Original Post by Joey Durr:
Hey Mary,
Love to see you writing about the Cuyahoga River Valley! Im from cuyahoga falls and take great pride in the actions being done to clean up the river system. I think you’re one of the first people ive met that chose Cleveland as a vacation destination. Glad you enjoyed the area. The great lakes are truly a treasure and it’s somewhat sad to see the effects of pollution on Lake Erie. It unfortunately took a beating during the industrial revolution and years after. I don’t think i realized the extent of it until i visited the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and saw how clear the water is up there in lake michigan. Its quite the contrast. A fun fact about the origin of crooked river is that it flows both north and south which is pretty uncommon in the world.
I also appreciate how you looked into the economic impact of the Cuyahoga. Its a tough mix because we want to keep the river as clean as possible while still using its great economic benefits. Im so glad to hear you visited CVNP. Its one of the few national parks in all of the midwest! Thanks for sharing this info on a place I love so dearly!
Comment:
That’s awesome you’re specifically from Cuyahoga Falls! Informing the local people about the extent of industrial pollution was a major factor in seeing the resolution come to fruition. While I was surprised to see public information distribution was included in the official text for this piece of legislation, I am amazed by the degree it impacted the environmental progress. S.Res.290 shows citizens need to tighten their standards as a way of respecting and loving a home. In terms of the Cleveland area, public concern instigated the mayor to testify. S.Res.290 is an example of how local pride in a place that may not be in the national spotlight can support efforts to restore its natural areas. Identifying a place’s unique qualities, such as the river being one of few flowing both north and south, can be equally important as creating community communication materials informing people about the pollution. Anything that unites a group of citizens into a team of environmental stewards is a prime opportunity for restoration.
The Cuyahoga River Valley reveals a strategy environmental professionals can use to tighten standards in another area that has a population deeply appreciating its roots. Helena Independent Record, online publication written by Montana veterans, discusses how citizen involvement in mitigating climate change is an act of integrity similar to a soldier protecting its land. Back in 2014, a veteran wrote a statement reflecting on patriotism in terms of the environmental stewardship as a responsibility of all.
Further, it depicts climate change as a threat to national security and describes how destruction of habitat instigates global conflict. Specific concerns include consistent flooding and drought that result in food shortages, desertification, population dislocation and mass migration, which weaken a region’s government. Retired military leaders emphasized “the risks previously identified are advancing noticeably faster than expected” (Helena Independent Record, 2014). The piece portrayed the military as a leader in clean energy technology as it maintains its reliable strength using affordable energy. The article mentioned the military is channeling resources from the private sector to deploy clean energy at bases in order to improve energy security and save money. The Department of Defense’s goal is to generate 3 gigawatt of power, enough to power 750,000 homes, by 2025. It calls for elected officials to follow its footsteps by increasing the use of renewable energy (Helena Independent Record, 2014). From there, transferring the can-do effort to civilian systems puts political party polarization aside to join forces. The article stresses the importance of citizens rising to the challenge after being notified of brutal pollution in a local area.
Source:
Helena Independent Record. “Part of Patriotism is Caring for Environment.” Accessed May 8, 2020. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/358?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22water+quality%22%5D%7D&s=6&r=12