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(CNN) — Rivers are the arteries of our infrastructure. Flowing from highlands to the sea, they breathe life into ecosystems and communities.

A levee breach in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River System could have dire effects, a new report says.

But many rivers in the United States are in trouble.

Rivers in Alaska, California and the South are among the 10 most endangered, according to a report released Tuesday by American Rivers, a leading river conservation group.

The annual report uses data from thousands of rivers groups, local governments, environmental organizations and citizen watchdogs to identify waterways under imminent threat by dams, industry or development.

“Our nation is at a transformational moment when it comes to rivers and clean water,” said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers. “Water is life, yet our nation’s water infrastructure is so outdated that our clean drinking water, flood protection and river health face unprecedented threats.”

American Rivers has released its annual endangered rivers report since 1986. The report is not a list of the nation’s most polluted waterways, but highlights 10 rivers facing decisions in the coming year that could determine their future.

Here is American Rivers’ Most Endangered Rivers list for 2009:

1) Sacramento-San Joaquin River System

Location: California

Outdated water and flood management puts California’s largest watershed at the top of America’s most endangered rivers list for 2009. A recent breach in the delta’s 1,100-mile levee system could have dire effects on surrounding ecosystems, farming and agriculture, commercial fishing and California’s civil infrastructure. State and federal authorities are looking at alternative water-management strategies for the river system, which serves 25 million Californians and more than 5 million acres of farmland.

2) Flint River

Location: Georgia

The Flint is one of 40 rivers nationwide that still flow undammed for more than 200 miles. Conservationists say that dams proposed by Georgia lawmakers would bury more than 50 river miles, destroy fishing and boating opportunities and cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The American Rivers group believes that fixing the state’s leaky pipes, using water meters and minimizing water waste would be a cheaper and more cost-effective alternative.

3) Lower Snake River

Location: Idaho, Washington, Oregon

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has built four dams to irrigate and generate energy for the Northwest, but these dams also prevent salmon and steelhead trout from reaching their spawning areas. Every year, those dams kill as many as 90 percent of juvenile salmon and steelhead trout that migrate downstream to the ocean. Conservationists say that removing the dams would eliminate a growing flood threat in Lewiston, Idaho, and create an opportunity to modernize the region’s transportation and energy systems.

4) Mattawoman Creek

Location: Maryland

A highway development project here jeopardizes one of the Chesapeake Bay’s few remaining healthy streams. The project threatens clean water sources, thousands of acres of forests and wetlands, and an internationally-renowned, multimillion-dollar largemouth bass fishery.

5) North Fork of the Flathead River

Location: Montana

A proposed coal-mining project across the Canadian border puts Montana’s North Fork of the Flathead River in jeopardy. An estimated 50,000 acres of the Flathead headwaters could be transformed into an industrial gas field. The projects threaten the river’s clean water, local agriculture, fish and wildlife and recreational industries such as rafting, camping, fishing and boating. American Rivers and its partners have called on local Canadian governments and the U.S. State Department to work together to halt these projects.

6) Saluda River

Location: South Carolina

Excess levels of sewage waste threaten the drinking water of more than 500,000 South Carolina residents, conservationists say. Sewage in the river increases phosphorous and algae levels, depletes oxygen, and kills fish and other aquatic life. American Rivers is asking the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to improve sewage-treatment standards and ensure the river reduces its phosphorous levels by 25 to 50 percent.

7) Laurel Hill Creek

Location: Pennsylvania

Known for its fishing, swimming and kayaking, this popular vacation spot faces threats from a bottling plant and tourism-related development. Without adequate planning and safeguards, withdrawals will continue to exceed the creek’s reasonable capacity, putting recreation, the local water supply, and fish and wildlife in jeopardy.

Beaver Creek

Location: Alaska

One of the nation’s last wild rivers faces extinction if an oil- and gas-development project constructs 600 miles of roads and pipelines, airstrips, drilling pads, and gravel mines along the creek. Alaska native communities depend on the area for subsistence hunting and fishing. It’s also a popular destination for anglers, boaters, skiers and hunters.

9) Pascagoula River

Location: Mississippi

The U.S. Department of Energy wants to hollow out natural salt domes 30 miles northwest of the Pascagoula to create a storage area for up to 160 million barrels of oil. A pipeline 330 miles in length would be constructed to withdraw water from the Pascagoula to dissolve the salt domes and distribute oil to and from the site. The DOE predicts 18 oil spills and 75 spills of salty, polluted water during the construction and initial fill of the hollowed domes, damaging rivers, streams, and wetlands in the basin, conservationists say.

10) Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Location: Minnesota, Wisconsin

Rezoning of a 26-mile stretch of the river’s state-protected section would allow for the construction of a major development on the riverfront. American Rivers believes the development could lead to land erosion along the river and more storm run-off while harming the region’s biodiversity.

“Being named as one of America’s most endangered rivers is not an end for the river, but rather a beginning,” said Wodder.

Through the collaborative efforts of citizens and local, state and national governments, a number of waterways from past American Rivers’ endangered lists have been preserved.

“With the listing comes a national spotlight and action from thousands of citizens across the country,” Wodder said. “These 10 rivers have a chance to be reborn and to serve as models for other rivers all across America.”

finding new energy sources is not easy  but we have some very good ones in solar and wind and linking the old energy to global climate change is easy, you can find tons of information at this link here

The Environmental Defense Fund is leading the charge with letting people know the best ways to fight it and where and how to get involved.

Its your turn, lets make a change.

By Diane Francis, Huffington Post. Posted August 6, 2008.Bottled water is a joke, one of the biggest consumer and taxpayer ripoffs ever. I applaud California’s Attorney General Jerry Brown who said recently that he will sue to block a proposed water-bottling operation in Northern California by Nestle.

Next, Attorneys General everywhere should require recycling of all plastic bottles and containers by requiring deposits to be paid to encourage returns, as is the case with aluminum cans. Not only do society and the environment pay an unfair price for this consumer hoax, but consumers are being hoodwinked. They are paying from 300 to 3,000 times more than the cost of tap water without any benefit.

An estimate by a University of Toronto geology professor Andrew Miall, who took a picture of a grocery store skid of bottled water and calculated the extent of the ripoff, found the stack of bottles:

• Contains 24,192 bottles, each containing 500 ml of water, a total of 12,096 liters of water, in 314.5 kg of plastic
• Purchase price of the $4.99 per 24-bottle pack is $0.42 per liter for a total retail value of $5,029.92
• To purchase the same volume of water in bulk through Toronto’s domestic water supply would cost $16.93

The scam

The water is usually not superior to “city” water or tap water, and is merely a big branding hoax by soda makers. In some cases, this “designer” water is drawn from tap water and labeled for suckers to buy as though it is a superior product.

Dasani in Britain was caught doing this. There are not regulations or proper labeling requirements governing bottled water as there is involving tap water. Some water may be contaminated.

Bottles of water are not fluoridated which has been created tooth decay problems among youngsters and adults who avoid tap water.

There are indications that the plastic may contain harmful carcinogens.

Bottles of water are mini gas guzzlers

One expert estimated that the amount of petroleum — used to make the bottles, transport, refrigerate, collect and bury them — would fill one-third of each bottle.

These plastic bottles are creating landfill problems worldwide, and are washing up on beautiful beaches around the planet.

What’s wrong with using filters, if people are concerned about local water supplies, and refillable bottles?

Another stupidity

A real estate developer explained the idiocy of ordering bottled water in restaurants. He said bylaws require special water filtration systems be installed so that their “tap water” is safer than any.

Of course, there’s always those who want fancy sparkling or soda water, but that’s another issue. About the only justification for bottled water is in developing countries where water supplies are decidedly unsafe or untrustworthy.

I’m looking for sponsors who want their logo both on my website and behind my butt as I’m pedaling around Block Island this summer.

You see, I’ve decided that I’m not going to drive The Birdmobile if I don’t have to, and Block Island is tiny enough to make biking the perfect solution. I would, however, like to step things up a little and get an electric bike conversion kit.

They’re a bit out of my reach, though, so I’m looking for someone who wants to help me show the world what a lightweight zero-emission vehicle can do for a daily commute.

What’s in it for you as a sponsor? Read on for details…
Read the rest of this entry »

Here at Project Easy Green we are hoping that Mr Ebel finds his sponsor and keeps us up to date with his transformation to a environmentalist.

AJ

Project Easy Green

I found this on the iVillage site.

“I had read, probably on this forum, that you could get barrels from carwash concerns, and last week I got one. Stopped by at a not too busy time and was asked, “Sir? Can I help you?” After a little explanation, he walked with me over to their trash area to see what could be taken and what not. One barrel was available, 55 gallon size, a lovely sky blue. Previously containing windshield washer fluid. This afternoon I took a drill with a 1/2″ bit and a sabre saw to it and had the lid off in 10 minutes. I’m impressed with how substantial it is: very heavy duty, hardly any flex at all. After a soap and water cleaning, I’ll use this one as a rain barrel, but will also go back for more, drill holes in the sides for air, remove top and bottom, and have a new compost bin. [I'm posting here for the first time, to say thanks for all the ideas and inspiration I've found on this forum.]”

OK, this seams to be a great idea, for two reasons, first you are recycling a barrel for a greater use than for chemicals that would poison our ground water and two because its FREE. I would love to know if anyone has done this or found another source to get a free barrel to use as a rain catcher?

I will check into it myself with my local car-wash to see if I can get one.

AJ

Welcome to Project Easy Green.

We would like to thank you for stopping by and checking out our site, first, please register, we can use the help of all the greenies out there to make this project work.

We will be posting tips on how to be a eco friendly person, by changing one thing in your life we may just save our kids planet.

So please take a moment to join our community and blog green!

Thank You so much

AJ Janssen

ProjectEasyGreen.net