It is my belief that we do not have a fundamental right to pilfer and plunder our natural world, and that what we do have is a fundamental responsibility to do what we can to protect our planet's waters, soils, air, and the diverse wildlife that we share these resources with. The former does not ensure economic prosperity for all; the latter does. When one learns that certain actions have consequences--say, that morning coffee ritual from a business that heavily uses styrofoam cups, a product that simply and effectively trashes the earth--is there not only one ethical and moral thing to do? To start buying coffee from a business that does more for the environment? Change is necessary if we care about all the generations behind us--human and wildlife alike. But change is a complicated thing.

Therein lies the conundrum.

My pledge: to embrace change, and to find solutions to the conundrum.


Thursday, May 17, 2018

Seven Years in Pictures -- Spring Edition

2012

23rd Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference Great Bay Estuary NH/ME
Dr. Fred Short speaking on his eelgrass decline research. Below, one of the Estuary's primary bridges that, as it degraded over time, leached heavy metals into the water below.

On a personal note, perennial beds at home got converted into raised vegetable beds. A shitload of labor went into this for what proved to be a fairly short stint at growing our own fruits and veggies. Good thing there are lots of local farmers' markets around us. ;)

2013

Because every clothesline should have more than one purpose.

Red-backed salamander in the backyard. These little guys are an abundant species of salamander in NH. They, unlike their brethren,  are not aquatic. Rather, they love moist woodland floors and downed, decomposing woody debris. Leave those logs where they fall. :)

Eastern Yellow Swallowtail on Sargentii crabapple blossoms

2014

How to climb a stone wall like an Eastern Garter snake....
One of several watershed management/conservation signs installed around our town in areas where stormwater runoff has direct impacts on receiving water bodies such as the Winnicut River. This sign educates the reader about aquatic species and their habitat, and non-point source pollution (road/bridge/parking lot storm runoff...dog waste in the landscape...).
What is a watershed? From a bird's eye view, the area of land that drains to a receiving water body. Scale can be small--all the land in a town that drains to a lake...or large--a section of the country that drains into a system such as the Mississippi River. Imagine the contours of land and you'll start seeing how every stream, river, pond and lake eventually all leads to our oceans and seas.

One of the many fine examples of rock at the Natural History Museum in Boston, this is Labradorite from Madagascar.

2015

That bridge from 2012? In this pic it's in the distance, to the right of the setting sun, which, obviously, is in the west. In the previous picture we were heading east toward the bridge. The Piscataqua River is extensive as it drains the Great Bay Estuary and its seven tributaries.
Ichneumonid wasp! Zoom in to see its inch-long tail!

Freshwater Sunfish nest! Very shallow area while kayaking Lovell Lake in NH. Zoom in and look closely to see the actual male fish in the center, guarding his nest.

Eastern Painted turtle being returned to a freshwater body from whence it came, which included a Great Blue heron rookery (below right) 



Brand new toy--trash grippers! Great for walking and kayaking. :)

More work for river conservation, this time planting dozens of shrubs and tree stock. Volunteers make fast work when they number this many.
A good friend is a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Here, a state endangered Blanding's turtle is being released after intensive care following a car strike. Note the transmitter for monitoring.

2016

Ocean debris turned into art. Sad and amazing at all once.

Those raised veggie beds didn't last long. Old dog needed a grassy area to roll around on...haha.

2017 - The Year of Marching


Climate March, D.C. April 27

Science March, NH April 22

Tax Day March, NH April 15

   
EPA/Save the Environment rally, Portsmouth NH April 8

And, of course, the Women's March in January. Pic not included here due to it having been a winter march and therefore out of purview.

2018 - The Year of Memes and Other Notables




DNA testing, anyone?





Portsmouth, NH March 24
'May our horror over your senseless deaths inspire us to demand sensible firearms reform'
Over three thousand people (below) came to rally in support of the Parkland School victims on this day





No comments:

Post a Comment