Mmmmm...WATER!

                Hello again everyone.  This week’s assignment brought about interesting memories. The assignment is to learn about the pros and cons of tap vs. bottled water as well as learn about our own source of water (in my case in the City of Riverside).  When the assignment was announced in class I couldn't help but think of all the times I had to clean out calcium deposits in all the shower heads. It was the first thing that popped in my head. I checked Riverside’s Public Utility report regarding Water Quality (2012) located  here.  I also went ahead and checked the previous years to see if anything stood out, but I really ended up focusing on the calcium deposits. What I ended up finding out is that it fluctuated a bit but overall has gone down a little…but still enough to gunk up my shower heads *insert Andy shaking his fist here*.

                As per the 2012 Water Quality Report, Riverside’s water is groundwater from wells in the Bunker Hill Basin and Riverside Basin. Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) treats some (really some?) of its wells and all water sources are blended at a central location before entering into distribution. I was quite surprised that they collected more than 17,600 water samples to test for the potential contaminants. These samples were collection throughout the distribution system of water and the testing was done by independent laboratories to perform water tests (more than likely to show no funny business occurred). They test for more than 200 possible contaminants in the water system and only those contaminants detected in the water system are listed in the report.

                I also read through the general info about Riverside’s water which gave some interesting history lessons, such as in 2012 they tore down and replaced Evans Reservoir with a new state-of-the-art 16 million gallon reservoir.  I really had no idea. It also assured that Riverside’s water is safe and exceeds the standards set forth by the EPA (which leads to the next section). It also explained that a safe amount of chlorine is used to purify the water and prevent harmful bacteria…which also shows up in the report at the amount found in Riverside’s water system. However, the amount of chlorine is MUCH lower (caps again for emphasis) than the maximum allowed, so that made me feel a little better. Another scary point was made by the USEPA at the beginning of the report stating that because of where we get our water it could still contain microbial contaminants (viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, livestock, and wildlife), pesticides and herbicides from a variety of sources, organic chemical contaminants, and radioactive contaminants (from oil and gas production and mining activities).  It went on to explain other important health information regarding that some people may be much more vulnerable than others from these contaminants in the drinking water, such as immunocompromised people, people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly people, and infants. So I learned quite a bit about what potential nastiness I could randomly be drinking!

                The EPA is in the federal agency in charge of tap water (drinking water) standards. I located a pdf that explains a little on their standards here. It also explains a bit on bottled water and the FDA around page 17.  On the topic of tap water still (before I get side tracked), their guidelines are set forth to ensure that a safe level of certain chemicals are in the water. They have guidelines on how much of a certain substance is allowed in the drinking water that is deemed safe to drink. If something is in the water supply the water suppliers have 24 hours to inform their customers of the violation of EPA standards that have the potential to cause harm to human health. There is also daily testing...several times here to insure safety.

                The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled water used for drinking. And as the guide mentioned above states, most consumers assume (including me) that it is at least as safe as tap water. However, there are still potential risks. Though they still have to meet the same safety standards as public water supplies, bottled water does not undergo the same testing and reports as water from a treatment facility. If bottled and sold in the same state it may not be subject to federal standards at all.  It also recommended that those with compromised immune systems may want to read bottled water levels to make sure more stringent treatments have been used, such as reverse osmosis, distillation, UV radiation, or filtration by an absolute 1 micron filter. The FDA does require labeling on the bottles and as mentioned much less testing on average than with tap water.

                While both have guidelines to meet safety standards, tap water undergoes much stricter policies regarding testing and accuracy of meeting those guidelines.  And as mentioned above bottled water depending on some circumstances if bottled and sold in the same state is not set to the same federal standard tap water is.  Other problems from bottled water are the fact that a bottle is needed as a container (duh, bottled water). Most made from plastics which also leech into the water, and become unneeded waste even if they are recyclable. I found interesting info here, which explain just how bad the bottles can be. To sum it up bottles used to package water take over 1,000 years to bio-degrade and if incinerated, they produce toxic fumes. It is estimated that over 80% of all single-use water bottles in the United States become litter. U.S. landfills are overflowing with two million tons of discarded water bottles. Recycling water bottles is only feasible in limited circumstances as only 1 out of 5 bottles is actually sent to the recycle bin. It is estimated that it takes three liters of water to package one liter of bottled water. Bottled water, while convenient, also costs a bit when compared to tap water which is more economic.

                While I had to go to numerous sites to figure out all of this stuff…I am glad I did. This was a definite learning experience and it has changed my views on many aspects of our water system. I really used to think the bottled water I obtained was so much more amazing than tap water…now…well let’s just say I will be keeping an eye on it and probably will find other means to make the water I drink a little safer. I read a couple different web pages regarding ways to make water safer, and I have been doing most of that (using filters and what not) and I will continue to do so. I also need to stop using bottled water and use the metal thermos I hardly use because it is pretty big…maybe I could ummm…buy a smaller one? Yeah, that is a good idea! Oh and here is one of the more informative pages on making the water safer to drink. 

I use quite a bit in 24 hours.

         Okay, so this week my assignment is to list all of the Earth’s resources that I used in an entire 24-hour period and then choose one of those items and answer some questions about it, mostly about what it is made out of and used and what not. And when you get right down to it, most everything we use comes from the Earth in some way, shape, or form…well, unless you play with strange space metals or meteorites or something. But it was interesting to think about it throughout the day when I was comprising this list below. (List comprised October, 13^th, 2013)

A)    Food and Drink

·         Water

·         Almonds

·         Chicken

·         Tortillas

·         Rice (with lime in it)

·         Lemon (I put this in the water)

·         Bananas

·         Strawberries

B)    Housing and other buildings

·         Home (Yeah, I picked a day when all I did was homework, jog, and vegetate when I could)

C)    Transportation and Roads

·         My feet only! (I only left the house for my run)

·         Sidewalk (in my neighborhood)

·         Paved Road (on named streets)

·         Dirt Road (in the hills)

D)    Clothing

·         Shorts x2 (Had to change after the run)

·         Tank top x2 (see above, had to change)

·         Underwear x2 (see above, and no I did not soil myself)

·         Socks

·         Running Shoes

·         Sandals (When I made it into the backyard)

E)     School supplies

·         3-ring binder

·         School books

·         Paper

·         Pencil/pen

·         Calculator

·         Scissors

·         Stapler

F)     Personal care products

·         Gel

·         Comb

·         Deodorant

·         Cologne

·         Shampoo

·         Soap

·         Toothbrush

·         Toothpaste

·         Towel

·         Toilet Paper (Hey, I am listing everything I can think of here)

·         Q-tip

·         Razor

·         Aftershave

G)    Leisure activities

·          Computer (music, internet, assistance in homework, etc etc)

·         Cell Phone

·         TV

·         PlayStation 3 (I think I watched Netflix on this thing, watched a couple episodes of “How I Met Your Mother”.)

H)    Other (Or rather…stuff I could not categorize)

·         Pillows

·         Sheets

·         Bedspread

·         Pillowcase

·         Light

·         Fan

·         Napkins

·         Desk Chair

·         Remote Control(s)

·         Door(s)

·         Phone Charger

·         Desk

·         Oxygen

·         Toilet (Like I said, listing everything I can think of)

·         Light Switches

·         Shower

            What was interesting here to me about this list was the amount of personal care products I listed. I kind of went into this assuming I did not use that many…apparently I was proven wrong.

So at this point I had to choose which of the above items to do a bit of rigorous research on. So…I looked to my left and there it was…ALMONDS! The fact it was the first thing I saw was not the only reason I decided to use it (though it probably was the single largest reason), but the fact it had some random labels on it that we discussed in class so it caught my attention. It had “Smart Eating” and the American Heart Association Certification on it. I mean I eat this every morning to start my metabolism, so why not learn a little more about it. So without further ado my research on “Blue Diamond Almonds: Whole Natural”.

What is your item made of?

 Almonds (Yeah that was hard).

How is it used?

Traditionally it is consumed. It can be eaten raw or roasted and a variety of other ways. The ones I have are whole natural ones so they are raw. They can also be used in baking and numerous other cooking recipes.

How, where, and by whom is it mined, harvested or otherwise acquired?

Via the Blue Diamond Growers website located here, I was able to ascertain that the Blue Diamond Company works with multiple growers all over California. There is a journal on this site on different areas of California where the products are grown which I found very interesting, which include pictures.

How did it get to you (from where it was grown/manufactured)?

My bag was  packed in Sacramento at Blue Diamond Growers Sacramento and shipped from there to numerous stores (I was unable to find out EXACTLY how they are shipped or the variety of ways they are, but I assume a vehicle is a safe bet). Per their website for personal shipping they use UPS air and ground to transport them.  And I picked this particular bag up at the local rite aid when I ran out of my previous bag.

What will happen to it when it is no longer “useful” to you?

Toilet jokes aplenty here. But after I consume them they will be broken down by my body and used by my body. Anything that is not of use or is no longer of use will be pushed out of my body. Unless we are talking about when it expires in over a year, in which case I would no doubt throw them away or bury them in my backyard. The container (bag) will definitely be thrown away though.

Is this product a “want” or “need”?

If I were to classify this product I would have to say it is a bit of both. I both want and need food, but I can readily choose which ones I eat. I use this particular product because I usually am not very hungry in the morning and I was told by athletic professionals that I should try eating something in the morning to jump start my metabolism. And this product is healthy and I can take a handful and walk away and consume them as I get ready to head out in the morning.

What is the effect of this product (production, use, and disposal) on:

·         You: Well, as I spend money I lose it! These bags of almonds are not cheap!  But as mentioned above I need something to boost my metabolism when I wake up, and this of course burns un-needed fat throughout the day, and of course provides me with essential proteins early in the morning to provide me with energy. It is also one of the healthier foods I eat so that is always good.

·         Other People: Same as listed above, but depending on their income…they may view it as either super expensive or a great deal.

·         Animals: Well I can see the farms they are produced on at some point perhaps was taken away from nature and could have potentially harmed a multitude of special living in that ecosystem and in some way caused issues with the ecosystem. When reading through some of their grower’s journals in Northern California, there was mention of dealing with certain insects, in this case the navel orange worm. Depending on the treatment options that could be causing damage to the ecosystem or creating a strain of worm that is more resistant to these pesticides/treatments. Without more easily obtained information about the exact methods they use (I couldn't find them) I don’t know (Though they do mention on their website that it is not detectable on their products, and they try to use the least amount possible and try to reduce pests in other ways to not use pesticides, but they still do use them).. Although they mentioned quite a bit of interesting stuff and maybe they do mention it in one of their journals, but from my search thus far, nothing. However, some of the trees on these farms may provide some homes for insects/animals if they aren't damaging the plant enough to be deemed a threat and removed from it.

·         The Environment: As mentioned above depending on the state of the ecosystem before the farms and what not that create the blue diamond products (and in this case almonds) it could have helped and hurt. No matter how healthy and what not the almonds are they come in a bag which is a waste product. I see no seal on the bag that states it is biodegradable nor made out of something recycled, so it is unneeded waste. And as also mentioned above depending on what kinds of chemicals are used on these farms it could have lasting effects on the environment, some may be unseen now that may have an impact in the future.

Was the product available 100 years ago, and if not what did people use instead.

            Yes it was, and probably readily available MANY years before that (yeah, caps for emphasis). It probably was one of the first cultivated foods as it is mentioned in the old testament of the bible. The company itself is over one hundred years old as well as packing and selling almonds.

What alternatives might do more good and less harm?

            Probably the only thing that readily comes to mind is the packaging could be made from recycled material or something that is biodegradable to do more good and less harm to the environment.

            Overall, I have observed that I use quite a bit more than I originally thought. I really did think I was a simple person who didn't use too much and in many ways not too overly complicated in how I live. But was surprised as I mentioned at the beginning at how many personal care products I used. For whatever reason I convinced myself that I did not use that much…but the list says otherwise. After researching a bit on the almonds and really seeing that overall packaging can make a difference, is that buying products that use recycled or biodegradable packaging is a step in the right direction, especially when trying to reduce my ecological footprint.  The less packaging the better as well.

            Some other ways I can definitely conserve Earth’s resources…well the first has to do with something I noted at night, I take a lot of showers. They average about five minutes…and the average five minute shower comes out to about twenty-five to fifty gallons of water. I take two to three showers a day. I do this usually because I am covered in sweat after my run in the evening. I thought about that specifically and I could potentially run in the morning and shower after that which would cut down on the showers taken in the day, saving quite a bit of water.

            I definitely learned quite a bit about myself and a couple new things about how I get my almonds, all very interesting and thought provoking.  

My Awesome Backyard!

            Today’s assignment has me sitting in my backyard being as still and as quiet as I possibly can while observing nature. I am not new to this, as I just sit and relax in my backyard from time to time just seeing nature do what it does. Although, I will say that I definitely was looking a little bit harder at the abiotic (non-living) things than I normally do. So I spent time on the concrete near the pool where I had a visual of most of the back yard. So as I am sitting I am focusing on what I am seeing and hearing and if possible pointing out interactions. (Some of these pictures were taken after I was done being silent and still)

            The first thing I notice is that there are a few birds chirping in a tree behind my banana trees. They continue to chirp but never make an appearance. There were more birds that would dart into this bushy tree, but they moved so fast I really couldn't get a clear look at them. The only bird I could actually identify with certainty was the red-tailed hawk that made a brief 30 second appearance which I luckily got a quick camera shot of.

            I admit for a bit of time I was looking around thinking of just how little I am seeing. But that was because I was focusing on the large things. I started to try to focus on the little things. I could only identify about two of the insects. The first was one I did notice the whole time, a large pretty yellow butterfly that I think is a giant swallowtail, which sadly moved too fast to get a good picture of. And the honey bees I would see collecting pollen in the flowers across from me on the other side of the pool (mutualism). Those were the noticeable activities. The stuff that kind of made me speechless is when I looked up a little bit and focused in the middle of the trees on the incline across from me, I could see hundreds of different flying insects zooming back and forth…none of which I could tell. Even after when I got up and took a closer look I couldn't tell what sort of insects they were only could see them zoom back and forth between the trees. Oh, and there were a couple of annoying house flies next to me.

            There were some interesting sounds I was unable to decipher. There was a strange rustling of leaves and branches. I never saw what was making the noise the whole time, but it was for a VERY long period of time that I heard the noise…so it kind of bugs me that I wasn't able to find out what it was.

            I enjoyed the time I spent in the backyard and noticed I needed to do a few things. Well…I need to mow the backyard/weed whack the heck out of it. And I need to add some more soil to a couple of plants. I usually come back at night from classes so lately I have not been out there with actual light.

Biotic (living) things I noticed.

Honey bees (at least 30), lemon tree (1), eucalyptus tree(1), red tailed hawk(1), grass(lots), pomegranate trees (4), banana tree(3), random house flies(2), unknown birds in the bushy tree (also unknown amount but 1 bushy tree), large amounts of unknown insects flying in-between trees, large yellow butterfly (possibly a giant swallowtail)(1), and my dog who sat next to me very still while I watched everything.

Abiotic (non-living) things I noticed.

            Dirt, dead leaves, fence, water hose, pots, statue, BBQ, the elements, and of course all of the rocks.