January 4, 1999
1) Happy New Year!!! Today's World Population Is
5,958,428,430
2) Alabama Water Watch's 1998 Annual Report
3) New Wildlife Refuge In Alabama Being Planned
4) Emelle Landfill In Decline
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1. 5,958,428,430 People And Counting - Yes that's right.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau's World population estimate counter, that is
the
approximate number of folks living on planet earth at 12:02 A.M.
(Central
Standard Time) January 4, 1999. By the end of 1999 we will be
entering not
only a new millenium but reaching the 6 Billion people mark. Each
year we
add to the world's population the equivalent population of Alabama
- times
20. And the world's population is not slowing down.
One of my personal New Year resolutions' is to learn more about
population
issues and help enact solutions. During my vacation, my brother
Ian, who
designs websites, showed me a site he built for a new national
group called
Facing the Future. The site has some great links/resources and
offers
teacher/study guides for people to read online or download. This
site will
show you how to get involved locally and globally. The address
is:
http://www.facingthefuture.org
By the way, by the time it took me to finish writing this 2
paragraph BEN
segment (3-4 minutes) the world's population estimate counter
increased by
296....
2. Alabama Water Watch's (AWW) Annual Report - Last
week Bill Deutsch,
Alabama Water Watch's Program Manager sent out a "sneak preview"
detailing
the group's 1997-98 Annual Report. Check out these figures from
this highly
productive citizen based non-profit organization.
>From Oct. 1, 1997 to Sept. 30, 1998 (AWW's fiscal year)
# 68 citizen groups submitted water quality data to the AWW office.
# 22 new citizen groups began collecting and submitting water
quality data to
AWW.
# About 650 sites on 300 waterbodies have been monitored since
1993 and over
7000 data forms have been received.
# AWW held 59 Training workshops that included basic certification,
recertification, bacteriological, bioassessment and training of
trainers.
This is just a small sampling of the incredible work AWW performs
statewide.
It is one of the most effective grassroots citizen water monitoring
groups in
the South...
and a very passionate group of citizen activists. For more information
about
AWW contact their website at:
http://www.auburn.edu/aww
or call them at 1-888-844-4785.
3. Wildlife Refuge at Fort McClellan - National, state
and local officials
are working toward creating a national wildlife refuge at Fort
McClellan.
The proposed size of the refuge has fluctuated from 7000 to 12,000
acres.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is interested in the land (which
is
located within the fort) because it would preserve the only known
large stand
of mountain longleaf pine and rare plant species. Pete Conroy,
the director
of Jacksonville State University's Environmental Policy and Information
Center (EPIC) has been spearheading the refuge plan and indicated
last week
that U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions had expressed interest in writing
legislation
to set up the refuge and fund it. For more information about this
project
and ways you can help create Alabama's newest National Wildlife
Refuge,
please contact Pete Conroy at: 1-256-782-5681.
4. Emelle Landfill In Decline - According to an AP report,
the Emelle
landfill has been declining dramatically in waste and revenue
collection.
Once recognized as one of the nation's largest hazardous waste
landfills,
Emelle last year took in 117,077 tons of waste compared to a record
790,716
tons in the late 80's. In 1991, the state General Fund garnered
$35 million
in taxes from Emelle. Last year (1998) the state received only
$1.4 million
, an 83% drop from the $8.6 million the state collected in 1997.
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions about BEN, contact Pat Byington at
205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com
