Unplugged and far off the grid, the residents of Slab City, aka Slabbers, make their home on the far eastern side of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley of California. The former World War II military base, (Camp Dunlap), is home to over 500 residents, (according to the Slab City Newsletter), mainly during the winter. An eclectic mix of tenants from snowbirds squatting in their $200.000 RV’s to footloose, tent packing, hitch hikers make this 141 feet below sea level desert their home. The nearby Chocolate Mountains echo the blasts of USMC aircraft pulverizing the surrounding hills with an assortment of munitions during practice runs for the distant landscapes of the Middle East. The unfazed Slabbers have grown accustom to the almost daily thunder under clear skies. With no rent due and zero utility bills to worry about, solar panels, solar ovens and other off-grid methods are used to ease the wild west environ. The other side of the coin, no trash or waste disposal services available for Slab City residents, they have to resorted to burning, dumping or hauling. A long term air quality and ecological challenge, even for the crusty, off-grid nomads and long term Slabbers.
President Obama is rolling back Bush’s executive policies faster than the falling shares of Detroit’s so-called Big Three. One of those regulations will be the reversal of the last administration’s soft pedaling of environmental policies. In particular, those of increasing mileage and limiting emissions on our everyday modes of transportation. California is helping to lead the way for cleaner federal environmental policies, thanks to green Govenator Schwarzenegger, which will not only put the brakes on carbon levels, but help put America back on the road to prosperity. Building fuel efficient vehicles with hybrid and other green forms of technology, and the jobs this generates, could very well be a significant step forward to rolling back Detroit’s old smoggy facade and the “Obamination” of environmentally unfriendly policies.
One of the root causes of runaway wildfires is Global Warming. I know, you’ve heard it before, but wait, millions of acres, (four million in 2008), of Lodgepole, Scotch, Ponderosa pines and other woody plant species from Colorado to the shores of California are becoming ample fuel source for errant infernos that consume America’s natural beauty. In part due to severe drought conditions and the ever increasing “American Dream” home building mania in many localities in Southern California and the Southern Rocky states. Firestorms are now considered a routine risk worth taking for many residents in Southern California. With record breaking summer temperatures helping to increase the likelihood of a “perfect firestorm” near major population areas, (according to National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, NOAA.), stirring mass migrations and fouling-up the air, it gives pause for all to be more aware of planet warming trends we can help to lessen.
It’s not quite as safe as the driven snow in many North American ski resorts this winter. As many as 23 skiers and snowboarders have been buried alive by avalanches in the Rockies from Canada to the United States. Most ski resorts have blown through their yearly budgets for avalanche reduction work since November 2008. Errant weather patterns are the main culprit for the massive piles of powder ready to spring on the winter loving jock. Scientist and avalanche experts are flummoxed over the high death toll at the beginning of the snow season. It would seem that the high country is getting too much of a good thing. Mainly from the lingering influence of La Nina’s drive of supercharged damp air in the Pacific Northwest, (according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.) Ski bums beware, avalanche roulette may be included in your next lift ticket.
What’s drier than a martini served up on a hot summer day in Arizona? Desertification, the once natural and excellerating process which converts fertile lands into arid deserts. This just in, large populations in Africa and Central Asia, ( about one billion) will be displaced by creeping desert sands within a generation, according to the United Nations University. By the look of things to come, we could also see the return of the not-so popular “dust bowl” of North America’s 1930’s too. Currently tens of millions of people are on the move trying to escape dry lifeless lands mostly in sub-sahara Africa. Unfortunately brought on by changing global climate patterns influenced from factory and auto emissions from first world countries and also from poorly planned development within that region. To help solve this problem our environmental homework should include using low energy lighting, planting CO2 sucking trees, and using fuel efficient means of transportation which will have a positive impact on the peoples of the third world and will make our homes a little less dusty.
