State of the Environment in Little Rhody: RI Roadkill Recycled

About This Blog

In this blog I hope to raise awareness of environmental problems facing Rhode Islanders, including those of water pollution, air pollution and the disposal of solid waste, and answer the question "What is the state of the environment in Rhode Island?" I hope also to focus on solutions in this blog including what certain activist groups are doing to clean up the environment and what some major institutions are doing to cut down their carbon footprint. As a concerned citizen I hope to raise awareness of environmental problems and solutions in the Ocean State amongst the citizenry. From an early age I've enjoyed sailing on Narragansett Bay, a pastime I continue to this day. It's my hope that all Rhode Island's beautiful resources such as the Bay will be preserved for all citizens and their progeny.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

RI Roadkill Recycled

Some scientists in Rhode Island have come up with a very rich fertilizer called Safe Cycle which they made from 20 roadkill deer from RI roadways. The fertilizer was used at Chase Farms in Portsmouth RI where Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management officials viewed how this process took place.

The project, part of the Narragansett Bay Coyote Study, is beneficial in a few ways. Aquidneck Island, along with other sections of RI, has been seeing an overabundance of the coyote population. So much so, in fact, that the town of Middletown RI found it necessary to hire a coyote sharpshooter to thin the population of coyotes. In a few months the sharpshooter killed nearly 50 coyotes earlier this year. Deer that end up as roadkill are particularly problematical since they provide the perfect feast for coyote packs. Having a way to "recycle" these roadkill keeps them from sustaining the coyote population while adding to the local agricultural economy.

So last February the roadkill deer were cooked at the farm. To make this happen, Numi Mitchell, a biologist who works for the Narraganset Bay Coyote Study, used a grant from the US Department of Agriculture to rent tissue digester equipment, a type of pressure cooker that destroys all infectious agents and produces fertilizer.

For this to be a reality on a regular basis in RI the equipment needs to be available so Mitchell is working with representatives of the Natural Resources Conservation Services to get the USDA to fund the purchase of the equipment for RI. Considering in any given year more than 1000 deer are killed on RI roads, there's plenty of carcasses to work with. Sounds like a win-win situation for all.

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International Yacht Restoration School Lecture Series

The International Yacht Restoration School in Newport RI together with the RI Marine Trades Association launched a series of lectures entitled "Environmental Issues Facing Sailors and the Marine World." Upcoming ones include:

On Nov.15, 2011 @ 7:30 pm Rachael Miller discusses the Rozalia project

On Nov.29, 2011 @7:30 pm Daniela T.H. Abbott, naval architect discusses sustainable boatbuilding

On Dec. 13, 2011 @7:30 Capt. Joe Mariani of Clean the Bay discusses efforts to remove marine debris from Narragansett Bay

The Power of Two

In 2005, two concerned citizens RI charter boat captains - Ed Hughes and Alan Wentworth- took photos and documented marine debris in Narragansett Bay. They formed Clean the Bay Association and found grants to coordinate two salvage operations where they removed large scale wrecks and other marine debris which was hazardous to boaters and marine life. In 2011 Clean the Bay Association partnered with RI's Save the Bay organization to garner grants to further collect large scale marine debris by using Save the Bay's stucture and manpower combined with Clean the Bay's technical expertise. See their web site www.cleanthebay.org for a description of "camels" that they removed and a map of all of the large scale debris they found.

Shop locally - think globally

By now most people are familiar with buy local initiatives. Not only does it support a local economy, but buying local reduces pollution associated with transport of distant goods to a local market. It also generally reduces extensive packaging that some items require for transport. Worldwide, countries are responding to solid waste issues by implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs for packaging, electronic products, and batteries. To learn more about these issues a local company's website (www.envir-pac.com) is useful.
Buying local agricultural products when possible also has ramifications of sustainability. Industrial food production of large agribusiness is dependent on fossil fuels which when refined and burned produce greenhouse gases. And fuels are not just used in transporting food or fueling processing and production lines. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides that are required by agribusiness account for 40% of the energy used.
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement has farmers in a local area offer shares to individuals/families whereby for a set fee paid upfront (which helps farmers buy seed and their season's startup costs) the members are entitled and given products each week. Some CSA's require participation in terms of a few work hours during the busy season from members. But not all do. For informations see www.farmfreshri.org where there will be information on local farmer's markets that take place in various times and places around RI as well as CSA's in the RI area.

Did you know?

Did you know that RIPTA buses are free to all when ozone levels are officially at unhealthy levels? RIPTA is also available every day of the year, although budget cuts are endangering service and schedule.(University of RI students can purchase farecards at the Memorial Union information desk for 50% off.) A few other things you can do to reduce your own carbon footprint energy wise:
* only drive when absolutely necessary
*car pool when you can or use RIPTA
*don't use electricity unnecessarily

Problems with Canada Geese

Canada geese are still considered migratory waterfowl although the species does not migrate much anymore. The first Canada geese were seen in RI in 1958. Since that time the population has increased exponentially due to the lack of natural predators and their protected status as well as supplemental feeding from humans. Large flocks of geese do not make good neighbors, as many people have found, since their droppings become excessive - one goose can produce over one pound of droppings per day! Additionally, their droppings can pollute not only walkways but also water sources such as ponds and beaches and that creates health concerns. In addition, nesting Canada geese can exhibit aggressive behavior and flocks can present safety hazards near airports and roads. For more information on Canada geese and how to discourage them from nesting in your neighborhood see RI Department of Environmental Management's pamphlet: Dealing with Resident Canada Geese http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/cangeese.pdf

The First Recycler

Were you aware that Little Rhody was the first state in the nation to pass mandatory recycling legislation back in 1986?
There is no federal law mandating recycling, rather it is left up to individual states and localities to decide. A number of states (about 14)and some cities and towns have deposit or refund laws on bottles and cans.
In 1987 a garbarge barge from NY attempted to take a load to North Carolina but it was refused. It then proceeded to Belize but was again refused so ended up going back to NY where it was incinerated. The incident is often cited as the catalyst of the recycling era.

Energy : Blowin' in the Wind

The state of RI could possibly get 15% of its power from offshore wind. Just last week the Boston Globe reported a wind energy company is mapping the seafloor off the RI coast in preparation for the building of an offshore wind farm. The company, Deepwater Wind, is looking for the best location for wind turbines and the tranmission line that will bring power to the mainland. Unlike our neighbor Massachusetts, RI citizens and politicians have been more receptive to developing this type of energy technology in this area. Much thought has gone into the siting of wind turbines (see www.dem.ri.gov/cleanrg/pdf/terrwind/pdf) because wind turbines can present some of their own environmental hazards and issues.