Eco Report – November 4, 2022

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HEADLINES

All stories by Norm Holy

Early Monday evening, the City of Bloomington Utilities issued a statement regarding hydrocarbon odors coming from the sewage flowing to the Dillman Road Wastewater Treatment Plant. A thorough search was conducted and determined the smell resulted from a release of gasoline fuel into the sanitary and storm sewer near a Marathon Gas Station located at 1307 West Third Street.

As reported by Inside Climate News, last week, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the headquarters of Our Next Energy, a battery manufacturing startup in Novi, a Detroit suburb.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) announced Round 4 of the DieselWise Indiana with Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Option program’s grant funding which will distribute awards ranging from $50,000 to $1,000,000.

A new report identifies 70 bird species that are at a “tipping point,” meaning that their populations have declined so significantly that they could face endangerment or even extinction in the coming years.

The water in the Mississippi River has dropped so low that barges are getting stuck, leading to expensive dredging and at least one recent traffic jam with more than 2,000 vessels backed up.

The Florida citrus industry is bruised from years of hardships, but the farmers cultivating America’s love of the Sunshine State’s orange juice are a resilient bunch.  Already challenged with a citrus crop yield at the lowest production level since World War II, growers were dealt another blow after Hurricane Ian passed over the heart of the state’s citrus footprint spanning more than 340,000 acres.

Inside Climate Change reports clean energy is seeing a surge of new development all around the world, according to a series of new reports, with electricity produced from carbon-free wind and solar power helping to fill rising global energy demand.

 

CALENDAR

Take a Devil’s Backbone Hike at Charlestown State Park on Friday, November 4th, from 10 am to Noon.  The site is usually not open to the public, but guided tours are available during the winter months and are limited to 12 people per hike.  Email [email protected] to reserve a space.

Join the naturalist for an Owl Prowl Hike at the Fairfax State Recreation Area at Monroe Lake on Saturday, November 5th, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.  You will walk through forest and field to learn about the species of owls found in southern Indiana.  Learn which habitats they prefer, and what they sound like.

Take a Full Beaver Moon Hike at Spring Mill State Park on Saturday, November 5th, from 8 to 9 pm.  The hike is one mile long on Trail 5.  You will learn the folklore and history of the Full Beaver Moon.

Learn how to make a handmade raffia basket at the Raffia Basket Workshop at the Paynetown State Recreation Area at Monroe Lake on Sunday, November 6th, from 2 to 3:30 pm.  You will construct a 5” basket out of natural fibers and learn how to add special touches.  Sign up at bit.ly/raffia2022.

Make a Wreath Out of An Invasive Plant at Spring Mill State Park on Saturday, November 12th, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.  Join naturalist Sheree to make a beautiful wreath out of dried Japanese honeysuckle.  Learn about invasive plants while creating your wreath.  Register at 812-849-3534 or [email protected].