Water and Waste

The lure of lakes and oceans is particular hypnotic in the summer. That's why the report recently from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on the quality of the water in our public areas is so disturbing. As written about in The Washington Post earlier this week, the CBF reported that bacteria that has the nasty desire to make people sick are having a good ol' time in the waterways that feed the Chesapeake, Virginia's most important water resource. 

The CBF, no friend of the government whether a Democrat or a Republican is in office, laid the blame for the sorry state of the Bay and its waterways on ineffectiveness at the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has a lot on its plate now a days, but you'd think that with Environment being right there at the front of its name, the EPA would be the one department that would keep its eye on the ball when it comes to, say... wait for it... the environment!

I shouldn't be so hard on the EPA. The agency did find in favor of California recently when that state tried to tighten rules on air pollution from cars. But that's out west. What about back east right in the EPA's back yard? Stay tuned for more or check out the ebb and flow (I just had to do it) by visiting the CBF's website.

Meanwhile, folks living in Loudoun county might want to start sorting their trash because the pick-up of household hazardous waste is happening on July 18 in Leesburg. 

A list of what types of household waste from automobile anti-freeze to paint thinners is available on the county's website.  And while it doesn't seem as if its the run-of-the-mill household stuff that is polluting the Chesapeake, it makes sense to dispose of the toxic stuff lying around in basements and garages appropriately. And remember, don't toss anything down the storm sewers -- the junk goes right to the bay and the ocean.