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WELCOME TO THE WEB SITE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR PROPOSED HOMEPORTING OF ADDITIONAL SURFACE SHIPS AT NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, FLORIDA.


The Navy created this website to provide the public with information about the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) associated with the Navy’s proposal to homeport additional U.S. Fleet Forces surface ships at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport, Florida. The EIS process associated with this proposal was undertaken in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as well as Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 5090.1C. The Draft EIS (EIS Documents), as well as material published in the Federal Register and presented at public meetings (Public Involvement Materials) are available for review. The Final EIS is posted on the EIS Documents page.


The Record of Decision was signed by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) on January 14, 2009. The Record of Decision is posted here.

The above information provides links to the historical record. This website now deals with environmental issues of a much wider nature. You are now able to find information on issues related to food, shelter, poverty, income distribution and activism.

Eco Friendly Movement

Over the last few years or so, the hue and cry about global warming and its related ill effects have been a topic of discussion in many forums, movies and places around the world. Saving the environment now and has always been directly proportional to saving the planet. With the advent of technology and better purchasing power, more and more people are taking onto the roads by cars. While this trend may not die, it is important that we buy cars that are eco-friendly. These cars are also tagged are Hybrid vehicles by many car makers around the world.

Contribution towards the families, communities, societies and our cities help you create a brighter and safer world for generations to come. Moving about in eco-friendly cars means it consumes less fuel and therefore leads to less fuel emissions that pollute the air. This air can be extremely harmful and can potentially lead to spread diseases. Naturally, the harmful carbon dioxide gas emitted from the cars travels far and wide. It mixes with the fresh air above and near the water bodies like seas, lakes and ponds. This can potentially endanger the lives of fishes and other water residents.

It is a good idea to use high quality eco-friendly stuff even at home and especially in the kitchen. Using an ice cream maker in place of normal mixer that churns out juice is more sensible because it consumes less power. Similarly, try using bulbs and lights that consume less electricity. As responsible heads in our families and citizens of our country, it is our responsibility to ensure that the environment is not harmed in any manner. Any activity, whether professional or recreational, that is not aligned with the environmental laws must be ceased immediately.

The Environment & How You Can Make a Difference Today

There are a few ways on how you can create an environmentally friendly life style. Every person on this planet can make a difference in order to save the planet from pollution and destruction.

  1. We all can become vegetarians. You can choose to believe it or not, but the development of  animal farming is destroying the planet. People are cutting off forests which are the ‘green lungs’ of the planet to create more space for farming. Each kilogram of eaten meat costs a lot of money, causes the falling of natural forests and makes animals suffer.
  2. In order to limit the devastation of nature we should start to take control over food production. When a country is affected by famine, it is usually due to other countries that are polluting the environment by disposing chemicals that are by products of the manufacturing process.  Production should be monitored and produced according to an agrees plan so that we can minimize the manufacturing of waste.
  3. Recycling is the factor that can save the planet in the future. People should start to think what kind of products they are using and how are they manufactured. Recycling should not be limited only to paper, glass or plastic. There are a lot of materials that can be successfully reused instead of throwing them out on the dump.
  4. Instead of throwing away goods and products we no longer want, we should start to share and donate those very items. Everyday, more and more people are selling, exchanging or buying different products online. You can sell everything from furniture, toys, clothes, accessories, cars and you can even sell gold and jewellery. Instead of spending money for new items, think about purchasing used alternatives that function exactly the same as new but with a little wear and tear.
  5. To save the environment, we should also learn how to generate green energy that will be delivered to homes. Energy can be generated from wind and sunlight. Also , careful consideration when using water can greatly have a positive impact.

At the end of the day, I think that everything depends on every persons sense of responsibility. Small changes often can cause positive dramatic changes.

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Protect the Environment – Grow Your Own

In todays world we all need to do our bit, grow your own and save the environment. First you will need a greenhouse to help you get started.

Most garden centres and DIY stores will have greenhouses for sale with all the extras you may need, including staging, vents and heaters etc.  It is always best to look around before you purchase one to get the best price available.  Often they will be delivered direct from the manufacturer so make sure you allow a few weeks for delivery.

There will usually be a choice of whether to erect the greenhouse yourself or to pay a greenhouse erector to do this for you.  Again it is best to compare prices as some people charge a lot more than others.  If you have the time and patience you can erect yourself but this may take some time especially if you have never done one before!

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Its Not All About Environmental Impact!

I can understand the reservations that the citizens of Mayport may have about the additional home porting of more fleet ships in their town, but I implore them to look at the wider picture!  More ships means more sailors.  More sailors means a better economy as many will have families that need to settle in the area full time so when there spouses come back from a tour of duty they will be there to enjoy their short R&R breaks.  This means the economy in this part of Florida will only improve as more families move to the area and more money is to be spent.

Take for example those who own land in the area – additional dwellings will need to be built in order to supply this increased demand.  There is real money to be made!  This goes all the way down the chain too – more families in the area mean more restaurants and bars opening, more supermarkets and fashion outlets starting up and more independent businesses will have more opportunities to make money.  Is this not the American dream, the land of opportunity?  Maybe you could start your own business? There is a venture to suit everyone – if you love pets you could open a pet store selling all sorts of items from modern cat litter box furniture to reptile cages.  If you loved to clean you could start your own home cleaning business or if you are a contractor you would have many more clients that may need your help.

Yes, our environment may suffer a little but economic growth should make up for that.   I understand that not everyone will agree but try and get rid of your negative mindset – find a positive solution for you!

The Greenest thing to do is to scrap Mayport Naval Base?

There are those living in the Mayport area who are of the opinion that the most environmentally friendly thing the state authorities can do for the region is to scrap the Mayport Naval Base. It is one of America’s biggest naval bases. It is home to The United States Fourth Fleet, and has the third largest naval fleet in the USA.

Naturally all these boats, personal and aircraft have a significant impact on the environment. Recently, Mayport has been transforming its fleet from conventional gasoline powered vessels to nuclear powered vessels. This move will no doubt cut down on carbon emissions at the base, but of course poses  a potentially far worse threat to the environment in terms of a nuclear disaster.

Carbon emissions are also considerably high from the large airfield at Mayport Naval Base which is large enough to accommodate the largest of military aircraft.

The reason for having the base is obviously tied up with national security. America is at war with terrorism around the world and it must remain forever vigilant against threats to security both at home and abroad.

However, another good reason to have the base is in case of a natural disaster. In March 2011 in Thailand there were virtually unprecedented floods throughout the country. In the ensuing state of emergency it was the Thai navy that rescued tourists from Thongsala in Koh Phangan and other islands cut off because of the storms.

Ever since Hurricane Katrina the public in America are aware like never before about the potential for a huge storm or other natural disaster to strike in the USA. It is at such times that local police, fire services and medical services cannot cope. These are the times when American people will need the help of the navy and the other armed services. Mayport Naval Base is ready to respond 24/7 to any disaster that may befall the USA. This surely trumps the environmental argument to shut down the base.

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Cigarette Smokers – Reduce Your Environmental Impact

It’s not bad enough that smokers are killing themselves with our habit, but they are also causing a great deal of damage to the immediate and greater environment#. Most people are unaware of this fact and believe they have a right to smoke tobacco because the only harm they are doing is to themselves. Unfortunately this couldn’t be further from the truth and the consequences of their actions have an impact on everyone else on the planet.

How does smoking cigarettes have an environmental impact?

  1. Did you know that around a third of the adult population of the world smokes? Where do you think the 5 trillion non-biodegradable cigarette butts they dispose of each year go? If you are smoking cigarettes then you are contributing to this garbage problem.
  2. The tobacco industry is responsible for a huge amount of deforestation which is reducing the quality of the air we all need to breathe. The wood chopped down in the forests of many third world countries is used to dry the tobacco leaves which end up in your cigarettes. Incredibly, statistic show that one tree is felled for every 300 cigarettes produced in Africa.
  3. Huge amounts of pesticides are required in the farming of tobacco plants to ensure they reach harvest. These chemicals are made with our dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, and cause untold damage to the environment.
  4. You are polluting your immediate environment with the smoke which is given off by your cigarette every time you light up. This smoke is known to cause disease in the people who breath it in. Are you willing to be responsible for reducing the life expectancy of friends and family who share your space.

What’s the solution to the environmental concerns of smoking cigarettes?

There have been a number of solutions proposed to help reduce the impact of smoking. Some of them include making cigarette butts biodegradable, but this would only target one of the problems we have talked about above.

Some people these days are even wondering if products such as the Green Smoke e-cigarette might be a long term solution as the cartridges used with these devices can be recycled and the tobacco used in producing the nicotine for them doesn’t have to be cured. Even this solution doesn’t have all the answers though.

At the end of the day we are going to have to move towards a tobacco free society if we want to eliminate the damage done by this industry. In the mean time using products such as NRT and electronic cigarettes might reduce the problems at least a little.

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Working From Home Is Very Beneficial To The Environment

Consider all the of the vehicles going back and forth on a day to day basis just to get us to a place we loathe being at for 8 to 12 hours per day. Then consider if you have to leave the office for lunch all the extra emissions we as a world are placing in tho the air that we breath on a daily basis. Living in Southern California you can see the layer of smog that lays across the horizon and it’s sickening the think that we actually breathe that in all day long. We may not realize it, but we do.

I encourage all to consider working from home. Even if you need to change your career path, start up an e-commerce site and find the best SEO company you can to market your product or service. I did and I have not looked back since day one. In addition to the environmental benefits I can set my own schedule, wear what I want to work and I always have an office window, save a ton of money on fuel and I never get in arguments with co-workers. HA! Working from home is a decision I’ll never regret doing.

How to Get a Security Guard Job at Naval Station Mayport

Are you having problems finding a job as a security guard? This isn’t surprising since the decline of security guard jobs is currently reaching its fastest rate. This means less job opportunities for the Security and Safety Division nationwide.

However, you don’t have to worry about these facts right now. There are still foolproof ways for you to get a security guard job. This article will help you do just that. The following tips will show you how to get a security guard job at a naval station in Florida, particularly at the Mayport naval station. If you live around this area, you should take note of these suggestions:

  • When it comes to security guard jobs at a naval station, you need to have the capacity to cover large spaces. Most of the time, naval stations, especially the one in Mayport, Florida, have very large areas to manage. The number of security guards, however, is limited. This forces management to assign big portions of the station to a single security guard. In these cases, management expects their security guards to be vigilant at all times. Because of the area that you would cover, you should have a keen sense of attentiveness every time. If you would show to the management that you are indeed capable of handling large areas, your chances of getting hired would increase.
  • As a naval station security guard, you would need to understand that there are many valuables that would need protection. This includes boats, machineries, and the like. In that case, you would need to have at least an understanding about these things. This will help you in securing a job in a Mayport naval station.
  • Another requirement that any security guard should have is loyalty. The naval management would need honest people to protect their stations. If you want to be hired, you would need to prove to them that you have this quality.

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Environmental Impact on Herbal Medicine

Environmental Impact Cordyceps sinesis recognition has increased in the society. This is because it has so many health benefits to humans, and these have contributed to its demand. The huge demand is due to its valuable uses. Unfortunately, sources are limited due to factors related to environmental impact /issues. This has led to the decline of Cordyceps and has caused an increase on the prices.

To most families, Cordyceps sinesis is unattainable. This is why there are so many counterfeits in the market. This makes its identification for frequent customers hard. As such, it has led to the emergence of so many individuals who are seeking this drug, are violating their government laws, and are destroying habitats. It is for this reason that Cordyceps has become extinct. This has given so many individuals the urge to increase on the intake of Cordyceps using artificial methods

Expanding the production rate of Cordyceps sinesis has become a great issue. This is because it is harmless to the environment and getting the fungus to survive in any other environment is hard. The urge to have artificial Cordyceps has been caused by the huge demand in the market and its numerous benefits on human health. Over the past few years, so much research has been performed to investigate on how it can be manufactured artificially. It has been established that Cordyceps can only be manufactured through substituting the original Cordyceps. This can only be done by stimulating the fungus and the whole environment where the original sample of Cordyceps can grow. These are known to reproduce within a very short duration and cater for that huge demand that is there in the market today.

How Good Are We To The Environment?

As we move to the generation of modern technology and great discoveries of innovations, our world in general suffers from this continuous development in terms of the condition our environment maybe facing at the moment. We may not be totally responsible for the global damage of our environment, but we somehow contribute to this negative effect in the way we live. We don’t realize how much non-recyclable waste we produce each day and the use of harmful chemicals that is entirely not eco-friendly.

With those unexplained natural disasters and changes to our climate that kept occurring to us and our neighboring countries worldwide, we have now become more environmental concerned and have started supporting advocacies related to the use of eco-friendly products and joining campaigns that could be beneficial to our environment and prevent further damages.

Our government leaders as well as other charity groups have been actively supporting educational programs that are more focused on environmental issues and the use of eco-friendly products. They teach each individual the different ways to contribute effectively for this campaign just like when they offer short training courses for those out of school youths to become productive and earn a living after they had finished any of their courses like in the use of computer programs such as Photoshop download tutorials online.

Did you know that we can do our own share to improve our environment’s condition? Here are some of the following activities that we can support greatly:

1.     Reduce our waste

One factor that may result to severe damages to our environment is our waste disposal. Now, everyone is aware of what waste reduction can do to one’s environment. We have been more conscious of using biodegradable products, lessen the use of plastic or disposable products and try to buy items with minimal packaging.

2.     Reuse

We are now more creative in reusing certain products rather than buying new ones.  Instead of buying more disposable items, we patronize now products that can be of good use like those beverage containers or bottles that once used they can be turned into pots for plants or bottles for decorative flower vases at our homes.

3.     Recycle

As we continue to segregate our items for certain use, we also find ways on how they can be of good use instead of just leaving them inside the garbage bin. One good example is collecting all types of waste and piling them accordingly to their possible use like those scrap metals, old batteries, old tires, newspaper and other things that can go to recycling depots/areas where they will be processed and transformed into new items.

Let us make our environment an ideal place for all of us to live in. Start now by supporting the go green campaign and make use of eco-friendly products.

Can War Be Environmentally Friendly

Well probably not the case, but one thing that can be much greener is the vehicles and tools that our Armies and Navies use.  It makes sense to utilise green technologies for a variety of reasons.

  1. Obviously any action that lessens the environmental impact of our forces has got to be implemented.
  2. Green solutions are very often extremely cost effective.
  3. Investing and developing green technologies in any area can be beneficial to society and the economy as a whole.

Many scientific advancements are made through the war and the technology used to support our troops.  Whatever your politics it makes sense to invest in these technologies for the greater good.  Eco friendly investments can be recouped by successfully transferring any technology developed into the open market.

Last year the Navy launched it’s first eco friendly boat – a 49 foot riverine command boat which boasts speeds of up to 40 knots.  The boat is different because it runs on a 50% blend of biofuel and normal diesel.   The tests were a complete success and it was reported that there were no problems with performance.  The US Navy uses over 80,000 barrels of oil a day so we can see the huge environmental impact of reducing that consumption in half would have.

Of course there are issues, the cost of the biofuel in monetary terms is much higher, but these costs would likely to drop perhaps to parity if such fuel was used extensively and economies of scale could be harnessed in it’s production.  In times of austerity it is important that initiatives like this are not shelved to make short term gains.  Investments in Eco friendly technology makes a lot of sense in both economic terms and the obvious one that we won’t have a planet left to pollute if someone doesn’t develop these technologies.

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The Joys of Boat Camping

There are a lot of reasons why boating in Florida is a very unique experience and some of those reasons are hard to explain to someone who has never experienced it. With almost year round good weather and some of the most diverse communities you will find anywhere there really is something for everyone when it comes to Florida boating trips.

If you enjoy boating in general and camping occasionally then Florida certainly has a great deal to offer you. Having access to a boat means that you can fairly easily get to some of the best camping spots that the state has to offer, spots that other people might find it rather hard to reach with their land bound vehicles.

If you are going “boat camping” you have several distinct advantages over “regular campers” in that you do not have to lug tons of equipment around or get completely soaked to the skin in the event of a sudden downpour. You probably do not have to just rely on fire pits to cook your food (although food cooked over fire pits tastes delicious done right) and you do have better facilities than just a very undignified hole in the ground! In other words boat camping is simply a little more civilized than a traditional camping trip.

That fact does not mean however that you should simply stay on board your boat the whole time. There are so many great places to explore all over the state to do so would actually be a real shame in fact. From the beauty of some of the remoter parts of the Florida Keys, such as Indian Keys, to the beauty of the everglades with a little careful planning a boat camping trip in Florida may end up being one of the best boat trips you ever take.

Fracking Sparks Fears of Contaminated Drinking Water

Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, fractures layers of rock with a highly pressurized fluid, which is made up of water, slurry, and various, frequently dangerous, chemical compounds. Fracking is occurring all over the U.S. to mine for natural gas and is increasing in frequency and scope.

There are many environmental concerns with fracking, including air quality risks, mishandling of the pressurized fluid waste, and contamination of ground water. Contamination of ground water is a huge problem and has already occurred in several states. In fact, some home owners who sold the mineral rights to their property to companies that frack found themselves with flammable drinking water, despite using an under sink water filter.

If you are concerned about fracking and want to know about the potential hazards it can cause to drinking water and other environmental impacts, we recommend that you watch the documentary entitled Gasland by Josh Fox. Fracking is only increasing in popularity and will impact our environment for years to come.

Gourmet Dining at Pizza Hut?

If you have Pizza Hut coupons to use the first thing that is going to come to mind is probably ordering a pizza! Not everyone (as strange as it may seem to some) is a big pizza fan though. so what could they eat if you go out to Pizza Hut for dinner?

Over the last several years the Pizza Hut menu has expanded a great deal. These days they offer traditional Italian inspired meals like meaty marinara pasta and the ever popular chicken alfredo.

When these dishes were first introduced the company ran a marketing campaign that saw their new pastas served in some rather fancy restaurants. Interestingly enough the diners were surprised when they found out the food cam from as fast food joint like Pizza Hut, but it served to demonstrate that Pizza Hut could serve up great, well cooked food that was more than  just pizza!

Navy Homeporting – Opportunities for Restaurants, Plumber and Refrigerators Reviewed

The propose homeporting of additional naval vessels at Naval Station Mayport will be an economic boom for the local community.  It will add to the number of Navy employees permanently stationed in the area, and also increase the number of sailors rotating through between tours of duty.

As well as the benefits to be had from these military personnel spending their pay in the local community, it also offers additional opportunities for small businesses in the area.  Personnel who are permanently stationed in Mayport will be setting up households and needing contractor to service them.

Everyone from restaurant owners, to carpet cleaners to plumbers will all have a new pool of potential customers to draw from.  Each new customer is additional money in the pockets of all these service providers.

Local department an appliance stores will be consulted by people seeking to purchase new kit for their homes. Refrigerator reviews, dishwasher reviews and various other appliance stores will be sought out as sailors look to set up their families with quality kitchen appliances before deploying to sea.

Some people are concerned about possible environmental impact.  They should rest assured that any negatives will be minimal.  While an increased population – and accompanying development – will always change the natural habit slightly, these will be changes for the better.

Changes due to accidents or poor procedures are very unlikely.  The Navy is very aware of the risks introduced by the handling or large quantities of fuel oil and personnel are very well trained to ensure that is it handled correctly.  The Department of the Navy has been refueling ships for centuries, and has the experience and expertise to ensure it is done right.

Put aside any concerns you may have and welcome your new navy neighbors to town.  Take advantage of the financial opportunities they offer to your HVAC/refrigeration, plumbing or other local business.

 

Footwear Brands To Label The Shoes ‘Ingredients’

When it comes to shopping for food we are all used to knowing exactly what is in the food, where it has come from and what the packaging is made from. This information is expected and we wouldn’t buy a food product without it but when it comes to clothing we are much more lax sometimes choosing to ignore where those shoes were made and by who.

Well, that could soon be a thing of the past if well known footwear brand Timberland have anything to do with it. They have been making steps for a number of years to calculate the enviromental cost of making a pair of boots starting from the cow the leather comes from right upto the delivery to the retailers. They plan to place a label in their shoes that will give information on the materials used, whether they are renewable, recycled or organic may be part of the details made available.

This is a breath of fresh air in the designer shoes world and a concept many hope will catch on. Only time will tell though if other design houses will take responsibility for the impact they have on the enviroment.

The recession and staying financially buoyant in these hard economic times

Affiliate marketing is a very interesting means to earn money online. It can be fun to hire an seo agency that offers products and services you love and also make a living out of it. However, this type of money making scheme is haunted by some misconceptions which would need to be clarified. Thinking of these myths as facts can lead you to unrecoverable losses and utter waste of time and effort.

Affiliate Marketing is Easy and Takes a Little Amount of Time
This is true, only if you have already established the foundation of your online marketing business. Other than that, building your promotion site or blog and attracting visitors to it would take time.

You can Promote Any Product or Company that You Choose
Most people succeed by doing intensive research on which products are in demand and narrowing it down to products that they are comfortable to promote. Promoting products on a random basis would not get you anywhere.

You can Earn a Lot of Money through Affiliate Marketing
Big income is the end result of one’s effort. Online marketing should never be equated with get-rich-quick schemes. However, it is true that the potential earnings are way bigger compared to an average paycheck.

Promoting an internet marketing company is a serious business. It is fun to be able to work for just a few hours a day and earn more than what you are getting from an 8-hour job. However, you should be aware that it takes a lot of patience, dedication and hard work in this industry.

War Wreaks Havoc With The Environment

The impact of modern day warfare on the environment has becoming increasingly negative, especially over the past few decades. Experts have called this ecocide, or the killing of the environment. It has affected endangered species and humans alike.

Orange was sprayed in Vietnam in order to defoliate the jungles, and oil wells in Iraq were burned due to the extreme measures used during war. Habitat destruction and deforestation has been caused by the advancements in military machinery and explosives. For example, 35% of Cambodia’s intact forests have been destroyed by years of civil war. The issues are usually made worse by the fact that environmental protections are put on the back burner during times of extreme conflict.

Depleted uranium, which has long been used mostly by the United States for conventional munitions, missiles, and defensive military armor, has the ability to penetrate enemy tanks and other targets much easier than weapons made with other materials. The risk of exposure to depleted uranium to public health has been downplayed, including by inhalation of fine dust particles of this material. It is even suspected that soldiers and civilians who have been exposed to high levels may be at an increased risk for developing lung cancer and kidney damage as a result.

Another environmental issue that has happened as a result of war is the spreading of uranium oxide by way of two hundred stolen plastic barrels that contained the material. They were washed out and used improperly, such as for storing water, tomatoes, and cooking oil in them, as well as being put up for sale to other villages for transporting milk to different regions just because they need money. The material also had seeped into the ground and dispersed through the air. The Iraq national nuclear inspector predicted that potentially more than a thousand people could die from leukemia.

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Written by Bruce from DayJobNuker 

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My Sleep Apnea Stops Me From Enjoying Nature!

My case of sleep apnea is so bad that I need to have both a CPAP and oral device to keep me from snoring during the night.  The need for both of these tools pretty much makes camping a no go, which is quite sad indeed because I would love nothing more than to camp and be outdoors all the time.  If I go camping and do not where my CPAP the sleep I will get will be horrible; resulting in me not having the energy the next day to enjoy the great outdoors.  Hopefully I can get some sleep apnea treatment that will allow me to enjoy nature once again.

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Can Finances Effect The Environment?

The simple answer to this question is an emphatic YES! Finances effect the environment both for the better and worse.  Unfortunately the bad side to this question is the profitability in oil production as a means for energy, which greatly destroys our Earth.  Perhaps if our country could find some sort of debt relief and then use the extra money to help fund programs to find a more renewable and sustainable energy source then things may start to look better.  Will this ever happen? More than likely not.  Once we can find a way to get out of debt as a country than we can start looking at the bigger picture.

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Navy Department Should Offset The Damage This Will Cause

If we need a large navy (and we do), then the ships have to be parked somewhere, and there has to be facilities to repair and maintain the fleet. So the question is where should the fleet be based? Of course any suggestion will produce the NIMBYs (not in my back yard) out of the woodwork, and at the end of the day a decision has to be taken that will not please everybody.

In this day and age the environment is a popular cause and there are many groups who will fight against any development if it results in pollution of any sort. Perhaps the Navy Department would be advised to offset the inevitable pollution by doing work elsewhere to help the environment.

We recently celebrated 50 years of marriage and our children bought us a small area of woodland as one of our golden wedding anniversary gifts. Before you think I have gone off on a tangent, that area of woodland will in a small way offset some of the damage to the environment we as a couple have inadvertently done to the environment in our 50 years. If you like it our way of offsetting the damage we have caused. When I learnt of our anniversary gift I must admit to being rather surprised, but when you consider that a couple married for 50 years have probably fulfilled all their material needs, an area of trees was an inspired gift. 50 years is a golden wedding anniversary, not sure if there is a ‘wooden’ anniversary, but if there is consider woodland as a gift for someone you know.

Summertime …. And The Living Is Easy When You Have A.C.

Stan Cox’s latest essay takes on the ubiquity of air conditioning and its effects on the environment. Cox argues that the benefits of A.C. may not outweigh the long-term economic and environmental costs of keeping, say, North Carolinians chilled to an even 72 or 74 degrees during a sticky August afternoon. At the same time, I don’t know many people living in the south (or even up north in urban and semi-urban areas) who would be willing to sweat it out like Americans did circa 1865.

Cox argues that “stepping from a torrid parking lot into a 72-degree, air-conditioned lobby can provide a degree of instantaneous relief and physical pleasure experienced through few other legal means. But if the effect of air-conditioning on a hot human being can be compared to that of a pain-relieving drug, its economic impact is more like that of an anabolic steroid. And withdrawal, when it comes, will be painful, as some would have experienced from statins. We’re as committed to air-conditioning as we are to cars and computer chips. And a device lucky enough to become indispensable can demand and get whatever it needs to keep running. For the air-conditioner, that’s a lot.”

Perhaps a better alternative would be to find ways of creating and sustaining alternative energy sources to keep folks cool. If you look at the recent growth figures/Census data and look at the geographic shifts that are taking place in the US, people are moving from the northeastern US to the southeastern and southwestern US in record numbers.

These are places (like Tucson, Mesa, El Paso, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Atlanta, Tampa) that, dare I say, are somewhat inhospitable for several months out of the year due to their extreme heat and/or humidity. The policy questions that emerge from a debate about the future of air conditioning and the extent to which folks should/should not use it (or use it as frequently as they do) are quite complex, and definitely deserve our critical attention.

Environmental Impact and Wine Shipping

Most people wouldn’t expect that wine shipments would have any type of environmental impact.

Judging by the Occupy protests of late 2011, they do though because on the Occupy Oakland list of complaints was the use of the Oakland port to ship wine to China.  As it turns out, according to a friend who owns a wine of the month club, wine shipments to China aren’t measured in terms of cases or palates, but container ships, starting at around 35,000 bottles.

I wonder if that type of impact, including trucking the wine in from the growing wine regions in New York state and Virginia has been thought of at all?

Financial Responsibility Increases Conservationism

Finding a good payment calculator can be next to impossible if users are unsure of what features they need, what specifications they require, and what will work best for their individual payment. Using  payment calculator can be incredibly helpful when it comes to finding out just how much a payment is going to be and figuring out how much of your pay each month will be devoted to these payments. Many sites offer their own individual payment calculators that are specific to the loan that they are working with but with a site like PaymentBot, there are a variety of loan calculators that can help just about anyone estimate a payment. Using a site like PaymentBot can help to reduce difficulty and make using a payment calculator worlds easier.

PaymentBot is a site that offers a wide range of tools to help just about every user figure out what payments they are going to be making, what payments they should be making, and how much of their pay each month will be dedicated to payments. Using a calculator can really help to reduce tension and make figuring up a payment worlds easier. Using calculators to figure up traditional loans, nontraditional loans, special circumstance loans, or even just to figure out how good an interest rate can save users time and money when it comes to setting their loan payment each month. Knowing a bit about these calculators can help make using one worlds easier.
 
With a basic loan calculator there are three variables that come into play. PaymentBot has calculators that take all these factors into account. First, the principle amount of the loan. This amount is what all other figures are marked against. Another factor is interest rate, this helps to determine how much of each monthly payment goes to paying off the loan and how much goes toward paying off the interest. The last factor that is taken into account is duration of the loan. The shorter the term the higher the payments, the longer the loan the lower the payments but the larger the interest pay out.

Protecting the Environment

Napa Valley is known for one single thing above all else-it’s wine.  A major tourist destination and one of the only true tourist destinations in the world centered around an agricultural product, Napa Valley has been home to some of the most intense and contentious fights over the environment anywhere in the world, for well over 30 years.

At the cruz of the argument is something simple.  In an effort, after the wine industry started taking off in the late 70’s, to keep its character much of the Napa Valley area is protected from new development by an agreement called the Ag Preserve.  Of course, everyone loves the concept of the Ag Preserve, except when it stops them from doing what they want.  Growers want less restrictions on the percentage of land they can plant on.  Vintners want less restrictions on the marketing events they can hold at their wineries. Developers want to be able to build more houses.  ETC ETC.  It makes me wonder if the Ag Preserve can survive and if it is a viable example for the rest of the country at all.

What do you think?

Better For The Environment, Better For You

There was a time when people didn’t run out to the grocery store for everything from lettuce to chicken breasts.  People were self sufficient, being able to grow their own produce and raise their own meat.  During these simpler times, people were also far less reliant on transportation that causes pollution.  Rather, everything they needed was provided for them right outside their front doors.  As a result, not only was the environment better, but people were healthier and more active.  

Granted, not all of us have the means of self-sustainability, as we have to work our 9-5 jobs, then run the kids to soccer practices, and figure out a time somewhere in between to maintain our McMansions and pick up dinner at the drive thru.  It leaves very little time for us to do things like grow our own food, and what’s more, to exercise.  The amount of time we spend in our cars and behind the desk add to a growing waistline and a smaller bank account.  While we may not all be able to find the time to maintain our own gardens and grow our own produce and raise our own meat, perhaps we can all find the time in the day to exercise.  

Somewhere in between our careers and the drive thru window, maybe take the time to read some P90X reviews.  An hour to an hour and a half a day of the program will not necessarily make the environment less polluted, but it will certainly help to get you back into shape as if you were running your own self-sufficient farm.  Perhaps once you begin to shrink your waistline, you can begin to consider taking some time to make a healthier impact on the environment by starting your own garden.  Maybe composting your own materials will be next on the list, followed by possibly raising your own chickens.  Not only is this better for the environment, but it is also better for you to have your very own fresh vegetables, herbs, and poultry.

 

 

 

The Web Design Pricing Costs for Websites Selling Reclaimed Furniture

Many companies often cause harm to the environment as part of their normal business processes, especially those in the furniture industry. However, companies which sell furniture made from reclaimed wood have a lesser negative impact on the environment than most other furniture companies. By selling reclaimed furniture online, you can make some money and still help the environment in your own way. This makes your investments in web hosting and web design pricing extremely worthwhile.

How Your Site Can Educate Visitors

Not everyone is aware of just how many trees are consumed to make furniture. Unfortunately, many are also unaware that the wood in many types of furniture can be reused to make newer pieces. Your website can show visitors how they can help the environment by showing them where they can surrender their old wooden furniture so that the wood can be recycled properly. The web design pricing won’t be affected all that much, as such site’s features only uses text, pictures, and perhaps a map to guide the visitors.

How Your Site Can Make Money

The informational aspects of your site can function as a marketing tool because they can help convince visitors to prefer furniture made from reclaimed wood—which you are selling. Your site can then feature pictures which show the beauty and character of these types of furniture. Your web designer should make sure that each piece of furniture you sell fully explains where each piece got its wood, as part of the charm of reclaimed furniture is in its history.

Your website should then offer a secure payment method for your potential customers, and perhaps a review section where they can post their appreciation for the furniture pieces they have bought from your site. All these features will of course add to the web design pricing, but they should also help increase sales as well.

Environmental Treatment For Indoor Dogs

In so many obvious ways, dogs look, act, react, and respond the stimulation given to it in funny way. No wonder if there are so many people like to take dog as their pet. Naturally dogs are carnivores which usually get their food by hunting in the environment. But now days dogs are train to be indoor dog so you don’t have to be worry about its life.

What should you think now is how to give your best treatment in petting them especially feed them in the right way. Here you need to consider for having automatic dog feeder with timer, whenever you are not at home this incredible tool will automatically feed your dog. A lot more tactics and guidelines can be found at the following automatic pet feeder and we fervently recommend that you go to the trouble to visit this pet care web site soon.

US Dolphins Get Safer Jobs

It’s good news for the dolphins, robotic technology has developed to a point where one of their key functions can be performed using robots instead.  Some people are surprised that the US Navy has a team of 80 trained dolphins who can track and mark mines at sea.  Their replacements are 12 foot long unmanned torpedos which can be controlled by a remote device.

Of course it’s much safer for the dolphins and also they can be manufactured quickly whilst it takes nearly 8 years to train a dolphin to perform the same function.  However the dolphins won’t be laid off as they have other functions to perfom.  They are extremely useful in many other ways for the Navy specifically in retrieving or investigating objects on the sea floor.  Also they will be used to ensure the safety of specific ports – kind of like aquatic security guards!

They have lots more uses for the Navy though, being used effectivelu in Iraq and Bahrain to patrol for enemy divers and any other threats which are difficult to detect with ship based sonars and radios.  One question people often ask about the Navy’s dolphins is how they are transported around – the answer is using large moveable pools.  They are placed on navy ships and are about 20 feet in diameter.

There are some great programs on these US Navy dolphins, one is available on the BBC Future network however it is a paid for service to access this content.  You may be able to access using sites like these which show you how to access the BBC Iplayer from anywhere - http://www.proxyusa.com/bbciplayerabroad2012, although it may involve using a paid proxy or VPN service to get full access to these sites.

 

Bringing the Environment to the People

So one of my major issues with the environmental movement is quite simply that it doesn’t mean much for the average person.  Don’t get me wrong, long term few things are as important as stabilizing the climate-but it does not affect the daily life of the average person.

So how do we make it more real?

Climate scientists need to make a clear and compelling argument that climate change is directly responsible for major disasters like Hurricane Sally.  No longer is it ok for us to say that the climate is an issue only for Democrats while Republicans will continue to protect business interests.  Last I checked, having your business and entire community destroyed by a super storm isn’t exactly ideal for business is it?

Take Care of Your Health to Focus on the Environment

The blood pressure chart gives two important values of normal blood pressure, one of them being the systolic pressure and the other one is the diastolic blood pressure. Blood pressure refers to the force exerted on blood vessels such as arteries and veins during blood circulation. Diastolic pressure is usually determined when one’s heart relaxes while systolic pressure is measured when the heart beats.

These two modes of gauging blood pressure are very important when identifying heart conditions. Doctors usually check the values of blood pressure and compare them to those of a blood pressure chart in order to know what type of pressure the patient is suffering from. Normally, there are three types of this pressure. First, there is high blood pressure, normal blood pressure and low blood pressure.

Blood pressure values are written in the format; systolic pressure/diastolic pressure, that is, if one’s values are higher than 140/90, then he/she has high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is when the values are 120/80 and below. However, if these values are below 90/60, then the person has low blood pressure. High pressure of blood is called hypertension while low pressure of blood is called hypotension.

Hypertension is usually called the silent killer because it normally goes unnoticed and it has no clear symptoms. A person can only know that he/she is suffering from this condition if he/she goes for regular heart check up. Common symptoms of hypertension are nausea, dizziness, headaches, chest pains, blurred vision, vomiting and shortness of breath.

Chronic hypertension is dangerous because it leads to damaging of vital body organs such as the kidney and it may lead to heart attack and that may consequently lead to death. People are therefore strongly advised to go for blood pressure check up on a regular basis in order to know if they have this condition or not. Early diagnosis of this condition is very essential in treating this condition.

Keeping Your Money Safe

An interest calculator is a tool that will help you to start improving your financial situation dramatically over the next year. There are millions of people that have difficult saving because of the fact that they do not have very much money to put away. However, they also do not know how to go about getting a return that would make the investment worth making. The best way to avoid having to deal with this would be to make use of a calculator that could help you decide if you are putting your money into a savings account that is providing the interest that you are looking for. Also, this would allow you to determine if your returns are accurate and reliable.

Once you are able to do this, you would see that an interest calculator can help you from losing money that might not have been paid to you. It can be very difficult to simply count on the fact that you are getting the returns you are aiming toward. However, you would be able to look into this through the use of this calculator. Once you have an understanding of the money that you are making, you would be able to decide how to save going forward. If you would like to increase the interest you are getting, you may want to explore other options. There are many other alternatives that can help you to increase your returns while keeping your money safe from a potential loss at the same time.

Re-Development Environmental Goals + Wine

the view from pt lomaRe-Development can be a tricky thing to be sure.  To start, you want to make sure that you have enough business and office space to replace the huge number of jobs which are lost when a base closes.  There is also the issue of losing a sense of community the character which comes from having a military base in close proximity to where you live.

We looked at a similar size base closure project in Pt Loma California (basically 5 miles from downtown San Diego) which has created that same sense of community feeling by having a string of retail businesses open, many of which promote people spending time with neighbors.  One such example is a wine bar, reportedly home to the best wine club in San Diego.  It asks people to bring a bottle of wine at least one time per week, but to make sure they have enough time to enjoy each others company.

Electric Cat Litter Box – A Way to Say Goodbye to Manual Cleaning.

ScoopFree is one of the few automatic litter boxes that use crystal litter. Beautiful blue crystals lock in the odor, similar to a baby’s diaper. It is a rake-type box, but since the crystals dissolve when the cat urinates, many of the malfunctions seen in other rake-type boxes are non-existent with the ScoopFree.

Design – How it works

ScoopFree’s patented design uses a stainless-steel rake and disposable cardboard crystal litter trays. Crystal litter is a silica gel that starts in solid granular form and becomes a gel when wet. The gel dissolves and congeals when the cat urinates.

Optical light sensors detect the cat and the rake starts automatically 20 minutes after the cat leaves the box. The rake slides right through the congealed crystals, sifting the feces under a small cover in the tray. Then it flips over and rakes the crystals again to smooth them out.

Construction

The ScoopFree automatic cat litter box consists of two parts. The top part is much like a frame and it sits on top of the bottom part, the disposable crystal litter tray. The crystal litter tray is made from cardboard that has been specially treated to repel the cat’s urine. That is, urine does not soak into the cardboard.

However, a competing company has started selling disposable crystal litter trays that fit the ScoopFree box. These trays are called ScoopMaid. That is, the cat’s urine may soak into the cardboard, creating odor and mess. There is a very good YouTube video that demonstrates the problem.

Many users complain about the cost of the ScoopFree crystal litter trays. One industrious user developed a solution – a reusable tray called the Forever Litter Tray. The Forever Litter Tray is a non-disposable tray that users refill with crystal litter.

Cleaning

No cleaning is necessary when you use the disposable trays! This is one of the major advantages of the ScoopFree automated cat litter box. All you have to do is wipe down the plastic with a cloth and replace the tray when needed. If you decide to use the Forever Litter Tray, cleaning will be needed once the litter saturates.

US Navy’s Latest Recruit

The US Navy has a new recruit and he has already produced a YouTube Video celebrating.   The recruit is actually called CHARLI-2 and is a five foot tall robot.  Charli’s role will primarily to act as a firefighter on board the ships.  Obviously aving a huge advantage as being relatively unaffected by smoke.

Here’s Charli demonstrating his flexibility - 

 

 

It’s only one in range of robots being developed to function in many roles in todays US Navy.  There’s a fascinating article and report on these on the US media site ABC.  If you need to access these, you’ll need to use an Amrican proxy server from outside the US – here’s a link explaining the technique - http://www.proxyusa.com/usvpn

 

 

Whisky Environmental Changes

Protecting the environment and promoting sustainability are top priorities underpinning Scotch Whisky’s reputation for quality around the world.

The Scotch Whisky Industry’s Environmental Strategy is the most ambitious, voluntary, environmental sustainability strategy of any single UK manufacturing sector. Launched in June 2009, the strategy aligns members’ ambitions and identifies specific, measurable collective goals which go beyond compliance and lead by example. It encourages sustainability across the industry’s supply chain. It sets a firm programme of action, supported by the whole sector.

The Industry  are looking to mitigate GHG emissions and increase energy efficience, manage their water requirements effectively, reduce the amount of packaging and use more recycled products and all casks will be made from oak sourced from sustainable forests. The goals are strongly aligned to the results of the SWA’s Life Cycle Assessment which demonstrated that 39% of the industry’s impact was directly associated with its manufacturing processes

More specifically, whisky by-products are going to power the homes, in the distillery-rich region of Speyside, by helping to fuel a local biomass energy plant. “Waste products from around 16 of the area’s 50 distilleries will be used at the site, including well-known brands such as Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, Macallan, and Famous Grouse,

Spent grains from the whisky distilling process, known as draff, will be burned along with wood to create electricity at the combined heat and power (CHP) plant. Another byproduct, a high-protein liquid residue called pot ale, will be made into a syrup for animal feed—which will be conveniently made at a plant next door

The industry supports regulation which protects the high-quality environment – the source of essential raw materials. Distillers have a strong record of compliance with environmental legislation and the SWA works with its members to encourage them to share best-practice which will lead to an even stronger performance.

Website templates are beneficial for the environment

Just how your website seems to be can have an excellent impact on what number of visitors you get. As such, it’s critical that you choose the very best web design template on your content in order to make  the most of the webspace. Web design templates are available in a number of sizes and shapes. A few web design templates can be extremely straightforward while some can be very sturdy, promising associated with fun features and eco-friendly. A new gallery template is just a variety of records that work jointly to produce an unforgettable visible encounter. Additional templates may offer the substitute to see photographs in a fully screen mode.

Even though there are lots of special and showy possibilities, it is better to maintain your web design template neat and straightforward. It doesn’t mean that it should be monotonous. On the contrary, you are able to make your template eco-friendly without generating your web page feel messy. Remember, you wish to maintain audience on the webpage techniques not more than stimulate their feelings making them uneasy. Produce a relaxing electronic surroundings that promotes your target audience to  look around your website. Many advancements come with any template.

You can easily explore a lot of similar web design templates. Therefore, you will need to consider the correct steps in creating a website not simply has a private sparkle with it yet that it is soothing and simple in your visitor’s eye and minds. Preserve everything thoroughly clean, simple and arranged whilst the shades under control when you are determining about the best website template on your content material. Just be sure you tend to be delivering an exceptional picture which an individual will appreciate it apart from anybody else that can make the website memorable in the minds of your respective audience. Comply with these types of basic principles and benefits plus your audience keep wanting more.

How Smoking Affects the Environment

A lot of people smoke nowadays. Even teenagers as young as thirteen years old already know how to smoke. This is because of lax laws and of the increasing number or cigarette manufacturers.

This is not just a problem because it causes addiction. It is also one of the major factors contributing to the worsening of the condition of our environment. To let you know about the effects of smoking to nature, just keep reading.

•    In order to dry the tobacco leaves that will be used in cigarettes, hundreds of trees must be cut down in the forests of third world countries. As time passes by, there becomes more demand for cigarettes because more people become addicted to it. As a result, more trees need to be cut and this will cause deforestation.

•    Cigarette butts are non-biodegradable which means that these butts will further increase the amount of waste materials on Earth.

•    Second-hand smoke or the smoke that you breathe out makes the air more polluted and can even cause serious lung problems to those people who inhaled it.

So you see, smoking has a lot of harmful effects to the environment. Instead of smoking, try to do something else that is fruitful.

For example, try to have a pet cat. It isn’t that hard to take care one and the things that it needs are just some place to sleep, food and water and an http://www.automatickittylitterbox.com/. You can also try to participate in sports.

Quitting smoking is easy. You just have to be committed to change.

The US Navy Green Fleet – Facing the Axe

When you think of green and conservation issues, you’d probably normally not think of the military having much of a role to play.  However that’s actually quite untrue as the military have always been att the forefront of lots of reseach projects including those in the environmental sphere.

The US for example has a research programme dubbed the ’Green Fleet Project’.  This group research how to reduce the Navy’s dependencies on fossil fuels and how they can deply other fuel sources especially clean energy technology. The focus has generally been on introducing biofuels but lots of other areas are being looked at. The US military is one of the largest energy consumers on the face of the planet so there is an obvious advantage to developing cleaner fuels and cheaper ones.

However many Republicans are suggesting this is something we cannot afford at the moment.  They argue that it’s actually too expensive until the technology matures – also ends up being a diversion for essential security concerns

The Pentagon has also been working to make it’s operations greener and you’ll find many solar panels and wind turbines on it’s bases.  Even in Afghanistan most US military installations operate some sort of eco friendly technology.  Although the Navy for example is not seeing any current benefit from using greener technologies the research is vital to push the technology forward.

If you’re interested in this subject check out the Green Programmes on the BBC.  They’re all available online for a limited time and you can watch them through the Iplayer.  If your not in the UK you’ll need to use something like this technology to bypass the IP address filters - http://www.theninjaproxy.org/tv/how-to-use-a-bbc-iplayer-proxy/.  It’s just a matter of connecting through a proxy server in order to get a UK IP address.  When you have this you’ll be able to access all of the BBCs shows online.

The Navy, Mayport and Wine

Mayport is without a doubt, when of the most interesting places in the state of Florida.  It was interesting to see when I started to read the plans for the new Mayport base to find out that the Navy had some discussion about adding space for a wine bar.

I didn’t know sailors or people in Florida were much into wine.

It seems, after talking to a few folks I know that wine gift baskets sell better in Florida than anywhere else in the country.

Anyway, when it comes to Mayport, the area itself is fairly wealthy even for Florida and because the average age is younger than the rest of the state-it stands to reason that having a wine bar, as well as the base itself, would be a good fit for the community.

The negative environmental impact of the iPhone

It is not coincidental to come across people lining up in lending companies to access loans to purchase mobile phones and the iPhone has been one of those. Most of these loans are short term loans that can easily be paid for. However, does it pay out to use all that money to purchase this device? Well, depending on your objectives, loans you access to purchase Smartphone devices can come with their own benefits but still the issuance of money is a factor to consider. Steve Jobs was quoted saying that Apple would become greener than ever.

Research and testing conducted by Greenpeace, it was substantiated that there were toxic substances that could present harmful or negative effects to the environment. This was clarified when the environmental group in the plan decided to take piece by piece of this expensive device where people would pay good money to own, and others are seeking short term loans on the same. The toxic substances found on the latest iPhone include Bromine, and phthalates.  Note that Bromine is widely used in flame retardation, while phthalates is a kind of plastic softener which is no longer allowed in Europe market in the production of toys. Smartphone devices are supposed to be free of PVC.

Why buy an iPhone if you can get a free iPhone here!

 

The impact of high gas prices on car sales

While loans to buy vehicles seem to be increasing each day, the money to help put it on the road may also increase at the same time depending on the rise of gas prices. Although the concept on the impact of high gas prices on car sales is a question that can be argued on different levels. For one, the rise on the prices will not change the fact that you may need to seek loans in order to buy automobiles (if you need financing to buy a car check this info page: http://geldlenenvooreenauto.com/huurkoop-auto-zonder-bkr-toetsing/ ); on the other hand, this does not affect the amount of money needed for repairs. 

Generally, the whole idea on gas and the car are two different things, however, financial meltdown may not just affect prices on the gas, but they can also affect the amount of money you pay when purchasing a car as well as the terms and conditions affecting lenders, and thus the effects on loans. Sometimes, the sales on auto vehicles can fall or rise according to the change in economy, which may also impact the entire sales in gas. Perhaps when those two factors connect, then we can say that prices in gas have seemingly affected the sale of automobiles, although the bottom line is that these two factors rarely connect.

Small Businessmen Speak – More Navy For Mayport

As a Subzero refrigerator dealer located near Mayport, I fully support all efforts to grow the economy in the area.  The idea of increasing the naval presence in the area is one hundred percent positive in my mind.

When more people live and work in the Mayport area, all small businesses prosper.  The small business – the foundation of wealth in our country – thrives when its customers thrive, and the glue of economic prosperity is disposable income.

An increased military presence is wonderful for increasing local wealth.  Let us think for a minute how our Navy is funded – our tax dollars are sent to Washington D.C. When the Navy comes to town they are essentially bringing the dollars we send up North back to our local community.

When the wife of a Navy Captain goes to her local bakery to buy bread, it helps us all.  Not only does the baker make a little more money, but the rest of us do too due to the multiplier event.  The baker will spend that additional income on supplies like flour, wages for a cook, and perhaps payments on a new Sub Zero refrigerator for his or her food preparation area.

More Navy vessels in Mayport?  I’m all for it!

Environment and Human Activity

In a way most people are concerned about the environment. Nobody wants to live in a world that is scorched by green house gases, nor in one where flooding has wiped away many beautiful natural areas. We don’t want to see the Amazon rainforest disappear or the Sahara desert cover Africa. Few people dispute the findings of scientists concerning the imminent threat threat posed by climate change.

The average American family loves to get out in nature when it can to go fishing, camping, hiking or just to watch the birds and stare at the views. All our great writers, poets and painters understood the healing power of nature. Thoreau deliberately isolated himself from humanity to prove the point that man can live ’naturally’.

What is more open to debate is the level of priority that should be given to preserving nature. Are we really expected to stop all human industry in vast swathes of the country to allow nature to get on with its thing? This is an unrealistic goal. Man and other animals have been around since the dawn of time changing the landscape, interacting with nature, refininig nature and using natural resources. According to Gaia Theory nature will find a way to regulate mankind. I’m not so sure of this.

I am an engineer in the navy. I specialize in CNC turning and grinding as well as procurement of forging die electrodes. This technology is used for making military ships and airplanes. I feel we also need to protect American citizens from threats from abroad. These threats are real. 9/11 proved that.

Moreover, the Mayport Naval Base where I work provides jobs for thousands of people. Until we find an alternative system of clothing, feeding and housing people than the current one that is based on economic transactions and money  will just have to do. We will just have to make sure that our actions are not incompatible with the environmental health of the planet. Real life solutions are needed, not wishful thinking that nature should take over.

Mayport and The Economy

The economy in Maryland is struggling, I think most of us are aware of that.

Most of us are aware that government spending is down across the board right now, from defense and defense contractors to regular bureaucratic employees.  That hits Maryland harder than most because the region is so dependent on dollars coming from DC, either in terms of direct jobs, or people who work in DC and choose to live north of the nation’s capital.

For someone looking to help the base closure and environmental report, the result on the local economy goes much deeper than you probably realize.  I received a set of unique wine gifts from a friend who is trying to open a wine store in the old base and he said that the difference between the type of high paying and consistent government jobs and the retail stuff which was coming would simply take your breath away.  I hope he’s wrong, but I’m afraid that he isn’t.

Letting Loose in the Navy

The Navy isn’t exatly known for their fine food programs, so it is probably interesting that a number of foodies that I know started their careers in the Navy.  Just judging by Presidential politics, serving a career in the armed forces is a great way to build up some political capital, let alone all of the other doors that it helps open along the way as well.

Many naval officers these days make a nice living (which is a good thing, they are risking their lives on a regular basis after all) based on the fine wine gifts that I’ve been receiving from friends lately.

I bring up those gifts for a simple reason-many communities like Mayport tend to fight new bases coming into their back yards, but those bases bring plenty of high paying jobs and tons of tax dollars into the local community.  That’s a good thing isn’t it?

Preserve the Marine Environment

The US Navy has a mandate to protect America and to further American interests abroad. An important branch of the US Naval Corps is diving. There are several military reasons to engage in diving as well as to carry out maintenance, search and rescue and salvage operations.

The US Navy as with all diving outfits is very aware about preserving the marine environment and all our divers are given training to damage marine resources as little as possible. This is particularly applicable when diving around coral reefs. As anyone who has taken a PADI course in Koh Tao can tell you, the corals are fragile and very important habitats that must be treated with the utmost care.

Approximately 25% of all known marine life is to be found living near coral reefs in the world. And yet corals are rapidly dying. The annual rate of coral loss is estimated as being 20 times the size of Manhattan Island. Corals are important for their biodiversity – they provide jobs, food, biomedical compounds and shelter from storms. The biggest cause for the loss of corals is coral bleaching. This is due to rising water temperatures that kill corals near the surface.

It is thus important that human activity adds as little stress as possible to these important underwater areas. Our divers are quipped with the knowledge and know how to go about their business while giving as little stress as possible to coral reefs.

The navy intends to protect the citizens of America as well as the marine resources of not just American waters but all waters. The navy at Mayport is no excpetion to this rule. It strives to minimize its environmental impact.

Home Conservation of Energy Can Add Up.

Reducing your carbon footprint, and’s conserving your resources are key steps in becoming a contributing member to modern society. The waste created by electricity and heating in the home are major sources of carbon waste in our personal lives. More efficient windows and better habits with regard to lightbulbs, can help us do something small that, as a whole, has a great impact. Though the awareness campaign has been around for decades I’ll remind, it’s incredibly important to keep the lights in the home off when you are not using them. Today we see people who use televisions as there’re computer screens. While this gives your desktop more real estate to work and is also a waste of electricity if it is not being utilized. A great way to lower your carbon footprint when working is to use lower power portable devices like iPads and smart phones. These devices use a tenth of the power as a desktop computer but can offer the same connectivity and even help to streamline parts of your work.

Heating the home is a major issue for most of the world. When winter comes energy costs soar. The reason for this is simple, most people’s homes have poor insulation, to stay warm through the cold winter nights and blizzards, the boiler must be burning oil constantly. The carbon released from all the heating is going to greatly exacerbate the problem of global climate change. Which paradoxically can result in colder harsher winters for many. Most people who vote Republican don’t believe in climate change, but it’s as real as they are, even if we wish they weren’t.

When searching for flats to rent look for double glazing windows, doors that seal tightly, and carpets, all these things help keep heating and energy loss to a minimum. These tips could save you hundreds over a year.s

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Eco Warrior

Right from the first I just want to say that I am not some form of tree hugging life that smokes weed, wear beads and practices free love with anything that has a pulse. I am a socially aware adult who has come to terms with the need to preserve our environment to protect out health and that of the children who come after us. I have just read my way through an entire web page I found called mayporthomeportingeis.com and think it is the best.

It is full of really good, well written articles about the environment, out impact upon it and how, sometimes, despite our best efforts we damage it with our activities. We don’t mean to but it is just a fact that some things that men do, like having to fight a war, can lead to environmental damage on a serious scale.

I decided to go and see some of this damage for myself, so kitting out my panniers for a long road trip and sorting out my

Right from the first I just want to say that I am not some form of tree hugging life that smokes weed, wear beads and practices free love with anything that has a pulse. I am a socially aware adult who has come to terms with the need to preserve our environment to protect out health and that of the children who come after us. I have just read my way through an entire web page I found called mayporthomeportingeis.com and think it is the best.

It is full of really good, well written articles about the environment, out impact upon it and how, sometimes, despite our best efforts we damage it with our activities. We don’t mean to but it is just a fact that some things that men do, like having to fight a war, can lead to environmental damage on a serious scale.

I decided to go and see some of this damage for myself, so kitting out my panniers for a long road trip and sorting out my motorcycle break pads I was ready for the off to view for myself just what we were doing to the planet, especially around my local area. Now there is an extensive naval base there and the water around the parked ships is often filled with rubbish. I was composing a letter in my head to the Secretary of the Navy, when I saw a small boat with half a dozen sailors on board collecting the waste from around the hull.
I called over to them and asked if this was a normal thing that they were doing. It was…and they were clearing away all of the debris, even though they had not generated it, to have it properly disposed of…now who would have believed that?

Sometimes we just have to go and see for ourselves the things that others are talking about. So log onto mayporthomeportingeis.com and see for yourself just what is really going on.

I was ready for the off to view for myself just what we were doing to the planet, especially around my local area. Now there is an extensive naval base there and the water around the parked ships is often filled with rubbish. I was composing a letter in my head to the Secretary of the Navy, when I saw a small boat with half a dozen sailors on board collecting the waste from around the hull.

I called over to them and asked if this was a normal thing that they were doing. It was…and they were clearing away all of the debris, even though they had not generated it, to have it properly disposed of…now who would have believed that?

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Suggestions for how the Armed Forces can Green up their Act

Faced with the disastrous consequences of global warming, resource depletion and pollution governments have been asking their citizenry to embrace green values, to become more environmentally friendly. There are even calls for heads of state and government employees to do more to reduce their carbon output. It seems, thus strange that the armed forces are entirely exempt from these national and international drives to protect natural resources. This is clearly wrong. Below I set out a few suggestions for how the armed forces can green up their acts.

National defense is clearly an important priority, but an even higher priority is to protect the environment and to keep it healthy enough to sustain a reasonable standard of life for people living on the planet. Although army, naval and air force maneuvers and practice requires an expenditure of energy and resources that does not mean that these armed forces couldn’t do more to help the environment.

  • The armed forces should set up a system for off-setting. Thus, they should start up a tree planting scheme to off-set all the carbon emissions given off by heavy gasoline powered equipment. The armed forces could also participate in carbon credit trading.
  • In many instances vehicles used by the armed forces could be hybrid. The invention of the NiMH battery means that electric vehicles have a range of 100,000 miles on the same battery. This could actually be a military advantage in times of conflict when reserves of petrol might run low.
  • Barracks and other buildings should be audited for energy efficiency. Insulation should be improved. Since military life is very regulated it would be easy to save electricity by programming thermostats to match the day’s schedule. Moreover, all light bulbs in military building should be changed to energy saving CFLs.
  • More should be done to conserve water in military buildings. This could be achieved by installing low flow shower heads and also faucet aerators. Another important way to conserve water would be to install grey water recycling systems.

These are just a few simple ways that the men and women in the armed forces can help to protect nature as well as national security.

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