Environmentally Speaking

On this episode of Environmentally Speaking, our hosts Marisa and Clarice dive into the controversial topic of whale deaths and their possible connection to offshore wind activity. Our guest, Robert Rocha, sheds light on the complexities surrounding these deaths and the ongoing debates. Robert starts by acknowledging that while there have been reported deaths, there is limited information and published results available. He argues that it is challenging to determine the exact cause of these deaths and believes that blaming turbine sightings alone is too simplistic. Interestingly, he suggests that those advocating for a halt and reexamination of the situation may be funded by the petroleum industry, which adds an ironic twist to the discussion. Switching gears, Robert takes us on a fascinating tangent about an exhibition featuring three large skeletons, including a 66-foot blue whale, a 49-foot North Atlantic white whale, and a 37-foot humpback whale. These skeletons raise many questions from visitors, which are handled by the front desk, coworkers, and volunteers. Robert explains that the term "whale" refers to both the baleen and the animals themselves, highlighting the importance of understanding the context. Our guest delves into the history of whale populations and human impact. He shares that in the 18th century, there was a significant decline in North Pacific right whales due to human hunting. Interestingly, he mentions that smaller animals don't require a large throat to consume food, leading to an intriguing exploration of different whale species and their feeding habits. Robert also touches upon the misconceptions surrounding sperm whales and their diet. Contrary to popular belief, they don't exclusively eat giant squid but consume various species of squid. Drawing from his observation and learning on the job, he enlightens us about the ocean's vast array of 300 different squid species. To wrap up, our guest encourages listeners to visit the Whaling Museum to gain a deeper understanding of whales and the history of whaling. He shares that visitors are usually pleasantly surprised, but acknowledges that some may have negative emotional reactions upon viewing the skeletons. It's important to note that these skeletons did not come from the whaling industry directly, but from ship strikes in 1998 and 2004. Although the topic of unusual mortality events among whales remains a mystery, Robert emphasizes the significance of considering the timeline and staying open to different theories. Marisa and Clarice engage him in a thought-provoking conversation, exploring concepts like Yankee boats and the historical context of industrial whaling in the 19th century. Robert shares insights from his co-authored research paper on the number of whales killed during that era, distinguishing between Yankee whaling and industrial whaling practices. (Here is a link to Bob's article:

https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/MFR/mfr764/mfr7643.pdf)

Join us on this thought-provoking episode of Environmentally Speaking as we explore the mysteries of whale deaths, the implications of offshore wind projects, and the fascinating history of whaling.

Extra:

Documentary the witness is a whale:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mwfg

"On this episode of Environmentally Speaking, we dive into the intriguing world of legal practice and explore a topic that may seem unfamiliar to many - the rule of perpetuity.

We explore a real-life situation involving the O'Leary family farm in Rhode Island. Mr. O'Leary has passed away, leaving Mrs. O'Leary with the decision of how to honor the family farm and keep its legacy alive. With Mrs. O'Leary unable to manage the farm alone, the future of the land becomes uncertain. We contemplate the notion that land cannot be predetermined as forever, despite the initial promise of the land remaining as farmland. Drawing from a lovely quote by Norma O'Leary about a transaction, we are happy with how the situation ultimately plays out. The land will continue to be farmed as desired, providing a positive resolution. 

As we continue to explore the O'Leary family farm and its significance as a local institution, we touch upon Rhode Island General Law and a law allowing land to be bound for a longer period of time. The Department of Environmental Management in Rhode Island plays a role in regulating land through recorded conveyances, thus preserving open space use indefinitely. This is made possible through the dem open space grant program, which is funded by voter-approved green economy bonds. The fact that Rhode Island consistently approves these bonds demonstrates their concern for the state's natural resources. 

This week we are discussing a recent US Supreme Court case that raises questions about the outer limits of the Clean Water Act and what constitutes "waters of the United States." The proposed rule suggests that there must be a continuous and unbroken surface water connection between bodies of water, but this definition raises questions about how to deal with certain types of water. We also talk about various other cases that addressed the application of the Clean Water Act to wetlands and navigable waters, and how the Supreme Court is further defining the federal government's jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. We also cover practical questions on how to implement the decision-making process and who these agents will be. Finally, we touch upon what impact this will have on Rhode Island and discuss what is meant by "water of the United States."

Rhode Island is very active in the clean energy industry in policy, pushing forward its own initiatives and recognizing entities in Rhode Island that are at the front of moving forward with clean energy projects. 

In this episode we are going to highlight some of the awards across the public sector, which organizations got them and why.  These all were pretty cool, you don’t want to miss this.  

This week we are talking about the poor air quality that has covered the northeastern part of the United States, particularly New York City and into Rohde Island.  The sky over New York has been described as “orange and hazy”.  Tune in discuss what are fine particulates and why is it so bad for humans in public health? More importantly, How did this happen?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-york-city-second-worst-air-quality-in-world-canada-wildfire-smoke/

https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/beta/key-topics/airquality/realtime/

https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/new-york-citys-air-pollution-among-worst-in-the-world-as-wildfire-smoke-hits-northeast

This week we are talking about composting of the last variety. 

What happens you your body after death?  Some people are buried in a cemetery, some cremated.  What if you could compost your body? Take a listen as we talk about a new bill, 6045 as it relates to funeral director slash embalmer and funeral service establishments. The reason that this proposed bill is being cited under that particular chapter of Rhode Island law is because it is proposing to amend existing funeral service type statute to include natural organic reduction.  

We will cover some of the many benefits this new found process and share some examples of places already doing it. 

Take a listen.

Reference:

https://ecori.org/legislation-would-give-rhode-island-residents-chance-to-compost-themselves/

https://legiscan.com/RI/text/H6045/id/2726588

https://earthfuneral.com/resources/most-asked-questions-human-composting/

The federal Clean Water Act contains something called a Citizen Suit Provision. If you’re thinking it means “Citizens Arrest”.. you’d be right. But before you get too excited, there isn’t actually an arrest process. So why are we telling you this?  The lawsuit we are going to discuss today has to deal with just that and a company discharging illegal amounts of copper into the Pawtuxet river. What does this mean for the river, the people in the area and what happens to the company that is discharging the copper.  Take a listen to find out. 

A 13 year old girl from San Jose, California has been a beekeeper for a few years now and noticed the behavior of some of the bees were… off.  IN this episode we talk about this amazing young lady who has made a breakthrough discovery that helps a bees memory.  Why is that important?

When bees are exposed to pesticides, it ruins or damages parts of their short term memory and their ability to collect pollen, so, they struggle with what their main function of life is and they have a hard time getting back to the hive.  If this happens, it could lead to what is called colony collapse disorder.

We get into more detail as to how this young lady discovered this and the solution she has come up that is working! 

We end the show with a little bonus for you… Fish Doorbell (ring responsibly) 

https://visdeurbel.nl/... You’re welcome!

Reference: https://www.societyforscience.org/blog/five-questions-with-rory-hu-dod-stem-talent-award-2022-winner/

https://www.beeculture.com/ca-teens-bee-memory-research/

https://news.harker.org/eight-students-named-broadcom-masters-top-300-scholars/

https://www.beekeepingtodaypodcast.com/broadcom-masters-award-winner-rory-hu-s5-e22/

In this week’s episode we are heading out to sea!  We are going to discuss a recent article of a ship captain who has pled guilty to Environmental Crimes!  The Galissas is a tanker that was carrying diesel oil from Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Providence, RI, in February 2022. During their voyage, the vessel discharged untreated oily bilge water directly from the tanker into international waters and into Rhode Island waters.  So what happens now? Take a listen to find out what it all means.

Article we reference:

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/ships-operator-captain-and-chief-engineer-admit-to-environmental-crimes-aboard-a-rhode-island-bound-oil-tanker/

How many of you are ready for summer and ready to hit the waterways for some swimming, boating, etc.  Well, pay attention because Rhode Island DEM announces the closure of certain waterways after Fall River accidentally releases 10 million gallons of partly treated wastewater. 10 MILLION GALLONS of wastewater!

This is a real crappy situation (pun intended) and we are going to discuss what you need to look for before heading out to the waterways, where you can find the information and who is ultimately responsible for all of this.  We also talk about how this is going to affect the shellfish harvesting in the area.  

Here is the article we were referencing: 

https://ri

demgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=110a7a4aec914a3492117e9848fe67da

https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/water-resources/research-monitoring/shellfish-area-monitoring

https://fallriverreporter.com/ri-dem-announces-closure-of-certain-waters-after-fall-river-short-releases-10-mill-gallons-of-partly-treated-wastewater/