Seven lamprey species call Ohio home, and six of those species live harmlessly. One species, however, poses a great threat to the Great Lakes: the invasive sea lamprey. Sea lampreys are able to kill up to 40 pounds of fish over their feeding period lasting 12-18 months according to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. To [...]
A new pipeline may be coming to Ohio in 2019
Shell has proposed to begin work on a new pipeline - the Falcon pipeline - in 2019. The 97.5 mile pipeline would run through Cadiz, Ohio to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Local residents expressed concern that the new pipeline would bring a multitude of health problems. Shell identified 25 locations that are prone to landslides in its [...]
Two of Northeast Ohio’s most controversial toxic waste sites
IMAGE: A member of a cleanup crew examines a tank at Danton Dry Cleaning in 1994. The storefront spilled toxic waste into its basement, which leaked into the local water supply, and the EPA has been trying to clean up the mess for nearly 30 years. (Cleveland.com) No one can deny the environmental issues and [...]
60 Minutes Near the Lake
The Michael J. Kirwan Reservoir, known commonly as West Branch Reservoir, was built in 1965 by the Army Corps of Engineers. It was “developed for flood control, water supply, recreation and fish and wildlife management,” according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Since I was two years old I have been coming to West Branch [...]
A guide to pipelines in Ohio
Pipelines have become a national issue recently. Whether it be people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline (which quickly became national) or even people conducting smaller, more local protests of pipelines, the nation is quickly beginning to pay attention. That being said, pipelines are prevalent everything — even in Ohio. Right now there are five active pipelines [...]
Four questions to ask about air quality alerts
Illustration by Ella Abbott. Every once in a while I get an alert to my phone from one news source or another about an air quality alert. Being from Cleveland, I typically get the notifications from cleveland.com and they usually increase during the summer months. Even no longer living in Cleveland, those alerts could be [...]
The top three most hazardous superfund sites in Ohio
The worst of the worst. The top of the National Priorities List (NPL). These hazardous sites are filled with carcinogens, neurotoxins and have been vacated to keep people safe. If you need a reminder, Superfund sites are defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “thousands of contaminated sites (that) exist nationally due to hazardous [...]
The sea lamprey’s journey from the ocean into the Great Lakes
The "Vampire of the Great Lakes" has remained a dangerous invasive species for more than a century. Sea lamprey, are given their nickname for the way they feed. They latch onto a host fish with their suction cup like mouth and drain it. Sea lampreys originate from the Atlantic Ocean and began to enter the [...]
Pipeline Alternatives: Trucks, Trains, Ships, Oh My!
Last week, I wrote about the natural gas pipelines that pass through Ohio and safety hazards, if any, they pose to the environment. It became clear to me after combing through articles upon articles about spills and construction mishaps that pipelines can dangerous to humans and ecosystems alike. Take, for example, the Rover pipeline, which [...]
How Drinking Lead Contaminated Water Affects the Body
What happens to the body? When you consume lead in your water, it enters your digestive system and is dispersed throughout the body. The main parts that feel the impact of the lead are the brain, liver, kidneys, and bones. Many different factors such as age, sex, genetic makeup and amount of lead consumed determine [...]
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