Wednesday June 6 2012

Those among us who don't believe in ghosts, I'm sure will have a perfectly good explanation for what happened this morning... I on the other hand...
At 6:30 am, I got the leashes off the hook next to the back door and prepared to take the dogs out for the first walk of the day. As I walked away, I heard a noise behind me. I looked and my light rain jacket was on the floor. The coat rack is on a different wall from the hooks where the dogs' leashes are. Why did it fall on the floor? Hmmm. I picked it up and placed it back on the hook. I walked out the front door with dogs. Damn. It was sprinkling out.  I went back inside and got that light rain jacket. Good thing too, because by the time we were half way through the walk, it was pouring out! I think my "friend" was looking out for me.

Currently I am in Environmental Studies Law class on Tuesday nights at 6 pm. Shortly after class started this quarter, there was a forum at Savannah State University to discuss the findings of the Ogeechee River Fish Kill. In May 2011, 38,000 fish died in the Ogeechee River after the point where a chemical factory has a discharge pipe. I asked my teacher, since the forum was being held on the same night and same time as our class, if could we do a "field trip." The forum was interesting and frustrating at the same time. We learned that King America Finishing had a permit for one pipe into the river. However, 6 years ago they put a second pipe into the river and had pumping out residue from fire retardant chemicals. After the fish kill, EPA/EPD analyzed the river water before and after the company pipes. Before the pipes, the water was acceptable. After the pipes, there was hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and formaldehyde. Due to the severe drought, the river was not a full as normal so the discharge was not diluted. This caused stress on the fish and the entire ecosystem.
Fast forward to May 2012. Just before Memorial Day, fish started dying again. Next Tuesday night (June 12) the EPD is having a meeting to discuss giving a permit to King America Finishing to allow them to have the second discharge pipe. I am planning on attending.
Each student in my Environmental class is supposed to present a project to the class on June 12. Because I planned on attending the meeting next week, I requested to present my project last night. I worked on my presentation for weeks. I cut out 380 fish to represent the 38,000 dead fish. I made an awesome PowerPoint. I brought my 3 dead gator heads, plastic snakes and frogs. I was animated and made a powerful presentation. At the end, I read from the newspaper about the hearing next week. Now everyone is motivated and wants to attend.
Only thing, that is the last class before finals. That means, no one else is going to give a presentation.... What the heck? I guess I was a little too persuasive....