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Earth Day 2009
By
Sharon Heidlebaugh
April 22nd marks the 39th annual Earth Day celebration. In honor
of this holiday, I have listed some simple, common sense ways to
celebrate Earth Day year 'round.
Conserve Energy
- Turn off the
lights when you leave the room.
- Unplug unused
electronics (cell phone chargers, computer monitors, etc.)
- When cooking
smaller meals, use the microwave.
- Monitor your
thermostat. Rely a little less on your AC in the summer and
your heating system in the winter.
- Have your cooling
system checked for leaks, and repaired if necessary.
- Make sure that
your home, water heater and pipes are adequately insulated.
- Replace your
current lighting with environmentally friendly, energy
efficient bulbs.
- Do your due
diligence. Visit the Energy Star website (http://www.energystar.gov) before you purchase any new appliances.
Conserve Water
- Take showers, not
baths.
- Don't let the
water run while shaving, brushing your teeth or getting a
cool drink - keep a pitcher of water in the fridge instead.
- Scrape your
dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, and only run
it when you have a full load.
- Wash only full
loads of laundry.
- Inspect and
repair all plumbing leaks. (A leaking toilet can waste 200
gallons per day.)
- When purchasing
plumbing fixtures and appliances, choose high-efficiency
models. Visit the Water Sense website here
for further guidance .
- Visit the Department of Agriculture's
Natural Resources Conservation Service website here
for information on planting trees,
composting, and other backyard activities that help lower
greenhouse gasses.
Conserve Your Consumables
- Purchase items that can be reused as
opposed to disposable items.
- Purchase only the amount you need.
- Look for products that aren't
'over-packaged.'
- When purchasing cleaners, et cetera,
choose the cleaner with the least toxic chemical makeup.
- Repair damaged items instead of replacing
them.
- Use cloth towels and napkins instead of
paper.
- Reuse empty jars and bottles to store
water and leftover food.
- Reuse boxes.
- Donate unused items to charity instead of
feeding the landfill.
- Before you dispose of that unused paint,
visit the EPA website "Wastes,
What can you Do?"
- Recycle household items - paper, plastic,
cardboard, glass bottles and aluminum cans.
- You CAN recycle those old electronics!
See what the EPA has to say here
.
- Recycle
your used oil.
These are just a few easy suggestions that make it possible for
each of us to 'do our part.' If you would like more information
on Earth Day activities in your area, please visit http://www.earthday.net/earthday2009
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Stormwater
Infiltration
By Phil
Donmoyer, P.G.
Whether either planning for the construction of a large land
development project, a single family home, or even adding a barn
to a property, the management of stormwater is a requirement that
can be relatively straightforward, or depending upon
site-specific conditions, downright difficult. With the advent of
the new regulations, stormwater management usually starts with
infiltration. One condition that can potentially add difficulty
to stormwater infiltration is the underlying geology. If the site
is underlain by a non- carbonate bedrock type, such as sandstone
or shale, stormwater infiltration is usually more straightforward
than sites that are underlain by carbonate bedrock types, such as
limestone, dolomite, and marble. Having carbonate bedrock beneath
the site adds the formation and/or enhancement of sinkholes to
the list of issues that need to be dealt with when planning and
designing the management of stormwater, including infiltration.
In some instances, a cookie- cutter or a one size fits all
approach to stormwater infiltration in carbonate terrains is
used. Since all sites are different, a different approach, or
plan, needs to be utilized when determining the feasibility of
stormwater infiltration on the site. The key to designing any
successful stormwater management plan, especially one where
stormwater infiltration is planned or required, is the collection
of site-specific data during the pre-planning phase. This data
will enable the design of a plan that will manage stormwater in a
safe and effective way, meeting the requirements of the
regulations while minimizing the risks associated with the
infiltration of stormwater in carbonate terrains.
One of the first things that needs to be thought of when planning
a project is where will the stormwater management facilities be
located on the site. According to the Pennsylvania Stormwater
Best Management Practices Manual (PA BMP Manual), designers are
encouraged to conduct the Soil Evaluation and Investigation early
in the site planning and design process, so that information
developed in the testing process can be incorporated into the
design. The PA BMP Manual also states that many sites will be
constrained and unsuitable for infiltration BMP's; however, if
suitable areas exist onsite, these areas should be identified
early in the design process and should not be subject to a
building program that precludes infiltration BMP's. What this
means is that stormwater infiltration should still be planned,
even though the only area on the site where stormwater
infiltration would be suitable is also the prime area for the
construction of the planned structure. This is not a project
killer, but it might require the designer to come up with
alternative methods for the infiltration BMP's.
So when planning for the development of a site, it is best to
start thinking about how to manage stormwater early in the
process by performing the Soil Evaluation and Investigation. This
will allow for the determination as to where the suitable areas
for stormwater infiltration are located on the site, all the
while balancing this with where the structures are planned to be
constructed.
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Chinese Imported
Drywall Causing Housing and Health Issues
By Dereck
Garner
Recently homeowners have discovered that drywall imported from
China during the housing boom of 2004 to 2006 have been affecting
housing and health issues. An estimated 50,000 homes built from
2004 to the present contain drywall that has been impacted with
sulfur residues. There seems to be an association between an
increase in homeowner sickness and soots found on corroding
metals contained within the walls of Chinese drywalled homes.
Residual sulfur gases have been suspected to cause these
problems, and are proving to be damaging to your health and home
utilities. There have been concerning issues in Florida where
problem has been discovered due the high humidity in this area,
exposing toxic residual sulfur gasses. According to affected homeowners,
silverware, copper wires, and other metals have been corroding at
an accelerated pace. Black soot has been found to encase
electrical wires and copper tubing, and affected home occupants
have shown increased common sicknesses.
Impacted drywall has been imported and distributed throughout the
United States. If you have purchased a home or have recently
completed a home addition in or around the recent years dating
back to 2004, you may be one of the many with this concerning
issue. There are few items to look for if you believe that there
is a potential problem with impacted drywall in your home. First
contact your builder and ask them to provide manufacturing
information regarding the drywall in your home. If you suspect
that the drywall has been imported, you should next check to see
if wires contained within your house contain black soots. To do
this, you can remove light switch plates to expose the electrical
wires and/or also examine copper piping associated with an oil
tank, or an air conditioner. If black soots are observed, action
should be taken to assure that your safety and home are not at
risk. Drywall samples should be analyzed for the appropriate
analytical parameters and air quality testing and monitoring
should be conducted. If all evidence indicates that your home has
been affected, you should seek the appropriate legal help, as
these concerning issues will not only lower your homes' value,
but you may also be at risk for long term health effects.
There is reason to be concerned with imported drywall that has
been installed in your home, however not every home has been
impacted. Conduct an investigation, and if warranted, seek the
appropriate environmental and legal help.
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Seeking Employment?
By Brian J. Beahan, P.G., President
We are always looking for qualified professionals to join our
team. We appreciate your referrals of business and now are
seeking your referrals for qualified environmental and geologic
consulting professionals. If you know of anyone who is seeking a
change and a challenging new direction in their career, where
creativity and solutions-oriented thinking really make a
difference, please pass on our contact information.
Find
out more....
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Our customers have approached us with problems, we've
understood what needed to be done and we've provided appropriate
solutions. Our mission statement, indeed our company as a whole, is
centered on meeting this objective. May we put our quality, client-centered
environmental solutions to work for you too?
On behalf of the staff of Alternative Environmental
Solutions, Inc., I invite you to experience the value we add to
your business.
Sincerely,
Brian J. Beahan
Alternative
Environmental Solutions
email: aes1@altenv.com
phone:
717-517-5000
fax:
717-517-5004
web: http://www.altenv.com
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