Arctic Ice

The ice in the Arctic is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040. Polar bears and other indigenous cultures are already suffering from sea-ice loss.

Arctic Ice Arctic Ice

Glaciers

Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting. Right now, Montana's Glacer National Park has only 27 glaciers. It had 150 in 1910.

Glaciers Glaciers

Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature. Up to 70% of some reefs died due to bleaching (or stress) in 1998 because of temperature changes.

Coral Reefs Coral Reefs

Temperature Change

Average world temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) in the last one hundred years, much of it in the recent decade.

Temperature Change Temperature Change
 
 
Dont Slander the Sludge - Making Good Use of Bad Sludge Print E-mail
Sewage sludge. The mere thought almost puts you off your lunch, doesnt it? Ah, but convert it to biosolids, and thats another story! Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic materials that are left over after the disposed sludge is processed and treated. Biosolids contain nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium (the same ingredients found in chemical fertilizers) as well as magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc and calcium, all of which are desirable components for farmland.

In days gone by, municipalities would deal with their raw sewage by dumping it into a nearby river or lake. Truth be known, this practice still occurs in many areas. More and more municipalities, however, are now required to treat their wastewater, and dispose of the treated byproduct either through recycling it as fertilizer, incinerating it, or burying it in a landfill.

Applied to farmland, biosolids serve many beneficial purposes. The application of biosolids replenishes organic matter which is depleted during the crop cycle, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, improves crop growth and yields, and reduces production costs of the farmers crop. Biosolid application improves soil structure, reduces erosion and runoff, and increases the soils capacity to hold water.

The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs established guidelines to monitor and control the utilization of biosolids in Ontario that governs the actions of biosolids producers, haulers, and users. Producers must obtain approval of their material before it can be spread on agricultural land. The specific site must be approved and granted a Certificate of Approval. The materials must be shown to be of benefit to crop production or soil health, and not to degrade the natural environment.

Much of the onus is on the treated sewage sludge hauler to meet the guidelines. The hauler and applicator, or biosolids management company, must spread the sewage biosolids at the correct and approved rate, and must comply with separation distances from watercourses, groundwater, bedrock, residences and water wells. Done properly and with due care, recycling biosolids is an excellent use of sewage sludge.

About Author

For more information on this article or sewage disposal, visit BartelsEnvironmental.ca

Source: ArticleTrader.com
Read more at: http://www.articletrader.com/science/environment/dont-slander-the-sludge-making-good-use-of-bad-sludge.html.
 
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