vol # issue #
THE KNOTHOLE
student life and the environment
the bi-weekly journal published by Stumpies, for Stumpies
“Puffy (Sancer) Clouds” By Amy Reilly
HYDRO-FRACKING 101
PAGE FIVE
COMBAT WINTER BLUES
PAGE THREE
PEEP US ON THE WEB @ www.esf.edu/org/knothole
AROUND THE QUAD
February 12th
TGIF
4:30 - 7:00 pm Nifkin Lounge
February 16
Black History Month Film Series - Africa’s People & Their
Environment: Film #4
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm. Marshall Hall, Alumni Lounge (Nifkin).
This epic Nature series presents Africa through the eyes of
its people, conveying the diversity and beauty of the land
and the compelling personal stories of the people who shape
its future. Film #4 is Southern Treasures, the story of postapartheid South Africa challenges.
Sponsor: Multicultural Affairs | Contact: Eileen Baldassarre, 470-4895
Winter Wonders Week
Winter Wonders Week is Beaver Lake Nature Center’s answer to cabin fever during the school Winter Break week. From February 16 -20, the Nature Center will feature both
indoor and outdoor activities. Visitors will have the opportunity to get out and enjoy winter by participating in
Ice Cutting or Walking in Search of Wildlife Signs (weather
permitting). Folks will be able to warm up in the Visitor
Center and learn about the Featured Creature. In addition,
trails will be open for skiing. All scheduled activities are free
with park admission.
10:00 am - Ice Cutting - Tuesday & Thursday
10:00 am - Build a Snow Cave - Wednesday & Friday
1:30 pm - Creature Feature - Monday - Friday 2:00 pm - Snowshoeing - Monday - Friday (Snowshoe Rental $3)
February 22
Tutoring Across Cultural and Ethnic Boundaries
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm. 110 Moon Library. This seminar will
provide tutors with practical knowledge on how to develop
tutoring sessions that are inclusive of all backgrounds while
valuing difference. This program will be facilitated by Dr.
Raydora Drummer-Francis, director of Multicultural Affairs
at SUNY-ESF.
Sponsor: Office of Academic Support Services | Contact:
Scott J. Blair, 315470-4921
February 25
Talk: Dr. Maurie Cohen, NJIT, “(Un)sustainable Consumption”
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm. 408 Baker. Dr. Maurie Cohen, Director,
Graduate Program in Environmental Policy Studies, New
Jersey Institute of Technology, will present a research-based
talk on “(Un)sustainable Consumption and the New Political
Economy of Growth”.
Sponsor: Dept. of Environmental Studies | Contact: David
Sonnenfeld, 315.470.6636
What: Syracuse Peace Council (SPC) MONTHLY PROGRAM:
Why: Immigration Rights Matter and What You Can Do
About It,
When: 7 pm
Where: ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Ave.
Details: A panel discussion on the need for humane immigration reform. Local activists will share stories about the
lives of immigrants in CNY. Speakers will also discuss the
status of relevant federal legislation and how you can get involved.
For more information please contact: Aly, 472-5478
February 27
Wanakena Winter Weekend
Ranger School, Wanakena. Beat the winter blues and get
away up north to the beautiful Adirondacks! A weekend at
our extension campus in Wanakena NY...meet the Ranger
school students, participate in some winter sports, relax by
the fire, take a hike, see some great local musicians. $10 for
ESF students. Includes lodging, food and transportation.
Sign-ups in 110 Bray beginning at the end of January/early
February.
Sponsor: Undergraduate Student Association | Contact:
Leah Flynn, 470-4865
Ongoing through Sunday, February 28, 2010
FEBRUARY 2010
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THINK GLOBALLY,
ACT LOCALLY -Syracuse Winter
by Julienne Smith
Winter in Syracuse…grey, cold, miserable winter
in Syracuse. This is what is on the minds of most if
not all students, faculty, and well, everyone in Syracuse. It gets so miserable out, a lot of people end up
in front of the T.V. watching all the nothing that can
possible fit on hundreds of channels, playing video
games, or sitting in front of their computers to occupy their time while they stay indoors away from the
cold. This opposed to the summer months when it’s
possible to go outside to play Frisbee or hike. Well,
this poses a couple of problems; a) T.V. can turn your
brains to mush, scientifically proven of course, and
b) this increases the amount of energy used in homes
than the summer. So, in order to decrease the extra
energy use (and the brain mush) in the winter here
is a list of seven things to do when you are bored in
Syracuse winter.
Don’t let the Syracuse winter get you down,
get up off your rump in front of the T.V. and go do
something, save the energy and your brains!
WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
2010 has been declared the International Year of
Biodiversity by the United Nations
By Bobby Brittain
Earth has been decreasing in biodiversity, one of
the most unique attributes found in the cosmos, at
an alarming rate. According to the World Wildlife
Foundation (WWF) the loss of species has increased
100 to 1,000 times the normal rate. At this current
trend a minimum of 10,000 species are lose every
year.
The lost of biodiversity has caught the attention of
the United Nations. It has prompted the international
organization to initiate the Convention on Biological
Diversity. This is one of two conventions conceived at
the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The
first addresses climate change while this Convention
has three goals that address the issue of biodiversity
loss: conserve existing biodiversity, sustainable use of
the components of biodiversity, and share the fruits
of the commercial utilization of genetic resources in a
fair way.
The UN is requiring governments around the world
• Start a hobby, such as making hemp jewelry or
doing a puzzle
• Pick up a new instrument or learn a new song on
one you know already
• Participate in all the fun winter activities around
here such as snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding
etc.
• Tip: Labrador Mountain has student nights on
Mondays and Tuesdays where lift tickets are only
$15 after 4:30 with student I.D. They also offer
season passes for $230 which is $150 cheaper
than the regular rate.
• Read a book, there are always school books to
read, or read one you want to read
• Go for a walk, it is cold out but if you bundle it’s
not bad and the snow can be very visually pleasing,
the graveyard is a favourite place to go.
• Play a game of cards or scrabble with your roommates, get to know them a little better
• Call your parents, it may be stressful, but it usually takes a while, and well, it’s something to do.
to take leadership roles in establishing strategies and
to, “integrate these into broader national plans for
environment and development.” The fields of forestry,
agriculture, energy and urban planning are a handful
of disciplines that will be greatly influenced by the
goals set by the Convention.
The UN acknowledges that world governments alone
cannot combat the loss of biodiversity. The combined
power of individuals around the globe can influence
the preservation and augmentation of plant Earth’s
biodiversity. The EU is encouraging individual
local communities to act as managers of their own
ecosystems.
Individuals are being encouraged to reevaluate their
personal consumption and how it impacts biodiversity.
By making educated choices, many individual choices
can add up and shift the world’s attitude towards a
more sustainable future.
3
environmental news
Freshwater issue
by Takayuki Suzuki
Background
Lakes are one of the most significant freshwater
resources providing water for domestic, agricultural and
industrial uses in the world. Currently our “blue planet”
turns to be a “black planet” when seen from space because of many water problems such as, waster water and
storm water, eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs, sewage and public health problems. Freshwater, therefore, is
one of the serious current problems all over the world.
Waste water and storm water
Storm water accelerates to spread waste water
and polluted water into other cities through transporting
pollutants to surface waters. As a result, when those pollutants go down through the ground and polluted fresh
water, it will affect drinking water and human health.
There are several agencies that taking care of water
pollution management such as; Storm Water Pollution
Prevention Plan (SWPPP), New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and State
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES). Each
agencies has a state program which has been approved
the control of wastewater and storm water discharge in
accordance with the Clean Water Act.
Current wastewater news
The Monongahela River in Pennsylvania
confronted strange problems last summer. Nearby
residents saw something strange because dishwaters
were malfunctioning and plates were coming out with
spots that couldn’t easily be rinsed off.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental
Protection identified causes and they found significant
cause of contaminated water problem. The Monongahela,
which provide a drinking water for 350,000 people, had
been contaminated by chemically tainted wastewater
from the state’s growing natural gas industry drilling.
Gas drilling in Pennsylvania has affected drinking water
in at least seven counties with leaking methane.
Pennsylvania is confronting the nation’s gas
drilling boom, with at least 4,000 new oil and gas wells
drilled here last year. According to industry estimates
used by the DEP, oil and gas wells discharge about 9
million gallons of wastewater a day in Pennsylvania
now. They also expect that the figure rise to at least 19
million gallons, enough to fill almost 29 Olympic-sized
swimming pools every day in the future.
DEP officials say one of the most worrisome
contaminants in the wastewater is a gritty substance
called Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), which is a mixture
of salt and other minerals that lie deep underground.
4
TDS can be five times as salty as sea water, which
affect the color, taste and odor of drinking water. Gas
drilling companies currently dispose of their wastewater
in Pennsylvania’s municipal sewage plants, which then
discharge it into rivers and streams. However, wastewater
problem in Pennsylvania, which related to natural gas
drilling, still have to work on the problem until people
can get safe drinking water.
References
The Gov Monitor:
http://thegovmonitor.com/world_news/united_states/
pennsylvania-faces-wastewater-problems-from-natural-gasdrilling-8338.html
United Nations Environment Progamme; Division of Technology,
Industry and Economics:
http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/issues/freshwater.asp
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner gives her
first State of the City address at SUNY ESF
by Jennifer Joline
Mayor Stephanie Miner gave her first State of the City
address at SUNY ESF’s Marshall Hall on January 28th
at 6:30pm.
She began her speech with a joke about how she was
elected despite the fact that she is… short… alluding to
the fact that she is the first woman ever to be elected to
city hall, in the city of Syracuse.
Mayor Miner drew on the strength of the “Say Yes to
Education” program that has won widespread recognition thanks, in part, to the leadership of Superintendent of Schools Dan Lowengard. The program that
promises college money to students who attend the
City Schools during grades 10-12, and graduate, has
been active for 2 years and has impacted 600 inner
city students. Miner announced, during her speech,
that the program would be extended to people who
make over $75,000 / year, perhaps in efforts to bring
wealthy suburbanites back into the city – and its school
district.
Miner is hoping to jump-start the City public school
renovation project that has lost momentum in recent
years. Initially 7 schools were going to be renovated,
as phase 1 of 4 that the school district would undergo.
The group charged with organizing the project, the
Joint Schools Construction Board (JSCB) will welcome Charles Merrihew, Vice President of Administration and External Affairs at Syracuse University, as
their newest appointed member. Miner has said that
the JSCB will have a recommendation on how to move
forward with the project, by the summer of 2010.
Mayor Stephanie Miner has promised to team up with
County Executive Joanie Mahoney to streamline interactions between the city and county governments. Mahoney, who began her term in 2008, is the first woman
to hold the position of County Executive in Onondaga
County.
Declaring “… because the people of Syracuse are ready
to turn the page, to renew our promise, and to meet
our potential – I am proud to say to you tonight I believe the state of our city is strong,” Miner remained
optimistic in her projections for her term.
HYDROFRACKING 101
by Owen Barbour
Frequent commotion in the local news recently has been regarding the Natural Gas supply held in
the Marcellus Shale found deep underground. Recent
estimates have shown that the shale bed may contain
over 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, about 50 trillion of which is recoverable. Shockingly this would be
enough to supply the entire United States for roughly
two years at current consumption rates. The shale
bed lies nearly a mile beneath much of Ohio, West
Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York as well as small
outstretches in Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and
Virginia. Therefore, the extraordinary drilling costs to
reach this supply deep underground must be recouped
with large volume yields.
Hydrological fracturing, also known as hydrofracking, has claimed to yield a high initial production
compared to traditional vertical wells. Traditional
drilling techniques are limited to the direct area beneath the well. This may be the cause of low yields
with a declining production rate. As with this traditional technology, hydrofracking production rates will
too decline over time, however, this production could
be restimulated with a second hydraulic fracturing
treatment boosting the production once again.
What exactly is the process of hydraulic fracturing you may ask yourself? This process uses horizontal
drilling rather than traditional measures to penetrate
the vertical fractures or joints in the Bedrock. This
perpendicular drilling process will intersect a maximum number of fractures compared to a vertical borehole which only intersects a few, allowing the natural
gas to escape from the Shale. Once this horizontal well
is completed the hydraulic fracturing process is used
to increase the number of fractures, likewise, increasing the yield of the well.
Accomplishing this exploit is performed through a
complex process which promotes maximum yield.
The first step is to seal off a desired portion of the well
and injecting water or gel under very high pressure
into this isolated area. The high pressure causes the
rock surrounding the well bore to fracture even further by pushing them open. Once they are open they
have to be prevented from closing when the pressure
is reduced. This is done by pumping several tons of
sand or other “propant” down the well and into the
pressurized portion of the well. These sand grains are
forced into the preexisting and newly created fractures
propping them open. Providing that enough sand is
trapped in these fractures, there will be an improved
permeability for the gas to enter the well and maximum yield can be extracted.
Graphic by
Al Granberg
courtesy of
ProPublica,
under Creative
Commons
5
HYDROFRACKING OF THE MARCELLUS SHALE: DR.
DONALD SIEGEL PERSPECTIVE
by Jenna Boshart
Currently in Central NY Hydraulic Fracturing
the claim that radiation from the rocks is an issue.
or Hydrofracking has become a topic of great debate.
However, the same shale found 3,000 feet below
Many local Environmental groups, such as the
us can be seen in the bed rocks outside of Ithaca,
Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON), have
NY. According to the DEC then normally occurring
vigorously advocated in recent months for the “NYS
radioactive material (NORM) does not pose any health
Legislature to enact a ban on permitting gas wells that
risks.
use horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing.”
According to Dr. Siegel the only claim that
Hydrofracking is a new technique of
contains any validity to
drilling for natural gas, or methane, from
having negative impacts
the “gas bering substrate” trapped beneath
on
the
environment
the Marcellus Shale. According to Dr.
is
groundwater
Donald Siegel, Professor of Earth Sciences
contamination. This can
at Syracuse University, the technique of
only occur if the cement
Hydraulic Fracturing has been around for
encasing the gas well is
over 35 years; it is the technology that has
improperly installed. If
changed regarding wells drilled. Drilling
this occurs the methane
companies are now able to drill horizontal
and chemical additives
wells.
are able to seep into the
These horizontally drilled wells are
aquifer.
much more efficient than the a vertical well.
In
Northeastern
One horizontal well is able to extract the
Pennsylvania
many
A man ignites his contaminated wellsame amount of methane that it would take
residents are experiencing
water straight from the faucet.
eight vertical wells.
the
implications
of
As a new technique, many people are concerned
improper installation of gas wells. There have been
for the unknown environmental implications drilling
reports of local residents turning on their water
will have in Central NY. During my interview with Dr.
faucets and being able to set them on fire. Currently
Siegel he discussed the various concerns including:
there is an investigation of whether this is the result of
1.1. Damage to Streambeds and Wetlands
Hydrofracking or from a naturally occurring process
1.2. Hydrofracking Chemical Additives
caused by the wetlands.
1.3. Hydrofracking and Radiation
However, this is only one case out of thousands
1.4. Groundwater Contamination
of wells across the North East drilling gas from the
Regarding the concerns for damage to
Marcellus Shale. During my interview with Dr. Siegel
streambeds and wetlands and the impact of the
I found him to be outraged by the anti-Hyrdrofracking
chemical additives, in Dr. Siegel research he has
movement by environmentalists. Dr. Siegel very
found no scientific proof to support these claims. The
passionately stated: “I hate when scientific data is
waste water produced by drilling contains what “looks
misused to validate philosophical claims.” He believes
like a witches brew of chemicals” is simply diluted
that “environmental groups have lost site of issues for
organic compounds, many which are used in the food
philosophical views.”
industry, and sodium chloride (aka salt). (to find more
Dr. Siegel was very clear that company’s should
information on the exact chemicals used go to the DEC
take steps to make the process of Hydrofracking as
website and look up the DIS report)
safe as possible. One suggestion is that the DEC should
Many environmental groups claim that
demand a full analysis of the what is being extract both
improper disposal of this waste water will be disruptive
at the very start of drilling and the very end of drilling.
to the pH balance of the local water shed. However,
As Dr. Siegel stated: “we can’t have a risk free society.”
Dr. Siegel argues that this “salty water (with a sarcastic
As with any industry there will be problems. If there
tone)” is a trivial amount compared to the thousands
are mishaps company’s should take care of it.
of tons of road salt used each year. Dr. Siegel believes
that in the upcoming years we will be facing the
Photograph:
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.
consequences of dispersing large quantities of road
ssf/2010/01/tioga_county_man_blames_natura.html
salt into the ecosystem.
Environmental organizations have also made
6
2 CENTS
FOR FREE...
Songs from the Skies:
Our Endangered Songbirds
by Nicole Papp
from this contamination. In a New York Times article,
researchers stated that, “Songbirds are avoiding insects
that have ingested leaves with elevated carbon dioxide
“And the songbirds keep singing, Like they know the
levels, a finding that
score.”
“…for the past fifteen years, may show how global
For many years, songbirds have been a
there has been a startling warming affects the
source of joy, wonder, and inspiration to
food chain.”
many including, one of my favorite bands, reduction in the number of
`
of
Today there
Fleetwood Mac. Birdsong is the oldest different species
songbirds
around
the
counare
fewer
songbirds in
form of music known to man. A songbird’s
places such as: Texas,
melody is a sort of muse to the songwriter
California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Arizona, New Mexico,
in all of us, and listening to their sweet music can free
Canada, etc. “Songbirds need large tracts of forested
us from an unpleasant mood. But for the past fifteen
land, and most of that habitat region is disappearing. In
years, there has been a startling reduction in the
every part of the continent there are wild bird species
number of different species of songbirds around the
suffering significant losses” (Wilson). Deforestation
country. Much of this population decline has been due
is also a main cause leading to fewer nesting areas
to poisoning, pollution, climate change, and alterations
for birds to obtain. Highway noise and construction
in the food chain.
around wooded areas are hurting the existence of
There’s a great deal more to songbirds than just
our birds, as well. “The background noise produced
the beautiful music they lend to our ears. In the essay
by traffic, with its effect on birds’ communication
“The Land Ethics,” Aldo Leopold states that in the past
abilities, can render an otherwise suitable nesting area
many had thought,
unsuitable” (TranSaftey Inc).
“insects would eat us
“Even though songbirds
Our vibrant and fascinating
up if birds failed to
have no apparent value in
control them” (pg.
the political or economical songbirds have been negatively affected
t455). Even though
sense, they do keep the because of our unfamiliarity and ignorance
with the subject. But luckily, people
songbirds have no
food chain intact.”
have been making changes to help these
apparent value in the
disappearing songbirds.
Organizations
political or economical sense, they do keep the food
have been implemented in order to protect the number
chain intact.
of songbirds left, educate the masses, and establish
Pollution is still at a high rate and has had many
habitat reserves around the country. Songbirds can
grave effects on the number of songbirds alive today.
provide us with an appreciation of the pure innocence
In an article from Florida Today, it is stated, “Mercury
of nature and all of its magnificent benefits. My
pollution is drastically changing the food chain. It is
hopes, for all of us today, would be to help preserve
making its way into most habitats in the United States
the habitats of songbirds so that we can appreciate the
and exposing countless species of wildlife to potentially
delicate beauty they have to give us for generations to
harmful levels.” The Wood thrush, Red-eyed vireo,
come.
Louisiana waterthrush, Bicknell’s thrush, Carolina
7
wren, and the Prothonotary warbler have been affected
and It never ends
By Nicole Papp
You are Invited for
Cheese & Cocktails
by Kathryn Goloski
Degradation-infestation,
Water table’s infiltration.
Oil is spilling,
They keep on drillingAnd, it never ends.
Lets think about the next two years.
We could destroy accomplish a lot in 730 days
Contamination-inhalation,
For the sake of acquiring natural gas
Hydrofracking’s occupation.
by unnatural means
Clogged drain,
“The gas in the Marcelus is held like bubbles
Then going insane-
in a brick of swiss cheese.”
And, it doesn’t end.
So Why Not?
Lets break this cheese and pass it round
Hydraulic fracturing,
Eat it up!
Enviro-attacking.
And then fill your cup
Reservoir congested,
With the contaminate toxic cocktail
Water left untested-
free from your tap
Yet, it never ends.
Maybe if we’re lucky we can ignite it
and have a light show
Introspection-disconnection,
Dance by the fire
Short of the main objection.
If its what you desire
Seismic event,
For we will have solved the problem
Then people lament-
of the immediate future at last!
And, still, it doesn’t end.
Then we can celebrate the past.
If time permits.
Concentration-reservation,
We are… the waste-nation.
Chemicals flowing,
No sign of plateauing,
And, no, It Never Ends.