The Mirage!

[maxima12]

I think I see a pure, cold spring with 2 waterfalls and a abundance of wild trout, jumping for anything floating by! Raccoons, deer, elk, bear coming to drink this fountain of life! As I walk through the tall ferns, I notice I am not alone. The toad, the salamander, the silent mouse, the turtle are watching me in every direction Hot a weary, I seek the drink of cool, cool water! My thirst, for cold, clean water! I am almost there, on my knees with arm extended, wanting, the touch, the feel, the absolute freedom. The swirl, in the air, fragrant flowers surround me. I look up as a drop of dew drips from a huge oak and hits me square between my eyes!

I wake up! The mirage is gone! I wipe my eyes in disbelief and try to sleep again! I can not sleep, I am awake!

I hear the news, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act is fighting to survive a fight between right and empowerment. The riches of the world are up for grabs. The riches of minerals, water, gold, silver!

How about the riches we currently have! The salmon, the trout, the elk, the moose, the bear! Who will stand on their behalf!

How can man justify sacrificing the nature for all, for some silver coins for few! Did we not learn about silver coins a long time ago! 20 pieces!

I would like to say more but the tears are blocking my vision!


Maxima12

 

[larkmark]

Here here.
When I was growing up in the 1970s we had the ecology flag and peace sign and an enlightened public would talk of a brighter future. There was something hopeful in that time and I believed we would seek solutions. Now we see what money and oil companies and greed lead to.
I remember even then hearing of alternative energy sources.
One of the goals of the Clean Water Act was to make streams safe for swimming. Now we hear of bacteria and failing wastewater treatment plants.
I relate to your emotional dream and expression.

 

[Tigereye]

Lark,

While far from prestine, our waterways are orders of magnitudes better than they were in the 70's. No more burning rivers, crying Indians, and the like.

Bald eagles, once threatened, are now a common a site on may of our large rivers, Lehigh, Susq, Delaware, Pine, Schuylkill and others. The Lackawanna is full of fish, the Lehigh emerging as a premier east coast tailwater fishery. Miles and miles of AMD impacted streams have been cleaned up and support wild trout. Many more are in the progress of restoration. Countless community groups, riverwatch and watershed organizations police waterways along with big business corporations. All is not lost.

Failing Waste Water plants and infrastructure are a money problems. As the population expands, the POTW (Publicly Owned Treatment Works) are nearing their capacity, operating with obsolete equipt and do not have the resources to upgrade. These are "Publicly Owned". If they belonged to the "Oil Companies and greed" they would be shut down.

Combined sewer systems in PA is a large driver of the problem. This was discussed at length in the conservation thread. There is only so much money to go around. Waste water treatment is not as big a headline as other freebie entitlements that have become en vogue lately. Money managment (read "greed") at the government level is a bigger problem than coroporate greed. POTW's don't vote.