TACONITE MINE TOWN HALL MEETING

I really enjoyed the conclusion to GE410.  I played the role of the Gtac representative.  Being that our economy is in the state it is in, the majority of the conversation focused on jobs creation and economic growth.  My dear environmentalist friends really brought home the negative impacts the mine could pose on the landscape and its people.  My responses about air and water pollution focused on the standards the company would be held to in order for us to even begin the project.  I explained that Gtac had to prove to the state of Wisconsin that we had measures to control pollution.  I used the Northstar Economic Report to back the profits and jobs that could be created from the mine.  I really feel that the media had chosen the side it wanted to stand with and so finding information supporting the mine was much more difficult.  Furthermore, media coverage were twisting figures and exaggerating impacts and truths.  On the other hand, you can clearly see where the company uses political responses to answer environmental concerns.
HERE IS THE MINE SITE                             HERE IS THE LAND  

HERE IS AN IDEA OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE
        

This is sad to think about, however, I did read that they would back fill the mine and plant the trees and other plants that were removed.

What is most dramatic to me personally is the livelihood the mine could bring back to the majority of it's citizens.  A miner would be paid 82 thousand dollars throughout the year.  This is EXTREMELY significant to the people in this community.  Imagine wondering how you were going to pay your bills and how you were going to feed your children.  Now imagine having that stress taken away and being able to earn money to save for your children's collage and vacations.  This would bring so many people out of a state of depression and feeling as if they were failures.  As a nursing student this matters to me.  I am passionate about the human aspect of life.  I wish that no human had to suffer.  Going through nursing school opens your eyes up to the travesties that other humans live with and to be able to relieve their suffering is special and important.  The other human part of this would be the displacement of the natives.  Once again they would have their homes taken from them.  Why should they have to be displaced when this is and has been their home.  I would hope with all my heart that IF the mine were built that Gtac would offer the natives payed schooling to train them so that they would have employable skills.  Perhaps open their eyes to environmental jobs they could hold or humanistic jobs like nursing and counseling.  I believe it is possible to build the mine in a way that is good to everyone.

I am also not in opposition of Amanda's idea to create a touristic environment that could lead to growth and jobs.  It is important to keep in mind however that development would occur in another form such as hotels, restaurants, and tourist things like that.  A very good example of this is Lake Geneva Wisconsin.  I grew up here so I know first hand the growth it has see.  The lake is supposedly one of the cleanest in Wisconsin and it is a major attraction to the citizens of Illinois.  When I first moved there it was mainly the small downtown corner with the lake.  Now, there is a whole new part of it.  There's a super center Walmart (of course), fast food shops, Rue 21, TJ Max, Home Depot...etc.  Anyhow, this section is up the hill and away from the Lake so I could see how keeping it small but advertising it's environment could promote some growth.  I;m not sure how large the lakes are in that area so I wouldn't know what kind of attraction could bring people to the area.  Secondly, I don't think these type of jobs could promise the wages mining could.

In all, this situation is extremely complex and should not be dealt with lightly.  All environmental concerns should be addressed.  I would implore others to really understand where the towns people are coming from and how it is to be in their shoes.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS CLASS WAS A GREAT ENDING TO THE YEAR AND MY SCHOOL CAREER.  I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE MET ALL OF YOU AND WILL ADMIT THAT YOU EACH HAVE HAD AN IMPACT ON HOW I LIVE AND I WILL PROMISE TO KEEP ALL OF IT IN MIND WHEN I BUILD MY HOME IN THE FUTURE.

MINING ARTICLE

I read this article today.

http://whbl.com/news/articles/2014/may/06/gov-walker-brings-back-committee-to-determine-mining-effect-reimbursments/

It explains how Governor Walker is working to reimburse communities for the costs they have incurred on studies and agreements connected with the proposed Gogebic Taconite iron ore mine.

I never considered that communities were paying for research into what was available on their land.  I am guessing it is because they are for the mine due to job availability.  It has been reported that populations and jobs have been decreasing.

The Northstar Economics report in 2011 reported a 9.8% unemployment rate in the mine area compared to the average of the whole state which was 8.1%.  People need money and to get that, they need jobs.

WEBINAR: COVER CROPS AND NO TILL FARMING

A few weeks ago I listened in on a webinar talking about cover crops and no till farming.
Cover crops are usually planted after crops are harvested at the end of summer.  Legume type plants are used most frequently along with things like rye, oats, wheat, turnips, radish, and buckwheat.  It is beneficial to plant two or more cover crops at once.  What these do is enrich the soil so that it doesn't become depleted of nutrients and so it remains capable of growing crops.

            

There are still nutrients lost however and a new age form of saving our dirt is called no-till farming.  No till means exactly that.  There is no plowing.  Plowing creates a soil with broken structure that sits on a deeper layer compressed by the farm machinery.  In no-till the crop residues can be leached from the surface into the ground allowing anhydrous ammonia, phosphorus, and potassium to be as effective as the tilled fields.  In no-till farming, seeds are put in the ground where other plants were pulled from using special equipment.

Tilled soil looks like this

          

No-till soil looks like this

    

Nutrient dense soil takes much longer to disintegrate into water.

What is important about this topic is that if farmers could create a way to transition to 100% no till farming we could save our dirt which is vital to our survival.

TO SEE JUST HOW LITTLE LAND IS AVAILABLE FOR FARMING PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.farmland.org/Flash/appleEarth.html

FIELD TRIPS


My favorite part of our field trip was the Schlitz Audubon.  I love being outside, I always have.  I was born in Utah and there is a special kind of effect that the rocky mountains have on a person.  That kind of enormity of nature surrounding you really helps one appreciate it.  Even more I love the water.  I could have stayed out on that lake the whole day.  The building itself was beautiful , not surprising being the area that it is in.  It was interesting to learn how the building was environmentally friendly and built to remain cool in summer and warm with fir places in the winter.



IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING, LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS FOR WEDDINGS!!!!



The second part of the field trip wasn't all that interesting to me.  It was however, interesting to see how high velocities of water and low velocities of water had different effect on the ground beneath it.  The loud noise the flume made was really annoying after a while.