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Irrigation with treated wastewater has been common on the Santa Rosa Plain since the 1980s, and may soon spread across much of the rest of California. But persistent concerns about the presence of minute amounts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on that water just got a boost from an important new study.
Virtually all testing of chemicals to establish "safe" levels of human exposure uses the same principle: find a minimum amount that can be shown to cause harm, and restrict higher exposures. Anything below that minimum amount is presumed to be OK. But his approach, often characterized as "the dose makes the poison," doesn't work for endocrine disrupting chemicals, explains Dr. John Peterson Meyers, the founder and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, because those substances have different effects at low doses.
Brenda Adelman, chair of the Russian River Watershed Protection Committee, is among those who have been raising this issue as applied to the irrigation spraying of Santa Rosa's highly treated wastewater. With this new confirmation of the possible hazards from a team of respected scientists, she is even more alarmed by the state's impending move to expand programs such as Santa Rosa's, especially during the summer months.
Dr. Laura N. Vanderberg, lead author of the rpraer on testing for environmental chemicals, has also expressed her concerns about Calfiornia's watewater irrigation plans, and the level of water testing to be employed. You can read a summary of the authors' research findings here.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can be found in a wide variety of common household products, such as those shown at the lef. You can find a lengthy list of the potentially hazardous chenmicals to watch for in such products here.
In 2007, Dr. Lynn Silver Chalfin, helped New York City ban trans fats at fast food restaurants. Today, the new Public Health Officer for Sonoma County can prove that policy has worked.
The abstract of Dr. Silver Chalfin's paper on the New York City transfat regulations and their effects can be read here.
This chart of transfat sources from the FDA shows that the largest share come from pastries and baked goods, followed by meats and margerine
More information about transfats, and their health impacts, is provided by the US Food and Drug Administration
here.
In addition to the expanded health insurance coverage that many households are already enjoying under the Affordable Care Act, Dr. Silver Chalfin points out that several Sonoma County health services delivery agencies are also gaining new funding to help local families.
On Sunday, June 24, the Hallberg Butterfly Gardens in Sebastopol holds an annual "Open Gardens Day." Visitors are welcome to tour the grounds, watch for butterflies, don't expect too many, however, and learn about the bird and insect-friendly plants overseen by a very special lady.
Louise Hallberg is the founder and central personality of the Hallberg Butterfly Gardens. The gardens surround her home in Northern Sebastopol, nestled among hills and apple orchards. Louise's parents moved here 101 years ago and she still has family in the area. Her nine acres hold trees, pasturage and, what they are most known for, butterfly gardens.
Butterflies are on the decline in the North Bay, for lots of reasons says Frederique Lavoipierre, a biologist at Sonoma State University. They've been called "the canary in the coal mine of climate change." But a warming planet isn't the sole reason for the decline seen in Louise's garden.
Images: Danielle Venton/KRCB.
In keeping with Sonoma County's recent history as a hotbed of renewable energy innovation and expansion, two new projects, each using a different renewable source, are in the news today.
The planned turbine project, as seen in the rendering at left, is yet another instance of Sonoma County's efforts to expand its use of renewable power sources, says Supervisor Mike McGuire, with more on the way.
The Water Agency has received a grant to develop a series of alternative energy projects around the county, adds McGuire, and adding some wind power at the Geyserville sewer plant is part of that grant.
That public meeting about the turbine project will be Thursday evening at 6:30 in the Geyserville Educational Park.
Marcus Benedetti and Matt McConnell of Clover-Stornetta Dairy show off the new solar cogeneration system on the roof of the production building behind them.
Farm labor is in high demand this year. With a bumper grape crop expected this year, many vineyard managers are worried about getting the help they need come harvest time. Changes in border enforcement have lead to effects we’re seeing the effects in our fields and vineyards.
Tony Linegar, Sonoma County's Agricultural Commissioner explains that many growers are trying to provide year-round employment, so workers are on hand when time is tight. For employees, that’s better too.
The labor shortage is resulting in more available jobs, but longer work hours too, says Juan Rubio, regional director of the United Farm Workers.
Produced by Danielle Venton. Images: 1) KRCB; 2) Courtesy of Flicker/Ah Zut.
