You can have fish or you can have progress.
This comment by a Vietnamese environmental advocate who was not allowed to meet with President Obama during this week’s visit to Asia is an indicator of some of the problems that occur when industrialization is left unchecked. President Obama’s recent trip to Vietnam has again shed light on the delicate relationship yet another country is having between its industrialization and the protection of the environment. While several Vietnamese who were asked to come visit with the President of the U.S. were prevented from doing so, at least one was certain that the Vietnamese government did not want Obama to hear about the devastating environmental effects steel production was having on the fishing industry.
In another part of the world where the 2016 Olympics are to be held in fewer than 100 days, another environmental issue is making the news. In a National Public Radio report this week, environmentalists announced that more than 50 tons of dead and smelly fish were removed from a Rio de Janeiro lagoon, a site scheduled to host Olympic events. Although some specialists attempt to blame algae blooms, the water quality in Rio has become a major concern for Olympic organizers, even to the point of delaying the games for the sake of the health of the athletes and the spectators.
Groundwater Treatment and Remediation Allows Industrial Progress with Less Risk
Vietnam and Rio are not the only places in the world concerned about groundwater pollution and the illegal dumping of industrial waste water. In fact, an entire U.S. industry has developed around the topics of groundwater remediation methods and safe waste water treatment. An environmental remediation company’s sole purpose is to find ways for industrial progress to continue in an environmentally safe way. And while groundwater remediation systems are a part of large industrial sites like gasoline refinery plants, many other businesses look to an environmental remediation company to help anticipate problems and find solutions for those problems.
One area that an environmental remediation company will often address is the dewatering of a construction site. This process involves the removal of water from soil or other solid material. The environmental remediation company
uses many ways in which to achieve this. The decision to use centrifugation, filtration, or wet classification is determined by several carefully considered decisions. In all methods, however, the two biggest factors in dewatering include the safety of the workers on the job site and the discharge location for the water and any other accompanying materials.
In spite of environmental problems that still exist in this country, the U.S. has several agencies who closing monitor and serve as watchdogs over the protection of both groundwater reservoirs and open sea waters. While many incidences of violations may occur, America is at least watching out for problems. The complete denial of the impact that industry has on the environment, including ground water tables and its pollution, is not as prevalent in America as in other parts of the world. The mere existence of groundwater remediation methods and the companies that provide them speaks to the efforts that the U.S. is making. The continued vigilance of the watchdogs, however, speaks to the continued need for progress and guidance.
Do America’s Environmental Efforts Make U.S. Citizens More Critical of Problems Around the World?
As a nation that went through the industrial revolution many years ago, America has had its turn of making lots of progress very quickly. With that fast progress came many environmental issues that had to be addressed and solved. In some ways, because of this progress Americans tend to demand regulations that were simply not in place during the U.S. industrial revolution. It seems unwise, however, to deny the technology and environmental implications though that we know about. For instance, ground water accounts for more than 95% of this nation’s available fresh water resources. It is also the drinking water source for half the people in this country. It seems foolish that while americans continue to tackle this country’s groundwater remediation projects to let far greater water problems around the world go unchecked.
Research indicates that only 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh water. Doesn’t it seem prudent to make sure we keep it that way?
