damon winter, new york times
New York Times’ Charles Duhigg published a powerful story yesterday as part of their investigative series titled “Toxic Waters.” The dialogue between readers and Duhigg in the comments section is a bonus that adds validity to The Times’ dedication to the research. Agricultural runoff being the single largest source of water pollution in the nation’s rivers and streams is a serious matter, and it suffers from a familiar complexity. For instance, how do we: identify the source of the problem, which is rarely a straight shot; encourage innovation to address the excessive waste issue; enforce regulations that are in place so that the industry as a whole is held accountable instead leaving the abiders to carry the weight; find a holistic solution so that the problem isn’t just redistributed to a different segment of the industry; and keep prices affordable?
One thing that stood out in the comments section is the lack of response to the farm association lobbying. Does this following quote sound asinine only to me? Maybe it’s the predictability of it that numbs the voice…
“But agriculture is among the state’s most powerful industries. After intense lobbying, the farmers’ association won a provision requiring the state often to finance up to 70 percent of the cost of following the new regulations. Unless regulators pay, some farmers do not have to comply.”
Read it for yourself at: Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells. Then catch their interactive map that may scare the bejesus out of you, but don’t go stocking up on bottled water on me. By now everyone knows that that isn’t a safe alternative and, besides, we are all responsible for the situation we’re in. How does throwing away a shiny new toy full of tap water after one use contribute to better health for our children? Let’s ‘suck it up,’ people, before our land spits us out.
Wake Up and Smell the Water
September 19, 2009damon winter, new york times
New York Times’ Charles Duhigg published a powerful story yesterday as part of their investigative series titled “Toxic Waters.” The dialogue between readers and Duhigg in the comments section is a bonus that adds validity to The Times’ dedication to the research. Agricultural runoff being the single largest source of water pollution in the nation’s rivers and streams is a serious matter, and it suffers from a familiar complexity. For instance, how do we: identify the source of the problem, which is rarely a straight shot; encourage innovation to address the excessive waste issue; enforce regulations that are in place so that the industry as a whole is held accountable instead leaving the abiders to carry the weight; find a holistic solution so that the problem isn’t just redistributed to a different segment of the industry; and keep prices affordable?
One thing that stood out in the comments section is the lack of response to the farm association lobbying. Does this following quote sound asinine only to me? Maybe it’s the predictability of it that numbs the voice…
Read it for yourself at: Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells. Then catch their interactive map that may scare the bejesus out of you, but don’t go stocking up on bottled water on me. By now everyone knows that that isn’t a safe alternative and, besides, we are all responsible for the situation we’re in. How does throwing away a shiny new toy full of tap water after one use contribute to better health for our children? Let’s ‘suck it up,’ people, before our land spits us out.