetlands.  There are different factors that are creating the decline, one of which is fragmentation.  Fragmentation is when you break up a habitat into smaller and smaller areas and then other habitats get built around it that are not the same type of habitat.  In Houston, this is having a major effect on the whole wetlands, animals, and plant species.  For example as we are building our habitats around these wetlands and slowly fragmenting them to make room for ourselves we are creating a loss of biodiversity in the wetlands and a decline in some of the creatures who call the Houston wetlands home.

The Houston Toad is a species for example that has been endangered since 1970 and is slowly losing it's natural habitat.  The toad needs the still and flowing water for breeding and it's survival.  Through our fragmentation of the wetlands for urbanization and agriculture of the area we are losing the Houston toad.  Introduction of dense grasses in exchange from the natural grasses also creates a problem for the toad and causes a decline in their ability to mate or move around freely.

There are some ways we can help.  There are several organizations and government grants that assist in helping with experiments, awareness, and rebuilding the wetlands.  It's up to us to make a difference and stop the decline of the Houston wetlands.

 

 

References:

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/EIH/publications/annual_reports/ar_1995/cameron95

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/htoad/

To rebuild or not to rebuild? IS that the question?

It seems like one cannot open a newspaper, magazine or online forum these days without someone proclaiming that our world is living in the end of days, as predicted in the Bible. On the surface, there does seem to be a "whole lot of shakin' going on" recently. Texas has been slammed with so many hurricanes within the last five years that it is becoming hard to remember which storm caused what damage. The names all blur together in my memory: Allison, Gustav, Rita, Katrina, Ike. When Houston was not being harassed by hurricanes, we were watching in awe as rogue tropical storms treated us to record rainfall as they stalled over our city.

Galveston Island Before and After Ike:

 
Bolivar Peninsula before and after Ike:

 

 

 

Are we as a nation-and more specifically as a city-doing something to contribute to the seeming rise in tropical storm activity? We ARE after all, the number one producer of CO2 in the nation.This is said to contribute directly to global warming, which in turn stirs up tropical storm activity. Hmm, does anyone else see a correlation here? Let's be realistic here today though. Houston, Texas is (more than likely) not about to restrict its pollution production any time soon. This leads us to the question then-realistically speaking-what CAN we do to prevent the level of devastation we experienced after Hurricane Ike? A good place to begin is with the question of rebuilding after a major storm. This is a complicated issue because so many different factors are involved. There will always be the lone islander hunkered down in his house on stilts refusing to evacuate because "he has rebuilt three times already." Realistically speaking, he IS the property owner, and if he chooses to rebuild should we have a say? I think we have finally come to a point in time that the government needs to step in and regulate rebuilding on barrier islands. I know this raises ten million other issues, but if we continue on the same path that we are on now, the land may not BE there to rebuild ON one-hundred years from now. The Galveston shoreline is eroding at an alarming rate. We need to take action now and start planting vegetation instead of chopping it down to make way for new houses. The task is formidable, but the alternative is frightening. 

Clean Water

We take it for granted that water flowing from our taps is clean. clean water, especially clean drinking water can be a matter of life and death.  Unclean water is greatest killer of children all around the world , specially in the 3rd world countries.  lack of clean water is major cause of disease . 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water for drinking. According to a recent UN report, unclean water is a sure predictior of shortened life span. the importance of clean water cannot be overstated. A human body is made of over 70% water.  We are comprised mostly of water.   A clean water intake can help us in many ways.  Clean water is essential  and for this water pollution prevention is important. There are lots of ways we can prevent water pollutions. Our kids should be well taught about water and its importance and how to keep water clean and how to prevent water pollution. State should take initiatives to prevent water pollutiona by having building codes to build new buildings, laws for polluting water. Neighborhood committees should have clear rules for not dumping waste through storm sewer.  House hold hazardous waste such as polishes, cleaners , pesticides can contaminate landfills . So we should be careful of using them . To relieve the environment from the impact of household hazardous waste, we can reduce, reuse, recycle, and use less toxic in daily life.  the city and county should develop guidelines . Rivers are important source of water but used as dumping ground.  We should think about this now , so whatever we have can be saved.  All of us should try to prevent water pollution and try to conserve water to ensure a continuing abundance.We should keep our water clean.



Galveston's future

When Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas it not only destroyed local businesses but took out many natural habitats. Galveston island depends a lot on the seawall which covers 1/3 of Galveston island. The wall was built and in completed in 1962. After Ike many businesses were lost and did not recover due to new building codes that where extremely difficult to meet on financial levels for the local lost businesses. I live near Galveston and have visited after Ike hit and strongly feel that the city of Galveston should build a taller seawall more than the present 17 feet. If the seawall were taller it would minimize the damages after hurricanes and storms hit. Although the seawall should not be the only infrastructure Galveston should depend on. Galveston is in great need of having a modern engineering project that could protect the city overall from storms and hurricanes. The city is not able to bring in a sustainable income from tourism due to the majority of the businesses closing and the dirty beaches. The beaches are so dirty due to visitors not having enough trash cans to throw their litter away. Galveston could bring in money by fining people for littering  and buy bigger trash and recycling bins to be placed along the beaches to prevent dirty litter. Galveston could bring in money by charging people to come into the island. This money could help start new and old businesses that once existed. The money could also help clean the natural habitats that sea life has built around the dirty marshes that have been polluted by sea trash that has floated into Galveston island. Galveston should also do a survey with tourist to see what bought them to Galveston and what could Galveston do to bring the tourists back.

http://www.galveston.com/seawallphotos/

"Turn off the Lights! Let's Save Money!"

 On off. On off. Energy is apart of Houstonians everyday life. We use energy to see, eat, and live comfortably. Yet, we can be smarter and more frugal with the amount of energy that we use everyday. There are simple things that we as Houstonians can do in our own homes to better the community and to sustain/conserve energy.

    One easy way to conserve energy is by simply turning the lights off! Mother nature has blessed us with beautiful sunlight on sunny days, why not use it? Open the blinds up and keep the light switches down. This will bring a person's personal electricity bill down and will also help Houston as a whole. Minimum use of electricity also applies when leaving the room in the evening. it is okay to turn off the light once someone has left the room. This will once again save the green in one's pocket and the green on the earth.

    Another simple way to sustain Houston's energy is to lower the amount of televisions in the home. Some families have up to seven televisions that are only a family of four. When able, maybe a family night, everyone can come together and watch one television in the household. This would hightened the amount of family time spent, and lower the electricity bill.

    A third simple way to sustain Houston's energy, but certainly not the last. People can unplug unused electronics, especially when leaving town. Electricity is still being used if an appliance is plugged up, even when it is not turned on. So it'll be great to simply unplug that fan that is not in use, or the television in the guest room that only gets turned on 4 times out the month.

    Houston is making its way in sustaining and conserving energy. There is a program called "Lights Out" Houston that is all about being green. "It is estimated that by eliminating just 50% of the lights routinely left on overnight and on the weekends in downtown Houston, Houston could save almost $1 million dollars annually." (www.greenhoustontx.gov) More information can be found on the website: www.greenhoustontx.gov. Any Houstonians are more than welcomed to join the movement to a more sustained energy conserving Houston, TX. Come on and "Turn off the lights, let's save money!"