They had previously discovered them in Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie last year and new summer research uncovered small concentrations also in Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario.Mary Balcer, director of the Lake Superior Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, who has studied more traditional Great Lakes threats such as zebra mussels, said plastics are a new culprit on the list of Great Lakes ecological troubles.
“The accumulation of plastic particles is a great threat to our natural ecosystem and to the humans who use Lake Superior for our drinking water supply,” Balcer said.Fresh off the research boat, Lorena Rios-Mendoza, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, presented her preliminary findings to reporters Thursday.
She said Lake Erie seems to hold the highest concentrations of plastics, probably because the particles float downstream from the upper lakes, according to the Duluth News Tribune.The plastic has also been found in Lake Superior sediment, meaning it’s not just floating on the China beads, Rios-Mendoza said.
“It was very shallow where they were found, but they were in the sediment,” Rios-Mendoza said.The researchers dragged fine-mesh nets across the surface of lakes. Some of the plastic can be seen only under a microscope.So far, Rios-Mendoza’s hypothesis is that the plastic in the Great Lakes starts small, possibly as scrubbing beads in household or beauty products, facial scrubs and even some toothpaste.
The particles are tiny enough to slip through the screens at wastewater treatment plants and then start their journey across the Great Lakes.Not only is the plastic itself an issue, she noted, but research has found that plastic can absorb persistent toxic chemicals, some of them known endocrine disrupters. So the floating plastic beads act like tiny, toxic sponges.
Two Melia Trees in Grey Street outside Gisborne Motors will be removed as part of Gisborne District Council’s focus on actively managing street trees. The health of the 80 year old trees is in decline, and they are causing significant damage to property, says parks and community property manager Grahame Smail. "Trees don’t last forever and council is committed to maintaining a streetscape with healthy trees. Where trees are sick or becoming a hazard we want to remove them before they cause injury to passers-by."
Council looks after 4700 street trees planted on the sides of roads within the city and at Wainui, Makaraka, Manutuke, Patutahi, Te Karaka and Tolaga Bay. This is in addition to thousands of trees planted in the parks throughout the district.
"Our abundance of street trees adds a unique character to the city and council wants to keep it that way. They are an important asset recorded in our tree register which keeps track of the age, species, health and expected lifespan of all street trees."
"This will help us to identify when trees need to be replaced. We are also developing replacement guidelines for street trees. The aim is to ensure the right trees are planted in the right places. For instance the Melia trees planted in Grey Street have caused issues for business owners and passers-by for years. Melia trees drop beads and leaves four times a year. They are a large tree with an intensive root system that lifts and breaks paving causing a trip hazard. They will be replaced with trees that are not so large and do not drop as much onto our footpaths but suit the style of our city centre."
Four palms will be removed in Heipipi Park by the Courthouse. "They were never meant to have been planted there under the original landscaping plan. One is obscuring the lights that illuminate the canoe prow (Tauihu) that was carved by Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp in 1990. They overshadow the iconic sculpture and are obscuring an important acknowledgement to that site. "Tauihi gives recognition to the district’s voyaging ancestors who settled our turquoise beads. This is a theme that will become more apparent as we move towards 2019, 250 years since the arrival of the Endeavour. The palm trees have been planted where additional sculptures were proposed in the original landscaping plan. Their removal opens up this significant area for alignment with the Tairawhiti Navigations project," says Mr Smail.
Once again the summer has flown by much faster than I thought possible. I make plans, certain projects that seem 'Summerperfect' and only a few come to fruition. One favorite ongoing project is the memory project. There are certain memories from our childrens' childhood that are classics. They are the ones someone is bound to bring up at family gatherings, "Remember the time we ..."
Some were planned and some just happened. I have more time with the grandkids and take great delight in developing adventures and memories to hold on to.
We made a few over the summer, from the planting of certain flowers and watching them bloom to the introduction of lychee nuts in their spidery, scary raw form.
The trip was Nya's first train trip. The autotrain was made to order for making memories. We left in the middle of the night and drove to Lorton, Va. Nya was fascinated as she watched them load our van onto the train. The ride is from 4 p.m. Friday and an arrival at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, in Sanford, Fla.
There is a community feel to train travel that delights me. We quickly got to know our neighbors from Connecticut. David and Jossetta Andrews and their three children, Corin, Caylee and Cash were on their first trip to Disneyworld. The grownups chatted and we settled everyone in. Toddler Cash giggled and shouted Disneyworld. It was Caylee that sealed the friendship. After talking to Nya and admiring her afro puffs and beads, Caylee wrote a note to Nya that said: "Do you want to be my friend? Circle one, yes or no" They were coloring buddies for the rest of the trip.
Nya giggled along the wobbly walks to the bathroom, the lounge car to play Uno and war and the dining car. She was pleasantly surprised that we were having dinner on the train car that looked like a restaurant with tables and linen napkins and very good food. Nya tasted my braised beef sirloin, her grandfathers' lemon pepper cod and decided her chicken tenders were the best. Our server was Kevin Clement , a wonderfully kind and efficient young man, who made it seem his only wish was to serve Nya as he balanced trays with grace. We toasted: "Here's to you, kid!" with chardonnay for Andy and I and apple juice for Nya. We renamed the autotrain the dream train as we settled in for the night.
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