 A new
interactive tool on the DEQ website lets Oregon residents measure their
carbon footprint and discover ways to improve it. The Oregon
Carbon Calculator calculates all direct and indirect greenhouse gas
emissions from personal transportation, household energy use, and consumption
of food, goods and services.
Find
out how your household's carbon footprint compares to households of similar
size and income. And learn how you can take action to reduce your carbon
footprint from a number of specific ideas and strategies.
The
Oregon Carbon Calculator is made possible through Oregon DEQ's support of the
CoolClimate Network, a program of the University of California, Berkeley, and
through financial support by the California Air Resources Board and the
CoolCalifornia.org partnership. Oregon DEQ selected this calculator for its
approach and depth in calculating human impacts to climate change.
 DEQ is
responsible for establishing water quality standards and policies to protect
aquatic and human life in Oregon. Staff are busy working on a number of
important water quality improvement projects for Oregon, including the
following:
Reducing persistent pollutants. DEQ
has prepared a draft legislative report detailing sources of 118 persistent
toxics in Oregon waterways and measures to help reduce them. Public
information sessions will take place throughout the state in
early April. DEQ will submit the final report to the Oregon Legislature on
June 1. More information.
Upper Klamath, Lost
River Subbasins. A plan to improve water quality in the Upper
Klamath and Lost River subbasins is out for public
comment. Due to questions about water availability in the Klamath basin,
DEQ has extended the comment period through May 27. More information.
Turbidity standards.
DEQ is updating the water quality standard addressing turbidity, a measure of
water clarity. Once technical work is completed, DEQ will convene a work
group and develop a revised rule on the standard – sometime in late 2011. More information.
Standards for new fish
consumption rate. DEQ continues to work with communities and
other interested groups to develop new standards regulating toxic emissions
into waterways to protect human health based on a higher fish consumption
rate. More information.
Willamette basin streamside habitat study. In
early March, DEQ released a report estimating it could cost up to $1.2
billion to restore streamside vegetation throughout the Willamette basin. The
loss in streamside vegetation -- due to pollution stemming from farming,
forestry and urban activities – has resulted in increased polluted runoff
into streams, leading to increased water temperature and diminished aquatic
life. View
the report.
 It may
surprise you to learn that the best weed control for a lawn is provided by
healthy soil, not synthetic fertilizers and herbicides. Some lawn chemicals
actually kill the soil microbes necessary for a healthy lawn.
Using a "weed and feed" product to fertilize a lawn
also broadcasts toxic herbicides across the entire lawn. These herbicides can
stay there for weeks. Rain or watering can wash the chemicals into storm
drains that lead to rivers and streams where fish are at risk. Moreover,
herbicides are toxic chemicals that can be unsafe for children and pets.
There are safe and healthy ways to care for your lawn without
the use of toxic herbicides. Visit DEQ’s Healthy Lawns, Healthy Families website
to learn about natural lawn care and how lawn-care habits affect water
quality.
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